Saturday Mistake #1: I walked the twenty minutes to my gym in the morning wearing only a sweatshirt and sweatpants for layers. It was in the teens outside. I know better. I was blinded by my desire to wear my patriots sweatshirt and have everyone be able to see it.
Saturday Mistake #2: Cooking this meal during the game last night. I think it took me twice as long to cook because I was simultaneously cooking while paying attention to the game. And the game was the most exciting football game I’ve watched in a looooong time. When the patriots were down, I took it out on our meal- feeling aggravated and annoyed. When the patriots were making a comeback (which happened TWICE last night), I could barely concentrate on the Maryland food I was making. It was a little all over the place. Good thing I was done cooking and eating before the third quarter started.
When I found out that the patriots were going to be playing the ravens in this game- I was a little scared. I was at a patriots bar the last time we played the ravens in the playoffs and they beat us- and it was one of the saddest nights ever for us all. I really dislike the ravens. Love Flacco, don’t like the rest of the team (Flacco is just adorable and an amazing quarterback… spoken like a true girl). In fact, I hate Baltimore sports teams in general- Orioles? Ugh. Get out.
But being a New England sports fan, I stifled my anxiety and kept the faith. You gotta believe in Belichick, man. Dude’s a mad genius.
Plus, playing Baltimore made it easy in my Sunday Supper planning. Being so close to Baltimore, I’m very well aware of what foods are special to them.
This meal had to be crab + old bay.
Crab cakes it was! And they had to be Whole30 approved too. Because you know… I’m still doing that thing.
I cringed a little buying old bay (not really my favorite and it felt like I was supporting Baltimore in some way… what can I say, I’m really loyal to my boys/team) but other than that, I was excited to make this meal. Seafood is my jam and the weather has been dismally cold so what better way to warm up than food that makes you think of kinder temperatures.
Old bay crab cakes over cauliflower rice mixed with arugula and parsley topped with a homemade mayonnaise- served with a side of asparagus. Yum yum.
Old Bay Crab Cakes and Cauliflower Rice | Serves: 4
Ingredients for the Crab Cakes
- 1 lb. lump crab meat
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tbl. coconut flour
- 2 tbl. parsley, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbl. old bay
- 1/4 cup coconut oil or red palm oil
- Lemon wedges for serving
Ingredients for the Cauliflower Rice
- 1 head of cauliflower, riced
- 4 cups of baby arugula
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbl. ghee or butter
- 1/2 a lemon
Ingredients for the Mayo
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup avocado oil (can use any other light tasting oil)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbl. lemon juice
Directions
- Make your mayonnaise using this recipe.
- Mix the crab, coconut flour, eggs, shallot, parsley, garlic, and old bay together in a bowl with a fork. Don’t over mix it- but combine everything well
- Lay out a piece of parchement paper on your counter and shape the crab mixture into 3-inch patties in your hand (place them on the parchment paper till your ready to cook them).
- Heat two skillets over medium-high heat (one for the cauliflower- one for the crab cakes).
- In the larger skillet, add the 1 tbl. of ghee or butter and wilt down your baby arugula. Once wilted down, turn down the heat slightly and add in your riced cauliflower + salt and pepper. Cook for about ten minutes or until at your desired texture, stirring frequently. When its done, stir in your parsley and squeeze the 1/2 a lemon over everything.
- In the other skillet, while the cauliflower rice is cooking, add in your coconut oil or palm oil. When its nice and hot, add in your patties- don’t overcrowd them. Cook in batches if necessary. Cook on one side for 3 minutes- flip, cook for another 3 mins.
- Serve the crab cakes over cauliflower rice. Serve with your choice of another vegetable. I roasted asparagus in the oven while everything was cooking on the stove top.
- Drizzle your mayo over the crab cakes and squeeze some lemons over it all.
- Om nom nom.
The cakes fell apart on me a little bit (which I hoped would be representative of the Ravens team- I wanted them to fall. a. part) so if you make these, you might want to play around with the ratios of dry and wet ingredients.
What a game. Seriously. I was jumping around in my apartment in the fourth quarter with more energy than I had during my workout that morning. My heart was thundering out of my chest and I was sweating and covered in goosebumps. I get chills just writing about all of that emotion. It all worked out and man oh man- am I filled with all sorts of pride.
Will and I gobbled up our Ravens meal and Brady gobbled up another post-season win.
On to the next one.
Keep it wicked healthy xoxo
