Paleo Patriot Cookies

21 Apr

Unless you live under a rock you probably know that last Monday, Patriot’s Day in Massachusetts, was marred by two bombs being detonated at the Boston Marathon finish line.  While we all waited for the who/what/why and any additional information, life went on for me commuting to Cambridge on a daily basis.  Then came Friday.  Without seeing the news the night before or on Friday morning (I like NPR, but John listens to country music on Pandora on the way to work and he was driving so he wins) we headed into Cambridge at 5:43am. Roads were eerily deserted, but hey, it is Friday morning on a school vacation week, right? Exiting the highway at 6:21am my cell phone is ringing (who is calling me now?). My awesome coworker, “Where are you? Don’t go into Cambridge! The city is on lockdown! You can come to my house for breakfast, but don’t go into the city!” I’d like to thank T-mobile for my shittastic reception along the highway because I now see 5 missed calls (phone never rang) and text messages – even from a friend in Vegas! We pull over, John has gotten no info from work and not a single cop we’ve passed (about 5 in total) has stopped us, but I’ve been told by everyone to stay away from our building. So we go to his building. 45 minutes later after many cruisers rush by sirens blaring we head home…before the official lockdown. By late afternoon and the manhunt still ongoing I knew I was never getting to work, so I ran errands and made some new paleo cookies. Here they are paleo raspberry filled cashew butter cookies that, by the time I dipped them in chocolate, were celebratory cookies because the suspect who was the reason for the manhunt and lockdown of the city was captured!  Therefore I am naming them patriot cookies, in honor of our history, and in honor of all of the patriots who were involved in the events of the last week: police, FBI, first responders, and everyday citizens who dropped everything to help others and find those responsible.  Thank you.  I realize locking down the city and suburbs cost tens of millions of dollars and you know what?  Catching this guy was worth it!

Ingredients:

Cashew Butter Cookie Dough

3/4 cup organic palm shortening

1 1/2 cup coconut crystals

1 1/2 cups cashew butter

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 3/4 cups almond meal

Raspberry Filling

24oz frozen raspberries, thawed

2/3 cup coconut crystals

1 cup water

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

Chocolate Coating

10 oz Enjoy Life dairy free, soy free, nut free, gluten free semisweet chocolate chips

1 tsp. canola oil

Method:

In a small saucepan over medium heat combine raspberries, coconut sugar, water and lemon juice.  Simmer the raspberry mixture for 20 minutes.  Before pressing the mixture through a wire mesh strainer (to remove as many seeds as possible) I took an immersion blender to the mixture to make it smoother and easier to strain.  Once the mixture was strained I slowly stirred in the xanthan gum a little bit at a time, then I set the mixture aside.  For the cookies in your stand mixer cream together shortening and coconut crystals, then add cashew butter and blend well.  Add eggs, salt, and vanilla and blend well.  Add almond meal and blend until evenly combined into dough.  Using a one tablespoon size cookie scooper dollop dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Use your thumb or knuckle to make a well in the center of the cookie.  Fill the well in the cookie with a half teaspoon of raspberry filling.  Bake the cookies at 350°F for 12 minutes.  For the chocolate mix the semisweet chocolate chips with canola oil and melt in a double boiler.  When cookies have cooled completely dip half of each in the chocolate mixture.  Makes about 85 cookies.

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Paleo Pan Seared Wild Fish

27 Mar

John made dinner tonight!  If you are ever looking for a fast, but healthy, meal fish is about as fast as it gets.  Not to mention it doesn’t get much easier than a 5 ingredient recipe (and I’m including salt and pepper in those 5).

Ingredients:

2-3 wild fish fillets (6oz each) – tonight was wild sockeye salmon and wild Alaskan cod

1-3 tbl. olive oil

Kosher or sea salt

Pepper

2-3 tbl. lemon juice

Method:

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until HOT.  Season both sides of your fish with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add just enough olive oil to coat the skillet.  Add your fish to the skillet.  If your fish has skin add it to the skillet skin side up, this way the last part you will cook is the skin at it will be nice and crispy for your first bite.  Cook approximately 3 minutes, the fish will easily release from the pan when it is ready to flip.  Flip over and cook for 2 minutes.  Add lemon juice to the pan and cook for an additional minute or so until the fish is cooked through.

 

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Paleo Chai Pancakes with Raspberry Custard

25 Mar

Here is my fifth and final experiment that I planned for the weekend, but just ran out of time.  That’s ok, who doesn’t like breakfast for dinner?  I find chai spices to be very powerful so I kept this recipe on the mild side.  If you really really love chai, make (and try) one test pancake then add more spice as desired.  This recipe makes 10 pancakes, but custard enough for 20-30 pancakes (unless you really want to pile it on each pancake, then you might have just enough 🙂 ).

Ingredients:

Pancakes

3 large eggs + 1 egg white

2 tbl. + 2 tsp. organic blue agave

2 tbl. canola oil

1/2 tbl. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

3 1/2 tbl. coconut flour, sifted

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cardamom

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Coconut oil (for the pan)

Custard

1/4 cup frozen raspberries, thawed

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

3/4 cup vanilla coconut milk beverage (or Thai kitchen full fat coconut milk)

1 large egg yolk

10 drops vanilla creme stevia

Method:

For the pancakes whisk together the wet ingredients and salt, then whisk in sifted dry ingredients.  Heat coconut oil in a nonstick skillet over medium low heat.  For each pancake drop 1/8 cup batter into the skillet.  Cook 1- 1 1/2 minutes on the first side, carefully flip over and cook an additional 30 second – 1 minute on the second side.

For the custard briefly cook and mash raspberries in a small skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Mix together salt and xanthan gum and add to a small saucepan over medium low heat.  Whisk coconut milk into saucepan.  Whisk in cooked raspberries.  In a separate bowl whisk together egg yolk and vanilla creme liquid stevia.  Temper the egg by whisking a few tablespoons of the warm raspberry milk mixture to the egg, then whisk all of the egg into the raspberry milk mixture.  Whisk over warm heat until thick, remove from heat, pour over pancakes and enjoy!

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Paleo Coconut Pomegranate Cupcakes

25 Mar

I had a very busy day experimenting in the kitchen and this was my final recipe of the day.  Perfect timing, always great to end the day taste testing a cupcake!  Moist, sweet, delicious!

Ingredients:

Cupcake

1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 scoop Jay Robb vanilla egg white protein powder

3 large eggs

1/2 cup organic blue agave

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup pomegranate juice

1/4 tsp. coconut extract

Frosting

1/3 cup Earth Balance coconut spread

1/3 cup palm shortening

1/2 cup coconut palm sugar arrowroot powder blend

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup pomegranate juice

Unsweetened flaked coconut (for garnish)

Method:

For the cupcakes whisk the wet ingredients and kosher salt together.  Sift together the dry ingredients and whisk them into the wet.  Distribute the batter evenly between 12 cupcake wrappers in a cupcake tin and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.  Mix together 1 cup of coconut palm sugar and 1 tbl. arrowroot powder and, in batches, put this through a coffee/spice grinder until it is as finely powdered as you can get it (you won’t need all of this, save the extra in a sealed container).  With the paddle attachment of your stand mixer beat together coconut spread, coconut palm sugar arrowroot powder blent, and palm shortening until smooth.  Add pomegranate juice and vanilla extract and beat until soft and smooth.  Top completely cooled cupcakes with frosting and sprinkle with unsweetened flaked coconut.

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Paleo White Pizza: garlic leek sauce with prosciutto, chicken, and arugula

24 Mar

The most common cheat foods have got to be cheese, pizza, pasta, and ice cream…right?  Yes, I’ve come up with paleo pizza recipes, but there are still two pizza places out there that have me beat!  Tonight I got extra creative in the kitchen because the gym is about to start a 60 day paleo challenge and I want to help my fellow Paleo Princess get through the next three months without a cheat day!  I’m really excited about this recipe.  Does it take some time to put together?  Yes.  Is it worth it?  Yes.

Ingredients:

Crust

3 1/2 cups riced cauliflower (one small head)

1 1/3 cups almond flour (I used almond flour because I was out of almond meal and the closest sore only had blanched almond flour)

5 eggs

3 1/2 tbl. nutritional yeast (NOT active yeast)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

~ 8 grinds fresh pepper

3/4 tsp. dried parsley

Sauce

2 sautéed leeks

2 heads garlic, roasted

2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage or So Delicious culinary coconut milk

1 tbl. olive oil

1/8-1/4 tsp. xanthan gum

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

~ 10 grinds fresh pepper

1/2 tsp. red pepper flake

Toppings

1 cup cooked chicken, diced

1/2 pound prosciutto

~2 oz. arugula

2 tbl. olive oil

1 tbl. lemon juice

Method:

Chop tops off garlic heads to expose cloves.  Wrap garlic heads in aluminum foil and bake at 350°F until the exposed gloves are browned and the garlic is soft, 45-60 minutes.  Rice cauliflower in your food processor and combine all crust ingredients into a dough.  Spread crust over a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake crust at 450°F for 15 minutes.  For the sauce, squeeze the roasted garlic out of the bulb and into your food processor.  Clean, thinly slice, and saute two leeks in 1/2 tbl. olive oil until tender.  Add leeks, coconut milk beverage, olive oil, xanthan gum, kosher salt and red pepper flake to garlic in the food processor and blend until smooth.  Spread sauce over crust.  Top with prosciutto and chicken.  Whisk together 2 tbl. olive oil and 1 tbl. lemon juice and toss with arugula.  Top the pizza with half of the arugula and bake at 450°F for an additional 10-15 minutes.  Optional:  top finished pizza with remaining arugula.

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Paleo & Whole30 Spicy Kale Chips

24 Mar

Kale chips are a great snack and this afternoon I wanted to try spicing them up a bit.  Absolute success, so if you’re looking to change things up a bit give this a try.

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale, washed, removed from stems in chip size pieces

2/3 cup raw cashews soaked in water overnight (soak 2 hours minimum)

3 tbl. lemon juice

1 tsp. nutritional yeast (NOT active yeast)

2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

2/4 tsp. Himalayan salt (can use sea or kosher salt)

Method:

Place cashews in a bowl, add water to cover, and let sit overnight.  Wash kale, remove stems, tear into medium size pieces and set aside to dry.  Strain the nuts and process in a food processor with lemon juice, yeast, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and salt until the mixture is smooth.  Toss/massage the spice mixture with the kale.  Place the kale in a single layer on a rack over a baking sheet (you’ll probably need two) and bake at 225°F for 20 minutes.  Raise oven temperature to 300°F and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

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Paleo strawberry mango nut bars

24 Mar

Larabars are great, and the majority of them are paleo (my favorite is the key lime pie), but sometimes I just need something with a little more crunch!  This is a simple, delicious recipe that makes about 10 bars.

Ingredients:

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup candied pecans (recipe p. 122 Paleo Made Easy)

1/2 cup pecan halves

1/3 cup flax seed meal

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup dried strawberries (purchased mine from Steve’s Original)

1/2 cup dried mango (also from Steve’s Original), diced

4 tbl. strawberry puree

20 drops vanilla creme stevia

Method:

Thaw a handful of frozen strawberries and puree in a blender.  Place almonds, pecans, flax, and dried fruit in a food processor.  Add 20 drops of vanilla creme stevia and pulse the mixture until ground.  Add strawberry puree and pulse until dough is sticking together.  Press dough firmly into a pan, I used a 7.5×11 inch aluminum pan (odd size I know, great for fudge and things like this though) lined with parchment paper.  Place the pan in the freezer for about 45 minutes then cut into bars.

 

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Repurposing Paleo Recipes

24 Mar

We all have our favorite paleo recipes, paleo recipe sites, paleo cookbooks.  There is always more within those pages than you might realize.  There are ingredients or portions of a recipe that you can use in entirely new ways.  Eating paleo never has to be boring or monotonus.  Paleo eating certainly should never be bland, although a lot of recipes out there are (beware!).

Here a two great examples.  Paleo granola (Paleo Made Easy p. 25).  I originally made this recipe to have, you guessed it, granola!  Having granola meant having a crunchy snack that I could just grab and eat, plus it meant I could make parfaits (Paleo Made Easy p. 33) or simply just add it to coconut milk yogurt (I recommend So Delicious Greek style coconut milk yogurt in raspberry or strawberry).  How was this granola repurposed?  As CEREAL!  Just pour some in a bowl, add almond milk (or coconut milk beverage if you prefer), grab a spoon and enjoy!  The best part about using granola for cereal aside from it tasting awesome, is that it doesn’t get soggy!

Paleo Made Easy granola cereal

Paleo Made Easy granola cereal

Another repurposed recipe is the chocolate peppermint coating for my Paleo Cave Girl Scout Cookies (Paleo Made Easy p. 123).  I was making the cookies one afternoon and friends in the house were dragging.  We decided espresso over coffee which turned into wanting to try almond milk lattes.  As soon as the espresso was poured into the almond milk I asked a friend to bring me her cup and I drizzled some of my paleo peppermint chocolate coating over her latte.  Delicious!

Paleo almond milk latte with peppermint chocolate drizzle and cave girl scout cookie

Paleo almond milk latte with peppermint chocolate drizzle and cave girl scout cookie

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PaleOMG’s Bacon Pecan Brussels Sprouts

2 Mar

I made PaleOMG’s bacon pecan brussels sprouts as a side dish the other weekend and it was so fabulous I had to promote it here too.  Juli Bauer is the author/cook/athlete behind PaleOMG and you can find this original recipe at http://paleomg.com/bacon-pecan-brussel-sprouts/  I was cooking for seven people so I increased the amount I made.

Ingredients:

1 stalk of brussels sprouts (yes, bought them fresh on the stalk), sliced in half lengthwise

12 ounces uncured nitrate free bacon, diced (I used thick cut)

1 cup pecan halves, chopped

Kosher or sea salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Cut the brussels sprouts off the stalk and slice each one in half lengthwise.  Cook bacon in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until almost perfectly crispy.  At this point add the pecans and continue cooking until bacon is fully crispy.  Leaving fat in skillet, remove bacon and pecans to a paper towel to drain.  Add brussels sprouts to the skillet with bacon fat and pan roast for 4 minutes.  Season brussels sprouts with kosher salt and pepper and transfer brussels sprouts to a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 375°F for 10 minutes.  Remove the brussels sprouts from the oven, toss with cooked bacon and pecans, return everything to the over and roast for an additional 15 minutes at 375°F.  Even the people at the table who HATE brussels sprouts not only ate these, but had seconds.  Thank you PaleoOMG!

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Paleo Chocolate Cream Pie

2 Mar

Who doesn’t love a good paleo dessert?  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Crust
¼ cup almond meal
1/3 cup + 2 tbl. Coconut flour
¼ tsp. kosher or sea salt
¼ tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
¼ cup organic blue agave
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Chocolate Pudding
3 ripe avocados
3 tbl. Ghee or Earth Balance soy free buttery spread
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup organic blue agave
¾ cup cocoa powder

Whipped cream
Vanilla bean whipped coconut cream recipe p. 129 of Paleo Made Easy

Method:
Crust
Mix together the dry crust ingredients, then mix in the wet ingredients. Once combined press crust dough into the bottom and up the sides of a pie dish greased with coconut oil. Dock the crust with a fork and bake for 12 minutes at 350°F.

Chocolate pudding
Slice ripe avocados in half, carefully remove and discard pit, and scoop avocado from skin. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.

Assembly
Cool crust, fill with pudding, top with whipped cream, and chill.

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