Spiced Meatballs w/ Balsamic Fig Reduction

Happy Saturday! I had a great week in Stamford and am Back in Boston. I realized that I haven't been home for a full week since before Thanksgiving, so it is nice to be back. I have had quite the whirlwind with friends, family, holidays, vacation, and work trips, and now it is time to get back in the swing of things. I checked out the Cambridge Winter Farmers Market today with Chris which was awesome. It's closer than the one in Somerville and just as big. We made friends with some of the farmers and got great stuff. I bought a couple new things that I haven't tried (anyone tried kohlrabi before?), so I will be experimenting with some new recipes this week.

I am off to Bikram yoga for a 10-day trial at Bikram Yoga Boston. I have had some wonderful experiences with Bikram in the past, but I have also had a few nightmare classes. When I went in Naples with mom, I think she almost punched the teacher in the face at one point. Between the instructor, the damp smelly carpet, and the atmosphere, it wasn't pretty. Fingers crossed for this studio!

Today's recipe is a slight variation of an amazing recipe from Practical Paleo. You can check out information on the book here. I got the cookbook as a holiday gift from Evan & Catherine, and it is amazing. These meatballs smell great thanks to all of the spices, and the fig compote is absolutely delicious. I have never made a reduction before (seemed a little intimidating), but it was actually one of the more simple recipes to make. Try this out as an appetizer at your next dinner party to wow your guests!

Spiced Meatballs w/ Balsamic Fig Reduction: Serves 4, Prep time: 10 min, Cook time: 25 min

Ingredients:
- 1lb. ground lamb or grass-fed beef
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. dried minced onion
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. allspice
- Sea salt & pepper
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 6-8 dried figs, sliced (I used organic extra large Turkish figs)
- 2 sprigs of fresh organic rosemary

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix the meat and all spices together in a mixing bowl
3. Form into 16 small meatballs, and lightly brown the edges in a pan over medium heat (about 15-30 seconds per side)
4. Bake on a foil-lined sheet for 20-25 minutes until cooked through
5. While baking, add vinegar, water, figs, and rosemary to your pan on the stove
6. Simmer (I cooked on a level 3 of 10) for about 15 minutes or until the compote reduces. It will seem very watery at first, but over time, it will turn into a thick sweet compote.
7. Serve the meatballs fresh out of the oven on top of the compote

  

P.S. I swear the meatballs weren't hot pink... the camera got crazy!

Paleo Gigi Salad

Happy Friday! I can't believe it, but I am officially on vacation. My week at Canyon Ranch starts on Sunday, and I am so excited! I just signed up for all of my services which include a detoxifying ritual, marma chikitsa, acupuncture, and a healing energy treatment. I will report back on everything when I return. I am just shy of a 10-year reunion for my last visit to the ranch, and I cannot wait. I will be trying over 2 dozen exercise classes, listening to amazing lectures on health and wellness, taking cooking classes, and spending a significant amount of time reflecting on the new year and everything I am grateful for. I have to say I am pretty thrilled 2012 is behind me, and I have such a wonderful list of things to celebrate and appreciate for the years ahead. 

Tonight's recipe is my take on the Gigi salad which comes from the Palm Restaurant. I made this recipe as part of my cooking duties on Christmas, and I fell in love with it. I remade it on New Years Day for my dinner party, and it was a big hit. I have to admit this would be a perfect addition to a summer BBQ, but it is delicious in the winter too. The recipe is incredibly easy, only has 5 minutes of cooking time, and is a gorgeous addition to any meal. Give it a shot at your next dinner party or potluck!

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut in half
- 1 lb. beefsteak tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small sweet onion, chopped
- 3/4 lb. wild-caught shrimp, peeled & chopped
- 1 avocado, chopped
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- 1 lemon
- Sea salt & pepper 
- Optional add-ins: hard-boiled egg & crumbled bacon

Instructions:
1. Boil green beans for 5 minutes, drain, and then rinse with cold water so they stop cooking
2. Mix green beans in a large bowl with the tomatoes, onion, shrimp, and avocado
3. Dress the salad lightly with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, juice from one lemon, and salt and pepper
4. Top with hard-boiled egg and crumbled bacon if desired

Paleo Thanksgiving Turkey

OK, so I know Thanksgiving is almost a week behind us, but I have pounds and pounds of leftover turkey to eat, and I needed to post this recipe. This was my first attempt at making a full turkey, and I was blown away with the result! There is quite a lot to share...

If I focused on the positives, I would tell you that:

• It tasted amazing
• It wasn't dry at all
• I carved it like a pro
• My dinner guests raved about it
• The house smelled amazing all day

If I focused on the negatives, I would explain that:

• I dropped a huge glass bottle of olive oil on the floor when I was elbow-deep in turkey
• I probably need 5 years of therapy to offset my discovery of the 7 inch neck inside the turkey
• I sweat as much carving this turkey as I do in my hardest WOD

Clearly the positives outweigh the negatives, and I will definitely be excited (and more prepared) to make another turkey next year! Best of luck to all the first-timers out there!

Ingredients:
- 16 lb. defrosted turkey (get a pastured turkey from your local farm if possible!)
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- 1 bunch rosemary
- 4 lemons, cut into wedges
- Sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, and basil

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Make sure your turkey is fully defrosted, and then remove it from the package 
3. Time to clean the turkey - if you have disposable rubber gloves, put them on! (wish I could say that I had some...)
4. Thoroughly rinse the turkey (inside and out) with water. You may find a bag of giblets, a 7+ inch neck, and other surprises, so remain calm, and save those pieces for later (soup, gravy, etc.) or immediately throw them out so you don't have to think about it (my choice)

5. When the turkey is cleaned, empty, and trimmed of any strange things (veins, excess skin, etc.), put the turkey in a roasting pan. I highly recommend buying a disposable foil pan to save with post-turkey cleanup. 

6. Generously rub the whole turkey with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and then cover it with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, and basil.

7. Put all of the lemon wedges and the bunch of rosemary into the center of the turkey.

8. Bake for 4 hours (15 minutes/pound), basting every 30 minutes. Flip the turkey after two hours so both sides get a nice golden brown color.

9. Take the turkey out of the oven, cover tightly with foil, and then let it sit for 30 minutes.

10. Carve like your uncle taught you!

Note: Since there was no real sauce or heavy marinade, there was next to no juice to baste the turkey with after the first 30 minutes. I re-brushed some oil and vinegar on the outside to keep it moist. By the second round of basting, there was plenty of liquid from the lemons and the natural juices from the turkey.