Pumpkin Dip

I've been steadily plowing my way through pumpkin recipes; it seems my pumkin craving is even more pronounced this year.  Luckily, Pinterest has kept me well supplied with yummy things to try.  Original post of this recipe is here.  I've taken this dip to a couple different events and it's been a huge hit.  Start thinking Christmas parties now that Thanksgiving is over...

Dip:
8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup powedered sugar
15 oz can of pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Apple slices for dipping

Mix everything together in a bowl using a hand mixer/beaters.  Store in the fridge until ready to serve.  Top with candied pecans to make it extra yummy and serve with apple slices!

Candied Pecans:
1 cup pecan halves
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.

Add maple syrup and brown sugar and stir to combine.

Add pecans and stir to coat.

Spread pecans on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake pecans for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant.

Cool completely and then coarsely chop.

"Corn" dog bites

Who doesn't enjoy a good corn dog?  Jenna sure does - that's her little hand trying to reach the plate as I snapped the picture!  A corn dog is probably the one thing I missed having at the state fair this year.  Lucky pinterest had me covered!  Check out the original post here.  These were so quick to whip up and tasted super amazing!  Grab some ketchup or mustard and go to town!

1/4 cup melted butter
3 eggs
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup almond flour, firmly packed
2 tablespoons coconut flour, firmly packed
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3-4 hot dogs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Whisk together melted butter, eggs, and honey.
Stir in the flours, baking soda, and salt.
Scoop into a greased mini muffin pan, about 1 tablespoon of batter in each cup.
Place 1 hot dog piece in each muffin.
Bake for 14-17 minutes, until golden brown.

Garlic Basil Squash

Little yellow summer squash have long been a problem for me.  I know they're healthy, but I don't love them.  I don't even know what to do with them.  I used to throw them in a pasta dish with some zucchini and tomatoes, but even then, they were the pieces that got picked around and left behind in the serving bowl...and not just by me!  Joey feels the same way.  You see the problem.  So when we got like 6 of these bad boys in our bountiful basket I knew I had to find something!  Can't just let them go to waste.  Some googling later and I found the only recipe I will ever make with summer squash (Thank you Everyday Paleo!).  It is soooo good.  There is so much flavor you don't even know you're eating squash - perfect!  However, you will know you're eating garlic, and so will everyone around you, so don't bring the leftovers to work the next day.

2 lbs summer squash, cut into bite size pieces
1 red onion, thinly sliced
8-10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup coconut oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh basil, finely diced

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Toss everything except the basil together in a glass 9x13 baking pan, and bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.  Once it comes out of the oven, toss the squash with the fresh basil and get ready to enjoy your new favorite summer squash dish!

Nutella Hot Cocoa

Thank you Pinterest for giving me yet another fabulous idea to try.  This hot cocoa is so yummy I've made it several times already!  It's not too sweet, which is just how I like it, and it seriously even better topped with homemade whipped cream.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

1 cup regular unsweetened almond milk
2 1/2 tablespoons of Nutella
1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa
pinch of salt

In a small saucepan heat all the ingredients over medium heat.  Whisk together until smooth and creamy.  Serve in a mug topped with whipped cream or marshmallows.  Enjoy!

Green Chili Stew

Green Chili Stew

(with minor changes as usual)

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds cubed beef stew meat (I used one and it was plenty)
1 onion, chopped
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with
green chile peppers (aka Rotel)
1 1/2 cups beef broth (I used 3 cups)
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile
peppers
1 teaspoon garlic salt (I think I just added a clove of minced garlic instead)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups frozen corn

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil and brown the stew meat and the onions until onions are translucent; about 5 minutes
2. Pour in the diced tomatoes with chiles, beef broth and chile peppers. Stir in the garlic salt and cumin. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add a little more beef broth or water if needed during simmering.
4. Stir in cubed potatoes to the mixture and simmer for an additional 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Then add in the corn and simmer for 5 more minutes.  

So yummy and has a little kick from the Rotel.

Spiced Pear and Pomegranate Salad

If you're looking for a fun new recipe to spice up your holiday meals, then this is the one for you!  Pomegranates, in addition to being delicious, always seem so festive, and are one of my favorite winter fruits.  This salad is super quick to throw together and always gets rave reviews.  The recipe is just a jump off point, as I always use more fruit than it calls for.  Also, if you want to save time and don't care as much for presentation, you can skip peeling the pears; it will still taste delicious.

3 pears, peeled and cut into slices
1 pomegranate, (skin and membrane removed)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Place the pears and pomegranate seeds (arils) in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice.  In a separate bowl combine the brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon, then stir into the fruit.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.

No-Noodle Zucchini Lasagna

Not my picture... I took it from the recipe on
allrecipes.com because I forgot to take one. 

This recipe was super delish but a little labor intensive.  Luckily it was Sunday when I was making it and my trusty yet elusive sous-chef Taylor was able to help out a lot so it went much faster then if I was making it alone.  Would be really good for a make ahead meal or a freezer meal. Originally from here.

2 large zucchini
1 tablespoon salt
1 pound ground beef
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 can tomato paste
1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 egg
1 (15 ounce) container low-fat ricotta
cheese (I used cottage cheese)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped
spinach, thawed and drained
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounces grated Parmesan cheese


1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a deep 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Slice zucchini lengthwise into very thin slices. Sprinkle slices lightly with salt; set aside to drain in a colander.
3. To prepare the meat sauce, cook and stir ground beef and black pepper in a large skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add in green pepper and onion; cook and stir until meat is no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, wine, basil, and oregano, adding a small amount of hot water if sauce is too thick. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer sauce for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Meanwhile, stir egg, ricotta, and parsley together in a bowl until well combined.
5. To assemble lasagna, spread 1/2 of the meat sauce into the bottom of prepared pan. Then layer 1/2 the zucchini slices, 1/2 the ricotta mixture, all of the spinach, followed by all of the mushrooms, then 1/2 the mozzarella cheese. Repeat by layering the remaining meat sauce, zucchini slices, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella. Spread Parmesan cheese evenly over the top; cover with foil.
6. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil; raise oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Kale and White Bean Soup

I used to be afraid of kale.  After the kale chip incident last summer I have shied away from this super food.  I just didn't know how to hone its super power! Well now I know! Chop it up and throw it in a soup! This recipe originates from here. 

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed
1 bunch kale, thick stems discarded and leaves torn into 2-inch pieces (8 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (I used a teaspoon of dried)

6-8 cups chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan (2 ounces), plus 1 piece rind (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

(I also diced up a couple red potatoes and threw them in to make the soup for further.  When I make this again, I will probably cook up some sweet italian sausage and throw that in.)


Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add the garlic, celery, onion, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
Add the beans, kale, rosemary, chicken broth, and Parmesan rind (if using). Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove the Parmesan rind. Stir in the lemon juice and sprinkle with the shaved Parmesan before serving.

Beef and Butternut Stew

It is soup season here on the blog!!  Here's one more since I know you're in the mood for more soup tonight.  This recipe came from from Mickey Trescott's Autoimmune Paleo cookbook (with minor adaptations).  I must say I LOVE everything out of her cookbook and would recommend it to anyone trying to eat a whole food diet!  This stew is so yummy I usually don't have as much left over as I think I should.  Something about the pear with the squash and cinnamon is just a really fun flavor combination.  This soup also freezes well if you like to make things ahead.  Enjoy!

1 tablespoon coconut oil
2-3 pounds cubed stew meat
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
2 cups bone broth (you can use beef broth if you don't make your own bone broth)
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 pears, cubed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 pears, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme for garnish

Heat the oil in a large pot on medium high heat and brown the meat on all sides.  Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.  Turn the heat down to medium.
Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften.  Add the ginger and garlic and cook another couple of minutes, stirring to ensure they don't burn.  Add the bone broth or stock and the browned meat back to the pot, and bring to a simmer.  Cover and cook for 15 minutes, making sure the pot simmers gently.
Add the squash, cinnamon and sea salt, and simmer another 15 minutes.  Add the pears and simmer a few more minutes until the meat and squash are both tender (this depends on how big your squash chunks are.  Keep an eye on it so you don't over cook them and turn them to mush).
Serve garnished with the fresh thyme.

Pumpkin Muffins

Fall is such a wonderful time of year.  One thing I love about fall is anything made with pumpkin!  I took my favorite muffin recipe and switched out the bananas for pumpkin.  The result was delicious.


Pumpkin Muffins

3 cups almond flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 to 3/4 can of pumpkin puree

 3 eggs
1/2 cup honey or agave
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. vanilla 

 

I added chopped pecans.  I was tempted to add chocolate chips!

Mix the dry ingredients first, then add the rest. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Cheeseburger Soup

Another soup recipe! I just can't get enough soup! This one comes from the Wheat Belly Cookbook. (My changes)

4 cups chicken broth, separated
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets (I used a whole one because why not)
1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
(I think I added a diced green bell pepper and was glad that I did)
1/2 pound ground beef (I used a pound of ground turkey)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley ( I used a teaspoon of dried)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon coconut flour ( I used corn starch as a thickener so Taylor would eat it)
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (so not enough.  go a cup or go home)

In a large saucepan, combine the 3 3/4 cups broth and cauliflower.  Cover and bring to boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium low.  Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until cauliflower is super fork tender.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat the butter or oil.  Cook the onion and beef until no longer pink.  Drain the grease.  Stir in the parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Puree the cauliflower and broth with a immersion blender (or normal blender).  In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1/4 cup broth and coconut flour until smooth.  (I just used a little bit of cold water and cornstarch) Gradually add to the cauliflower mixture and cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened.  Whisk in the cheese just until it melts.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the reserved beef mixture.

Taylor and I really enjoyed this soup and it was pretty quick and easy to make!

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Now that it's October and there is a chill in the air, it is full on soup season! I found this stuffed pepper soup recipe on sixsistersstuff.com while searching for good soup recipes.  Their recipe is very easy and straightforward, but of course I wanted to make things harder for myself, so I made some alterations to fit what I had and my tastes. Here is my version:

1 lbs lean ground turkey

1 onion, diced

Pot shot because I forgot to take a picture until we had already eaten

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups beef broth
2 tomatoes, diced

2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 half head of cabbage, diced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

dash of onion powder

dash of garlic powder

1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups cooked rice

Brown the turkey in a large stock pot with the onions.  Cook until no longer pink.  Drain the grease.  Add everything else but the cooked rice.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.  Stir in rice before serving.  Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.  

I wasn't really sure how this would turn out and was afraid it would taste very bell peppery, but it was actually way delicious! Lots of flavor and texture without anything overpowering anything else.  Definitely a keeper!

Bruschetta Chicken over Angel Hair Pasta

This recipe is from the Wheat Belly Cookbook and I made it only because I knew Taylor would like it. It has tomatoes.  I don't like tomatoes.  It has balsamic vinegar.  I don't balsamic vinegar.  Taylor LOVES balsamic vinegar.  So alas, being the selfless person I am, I made this.  And you know what?! It was pretty good, despite my plate of uneaten tomates that remained after the meal was over.  Like a little battlefield of tomato corpses...

The Recipe:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (I used the frozen tenderloins because they are easier)

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

6 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons EVOO

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3 packages angel hair shirataki, rinsed and drained (I used a box of corn and quinoa blend spaghetti because that shirataki business is *!%@$#^ disgusting!)

1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese

In a ziplock bag, combine the chicken and vinegar.  Knead to coat the chicken thoroughly.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, oil, garlic, and salt.  Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Cook the pasta.  Grill or broil the chicken.  I broiled it for about 8 minutes, turning once. 

Cut the chicken diagonally into thin slices.  Place atop the pasta.  Top with the tomato mixture and the cheese.

I like this recipe because it is very simple and minimalistic, but very flavorful and refreshing.  Perfect for a summer meal.  This really isn't something I usually like to eat, but Taylor and I really enjoyed it.  Plus, it looks really fancy.  :)

Corn Potato Chowder with Smoked Sausage

Not the best picture because as soon as I made it I started wolfing it down and then was oh crap I need a picture so I stopped mid bite to take this picture so excuse the drips and tiny cut up pieces of sausage. Anyways...

This recipe is one I developed when Taylor and I were living in Provo.  I think the original is from allrecipes.com but I changed it some and made it to my liking and have modified it to be thickened with corn starch instead of flour, so here it is:

1 package smoked sausage (I call it u-bend sausage), cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup butter

2 cloves garlic, minced 

4 tablespoons corn starch

3/4-1teaspoon of creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's) to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 cups milk

2 cups cubed potatoes, cooked and drained

2 cups of frozen corn

Shredded cheese for topping

You'll want to start with peeling and boiling your potatoes if you don't have some already cooked. 

Melt the butter in a big pot. Add onion and garlic (I also threw in a diced bell pepper because I had one and it was a yummy addition). Sauté until onion is tender.  

Mix the cornstarch with the mix until it is dissolved and then add the milk to the pot.  Add the creole seasoning and pepper and cook until thickened.  ( if having all milk makes it too rich for you, you can sub a couple of the cups of milk for chicken broth.  I think I added an extra cup of chicken broth in addition to the 4 cups of milk just to make it go a little further so I could have leftovers for lunch all week.) 

Add the corn and potatoes and sausage.  Bring to boil then cover and simmer for ten minutes.  Stirring occasionally.  I like to break up some of the potato chunks as I stir so the pieces aren't so big and the potatoes get all incorporated into the creamy soup. 

Top with cheese. 

I love this chowder because its hearty and perfect for fall and winter and I love anything with u-bend sausage. :)

Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Chops

I wanted to make the orange-mustard pork chops for dinner tonight but in looking in the fridge I realized I had no orange juice, which is an essential ingredient for that recipe, so I turned to the Internet for a pork chop recipe substitute and found this recipe on sixsistersstuff.com which always has a bunch of awesome recipes.

The picture from their website looked better than ours so I am using theirs haha. Ours still tasted delicious.  Here is the recipe:

4-5 boneless pork chops

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix together the sugar and spices and rub all over both sides of the chops.  Heat oil in skillet on medium to medium high heat.  Cook the pork chops until done.  

I had to turn the heat more to medium while they cooked because the sugar started to burn a little bit but they didn't taste burnt at all. We both really liked them and will definitely have them again.  So fast and easy!

Cinnamon Butternut Squash

Sorry for the crappy pic on this one.  Someone (Joey) started eating it as fast as they could before I got a nice shot of the whole pan, so I did the best I could.  Whatever.  It really is that good that you want to eat it before dinner's even been served!  In fact it is our favorite way to eat any kind of squash lately.  It's like candy, cinnamon squash candy.  It took the 3 year old a few tries to like it, and now we're kind of sad that she does....less for us.

Ingredients
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
2 Tablespoons (approx.) coconut oil, melted
cinnamon
ginger
sea salt

Directions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Combine the squash chunks, oil, and spices in a 9x13 glass baking pan, stirring well to ensure each piece is coated.  I don't really measure the spices, just give a few good shakes of each (I tend to do a little less ginger than cinnamon and salt) and then stir away.  Pop in the oven for 40-60 minutes, until squash is tender.  Pull it out to stir every 15-20 minutes.  Your cooking time will depend mostly on how big your squash chunks are.  Bigger chunks take longer to cook, small ones take less time.  By pulling it out every so often to give it a stir you'll be able to monitor how done they are and lessen your risk of overcooking.  My 3 year old does NOT like mushy pieces!

Blueberry Macaroons

These bad boys are one of the few treats Joey can eat on his autoimmune paleo regimen.  Sweetened with dates, these are relatively healthy, yet will even have a three year old asking for more!  Check out the Auto-Immune Paleo blog here for more great recipes and to order the cookbook, it is AWESOME!

Blueberry Macaroons

2 cups fine coconut flakes (unsweetened)
1 cup dates, pitted and soaked in warm water for 5 minutes
1 cup blueberries, frozen
1/4 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla (optional)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons fine coconut flakes (or more, to roll them in)

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  Place everything (except the extra coconut to roll them in) in a food processor and process until thick and sticky.  Form into little balls, rolling the coconut flakes for decoration.  Bake on a greased (or parchment papered!) cookie sheet for 12-15 minutes, or until barely golden.

Black Bean Brownies

One of my friends who is not even gluten free introduced me to these yummy treats - and I LOVE when I find a GF recipe that just uses "normal" ingredients instead of all the exotic flours and things that your average person doesn't keep around.  We've made these 5 or 6 times before finally getting a picture; they kept disappearing too fast!

Black Bean Brownies

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
optional 1/2 teaspoon each of baking power and baking soda to make them more cake-like

Mix all ingredients together in a food processor until blended well.  Pour into a greased 8x8 baking pan.  Stir in some chocolate chips or nuts if you so desire.  Bake at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.  They cut better if you let them cool.

Ginger Snaps

Our mom has the best soft and chewy ginger snap recipe and when I think about not be able to eat them in all their gluten-y goodness it brings tears to my eyes. So today while scouring the web for a GF dessert to make, I stumbled upon a paleo molasses spice cookie but changed it a bit because it had no sugar (whaaaa?) and had some other weird stuff instead of molasses. So here is my version:

  

Ginger Snaps
1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger (I threw in a pinch more)
½ teaspoon cinnamon (and I threw in a extra pinch of this)
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup molasses

¼ cup sugar

Combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, ginger and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Stir together the melted butter, sugar, and molasses.
Mix wet ingredients into dry.
Scoop onto parchment paper lined baking sheet 1 tablespoon at a time and gently press.
Bake at 350° for 6-10 minutes.
Cool and serve.

I didn't wait for them to cool completely to start devouring them.  They tasted very close to mom's recipe.  The only difference was the texture.  The almond flour makes them a bit grittier than our normal smooth floury ones.  

Are they as good as the originals? NEVER!

Are they a good substitute for what we really want and can't have? *sniffle* i guess....

Zucchini Boats

What to do with the mountain of zucchini that my garden is producing.  It is out of control!

Luckily for me, I saw this recipe on Facebook.  My garden is also producing tomatoes and basil, so this was a perfect fit.  It is now my all time favorite zucchini recipe.  We have made it several times and love it!

Zucchini Boats

Cut several small zucchinis in half and place on a cookie sheet.  Slice a little off the back if they will not lie flat.  Brush with olive oil.  Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Cover with thinly-sliced tomatoes.  Sprinkle with mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes.  Top with fresh basil after baking.

These are the best!

Fried Chicken

I am amazed at how mainstream gluten-free eating is becoming.  My Costco now stocks gluten-free bread, pasta and flour.  Crazy.  In the Costco Connection magazine, they had an article about gluten-free eating.  This recipe for fried chicken was included.  It is from a restaurant, Posana Cafe, in North Carolina that is totally gluten free.  I hope Jessica and Taylor can try it out.

Posana's Fried Chicken  with Sausage Gravy

Flour Mixture

1 cup cornstarch

1 cup white rice flour

1/2 cup corn flour  (I used corn meal that I had on hand.)

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper

Place all ingredients in a bowl, mix thoroughly and set aside.  (This made way more than is needed for this recipe.  I did twice as much chicken as the recipe called for and I still had some of the flour mixture left over.  Next time I will divide this in half and save some for another time.)

Gravy

1/4 cup white rice flour

1 teaspoon potato starch

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 pound raw breakfast sausage

3 tablespoons butter

3 cups whole milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together white rice flour, potato starch and conrstarch, and set aside.  Cook sausage in a medium saucepan, breaking it into smaller pieces while cooking.  Add butter.  When melted, add rice flour mixture and stir.  When completely smooth, add milk and reduce heat to medium.  Let mixture thicken, stirring occasionally nad season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fried Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 ounces buttermilk

4 ounces canola oil  (I used coconut oil.)

Soak chicken breats in the buttermilk in a bowl.  Add oil to a cast-iron skillet or saute pan and heat on medium-high.  When oil is hot, remove chicken from buttermilk and let excess drip off.

Place chicken in the flour mixture to thoroughly coat.  Gently place breaded chicken in pan and cook until golden brown.  Turn to other side.  When second side is golden brown, remove chicken and place on rack.  Serves 4.

We didn't try the gravy, but the chicken was a big hit.

Pavlova

This dessert is as delicious as it is beautiful!  It was really quite simple, but looked so elegant.  We loved it.  I found the recipe in the July Good Housekeeping magazine.

Berry and Lemon Pavlova

2/3 c. sugar

1 Tbsp.cornstarch

4 lg. egg whites

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

3/4 c heavy whipping cream

1 c. prepared lemon curd

1 Tbsp. honey

Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees.  Onto sheet of parchment paper, trace 9-in. circle.  Turn over; use to line cookie sheet.

2. In small bowl, whisk sugar and cornstarch.  With mixer on medium speed, beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form.  Add sugar mixture to whites 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating well between additions.  Add vinegar and extracts; beat until stiff peaks form.

3. Transfer whites to parchment circle; spread whites to form nest, with sides higher than center.  Bake 2 hours.  Turn off oven; let stand in oven at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

4. To serve, remove parchment from meringue.  Beat cream on medium high speed until stiff peaks form.  Spread over meringue.  Dollop top with curd; spread evenly.  In large bowl, microwave honey and 1 Tbsp. water on high for 20 seconds.  Stir in berries until well coated.  Spoon over curd.  Serve immediately.

I did add a couple of tablespoons of powdered sugar to the cream.  I also omitted the honey because my berries were so sweet!

Oopsies

This recipe has been going around on Facebook and they looked delicious, so we decided to give them a try.  They are super simple and quick to make, and they don't taste bad.  Problem is that they really don't taste that good.  They are like eating air.  I could probably eat about ten and not even realize that I had eaten any.  The recipe on Facebook said that you could use them for hamburger buns, but they were much too delicate to hold up to a hamburger.  Here's the recipe, if you are interested.

Oopsies
6–8 depending on size.

3 eggs
100 grams (3.5 ounces) of cream cheese
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder or cream of tarter (can be excluded)

Separate the eggs, with the egg whites in one bowl and the egg yolks in another.
Whip the egg whites together with the salt until very stiff. You should be able to turn the bowl over without the egg whites moving.

Mix the egg yolks and the cream cheese well. If you choose, 1tsp of cream of tarter or baking powder (this makes the Oopsie more bread-like).

Gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mix – try to keep the air in the egg whites.

Put 6 large or 8 smaller oopsies on a baking tray.
Bake in the middle of the oven at 150° C (300° F) for about 25 minutes – until they turn golden.

You can eat Oopsies as bread or use them as a bun for a hotdog or hamburger. You can also put different kinds of seeds on them before baking them, for instance poppy, sesame or sunflower seeds.

Almond Flax bread

My cousin posted this recipe on facebook and it peeked my interest so I thought I would give it a try.  The recipe is from http://www.healyrealfoodvegetarian.com/almond-flax-bread/

Makes 1 loaf

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1 tbsp whole flax seeds
1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 eggs beaten
2 tsp honey, optional
1/2 tsp raw cider vinegar
butter, to grease a loaf pan

Preheat the oven to 300°.
Grease a loaf pan.
Mix all ingredients together until thoroughly combined, then pour into a greased standard sized loaf pan and bake at 300° for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the bread’s center comes out clean.
Cool completely before serving.

I don't have whole flax seeds so I added a tbsp on oats instead because I love oat bread and the texture it has.  I also don't have raw cider vinegar so I just used regular apple cider vinegar and I greased the loaf pan with coconut oil instead of butter.

It smelled so good while baking, but after cooling for a little while it smelled a bit like turtle food.... 

it tastes pretty good though.  Really good after being smothered in honey butter :) ( I was this <---> close to drizzling buttermilk syrup on it but at the last second decided against it... would've been good though! 

Paleo Chili

I know, I know... It's summer, but this paleo chili is awesome. Also, it makes a lot, so you will have more time to play outside instead of being stuck cooking. I got this recipe from Everyday Paleo, but I've added more veggies! I also occasionally use ground turkey instead of beef to make it leaner. Change it up however you would like, but it will be delicious and flavorful no matter what!

2 lbs ground beef

1 lb mild or spicy Italian sausage

7-10 celery stalks diced

6 carrots diced

6 zucchini (I'm no chef...just cut 'em up somehow)

4 yellow squash (cut up)

1 white onion diced

6 cloves garlic crushed

4 tbs olive oil (I use less usually)

1 16 oz can of diced tomatoes with juice

16 oz of chicken broth (I usually use more so the vegetables cook. It should be soupy)

Salt to taste

2 tbsp dried oregano

2 tbsp dried basil

1tbs cumin

3-4 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicy)

Use a giant pot...this makes a lot. Sauté carrots, celery, and garlic in olive oil. Add meat and brown. Add the rest of the veggies. Add all spices. Then add chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Simmer for 35 mins or until the veggies are cooked. 

Paleo Breakfast Bread

Found this here on Pinterest last night and tried it this morning!  Has to be one of the weirdest things I've made - from the list of ingredients I never would have guessed you'd get this delicious tasty "bread" for lack of a better word!  We loved it!  Kind of like a less dense, brown, cinnamon-y German pancake.  We had ours with scrambled eggs and Canadian bacon.  I have a feeling this will make a regular appearance at breakfast.

1/2 cup almond butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl with a whisk.  Pour into a greased (with coconut oil) 8x8 glass baking dish. Bake for 12-15 minutes.  13 minutes did it for me, but all ovens vary!

*UPDATE* This is also awesome with 1/2 cup of shredded zucchini thrown in.  takes a few minutes longer to cook.  Kind of like breakfast zucchini bread!

Yummiest Fruit Dip EVER

This recipe is a surefire crowd-pleaser!  I go through phases where I'll make it several times over a few weeks because I just can't get enough of it.  Be careful if you have small children....they tend to double (and triple) dip just to get more of the creamy goodness.

1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese - at room temp'
2 teaspoons orange zest (however much you get off one orange)
3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate (not an exact science, just put in a few spoonfuls)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow cream

Beat cream cheese in a bowl with a hand mixer.  Add orange zest, orange juice, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth and creamy.  Add marshmallow cream and beat until smooth.

This works well to make the night before you need it and just stick it in the fridge.  I like it best with strawberries.

Orange-Mustard Glazed Pork Chops

This is a super quick and easy recipe that tastes delicious and presents well for company.  In fact this is the recipe that convinced my husband that pork chops do not have to be dry and tasteless as he was previously led to believe!  Credit goes to my Uncle Steve for coming up with it years ago and making it a family favorite.

Pork chops resting.

6 pork chops
olive oil

Dry Rub:
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Glaze:
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Combine the ingredients for the dry rub and grind them up using a mortar and pestle.

Glaze cooking.

Prepare the pork chops (trim off visible fat and make sure they are a uniform thickness).  Lightly cover them with the dry rub and let them sit while a very lightly oiled pan heats.  Cook the pork chops in the pan, turning once while cooking.

When the pork chops are done, let them rest and deglaze the plan with the orange mustard glaze (in other words dump the glaze ingredients in the pork chop pan and cook).  The glaze will thicken and turn darker as it cooks.  As you stir, scrape up anything stuck to the bottem of the pan and mix it in.

Serve the pork chops with the glaze on top or on the side.  We like to serve with rice and the glaze is delicious on it as well!

Buttermilk Syrup

Buttermilk syrup. Sounds weird/maybe gross. Ohhhh noooo. It is the best thing you will ever eat! The first time I tried this it was at a Memorial Day breakfast at our Bishop's house last year.  His wife is an amazing cook and she had a little pourer full of this weird, pale, foamy syrup.  I was a little apprehensive because I love normal maple syrup and I hate change.  I decided to pour a little on the side of my plate and try it.  Well, after I sat down and ate my first bite of pancake cautiously dipped in the buttermilk syrup it was like in one of those cartoons or cereal commercials where your head kinda explodes and your eyes get all big and out of your head and you see stars and hearts all around you.  I then proceeded to stand up, walk back into the kitchen, and drown my pancakes in the buttermilk syrup. So ya. Its good.  I had her write down the recipe before we left and have treasured it ever since.  I brought the recipe home last summer and I think we made it 3 or 4 times.  (This was before we were gluten free.  We ate A LOT of pancakes, french toast, waffles, anything that can be smothered in syrup.)

Well, school just ended for me (I teach 2nd grade) and today I woke up feeling hungry. For syrup. I was excited to have the time to actually make a nice breakfast on a weekday because its summer! So I whipped up a batch of Natalie's lemon poppyseed pancakes and had the best intention of serving them with fresh fruit or yogurt like she so healthily did.  But, with the buttermilk sitting there on the counter taunting me to make the buttermilk syrup, I caved and made it.  Here is the recipe:

Buttermilk Syrup (Holiday Syrup)

Above the pot you can see my two bowls:
one with vanilla and one with almond

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. extract (vanilla, maple, or almond)

Cook the sugar, butter, and buttermilk over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat for 1 minute then add the baking soda and the extract. Mix to combine.  Serve warm.

When you add the baking soda it gets all foamy and frothy.  Its really fun :). I have made it with the vanilla extract every time and it tastes like melted cookie dough. Today I couldn't decide between the vanilla and almond so I took two bowls and added 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract to one and 1/2 tsp almond extract to the other and then poured in the syrup and had both! It was a good idea.  The pancake with the almond syrup seriously tasted like an almond poppyseed muffin from Costco.

As I sat there, eating my delicious breakfast by myself, I was like OMG why is no one here to taste this with me! It's so unbelievably good I want to share it with everyone! So here I am, typing this to you with the taste of buttermilk syrup still in my mouth.

Super Easy Sweet Sticky Rice w/ Mango

The mangos we've been getting lately have been so sweet and ripe and delicious that I knew we had make this for dessert one night!  There are tons of mango sticky rice recipes out there and I've tried a few different ones, but have decided for the time and effort involved this is simplest way to go if you're in the mood for this flavor combo.

2 cups uncooked sticky rice
4 cups water
1 can coconut milk
1 cup sugar (more or less - adjust to taste)
2-3 ripe mangos (or more if you like lots of mango!)

Bring the water and sticky rice to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until done.  Meanwhile combine the coconut milk and sugar in a bowl large enough to contain the rice.  Once the rice is done, stir it in to the coconut milk sugar mixture.  Let sit, stirring occasionally, until the rice comes to room temperature.  Dice up the mangos, place them on top, and go to town!

Kale Chips

It seems like kale chips are all the rage right now.  I know Jessica tried to make a batch once that ended up a disaster, so I was intrigued to try them myself.  I had a beautiful bunch of kale just sitting in the fridge so I decided to see what all the fuss was about.  After reading through countless recipes online (all of which are basically the same), here is what I came up with:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash and dry the kale.
Tear it into bite size pieces.
Coat the pieces with extra virgin olive oil.  I wish I had a misto sprayer to assist with this step, but alas, I don't.  I drizzled some on the kale and tossed/coated them all by hand.
Set the pieces on a foil covered (b/c I enjoy easy clean up) baking sheet.  It works well to set them curly side down so they form little tents.
Sprinkle with salt/pepper/seasoning of your choice.  We went with Salt'n Spice - it sounded fun for the maiden voyage.
Bake for 10-15 minutes
WATCH THEM CLOSELY!  Smaller pieces might be done faster so you'll want to pull them out.  You DO NOT want them to get brown at all - it will make them taste yucky instead of delicious.

Fresh out of the oven!

They turned out AMAZING!!  All crispy and yummy.  Even 3 year old Jenna loved them.  In fact she and I sat there and ate the entire first batch in no time flat.  Good thing we had enough for a second batch so we could take some pictures and share with Joey!  Just writing about them makes me want more...better run to the store...

Cilantro Buttered Corn on the Cob

It's summer and that means corn on the cob! My Kroger had 6 corns for 2 dollars so I got 'em, took 'em home and boiled 'em.  I wanted them to be a little spiced up (more so that Taylor wouldn't be upset that the only thing I was making for dinner was corn on the cob (it was just one of those days...))
So I found a nifty recipe for Cilantro Butter which was perfect since I had a little tupperware full of chopped cilantro left over from some fresh salsa I had made earlier in the week.

Cilantro Butter (enough for 6 ears of corn)

2 Tbs room temperature butter
1 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 ground chipotle pepper (I left it out since I didn't have it)

Mix it all up in a little bowl and shmear it all over your hot corn.  Mmhmm mhmm good!

Make you banana pancakes, pretend that its the weekend now...

(Jack Johnson anyone?)
                                    

Sorry for the blog post hiatus. (reason pending) But I have some things to add! First off, Banana Pancakes! I made the Yummy Muffin recipe yesterday with my newly acquired almond flour, and loved them but I still had some over ripe bananas to use and with it being Fast Sunday today, I was craving some good hearty breakfast-for-dinner food.  So I headed to the web for some banana pancake recipes.  A lot of recipes were 3 ingredient banana pancakes made with just egg, banana, and peanut butter or vanilla or salt, and I was like ummm I need a little more substance than that.  I found a great recipe called Gluten Free Banana Pancakes and just tweeked it a bit.  Here is my version:

1 1/2 cups oat flour (I just ground some up quick oats in my little food processor)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 banana, mashed
1 cup milk, and a little more if the batter gets too thick
1 egg
1/4- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (to taste)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

(makes about 15 medium sized pancakes)

In medium bowl mix together oat flour and baking powder and salt Add the mashed banana, milk, egg, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Mix until combined.  Melt a little butter on the griddle and spoon the batter one.  Cook 3-4 minutes on one side and then flip.  I kinda pressed them down with the spatula once I flipped them to make them a little thinner because they were looking quite beefy.  I had to add a little milk to the batter in between batches because it thickened up as it sat there.  Serve with syrup, peanut butter, yogurt or applesauce.  Or, if you are my husband, top them with texas sheet cake. *eye roll*

I quickly snapped a picture before he was able to destroy the evidence!

Tuna Patties and Sweet Potato Pancakes

Dinner in the Round

Natalie sent me a recipe for sweet potato pancakes that we were excited to try--KC's favorite food is sweet potatoes.  We paired them with tuna patties and the result was what we ended up calling "dinner in the round." 

Paleo Sweet Potato Pancakes

• 1 Giant Baby Yam (or several normal yams…whatever)
• 1 onion finely diced
• 3 eggs
• 1-2 Tbls of Coconut Flour (This is just a binder- you can use whatever flour is on hand)
• Dash of Nutmeg (for a different flavor try smoky paprika or chili powder)
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/4 cup of coconut oil

Instructions

1. Bake the yam at 350 for about 45 mins (varies depending on size). You do not want it to get soft all the way through. You want it cooked soft enough to pierce but staying firm enough that a knife will not go all the way through easily (think al-dente pasta)
2. Place the yam in the fridge until it is cool enough to work with.
3. Peel the yam. Use a box grater or the grating attachment to a mixer to grate the yam into "hashbrown" style strings. (Be careful- it mushes easily but this recipe tastes better with some texture.)
4. Season the grated yam with the coconut flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.
5. GENTLY mix in the diced onion
6. Beat the eggs and pour into the yam mixture. Use a fork to gently toss the egg into the yam.
7. Melt the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
8. Spoon 1/4 cup of yam mix into the coconut oil gently pressing to spread and flatten into a pancake shape. Repeat for as many pancakes as your skillet will comfortably hold.
9. Flip when the first side is crispy and browning.
10. When both sides are done remove onto paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt.

These were so delicious.  I used regular size sweet potatoes.  I peeled them first and put each one in the microwave for four minutes, and then put them through my food processor.  Worked great.

Tuna Patties

2 cans of tuna (7 oz.), drained
2 eggs
1-2 Tablespoons pickle relish
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise (enough to kind of hold it together)
coconut oil

Mix ingredients together, except for the coconut oil.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Form patties and cook in the oil for 2-3 minutes per side.  We served them with Garlic Lemon Aioli.

Garlic Lemon Aioli (from Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook)

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mix and serve.