Fried plantains

We found a recipe years ago for pork carnitas, and the site included a recipe for fried plantains.  We had never made plantains at home, but they've become one of our favorites!  They are amazing with guacamole or as a base for a great mexican pizza, but are also good dusted with a little cinnamon and sea salt.  They are a little work, but totally worth the effort!

We look for plantains that are pretty green, and typically buy 4 for our family of 5.  Our girls love the fried plantains as much as we do, and they sneak them off the plate as I'm cooking!  The easy version - Peel the plantains, slice very thinly.  Heat coconut oil on medium high heat on the stove top.   The recipe we initially found called for more coconut oil than we prefer to use.  I start with about 2 T of oil, but I do usually need to add more oil as I'm cooking the plantains.  Cook on each side until lightly browned, a few minutes each side.  Remove from oil, sprinkle with sea salt.

My favorite way to cook them is a little more involved, but I really just love them this way!  Slice the plantains about 1.5 to 2 inches thick.  Place in preheated coconut oil.  Cook on each side until browned.  Remove from pan and place on flat surface.  Use the bottom of a glass to smash the plantain.  Once smashed, place back in pan and cook for a minute or two on each side again.  Remove from oil, sprinkle with sea salt.

Plantains count as a purple for 21 DF, so I usually skip my fruit on days we plan to eat plantains.  I also skip my tsp since you'll be cooking the plantains in coconut oil!

Hope your family loves them as much as we do :)

Paleo Coleslaw

DJ grilled ribs for Father's Day this weekend, and though ribs aren't exactly 21 day fix approved, we enjoy splurging sometimes!  We opted for a homemade coleslaw and baked asparagus as our sides to balance out our splurge.  We made the homemade mayo for the coleslaw, and I had to play around with it this time.  I added an egg yolk, as it just wasn't as thick as the last time.  We've read about adding bacon grease to the mayo as well, to give it a little flavor.  I did not go that route this time, as I thought it would be fine in the coleslaw as it was; however, if I was using the mayo on a sandwich, I might give it a shot!

Here's the recipe:

1/2 head green cabbage, chopped
1/2 head purple cabbage, chopped
2 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1/3 cup chopped green onions (add more or less depending on how strong your onions are)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup homemade mayo
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp dry mustard
3/4 tsp celery seed
3/4 tsp garlic powder

The hardest part of this recipe is chopping the cabbage!  It makes a pretty big mess - at least it did for me.  After chopping the cabbage, just mix all ingredients together, cover, and chill for about an hour. Enjoy!