Biscuits and Gravy is easily one of my most missed foods since going Gluten Free/Paleo.  Long ago, I bookmarked the recipe in Paleo Comfort Foods for Biscuits and Gravy, but I just hadn’t ever gotten around to making them.  Somehow, I had got it in my head that it would be quite a process.  Last week, Juli over at PaleOMG posted her version of Bs&Gs and it started up those cravings again.

Ultimately, I ended up using a couple of different recipes for inspiration and then doing my own thing.  (Adding a bag of baby greens to the sausage gravy was a yummy addition, but feel free to leave it out if you aren’t as veggie loving as we are.)

Biscuits:

I used the biscuit recipe right out of Paleo Comfort foods (Basic Biscuits, p.108).  I don’t feel comfortable sharing it, as the Paleo Comfort Foods folks haven’t share it on their website, but I found two websites that give the recipe here & here.  These biscuits turned out nicely, but I am not finished searching for a good paleo biscuit recipe.  There are a few others I would like to try:

• Elana’s Pantry – Biscuits
• Paleo Spirit – Coconut Flour Paleo Biscuits
• PaleOMG – Bacon and Chive Sweet Potato Biscuits

Gravy:

• 2 lbs ground pork (or a mix of beef and pork)
• 2 Tbsp Penzey’s Breakfast Sausage Seasoning
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp almond butter
• 1 tsp sage
• 1 tsp paprika
• bag of baby greens (optional)
• (chicken broth or more coconut milk to thin gravy, if needed)

1. In a bowl, mix ground pork with Breakfast Sausage Seasoning.
2. Saute seasoned meat in a skillet until completely cooked.  Remove meat from pan, leaving as much of the drippings as possible.
3. Add almond butter to drippings and mix with whisk.
4. Add can of coconut milk, sage & paprika.  Bring to medium heat, stirring constantly.
5. Add ground pork & mixed greens to gravy.  Stir until combined.  Cook over low heat until gravy reaches the thickness you desire.  (It shouldn’t take much.) Add more coconut milk or chicken broth to thin the gravy if needed.

Notes:

• Use any biscuit recipe you wish.  Honestly, this stuff would be delicious on its own, over spaghetti squash or sweet potato hash.  Go crazy!
• Penzey’s Breakfast Sausage Seasoning is the BOMB! Feel free to use your own, but I promise this stuff is amazing.  I actually made this recipe with 1 lb ground pork and 1 lb ground beef.  It is easier for me to find grass-fed beef than pastured pork, and this isn’t the first time that I have made “sausage” out of beef.  The Penzey’s seasoning does all the work!
• Make a big batch. Double this recipe.   The hubby and I were fighting over the leftovers the morning after.
• Also, the hubby and my little guy like hard boiled eggs over the top of their Bs&Gs. Luckily, I always have a few of those on hand for snacks.

Keeping It Real:

You know my picky eater? This is what her plate looked like:

Harper’s Plate

It only took me a few minutes to cook a few patties so that she could eat her sausage separately   She also packed it in her lunch the next day.  I hated gravy as a kid, too.  She will soon enough learn the error in her ways!

This was my contribution to both our Paleo Thanksgiving and my family ‘Thanksgiving dinner.  I had several non-Paleo family members ask for the recipe, so in my mind that makes it a winner.  I would eat this dish anytime, but it is especially suited for holiday gatherings.  This recipe can also be tweaked quite a bit after you get the hang of it & it doesn’t have any strange ingredients, so I think it is a great one, even for someone who isn’t that comfortable in the kitchen.

This recipe is based off the Brussels Sprouts Slaw recipe that is in Paleo Comfort Foods.  This is my favorite cookbook to go through when trying to find ideas to serve my non-Paleo family.  I grew up in the Midwest on a farm, so although we aren’t Southern our preferred style of food is Home Cookin’.   This particular cookbook is the closest in style to how I grew up cooking and eating. (Paleo Biscuits & Gravy, anyone?) It is a cookbook that is worth your bookshelf space.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Bacon & Cranberry Salad

• 1/2  lb bacon, cooked and crumbled into small pieces (Maybe more? More bacon is always good, right?)
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard (Grey Poupon or Trader Joe’s Whole Grain Dijon Mustard)
• 4-5 Tbsp vinegar (apple cider or fruit infused vinegar work well here)
• 1/4 cup olive oil + 2-3 Tbsps for roasting
• pepper to taste
• 1-2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Variations:

• You can saute the Brussels Sprouts in the bacon drippings if you wish.  The original recipe is written like that, but after making it several times, my sister & I agreed that we liked it better roasted on the baking sheet.
• You can play around with the mustard, vinegar & oils in the dressings.  As long as the amounts stay close to the same to keep the oil/acid ratio.  My favorite version was using Grey Poupon mustard, olive oil & a Balsam Pear vinegar that I had purchased for my Mom at a fancy oil & vinegar shop.  However, it turns out great when I just use Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar as well.  Lemon juice could be substituted for part of the vinegar.  I think that using a walnut oil in place of part of the olive oil would be yummy!
• If your family isn’t crazy about Brussels sprouts, this is where the more bacon thing comes in handy to win them over!
• Chopped apples, chopped apricots, toasted nuts & pomegranate seeds could also be added to this salad.
• Make it your own!
• This recipe is very easily doubled to take to a potluck.  Just requires more chopping!

This post is mostly procrastination to avoid the 14 loads of laundry and massive cleaning that needs to occur before my family gets here in about 24 hours.  I have made a meal plan and shopping list for our Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas brunch contributions, though.

I haven’t included any links, but with any luck these will all turn out great. I will snap some pics and post proper links later.  Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Dinner:
Steak
on the grill

Brussel Sprout slaw (from Paleo Comfort Foods)
brussel sprouts sliced thinly, bacon, dijon vinegar dressing

Cranberry Orange salad (also from Paleo Comfort Foods)
fresh cranberries and clementines boiled down

Baked Sweet Potatoes and Apples (check out my last blog post)
cubed sweet potatoes, applesauce, cinnamon and butter roasted together

Christmas Morning while opening gifts:
Coffee!

Paleo Monkey Bread (Paleo Parents blog)
I can’t wait to try this “healthier” version of a childhood favorite…still lots of sugar but no gluten reaction…not to mention the processed food that is a refridgerator biscuit…oh my.

Christmas Morning Brunch:
Bacon, Egg and Sweet Potato Brunch Casserole (also from Paleo Parents blog)
Just another variation on the baked egg idea, I am modifying this one a little

Paleo Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake with Maple-Vanilla Frosting (from The Clothes Make the Girl)