Exciting News

I've started blogging over at Level Health and Nutrition!! Not to worry- not only will I bring your tummy happiness, but I'll keep this blog as an archive. Come on over to the new place -- you'll be glad you did :)

Super Cook - Streamed LIVE!

I'm using my cookbook - Cooking Against The Grain to complete a supercook but this can SO be done with your existing recipes. I'll be streaming this live then editing it down so that it can be viewed at any time!

Register here: http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=E050D6808347

If you want the book, get it here: www.lvlhealth.com/store

Pound Cake

This is SO perfect for summer! Top it with fresh strawberries or peaches and raw whipped cream if you tolerate dairy - if you don't feel free to sub the butter for coconut oil -- turns out JUST as fantastic! Enjoy!!

PS - sorry for the not-so-great pic! I'll try to take another one this weekend as my family has asked that I make this AGAIN for Sunday dinner :)

Grain free/ Nut Free Pound Cake

6 eggs

½ C coconut milk

½ C honey

½ C butter, melted

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 C coconut flour

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. sea salt

coconut oil (or butter) for greasing pan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat the eggs with the coconut milk, honey and vanilla, until smooth.

Add the coconut flour, baking soda and salt mixing until a smooth batter forms.

 Grease a loaf pan with coconut oil then pour batter into the loaf pan.

Bake for about an hour, until pound cake separates from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

 Allow the pound cake to cool before removing it from the pan.

Bacon Brownies

In honor of the Orange County Fair and all the crap that i WON'T be eating, i present Bacon Brownies. I mean what can be better than chocolate? Chocolate and BACON!!! These lovely grain-and-nut-free delights are sooooo good - the salty crunchy goodness combined with just the right amount of sweet... Mmmmm....

Bacon Brownies

12 medjool dates, pitted

1 c mashed sweet potato

3 eggs

1/2 cup + 2 Tbs pastured butter (or coconut oil) melted

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons coconut flour, sifted

½ c unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

½ tsp cream of tartar

2 Tbs fine coffee grounds 

1/2 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips

1 3.5 ounce 80% chocolate bar (like Green & Black’s )

5 strips crisp bacon, chopped

Place the medjool dates in a food processor and pulse until completely pureed.

Add mashed sweet potato and process until pureed and combined with the dates.

Add mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer, then add the eggs, vanilla, and ½ cup of butter until well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cream of tartar and coffee grounds.

Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low-speed, scraping down the sides, until you have a smooth batter.

Fold in chocolate chips

Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish, pour in the batter and smooth it with the back of a spatula

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.

Melt chocolate bar with remaining butter, mix well then spread a thin layer over cooled brownie

Sprinkle with chopped bacon and let harden in refrigerator

Italian Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

I've been traveling the last couple of weeks and am getting ready for the first ever live streaming of a super cook (August 4 - mark your calendars) but i didnt want to leave you empty-stomached. Here's a SUPER yummy and easy meal that I tried at a Paleo Potluck and had to make for myself. If you can tolerate cheese, feel free to top it with some mozzarella! Enjoy!

6 portobello mushroom caps

1 lb Italian sausage

1 lb grass-fed ground beef

6 sliced of bacon - chopped

1 onion - chopped

1 c sliced mushrooms

1 jar marinara sauce (read the label for added crap like soybean oil)

1 Tbsp paprika

salt and pepper to taste

Brown bacon and remove from pan.

Add veggies to bacon fat and saute until translucent.

Add sausage, beef, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste; cook through.

Top with sauce then bacon. I also topped with cherry tomatoes and slices of red onion and bell pepper

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until mushrooms are tender

Bacon Cheddar Zucchini Fritters

I saw something like this on pinterest and it peaked my interest (get it?? okay - nevermind...) The original recipe had bread crumbs (booo!!) and no bacon (BOOOOO!!!) So I JERF'd it to include good fat and bacon (YAY!!!) These make a great and easy appetizer or served up along side a burger. Enjoy!

Bacon Cheddar Zucchini Fritters

3 zucchini, grated (about 2 cups)

2 tsp sea salt

2 slices bacon, chopped

2 Tbsp bacon fat (or coconut oil) + more for oiling

2 Tbsp coconut flour

1 egg

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp pepper
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. Oil muffin tin then set aside.

Place grated zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with sea salt. Allow to sweat for 10 minutes then press out excess water.

While zucchini is sweating, beat egg in a medium sized bowl.

Add coconut flour to egg and mix well.

Add remaining ingredients mixing well.

Scoop into oiled muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes or until top is browned.

Cinnamon Coconut Pancakes

I had a hard time giving up pancakes when i had to give up nuts and an even HARDER time trying to find a worthy substitute.... well i found it! Yep -- these fluffy babies are nut free!!!! The girl child asked for them every day for a week so they MUST be tasty! Hope you like them as much as she did :)

Cinnamon Coconut Flour Pancakes

Ingredients

4 eggs

1 cup coconut milk

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp cinnamon

2T ground flax

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Butter ( or coconut oil) for frying

Directions

In a small bowl beat eggs until frothy, about two minutes. Mix in remaining wet ingredients.

In a medium-sized bowl whisk together dry ingredients. Stir wet mixture into dry until everything is incorporated.

Melt butter/ coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Ladle a few tablespoons of batter into pan for each pancake. Spread out slightly with the back of the spoon. The pancakes should be 2-3 inches in diameter and fairly thick. Cook for a few minutes on each side, until the tops dry out slightly and the bottoms start to brown. Flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.

Cauliflower Risotto

The picture rivals that of the Apple Cinnamon N'Oatmeal for its ability to be unattractive but yet MORE than delish! If you can have dairy, you must.have.this! Goes well with just about anything - heck i ate a bowl of it alone! I'd like to apologize for the picture and you can thank me for this yummy creamy cheezy goodness in advance :)

Cauliflower Risotto

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, riced

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ C dry white wine (optional but I wouldn’t leave it out)

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 C chicken broth

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onion and cauliflower, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the wine  and cook, stirring, until evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth, coconut milk and 1 teaspoon salt; Bring to a boil then add the butter, cheese and parsley, stirring vigorously until the risotto is creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.

No Nut Banana Bread

What do you do when you have a ton of over ripe bananas? Ya freeze them! Well i do -- then i pull them out of the freezer and make banana bread with them! As you might know, i had eczema and so i follow (mostly) an auto-immune protocol - no nuts, no nightshades, and for me - no seeds. I came across a recipe for banana muffins made with coconut flour. I tweaked it -- well honestly the only thing i kept the same was the bananas and coconut flour! 


Slice this, dip it in egg and fry it -- best french toast EVER!!!! Enjoy!

No Nut Banana Bread


4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 C butter, melted
6 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla
3 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 C coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2 Tbsp arrowroot
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cinnamon


Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Combine all dry ingredients then set aside. Whisk eggs until frothy then add bananas, butter, vanilla and maple syrup. Add dry ingredients to wet making sure to mix well. Pour into well buttered loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes or until toothpic inserted into the center comes out clean.

Meatza Balls

I've been SUPER busy for the past week but I feel the need to make amends for being awol -- I'm offering up this delicious recipe for meatza balls. I made these for a fund raiser this weekend and they went over SMASHINGLY! They are yummy little treats stuffed with mozzarella and covered with a simple marinara sauce... At least three people asked me for the recipe so here it is! I present to some and reintroduce to others, Meatza Balls!

Meatza Balls
1/4 lb pepperoni
1 lb grass-fed beef
2 lbs italian sausage
1 Tbsp italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 C shredded parmesean
20-30 mozzarella sticks, cut up into 1 inch pieces
1 jar organic marinara sauce


Directions
Mix all ingredients except mozzarella sticks and marinara sauce in food processor until well combined. 
Place about 2 tablespoons in your palm, flattening into a disk
Place mozzarella piece in center then form ball making sure to seal all edges
Arrange in 8x13 baking dish
Bake at 350 for 20 mins then cover with marinara sauce and bake for 10 minutes more
Serve hot!

World's Easiest Chicken

Well maybe not but it sure is TASTY -- and it's pretty easy too. With summer quickly approaching, i thought i'd offer up something that is perfect for the grill! This sounded too easy to be true but Mr. Paleo proved me wrong (don't tell him I said that) -- this was divine!!!

Garlic Lime Chicken

1 medium (3-5 lb) chicken

Juice of 2 large limes

1/3 cup avocado oil

3 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried rosemary

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Directions

Place chicken in gallon sized resealable bag

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl

Pour over chicken then press out all air and seal

Marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours

Remove chicken from bag

Grill over medium heat 30 - 35 minutes or until internal temperature reads 165 degrees (juices should run clear)

Banana Pudding

Apparently I'm in the 'comfort foods' mindset because after making that pot pie, i wanted banana pudding. This was going to be tricky because (1) I'm grain-free and (2) I'm nut free and (3) i can't have liquid dairy....but i was determined to do this! I discovered shortbread cookies via Paleo Spirit and decided to use her recipe for the cookies in this. I made up my own custard based on the custards that I used to make when i was SAD. Hope you enjoy this as much as my family did! We went through TWO pans in TWO days... yes two - don't judge.

Banana Pudding - Grain free/Nut free (if you sub the butter with coconut oil its dairy free too)

Custard

¼ C maple syrup

1 Tbsp arrowroot

1/4 tsp salt

5 egg yolks

2 14oz cans coconut milk

3 Tbsp butter or coconut oil divided

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 VERY ripe bananas mashed

3 ripe bananas - whole

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat (about 20 minutes), whisking constantly until thickened.

Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla.

Place 1 Tbsp of butter in medium sized skillet over medium heat

When butter is melted, add mashed bananas

Cook for 5 minutes to caramelize bananas then add to custard.

Use a hand mixer to puree custard and bananas; Can also add half of the custard and all of the bananas to a food processor until liquefied.

Pour into bowl then place heavy duty plastic wrap directly on surface of custard to keep "skin" from forming.

Chill at least 2 hours

Short bread cookies (Courtesy of PaleoSpirit)

Ingredients

1 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup arrowroot starch/flour

1 C coconut oil or ghee or butter, melted

2/3 C maple syrup

1 Tbsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and combine using a fork to make sure everything is evenly distributed.

Press the dough together to make a solid piece

Turn out the “dough” onto a large piece of parchment or wax paper

Form a log then, using a sharp knife, cut ½ inch circles

Transfer cookies to parchment paper lined baking sheet bake for 15 minutes.

Once the shortbread cookies have cooled slightly you can move them to a wire rack.

Layer wafers, bananas and pudding mixture in a glass serving bowl.

Repeat until all custard, cookies and bananas are used. Chill until serving.

Chicken Pot Pie The Sequel

So my original pot pie was good. It had a yummy crust made of almond meal. Recently, my body has decided that it does NOT like nuts or nut flour of any kind. I tried to eat it - just a little nut flour -- and my body quickly reminded me by giving me a nice eczema flare so it was back to the drawing board for this lady. I came up with this recipe and its not only muuuuch better, but its easier than the original! How many sequels can say that they are better than the original?? Enjoy!

Pot Pie

Filling

3 slices of bacon, diced

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 clove garlic, crushed

¼ C cut green beans

1 C chicken stock

1 14 oz can coconut milk

2 Tbsp arrowroot

1 Tbsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 C cooked chicken, chopped

Directions

In a medium sized pot, cook bacon until crispy.

Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic cooking for 5 minutes making sure to scrape the bottom of the ban

Add chicken stock, coconut milk, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper green beans,  and chicken and bring to a boil

Reduce to a simmer then stir in arrowroot 1 tablespoon at a time until dissolved.

Continue to simmer until thickened

Pour into 8x12 baking dish

Dough

1 C Tapioca Flour

1/4 C coconut Flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

3 Tbsp butter (or coconut oil)

1/2 tsp salt

½ C Boiling water

Directions 

Sift all dry ingredients.

Add butter to dry ingredients mixing to form crumbles

Add hot water into dry ingredients

Form ball and press into flat rectangle

Place over pot pie ingredients and bake at 400 for 10 minutes

Stuffed Peppers

These peppers were so easy to make and a great idea when peppers are on sale or if your garden is overflowing with them! Serve these up with cabbage or other leafy green and you have a complete meal! They also freeze well!

Stuffed peppers
8 bell peppers
1 lb Italian sausage
1 lb grass-fed ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C mushrooms, chopped
1 head of cauliflower, riced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper


Preheat oven to 350
Clean and remove the tops of the bell peppers, removing internal membrane
Brown sausage and beef in a large pan over medium heat adding salt and pepper then remove and set aside
In the same skillet add garlic, mushrooms and onions scraping up browned meat bits
Mix in cauliflower and sautee for about 3 minutes 
Add tomato paste and meat back in mixing well.
Stuff peppers with about 2-3 tablespoons of the meat mixture then place in 8x12 pan 
Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Flourless Chocolate Mint Cake

Go. Bake this now!! This thing is like a super huge, deliciously moist, thin mint cookie. seriously. Nothing more need be said. 

Flourless Mint Chocolate cake

10 Tbsp butter

1 ½ tsp peppermint oil

12 oz 85% dark chocolate  (Like Green & Blacks)

6 eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup pure maple syrup 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch cake pan with butter.

In a double boiler, melt chocolate then add in butter until smooth.

Remove from heat then mix in peppermint oil

In a stand mixer, beat the eggs and syrup on high for 7-10 minutes, until light and fluffy

Turn the mixer to low and slowly add in the melted chocolate/mint/ butter mixture until all the chocolate is incorporated.
Fill a roasting pan or other pan with sides at least 2 inches high with about an inch of hot water. 

Pour into greased cake pan and place the cake pan into the water filled pan.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until the top begins to look “dull” but isn’t cracking. Remove from oven and cool.

Mongolian Beef

In my quest to continue to eat ethnic foods while on this Paleo path, I had yet to discover a Mongolian beef recipe that worked - one that had just the right combination of savory, spicy and sweet. Well, I think I've located it. The family devoured it so it's kid approved. I left out the red-pepper flakes for the kids but feel free to sprinkle them on top of yours if you like it as hot as I do!

Mongolian Beef

Ingredients

2 Tbsp avocado oil

½ tsp ginger, minced

1 Tbsp garlic, chopped

½ C tamari

½ C water

2 Tbsp molasses

¼  C coconut sugar

1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp arrowroot

4 green onions, chopped

1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Dissolve coconut sugar in the tamari and the arrowroot into the water.

Heat 2 tsp. of oil in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat.  Add ginger, green onions and garlic to the pan

Add beef and brown for 1-2 minutes.

Add the tamari with coconut sugar, molasses, and water with arrowroot

Increase the heat to medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove it from the heat. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if you like heat!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Its been a while since i've posted a sweet treat! Today was rough and what better way help that than with a double chocolate chip cookie?? for the record, no i do not advocate emotional eating. I do, however, advocate these cookies - especially since they're nut free! :)

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

¼ c chopped dates

2 Tbsp water

4 pastured eggs

¼ C raw honey

1 tsp vanilla

½ C pastured butter, melted

1 C coconut flour, sifted

¼ C unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ tsp sea salt

¾ C dark chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 325

Pulse water and dates in a food processor until jelly-like, scraping down sides as necessary

Wisk eggs, honey, vanilla, and butter together

Add in cocoa powder and coconut flour

Using a spatula, mix in chocolate chips

Scoop out dough into heaping tablespoons then shape into cookies

Bake for 15 minutes

Crock Pot Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Creole

It was a chilly day in Southern Cali -- well not really but i wanted something spicy and came up with this :) It warmed my tummy and the kids DEVOURED it. i would increase the shrimp to TWO pounds if your family loves shrimp as much as mine does! Serve this yummy deliciousness over cauli rice... Mmmmm...

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

1 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp coconut sugar

2 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning (recipe below)

1 pound wild caught shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Cajun Seasoning

[ this makes twice as much as you’ll need – save it in an airtight container for the next time you make this dish – I know there will be a next time!]

2 ½  tsp paprika

2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp garlic powder

1 ¼ tsp dried oregano

1 ¼ tsp dried thyme

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp red pepper flakes

Season chicken thighs with Cajun seasoning then place in the bottom of the crock pot or baking dish

Add vegetables, garlic and stewed tomatoes then cover and cook (4 hours on low | 2 hours on high) 

In the last hour of cooking, add shrimp and lemon juice

Serve over cauli rice.

Easy Tasty Tortillas

While at Paleo FX, George over at Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations let me taste a tortilla that he said was Paleo. Two things - (1) I didnt believe him because (2) a Paleo tortilla HAD to be less-than-yummy. I was wrong on both accounts. Unfortunately, these divine tortillas had no recipe *sad face*
I have been wanting to recreate them since that day so I came home and got busy. It took 4 or 5 tries but I think i nailed it. I also used them to make BALTs (Bacon, Avocado, Lettuce, Tomato) wraps. I used Paleo mayo, dijon mustard, avocado, turkey and ham too... Without further ado, I present to you....

Tortillas (makes approx. 4  4-inch tortillas)

½ C tapioca flour

2 Tbsp coconut flour

1/8 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp cream of tartar

1 1/2 Tbsp lard

¼ tsp salt

4 Tbsp boiling water

Sift all dry ingredients.

Add lard to dry ingredients mixing to form crumbles

Add hot water into dry ingredients mixing until dough-like (don't be afraid to use your hands!)

Form 2 inch balls, place between two sheets of parchment paper and press into flat discs

Place in ungreased skillet until top begins to dry around the edges – the underside will be slightly brown

Remove and let cool before enjoying as they will become more pliable as they cool.

Broccoli Slaw

I had the pleasure of hosting the wonderful Tara of Primal Girl for about 24 hours while she was here for Mark Sisson's Primal Con. 24 hours is nowhere near enough time to spend with my sister from another mister. I really love her genuine passion to help people and honestly cannot say that I've connected on so many levels with anyone is quite some time. So glad that she's in my life! I really wanted her to relax and enjoy every meal while she was here. Today's Paleo plate was Salmon and crab cakes, artichokes with roasted garlic aioli and broccoli bacon salad. The salad was SUPER easy and I think it will become my potluck go-to. I hope you enjoy it as well!

Broccoli Slaw

4 slices bacon

1 bag broccoli slaw

¼ c red onion minced

¼ c paleo mayo

1 Tbsp bacon fat

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp raw honey

Salt and pepper

Stir together mayonnaise, honey, bacon fat, and vinegar in a large bowl.

Add slaw and onion

Toss gently to coat

Cover and chill 8 hours

Sprinkle with bacon before serving