Paleo Moussaka

I know what you are thinking. I was thinking it too. This Greek delight sounds like it should be a Disney villain! Paleo Moussaka. It's possible the eggplant is looking to overtake the cheesy custard to come out on top. But luckily the meat sauce protects the cheesy custard from the eggplants evil plot. Just kidding, eggplant is an agreeable vegetable taking on the flavor of what you cook it with generally. Maybe it is the cheesy custard that is the bad guy, but I don't think a cheesy anything is ever bad. I am mistaken, the Disney villain I'm thinking of is “Moufassa” from The Lion King.  I was wayyy off.

I have been diligently trying to go to bed between 10 pm and 11 every night, and it is helping. I find I am better rested. Unfortunately, I am in need of a cleanse. I have…so…much…stuff… and it makes me anxious. I moved a year ago and put containers of stuff in the storage room. And there is where it has stayed. Check out this TED talk; he is my hero!

I need to sort and ruthlessly clean.  I would like to set up a home office.  And of course eating Paleo and finally getting my thyroid to work, I also need to go thru my clothes and get rid of all the stuff that is miles too big.  This is important, I need to make room to dance:

…but instead, I have spent the last few days house sitting. Makes sense, overwhelmed by your things; just leave and deal with someone else's stuff. Problem solved. Plus where I'm house sitting has a great gas BBQ, so many cool kitchen gadgets, and great props/dishes/light. Sadly I managed to set off the smoke alarm and crack the BBQ stone. Worst. House sitter. Ever.

The real reason I'm here is to look after 3 cats. Official cat wrangler. They are pretty great, every morning I have been awakened by Dexter, a 17 lb behemoth tabby cat. He wakes me up by positioning his weighty self on my chest and licking my nose. If you pet him he drools on you while purring. Supposedly the petting is so relaxing he forgets to swallow his saliva. Pre-shower cat drool bath. It could be much worse.

Big Kitty is the oldest, she is cool and collected and opens her mouth to meow but no noise comes out, she mime-meows at you.

Kitten is my fave (see above). If she see's you headed for the washroom she bolts in to “help”.  If you don't pet her she gently claws your bare ass until you do so. Then she climbs up on the counter to “help” again with hand washing. She will jump up to your hand, she isn't afraid to work for her pets. She doesn't really run, it's more of a gallop. And she “talks” quite a bit; earnestly looking at you and meowing. Maybe she was telling me to close the patio door or I would set off the smoke detector. I should have listened to her.  When I phoned my friend to see if her smoke alarm was monitored, she said it was no worry, but if the firefighters were going to show up I should probably go change it to something hot.  Haha

The Paleo moussaka is hearty but quite time-consuming with the layers and all those ingredients. I made a couple and put one in the freezer for later: you never know when you need a good Paleo casserole.

See all of our Paleo Greek Weeks recipes here.

Paleo Moussaka

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• Author: Holley - www.ThePrimalDesire.com

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Meat sauce

• 1 onion (diced)
• 4 tomatoes (diced)
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 can hot water
• 1 clove elephant garlic (diced)
• 1 lb ground meat, grass-fed beef, lamb or organ meat
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (diced)
• 1/4 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• cinnamon stick (broken)
• salt to taste

Eggplant

• 1 large eggplant
• 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Bechamel/custard sauce

• 2/3 cup butter
• 1 can full-fat coconut milk
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 1 whole egg
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup cashew cheese
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Thinly slice eggplant into uniform thickness, sprinkle with salt and pepper and let sit for 10 min.
3. Blot with paper towel, and lightly cover both sides with olive oil.
4. Place on foil or parchment paper (or silicone pad) and bake 20 min.
5. Set aside

Meat sauce

1. Brown the meat over medium/high heat.
2. Add onions, garlic and tomatoes, continue to sauté.
3. Add tomato paste, fill the can with hot water (helps get the rest of the paste out of the can, unless someone has a hack for getting the paste out? Please put it in the comments below), then pour 175ml of that water into mixture as well.
4. Turn heat down to a simmer, add parsley, ginger, cloves, honey and cinnamon stick.
5. Continue to simmer until ready to layer, removing cinnamon stick at the last minute.

Bechamel/ Custard Sauce

1. In another pan heat 2/3 cup butter or ghee and stir until melted.
2. Whisk in coconut flour, nutmeg and salt.
3. Whisk in coconut milk, bring to a boil.
4. Continue to simmer 4-6 min until it starts to thicken slightly, stirring constantly.
5. Remove from heat, set aside.
6. Once cooled (say in the time it takes to grease a casserole dish and layer in the eggplant and meat sauce) whisk in one egg and 2 egg yolks.
7. Stir in cashew cheese.
8. Grease a casserole dish and line the bottom with baked eggplant.
9. Layer meat sauce evenly over top.
10. Repeat eggplant and meat sauce making sure meat sauce is even and right to the edge on your top layer.
11. Gently and slowly pour bechamel/custard sauce over the meat sauce
12. Bake in a 375F Oven for 60 min, or until top is golden and set.
13. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

• Cuisine: Greek