YHMS Holiday Meal

Hi everyone,

Rachael Gaynor put together an amazing Holiday Meal and I would like to share that with you today.

Paleo Holiday Meal

By Rachael Gaynor

Where to find a Pasture Raised Turkey

Online:

Tropical Traditions

Tendergrass Farms

Slanker Grass Fed Meat

Local Farms:

Contact local farmers in the area that raise pasture raised Turkeys.

Grocery stores:

Natural Grocers

Sprouts

Whole Foods

Roasted Turkey (AIP and Paleo)

Ingredients:

1. 1 Turkey (about 10-12 pounds)
2. Sprinkle with Sea Salt
3. Herbes de Provence
4. ¼ cup lard
5. 2 oranges

Instructions:

1. Set the turkey in a large dish and generously cover with salt on all the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight
2. The following day, preheat the oven to 425 F and baste the turkey in melted lard, covering all sides. Sprinkle the added herbs on top. Grate a small amount of the orange zest on top of the turkey. And finish off by squeezing the top of the turkey with the orange juice. Discard of the orange peels.
3. With the turkey breast facing downward, place the turkey on the roasting pan for about 25 minutes. Turn the turkey over. If some of the herbs have fallen off, add some more.
4. Bake the turkey for 2 hours, or until internal temp is 165 F.
5. Before carving, cover with aluminum foil and let sit for 30-40 min,
6. Use the pan drippings for the gravy.

Maple Butternut Squash and Brussel Sprouts (AIP and Paleo)

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb brussel sprouts, with edges trimmed
2. 2 lbs butternut squash, cut into cubes
3. 2 tbsp coconut oil
4. Pinch of salt
5. 1 tbsp grade B maple syrup
6. 2 tbsp coconut cream
7. ½ tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F and lightly coat a baking sheet with coconut oil or coconut cooking spray.
2. Add the brussel sprouts and butternut squash to the baking sheet.
3. In a small bowl mix together the coconut cream, cinnamon and maple syrup until well combined.
4. Coat the brussel sprouts and butternut squash with the maple syrup mixture, and season with salt.
5. Roast the vegetables for 30-40 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time.
6. Allow to cool and serve.

Cauliflower Gravy (AIP and Paleo)

Ingredients

1. 2 tbsp turkey fat
2. 2 cups cauliflower, chopped
3. Pan drippings (from turkey)
4. Fresh thyme
5. 1 tsp rosemary
6. Salt and pepper to taste (omit pepper for AIP)
7. 5 cups chicken stock (more if not enough pan drippings)

Instructions:

1. Heat the fat in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add in the cauliflower, rosemary and thyme.
2. Pour the pan drippings (from turkey tray) and add the chicken stock to make 2 cups of liquid. Add this pan mixture to the pan with cauliflower. Simmer until the cauliflower is soft. (Should take 10 minutes).
3. Transfer to a food processor or large blender. Blend on high until mixture is creamy and smooth.
4. To thin the gravy, add in more stock.
5. Serve over Turkey and vegetables dishes. 

Paleo Sweet Potato Stuffing

Ingredients:

1. 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
2. 3 tbsp coconut oil
3. 1 cup diced yellow onion
4. ½ cup carrots, diced
5. 2 celery stocks, diced
6. ½ cup sweet sherry
7. 1 cup dried cherries
8. 2 tbsp parsley
9. 1 tbsp sage
10. 1 tbsp thyme
11. 3 egg whites
12. 1 egg

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with coconut oil spray.
2. Toss the sweet potatoes on the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Spread the potatoes evenly on the pan and roast them for 15-20 minutes. They should be tender cut easily with a fork.
4. While potatoes are cooking, sautee the vegetables (onion, celery, carrots) In a pan over medium heat, melt an additional tbsp. of coconut oil. Add in the veggies and sautee for 5-7 minutes. The onions will become translucent and the carrots will be soft. Transfer to a separate bowl.

*Deglaze the pan*

5. Place the empty pan (the one used for the vegetables) back on high heat and add in the sherry. Simmer for a minute and then pour the sherry over the vegetables in the bowl.
6. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9X13 inch baking dish.
7. Combine the sweet potatoes, vegetables dish, cherries and herbs to the pan and mix to combine.
8. Add in the eggs and stir until ingredients are well combined.
9. Bake the stuffing at 350 F for 20 minutes.
10. Serve warm!

Mashed parsnips (AIP and Paleo)

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb parsnips, peeled and chopped
2. 1 tbsp lard
3. Pinch of salt
4. 1 shallot, thinly sliced
5. 3 Tbsp ghee
6. ½ cup bone broth
7. 2 tbsp chives (if desired for topping)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F and scatter the parsnips of a large pan and drizzle with melted 1 tbsp ghee. Season with salt. Bake for 30 minutes and stir frequently.
2. While the parsnips are cooking in the oven, melt the leftover lard in a small skillet. Add the sliced shallots and sautee over medium heat until they are soft. Remove the shallots from the heat and put in a food processor.
3. When the parsnips are finished cooking add them to the food processor with the shallots. Pour in the bone broth and add the remaining 2 tbsp of ghee to taste. Pulse in the food processor until fluffy in texture. Sprinkle with chives and more salt if desired.

Maple and orange cranberry sauce (AIP and Paleo)

Ingredients:

1. 10 oz frozen cranberries
2. 2 red apples, peeled and chopped
3. 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
4. Pinch of sea salt
5. 1 tsp zest of an orange
6. ¼ cup grade B maple syrup

Instructions: 

1. In a medium pot, over medium heat, combine all the ingredients. Cover and cook the ingredients for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. The cranberries should begin to break down, and the apples will become soft.
3. Add in more maple syrup if it tastes too tarte.
4. Serve fresh!

And finally, Dessert

AIP Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

For the filling:

1. 7-9 small granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
2. 1 tsp cinnamon
3. Juice of ½ lemon

For the topping:

1. ¾ cup shredded coconut
2. 1/3 cup coconut flour
3. 1/3 sucanat
4. ¼ cup coconut butter
5. ¼ cup coconut oil
6. ¾ tsp cinnamon powder
7. ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
8. ¼ tsp nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Soften the coconut oil and coconut butter (if needed) in the microwave for 40 seconds, or until liquid consistency.
3. Peel and core the apples and slice them into thin wedges. In a small glass baking dish, lay the wedges down.
4. Squeeze the lemon juice and sprinkle with cinnamon, pumpkin spice and nutmeg. Make sure all the apples are covered completely with the spices.
5. Add in the shredded coconut, coconut flour, salt and sucanat to a mixing bowl and stir to combine. (it helps to use a pastry blender, to ensure everything is evenly stirred).
6. Add in the melted coconut butter and oil to the dry ingredients. Use the pastry blender to form the dough. Knead the dough with your hands until it becomes smooth. It should be slightly firm, moist and yet a little crumbly. If it is too dry add in more coconut oil.
7. On top of the apple wedges, sprinkle the flour mixture in crumbles. Press firmly down to make a crust on top of the apples.
8. Bake for 30- 40 minutes, or until the topping is a golden brown.
9. Allow the apple crisp to cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting into it. Serve with coconut ice cream, for a sweet touch!

Photo by Alison Marras on Unsplash