Dirty carrots

Everyone around here loves these carrots. They look not the most appealing but they taste amazing. As soon as I get some nice little carrots I will post a picture!

Dirty Carrots

• 1/4 – 1/2 lb of small, organic carrots
• 1 T oil (good olive, avocado or mct)
• 1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 – 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• few chili flakes or good cayenne powder (varies depending of tolerance of spice lvl)
• pink salt

Preheat oven to 400. Throw the carrots on a pan with parchment and drizzle oil over carrots and coat well. Mix the spices together then sprinkle over carrots. Put them in the oven and turn heat down to 350. Roast until tender but crisp. 15-20 minutes.

Banana pancakes

Today I took my recipe for my souffle, tweaked it and turned it into pancakes. It turned out great and everyone ate them…and not a spec of flour in them. Horray! They are a great way to get protein into your kids when all they want is a pancake.

Banana Pancakes

• 2-3 bananas (today mine were on the green side as I just bought them, oh well…less sugar)
• 4 pastured eggs, separated
• 2 Tbsp butter (or coconut oil) **I would melt them to rm temp if not using a high powered blender like blendtec
• pinch of vanilla bean powder (or a splash of vanilla)
• dash or two of cinnamon
• pinch of pink salt

In a large bowl, beat egg whites stiff. In processor, throw everything else in and pulse until smooth. Fold yolk mixture into the whites quite well. Fry up on a pan at medium heat. These take a bit longer than traditional pancakes. When you flip them, squish them a bit to even them out as they are very fluffy. Top with butter, maple syrup, berries, drizzle of raw honey or the best…coconut cream whip! YUM.

 

Muffin Base (GF, DF, grain free)

I wanted to post a basic muffin base that I use to add chocolate chips, blueberries, raisins and a shredded carrot or whatever else your mind can come up with. I do not add nuts to my baking because I do not want to cook them. SO…these I use when I need a snack for my daughters school or need to take something to a brunch. I usually have a version of muffin in my freezer at any time to pull out for a snack in case I didn’t get to the grocery store and have a hungry preschooler who doesn’t want yet another egg!

Muffin Base (GF, DF, grain free)

• 1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
• 1/4 tsp pink salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 4 lrg pastured eggs, room temp*very important if using coconut oil…so it doesn’t solidify**
• 1/2 c maple syrup or honey(or other liquid sweetener of choice)
• 1/2 – 1 Tbsp vanilla (depends on what you are adding as optional..blueberries add more, carrot add less)
• 1/4-1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted (or coconut oil to make vegan)
• 2-4 Tbsp coconut milk or water
• OPT: 1/4 cup chocolate chips, 1/3 cup blueberries…etc. Really anything adding up to btwn 1/4 – 1/3 cup. **If you add frozen blueberries you will need less(or none) water.

Make 6-8 muffins. preheat 350

In food processor, blend all dry ingredients. Add in liquid ingredients. Blend until smooth. May need to scrape down the bowl. Stir in optional ingredients and fill each muffin liner with about 1/4 cup batter. Bake about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes clean. Once cooled fully, cover and store in fridge or freezer.

Note about butter or coconut oil. I like a more moist coconut flour muffin so I add more. If you like a drier version, add less.

This is my strawberry muffin. I’m experimenting with half the syrup and xylitol and soda water.

Naniamo Bars (GF, DF, grain free, raw, vegan…yummy!!)

One thing that my mom always had in the freezer just in case anyone ever came over unespected and she needed a good dessert, was naniamo bars. Semi frozen and totally full of awful ingredients they were so delicious. I hadn’t had a naniamo bar in almost 2 or 3 years since going paleo/bulletproof. I found lots of great sounding recipes but they all used dairy or cooked the nuts. Both of which I do not want in my body. I remember seeing a version of raw naniamo bars on Pinterst but of course…like half of the time I find something…I forget to pin it because there is so much amazing and delicious things to look at! I did have a recipe pinned for a caramel raw vegan cheesecake, so that is where I got my inspiration. I needed help with the creme filling because the last thing I wanted was for my bars to taste like freakin’ coconut…again. I feel like sometimes every tastes like coconut!!! I used the base to a nut bar recipe I use and it seemed to work great.

Here is what I came up with. These bars do need to stay in the freezer but thaw out just right in about 1/2 hr on the counter. I have only made them twice and I do need to keep experimenting with my topping since it doesn’t like to cut in nice slices…its too cracky when semi frozen…still tastes delicious but annoying.

One last thing…When I made these, I did not have a high powered blender…actually, even our magic bullet was broken. I had to use the S blade on our 13 yr old food processor. It did the job, but not super silky smooth like the creme should be. I cannot wait to try it again this weekend with my new Blendtec!!! TY Costco for having it on sale!

Naniamo Bars (GF, DF, grain free, raw, vegan…yummy!!)

Base

• 1 c slivered almonds
• 1/2 c soaked mejool dates
• 1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 c coco powder
• 1/8 tsp salt

Creme

• 1/3 c coconut oil
• 3/4 c soaked RAW cashews (soak on counter for 3-4 hrs)
• 5 Tbsp raw honey
• 1/3 cup coconut creme
• 3/4 tsp vanilla

Topping

• 1/2 c coconut oil
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• raw honey (to taste…depends on if you like sweet or bitter)

Line an 8×8 pan with parchment and grease the sides with coconut oil. Add all BASE ingredients into blender, processor, etc. pulse until smooth. Spread it evenly in the pan. Put the pan in the freezer. Clean and dry the blender.

Drain the cashew, saving a bit of the water. Add all CREME ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides a few times. If the creme is way too thick, add a bit of the cashew water. **Note on coconut creme. You can buy concentrate coconut cream in a can or just but a can of full fat coconut milk and put it in the fridge for 24 hrs. when you open it up be careful not to shake it at all and the creme will have separated from the coconut water. Try to look for a gum free, non BPA can of coconut milk. ** Ok…now that it is smooth and silky (or slightly clumpy as my first few attempts), spread it over the base layer and return pan to the freezer. Keep it in there for a couple hours.

Now that you base and creme are super chilled, time for the chocolate top. In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil over med low heat. Whisk in honey when it has just melted and isn’t hot, just liquidy. Add the cocoa powder and whisk again. Pull out the pan from the freezer and pour over the chocolate topping. Spread quick cause it will start to solidify right away. Return to freezer overnight. Pull it out the next day and let it sit on the counter an hour before slicing it. I cut my whole pan up and wrap them individually in wax paper and put in a tupperware container in the freezer.

Hope you enjoy. They are worth the expense(cashews aren’t cheap!) and the wait!

Crepes (GF, DF, grain free, nut free, almost paleo)

I love crepes. I love using them for sweet breakfasts and savory suppers. They are pretty much once a month thing…until I went paleo/Bulletproof. I have tried SO many different recipes using only eggs, coconut flour, rice flour and even collagen. Nothing worked well or tasted half decent. We have come to realize that we (my family) are not that sensitive to nightshades and do not care about the occasional insulin burst from so much starch. These are a treat for us on a weekend.

Crepes (GF, DF, grain free, nut free, almost paleo)

• 7 eggs
• 1/3 + 2 TBSP potato starch
• 1/2 cup + 2 TBSP water
• imersion blender and large bowl

First, blend the eggs until they are frothy (30 sec). Add the starch and water. Blend again until smooth (45 sec). Ladle small amount onto a hot pan and swirl around. Cook until edges start to curl a bit then flip over. I use med heat and generally a smaller pan. Before each ladle stir the batter really well as the starch tends to settle.

I know this recipe isn’t close to being bulletproof…what can you do. I’m human. I eat better than most people I know.

Paleo Super Bowl snacks

So I’ve been trying to come up with ideas for good paleo/bulletproof snacks for the Super Bowl. I’ve had loads of ideas and here is what I’ve settled with. I will link to my recipes as soon as I can take pictures and post the recipes.

Mini bacon and pineapple wrapped sliders wrapped with lettuce
Homemade chicken wings with cayenne sauce
Chocolate cupcakes made with coconut flour
Raw, vegan Nanaimo bars
Raw, vegan caramel dip with green apples
Nachos…not paleo or bulletproof…but as healthy as I can make with non gmo chips, Kerrygold cheese, fresh veggies and good quality bacon.
Guacamole … Yum! Made with mct oil for added fats!