German "Potato" Salad (yep, made with cauliflower)

We often substitute cauliflower for foodstuffs that are off limits for us, on the Paleo diet and now the autoimmune protocol.  (Even as a pizza crust!) As a nightshade, potatoes are definitely up there on the "I don't think so" list.  But this dish is so delicious you don't miss them for a moment!

SOOO delicious!  A great way to get lots of veggies, too...

Give it a try, for a summer potluck or picnic--since it has no mayonnaise it doesn't have to be refrigerated immediately, and in fact it's wonderful hot.  (It tastes hearty enough for winter fare, too...)

INGREDIENTS

1/2 a large head of cauliflower, cut up into chunks (more if you want)
1/2 lb. bacon more or less--we get Pure, from Farmland, with no nitrates or nitrites, and delicous!
2 stalks of celery sliced thin
3-4 green onions or scallions
1/4c c. diced sweet onions if you need more
T. dried or fresh parsley
splash of red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar
1 t. coconut aminos or a bit more (can use honey or maple syrup)
sea salt to taste

Fry bacon till crispy, drain and reserve fat; slice scallions into small bits, green tops as well.  Don't ask me why, but I love the Zen of cutting vegetables with a good sharp knife.  Joseph made this one...

Steam cauliflower till tender

Yum!

I like the celery cut this fine...

Saute celery and onion, if you've cut up more, in the leftover bacon grease till onions are translucent.

Crumble bacon and add it and everything else to a large bowl.  Dump the onions and celery in, splash with vinegar, add sea salt to taste, and the parsley for a bit of color.  Traditional German potato salad is slightly sweet...that's what the teaspoon of coconut aminos does.  Mix well and serve warm or cold.

I added a bit of my home made nettle salt because nettles are SO good for you, but I don't expect most people have that on hand!

And of course you CAN use potatoes if they're not a problem for you.

Autoimmune-style Broccoli Salad for Summer!

We've loved our friend Lola's broccoli salad and offered the recipe here: http://starvingartistscook.blogspot.com/2015/05/sort-of-lolas-broccoli-salad.html

But since starting autoimmune protocol*, for now dried fruits, sugar, and mayonnaise are off the plate until reintroduction, over 2 months from now.  I like to have a summer picnic-safe version anyway, and mayo-dressed salads aren't great for that!

So I decided to experiment to see if at least SOME of the ingredients would make the transition...and boy was it a success!  Here it is served with grilled tenderloin kabobs, grilled zucchini, sauteed onions and mushrooms...what a meal.



1 head of organic broccoli chopped bite size
1 C. cauliflower florets, chopped
1/2 to 1 onion
1 large shredded carrot
1 pkg. of nitrite and nitrate-free bacon (that's 12 oz., these days)  (Or however much bacon you have...)



Dress with:
splash of extra virgin olive oil to moisten
2 T. liquid coconut aminos for a touch of sweetness and a hint of Asian flavor
1 T. red wine vinegar or apple cider
sea salt to taste

(I'm not using pepper or Pepperman for now, but I didn't seem to miss it...add it if it's not a problem!)

Add other vegetables if you like...or some home made herb salt...

Mix it all up and let it chill so the flavors mellow into eachother...we loved it!

If you'd like to know more about the autoimmune protocol, here's a good place to start: The Paleo Mom's basic starter guide.  https://www.thepaleomom.com/start-here/the-autoimmune-protocol/  
It's all over the 'net, though, just Google it and the literally thousands of amazing recipes...