16 Paleo-Friendly Fig Recipes

A roundup of 16 grain-free, paleo-friendly recipes using fresh figs, 

from breakfasts and snacks to dinners and desserts.

Figs are in season now, and while they're great eaten just as-is, I also love cooking with them. I've been especially excited about figs this year, even writing a poem about them in the style of Pablo Neruda (scroll down in this post to read my ode to figs). My fiancé and I just moved down to Tennessee and, since my campaign to get him to raise goats with me has been unsuccessful, I now have my heart set on planting a fig tree or two. Hopefully in a few years I'll be able to make all these recipes with homegrown figs!

For now, store-bought figs will have to do. My local grocery store has plenty of black mission figs (pictured above in the top left of the collage), and I've also seen brown turkey and calimyrna figs. I wanted to round up all of the most delicious paleo-friendly fig recipes in one place in order to inspire us all to take full advantage while they're still around. I scoured all my favorite blogs and websites to find mouth-watering ways to use figs at every meal of the day. The recipes below should work well with any kind of fresh fig, or even a mix of more than one variety!

All of the recipes linked to here are gluten free and grain free, but some do contain dairy. If the original recipe doesn't list substitutions, I've noted ways to make the recipe dairy free. From breakfast bowls to pizza, salad to chocolate tarts, and smoothies to chutney, there's something figgy here for everyone!

30 Easy Paleo Dinners (in 30 minutes or less!)

Anyone meal planning this weekend? I have 30 quick, flavorful, and easy paleo dinners for you to consider. Seafood, chicken, turkey, beef, and even breakfast for dinner--there's a little bit of everything here!

This summer is a busy one for me. In addition to finishing up the last few classes for my master's program, I'm working long days at a hospital for my final clinical externship. The last thing I want to do when I get home is spend a lot of time getting dinner ready (or worse,  end up ruining my Whole30 by succumbing to the temptations of takeout). I scoured the web for tasty paleo recipes that can be made, start to finish, in 30 minutes or less, and asked some of my blogger friends to share their favorite recipes as well. Almost all of these recipes are Whole30 compliant as written, but for the ones that aren't, I've noted an easy substitution for you.

Do you have a go-to quick dinner? I'd love to hear about it. Let me know in the comments!

11 Paleo Treats for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day (or Valentime's Day, as my students always called it) is right around the corner. Whether or not you're into the whole idea of a romantic holiday, it never hurts to make a special treat for yourself or someone you love, right? Especially a treat that involves chocolate.

Here's a roundup of 11 paleo desserts that are worthy of this special day. In case you're not as much of a chocolate lover as I am, though, I've included several fruity desserts here as well. There's one with both chocolate and fruit, and one with neither (but don't worry, there's plenty of salted caramel in that one).  Three of them are vegan, in case that's what you're looking for.

What are your plans for Valentine's Day?  Are you making a dessert (paleo or otherwise)? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

Without further ado, here are 11 paleo treats for your Valentine's Day cooking pleasure!

Top 14 Paleo Recipes of 2014

Happy New Year!  I hope you enjoy a 2015 full of love, happiness, and real food. I'm starting a Whole30 tomorrow and gearing up to share a lot of squeaky clean recipes this month, but for today, I'm sharing a roundup of my most popular paleo recipes from 2014. In case you're already in Whole30 mode, I've marked the recipes that are compliant with the program.

Here's to another year of cooking delicious and healthy food together!

10 Paleo Recipes for Summertime Celebrations

Summer has finally (and suddenly) arrived in Boston, so it's probably time to have a party.  Here are ten paleo recipes I recommend for meeting all manner of summer celebration needs, from "What can I do with all these flag toothpicks from my mother?" to "How can I sneak coffee and/or balsamic vinegar into recipes that don't normally call for them?"

Those are the kinds of dilemmas you're grappling with, right?

I am always on the lookout for more ideas, and hearing from you makes my day.  Share what you're planning to make (or just eat) in the comments, or let me know what kinds of recipes you'd like to see on A Calculated Whisk in July and August!

If you're looking a show-stopping drink that's delicious with or without alcohol, you will love the Blackberry Smash.

7 Blackberry Recipes + Sources of Inspiration

While I always have plenty of ideas about food, I often go through periods of time in which I'm relatively uninspired about other areas of my life.  It's related to the seasons, but it's not just that--it's partly my unique ups and downs, which affect my perception of everyday life in ways I'm not always aware of.  I didn't even realize I had been in a bit of a funk this past winter until I started to come out of it at the beginning of May, and I think it all started with some really good blackberries.  (Have you had any blackberries yet this season?  Maybe it's just me, and I admit that I may be biased because blackberries are my favorite fruit, but I think this year's have been the best I've ever had.)

Luckily, I usually find that once I'm sufficiently inspired by any single thing, inspiration starts popping up everywhere.  Ever since I entered an inspirational period of sorts this month, it's felt like whoever or whatever is in charge of inspiration is yelling at me to be constantly inspired with a huge marquee made of flashing lights.

25 Grain-free Vegetarian Recipes

Photo credits, clockwise from top right: How Sweet It Is; ACW; Cookie & Kate;
ACW; How Sweet It Is; ACW; ACW

Readers have asked me whether it's possible to eat paleo while sticking to a vegetarian diet.  It's a tough question, and since I'm not a vegetarian, I can't really answer.  I imagine, though, that a paleo-ish vegetarian diet that allows some legumes and/or dairy could totally work--it's definitely possible to eat a grain-free vegetarian diet (and a grain-free vegan diet--the blog YumUniverse is proof!).  It's harder to imagine being a paleo vegan, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of delicious recipes out there that satisfy both diets.

Here are 25 vegetarian recipes that are gluten-free and grain-free.  17 of them are also vegan.  Even if you're not vegetarian or vegan, I hope these recipes will inspire you to cook something new and delicious with plant-based ingredients!

30 Whole30 Recipes (Whole30 Day 30!)

It's the very last day of my Whole30!  I feel great, and I'm ready to start reintroducing some foods to see how I tolerate them, starting tomorrow with dairy.

One of the best things I learned this month is that you don't have to sacrifice anything in terms of taste & variety when eating really healthy food.  The recipes below are all things I would love to eat, and do love to eat, whether I'm in the midst of a Whole30 or not.  So, while I do hope I'll inspire you to try a Whole30 yourself, I know you'll be able to find delicious recipes here that you'll want to make regardless of your dietary decisions.

All of these recipes are paleo and gluten-free.  Most of them are dairy-free, but some recipes do call for ghee (which is lactose-free).  If you can't have any dairy, you can substitute coconut oil or olive oil for the ghee as specified in the recipe.

Are you planning on trying a Whole30?  Or maybe just giving paleo a chance?  I'd love to hear your thoughts. Also, feel free to link up to your favorite Whole30 recipes in the comments below!

7 Uncommon Vegetables for your Produce Bucket List (Whole30 Day 25)

photo credits, clockwise from top left: Jon Sullivan, Christian Guthier, ACW,
ACW, ACW, Radim Dudek, Mgmuscatello

Am I the only one with a produce bucket list?  Several months ago I shared my baking bucket list, but since I'm in the midst of a Whole30, focusing on my produce bucket list is much more appropriate.  One of my New Year's resolutions is to try cooking with new vegetables, and I've been having tons of fun so far.  Some of these vegetables are ones I've already tried, but that seem under-appreciated or under-represented in cookbooks, restaurants, and the blogosphere.  Others, like romanesco, are ones I'd love to try but am having a hard time getting my hands on.

If you don't have a produce bucket list, maybe this post will inspire you to start one!  I hope it will at least inspire you to pick up one new vegetable and give it a chance in your kitchen this month.

What's your favorite under-appreciated veggie?  Feel free to leave links to recipes you love with these vegetables or others.  Also, are there some veggies I didn't mention that you're dying to try?  I'm always looking to add to my list!

What I'm Cooking This Week (Whole30 Day 12)

I'm almost halfway done with my Whole30!  I'm going back to school tomorrow, so I've been trying to plan out this week's meals in advance.  I don't want to risk being tempted to pick up off-plan foods on campus.  Here's the roundup of what I'm planning to cook this week for dinner (I'll be packing up leftovers for lunch).  If you're curious about what I'll be eating in the morning, check out this post on prepping a week of paleo breakfasts.

Paleo Crockpot Beef Fajitas by Our Full Plate:  This one is in the crockpot right now!  I picked up iceberg lettuce to make lettuce wraps and am planning to make some guacamole to go on top.

photo from Guilty Kitchen

Green Curry Beef Mushroom Sliders by Guilty Kitchen:  Green curry is my favorite kind of curry, so when this recipe popped up on my Feedly, I knew I had to try it.  All the ingredients except ground beef and mushrooms are things I always have in my kitchen, so I only have two things to pick up at the store.  I'll probably make these tomorrow night.  I might make orange-glazed brussels sprouts to go with, because they were SO delicious and Ben didn't get to try them.

Thyme-Braised Short Ribs by The Clothes Make the Girl:  I've been wanting to make these ever since I got my copy of Well Fed 2 (an amazing cookbook for your Whole30 or healthy eating anytime).  In the recipe post, there are links to download a pdf of the recipe and a sample from the cookbook.

Prepping a Week of Paleo Breakfasts (Whole30 Day 9)

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-Becky

Looking for something to bring to a cookout?  Check out these 10 Paleo Recipes for Summertime Celebrations.

Guys, I am going back to school next week!  Part of the reason I picked January for my Whole30 is that I knew having the first two weeks of the month off would help me get myself on track with my new eating plan before having the stress of school, work, and clinic added on.  Everything has been going smoothly so far, but it's about to get a lot harder.

The key to sticking with the Whole30 throughout a busy work week is planning and preparation.  This weekend I'm planning to make big batches of a few different meals so I can bring leftovers to school for lunch, and even eat leftovers some nights for dinner if I'm too tired to cook.  However, even though I occasionally enjoy a good dinner for breakfast, most mornings I want something a little more traditional.

So, today I'm sharing my plan for prepping a week of paleo breakfasts.  These ideas are perfect if you're doing a Whole30, but are also just great if you have a goal to start each day with a healthy breakfast.  Most of these ideas do require you to get up and cook, but it should only take about 10 minutes, and for a nutritious & tasty breakfast, it's worth it.

7 Paleo Blogs I Love (Whole30 Day 7)

I love catching up with these blogs on Feedly every morning!

I had a busy day today lesson planning for next week, finally getting around to doing a workout, and cooking an elaborate dinner with my mom (we had these pork chops with roasted cabbage and zucchini, and I made some chicken stock and a batch of ghee for her, too!).  Since I don't have a new recipe to share today, I wanted to tell you about these seven paleo blogs that I absolutely love.  If you've been eating paleo for a while, you probably already know most of them, but if you're new, these are a must to visit often or add to your feedly.  (Do you have a feedly?  I obsessively check mine first thing in the morning and several times throughout the day.  Can't miss a thing from the 45 blogs I follow!)  Even if you don't eat paleo all the time, each of these sites is a one-stop shop for all kinds of delicious & healthy recipes that any person will appreciate.

Top 13 Paleo Recipes of 2013

As 2013 comes to a close, I wanted to share a roundup of my most popular paleo recipes.  Hopefully these will inspire you to start the new year off with some good gluten-free, grain-free eats.  I'm gearing up for a January Whole 30, so you can expect more paleo recipes that are Whole 30 compliant in the next few weeks.  All of the recipes listed below are gluten-free, and I have marked them as vegan, vegetarian, and dairy-free as applicable.  Happy New Year!

5 Last-Minute Christmas Treats (Gluten-free)

Did you suddenly realize you were in need of a quick but impressive dessert for Christmas day?  I have five ideas for you.  You probably have most of the necessary ingredients in your pantry already, but if not, stores should be open for a few more hours!  Make your day merrier by whipping up one or more of these last-minute delicacies.

Chocolate Bark with infinite variations (10 minutes to make, 30 minutes to set):  If you have some chocolate on hand (milk, semisweet, white--pick your favorite!), melt it, spread it on a parchment-lined sheet, and swirl in toppings of your choice.  This recipe calls for pepitas and sea salt, but here are three more ideas: dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and sea salt; crushed candy canes; chopped almonds and toffee bits.  After about half an hour in the freezer, just break the chocolate up into pieces and you're done!

Mexican Brownies (15 minutes to make, 20 minutes to bake):  These are a snap to make if you have paleo flour blend on hand.  If not, you can measure out almond flour, tapioca starch, and coconut flour individually.  If your family enjoys desserts with a little kick, they will absolutely love these!

A Primal Thanksgiving Menu

photo credits (from top left): ACW, ACW, ACW, Pinch of Yum, Oh My Veggies,

ACW, How Sweet It Is, Cookie & Kate

Since we're hosting Thanksgiving this year, I've been scouring the interwebs for delicious, wholesome, and unique grain-free dishes. I thought I would share my ideal menu with you. I probably won't actually make every single one of these, but it's fun to dream big. What's going to be on your Thanksgiving table? Feel free to leave links to your favorite recipes in the comments. Happy menu planning!

10 Delicious Recipes Paleoified

I am going strong on the fourth day of my Whole30!  I've been taking a look at my recipe index, trying to find more recipes I can tweak to make them paleo.  I like variety, and it can't ALL be about almond flour pancakes and zucchini noodles.  The more dishes I have in my paleo arsenal, the more likely I am to successfully stay full and on track.

This weekend is going to be a big challenge, because I'm heading down to Austin for my cousin's wedding.  It's going to be really hard to say no to tacos and wedding cake!  I'm thinking about relaxing my standards a TINY bit while I'm there...nothing too crazy, but maybe a little barbecue sauce.  Do you guys know any great Austin restaurants where I might be able to get great food without straying too far from my paleo intentions?  If you do, leave me a comment!  I'll take some pictures while I'm out and about and share with you when I get back.

So, without further ado, here are ten recipes from my index along with easy ways to make sure they're paleo.

1.  Gambas al ajillo--this recipe is ALREADY paleo!  It would be great over zucchini noodles.

2.  Baked Eggs with Chives--omit the parmesan and use coconut milk instead of the cream (or just leave that out).  This would be great with some more herbs added in, too.  If you haven't tried baked eggs, get on it!

3.  Berry Coconut Smoothie--leave out the protein powder, or use a paleo version (I just discovered this site and haven't tried their products, but it looks interesting!).

4.  Chocolate Mousse--sweeten with honey to taste instead of sugar.  If you haven't tried this, check it out--there is a secret ingredient and it's SO easy and decadent!

5.  Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Creamy Rutabaga--use coconut milk instead of the milk or cream.

6.  Vietnamese Pork & Vermicelli Bowl--omit the sugar and vermicelli (add more veggies if you like), use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, and cook the scallions in coconut oil instead of canola oil.

7.  Garlic Honey Grilled Shrimp--already paleo!  

8.  Spring Salad with Citrusy Shallot Vinaigrette--already paleo.  It would be great with some of the garlic honey grilled shrimp on top!

9.  Jerk Chicken with Avocado & Papaya Salad--omit the sugar from the jerk seasoning.

10.  Coconut Frappuccino--sweeten with honey instead of agave nectar.

If you have any links to paleo recipes you love, leave them in the comments!