Taste of Salt Lake

Be prepared...this isn't going to be Paleo.  But since this is a food blog, and as a paleo follower I do allow cheat days, this is a perfect place to highlight food from my travels.  So, here are the reviews of the places I visited in SLC.  And if you happen to have a heck of alot more will power than I do and you follow a strict paleo diet, all of the places I chose did have strictly paleo items that you could have eaten.  I just didn't.  No willpower when I travel, remember?

First up, The SweetTooth Fairy. (Multiple locations)  BEST CUPCAKES EVER.  I have been to Magnolia and Sprinkles and they don't even compare.  The VaNIElla is by far my favorite.  Moist but not overly dense cake with the perfect amount of almond butter cream frosting.  Second best is Toasted Coconut.  Almost as good as Barefoot Contessa's was, and that is saying something.  

Red Iguana. (Downtown SLC)  Fodor's calls this one of the best Mexican restaurants in the US and I can see why.  I met my friend Jami there for lunch and I am glad we went early.  If you arrive anytime after 12:00 be prepared to wait.  

I started with Hongas Al Ajillo, which were mushrooms marinated in garlic, butter, wine and crushed red pepper.  Out of this world delicious.  The whole button mushrooms were perfectly cooked with the right amount of garlic and chile.  The flavors enhanced what is usually a bland tasting mushroom.

My main dish was Puntas de Filete a la Nortena.  OH MY WORD.  Steak, bacon, jalapeño, onion and tomatoes with an almond mole.  Perfectly cooked steak cubes and bacon were complimented by spicy jalapeno and cooling tomatoes enveloped with a creamy almond mole, which wasn't too spicy and was smooth.  Foodgasmic.  At least this meal was Paleo!

Communal.  (Provo)  The last time I went to lunch with my dear friend Laurie we went to Pizzeria 712, one of their other restaurants, so I was excited to try this farm to table , local and sustainable place.  I wasn't disappointed in anything except that I didn't get to have dinner there too.  We met after she got done running a half marathon (next time I'll run with you Laurie!) and they were serving brunch.  So of course we had to order a few items to try.  

First we had lemon-grapefruit crepes with a granola/blueberry topping.  The ricotta filling was done right. Smooth with a perfect blend of the lemon-grapefruit seasoning.  The crepes were thin and the ricotta was consistent enough to stay in the crepe without being overly runny or heavy.  The house made granola wasn't overly sweet and the accenting blueberries were plump and juicy.

Next up the Summer Vegetable Hash with Smoked Salmon and Eggs.  They smoke their salmon in house and it was sublime.  Melt in your mouth salmon with a very light, but distinct smoke and salt.  I would go back just for a slab of this smoked salmon.  Really.

The Cuban Panini with House Fries and a Bleu Cheese dipping sauce was our last dish.  How can you go wrong with a Cuban?  Turkey, cheese, pickle, and mustard on bread and pressed.  Definitely one of the better ones I have had.  And the bleu cheese sauce that accompanied the fries was just the right amount of bleu cheese, although a tad too runny.

Sakana Sushi Bar.  (West Jordan)  I love that I can take credit for turning my nieces and nephews onto sushi as this is the place I took them to eat the last time I was here.  Emily opted to dine here for bachelorette party and I was more than happy to break my Paleo diet (as if I hadn't already at this point) to enjoy some sushi.  

They start by bringing freshly steamed and salted edamame to the table.  We started with some Vegetable Tempura.  They know how to do it,  flour with soda water.  Perfect combination for a crispy exterior and soft interior.  

I choose the G2 and Hotty Rolls based on the waitresses recommendation.  The G2 was yellowtail and cucumber topped with white tuna, avocado, garlic, ponzu sauce (citrus based) and green onion.  Very mild and light flavors of the fish shined with the ponzu sauce accent, which fortunately wasn't too overwhelming.  The Hotty Roll is something I have never seen on a sushi menu and incorporated a hint of flavors from Mexico. Salmon, avocado and asparagus were topped with tuna, jalapeño, lime, eel sauce, hot sauce, and sesame seeds.  The sauces were a great mix of sweet and spicy that served to temper the spicy bite of the jalapeño and enhance the mild tuna.  Once you enjoyed that layer, your taste buds were played in a different direction with the sweeter salmon, creamy avocado and crisp asparagus.  You really couldn't go wrong with this roll.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries.  (Multiple Locations)  I was a little worried about trying this place because the last time I was here people kept telling me I had to go try In and Out because it was SO good.  Well, I was severely disappointed.  But it was late after the reception and I had already consumed way too much sugar so I decided salt should offset it, right?

I'm glad I did.  As far as fast food burgers go, Five Guys is legit.  My bacon cheeseburger (might as well go for the gusto, right?) was cooked perfectly medium rare (they way beef SHOULD be).  I loved the many options to top on the burger and they they were all, with the exception of the mushroom, fresh.  (Come on Guys, saute those babies!)  There website of course says they cook their burgers well done (just puked in my mouth) but I was pleasantly surprised to see this when I cut mine!  My BIL tells me I missed the whole experience because I didn't get Cajun fries.

Grilled Chicken/Radish Salad

Lately (with the exception of vacation of course) I have been trying to eat a lighter meal in the evening. I find I sleep better and that if I balance what I am eating correctly, that the next morning when I WOD I have more energy and feel better.

Since my garden is abundant is radishes, salad greens, strawberries and herbs right now I wanted to come up with something to go with simple grilled chicken breasts.  

The hint of orange sweetened the peppery radish just right without being overbearing.  Sometimes simple really is perfection.

1 lb. chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded to even thickness

olive oil

salt and pepper

1/2 c. thinly sliced radishes

1/4 c. minced Italian parsley

zest of one orange

1/4 c. fresh squeezed orange juice

1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat and prepare grill.  Coat chicken breasts lightly with oil and generously salt and pepper.  Place on grill and cook 12-18 minutes depending on thickness, turning one or twice.

Meanwhile, mix radishes, parsley and zest in bowl.  In a different small bowl, mix orange juice and oil oil, then salt and pepper to taste.  Fold with radish mixture.

When chicken is done, set aside for a few minutes (allowing juice in chicken to set) and then top with radish salad.

Enjoy!

Pork Meatballs/Sweet and Spicy Mango Sauce

I know I haven't posted in a week, but I went out of town to attend my nieces wedding.  I also made her wedding cake...definitely not paleo but it was pretty!  I will say it wasn't my best work due to a few unexpected fondant issues (dry climate, ugh!) and changes, but it tasted damn good.  

And I totally regretted all the crap I ate the past five days when I WOD'ed this morning.  Ah well...that's way vacation is for, right?

Before I left I made this delicious, quick dinner.  The sweet and spicy sauce went perfectly with ground pork.  It would probably be really good with ground chicken too.  Heck, I think this sauce would work with about anything but beef.

1 lb. ground pork

3 cloves garlic, pressed

2 tsp. ground coriander, cardamom and cinnamon

2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Using hands, mix pork, garlic, spices and salt together until well blended.  Form into meatballs and place on sheet pan.  Cook 10-15 minutes until done

2 mangoes, cut into dice

1 tsp. red chili flake, or more depending on desired spice level

1/2 c. vegetable stock

1/2 c. raw honey

1 tsp. salt, or to taste

While pork is cooking, place all ingredients but the salt in small saucepan.  Heat over medium high, stirring often, until reduced by half.  Use immersion blender to blend sauce smooth.  Salt to taste.  Serve over meatballs.

Coconut Ginger Shrimp and Vegetables

One of my favorite spices is ginger.  I love sweet treats and savory dishes too.  The other night I was trying to come up with an idea for some shrimp that I had purchased.  It was raining and I wanted something comforting without being heavy.  Usually I would opt for a curry, but since I am the ONLY one in my family who likes it, is is unfortunately rare that I pull the "I don't care, I'm the Mom and the cook, so you get it regardless" card.  I happened across a lovely piece of ginger in my fridge and as people say, the rest is history.  Anyway, this dish has a lovely combination of flavors with the vegetables I chose because they don't overpower the coconut ginger sauce.

2 tbsp. coconut oil

1 small onion, cut in half and then thinly sliced6 cloves garlic, minced

5 carrots, thinly sliced

1 bunch asparagus, thinly sliced

8 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced1/4 c. ginger, minced

3 small zucchini, julienned

1 1/2 c. vegetable stock

1 lb. shrimp

1 c. coconut milk

Add the oil into a large saute pan of medium heat.  Put in the onion, cooking until the onion becomes translucent, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the asparagus and carrot and cook 5 minutes.  Add the mushroom, ginger and garlic, cooking about 3-5 minutes until the ginger is very fragrant.  Increase the heat to medium high and add the zucchini and vegetable stock.  Cook until the vegetables are tender and the liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup.  Reduce the heat back to medium and add the coconut milk, warming for a few minutes.  Then add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp is done, about 5 minutes, depending on the size of shrimp.  Shrimp are done just when the start to curl and turn pink.  In a sauce, they will continue to cook so you don't want to leave them on the heat longer than necessary or they will be grainy and chewy.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Balsamic Chicken and Asparagus

One of the better things about spring has to be the abundance of fresh asparagus.  I know I posted about it earlier, but I love it.  I am even starting to see a few shoot up in my garden now that we are getting a little more moisture.  Yeah!

 I also have a love affair with balsamic vinegar.  I have at least 8 different varieties on hand, but my hands down favorite for all purpose is the 25 year aged one from Williams Sonoma.  It's thick, sweet and has perfect acidity.  This is one that I just drizzle on vegetables as a dressing.  You don't even need the other components for a vinaigrette.  And it works perfectly for this dish.  Plus, I truly think balsamic and portabello's were meant to go together.  Similar to my love affair with beets and goat cheese...can't wait for my beets to be ready!!

2 tbsp. coconut oil

2 chicken breasts, diced

1 small onion, diced

1 bunch asparagus, sliced into 1 inch pieces

2 portabello mushroom caps, diced

1/2 c. chicken stock

1/4 c. balsamic

2 tbsp. ghee

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the chicken, cooking until chicken is almost done, about 10-12 minutes.  Remove the chicken, add 1 tbsp. additional oil if needed, increase the heat to medium high and add the onions.  Cook until the onions start to caramelize.  Add the asparagus and mushrooms, cooking an additional 5-7 minutes until the asparagus is crisp tender.  Add the chicken stock and reduce by half, about 5-10 minutes.  Add the chicken, balsamic and ghee, reduce heat to medium, and stir until sauces thickens, about 3-5 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Frittata

Frittata's may sound fancy and difficult, but they aren't.  They are also great to make ahead and heat up when you are in a hurry.  Frittata's are similar to an omelet, except the eggs are finished in the oven, giving them a puffy, light texture.  As with any egg dish, the additional ingredients are adaptable.  Since asparagus is in season right now, you're going to be seeing it a lot in my recipes.  

1 tbsp. coconut oil

1 c. asparagus, sliced 1/2 inch thick

1/2 c. chives, chopped

6 eggs

1/3 c. almond milk

2 ounces prosciutto, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a 10 inch nonstick fry pan, heat oil over medium heat and add asparagus, cooking until crisp tender, about 3-5 minutes depending on thickness of asparagus stalks.  While asparagus is cooking, whisk eggs in a bowl.  Add the almond milk, and using an immersion blender, mix well.  (Trust me, the immersion blender is an important step to a perfectly fluffy egg mixture!)  Add the chives and prosciutto to the asparagus and mix well.  Increase heat slightly, and slowly add the egg mixture.  While the egg is cooking, slowly lift up the edges as they set with a spatula, tilting the pan as you lift so the eggs run underneath.  Continue lifting edges until the base looks about 2/3 of the way done.  At that point remove from the stove top and place in oven, allowing it to finish cooking, about 5-7 minutes.  Finish with salt and pepper.

Tuna Salad

Whew...it has been a busy week.  The weather seems to finally be normal for this time of year so that means time is spent outdoors.  A lot.  Between getting my garden planted, decks stained, baseball games and longer daylight hours, I have been super busy.  That means a lot of salads and leftovers.  

Today was no exception, so by the time 1:30 rolled around I realized I was hungry.  I've been eating salad quite a bit but wanted to change up my normal greens with dressing.  Once in a while I crave a tuna sandwich, so this is what I came up with.  

2 cans quality tuna, not drained

1 avocado, mashed

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 c. grape tomatoes, sliced in half

1/2 c. jicama, diced

1/2  cucumber, diced

4 c. spinach

Salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic vinegar

Mix the undrained tuna and avocado in a large bowl.  Add the lemon juice and then mix again.  Fold in the tomatoes, jicama, cucumber and spinach until everything is coated well with the avocado dressing.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and finish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Enjoy!