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Tag: lard

Gluten Free / Latin Inspired Cuisine / Recipes

Mexican Rice Recipe – Restaurant Style

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Mexican Rice - Restaurant Style

When I lived in Omaha I used to go to the South side all the time to a tiny little tienda that was well known for their beans, salsa, and their rice! Now that we've moved to Chicago I find myself missing home; tonight was one of those nights. So I decided to suck it up and make some Mexican rice! It tasted just like the one from the store and it just warmed my soul. I hope you enjoy!
Course Mexican
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 277 kcal
Author FaylinaMeir

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of long grain rice
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons lard or a neutral flavored oil
  • 2 cups chicken stock unsalted (water is okay too!)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin or to taste
  • 1/2 a large white onion finely chopped
  • 150 g frozen mixed peas and carrots I used pictsweet brand
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large pot with a tight fitting lid, add your lard/oil and get it heating over medium-high heat. Rinse your rice under warm water VERY well until the water runs clear. Shake off all extra water.
  2. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, carefully add in your rice and stir to coat with oil. Continue to stir the rice every so often until the rice goes from clear to milky in color. Do NOT let the rice burn it will be become very bitter.
  3. Add in your onion and stir well. Cook until the rice just starts to brown. Add your carrots and peas, then add in your tomato paste. Thoroughly mix in the tomato paste so there are no clumps.
  4. Once you remove the lumps add in your chicken stock (or water) in two portions to ensure your tomato paste mixes properly.
  5. Add in your garlic powder, cumin, and salt. Put the top on and boil on medium-high for 5 minutes.
  6. After 5 minutes remove the cover, stir thoroughly, and replace the cover. Turn down heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes minimum.DO NOT REMOVE THE LID. It's tempting to stir and oogle over your delicious rice, but you must resist temptation.
  7. After 25 minutes test the rice, adjust the salt, and if need be continue to cook until the rice is done. This rice is more on the dry side, so don't be alarmed. Once finished turn off the heat, stir well, and let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

To reheat rice add into preheated pan on medium-high and mix for 2 minutes. Then add a spoon or two of water and cover. Cook for 2 more minutes and mix. Rice should be soft like when it was fresh!

If making vegan/vegetarian I recommend refined coconut oil for best results.

 

Beef / Gluten Free / Potato / Recipes / Soup / Stews

Paleo Sweet Potato Chili

 

Paleo Sweet Potato Chili
 
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Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This paleo/primal approved chili is naturally sweet and delicious. It has a good amount of carbs and is super filling! It even tastes great the next day.
Author:
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 tablespoon lard
  • 1 large onion diced or 10 ounces green onions (reserve some tops)
  • 2 pounds sweet potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 lb carrots cut into ½ inch slices
  • 1 lb finally slices celery
  • 2 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes in juice (you can use tomato puree also)
  • 2 cans of water (use the tomato cans)
  • 2 cups chicken stock or beef stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon fennel powder
  • 1½ tablespoon chili powder (you can use up to 4 tablespoons if you wanted it hotter)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional but suggested!)
  • salt if needed
Instructions
  1. In a large pot heat your lard (or other cooking fat) over medium high heat. When it's fully heated add in your onions. If you're using green onion (spring onion) reserve the green tops for later. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add in your ground beef. Break it up a little and add a lid to the pan for easier cooking. If you need to you can add a few splashes of water. Let this cook for 3 or so minutes.
  2. After 3 minutes break up your meat into smaller pieces, a nice trick is to use a potato masher for this. When you're happy with the thickness, add in your potatoes, carrots, celery, canned tomatoes + the water, chicken or beef stock, and your 1 bay leaf. Stir well.
  3. Put your lid on and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and boil for 40-60 minutes or until a fork goes into the carrots and potatoes with very little resistance.
  4. After the chili is done, add in the rest of your spices, fish sauce, and salt is needed. I suggest taking a little of your liquid and mixing these in a bowl and adding into the chili mix to prevent lumps in the garlic powder, but it's not that big of a deal. Adjust the chili powder to your taste.
  5. You're done! I got 6 servings out of this, about 16 ounces per bowl. The fish sauce isn't required but it's a natural source of umami and really kicks the chili up a notch.
Notes
Fattier beef is preferred in this recipe. All I had was 96% lean so the fat calories are way down for nutrition, if you use 80% it would be better!

You CAN use a slower cooker (I haven't done it yet though), my guess is 6-8 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high.

Please note that you want the bare minimum of liquid here, this is going to be a very hearty chili!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 16 ounces Calories: 333 Fat: 8 Saturated fat: 3 Unsaturated fat: 3 Trans fat: 0 Carbohydrates: 47 Sugar: 15 Sodium: 890 Fiber: 9 Protein: 20 Cholesterol: 44
 

Grocery Hauls / Haul Videos

Grocery Haul – Trader Joe’s , Whole Foods, & Asian Market ! 3-21-2015

Whole Foods:

Blue corn chips Organic – $2.99
+.10 bag credit
+.55 coupon (tamari)
Salt Deodorant – $4.99
Tamari – $5.99
Fenugreek seeds – $.19
onion powder – $2.31
Gunpowder green tea – $2.50
garlic powder – $1.84
365 Apple cider vinegar – $4.39
Dr Bronner baby mild soap – $12.99
9 hass avocados – $9.00
365 honey mustard dressing – $3.99
In house sriracha guacamole – $4.99
+2.00 guacamole coupon
Asparagus – $6.16
meyer melon – $.48
—–
Total : $61.39

Trader Joe’s:

Organic orange juice – $4.49
many color carrots – $2.49
sriracha bbq sauce – $2.99
almond meal – $5.99
cod fillets – $4.96
boreal blueberries – $3.49
uncured apple bacon – $4.49
+16.14 credit for returns
Total: $12.76

Asian Market:

Pork Fat – $6.21
Bell peppers – $7.33
Cilantro – $.50
Chinese eggplant – $.75
Sriracha – $2.99
ginger – $.58
limes – $.76
green onions – $2.76
bean sprouts – $1.45
coconut water – $.99
daikon radish – $1.50
Japanese sweet potato – $1.11
Total: $26.95

I unfortunately found an error in my Asian Market receipt I got overcharged $1 but It’s okay. In total I spent $101.10 Not too bad if you ask me!

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Grocery Hauls / Haul Videos

Asian Market Grocery Haul 1-24-2015

This grocery haul was all about stocking up on the essentials that aren’t that common. Of course we need our staple: rice, but also things like sesame oil, and kimchi making supplies. My main reason for going was to purchase pig fat to render into lard, that video will be coming soon I promise!. Life has been fast paced lately so I apologize for not uploading recipes this week.

My total was $84.49

15lb bag of Sweet rice $16.49
jicama $0.53
ginger $1.35
Japanese sweet potato $2.15
yellow onions $1.45
assi noodles $1.49
rice noodles $1.39
Chinese style noodles $0.99
rice stick noodles $0.99
crushed red pepper $3.99 (for kimchi)
potato powder (starch) $1.49
glutinous rice flour $0.99
tapioca starch $0.75
young Thai coconut $1.59
Napa cabbage $1.82
2 green onions $1.50
cilantro $0.50
red onion $0.31
Tianjin (yali) pear $0.32
burro banana $0.20
daikon radish $1.57
sesame oil $15.99
pork fat $4.89
bento box $12.99
bamboo skewers $1.99
Bonito flakes $3.99
Chinese soup spoons $1.38

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