PALEO SALAD DRESSINGS

One of my big frustrations with a Paleo diet is the lack of commercially available salad dressings that do not contain sugar or corn syrup.  They just don't exist.  I like olive oil and balsamic vinegar as well as the next person and enjoy exotic versions olive oil and vinegar, but I like to have some pre-mixed dressing on hand.
Here are a couple of tasty salad dressings that you can enjoy without guilt.

ORANGE BALSAMIC SALAD DRESSING

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut aminos
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
zest of one Valencia orange
4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons raw honey
1/8 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste

Directions: 

In a 12 oz. salad dressing cruet, combine 1/2 cup coconut aminos and 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar.  Zest one medium sized Valencia orange and mince 4 cloves of garlic.  Add to the liquids.  Add 2 teaspoons honey, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and salt to taste.  Shake until thoroughly blended and enjoy.

LEMON AND OIL DRESSING

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine the lemon juice and olive oil in a 12 oz. salad dressing cruet.  Run the garlic cloves through a garlic press or chop very fine and add to the lemon and oil mixture.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and 2 teaspoons of finely chopped fresh basil.  Dried basil flakes will work, but lack the pungent flavor of fresh.  Shake well and allow to sit for at least an hour before serving so that the flavors can blend.

SAUSAGE STUFFED ZUCCHINI (What to do with giant zucchini.)

Anyone who has ever grown zucchini knows that, sooner or later, you turn your back on the zucchini plant and end up with a monster zuc the size of a watermelon.  This is a way to make a tasty meal out of a giant zuc and make it look like you planned to let it grow that big.

Ingredients:

1 oversized zucchini
1 pound hot Italian sausage (Try to find a brand without sugar and non-paleo fillers.  Can be in either roll or    link form.  Hot Italian sausage is spicy enough that you don't need additional spices.  If you use a different variety of sausage, you may need to season it a bit more to balance out the zucchini taste.)
2 eggs
1 large onion

Directions:

• Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out all the seeds and soft parts.  You want enough room for the filling, so carve a generous trough.  Place the two halves in a 9x13 baking pan.  Glass ones work best.

•  Remove the sausage from its casings, if necessary, and put it in a medium sized bowl.
• Dice the onion and add it to the sausage.
• Add the two eggs to the bowl.
• Using your hands, mix the ingredients thoroughly.
• Spoon the sausage mixture into the hollow zucchini.

• Cover the pan with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for an hour or until the squash is soft.

PALEO WAFFLES

Every Sunday, growing up, my father made waffles.  I believe that his father had done so before him.  I am WAY too lazy for that, but I did make them occasionally, especially during peach season because waffles loaded with fresh peach slices are my favorite.  This is my first peach season since I stopped eating wheat, so I needed to devise a recipe for Paleo waffles.  Here it is:

Ingredients:

3 bananas
3 eggs
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup liquified coconut oil
1/2 Tablespoon baking powder

Directions:

Mash the bananas in a medium sized mixing bowl until they are fairly smooth.  Add the other ingredients and mix until thoroughly blended.  Preheat your waffle iron.  Spray the waffle iron with a healthy oil.  Spoon (I use a small ladle that is just the right size.) enough batter into the waffle iron to cover the grids.  Close the lid and cook for five minutes.  Repeat until all batter is cooked.  There is enough oil in the batter that you will not need to re-grease the iron between batches.  Makes about 6 waffle squares.

Serve with pure maple syrup or fresh fruit.