Tasty Paleo Dinners in Five Minutes – It Really Is Possible!

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One big gripe that many people have about following a Paleo eating plan is that the food simply takes too long to prepare. As processed foods are banned on the diet, that can certainly be true, and let’s face it, so many of us have fallen out of the habit of actually cooking meals from scratch (if we ever started.)

This was an objection put to me recently by a friend who showed lots of interest in the concept of Paleo but the doubted they could manage the ‘cooking commitment’. As I like a good challenge I asked her that if I managed to hunt down some ‘quick’ Paleo recipes would she be willing to give it a try? She said yes but then made the challenge harder. They had to be dinner recipes, not just ‘throw together’ lunches or snacks.

That made things a little harder of course, but to my surprise I actually managed to track down some excellent ones. Having impressed my acquaintance enough to persuade her to try Paleo – and she is doing well with it –  I thought I would share a few of the best of them here. Enjoy!

Pork Cutlet with Peaches and Almonds

Tender pork is made even better with the addition of sweet peaches and the healthy crunch of almonds. Look for peaches that are at the prime of their ripeness for the very best flavor.

Ingredients (serves 6)

6 piece(s) pork tenderloin, 4-ounces each, pounded to a 1/4-inch thickness

1/4 cup(s) olive oil

1 tablespoon almond nut butter

1 cup(s) slivered almonds

2 peaches, sliced

2 tablespoon(s) sherry vinegar

1/4 cup(s) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Add olive oil to a pan heating over a medium flame. Add pork slices and cook to a golden brown, about 2 minutes at most. Flip the slices, cook 1 minute more. Add nut butter and almond and 1 minute more. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the pan from heat and quickly stir in the peaches, vinegar, and parsley. Serve hot right away.

Salmon with Rosemary and Garlic

Because it has such a distinctive, robust flavor salmon is one of the few fish that can stand up to the strong taste of rosemary. The red pepper flakes can be a little too hot for some though so you can omit them if very spicy is not really your thing. Finding this recipe was great as not only does it taste amazing but the big dose of Omega 3 is great for your health and they even ‘feed’ you skin and hair!

Ingredients (Serves 2-4)

4 skinless salmon fillets, (6 oz)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 sprig(s) fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon(s) crushed red pepper flakes, or sliced red chili if you have it

1/2 cup(s) extra-virgin olive oil

2 clove(s) garlic, minced

1 cup(s) torn fresh basil leaves

Preheat a grill or grill pan over a medium heat. Cut four squares of aluminum foil. In the center of each place one salmon fillet, 1 sprig of rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste), and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Wrap the foil so that it forms a loose packet around the fish.

Place the packets on the grill/grill pan and allow to heat through for two minutes. Turn and heat through for a minute longer. Remove from grill, unwrap packets and garnish with basil. Serve immediately.

Simple 5 Minute Swiss Steak

A steak dinner in five minutes? Perfectly possible if you follow this easy to make twist on a classic dish.

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

1 lb. cube steak

1/2 lb. Cremini mushrooms

2 Sprigs thyme

2 lb. Arugula

1 clove garlic (minced)

1 small onion (chopped)

Salt and pepper to taste.

Walnut oil

Heat an oiled skillet over a medium flame. Season steak with salt and pepper and sauté to brown for 2 minutes. Flip over; add garlic, onion and mushrooms and sauté 2 minutes more. At the same time put arugula in small dish and lightly drizzle with oil. Remove steak from pan; serve hot with arugula on side.

Bacon and Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms (Serves 1)

2 good sized Portobello mushroom caps

2 slices bacon

1 precooked sausage

Wash Portobello’s and set aside. In a skillet over a medium heat fry bacon and added chopped sausage to warm through. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes stirring to mix, chopping bacon into small pieces as you go. Stuff mushrooms with sausage bacon mixture, refrigerate until ready to serve.

Jennifer Smith is nutrition trainer and beauty blogger who has a special interest in paleo diet and hair maintenance and health. Check her latest articles about organic shampoo here: part 1 and part 2.

Jennifer Smith
I have been interested in alternative health and optimum diet for years now, since I was in my teens. As a woman also fascinated by fashion and hair health (visit my site hairspiration.net) I began researching various diets a few years ago and happened upon the concept of Paleo eating. Personally since beginning the plan, which allows for no processed foods, I feel much better in myself. Many people do think however that Paleo is boring and too restrictive so I write about the interesting and tasty side of paleo eating as well as all of the positive benefits it offers for your overall body, hair, skin and nails.