Game Day Grub
Today is one of my very favorite days of the year. In case you live under a rock, it's SUPER BOWL DAY!
Every blog I follow and every friend's FB newsfeed and every Instagram influencer is posting their favorite game day recipes this week and I'm not above following suit. While most of the recipes I've seen go by are staple crowd-pleasers (smothered in cheese and deep fried) or fussy and designed to impress and/or look good on social media, I'm going to share the recipes that I A) actually make for a day of watching football and B) are stupid simple and require very little kitchen prowess - only good quality ingredients and (especially in the case of pulled pork) time.
Ordinarily these recipes feed myself and a friend since I don't do a whole lot of entertaining at my apartment, but they can easily be modified to feed more!
Quick note: I'm not a chef and I've rarely written out recipes before. I also have a tendency not to use recipes or measurements and instead opt to eyeball ingredients and taste each step so these recipes may not be exact! Use your best judgement and please forgive me if these are hard to follow.
Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients:
1 Sweet Potato
Avocado Oil
Salt
Cinnamon
Directions:
-Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit)
-Lightly drizzle some avocado oil over a baking sheet
-Peel and slice your sweet potato into roughly french fry shape. (I usually slice it in half, then slice into narrow sections and square off each little fry from there)
-Place each piece on the pan and flip over three times to evenly coat each side with oil.
-Vigorously salt all the pieces evenly. (You almost can't have too much salt)
-Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and lightly toss the fries to ensure they cook evenly, then place back into the oven for another 10 minutes or until they reach your desired crispness.
-Remove from the baking sheet onto a paper towel to catch excess oil, then throw them into a bowl and toss with cinnamon and a little extra salt if desired. Serve while still piping hot for best results!
*Bonus - alternatively, you can thinly slice a green plantain instead of the sweet potato and make plantain chips using this same technique!*
Guacamole & Radish Slices
Ingredients:
2 Ripe Avocados
Avocado Oil
Lime Juice
Salt
Green Onions (and optional cilantro)
3 Medium size Radishes
Directions:
-Slice open the avocados and scoop out the insides into a bowl, removing the pit.
-Add a drizzle of avocado oil (maybe 1/2 tbsp - just to make your guac smoother, skip this if you prefer a chunkier, more artisanal texture) lime juice (about 1-2 tbsp depending on how citrus-y you like it) and salt (probably a two pinches more than you think you need) to the avocados.
-Use a round potato masher or a fork to thoroughly mash and mix all the ingredients.
-Chop some green onions and cilantro if you choose to use it (I'm on of those genetic weirdos who think it tastes awful, so use your own judgement!) into the bowl and mix again for even distribution.
-Slice your radishes into a separate bowl using a mandoline if you have one or slice very carefully and thinly with a sharp knife and serve (alternately for presentation, you can line the outside edge of your guacamole with the radish slices for a more Instagram-worthy effect).
*Bonus - the guac also goes really well as a dip for the sweet potato fries if you go lightly with the cinnamon*
Bacon Cauliflower Pizza
Ingredients:
1 Frozen Cauliflower Pizza Crust (I always use the Whole Foods Brand)
1/2 Cup Organic Tomato Sauce (or make your own ahead of time using 1 can crushed tomatoes and salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, and onion powder)
1 Cup Organic Shredded Cheese (I prefer the Whole Foods organic shredded Italian Blend)
1 Strip thick-cut Bacon (or 2 - 3 Strips regular Bacon) cut into pieces
1 Cup Organic Micro Greens (or chopped spinach or other sprouts if you prefer)
Directions:
-Preheat the oven according to the instructions on the package for the pizza crust.
-Remove pizza crust from the package and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
-Bake for 5 - 7 minutes.
-Remove from the oven and add your tomato sauce, shredded cheese, and bacon pieces - evenly distributed.
-Bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and add your greens of choice, then bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.
-Slice with a pizza cutter or a large sharp knife and serve.
Pulled Pork Tacos
(This particular recipe will take advanced preparation of up to two days for the pulled pork - alternatively, you can make any kind of seasoned ground meat, chicken, steak, sausage, or fish and use the rest of the recipe to produce equally delicious results in as little as 1 hour; less if you skip the pickled onions)
Ingredients:
Pulled Pork:
1 Pork Shoulder/Pork Butt/Boston Butt Roast (ask your butcher or local farm for advice if you've never purchased a larger cut of pork before)
2 Cups Water
1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Dry rub seasoning of choice (optional)
Pickled Onions:
1 Large Red Onion
1 1/2 Cups Water
1 1/2 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar
2 - 3 Tbsp Monkfruit extract (or other sweetener of choice)
Salt
Pepper
Tortillas:
1 Cup Cassava Flour
Salt
1 Tbsp unflavored Protein Powder (optional)
1 Tbsp Adobo seasoning (optional, but highly recommended - I use the Frontier Organics version from Whole Foods)
3 Tbsp Avocado Oil
1/2 - 1 Cup Water
Additional Toppings:
Organic Sour Cream
Organic Shredded Cheese
Guacamole (homemade as above, of course)
Chipotle Mayo (I love the Primal Kitchen version)
Hot Sauce
Directions:
For the Pulled Pork:
-If frozen, defrost the pork butt (likely for 24 hours in the fridge). Then rub vigorously with salt - loads of it. Much more than you think. You can't oversalt this, I promise. Also add any dry rub you like if you choose to use it (or go nuts with a dijon mustard or BBQ sauce if you like). I've done this before with only the salt, no other flavors, and I assure you it still comes out tender and flavorful, so use your discretion! Allow the pork to rest and marinate overnight or for at least 8 hours for the flavors to really permeate the pork.
-Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
-In a clay pot or dutch oven, add the water and ACV. Add your pork butt, whole. Place in the oven and set a timer for 3 - 4 hours. (You may choose to periodically baste the pork with its juices to maintain a moist texture throughout, but I prefer to leave it alone so I get a nice light brown crust over the top for a variety of textures)
-Once the pork has become tender and yields a shredded texture to a gentle pull of a fork, remove from the oven and lighlty shred with a fork until you reach the desired consistency, then add more salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you prefer and mix.
-Return the pork to the oven with the lid off for 30 minutes for a nice crunchy top layer, or with the lid on if you prefer a consistent texture throughout. When done, remove from the oven and let sit warm in your pot until the rest of the ingredients are ready to serve!
For the Pickled Onions:
-Add water, ACV, monkfruit (or other sweetener), salt, and pepper to a pot and bring to a boil on your stovetop.
-Reduce heat slightly and simmer with the lid on for 3 - 5 minutes or until the ingredients are sufficiently dissolved/incorporated.
-While the liquid mixture simmers, peel, halve, and thinly slice your red onion using a mandoline if you have one or very carefully with a sharp knife.
-Place your sliced onions in a large glass bowl, then add the liquid mixture, covering all the onion slices. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for at least one hour, preferably overnight.
-Using tongs or a pasta claw or a fork, remove the slices from the bowl and put them in a glass jar, then pour in the liquid to fill the jar. Keep in the fridge for up to one month for any occasion.
For the Tortillas:
-Add the cassava flour, protein powder (if using), adobo seasoning (if using), and salt to a medium bowl and combine.
-Add the avocado oil and water and stir immediately with a rubber spatula, adding more water or flour as needed for a roll-able consistency.
-Roll the dough into a ball, flatten out into a tube-shape, then slice into even pieces (should yield approximately 8 tortillas, depending on how large you want them to be).
-Heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium heat.
-Using parchment paper (or a plastic ziploc bag cut along the sides) and a heavy pan, flatten out each ball of dough to the desired size.
-Place the tortilla in the heated skillet and toast for approximately 2 minutes per side or until brown and slightly bubbly.
-Remove each tortilla from the pan and place on a plate under a dish towel to keep them warm and pliable while you prepare all your additional toppings.
I hope you all try these recipes and enjoy them. If you do give them a go, please let me know! I'd love to hear how these actual recipes work out in not my own kitchen.
GO PATS!