Chocolate and Caramel-Vanilla Bean Pudding and Benefits of Gelatin!

Haven't you heard? Gelatin is all the rage these days! At least in my neck of the woods. I admit, I am feeling more like a hippie as the months go by and I am sure some of my friends and family might be raising their eyebrows at me when I mention some of the new things I am consuming.

The newest thing is gelatin. Most of the "real food" movement has already been making their own broth at home from marrow bones because we know of the good benefits. That broth is the powerhouse behind chicken soup curing the common cold, NOT the Campbell's soup (or any other variety you can buy ready made in your local grocery store). Why the hype? A lot of it is for the gelatin. I have yet to make a batch of bone broth that doesn't gelatanize (that's a word, right?), but I have heard the horror stories out there of that happening!

So what's the big deal? According to the Weston A. Price Foundation (as taken from one of my favorite websites, Wellness Mama), there are various health benefits of gelatin, including:

• Supports skin, hair and nail growth
• Good for joints and can help joint recovery
• Can help tighten loose skin
• Can improve digestion since it naturally binds to water and helps food move more easily through the digestive tract
• Rumored to help improve cellulite (!!!)
• Great source of dietary collagen (which is a lot more effective than topical!)
• Great source of protein at 6 grams per tablespoon, collagen, and amino acids. Of the amino acids, Glycine is reported to help liver function and Lysine is utilized in muscle building and calcium absorption. 

How do you get this wonderful gelatin? The best source out there seems to be Great Lakes Kosher Gelatin - it is sourced from grass-fed cows (which we all know is the way to go, right?) and comes in convenient canisters that make it easy to add it to just about anything you are making.

And what was I making? PUDDING! A throwback to the instant Jell-o pudding days of my youth. However, the amount of gelatin used in this recipe doesn't necessarily constitute enough in your daily intake to give you the benefits above, so Wellness Mama suggested a tablespoon mixed in warm water upon arising and just before bed - or adding to your favorite smoothie! But in the meantime.. have some pudding!

Chocolate Pudding

4 tsp Great Lakes Kosher Gelatin
1 (13.5oz) can Natural Value coconut milk*
1/2 cup blonde coconut palm sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp sea salt
3 tsp vanilla extract

Caramel-Vanilla Bean Pudding

4 tsp Great lakes Kosher Gelatin
1 (13.5 oz) can Natural Value coconut milk*
1/2 cup blonde coconut palm sugar
1 whole vanilla bean
1 tsp sea salt

(* I use this brand because the only ingredients are coconut and water - this means it is a VERY thick coconut milk. If you use another brand that is thinner - maybe Trader Joe's light coconut milk - you might just need to use a couple of cans instead of thinning it out with water as I say to do below)

In a measuring cup that measures beyond 24 ounces, pour in the can of coconut milk and whisk to make sure the coconut water is fully combined with the solids. Add in enough water to bring the mixture up to 24 ounces.

In a medium bowl, combine the 4 teaspoons of gelatin to 4 ounces of the coconut milk mixture and whisk until no lumps remain - set aside.

In a small sauce pot, combine the sugar, salt and remaining milk over a medium-low heat. Depending on the flavor you are making, also combine either the cocoa powder or the vanilla bean. To add the vanilla bean, take a knife and slice the bean halfway through all the way from end-to-end and open the bean up - all the good stuff is inside! Use a sharp knife and scrape from one end to the other to get all that good stuff out to put into the sauce pot. And why not, throw in the leftover whole bean skin too. Whisk this mixture until smooth and let it come to ALMOST a boil - once some bubbles start going steadily around the edges you are good.

If you are one of those people who feels they must, go ahead and strain the hot mixture into the reserved milk/gelatin mixture - I just dumped it in and only removed the whole vanilla bean. Whisk until everything is fully combined and add the vanilla extract to the chocolate flavor and combine well.

Set the bowl, uncovered, in the refrigerator. After about 15-20 minutes, cover the pudding with a sheet of plastic wrap that you press against the entire surface of the mixture. This is where patience comes in... mine didn't fully set for many, many hours - so making this the day before is probably a good idea. This ain't your mother's instant pudding, folks.

Another way this is different than instant Jell-O pudding? It definitely doesn't hold that creamy texture - more like actuall Jell-O than pudding. So, to serve, take a hand or stand mixer and beat it well for several minutes. It even helps to let the mixture warm up a tad before doing so. Do this RIGHT before serving - whipping and then refrigerating will bring it back to the Jell-O texture - which I didn't mind, but some people will.

Enjoy!

Costillitas (Cuban Baby Back Ribs) from "Gather"

I feel like I've finally made it in the Paleo community when I am blessed with a preview copy of one of the books from some of the lovely people I consider the "pioneers" of mainstream Paleo-ism - at least as far as cookbooks and amazing food go. I am approaching my two year "Paleo-versary" and it is kind of crazy to me to think it has been that long already. I've learned so much and have felt like part of an ever-growing family - even if I have never met a single one of them in person (yet!). 

Bill and Hayley of The Primal Palate first introduced themselves to me when I purchased a copy of their first book "Make It Paleo." That cookbook has since multiplied in my house and I loan out copies to people interested in the lifestyle and needing inspiration for what to cook. Not a single recipe in that book failed to make my stomach happy.

Then I heard about this fancy schmancy book of Paleo recipes geared towards entertaining - months of teaser pics on Facebook slowly entered my dreams and started to taunt me. A baguette recipe here, General Tso's chicken recipe there. How was I suppose to wait until the end of April to get my hands on this beautiful book?

Enter, the preview copy:

If anything, just buy it to put it on your coffee table. It's that pretty.

I wanted to cook a couple of recipes from it so I didn't just give you a review that sounded something like "ooooh. aaaah. purdy photos. droool. fabulous menus. drool. drool. drooooool." I am sure you are thankful.

This is where it got tricky. What to cook first? The No'tato Salad caught my eye because it doesn't use cauliflower. And I am a big fan of ribs of all kinds, so I settled on the Cuban Baby Back Ribs and No'tato salad. I seriously thought I'd be posting a recipe of the No'tato Salad - in fact, I even asked if that was ok a few days prior. But then those ribs happened. Oh boy they happened.

No'tato Salad from "Gather"

Costillitas (Cuban Baby Back Ribs) from "Gather"

To be honest, the marinade for these ribs seemed too simple. And cooking entirely on a grill? This girl was taught to slow cook ribs for hours and then throw them on the grill at the end. I figured the No'tato Salad would be the hit of the meal. And then I get slapped in the face with ribs who seemed to say "Who you callin' SIMPLE!?!?" My only regret? That I didn't trust that recipe enough to make like 4lbs of those suckers. Instead I bought and made only HALF of what the recipe called for. Lesson learned. Do not doubt those Lovers of Food.

With that said, you really need to own this cookbook. It isn't just for those people who like to do dinner parties (me! me! me!), but for anyone who enjoys good food and maybe wants to knock the socks off a few dinner guests who AREN'T Paleo - perhaps the parents? I have a dad who says he only eats two vegetables - corn and green beans (nevermind corn isn't a vegetable, I don't even go there with him). Well, the recipes in Gather I'd almost guarantee wouldn't have him suspecting any "funny business" at all with his beloved food. Now THAT is a glowing review!

Beyond just recipes, they include several menus for each season and include specific ones for holidays like Easter, Halloween and New Year's Eve. Each menu gives you a preparation countdown on what you should do to prepare for the meal for up to a few days prior. This isn't your typical cookbook, folks!

Remember when I said at minimum just buy this book to go on your coffee table? The photography is amazing and I can only hope to reach that level one day... in the meantime, you get my meager attempts at photographing food. If you want to help the process, you can purchase me a Memorial Day present here. :)

Pre-order your copy of "Gather" here.
Follow The Food Lovers' Primal Palate on Facebook here.
Find more amazing recipes from them here.

Costillitas (Cuban Baby Back Ribs)
Serves 8 (or 1 hungry me for 3 meals)

2 racks baby back pork ribs
8 cloves garlic, pressed
Juice of 3 large lemons
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon salt

Cut each rack in half, rinse them thoroughly under cold water and pat them dry.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the pressed garlic, lemon juice, orange juice, lime juice, oregano, and salt. Whisk until combined.

Place ribs in a large container or plastic bag and pour the marinade over the ribs. Cover the ribs and refrigerate them for 2-3 hours (mine ended up around 5-6 hours).

Just before cooking, preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Place the ribs on the hot grill and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Coco-Peppermint Patties (Paleo, 21-Day Sugar Detox Recipe)

In the Paleo-sphere I think us die-hard followers all have that one person who immensely helped and inspired us with the in's and out's of this lifestyle. For me, it's Diane Sanfilippo of Balanced Bites. I am not exactly sure how I ran across her page on Facebook, but it may have been because of her 21-Day Sugar Detox. Either way, I am glad that I did.

You see, I have a big sugar addiction. I thought it was just a FOOD addiction, but then I realized most of the foods I was over-consuming were sugar. Bread, pasta, baked sweets, chocolate, french fries, etc. Yes, all  basically sugar once it's eaten. I did the detox for the very first time about 6 months in of eating Paleo - January 2012. I was successful, but was out celebrating with good friends on the 21st day and did allow myself a glass of wine. Since then I have completed it a few more times and each time I am surprised at how much sugar STILL has a hold on me. It's everywhere. In everything. And even after a few weeks, once little taste of that sweet stuff and I am in a downward spiral. Basically, my life should be a sugar detox 24/7.

The good news?! Diane is putting out another book and this one is dedicated to The 21-Day Sugar Detox! Her first one is New York Times bestseller (I think 19 weeks at the time of this posting?!) Practical Paleo - this is the book I tell people to get when they are starting out. It explains everything in simple terms, gives a ton of meal plans and recipes and being a lover of all things design, the layout is awesome. Can we say lamb dolmas? I dream about those things.

So go pre-order her new book, order her last one if you haven't and head on over to her Facebook pages (here and here) and show her some love.

Now on to the recipe - the ingredients marked with asterisks are my suggestions if you are not on the detox. I haven't made them with any sweetener, so you are on your own if you try my suggestions. As I made them, they are definitely NOT sweet to the average person. Just warning you!

Coco-Peppermint Patties

1/2 cup coconut butter
1/2 cup extra-virgin coconut oil
3/4 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
2 tsp peppermint extract
1-2 tsp pure stevia extract* (omit for 21DSD)
4 oz unsweetened chocolate (use equivalent Enjoy Life chocolate chips if not on The 21DSD)

Just barely melt the coconut butter and coconut oil (you just dont want it rock hard) and then put in a food processor and blend well. Add in the peppermint extract and stevia (if you're using it) and blend again. Pour in the shredded coconut and pulse a couple of times to make sure it's evenly distributed.

I used a mini cheesecake pan** and poured the mixture so about 1/2" tall in each cup. Put the pan in the freezer until hardened.

Once the patties are hardened, heat up the chocolate/chocolate chips in the microwave - only heat 30-45 seconds at a time to make sure not to burn the chocolate, stirring each time. Once melted, dip each patty into the chocolate and put on a flat baking sheet or plate covered in wax paper. Put the peppermint patties in the refrigerator to harden the chocolate - and then enjoy!

If you make them as above, with the sweeteners, please let me know how it came out!

**a mini cheesecake pan has bottoms that come out so you can just push from the bottom of the pan and it will release the patty once hardened - alternatively you could use candy molds or put the bowl with the mixture in the refrigerator, stirring now and then, until you have a consistency you can roll into balls and flatten into the desired shape

Enchilada Bake (Paleo, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free)

I love me some mexican food. Almost a little too much for a white girl with English and German heritage. I can even stand my ground with the best of them when it comes to consuming spicy food. Did you know some people sweat like crazy when they eat spicy food? Does this mean they're out of spicy-food-eating shape? If so, I am a champ and could whip anyone's butt because I don't sweat at all.

So mexican food is lots of corn and cheese. I can do without corn on a daily basis, but I do love some corn tortillas and tortilla chips... and, well, cheese? Infatuated. But this recipe has neither. Corn doesn't bother me when I eat it, but I try to limit it due to it basically just being sugar and the fact that non-GMO corn seems to be almost be non-existent. Well, and the fact that I am doing a Whole30/21-Day Sugar Detox/Whole Life Challenge thingie right now. Cheese is off the menu due to the the last reason and because of its direct effect on throwing me back to being 16 and a face covered in pimples. Not attractive. But if you can tolerate dairy, PLEASE throw some on top and tell me how it tastes. I know it would be fantastic and I want to live vicariously through you.

Enchilada Bake

For the enchilada sauce
3 dried ancho (or pasilla) chiles
Enough water to cover chiles
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp mexican oregano
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp salt

Rest of the ingredients
2 small spaghetti squash
1 rotisserie chicken (I purchase it at Whole Foods since the plain one only is seasoned with salt. Alternatively, you could cook up some chicken breasts and thigh meat)
2 eggs, whisked
1-14 oz can of black olives, sliced
1 small can diced green chiles
Green onions, diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup cilantro, chopped
Any veggies you might want to "hide" inside (spinach, kale, etc)
salt and pepper, to taste

Chiles getting cozy in the pot

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut each spaghetti squash in half and lay cut side down on a oiled baking sheet. Cook for approximately 30 minutes or until you can easily pierce the skin side of the squash with a fork. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Using a fork, scrape out the insides of each of each half and place in a large mixing bowl.

While your squash is baking, put the dried chilis in a small sauce pan and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from the water, but reserve the boiling water. Pull out the stems and if you don't like heat, cut open the chilis and remove the seeds. I didn't remove any seeds from my peppers and it actually wasn't too spicy, but I don't want to be blamed if you happen to get spicier peppers!

Add the boiled peppers and the rest of the enchilada sauce ingredients to a blender and mix well. If the sauce seems to thick, used the reserved boiling water and add a little at a time until it reaches the right consistency.

The final product

Now on to assembling the "bake" (I don't like the word casserole)! Grab the bowl with the spaghetti squash and pour out any water that may have collected at the bottom (the drier the squash gets, the more your "bake" will hold together). Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Feel free to be adventurous and add in all sorts of veggies. To be honest, I had bought some kale that I was going to chop up and throw in and I completely forgot! Last, add about 1 1/2 cups of the enchilada sauce you prepared - feel free to add more or less depending on your tastes!

Once everything is mixed thoroughly, pour into a casserole (bake?) dish. I used one that was approximately 10"x7"3". Smooth out the top and add more enchilada sauce if you desire. And oh how I wish I were allowing cheese in my diet right now, because some shredded Kerrygold Dubliner added into the mix would be FANTASTIC. If you are using cheese, I would add it with about 10 minutes of cooking time left.

Bake for about 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from the oven and let sit about 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with more cilantro and avocado.

Proscuitto-Wrapped Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary

Although this seems like such a simple recipe to me, I know some people out there need some instructions. I get that. Most people I know would find it hard to believe that at one time I had no clue what I was doing in the kitchen. If I had a recipe to follow, I followed it to the "t" and hoped that it came out. Sometimes it did, sometimes it didn't. But I always carefully measured and always, ALWAYS followed the directions exactly as written.

But with trial and error and some new-found confidence, I have started experimenting. People tell me all the time that they can't cook and I tell them it just takes practice - like anything else. I think because our society has so much readily available food, it has made us lazy in the cooking area. So if you really want to learn how to cook, just pick up a cookbook and start cooking! It won't always look good, it won't always taste good, but you can't get better at something if you don't keep trying.

This is one of those recipes that looks like it took a lot of effort, but takes barely any at all.

Proscuitto-wrapped Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary

8 chicken thighs (I bought them bone-in, skin on and removed the skin, but you could buy boneless. I just feel the bone keeps the meat more moist)
8 pieces of proscuitto
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
Fresh rosemary, about 1 tbsp finely minced and 8 small sprigs
4 tbsp butter (from grassfed cows if possible)
salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter with the garlic and minced rosemary. Baste each thigh with this mixture and salt & pepper to taste. Place one sprig of rosemary on each thigh and wrap the entire thing in proscuitto, with the ends meeting underneath. Place the thighs on a baking sheet and cook for about 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

I served it with a side of sauteed dandelion greens and cauliflower mash. If you don't know how to make the perfect cauliflower mash and yours always comes out soupy, that recipe will be down the road!

Spanish Meatballs with Asparagus

Have I told you how much I LOVE cookbooks? I like all books in general, but ever since getting an iPad I've downloaded all reading books. But not cookbooks. Those are meant to be in hard copy. One of the first few Paleo cookbooks I purchased was Well Fed by Melissa Joulwan. What made this cookbook different from the others ones I bought were the recipes were unique. I'm all about experiencing cuisines from around the world and this cookbook definitely had that flair. So if you haven't purchased this cookbook, go get it! You can never have enough cookbooks! Plus, I think she may have another one in the works?

A few nights ago I decided I wanted to make this recipe again and I thought I had purchased all the ingredients awhile ago.. however I was WRONG. So I used what I had and it still came out fabulous. Plus, you can't go wrong with a recipe that has lamb in it.

Here's my version - which I renamed Spanish meatballs because I used cilantro and fennel bulb - both which probably have nothing to do with Spain, but who cares. Oh... the other great thing about this recipe is it's all made in one pot!

Spanish Meatballs with Asparagus

Meatballs
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
1 tbsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 pounds ground lamb

Sauce
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, diced
1 fennel bulb, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 - 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water
1 - 6 oz can tomato paste
2 tbsp minced cilantro



In a large mixing bowl combine all of the meatball ingredients except the lamb. Then crumble in the lamb and mix through completely with your hands. Form the meat mixture into meatballs and set aside. (I like large meatballs, so I used about 2 tbsp of lamb per meatball.)

Heat the coconut oil in a deep skillet and add the onion, fennel and garlic and saute until soft. Add the spices and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the can of tomatoes, water, tomato paste and cilantro and mix thoroughly. You might have to smash down the diced tomatoes slightly.

Bring the sauce to a boil, place the meatballs in the sauce, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. After about 20 minutes I went in and flipped the meatballs and then cooked for another 10 minutes or so. Once the meatballs were pretty much done, lay the asparagus on top and re-cover - cooking for about 5-7 minutes or until tender. I think by cooking the asparagus this way the entire stalk came out so tender!

Let me know what you think if you make this :)

Ginger-No Soy Flank Steak with Sweet & Spicy Slaw

Boy oh boy, what a week! Tonight was my fourth Crossfit workout of the week and at this point I am simply amazed I can do four a week. When I first started Crossfit last September I was struggling with 3x a week and would look at others in awe of their four, five and six times a week.

For a long while I knew something was wrong with my body. I couldn't push myself too hard or I would be down for the count for a couple of days. I recovered slow. I just felt like crap. I fell asleep ok, seemed like I slept a good 7-8 hours a night, but I never woke up feeling ready to go and would almost always need a nap after work. I was just draaaaaaagging.

Now don't get me wrong, eating whole foods and removing most sources of sugar from my diet helped (meaning all grains, most fruit and just plain ol' sugar), but something was still missing the mark. The doctor did blood tests and everything tested "within limits". Little did I know, "within limits" is a bunch of crap. Do you know how they get those limits? Well, they take a bunch of people.. and in the medical community the most readily available bunch of people are medical students. They take blood samples of all of them, the bottom 5% become "below normal", the top 5% are "above normal" and everyone else is normal. Doesn't that seem a little... off? So because every single number on my blood tests came back in that "normal" range, I was fine according to my doctor. Even if I was right on the edge or just barely above. I am still fine. Really? In my head that is basically saying I have to be really screwed up to warrant any attention. Nevermind "attention" means throwing a prescription drug at me to make it right...

Enter my visits to a naturopathic doctor.

You might be wondering what is the difference between the doctor you have and a naturopathic doctor. My understanding and the easiest way to explain is this: your doctor may gently tell you to change your diet, but still prescribe you a medication to artificially make your lab tests go back to "normal". A naturopathic doctor looks at your entire lifestyle, figures out WHY your bloodwork is off or WHY you are having the symptoms you are having and works to resolve that PROBLEM at the root cause. Why prescribe medication for Type II diabetes when we know the issue is SUGAR? I guess so maybe you can continue to eat sugar, take the medication to make your lab tests look ok and then suffer the side effects down the road of the medication? Ahhh, I digress.

Basically, we determined my thyroid was low (but only on the lower of "normal" according to lab tests) and my cortisol levels were sky high (a lab test I did through the naturopathic doctor). The combo of the two was running my body through the ringer. Every. Single. Day. And I was quickly going in the direction of adrenal fatigue if I didn't fix stuff. He put me on a few supplements to SUPPORT adrenal and thyroid health (note: support, not artificially giving me more thyroid hormone or suppressing cortisol production), is coaching me in better sleep routines and is encouraging me to find something I ENJOY waking up for each day.

Since my first visit in January, I feel at least 60% better. I know this is not an overnight fix, but this is where we go back to my 4x a week Crossfit classes - I am doing them and am amazed that I still want to go on my days off. Naps after work rarely happen now and on my days off where I am go-go-go all morning with housework or sometimes heavy yard work, I can still keep going in the afternoon without a recharge nap. Will we do lab tests again to confirm everything is going in the direction we want? I am thinking there is a good chance we won't - because the best indicator at this point is how I feel, not some number.

I encourage you, if you have ANYTHING going on that just doesn't seem right.. spend a little money and invest in some visits to a reputable naturopathic doctor. You can find one with a simple Google search.

Now on to food!

I made this last night and already want more. If it were nice and warm outside I would say this is a perfect summer dinner, but it's not, so make it anyway. Just make sure to make a LOT.

Sweet & Spicy Slaw

2 tbsp nut butter (I used pecan, almond would probably be awesome!)
Juice from 1/2 a lime
1 tbsp honey (omit if Whole 30 or 21DSD)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tbsp chili paste* (level of heat you prefer - I like it hot!)
1 tbsp Red Boat fish sauce
4 cups finely shredded cabbage and carrots
1/4 cup scallions, finely sliced
1/4 cup red onion, finely sliced
1 jalapeno, finely sliced (leave the seeds if you like it hot!)

Combine nut butter through chili paste in a bowl. Toss in the rest of the ingredients until fully combined. Let sit for a few minutes to let all the flavors to get to know each other :) It was still Good and slightly crunchy the next day for lunch!





Ginger-No Soy Flank Steak

2-3lb flank steak
1 tbsp chili paste* (level of heat you prefer)
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp orange zest
2 ginger, finely minced
2 tbsp garlic, finely minced
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup coconut sugar (omit if Whole 30 or 21DSD)
1/2 cup coconut aminos

Combine all the ingredients in a ziploc bag and marinade overnight in the refrigerator. I found if the marinade ingredients are put in the food processor it makes the whole "mincing" process that much easier!

Remove the meat from the refrigerator at least one hour before cooking to come up to as close to room temperature as possible.

Heat a BBQ on high for 10-15 minutes. Put the flank steaks on and cook on each side for about 4-5 minutes for medium. Remove the steak and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

*I found 3 levels of heat of chili paste in the asian foods section of my Whole Foods

Sea Salt Caramel Macaroons - Paleo, Grain-free, Gluten-free, Egg-free

In the past week I've been keeping a note on my iPhone of various recipes I want to make a bit cleaner. Some are recipes I use to make in my pre-Paleo days, others are recipes I've seen online that I want to re-vamp and some, like the one below, are just something I heard of and thought - I have GOT to figure out a way to make that!

There have been many posts on Facebook lately about Hail Merry macaroons. While they sound fabulous, my eyes didn't light up until someone mentioned CARAMEL SEA SALT macaroons. Oh my. Sea salt is just about the best spice that has happened to chocolate and caramel. I HAD to try to make these babies. So I did. The Urban Poser has been on a macaroon kick lately, so I admit I stole her recipe as a base.

Sea Salt Caramel Macaroons
Makes 10

For the caramel
1 cup blonde coconut/palm sugar
1/4 cup water
6 tbsp pastured butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup canned, full fat coconut milk

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

Combine the coconut sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk to combine. Continue to cook, whisking regularly, for about 4-5 minutes. Add the butter and continue to whisk. You should begin to notice the mixture thickening and producing large bubbles. This is the part where you just need to eyeball its doneness (I didn't bother with a candy thermometer). Once it seems to have thickened up quite a bit, add the coconut milk and sea salt and continue to whisk for several minutes. Once you feel it has thickened to melted honey consistency, remove from the heat. Don't worry, if it doesn't seem to thicken up to the consistency of honey at room temperature, you can put it back over the heat and cook for several more minutes. This part just takes patience - but the reward is TOTALLY worth it!

For the macaroons
3/4 cup blanched almond flour
1 1/2 cups  unsweetened finely shredded coconut
1/4 cup sea salt caramel
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
unsweetened chocolate (optional)

Preheat your oven to 190 degrees (according to The Urban Poser you are more drying out the macaroons than cooking them).

Combine the almond flour and coconut in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the slightly cooled caramel, coconut oil and vanilla. Once combined, add to the almond flour/coconut bowl and mix well. This part is easier done by hand to make sure everything is fully incorporated. Use a small cookie scoop (about 1 tbsp size) to firmly pack in the mixture and then release onto a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper.

Cook for approximately 50-60 minutes, but keep an eye on them to make sure they aren't browning (lower the heat slightly if they are). Once done, remove from the oven and let cool. Optional: melt unsweetened chocolate (the macaroons are sweet enough!) and dip the bottoms into it - use the extra caramel to drizzle on top!

If you make these, let me know what you think!

Paleo Pancakes Perfected! Grain, dairy and refined sugar free

I love pancakes.

Since starting my Paleo journey almost two years ago I've made several pancake recipes. Most were good, one recipe was a total flop, but I have to say that this morning I think I figured out the PERFECT recipe. I've used several recipes to come up with this one and I've tried several temperatures of cooking, timing to flip, etc. I think I finally got it... so I will try to be as DETAILED as possible. With that said, remember that bananas come in different sizes, have different levels of sweetness based on how ripe they are and sometimes I am sure elevation and humidity level can take a toll on how they come out. So don't blame me if you don't think these are perfect! Experiment on your own because, seriously people, I've said it before:

THIS IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!

Have fun in the kitchen. Add stuff. Take stuff out. If you aren't having fun while you're cooking, then you're doing something wrong.

Paleo Pancakes Perfected
(Makes 9 3-inch pancakes)

2 eggs
1 banana
1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk (I like this one)
1 heaping cup of blanched almond flour
1 tbsp coconut flour (if needed - see below)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda

Now here's the easy part - throw all of the above in a food processor and blend, scraping down the sides as needed. I let my food processor go for awhile to make sure the batter was nice and creamy. If the batter seems a little loose, add in the coconut flour and blend, blend, blend. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

And here's the tricky part: Heat a griddle pan on medium heat .. and give it some time people! Let it heat up for 10 minutes or so and make sure to oil it up with some melted coconut oil, butter or ghee (if you are doing dairy). I used a 1/4th measuring cup (not entirely full), to scoop batter in about a 3" diameter. Now be very, very patient. This may be where you might need to adjust your heat as well. The pancake will do most of its cooking on this side so the temperature on your stove should be lower than you'd cook pancakes made with wheat flour -  and the overall cooking process is longer as well (you can tell by how dark my pancakes are). Once the whole pancake seems solidified when you QUICKLY slide a thin spatula under, then carefully flip and cook well on the other side. If the pancake doesn't move as a whole and tries to wrinkle up - it's not ready!

To keep it Whole 30 approved you could get some frozen berries and cook them up on the stove, smashing them slightly, to use as a topping. Otherwise, throw some good quality Grade B maple syrup and some pastured butter on and enjoy!

Chicken Curry Salad with Papaya

Last year I went to a friend's bridal shower and had the most amazing chicken salad ever! This is coming from a girl who couldn't touch chicken salad growing up because it basically tasted just like tuna salad to her - and she HATED tuna (past tense - she loves that now too!).  Fast forward to her late 20s and someone introduced her to a chicken salad that wasn't SMOTHERED in mayonnaise and had some fruit in it for a hint of sweetness. SOLD! Then she had this chicken salad and became an even bigger fan. Good fats, protein and yumminess?! Count her in!

Why the heck am I talking in third person??

Anyway....

Ingredient amounts are just approximations - that's the beauty of cooking anyway. Do you love celery?? Throw more in! Maybe prefer green grapes over red? Go for it. Like more mayo? Then go ahead and pile it on. Feel free to add in whatever you want.. I even snuck in some kale!

Curry Chicken Salad with Papaya

4 large chicken breasts, boiled, cooled and diced
3 tbsp curry powder (I used the Michi curry from Whole Foods)
3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 cup homemade mayo (my favorite recipe is here)
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups celery, diced
1 1/2 cups purple grapes, halved
1/4 cup green onion, diced
1/2 cup kale, massaged and diced into small pieces (optional)
1/2-1 tsp sea salt
1-2 papayas

Combine the curry powder and coconut oil in a small bowl. Add in the mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar and stir until everything is well combined. In a large bowl combine the chicken, celery, grapes, onion, kale and whatever else you decided to add and mix together. Add in your mayonnaise mixture and sea salt and mix thoroughly. At this point taste it and add more salt or mayonnaise to the taste and consistency you prefer!

My chicken breasts were large so my recipe could easily have served 6 very hungry people. I am single (o soloooo mioooooo), so I've been eating this for a few days now and mixing it up. Sometimes I eat it by itself, other times I've eaten over mixed baby greens and spinach - if you're the sandwich eating type you could do that too. It's really so good I do not mind eating it all week! Enjoy!

Apple Banana Cookies - Paleo / Whole 30

Fresh off the heels of The 21-Day Sugar Detox in January I decide to commit myself to EIGHT WEEKS of The Whole Life Challenge with my Crossfit box. I wasn't sure I wanted to, but when I examined my excuses, I really didn't have any good ones. I am sure for most people I workout with the eating is going to be the hardest part. Not that it's easy to show up for an ass kicking a few times a week, but it really just requires you to show up and do it. Changing eating patterns requires a LOT more - in my opinion.

But, I already was eating Paleo... I just had to give up my indulgences that ALWAYS slowly slip out of control. One margarita becomes two. An Americano with some half-and-half and honey as a treat becomes one almost every morning. My brain and body don't get the concept of moderation well.

And so here I am.. part of The Whole Life Challenge 2013 with the aim for FOUR times a week at the box (up from 3), clean eating and a focus on more veggies, lots of water and stretching daily. I went into this with the mindset of "perfect" and thought I could easily get every single point possible.

Then I thought about it.

I'll never be perfect and within a framework of really needing to be good the rest of the week, I think I can handle ONE cheat meal. In fact, that is what I allowed when I first went Paleo, so how is that not good enough now? Plus, I am a single gal and I have people to hang out with.. people who don't want to hear me say "I'll eat before I go" or "I am not eating that right now." Heck, life is too short.

Plus, I really want a margarita :)

So this weekend I cooked up a storm... oh how I enjoy my days off. I made chicken wings (based off this recipe), a bison tri-tip that I crusted in garlic and shallots and seared to perfection, Nom Nom Paleo's Roasted Kobocha Squash (which almost tastes like candy when eaten cold the next day!) and this:

After indulging in major carbs the past couple of weeks (I know, I know), the process to grain and sugar-free is a little tough. It's only day 3, but after I got ahold of The Civilized Caveman's cookbook (200 recipes and not a one of them is HARD! Buy this book... NOW!) and saw this recipe, I decided I needed to make them. I tweaked the recipe just slightly based on what I had on hand... and because I just need to tweak for some reason. So here ya go!

Apple Banana Cookies

2 cups of raw nuts (I used almonds and cashews, recipe calls for almonds/macadamias)
1 cup chopped apple (I used Granny Smith, might use a red if you want it sweeter)
1 banana (I used under-ripe for less sugar)
1 cup shredded coconut
2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place nuts in a food processor and process until in small chunks or very fine, depending on the texture you want (I went very fine). Place nuts in a mixing bowl.

Next, add apples and banana to your food processor and mix well. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the nuts and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix with a hand mixer.

Using a scoop, place balls of dough on parchment or a Silpat-lined cookie sheet and slightly press down each ball. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the bottom is lightly browned.

Enjoy!

Paleo Choco-nana Pancakes (grain, dairy, refined sugar-free)

Goodness, this holiday season can kill anyone's best intentions.. along with Pinterest. I am convinced they've signed a deal with pharmaceutical company's in order to keep people in a sugar coma and the meds pumping in the system ... and therefore dollars pumping in their wallets.

But let's not go there.. this is a post about PANCAKES! And that means it needs to be a happy post!

Growing up, breakfast food was ALWAYS my favorite type of food. It wasn't uncommon to have breakfast for dinner, or lunch, or snack. I could eat pancakes, french toast, bacon, eggs and hash browns all day, errry day.

Wow, I did not just say that. Honestly, I don't know where it even comes from. I just keep hearing it and it's fun to say.

So, George over at Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations keeps sulking since I have yet to make one of his recipes. Don't get me wrong, all his recipes look super amazing, I just hadn't gone about it yet. And for the record, the one I super duper want to make involves a SMOKER, of which I do not have. George, if you can hear me - donate a smoker to me and it's ON!

Anyway, so I took his Paleo Pancakes recipe and made it my own. I hope that still counts as making "his" recipe. I figure, if anything, he figured out the science/ratio of ingredients behind it and I switched out something, added in a few more and made it mine.

The first thing I did was make my own cashew butter. His recipe used almond butter, but cashew butter gets so amazingly smooth and creamy that it makes anything you cook with it have a soft texture. For those who need a recipe (really, it's so easy a caveman could do it - oh yes I did!), here it is:

Cashew Butter

My cashew butter all whipped up

2 cups raw, unsalted cashews
Water

Put the cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak for about 12 hours. You'll notice they expand a bit as time goes on. I like to change out the water when I think about it. Once they are done soaking, drain and rinse them well. Put them in a food processor and process until they are smooth and creamy. This can take a bit as they turn to a sort of meal first, then it's a big clump that keeps going around and around, then it starts to smooth out. If after a couple of minutes it's not smoothing out, add a tablespoon of water at a time until it's a thick nut butter consistency.

Now you reserve 1/2 cup of this butter for the pancakes and save the rest. May I suggest Against All Grain's "Grain-free Sandwich Bread"? It is seriously THE BEST Paleo bread you can make at home.

Now on to the pancakes!

Can you tell I used some leftover
"inferior" eggs and one pastured egg?? 

Paleo Choco-nana Pancakes

3 bananas

3 eggs

1/2 cup cashew butter

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa

Blend all ingredients well in a food processor. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto a griddle on medium-low heat. These pancakes don't flip super easily, so make them small and have the heat low enough that they do most of their cooking on the first side. Then quickly slip your spatula underneath and flip! Serve with some grassfed butter, bananas, berries, Grade B maple syrup - or whatever sounds good to you! 

So yummy - doesn't even need the syrup - but why not?!

Brownie Peppermint Roll - grain, dairy, nut and processed sugar free!

It takes chocolate to bring me back to you guys. Well, chocolate and Pinterest. Darn you Pinterest. I honestly feel that website leads to the demise of everyone's healthy eating intentions. Where else can you pin "Do these 5 exercises to get abs for days" with the picture of some random model who probably doesn't even know what Pinterest is, next to a picture of a gooey concoction called Triple Decker Brownie with Caramel and Peanut Butter and Pretzels... and.. and... and.... aaaaah! For the love of slim thighs and size 6!

Anyway, this recipe is Paleo - and so that means you won't find any chemicals, no weirdly processed vegetable oils, no preservatives. Basically all that stuff that is leading to the rise in incidence of cancers, obesity, hormonal problems, infertility and a host of other problems that people ignore for the 5 minutes it takes them to inhale those boxed brownies. But it also means no wheat, or any grain flours for that matter, no dairy (although some are ok with dairy, I know I am better without - can we say ACNE!?) and no processed sugars. This entire recipe, which could probably serve AT LEAST 10 people has a total of 8 tablespoons of raw, organic and local honey in it if you don't count the chocolate I drizzled on top (which is still ONLY cocoa and some cane sugar - no soy lecithin). To remove the cane sugar, I think next time I might make my own chocolate drizzle by substituting the dark chocolate for unsweetened chocolate and some honey in the coconut oil.

For the record, I got this recipe from Primally Inspired. And yes, I found it on Pinterest. I am thankful I did though. One of the best Paleo dessert recipes I have made and I am so excited to swap out the peppermint extract for other flavors and make this all year-round - or even use the cake part to make a layer cake for a birthday party ... maybe?! The main reason I am re-typing this recipe on my page is because it was kind of confusing (to me, anyway) on their site and I did 1.5x the recipe since my pan was bigger. Oh, and I felt "brownie" should lead in the name :)

Brownie Peppermint Roll

For the brownie:
6 eggs
1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil (melted, but not too warm)
1 1/2 cups coconut water (from 2 cans of full-fat coconut milk - see below*)
1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla
5 Tbsp honey
3/4 cup coconut flour
1 heaping tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

For the peppermint filling:
Coconut cream from 2 cans of full-fat coconut (leftover from what is used in brownie - see below*)
3 Tbsp honey
3 tsp vanilla
1-3 tsp peppermint extract (not oil - adjust amount to taste)
Arrowroot powder, if necessary for thickening

Glaze topping:
1/3 cup dark chocolate (60-70% - no soy lecithin!)
1 tsp coconut oil

* The day before you are ready to make this recipe, take your two cans of FULL-FAT coconut milk and put them in the refrigerator. This will not only help it get nice and cold, but then the cream will float to the top. Then you can carefully open the cans and scoop the cream out for the filling, leaving the "water" for the brownie. If the water amount doesn't come to 1 1/2 cups, add in water, almond or coconut milk to equal 1 1/2 cups. Put the "cream" in a glass bowl and put it in the refrigerator until you are ready to prepare the filling. The colder it is, the better!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 13" x 17" x 1" raised edge baking sheet with parchment paper. I love mine that I got at Sur La Table.

Mix the eggs, coconut oil, coconut water/milk mixture, vanilla and honey in a medium bowl. Add in coconut flour, baking soda and salt and mix very well. Pour onto the baking sheet and spread as evenly as possible. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15-20 minutes. Then, using the parchment paper, carefully roll up the cake starting with the shortest side of the pan, keeping the parchment paper rolled up in it so that you can easily unroll it later. The cake might crack a little, but it'll still taste good :)

To prepare the filling, beat the coconut cream with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add in the honey, vanilla and peppermint extract. The mixture will thicken up as it sits in the fridge, but if you feel it needs a little thickening, add in a tablespoon or two of arrowroot powder.

Once your brownie roll has cooled COMPLETELY, carefully unroll it and evenly spread the peppermint cream over the entire inside and carefully roll up the brownie again, this time WITHOUT the parchment paper. It's easier to use the parchment paper as you go to roll it up nice and tight.

Cover the roll with plastic wrap and let it sit at least an hour in the refrigerator to firm up.

When read to serve SLOWLY melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl in the microwave. Don't melt the chocolate all the way in the microwave - just enough to heat everything up and then keep stirring until it all melts. Drizzle over the brownie roll and you are ready to serve!

Noms!

Now go away Pinterest! I have goals! aaaaahhh!

Grain-Free Bacon Gruyere Quiche

I'm totally a planner.  I think it comes with the security of knowing what is coming next. The unknown scares the crap out of me and when plans change - OH NO... I have to take a few deep breaths before I can reassure myself that my life will not fall apart because dinner has been moved from one restaurant to another or that we're meeting at 5:30 instead of 5.

So, with healthy eating, planning came naturally for me. I am a list maker - I love crossing things off. I also like to know what I am going to eat and prepare what I can ahead of time to make my life easier on hectic or later working days. Trust me - if you want to stay away from processed junk you HAVE to have a plan. Without a plan, you get tired. When you get tired, you stop caring. When you stop caring, you eat crap. No good.

That's where today's recipe comes in - I can bake this one night and I have breakfast for the rest of the week. And it's THAT good that I won't mind eating it every day. In fact, as this is posting I am probably eating a slice for breakfast before heading off to the city where it'll be almost 40 degrees cooler. Not sure how that is possible for a place less than 90 miles away, but I don't question stuff like that. I just enjoy it.

Grain-free Bacon-Gruyere Quiche
For the crust:
1/2 cup grass-fed unsalted butter (Kerrygold is one brand), melted
2 eggs
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the filling:
7 eggs
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
6 pieces of nitrate-free bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 cup fresh spinach
3/4 cup shredded gruyere cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

For the crust, whisk together the butter and eggs. Stir in the coconut flour and sea salt. Mix together until it becomes a wet dough. Press into a well-greased (I used coconut oil) 10"x 1.5" quiche dish. It'll take some time and patience, but even spread it out and up the sides of the dish. Prick the bottom with a fork and bake for about 10 minutes, or until light brown.

For the filling, saute the onion and mushrooms in the leftover bacon fat until the onions are translucent. Add the spinach and cook down slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and coconut milk together. Add in the bacon, onion, mushrooms, spinach and gruyere cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Carefully pour the eggs mixture into the crust, being sure to not let the egg mixture overflow the crust. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the center is just slightly set. You want it to be a little jiggly, but not loose. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Flourless Mocha-Bacon Brownies from Practical Paleo

I have been waiting since April, yes APRIL, of this year for the release of Balanced Bites' Practical Paleo to hit the shelves - and it finally arrived on my doorstep last Thursday. It felt like Christmas. Not so much JUST because I was excited to check out all the various meal plans she has set up depending on your current health situation or goals, or even the recipes, but because I feel like this is THE book to share with other people who are struggling. Whether it be food addictions (hello SUGAR!) or health problems, I have no doubt this book can solve just about anything - maybe even world peace.

Plus, it's absolutely gorgeous. I ended up in healthcare and with a love of nutrition and being healthy, but at one time I had the strong urge to go into graphic design or photography. This book is like the best of all those worlds, plus some.

Many of you know, I do have quite the sweet tooth and when someone requested brownies, you can be sure I am not making anything with flour. In fact, I actually went through my cupboards a couple months ago and threw out all my wheat flour. Yes, whole wheat flour is still wheat flour folks. Not sure how that one isn't making sense to people.

So here's my picture and here's the recipe. And if you haven't purchased Practical Paleo yet, what the heck are you waiting for? It's over FOUR HUNDRED pages of recipes, information and meal plans.. and under $22. I feel like I stole it. Head on over to Amazon and steal a copy yourself.

Flourless Mocha-Bacon Brownies

4 ounces dark chocolate (I used 85%, but those make very dark chocolate tasting brownies)
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled*
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (grade B is the best)
3 eggs
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons very strong coffee
2 tablespoons fine coffee grinds
2 slices baked bacon, chopped

(*this recipe didn't have a ton of bacon flavor - I might try replacing half the fat in this recipe with reserved bacon fat next time to up the bacon flavor)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the melted dark chocolate, butter or oil (or fat), pure maple syrup, and eggs. Slowly sift the cocoa powder over the wet ingredients, whisking it evenly. Add the strong coffee and the coffee grinds and stir until well combined.

Line a 9x9 inch square pan with parchment paper and fill the pan with the brownie batter. Top the batter with the chopped bacon pieces and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

NOTE: My brownies went a little flat when I opened the oven door at 15 minutes - I am thinking DO NOT open the door until you absolutely have to check them. The humidity in the oven (I think) keeps everything fluffed up. In addition, next time I may separate the egg whites and beat them to stiff peaks and gently fold those in at the end before putting in the pan.

Let me know if you try this and what you think of my suggestions if you try them!

Ode to Sandwiches

Yes, I said sandwiches. Like, the kind that have a bread-y exterior and NOT lettuce.

One of my new favorite blogs is Against All Grain. As you can tell by the title, this is a blog after my own heart. She understands the evils of wheat and the lack of nutrition/abundance of sugar in just about any other grain out there.

I came across her Grain-Free Sandwich Bread recipe and knew I had to give it a try. So many other "breads" left me disappointed, but the picture looks amazing... she seems to rave over it. Why not try one more? I bought the cashew butter (holy pocketbook!) awhile ago, but we've been experiencing 100+ degree temps and so I've held off. UNTIL yesterday.

Now, now. I am not a big fan of Paleo-fying everything in your old eating lifestyle just to fill an emotional connection/need for food in your new lifestyle. This is a treat. Thank goodness that cashew butter was pricey.

Verdict? It smelled like bread while cooking. It ROSE and actually looks like bread. The texture is denser and more moist then bread, but the taste is mild like bread (and unlike when you use almond flour/almond butter). The only downside is the cost, really. Well, that and it took 3 separate bowls to make. Small price to pay for a treat here and there.

My variations? I didn't want to use honey and had those snack-sized unsweetened applesauces, so I threw 2 tbsp of that in. I also didn't want to open up an almond milk and used the equivalent of raw milk I had.

Go make it! :)

My attempt at something I've been
craving - grilled cheese! Not the kind
of cheese that melts well, but still YUM!

Breakfast sammy! Pastured eggs and
U.S. Wellness Meat sugar-free
 uncured bacon

Choco-PB-Nana "Ice Cream"

I found this recipe on Pinterest and thought "this is too good to be true." Like some things I've found on that site that failed miserably, I figured this would to... Yet it didn't. It's a fabulous creation of indulgence, so if you have some bananas laying around, you still have time to make this for tonight!

Choco-PB-Nana "Ice Cream"




(note: quantities are not super accurate - adjust to your taste!)

-5 bananas, peeled, sliced into 1/2" pieces and frozen for at least an hour or two.
- 1 tablespoon of PB or almond butter
- 1 or 2 teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
- canned coconut milk (optional)

Put the bananas in a food processor and process until a whipped consistency. It will turn into a mealy consistency before it goes smooth - give it time :) This is where I used a small amount of coconut milk, but it was probably not needed.

Once smooth, add in the nut butter and cocoa powder - feel free to leave one or the other out or to sub in berries or other items at this point.

Transfer to a airtight container and put in the freezer. This is probably the easiest to serve after put in the freezer just long enough to firm up a bit, but was excellent right away - just not as much of an ice cream consistency. If frozen for long periods of time it gets ROCK HARD.. So pull it out a few minutes early before serving. But no worries, it thaws fast!

Enjoy!

(p.s. this was blogged on my phone, so if it looks funky, sorry!)

Weekend Recipe Wrap-Up 6/11/12

Hi y'all! It's been awhile since I've visited the blog-o-sphere. I almost forgot I had one! As I was typing away this lengthy "status update" for my page on Facebook, I realized.. "Hey! This is kinda long... I should make this a blog post!" So here I am - and do me a favor, if you're reading this, leave a comment on this post. It might just motivate me to get back on here on a regular basis. (And hey, while you're at it, go "like" my page so you don't miss anymore of these recipes I'm trying!)

So, over the past week I've been posting some recipes on my page that I planned on making this weekend. Nothing I thought up, as everyone else has done the brain-work for me. Considering I scour the Internet for these recipes and everyone always ask where I get them, then I might as pay-forward the awesome culinary love.

Last night I made dinner for a friend and you would think I'd pull out tried-and-true recipes from my arsenal to impress, but I seem to have this issue with wanting to experiment on people. Thankfully I've had very few flops and last night there was not a single one! Here's my run-down:


Grilled Green Chicken

Photo: Nom Nom Paleo

This was nothing short of AMAZING! I didn't have the Aleppo Pepper so I used the sub of 1 part cayenne to 4 parts paprika. Just a hint of spicyness (for me, anyway) and SO FLIPPING GOOD! Don't you dare buy boneless/skinless chicken for this either! The skin and bones help keep the chicken super moist, and remember, we aren't worried about FAT when it's not processed. Keep the skin on, or at least invite me over and I'll eat all of  it for you. Heck, invite me anyway. Oh, and check out Nom Nom Paleo's site for so many more good recipes.

Celery Root and Sweet Potato Cakes

Photo: Better Homes & Gardens

The chicken was phenomenal, but this blew me away! I didn't have any celery root, and I had some lonely parsnips that had been hiding in my veggie drawer for awhile, so I used those.used those. Also, ALWAYS fry in coconut oil - use the expeller pressed from Tropical Traditions so you don't have the coconut flavor (unless you want it - then use Extra Virgin). Coconut oil can withstand high heat without breaking down - for more info on which oils are best to use, take a peek at the info on Balanced Bites' page. Oh, and I didn't have cumin seeds so I just used powder.

Strawberry Shortcake

Not as purdy as their pic - but I have
a glass of dessert wine with mine ;)

The Food Lover's have done it again. They created a recipe that is SO super yum! The muffins turned out super moist, but definitely make it into 8 small muffins.. my 4 large were just way too much! The whipped cream/strawberry mixture solely relies on the strawberries for sweetening, so if you feel you need a bit more, add a little maple syrup or honey to your whipped cream.

I hope you try one or all of these recipes. The person I cooked for had never heard of Paleo before and was quite worried they wouldn't like my food. Yet again, another person blown away by what you can eat and still be HEALTHY, lose weight and feel better? I may just have another convert!

Crackers and Pizza!

Say what?! Did I just say "crackers and pizza"?! I did!

I was REALLY having a craving for some pizza this last week and went hunting for a recipe. I didn't want to use nuts in the crust and so I stumbled upon this recipe. Talk about a sneaky way to get your kids to eat vegetables. The secret ingredient sure is a very versatile vegetable in the Paleo world and I am often buying two of them every time I go shopping.

The only change I made to the recipe was how I cooked the "dough." I patted it out on a sheet of parchment paper - I was a little worried it would stick to the cookie sheet and I don't use non-stick sprays anymore. I cooked it on the parchment paper on my pizza stone and had to carefully un-stick it from the parchment paper when it came out and before I put the toppings on.

BUT IT WAS FABULOUS. The person sharing it with me said they could taste the cauliflower, but I think they were just imagining things.

Oh, and yes.. cheese. My body isn't so happy with dairy anymore, but I let it slide now and then. I love cheese. As long as I am keeping gluten out of my diet all the time and processed sugar out most of the time, I am a happy girl.

Topped with olive oil, garlic, caramelized onions,
goat cheese & proscuitto - MY FAVORITE

Topped with homemade pizza sauce, gruyere,
goat milk mozzarella, italian sausage
 and roasted fennel

Next, I wanted to venture into the cracker area. I have a few trips coming up in the Napa area (in fact, I could be there right as you're reading this!) and so I wanted to make some crackers to take along and be able to enjoy with cheese and sliced salamis. I came across this recipe and kind of made it my own. To be honest, my measuring spoons were in the dishwasher getting all clean, so I eyeballed a lot of what I put in and used what I had. 

I used: 

2 cups of almond meal

2 tbsp onion salt (next time I would use onion powder and maybe 1/2 tsp salt - a little salty!)

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp sesame seeds

2 tbsp dried rosemary

3 tbsp grape seed oil

1 egg

Mix all the ingredients together and press into a ball. Roll between two sheets of parchment paper until cracker thin and use a pizza cutter to cut into desired shapes/sizes. 

I also pressed the very thin edges back into the dough so they were the same thickness of the rest of the dough - didn't want them to burn!

I transferred the dough still on the parchment paper to the pizza stone in my oven - preheated to 250 degrees.

I set my time for 30 minutes and after checking, added another 15, then another 10 and another 10... all in all they cooked about 70 minutes. I'm thinking maybe on a regular cookie sheet they'd go a little faster - at least that's been my experience with a pizza stone. I bet it's a good idea to keep an eye on them because burned nuts do NOT taste good at all. Also, oven temps are different, people will roll into different thicknesses.. so what I am saying is.. don't go anywhere and check often.

Here's the final product. And not only do they smell delicious, but I bet they'll taste fab with some fancy cheese on them!