Grain Free Lasagna

I'm so excited to share this recipe. I have been brainstorming this recipe for a while now...ever since I made my grain free tortillas. 

This is not just eh..."good for a grain free recipe".  This is just a GOOD recipe!  My husband was a little horrified when I told him I was making this for dinner. His skepticism quickly turned into enthusiasm after the first bite. 

If you had told me 1.5 years ago, when I first started dabbling in grain free recipes, that eating this way could be enjoyable...I would have said you were a liar!

I honestly love eating this way. My youngest is intolerant of most grains for the most part, so he has to eat this way. I think it's awesome that the whole family is now eating this way and supporting him. It has also made me become much more creative in the kitchen. 

Hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

Grain Free Lasagna

Ingredients:

About 10-12 (8 inch) grain free tortillas

Find the recipe HERE

1 lb organic grass fed ground beef

1 medium onion (chopped)

1 cup mushrooms (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 jar of organic tomato sauce (I used a basil marinara)

Dash of fresh grated nutmeg

Pink sea salt and pepper to taste

Oregano or Italian seasoning

1 12 oz container of whole milk ricotta cheese

2 eggs

About 2 cups of grated mozzarella

1 cup fresh grated Parmesan 

-About a cup of chicken stock for deglazing pan

* I also used about half a package of smoked mozzarella cheese (sliced) from trader joes

Instructions:

-Make the "lasagna noodles"  Recipe 

HERE 

-Heat large pan to medium heat with some grapeseed oil to coat

-Sauté onions about 3 min (add a splash of chicken stock or water to deglaze the pan, and keep the onions from buring and sticking)

-Add chopped mushrooms and cook another 5 min or so

-Next add the garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper

-Sauté another 5 min or so, until all ingredients soften and brown (scraping and deglazing pan with chicken stock or water as needed)

-Brown the ground beef right in the same pan as the onions and mushrooms. Deglaze with chicken stock as needed

-Add jar of sauce and simmer on low (I like to simmer mine about a 1/2 hour)

-Lightly beat 2 eggs, add ricotta, salt and pepper to taste and a sprinkle of oregano or Italian seasoning.  (set aside)

-Start layering your lasagna in a 13x9 baking dish. 

-Start with a layer of sauce mixture, then three "noodles", then meat mixture again, then ricotta, then cheese mixture, noodles, meat, ricotta, cheese mixture...repeat. 

-End with sauce, then shredded cheese

-Cover with foil and place in a 350 degree oven for about 45 min

-The last few minutes of cooking, remove foil and broil until cheese is brown and bubbly. 

-Let cool 5-10 min before serving

ENJOY!!! ;)

Homemade Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip "Lara Bars"

My oldest has been loving the peanut butter chocolate chip Lara Bars. Which, I am ok with, but they get pricey. I've seen a few good recipes floating around Pinterest, so figured I would combine a couple recipes.

Homemade Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip "Lara Bars"

I modified this recipe from Against All Grain

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup raw honey
• 1/2 cup natural unsweetened peanut butter (or any nut butter)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup raw walnuts
• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (without the white outer shell)
• 5 medjool dates (pitted)
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Combine the vanilla, honey, peanut butter, and coconut oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. While the mixture is heating, place all of the nuts and dates in a food processor and chop until the mixture resembles course sand.
3.  Add the shredded coconut and sunflower seeds and pulse a few times until the sunflower seeds are roughly chopped.
4. Remove the coconut oil mixture from the stove once it has melted, then stir in the nut mixture, along with the chocolate chips. 
5. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper, then pour the granola bar mixture into the pan.
   
6. Place another piece of parchment on top, and use your palms to press the mixture into the pan evenly. Make sure to pack it down as tightly as possible. This will help the bars bind and not crumble. 
7. Place in the freezer to set for 2 hours. Lift the parchment paper out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut the bars into rectangles.
   
8. You can store these in the refrigerator for 2 weeks, or the freezer for a few months. If storing in the freezer, remove the bars for about 20 minutes prior to serving.
   

Grain Free Soft Tortillas/Crepes

Ok I'm going to come right out and say it...It's not normal for someone to get this giddy and excited about a grain free tortilla. I don't care, I've never claimed to be "normal" ha!

These are like life changing grain free tortillas. Flipping life changing. I'm going a little crazy thinking of all the ways I can use them. Sweet, savory, dare I say sweet and salty....oh my!!!

A little melted cheese and tuna, some avocado cheese and chicken, almond butter and bananas with a little dusting of cocoa powder and maple syrup. Somebody stop me now!

I made ground beef tacos tonight with a little shredded cabbage, raw cheddar cheese, cilantro, and guacamole. Yum!

I modified the recipe from

Against All Grain

6 large eggs

3 tablespoons coconut flour, sifted

2 teaspoons melted ghee or butter

1 teaspoon tapioca starch

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Coconut oil or butter for pan

(yields 10 crepes)

Instructions:

1. Mix crepe ingredients in a Vitamix or food processor... Or whisk the crepe ingredients together in a bowl by hand. Let sit for 10 minutes while the pan heats so the coconut flour can absorb the liquid, then whisk again.
2. Heat a crepe pan or small nonstick skillet with enameled surface over medium-high heat.
3. Melt a small amount of oil or butter in the pan, swirling to coat the bottom and sides.
4. Pour ¼ cup (or less) of the batter into the hot pan, turning the pan in a circular motion with one hand so to spread the batter thinly around the pan. Alternatively, use a spatula to quickly spread the batter. Fill any open spots with a drop of batter to make sure the pan is fully covered.
5. Cook for 1 minute until the edges start to lift. Gently work a spatula under the crepe and flip it over. Cook on the second side for 15 seconds and turn out on a plate.
6. Continue with the remaining batter, stacking the crepes on a plate as you work. Add a little more oil to the pan every 3-4 crepes or if they begin to start sticking.

Grain Free Chocolate Doughnuts

Who said grain free can't be good!  Omg, these are delicious!  My family has sensitive bellies, but we love sweets...what are we to do?!  Eat grain free chocolate doughnuts of course! 

 Grain Free Chocolate Doughnuts

2 large eggs

1 medium sized banana

1/2 cup almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup almond butter 

1/4 cup arrowroot flour/powder

4TBS cocoa powder

4 TBS honey or maple syrup

1 TBS vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

-Preheat oven to 350

-Prepare your doughnut wells.  I have This one and love it!  Rub good bit of coconut oil in each doughnut well by hand, making sure to coat each one well. 

-Blend all ingredients in Vitamix or food processor....or by hand the old fashioned way. I do like how smooth the batter gets with the blender!

-The batter will be quite thick

- Next put your batter in a gallon size zip lock bag (your making a makeshift pastry piping bag). Cut a very small piece of the tip off. 

- Fill doughnut wells about 3/4 full (I go around twice with the pastry bag)

-Bake 10-12 min

-Let cool in the the pan about 10 min before you carefully remove the doughnuts. 

Topping

You can really top these with just about anything....or eat them plain. 

I melted some chocolate chips, drizzled it over the top, then sprinkled some natural dye sprinkles over the top for the littles of course ;)

Enjoy!