This week’s menu theme is Paleo Takeout. All of the recipes are real food versions of classic takeout dishes that we all know and love. I am really looking forward to making all of these dishes. I’ve selected 2 breakfast recipes, 2 lunch recipes, 3 dinner recipes and 1 dessert (I mean…you can’t have a takeout menu without a fortune cookie). I hope you enjoy making all of these dishes as much as I enjoyed picking them out.

BREAKFAST

KIMCHI EGG SCRAMBLE WITH KALE – Leaf and Grain

Does your family eat kimchi? Mine sure does. With Korean blood in the family it’s kind of hard not to eat kimchi. If you don’t think you like kimchi and have never tried it, I really encourage you to try it. It is a strong flavor, but it is delicious. I’m always looking for a way to spice up my eggs. I’ll be making this stat.

*The flavors in kimchi get better with time, so try to make sure your kimchi isn’t too fresh. I find that I really don’t care for fresh kimchi.

RICELESS KIMBAP (KOREAN SUSHI) – The Paleo Palate

This may not seem like a breakfast food, but let me tell you there is NOTHING better than kimbap for breakfast. My mother-in-law is Korean and she makes the best kimbap. I’d rather not even try to emulate her traditional kimbap, so this seems like the perfect alternative. Even better this recipe fits within my Paleo lifestyle. I encourage you to give it a shot for breakfast.

LUNCH

EGG DROP SOUP – In the Kitchen with Kelley

Egg drop soup is one of my favorite things to order at Chinese restaurants, but it is also so easy to make at home. I can whip this up on my lunch break with time to spare or I’ve even made it in the morning and then left it in my crockpot on the warm setting. Simply add the green onions when you get home and lunch is served!

*The eggs provide protein for the soup, but you can also add shredded chicken if you want even more protein. While chicken in egg drop soup isn’t traditional, it is delicious!

MIYABI JAPANESE ONION SOUP – Food.com

I always eat the classic mushroom and broth soup up when we go to our favorite hibachi restaurant. And it’s another easy, quick soup that is great for lunch. Again, not that this is traditional, but you could add some shredded chicken or beef for added protein to help
keep you full longer. And using homemade bone broth would really amp up the nutritional value of this soup.

*While I love the fried onions that you can buy at the store, they aren’t Paleo friendly. I’m going to experiment with making my own with a little almond meal and fry them up in some coconut oil.

DINNER

ONE PAN TIKKA MASALA – Teaspoon Living

Indian takeout is one of my favorites; however, my husband is not a fan. So I’ll have to try this one in a night when he has dinner plans out of the house. Serve with cauliflower rice for a completely Paleo meal.

GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN – Delicious Obsessions

General Tso’s Chicken is pretty much on every Chinese takeout menu. It is a staple. A classic of sorts. I love this real food version of the classic. You get all of the delicious flavors without the guilt. Your gut will thank you too!

SPAGHETTI SQUASH PAD THAI – Lexi’s Clean Kitchen

I may have jumped up and down a little bit when I found this recipe (I’m blaming the new mommy sleep deprivation for this excitement ). Pad Thai is another classic takeout menu item, and this spaghetti squash version looks divine. I’m thinking I’ll make it with shrimp instead of chicken, although I’m sure the chicken is absolutely delicious.

DESSERT

GRAIN-FREE FORTUNE COOKIES – Oh, the Things We’ll Make

And of course no home takeout meal would be complete without a fortune cookie! This grain-free recipe is almost Paleo. Never fear. A few quick swaps and you’ll be all set. Swap the ¼ cup heavy cream with ¼ cup of coconut milk (full fat, the kind in the can will work the best). And use coconut sugar in place of the regular sugar called for in this recipe. And you can always swap ghee for the butter if you don’t do butter.

Sometimes the fortunes aren’t the greatest in restaurant fortune cookies, so I’m looking forward to having some fun writing my own fortunes!