Grain Free Dairy Free Almond Flour Chia Biscuits

I bought some great looking fruit preserves on sale the other day and I really wanted to try them, but I didn't have anything to spread them onto!  So, I made these biscuits!  They were really good by themselves, but with the sweet topping, they were AMAZING!  Yum!  With the strawberry on top, it tasted like a dessert - with no sugar at all!  Oh, and they smelled fantastic while they were baking - like fresh bread!

I found the biscuit recipe from Elana Amsterdam's, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.  I made a few changes and I'll share those with you:

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 large organic pastured eggs
3 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 tsp chia seeds ground and mixed with 1/4 cup water (forms a gel)
2 tsp water if needed

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (I use bleach free)
• Grind the chia seeds (I use a coffe/nut grinder) and then mix together with 1/4 cup water in a medium bowl.  Let sit to form a gel while you do the next step.
• In a larger bowl, mix together the almond flour, sea salt and baking soda.
• Whisk together the eggs, melted coconut oil, and apple cider vinegar.
• Stir the wet ingredients into the dry in the large bowl until combined.  If there isn't enough moisture to thoroughly combine, add a little bit of water.
• Place the batter in small scoops on the parchment paper.  You can reshape with your hands if you wish.
• Bake for about 20 minutes until they are golden.
• Let them cool briefly and then enjoy!

You can slice them carefully in half and eat with jelly or add ghee or any other topping you like!  Or just eat them plain.  You could substitute ghee for the coconut oil.  The coconut oil adds a bit of sweetness that I like!  Delicious!

Vegan Carob Brownies

These are AMAZING!  And they only have 3 natural ingredients!  And you don't have to bake or cook them at all!  My son and husband gobbled these right up - couldn't get enough of them!  I've decided after making several batches that they actually taste like tootsie rolls!  Yummy!!   I have not eaten chocolate in over a year and I was really, really wanting it, so I used carob, which, unlike chocolate is caffeine free and alkalizing!  Hooray!

All you need is:
10 - 12 large medjool dates (Use soft ones.  If they aren't soft, soak them in some water first.)
Two giant, heaping spoonfuls of almond butter (plain, no salt or oils added)
Three tsp carob powder (You can find this at natural food stores or online)

Directions:
Place everything into a food processor.  Process until it starts to form a unified ball.
Everything should be smooshy and there should be no separate date pieces.
Use your hands to shape into a large square.  Then, cut into four squares with a knife. 
That's it!  You can eat it right away or put into the refrigerator - it's just as good cold. 
Or you can just start eating it right away and forget about the whole shaping and cutting thing.  It tastes like candy, anyway!  Enjoy!!

Grain Free, Paleo Gingerbread Men

My son and I think that these are the best grain-free cookies we have ever had!  Yum!  And they were fun to make, too!

I got the original recipe for "Gingerbread Men" from Elena Amsterdam's, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.  Then, I made a few tweaks to suit our needs.  Here's the recipe I used:

Ingredients:
3 cups blanched almond flour
1 tbspn ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup coconut oil (If it's cold and solidified, melt it down first.)
scant 1/2 cup honey (If using raw like I do, soften on low heat first.)
1 tbspn vanilla extract
1 egg
Little things like raisins, cacao nibs or chocolate chips, goji berries, cranberries, etc. for decorating

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt, baking soda and cloves.
In another bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, honey, vanilla extract, and egg.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix until combined.
Cover the dough and place into the freezer for at least 2 hours.
Remove from freezer and roll the dough to 1/2 inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper.  If sticky, dust with almond flour.  Remove the top sheet and parchment paper and cut the cookies using a cookie cutter (I got mine at Bed, Bath and Beyond).  Roll the dough again and repeat until you have used all the dough.
Place onto the cookie sheets and leave space between each cookie.
Decorate with your toppings of choice - this was a blast for my son!
Bake for 8-12 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges.  Let the cookies cool on the sheets and then enjoy.

Note: I accidentally baked my first batch too long, but they turned out amazing with a little crispiness around the edges, so don't worry if this happens.  The other batch was delish, too!

Grain Free Bagels and Dairy Free Creamy Cheese

It's the time of year for traditional Jewish foods, and I've been getting lots of great ideas from Elana at Elana's Pantry!  My family and guests especially loved her Honey Cake and Tsimmes (I made with dates instead of prunes), which I didn't take pictures of because we devoured it all so quickly!  I also learned by making the cake that substituting ghee for palm shortening works just great!

Today I made her bagel recipe and everyone loved them!  I used chia seeds (ground in a nut grinder first) instead of flax and I left out the poppy seeds.  You can see the recipe here:  Elana's Paleo Bagels.

My son wanted some cream cheese and since we don't eat dairy, I had to be creative.  I found a recipe here http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/2012/12/how-to-make-soy-free-vegan-cream-cheese/ and then I did my own thing with it:

"Dairy Free Creamy Cheese"

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cashews
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
around a 1/4 cup water (enough so that the blender will work, but not so much that it is runny)
sea salt

Directions:
I don't plan ahead for recipes well.  When I get a taste for something, I want to make it right away.  So, I didn't have 24 hours to soak cashews.  But, I do have a high speed blender.  So, I just placed the first 3 ingredients into the blender and blended on really high until smooth.   Then, I mixed in sea salt to taste.

At first I thought that the apple cider vinegar flavor was too strong.  But, after I placed it into the refrigerator for a few hours, the taste was perfect!  And the texture was also just right for spreading or even dipping.  I had to make myself stop eating!  My son and husband ended up enjoying their bagels with organic strawberry preserves, and everyone was happy!

Shrimp and Broccoli

An easy to make dinner that my son loved!

Ingredients:
Fresh or frozen broccoli florets
Wild, peeled and deveined shrimp
Onion
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
Ghee or coconut oil - will provide different tastes in the end, and either is great!
Sea Salt

Directions:
Steam broccoli until soft, but still bright green
Saute onions and garlic in ghee or coconut oil in a pan
Boil shrimp in water until curled up and able to be poked through with a fork
Add cooked shrimp and broccoli into pan with onions and cover with more ghee
Add some salt to taste
Enjoy!

Grain Free, Sugar Free Muffins

I have been on a sugar free, grain free muffin kick for about two weeks.  I took some recipes I found in different places and changed them to be sweetened only by fruits and stevia.  All were delicious!  Above you see Date Pecan Muffins.  Below, Apple Cinnamon Walnut Muffins.  And last, Strawberry Banana Muffins!

Now that I've been cooking for a few years (I used to only eat pre-packaged food or take-out from restaurants), I feel much more confident about changing other people's recipes to suit my family's personal needs.  I'd share the recipes I used for the above, but I was creating them on the fly and not completely measuring everything.  All three are made from almond flour and eggs, use about 10-15 drops of vanilla stevia, and contain some amount of coconut milk and unsweetened applesauce.  I usually look for recipes from Elana Amsterdam of Elana's Pantry, or Danielle Walker of Against All Grain, and then modify them.  Also, Kelly of The Spunky Coconut shares creative ideas, too.

I encourage you to do this, too.  Don't ever feel limited by a recipe you find.  Paleo recipes are especially open to change.  For instance, when you see palm oil as an ingredient, you can substitute with ghee and sometimes coconut oil for more nutrition and less damage to the rainforest.

Happy Baking!

Nutrient Density and Superfoods

We know that we are supposed to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.  However, not all fruits and veggies are created equally.  That is, they don't have the same quality of health-promoting nutrients.  Here are some of the ones that we make sure to get into our diet so that we are getting plenty of colors (these different vibrations are important and beneficial to the body), antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

• Superfruits:  Gogi berries, mulberries, golden berries, blueberries - Berries are the key!  They are lower in sugar, come in a multitude of colors, and are so healthful.
• Green Veggies:  From leafy greens to broccoli, green is vital to life.  You can blend or juice green veggies, break them up and add them to soups, or use them a little wraps for sandwiches.  My son adores eating broccoli with ghee and a little sea salt.  Make green a daily habit for everyone in your family.  Be creative to find ways to get it all into everyone's bodies.
• Yellow and Orange Veggies:  Squash and sweet potatoes are a good source of carbs and beta carotene.  They are especially wonderful to enjoy as carbs in diets that exclude grains.
• Nuts and Seeds:  Soaked and dehydrated pecans, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and almonds provide nutrition, good fats, and proteins.  It is nice to enjoy them with some superfood berries!

If you fill up on corn, peas, and white potatoes as your veggies, there is no room left for the ones that are more nutritious and less sugar-dense.  Likewise, grapes, watermelon, and bananas are so fun to eat, but their sugar content is very high.  Peanuts are not even actually nuts, and don't contain the nutrient density of other nuts, in addition to being a common allergen.  If you can get your nutrients from other sources, like superfruits and berries then you are doing your body a great service.  Try to make these sugary fruits and veggies a sometimes food, while eating the superfoods everyday.

Go For Nutrition When You Eat

Make everything you eat have a purpose toward nourishing your body.  Nutrient dense foods can be really delicious.  Adding a little coconut oil or ghee with some sea salt to your veggies can bring in beneficial fats and minerals, while making them taste great!  Our bodies aren't designed to utilize empty calories for the purpose of being able to thrive.  If you want a snack, think about what nutrition your body is needing in the moment and then put that food into it.  Not a grain cracker or cereal fortified with vitamins, but pure vitamins right from the natural source.  If you need protein, don't opt for some kind of overly processed protein powder drink or bar, eat some pure protein from an organic source.  And yes, despite what marketing will tell you, your body can tell the difference.

Simple Sweet Potato Fries

I find that eating the simplest foods that are the most packed with nutrition possible is the best.  Loading up with too many ingredients just makes more for sensitive bodies to work to digest.  Here is a two ingredient, super-delicious, kid-friendly recipe!  My son loves these - he won't eat sweet potatoes in any other form!  I have also served these to other kids and to my husband, and everyone loves them!

Ingredients:
To make these delicious sweet potato fries, all you need is:
Organic sweet potatoes
Sea Salt

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
• Cut up the sweet potatoes in the shapes and sizes you like.  Try to make them a somewhat uniform thickness so that they will bake evenly at the same time.
• Place onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes and then flip them over.  Keep an eye on them from this point on.  My son likes them kind of crunchy, but you can also cook them for less time and they will soft and also super yummy.  You don't want to take the out before they are soft, though, or they will not be thoroughly cooked through.
• When they have reached your desired texture and doneness, sprinkle with sea salt, allow to cool slightly and enjoy!

Chia Breakfast "Cereal"

This is a simple, nutritious, delicious and easy alternative to cereals and oatmeal for breakfast.

Ingredients:
About 1/4 cup chia seeds
Almond milk to fill up your bowl (about a cup) - The more "milky" you want it to be, the more almond milk you use.  Otherwise it is more of a pudding type consistency, which is also delicious.  The more milky, liquid style is more similar to eating cereal.
maple syrup to taste
optional:  add bananas, blueberries and/or strawberries

Directions:
Put chia seeds in a small bowl
Add almond milk and stir
Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes for the chia seeds to get soft and to gel
Stir again and break up clumps
Sit for a few more minutes (you can place in the refrigerator if you would like)
Add maple syrup to taste and enjoy as you would a bowl of cereal or oatmeal.

Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream

YUM and easy!  Only three ingredients!  It is so creamy and delicious!

Ingredients:

Frozen organic strawberries - around 10, but use amounts to your liking

coconut sugar - you can make it as sweet as you like

1 organic avocado

Directions:

Blend all together in a food processor until smooth

Enjoy your creamy treat!

Gluten Free Healthy Oatmeal

I don't post a lot of recipes with grains anymore, since my son and I no longer eat them.  However, my husband loves this oatmeal!  It is so easy to make and has no refined sugars.  I make him a small portion, but with the added fruits and nuts it fills him up just fine.  You can make larger portions easily.  I only buy gluten free, organic oats.  See the link below.  Also, be very careful which kind of stevia you purchase.  Some are loaded with chemical additives.  I use sweetleaf stevia.  This is also great with added fresh blueberries or other berries.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup gluten free, organic oats
1/2 cup pure water
1 ripe banana
ground cinammon
1 stevia packet
handful of walnuts

Directions:
In a small pot, bring the water to a boil.
Add the oats and stir until water is absorbed.  (It only takes a few minutes, so keep an eye on it.)
Smash the ripe banana in a bowl using a fork.
Add some shakes of cinnamon and the stevia packet.
Mix together with a spoon and then add the oats and mix again.
Break some walnuts into the bowl and then mix together again.
Add berries if you like.
Enjoy your oatmeal!

OMG Grain and Dairy Free Carrot Cake

There is a good reason for the name of this cake:  It is that incredibly delicious.  I literally uttered "Oh my god," while I was eating it.  I made this for myself as a special treat for making it through a challenging week.  It is inspired by a recipe from Elana Amsterdam of Elana's Pantry blog.  I tweaked it in several ways, including this dairy free cashew frosting.  I also only made one layer instead of two.  Remember that when you find a recipe you want to make, but have certain dietary conditions, just change it to meet your needs.  I do this all the time, and I will admit that I was really hesitant to try it at first.  Sometimes the results are not so good, but sometimes they are amazingly fantastic like this cake today!  So, be brave.  You never know how good it can be until you try it.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of almond flour
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tblspn ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 cup safflower oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 organic eggs
1/2 tsp of ground chia seeds
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
Grease a cake pan (or a pie pan) with some coconut oil (or other oil) and dust with almond flour.
In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, sea salt, baking soda, and spices.
In a medium bowl, mix together the safflower oil, maple syrup, eggs and ground chia seeds.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry.
Add in the carrots, raisins and walnuts. (I actually ground the walnuts with a nut/coffee grinder.  It was like adding another flour.  And I left a few chunks, which are so delicious in the cake.)
Put the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 35 minutes until a fork or toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Let the cake cool off.

Cashew Frosting:

I love to experiment with different non-dairy versions of typically dairy foods to make with cashews.  You can adjust this frosting to your own sweetness level.  I made this one "too sweet" for my husband, so I got to eat the whole thing by myself!  :)
Blend together in a high speed blender on very high the following ingredients:
1/3 cup raw cashews
1 - 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 - 1 cup of maple syrup
1/4 cup almond milk

You really want to blend on high so that it is smooth and also less liquidy and runny.

Pour over the cake and spread evenly.  Cool in the fridge for a bit to set the icing.  I know it is hard to wait, but it is worth it for the total yum experience.

I hope you enjoy!!   This is by far one of the best things I have ever eaten.  :)

Balsamic Beets

I have never been a big beet eater, but this recipe really has won me over!  Delicious!  I actually bought three large beets at the store.  The first, I juiced and drank.  That was OK.  The second, I cut up and ate raw with a salad.  Also, OK.  The last one, I cooked and oh boy was it good!  Beets have so many healthful qualities and I am glad that there are so many ways to enjoy them.

Ingredients:
Red beets
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Sea Salt

Directions:
Cut off stems and peel however many beets you want to cook.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place beet(s) in an oven safe dish with 1/2 - an inch of water and cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
Cook in oven for 45 mins - an hour until soft enough to poke a fork through.
Remove from oven and dump out water or change beets to another bowl.
Pour some balsamic vinegar over them, followed by a generous amount of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
Enjoy!!

My Homemade Dog Food Recipe

Over the last few months, I have been making my dogs' food myself.  My smaller dog never liked eating store-bought food.  He used to dump his bowl over and then walk away, leaving the food on the floor!  Over the years, I have tried several brands for them, moving away from the popular, but highly toxic Science Diet, once learned about the dangers of GMO corn and soy.  I even bought ones with more organic ingredients, but little Murphy still dumped his bowl over.  So, finally, I decided to make it myself.  Now, he gets so excited to eat his meals, he whimpers at me and jumps around until I give him his food!  They both devour every morsel as quickly as they can.  I feel so good that I can give them what they need and what they like each day.  It does take some time, but it is so worth it.  Our dogs are an integral and important part of our family and they deserve healthy foods, too!

I spent a lot of time researching until I came up with this recipe.  The added nutrients I learned about from Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats.  I make his "Healthy Powder" in bulk and keep it in the refrigerator and then add 4 spoonfuls to each batch of food I make.  You can make as large of a batch as you want and freeze it.  I prefer to make smaller batches and use them right away.  But, I have made more when I have had to go out of town and freezing them worked out perfectly.  This is the most common recipe I use for them, but I have also used chicken and also eggs as a protein base.

My little Murphy can't digest any veggies except for sweet potatoes, although Hollie is fine with other veggies.  So, if you want to add more veggies and see how your dog does, you can do that.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of organic or natural (no antibiotics or hormones) ground beef

2 organic sweet potatoes

Organic olive oil

Dr. Pitcairn's Healthy Powder (see link above)

2/3 scoop of organic wheatgrass powder

Three or four handfuls of organic, gluten free oats

coconut or safflower oil for cooking

Add ins:

I add a little bit of cod liver oil to their bowl in the morning and a scoop of plain, organic yogurt with their dinner.

Directions:

Boil the sweet potatoes until completely soft

Once they are cooled a bit, peel them.

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.

Add the beef and brown.

Once the meat is cooked, remove from the heat.  Pour olive oil over it and mix it in.  Add the sweet potatoes and mix together with a spoon or spatula.  Add the oats and then mix 4 tsp of Healthy Powder and the wheatgrass.

Allow to cool and then feed the happy dogs!

Store in the refrigerator or freezer and use as needed.  This much would last quite a while for a small dog, but with my Golden Retriever and the little guy together, it only lasts three days.

Kids' Favorite Green Smoothie

If your child does not like to eat veggies, have no fear!  Smoothies are the answer!  This is the recipe for my son's favorite green smoothie.  It is easy to make, delicious and contains loads of beneficial fiber, vitamins and minerals.  Plus, it is packed with detoxifying power!

Ingredients - Use Organic:

Two big handfuls of fresh spinach leaves

One ripe banana

One carrot, cut into chunks

About a 1/2 cup of frozen mango (more if you are making it for two people)

1/2 - 1 cup of unfiltered apple juice (use the 1 cup if you are making it for two people)

An extra dash of pure water

Note:  You do not have to use the apple juice.  I have made this with water as a base and it is still delicious.  Also, you can use orange juice.

Optional:

Add a few tablets of organic, broken cell wall chlorella for extra detox support.

Directions:

Place everything in a high speed blender.

Blend until completely smooth.

Note:  I have a Blendtec and I use the "smoothie" setting and then blend it again for about 20-30 more seconds on a 3 setting.

Pour into a tall glass and smile as you watch your child drinking up the goodness!

Grain Free, Vegan Happy Peanut Butter Cookies

These grain free, vegan peanut butter cookies so delicious and so easy to make - a sure way to bring a smile to your kids' faces!  I have recently discovered these Lily's Dark Chocolate baking chips.  I like to buy them because they are non-GMO, natural, fair trade, vegan and have no sugar or evaporated cane juice.  I hope you will enjoy them as much as my family did!

Ingredients:
2 cups almond flour
1 cup peanut butter (I use plain, organic pb with nothing added)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil melted
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate chips - optional

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line two baking sheets with non-bleached parchment paper.
Combine the almond flour, baking soda and sea salt in a medium bowl.
Combine the peanut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla in a large bowl.  Mix with a spoon.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ones.
Form cookie shapes with your hands and place onto prepared baking sheets.
Add chocolate chips if you desire.
Bake for approx. 15 minutes.  Watch carefully after 12 minutes because they can burn easily on the bottoms.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes.

Healing Grass Fed Burger Bites

Here's something that we have found to be very helpful for respiratory allergy flare ups, which I haven't really read anywhere:  Add more high quality fats to the diet!  I know, it even still seems odd to me, but it has to do with balance.  My son has really been having some allergies lately with the change of the season and despite all that I have done to help him, this morning, the sneezing was still persisting.  So, I made him some organic, grass fed beef burgers cooked in organic, grass fed ghee and viola!  Sneezing and drippy nose has stopped.  He tends to like to eat vegetarian foods, mostly vegan, but this just does not provide enough of the necessary fats that he needs.  I have personally experienced this very same thing.  Neither of us eat cow's dairy products, but sometimes we really do need the special vibration of ghee.  Ghee has the lactose removed from the butter.

Here are some other things you can do for allergy flare ups:
1.  Eliminate chemicals from the diet and environment
2.  Use air purifiers
3.  Take sea salt or epsom salt baths
4.  Energetically clear your space
5.  Drink green smoothies and make sure to get plenty of vitamin C
6.  Get outside and get vitamin D from the sunshine
7.  Get plenty of rest

Ingredients:
One pound of organic, grass fed ground beef
Sea Salt
Organic garlic powder
Organic, grass fed ghee

Directions:
Heat a spoonful of ghee over medium heat
Sprinkle sea salt and garlic powder into the ground meat
Shape the beef into burger shapes with your hands
Place the burgers into the pan and cook for several minutes until cooked through.
Cut into fourths and serve

Sweet Golden Beets

Delicious and nutritious!  I thought I'd try something new with these beautiful golden beets today.  I cooked them in coconut oil, which added some sweetness and then drizzled them with a little bit of pure maple syrup.  So good!

Ingredients:
Three golden beets
Sea Salt
Maple Syrup
Coconut Oil

Directions:
Heat a spoonful of coconut oil in a skillet over medium low heat
Peel beets and cut into thin slices
Cook in the oil until slightly browned
Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with maple syrup

Vegan Strawberry Chia Pudding

This is a delicious pudding, which I love to have for breakfast.  It is so simple to make.  You can adjust your sweeteners as you wish, but you don't need to add too much because the strawberries are already sweet.  In fact, you don't need to add any sweeteners at all, I just have such a sweet tooth!  You can also add a 1/2 or whole ripe banana to this, which eliminates the need for any other sweeteners, too.  Remember to use organic strawberries to avoid a lot of pesticides.  Using frozen strawberries assures you will have the perfect consistency without having to refrigerate, so you can enjoy eating it right away!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 cup plain almond milk
3/16 cup (1/8 + 1/16 cup)  chia seeds
8 small frozen organic strawberries (adjust amounts if you have large strawberries)
2 medjool dates
1 tsp coconut sugar

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.