Paleo Grain Free Pancakes -two different recipes

My little guy, has a super sensitive stomach. He really can't eat any grains, not even gluten free ones at this point. His older brother eats gluten free pancakes on occasion, and the poor little guy wants pancakes like big brother.  I started making these for my youngest, but both boys eat these almost every morning. I typically make a double batch.  I just made these up one day, and they surprisingly taste pretty good. I've been experimenting with a few different recipes. The first on (one using eggs). I think tastes the best. Saying that, if you need an egg free recipe, the second one is pretty dang good considering what's in it...or should I say what's missing from it. My little one gobbles both of them up.

Paleo-ish Apple Banana Pancakes -egg version 

*these have more of a classic pancake feel to them

(Yeilds about 8 silver dollar size pancakes)

- 1 banana mashed

- 2 eggs

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp coconut flour

1 tsp almond flour (you can omit this and they will turn out fine)

Pinch of sea salt

Ghee or butter for cooking

Instructions:

- Mash the banana

- Mix together all ingredients

- Heat a skillet to medium heat. Put a good amount of ghee or butter in a pan. Drop by Tablespoonfuls and cook until nice and brown on each side.   Be gentle with them, I find making them on the smaller side helps. 

- Serve with organic real maple syrup. 

Enjoy!

Here is the egg, dairy, nut, and gluten free recipe:

Paleo Apple Banana "Pancakes" -egg, nut, dairy, gluten free recipe

1 medium apple peeled and shredded with a large shred cheese grater

*Optional* shred one small carrot on a fine shred cheese grater

1/2 banana mashed

1 TBS of sunflower seed butter.  Any nut butter would do. The sunflower butter does have a mild flavor. 

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp vanilla

Pinch of sea salt

Ghee or butter for cooking

-Shred the apple and carrot

-Squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the shredded apple and carrot. I used a nut milk bag. You can also use cheesecloth, or gently squeeze between some heavy duty good quality paper towels. Then set in a bowl. 

- Mash the banana and cream together the banana and nut butter until smooth. 

- Mix in the remaining ingredients, and combine the apples and carrots with the banana mixture. 

- Try not to get weirded out by the color. The bananas tend to turn really brown, and make the batter a very dark color ;)

- Heat a skillet to medium high heat. Put a good amount of ghee or butter in a pan. Drop by Tablespoonfuls and flatten out in the pan until nice and brown on each side. 

- Serve with organic real maple syrup. 

Enjoy!

Whoopie Pie Cupcakes -With Coconut Oil "buttercream" Frosting

Yes I went there!  My oldest has been badgering me to make cupcakes with "Halloween sprinkles" for days now...so we did just that. I just used regular old sprinkles from Target. Got to say though, next time I would plan better and get some without all the food dye and corn syrup :(  Kinda nasty, when i read the ingredients. 

 

If your not a huge fan of coconut flavor, you could substitute the coconut oil frosting for the traditional marshmallow fluff recipe in the original recipe over at Yankee Magazine

I modified a recipe from Yankee Magazine for these whoopie cakes!  The frosting I just made up, and I think it came out amazing!  

Whoopie Pie Cupcakes

 

• 2 cups all-purpose organic flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 TBS organic cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon pink sea salt
• 1/2 cup room temperature coconut oil or room temperature grass fed butter
• 1/2 cup organic brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup succant
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-Mix the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside

-Cream together the coconut oil and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy

-Add the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix well

-Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture until combine

-Fill a lined muffin tin with batter about 3/4 full. 

-Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cupcakes

Coconut Oil "buttercream"Frosting:

1 cup coconut oil (soft solid at room temp)

4 cups of organic powdered sugar

1-2 tsps of vanilla extract

-Whip coconut oil with an electric mixer until fluffy

-Add the vanilla extract

-Slowly add in the powder sugar

-Mix on high until fluffy

Sourdough English Muffin Bread

So the SD English muffins are easy to make for the most part, but I just get annoyed sometimes by the amount of cleanup from the flour, rolling out the dough, cutting out the rounds, and letting them rise.  You have to cook them on the stovetop. It's not difficult, just takes a few steps...well I'm busy, but don't want to sacrifice my families health so I'm always trying to come up with ways to simplify everything.

This I the same exact recipe and method for my Sourdough English Muffins, just a bit modified/simplified.
 

Sourdough English Muffin Bread
 * Recipe modified from The Fresh Loaf

1/2 C starter (mine is a 100% hydration white starter)

1 C milk

2-3/4 C all purpose flour

1 TBSP sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda


- Combine starter, 2 C of flour and milk in a large bowl. Stir to combine, cover with plastic wrap, and leave out for 8 hours or overnight.

- After the overnight rest, add the sugar, salt and baking soda and mix well. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 4-5 minutes.  Place into a well greased bread pan (I use coconut oil to grease)  Let rise anywhere from 1-3 hours.  The longer the rise, the fluffier less dense the loaf.  I like mine on the 2-3 hour side.

-Once bread has risen, Preheat oven to 375 degrees

-Bake about 20-23 min

-Let cool in pan 5-10 min then use a knife and separate from the bread pan, gently turn out onto a cooling rack and let cool. 
 

Super Easy Gluten Free Blueberry Mini Muffins

 

 

*These are also EGG FREE

 

1 cup Bobs Red Mill Baking Mix

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 TBS Sugar (I used organic Sucant)  *Love this stuff by the way here is a link to what it is and where to buy it.  Stay tuned for my post on Natural Sweeteners! Sucant

1/4 cup coconut oil melted

1/3 cup milk (or any milk substitute)

1/2 TBS vanilla extract

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

 

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

-Whisk wet ingredients together into a large bowl.  Mix dry ingredients into a separate bowl.

 

-Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients gradually.  Stir just until blended. 

 

-Gently fold in the blueberries.

 

-Grease mini (or standard) muffin tins with coconut oil.  I just use my hands for this.  Your body heat helps melt the oil and really spread it evenly. 

 

-Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full

 

-Bake 6-7 minutes, rotate the muffin tins, then bake another 6-7 minutes.

 

ENJOY!!

Tri Tip Spinach Salad

Tri Tip Asian Salad

Tri Tip Roast

(Slow cook the beef roast in the oven.  I seasoned with sea salt and pepper, and a smoked sea salt seasoning I have. Seared the outside in a hot skillet, then placed in a covered roasting pan in a 300 degree oven.  Add a little water or chicken or beef stock to keep the roast from drying out. (about a cup).  Also add  a few cloves of crushed garlic (I pressed them into the roast).  Cook anywhere from 3-5 hours depending on the tenderness you want.  The meat should just shred and fall apart when it is done)

 

Baby Spinach, Kale, or any type of hearty green

Red onions sliced thin

Carrots (shredded)

Sesame Seeds

Asian style salad dressing (I use Annie's Asian Sesame)

 

A squeeze or two on lemon or lime juice

 

Sesame seeds

 

-Shred your beef, add a little of the au jus from cooking on top, mix your dressing and your greens, top your greens with your tri tip, veggies, and a little more dressing and citrus juice.

 

ENJOY!!!

 

*The wonderful thing about this recipe, and many of my recipes, is there is always room for experimentation.  This gives you a basic outline, have fun, and throw some "add ins" in there!  I rarely make the same (exact) recipe twice! 

Sesame Seaweed Snacks!

 

 

Holy AWESOME!  Double points too for being so good for you. Talk about a low caloric extremely micro nutrient dense food!

If you haven't heard, sea veggies are a must in a healthy diet, not only do they provide your body with essential nutrients, they also aid in digestion and help carry toxins through your intestines, and ahem....out the other end of the tube!

My kids got me into this crispy salty seaweed snack. I happened to pick up a pack one day and my kids went cray cray for it!

We buy it cheap from Trader Joes $0.99 cents a package!

In trying to find a way to oomph it up for myself I experimented a bit and the combinations can be endless!  I did a sesame oil drizzle with crunchy pink sea salt and toasted sesame seeds.  I'm thinking along the lines of anything from a little sesame oil, and fresh grated ginger, to garlic powder mixed with pink sea salt to a hickory smoked sea salt I have.  Ummmm YUMMY!

 

 

 

A little education in sea veggies to those interested

 

Read more at:  Live Strong

Vitamins

According to the European Food Information Council, seaweed is one of the few vegetables that contain vitamin B12, which is important for a healthy nervous system. Wakame seaweed is a good source of vitamin A. Kelp and other types of seaweed contain measurable amounts of vitamins C, E and K, as well as niacin, folate and choline. In fact, just an ounce of seaweed can provide you with nearly 14 percent of your recommended daily allowance of folate, and one ounce of kelp provides 23 percent of your daily vitamin K needs.    

Minerals

Seaweed is high in minerals absorbed from seawater. One third of a cup of dulse contains 19 percent of the iron you need daily and wakame can provide 20 percent of your daily manganese needs. Dulse is also a source of potassium, and all seaweeds provide magnesium, iron and zinc among other minerals. Kelp is a good source of calcium, offering 17 percent of daily needs in one cup. Be cautious with the amount of kelp you add to your diet, as it has sometimes been found to contain heavy metals.

Iodine

Adequate amounts of iodine are essential for a healthy thyroid and during pregnancy. Iodine deficiency can lead to hypothyroidism and cause goiters. The only sources of iodine are dietary, and seaweed is a good source because seawater contains iodine. Information from the American Thyroid Association concludes that the cure for iodine deficiency and prevention of deficiency both come from ingesting adequate amounts of iodine. Just one-eighth of a cup of kelp provides all the iodine you need in a day, but you should also be aware that iodine needs should be balanced and excessive iodine can be dangerous and lead to hyperthyroidism. Only 150 mg per day is recommended by the Institute of Medicine. If you have thyroid problems, it's best to check with your doctor before adding more iodine to your diet.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial to brain development and can help prevent heart disease. One of the omega-3 fatty acids is DHA, which is vital to nervous system development and vision in infants. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, seaweed is a good source of DHA for vegetarians. In a study cited in a ScienceDaily.com article, researchers found that 200 mg of DHA daily can help prevent heart disease in men. One ounce of wakame seaweed contains a little over 52 mg of omega-3 fatty acids.

Anti-Cancer Benefits

In 2005, scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, found that when kelp is included in the diet, levels of estradiol decreased. Elevated levels of estradiol have been linked to the formation of breast cancer, and the researchers found that dietary kelp lowers estradiol levels. They concluded that including kelp in a healthy diet may lower the risk of breast cancer, but caution that more research is needed.

 

Another Great read on the benefits of sea veggies:

 

The Raw Food Witch

            

 

 

 

Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Chicken Quinoa

This meal is perfect on its own, and a great option for those looking for something gluten free.

Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Chicken Quinoa

Plan ahead and marinate the chicken breasts a few hours before you cook them. I marinated mine in Annie's Organic Asian Sesame dressing 2 grated cloves of garlic and about 1 tsp of grated ginger.

1 Cup of uncooked red quinoa

(Rinse then soak the quinoa in filtered water and 1 TBS of apple cider vinegar. You can soak as little as an hour or two, I usually soak mine 6-8 hours and sprout it. It helps release all the great digestive enzymes and breaks down the enzyme inhibitors. Making it easier to digest. I think it tastes much better too. Quinoa can taste a little bitter if its not prepared properly)

2 Cups of water or stock (to cook the quinoa in)

2 large chicken breasts

Roughly, 1-1/2 cups of sliced cremini mushrooms

1 Onion sliced thin

2 tsp of grated ginger

3 cloves of grated garlic

2 TBS of butter

Juice of one lemon

1/2 to 3/4 cup of original flavor hummus

1/4 to 1/2 cup of Asian Sesame  Dressing

This amount is for making the dressing, use as little or as much as you want/need to marinate the chicken in. 

(I love the Annie's Organic Sesame Ginger)

About 1 bag of baby spinach

* A little chopped cilantro is also excellent in this dish! 

Instructions

-Cook quinoa in 2 cups of liquid. If you soaked the quinoa, reduce the liquid. I usually soak mine about 6 hours, drain and rinse quinoa again, then add 1-1/2 cups (give or take) of liquid. Add a few pinches of sea salt and pepper to taste.   Grate in a clove of garlic and add a TBS of butter.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer cover and cook about 15 min until the water is absorbed. 

-Cook the chicken in a skillet with olive oil, and set aside. Slice chicken thin, or shred. 

-Meanwhile, add a TBS of butter to a pan set on medium low, add onions and mushrooms salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms and onions are nice and soft and caramelized. You don't want to cook them too high or fast. Low and slow.  Last 5 min of cooking add a clove of grated garlic. 

-Mix the hummus, Asian Sesame dressing, and lemon juice with a small whisk

-In a large bowl mix the hot quinoa, spinach, chicken, mushrooms, onions, and dressing. Toss until everything is combined. The spinach should wilt a bit as you mix it with the hot quinoa. 

-Enjoy!

Grain Free "Granola" Bars- kid tested and approved

This is a great snack/breakfast option for those trying to stay away from gluten and or grains. 

1 Tbs pumpkin seeds

1 Tbs sunflower seeds

1 Tbs raisins

1 Tbs finely shredded coconut

1 Tbs chopped dried apple rings. (About 4 rings)

3 small dates finely chopped

1 tsp raw honey

1 Tbs sunflower butter

1- 1/2 Tbs coconut oil

Instructions

-First mix the sunflower butter, coconut oil and honey together. You can melt it all together in the microwave or the stove top. 

Set aside

- Chop all your ingredients that need to be chopped, then add everything else above to the bowl of melted goodness. 

-Give a good mix. You can leave it as is, or pop it in a food processor and give it a very quick pulse or two. I do this since I am making them for my 18 month old, and he still only has 4 teeth. I find they hold together better this way as well.

-Line a muffin tin with liners and add a spoonful of the mixture to each muffin cup. This recipe yields about 6 "bars"

-Pop it in the freezer for about 10 min and viola!  

-Store in a zip lock bag in the fridge 

They will get a bit soft if left at room temperature. 

-Enjoy!!

* Variations- you can really add in about any type of dried fruit, seed or nuts you would like. I kept mine but free for my little one with food intolerances. 

Sweet Potato Shepard's Pie

Yum! Yum! Yum!  Comfort food, that you can feel a little better about ;)

Sweet Potato Shepard's Pie

1 pound grass fed beef

1 pound pastured lamb

2-3 slices of farm bacon chopped

2 large white potatoes

2-3 large sweet potatoes 

2 carrots chopped

1 medium onion chopped

1/4 cup frozen organic peas

1/4 cup frozen organic corn

2 cloves of garlic chopped

1 TBS of fresh thyme chopped

2 TBS butter

1/4-1/2 cup milk or cream

Salt and pepper to taste

A pinch of nutmeg (freshly grated is best)

-Cut potatoes in small chunks. Rinse with cold water. You can let them soak for a few hours with water and a TBS of apple cider vinegar, to help make them more digestible, or you can cook them right away. 

- If you soak them, rinse them again, then fill the pot with the potatoes with cool water and a good amount of sea salt. 

-Boil them until tender, about 15-20 min after the water starts to boil.  Drain when cooked through. 

-Meanwhile, brown the beef, bacon and lamb with a little salt and pepper to taste. 

-Remove from the pan, leaving the drippings. 

-In that same pan start sautéing the carrots and onions on medium heat.  Add salt and pepper to taste. You may have to keep adding a little stock or water to the pan and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. This also helps cook them faster. 

-After about 10 min I cover the pan and turn the heat down to med-low. Let it cook for another 10 min or so. Until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned. 

-Add the chopped garlic, thyme and nutmeg.  I use a micro plane to grate my garlic right in the pan.   Cook 5 min or so. 

-Next add the frozen organic peas and corn, and the meat mixture back into the pan.  Add about another 1/2-1 cup of liquid (stock or water, and scrape up any brown bits). Simmer covered on medium until the liquid is reduced and the frozen vegetables are heated through. 

-Mash the potatoes with 1-2 TBS of butter, and 1/4-1/2 cup of milk or cream and salt and pepper to taste. 

-Serve a scoop of potatoes and the meat and veggie mixture on top. 

-Enjoy!  

*This recipe is gluten free 

Nearly Gluten-Free Pancakes

I guess these technically are not totally gluten free, but the only wheat flour I use is a 1/2 cup of sourdough starter.

Since sourdough started is soaked fermented flour, a lot, if not all of the gluten is broken down. The older the starter, the more fermented and broken down the flour will become. Many people with Celiacs can even tolerate "REAL" sourdough that has been soaked and fermented properly. Click on the link below to learn more about traditional sourdough and how you can go about making it, or finding it.

SEE HERE To Learn About Sourdough

These are VERY good. You can even make these egg free, they will just be a little flatter and more dense. Still good, we made them egg free the other day. 

Nearly Gluten-Free Pancakes

1 Cup of Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free Flour Mix

(you can find this at most grocery stores, or get it HERE)

1/2 cup mature sourdough starter. 

(Buy HERE and make your own)

1 TBS of maple syrup or any other natural sweetener

1/2-3/4 cup of milk (add just enough to get the consistency you want)

1 egg

3/4 tsp sea salt

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

-Mix all ingredients and cook on medium in a greased skillet. Until lightly brown on both sides (We use ghee; clarified butter to grease the skillet) 

 

-Slather with organic grass fed butter and organic maple syrup!

Enjoy! 

Toddler Snack- Shaved Cinnamon Apples

This is so simple, I feel kinda silly devoting a post to it!  Saying that though, by shaving the apples with a carrot peeler, it made it the perfect toddler snack. I typically try to slice the apple very thin, but try as I may, I can never get the slices thin enough. My boy, only has four teeth, so he inevitably spits out the apple chunks that are too big to swallow.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Peel any type of apple you want

Leave the apple whole and just start shaving the apple with the peeler

Put the apple shavings in a zip lock baggie, add some cinnamon and give it a shake. 

That's it ;)

 

Overnight Creamy Cinnamon Chia Pudding

I have been wanting to make this for a while, but just never got around to it.  Wish I had sooner, what an awesome and delicious way to eat your chia seeds!  This tastes like a cross between an oatmeal raisin cookie meets bread pudding.  If you are super sensitive to textures, you may find that the "tapioca" like texture to be too much for you.  I love tapioca, so I love this too.  My youngest gobbled it down, my oldest is a much tougher sell!

What's so great about chia you ask?  A lot!  Here is a little breakdown of the benefits of adding chia seeds to your diet.
*Information taken from SFgate.com

 

Chia seeds are native to South America and have been a staple in Mayan and Aztec diets for centuries. Today, they draw the interest of many people for their health benefits and uses in cooking. It turns out the South American staple is a rich source of nutrients and antioxidants.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Chia seeds are rich in polyunsaturated fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids. Chia seeds' lipid profile is composed of 60 percent omega-3s, making them one of the richest plant-based sources of these fatty acids -- specifically, of alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. The omega-3s in chia seeds can help reduce inflammation, enhance cognitive performance and reduce high cholesterol.

Fiber

Fiber is associated with reducing inflammation, lowering cholesterol and regulating bowel function. Chia seeds are an excellent source of fiber, with a whopping 10 grams in only 2 tablespoons. That is one-third of the daily recommended intake of fiber per day.

Antioxidants

Chia seeds are rich in antioxidants that help protect the body from free radicals, aging and cancer. The high antioxidant profile also helps them have a long shelf life. They last almost two years without refrigeration.

Minerals

Two tablespoons of chia seeds contain 18 percent of the DRI for calcium, 35 percent for phosphorus, 24 percent for magnesium and about 50 percent for manganese. These nutrients help you prevent hypertension and maintain a healthy weight, and are important for energy metabolism and a part of DNA synthesis.

Satiety

Satiety is the feeling of being full and satisfied, which helps lower food cravings between meals. The combination of protein, fiber and the gelling action of chia seeds when mixed with liquids all contribute to their satiating effects.

Gluten-Free

Chia seeds contain no gluten or grains. Therefore, all of the nutritional benefits of chia seeds can be obtained on a gluten-free diet.

Egg Replacer
The outer layer of chia seeds swells when mixed with liquids to form a gel. This can used in place of eggs to lower cholesterol and increase the nutrient content of foods and baked goods. To make the egg replacement, mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water and let sit for 15 minutes.

Can Be Digested Whole

Unlike flaxseeds, which are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and minerals, chia seeds do not need to be ground in order to obtain their nutrient or egg- replacement benefits.

Dyslipidemia

A study published in the "British Journal of Nutrition" showed that chia seeds as a dietary fat source can lower triglycerides and cholesterol levels while increasing HDL or "good" cholesterol. The study also found that when substituting chia seeds for other fat sources, such as corn oil, the ALA was able to prevent high triglyceride levels and reduce central obesity.

Blood Sugar Regulation

Chia seeds can play an important role in regulating insulin levels. They can reduce insulin resistance and decrease abnormally high levels of insulin in the blood.

Overnight Creamy Cinnamon Chia Pudding

Makes about 2-3 servings

 

1/3 cup of chia seeds

 

2 cups of whole milk (I used raw milk)

 

1 tsp cinnamon

 

dash of nutmeg

 

dash of sea salt

 

1/4 tsp of vanilla

 

1 TBS of any natural sweetener I used Maple Syrup

 

*optional*  1 TBS of raisins ( I personally did not like the raisins, but you may)

 

-Mix all ingredients and store in a covered bowl or a mason jar in the fridge.  Leave it overnight, and enjoy a delicious healthy treat in the morning!