MY LAND OF THE FREE

So about 10 weeks ago, my beloved 14 (15 in 10 days) year old daughter proclaimed she is now a vegetarian.  

RIGHT????  Her and about 200 hundred other teenage girls in her school (as verified by her brother).  (She only ever eats chicken.  No red meat, no seafood, no "the other white meat")

So I just ignored the whole thing and carried on with my daily meal preparations - you know - moi?  the freaking chef for gluten-free, dairy-free, red meat-free & the other white meat-free husband family members...   

Yea - just what I want is to now be cooking  VEGETARIAN.  

Six weeks go by and this darn kid is still at it!  Picking at her broccoli every night...

UGHHHHH - so I'm now starting to swear become concerned.  Is she going anorexic on me???  Is this about staying "thin"?  Why is she only eating broccoli??  Does she look skinny?  Is she getting enough nutrition??  And...

wait a minute?  Did she just create a vegetarian PINTEREST board????  O-M-G - I am F**ked.

Soooooooo - Chef Tel here is NOW creating vegetarian meals TOO.  I mean - she freaking eliminated a whole food group and is incapable of substituting it herself.  Who's LEFT to do the dirty work lest she wastes away???  I DID just tell you I already do gluten-free, dairy-free, red meat-free & the other white meat-free, right?? 

I mean what's another ****-free??    Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

I spoke with some clients who were creative in this area due to the same girl thang - teenage girl goes vegetarian...TEN YEARS AGO...unfortunately, their experience was that their vegetarians STAYED that way.  Do you see what's going on here?  

I was forced to remove the resistance and start Pinning.

Anyway - so I have been at it for about 3 weeks now.  I gave into it and worked hard to involve her in the recipe choosing, grocery shopping, prep and tasting.  Luckily - most leftovers will be wolfed eaten by her gluten-free, dairy-free, red meat-free, the other white meat-free father. 

There are recipes I will never make again and others that were very good.  The good news is - she's not only free of any meat/seafood/poultry product but she is also food inhibited-free!  Yes - she has ventured to beans and lentils and tofu for starters.  She's eating a better variety of vegetables like cabbage and sugar snap peas.

It's work.  Definitely work.  But I, myself, like really flavorful food and so I benefit too.  I refuse to make anything that is bland and boring.  If I'm going thru the trouble to shop and prep a vegetarian meal, it better have flavor!  Hence - the recipe trash can!

At any rate - there's the JOY.  She has left her food comfort zone, she is eating alternate protein, I am enjoying the planning/prep time with her and I'm getting great tasting food!  But I AM tired, a little. LOL.

That's the JOY and here's the reason for this post.  A recipe that needs sharing.  It was less work than it looks although it did take an hour, start to finish, as I of course had to make the vegetarian version as well as the gluten-free, dairy-free, red meat-free, the other white meat-free, ground chicken version.  But it was worth it and the leftover chicken mixture makes a GREAT "bowl" - the other trending food lately.  Many thanks to my inspiring, motivating niece Kelly, for turning me on!

Here it is!  So YUM!!!

PALEO EGG ROLLS 

1 pound ground pork (or chicken, turkey, or beef - pasture raised/organic when possible) 
1 teaspoon ground ginger 
1 teaspoon garlic sea salt blend (I used garlic powder and a bit of salt)
3 tablespoons coconut amigos (You could use soy sauce)
1 cup shredded, diced carrots (I bought them shredded a bag - GENIUS!)
2 cups shredded, diced cabbage
Optional: 1⁄2 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice (omit for AIP)

For Dipping Sauce

1⁄4 teaspoon Sriracha (omit for AIP) 1⁄4 teaspoon hot mustard (omit for AIP)
2 tablespoons coconut amigos or soy sauce
1.5 teaspoons coconut palm sugar (I used honey and also used white sugar another time)
1⁄2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 

Instructions

1. Brown ground pork/chicken etc. in a large skillet with seasonings (garlic salt, aminos, five spice, and
2. ginger). (I did this separately and also made a vegetarian version)
   
3. Add carrots and cabbage once pork starts losing its pink color. (I made veggies separate)
   
4. Cook ingredients until meat is cooked through and veggies are softened.
   
5. Remove filling from heat.
   
6. Now take one wrapper and spoon about a tablespoon of the mixture into the center
7. As you start rolling the wrapper, tuck the corners into the ends so that the egg roll is closed from all angles.
   
8. Repeat until all wrappers are filled – if you have leftover meat mixture you can use it to fill lettuce leaves or make
   more wrappers.
   
9. Heat your avocado oil (I used Olive oil)  in a large skillet over relatively high heat (not the highest) – if your oil is not hot enough, the egg rolls may stick to the pan.
   
10. Fry 3-4 at a time so that you may keep a close watch on them...you will want to brown all sides in the skillet.
    
11. Remove from heat once your egg rolls are nicely browned and repeat with the remaining egg rolls 

  12.  For Dipping Sauce, combine all ingredients and get dipping’.

ENJOY - my friends!  I will carry on - sigh.