Sweet Potato Molasses Meatballs

What a fun week it's been. I am hosting the Instagram takeover for Autoimmune Paleo and made my go to meatballs like these. These bite size eats are almost complete mini meal on their own. Serve them with a salad, on a bed zuoodles or spaghetti squash and you got yourself another easy AIP meal. I make them often because they are tasty and have protein, starch and vegetable all there. There are great for snacks  and freeze well.   It is similar to my Squash Sausage recipe but some of you AIP peeps were interested in the exact recipe so here it is. 

Makes 30 meatballs      Prep time 15 mins      Cook time 35 mins

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground pastured pork
• 1 lb ground grass fed beef
• 2 stalks finely chopped celery
• 1 c cooked sweet potato or yam, either steamed or roasted and peeled 
• 3 tbsp minced fresh herbs ( I used rosemary, green onion, oregano and mint here)
• 1 tsp himalayan pink salt
• 1 tsp molasses

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F
2. Sautee chopped celery in medium heat pan for 2-3 mins to get some of the moisture out, let cool for a few minutes
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients by hand or using spatula
4. form into 1 1/2" diameter size balls
5. Place in baking pan and bake 325F for 30 mins
6. Broil to brown for 5 mins

How to steam a whole fish

Serves 4      Prep time 10 mins     Cook time 15 mins

Ingredient

• 1 Tilapia fish (1.5 lbs) gutted and descaled 
• 2 stalks green onions ( cut into 3" length)
• 1" ginger root - 1/2" peeled and matchsticked + 1/2" thickly sliced and smashed 
• 2 stalks cilantro ( cut into 3 " length)
• 3 tbsp fat ( I used pastured lard ) 
• 2 tsp coconut aminos
• himalayan pink salt
• 1 tbsp tapioca starch
• Optional: (reintroduction only) sesame oil 

Instructions

Prepare steam bath: 

1. Put steaming wire rack stand inside dutch oven 
2. Fill with 2-3" high water or 1/2" below top of stand
3. Bring water to boil

Prepare fish for steaming:

1. Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towel
2. Chop herbs ( Photo 1 )
3. Lay fish in an oval dish which fits into dutch oven ( Photo 2 )
4. Lightly salt inside and out of fish, both sides
5. Stuff inside of fish with thick sliced ginger pieces and few cuts of green onion ( Photo 3)
6. Lightly dust outside of fish with tapioca flour
7. Carefully place dish with fish into rumbling steam bath ( Photo 4 ). Try using these plate retriever tongs. 
8. Steam for 15 mins or until thickest part of fish easily separates from bones. 
9. Remove as much fish broth around fish as possible with turkey baster and keep for other uses* The drier you can get the fish, the less oil splatter will happen in the next steps
10. Melt fat until lightly smoking
11. Lay remaining chopped herbs onto fish and pour hot oil all over fish and herbs, watch for splatters. ( Photo 5 ) 
12. Drizzle with coconut aminos ( optional reintroduction only: sesame oil)
13. To serve I set the oval dish into a slightly larger oval dish as they do in Chinese restaurants ( Photo 6 ) 

* This fish broth is very tasty and so make sure you drink it or save to add into soups. 

AIP no soy chicken wings

I have to admit that cooking Asian food without soy sauce was one of the biggest challenge when I started AIP.  Coconut Amino is an options but I find it a bit sweet depending on the brand. Fish sauce is very tasty but has a distinct flavor all of its own. My 10yo's comment when he saw these were " They look amazing!" I have to agree I am quite proud my AIP 4 spice seasoning combined with kombucha vinegar and molasses could give such a beautiful " soy sauce" effect and flavor. I use the whole chicken wings but you can choose the wingette or drummer as your please. This recipe makes a great appetizer or a dish on it's own and they will go fast.  

Serves 4      Prep time 10 mins + at least 30 mins marinade time     Cook time 2 hours 5 mins

Ingredients

• 3 lbs whole chicken wings 
• 1 c water

Marinade

• 1 c Kombucha vinegar or ACV
• 1 tsp molasses
• 2 tsp himalayan pink salt
• 1 tsp AIP 4 spice seasoning
• 10-20 stalk flowering chives ( or chives), chopped 

Instructions:

1. Mix marinade ingredients together and put into a zip lock bag with chicken wings. Squeeze as much air out of bag before closing it. This ensures all surface on chicken wings are in contact with marinade.
2. Marinade for at least 30 mins in fridge
3. Preheat oven to 275F 
4. Place chicken wings on wire rack and pour marinade in the bottom of pan along with one cup of water
5. Bake for 2 hours flipping over once at an hour time
6. Pour drippings out and brush over chicken wings
7. Broil for 5 mins