Search Results for: hot coco

Healthy {Homemade} Hot Cocoa

December 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Hotcoco

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…a cup of Healthy {Homemade} Hot Cocoa! I love this time of year, but I will admit that in years past I’ve indulged in the excessive festive goodies that always abound during the holidays. Over the years I’ve become more aware and informed and consequently have started making some different choices in what I feed my family. Does that mean we can’t enjoy some holiday treats? No way!!
Even though I’ve found several brands of hot chocolate mix that are gluten free they certainly aren’t free of refined sugars or things like, “Mono and Diglycerides” and “yellow #5″. Genetically modified and artificial ingredients don’t really give me warm fuzzies. So not only will this rich and creamy hot cocoa tickle your sweet tooth, but it’s crazy good for you! Full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and if you add in an essential oil for some flavor variation then you’ve added even more health benefits!

This hot cocoa is made with unrefined coconut sugar, coconut milk and cacao (cocoa) powder. As a bonus the natural coconut oil from the sugar and milk will leave your lips super soft after each sip. Which may come in handy if you find yourself under the mistletoe (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

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1 can unsweetened (full fat) coconut milk
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/8 – 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 heaping tbsp. unsweetened cacao powder
1 cup water
2 cups almond milk
*optional: 1 drop CPTG peppermint essential oil OR 2-3 drops wild orange essential oil

Start by heating the coconut milk, coconut sugar, syrup, vanilla, and cacao powder in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat, and simmer (stirring frequently) for 20-30.  The coconut milk should reduce and thicken to a syrup consistency. If you’re preparing this on Christmas eve to have on Christmas morning then stop there, pour into a jar, and store in the fridge. In the morning simply add the water and almond milk to the coconut cocoa syrup. I poured everything into my Cocomotion Hot Chocolate Maker and let it get hot and frothy or just heat it in a saucepan on the stove. Add peppermint essential oil for a mint chocolate flavor or wild orange oil for chocolate orange!

Filed Under: Happy Holidays, Paleo, Sweet Treats

Cinnamon Coconut Sugar Popcorn

January 6, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Cinnamon Coconut Sugar Popcorn

Valentine’s Day is coming up! It’s nice to tell people you love and appreciate them all year long, but it’s fun to have a good excuse to do something extra special. This easy, healthy popcorn is so simple to make and so tasty. It’s perfect for a little surprise in your kiddo’s lunch box with a note that says,
Just have to say I love you before I POP
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Your little valentine will absolutely love the note and the sweet and salty popcorn! You could also change the note to make it appropriate as a teacher appreciation gift. Just spend a few minutes in the morning before the kids go to school preparing the popcorn so it’s fresh and send it to school for their teacher with a note saying,
Just have to say what a great teacher you are before I POP!
The possibilities are endless and since this treat is so quick, simple, and cheap to make you can recreate all sorts of fun ways to use it as gifts….or just eat it yourself

You will need:
1 air popcorn maker
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/3 cup coconut oil, warmed to a liquid state
2 tbsp. coconut sugar
1/2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
salt to taste

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Pop the popcorn in the popcorn maker. While it’s popping warm the coconut oil container under a hot faucet until liquid. Mix coconut sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl. As the popcorn pops out into a large bowl start drizzling coconut oil over the popcorn tossing as you go. Continue tossing the popped popcorn until the coconut oil is well distributed. sprinkle the coconut sugar-cinnamon mixture and toss again. Salt to taste. Doesn’t get much easier than that! Put in an sealable bag or container to keep it fresh.

Filed Under: Appetizer please, Happy Holidays, Sweet Treats

Jamaican Jerk Mahi Mahi with Coconut Quinoa

January 3, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Gluten free. Dairy free. Clean eating. Healthy. These words evoke one of two reactions in people. Either the vision of all this natural, colorful, rich food makes them take a deep satisfied breath and gets them excited to try it, or they imagine eating flavorless, dry millet pellets – or something else akin to sticks, weeds, and bird seeds.

The latter was the reaction I got as I talked to my children’s dentist while they were having their routine visit. He told me that he had recently been diagnosed with diabetes, but that Celiac disease and the diet restriction involved would be much worse. I’m not sure how this misconception about healthy, gluten free eating started, but it needs to change. And I think it is. Whether that’s because there’s more and more people discovering they have an intolerance to things like wheat and dairy, or simply because they are choosing to make a healthy lifestyle change. Either way, take a deep satisfied breath and get excited to try something new! Here’s to flavorful, moist, non-millet pellet goodness that’s clean eating and so delicious! 
 Caribean Jerk Mahi Mahi

Jamaican Jerk Dry Rub:
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

4-6 Mahi Mahi fillets, patted dry
sea salt
1 tbsp. coconut oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lime, juiced
2 cups quinoa, rinsed
2 cups gluten free broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 red onion, diced
handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine all the ingredients for the rub into a small bowl and mix together. Prepare the mahi mahi fillets (thaw if they’re frozen) and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Sprinkle some sea salt onto both sides of each fillet. Now just sprinkle a generous amount of spices onto the fish and start massaging it in. No really. Use your hands and really rub the spices into the fish. Once all the fish has had a good rub down set them aside while you preheat a large skillet and a medium saucepan.

The saucepan will be for your quinoa. When the pan’s hot pour in the rinsed quinoa and allow to lightly toast to bring out the flavor. Add in the broth and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, put a lid on in for about 12 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.

While the quinoa cooks heat the coconut oil in the large skillet. Add in the minced garlic. Once the garlic starts to sizzle place the fish fillets in the skillet as well. Cook on medium-high heat for about 2-4 minutes then turn down the heat to low and turn the fish over. Drizzle juice from half the lime over the fish, put the lid on the skillet and let the fish finish cooking. The thickness of your fillets will determine exactly how long to cook them. The fish should come apart into flake-like chunks when a fork is inserted. Here’s a good guide from lifehacker.com to follow when cooking fish.

Squeeze the remaining half of the lime juice into the cooked quinoa. Now dish it up! Put a heaping scoop of the coconut quinoa into a shallow bowl, top with a mahi mahi fillet, some diced red onion, and chopped cilantro.

Happy and healthy eating!

Filed Under: fish and friends, Killer Quinoa, Paleo

Paleo Hot Breakfast Cereal

May 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Paleo Hot Breakfast Cereal

The Paleo diet has been a big factor in our family having a much easier and successful transition to a gluten free lifestyle, thanks to the recent diagnosis of my daughter’s Celiac disease.  So here’s a quick and simple breakfast for all you Paleo cavemen/women that is a great energy boost before or after your morning workout.  Plus, it will break up the monotony of eggs every morning for breakfast Serves 1.

1/2 cup almond meal or almond flour
1/4-1/3 cup almond milk or coconut milk
1/2 tbsp. agave nectar
dash cinnamon
top with fresh fruit: strawberries, blueberries, banana, raspberries…you get the idea.

Mix almond meal with milk in a microwave safe bowl.  Nuke for 1 minute.  Add agave, cinnamon and fruit.  Eat it hot and enjoy a healthy, protein packed breakfast!

Filed Under: Fun Fruits, Paleo

Thai Coconut Curry with Shrimp

October 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Thai Coconut Soup With Shrimp

I think I may be on a bit of a Thai food kick, but can you blame me?  It’s so stinking good!! This dish is so delicious I just can’t make enough of it.  And making it {homemade} means you can have seconds and leftovers (assuming it doesn’t all get eaten in one sitting) for way cheaper than you could get it at your favorite Thai restaurant.

3 cups chicken broth
3 cans unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 tbsp. Thai green curry paste (ground curry works too if you can’t find the curry paste)
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 inch piece  peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped (or Galangal if you have it)
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds, crushed
1 tbsp. Soy sauce or Asian fish sauce
1 tbsp. lime juice
1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 leek, rinsed and chopped
1 cup loosely packed whole fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
12 oz.  medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 tsp. salt or to taste
2-3 cups cooked jasmine rice (follow package directions for portion amounts)

Prepare rice according to package directions.

Combine broth, coconut milk, curry paste, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, soy sauce or fish sauce and lime juice in a large pot.  Simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes.
While that’s simmering thaw shrimp (if frozen) in the sink under cool water in a colander. Rinse leek well by pulling back leaves.  Chop it up along with the carrot.  Add leek and carrots to the pot and continue simmering for another 10-15 minutes, until leek and carrot are tender.
Add thawed shrimp and cilantro leaves. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes or until shrimp turn a pinkish white and curl up. Salt to taste.

Serve over hot jasmine rice and relish the goodness!

Filed Under: fish and friends, Rice to riches, Super Soups

Coconut Butternut Squash and Collard Greens

February 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Coconut Butternut Squash &Amp; Collard Greens

While at the grocery store the other day I came across a ginormous (no joke) butternut squash. It looked like it had walked right out of a Veggies Tales show and would bust into song at any moment.  I had to snatch it up along with a bunch of collard greens.  Normally butternut squash makes me think of fall and harvest time, but with this recipe (which was inspired by a similar recipe on thenurturedway.com) is so colorful and tasty it’s really good anytime.

1 ginormous butternut squash (or 2 normal sized ones)
coconut oil,
salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch collard greens, stems removed and chopped
1 can coconut milk
zest of 1 lemon

Start by cutting the squash in half and scraping out the seeds and stuff. Using either a knife or if you’re accident prone a good peeler to remove the skins. Cut into 1/2 inch pieces and toss to coat with 1 tbsp coconut oil.  (Coconut oil is a solid below about 68-70 degrees so either put the container under hot tap water until is turns liquid or just get a little messy and use your hands to work it over the squash.) Spread evenly onto a cookie sheet then salt and pepper liberally. Sprinkle 2 cloves minced garlic over top and bake at 400 for about 30-40 minutes.  (Depending on how ginormous your veggie tale character is).

While the butternut squash is cooking you can remove the stems from the collard greens since they are very tough and not so edible. Just run a knife down either side of the stem and keep the leafy green part. In a large skillet heat another tablespoon of coconut oil and add sliced onion and the other cloves of minced garlic. Salt and pepper and allow to cook until onions caramelize.  Now add the chopped greens, stirring often until they are wilted and bright green. Pour in the coconut milk and zest a lemon right into the pan.  Stir while it comes to a low boil then reduce heat to low.  Add your baked butternut squash cubes, stirring until everything is covered in creamy white.  Let is hang out for a few minutes for the squash to absorb all the flavors. Add a little salt and pepper if you need it and serve warm.

* Collard greens beat most other leafy and non-leafy greens in it’s ability to lower cholesterol by binding to and removing bile acid.  These tough leafs are amazing when it comes to detoxing the body which helps prevent cancer.  Eat collard greens. It’s a win win.
whfoods.org

Filed Under: Paleo, Veggies and stuff

Got Essential Oils? Healing Oils: The Ins & Outs

August 18, 2014 by Leave a Comment

How many times have you heard about the health benefits of essential oils? Coconut oil? Well, there’s a good reason – oil is AMAZING!

I’ll admit, I was once a skeptic about oil – confused by all the misinformation. The more I’ve learned the more I understand how beneficial a little oil can be in healing, preventing, and curing the body. The cool thing about oils is that many can be used internally and externally.

However, if you would have asked someone 20 years ago about, say, coconut oil you may have heard a different story. Did you know that coconut oil was once used to make movie theater popcorn in place of butter? Outraged movie-goers, and I’m sure more than a few industries whose sales margins were dropping, claimed the fattening oil was unhealthy and should no longer be allowed in U.S. concessions food. Coconut oil has made a comeback, but I’m sure it won’t be the last time that the debate over healthy vs. unhealthy oils is discussed.

It’s not just coconut oil that’s getting accolades for being healthy. Essential oils, like Doterra Essential Oils are produced by distilling the potent oils from organic healing plants and herbs from around the world. These types of oils have been used for thousands of years to heal and support the health of the user.

Using healthy oil to cook with can add flavor and nutrients to any dish. Here’s my top 4 picks for healthy oil to use in everyday cooking and their healing capabilities.

But did you know you can also use essential oils when you cook? Here’s some recipes I use essential oils, like Doterra Wild Orange, Peppermint, Lemongrass, Rosemary, and Lavender to boost flavor and add healthy benefits:

Paleo Cinnamon Orange Pancakes

Healthy {Homemade} Hot Cocoa

Gluten Free Stir-Fry With Zucchini Noodles & Spicy Peanut Sauce

Peachy Herb Quinoa Salad With Rosemary-Lavender Scented Dressing

Gluten Free Sweet Biscotti Trifle

Citrus Ginger Green Smoothie

How else do you use essential oils?

One of the best ways to use essential oils other than taking them internally is topically. (*Always read precautions and usage for each oil to know how to use it safely. Not all essential oils are safe to use internally and some need to be mixed with a carrier oil, like coconut oil. For more information on essential oils, uses, benefits and where to get them go here!)

My daily routine with the essential oils goes something like this…On Guard blend on the bottom of the kid’s feet before school (immune support), a drop of Frankincense on the back of everyone’s neck for focus and mental clarity, Clary Calm blend on the bottom of feet or abdomen for me when it’s that time of the month (hormone balancing blend), Citrus Bliss blend diffused into the air throughout the day (happy magic!), Deep Blue Rub on the Hubby after a Crossfit WOD, and Lavender on the bottom of the kid’s feet before bed.

I’ve also discovered how amazing combining coconut oil and essential oils are for my skin. I went through a pretty rough patch with acne a few years back. All those expensive treatments I bought did nothing or made it worse. Then I discovered oils and I love my skin again! My face is clear and if I start to get a breakout, it clears up 10x faster. Lavender soothes skin and combats all those bacteria that can cause pimples. Frankincense heals scars, wrinkles, and is another anti-bacterial/anti-fungal kick to acne’s butt.

Now each night before bed I rub some of my specially-made coconut oil/essential oil concoction onto my face while I run hot tap water over a wash cloth. Take the wash cloth and hold it over my face. Give it a good steam, then gently rub it off. If I need more moisture I take a dab of the oil blend, rub into my hands and then onto my face and neck. If my face seems too oily then I take good old Corn Starch and lightly dust some onto my face with a clean makeup brush to absorb the excess. If I’m having some breakouts I take a tablespoon or two of coconut oil in a separate jar and add to it the Melaluca, Lemongrass and Geranium. Then I just dab it onto the blemish, or I use the Doterra Clear Skin Topical Blend. 

Bottom line; adding healthy oils to your daily regimen can prevent and heal, keeping you and your family healthy and happy.

Enjoy!

 

Filed Under: Tips and Chit Chat

Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters

July 21, 2014 by Leave a Comment

GF-Zucchini-Fritters

 

Summer and excessive amounts of zucchini go hand-in-hand! This time of year my kiddos are bound to find things like tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and zucchini hidden somewhere in their meal. The sneakier I am at hiding them, the better they are at eating them. Like in gluten free zucchini bread. So I decided to make some Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters and guess what? They didn’t seem to notice that they were eating zucchini cakes!

I had made zucchini fritters years ago before going gluten free and as far and I can tell when making fritters there are two ways to go about it – sweet or savory. I chose savory, which involves flavors like fresh basil and parsley, parmesan cheese and garlic. Traditional fritters usually call for bread crumbs or flour to help hold everything together. So I used the next best, gluten free thing…oat flour.

Oat flour (made from gluten free oatmeal that has been ground into a flour-like consistency) acts just like wheat flour in most recipes. Unlike other gluten free flours you don’t have to make an elaborate blend or add gums like guar gum or xanthan gum to make it stay together either. Plus, oats are full of fiber, antioxidants, boosts immune system, and so much more. If you’re a nerd like me, you can read all about oats, one of world’s healthiest foods here. 

Now for the fritters! (Makes 12+ zucchini fritters. About 3-4 inches across)

4 cups zucchini shredded, drained and squeezed dry

1 cup oat flour

2 eggs

2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 clove garlic

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

4-5 fresh basil leaves

3-4 sprigs fresh parsley, stems removed

2-3 tbsp. coconut oil

Grate the zucchini and place in a strainer in the sink or set in a bowl. Allow the water to drain off the zucchini for about 10 minutes. While it’s draining you can pulse the oats in a food processor or blender until it becomes oat flour. Take a clean dish towel and squeeze out all the remaining liquid out of the zucchini. Add the zucchini, eggs, salt, pepper, garlic, parmesan, basil, and parsley to the oat flour in the food processor. Blend everything together until it’s nice and evenly chopped and mixed.

Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle (preheated to 325) and drizzle on some of the coconut oil. Once the oil’s hot take a spoonful of the fritter paste, shape into a patty (it will be sticky, that’s okay), and get it cooking. It should only take about 5-6 minutes per side. Once both sides are a nice golden brown set them on a plate to cool. Serve warm.

Eat them as a side to some grilled chicken for dinner or place a slice of tomato and mozzarella in between two fritters and have a fritter bruschetta sandwich for lunch!

Enjoy!

      

 

Filed Under: Veggies and stuff

Fresh Paleo Peach Pie

June 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment

 

Fresh peaches are showing up at farmers’ markets and grocery stores everywhere now that summer is well underway. I love the smell and taste of a perfectly ripe peach. Mmmm, there is just something about them that requires you to relax.  I love to sink my teeth in and let the juice run down my chin, but there are lots of other delicious ways to serve and enjoy all those summer peaches too….Peach Meringue and Maple Vinegar Glazed Nectarines (or peaches) are some of my favorites for a quick dessert. Making it Paleo (gluten free, grain free, sugar free) eliminates the worry about whether you’ll be able to shimmy into your swimsuit after eating it.

Since it was Father’s day I knew I would have to make something special for this wonderful guy I’m married to. I had a little help from my little helpers and between all of us…we really made a mess, but had fun doing it! With pecans from our road trip to grandma’s house and fresh peaches I was ready to make this Fresh Paleo Peach Pie!

I made the mistake of adding a little too much water to the filling so it didn’t set up quite as well, but it was still so yummy! Don’t worry I’ve revised the recipe to make sure yours turns out. 

Pecan Crust:

1 cup pecans ground into pecan meal (don’t grind it too much or you’ll end up with pecan butter)

1/4 cup coconut flour

1 tbsp. ground flax seed

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. honey or pure maple syrup

1 tbsp. water

1 tbsp. coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine all the dry ingredients together then add in the wet and stir with a fork until it’s all incorporated. Press the mixture into a pie pan, working it up the sides until it’s even. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the edges and center begin to brown. 

Peach Pie Filling:

4-5 large peaches; peeled, pitted, and sliced

2 tbsp. arrowroot starch or GF cornstarch 

1 tbsp. water

1/2 tbsp. lemon juice

3/4 cup wild honey

dash cinnamon 

Reserve all but 1- 1/2 cups of the peach slices and cover remaining until you’re ready for them. Take the pre-measured amount of peaches and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. In a separate bowl whisk together the water, lemon juice, and starch. Combine the pureed peaches with the honey and the starch mixture in a small sauce pan. Stir in the cinnamon and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Stir for about 5 minutes while it bubbles. Then turn off the heat and allow it to cool. 

By now your pecan crust should be out of the oven and cooling down as well. Once everything’s warm (not hot), stir the fresh peaches together with the thickened pureed peach mixture. Pour it all into the crust and set in the fridge to cool completely and to finish setting up. Serve cold with some whipped coconut cream or just as is.

Enjoy!

 

 

Filed Under: Sweet Treats

Paleo Chocolate Quinoa Bread

May 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment

 

Okay I have to admit this “bread” may be more closely related to a brownie, but it’s a gluten free, dairy free, grain free, refined sugar free, delicious bread/brownie something!

Sometime’s you just need some chocolate…a lot of chocolate…a lot of the time…I like chocolate…a lot. Let’s just say if I didn’t know how to make something I crave healthy I would be in trouble.

As it is though I don’t feel too bad eating this sweet treat and sharing with my hubby and kids. Except when they eat it all. Then I feel bad. 

 

It was still hot and the chocolate chips were gooey when I started cutting it up. I couldn’t wait! Like most breads/brownies they stay together much better if you wait till they’ve cooled before devouring them. If you just can’t wait, then may I suggest you skip the knife and just go at it with a fork!

1 cup quinoa flour, toasted (*Grind quinoa into flour or buy quinoa flour. Preheat oven to 200. Spread on a cookie sheet and toast for 1-2 hours. Cool before putting in a seal-able bag or container for later use.)  

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1-1/2 cup mashed banana

3 tbsp. coconut oil

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup honey or pure maple syrup

6 oz. dark chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients before adding in the wet. Blend together well with electric mixer then stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into a small, lightly greased bread pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Cool and slice up. Each slice can be individually wrapped and frozen for a quick dessert when you just need a chocolate pick-me-up. Or you can do what we do and eat it all in one sitting!

Enjoy!

Filed Under: Breads, Sweet Treats

Gluten Free Lemon Bars: Tricks To Converting Your Gluten-Filled Favs into Healthy & Gluten Free

April 1, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Okay, this may be revealing some of my secrets, but if you’ve recently been diagnosed with celiac disease, have a gluten intolerance, or just want to change up the grains in your life, then knowledge and know-how are your best friends. When my daughter was first diagnosed with celiac I was so worried about messing up that I just didn’t make anything unless I used a gluten free mix. It didn’t take me long to realize that more often than not this method was way too expensive, the ingredients were crazy fattening and unhealthy (despite being gluten free), and a lot of the time it just didn’t taste good…at all! So I started experimenting and yes, messing up. The result, however, has been that now I can make up my own recipes that are gluten free, healthy, and taste super yummy! 

I know what you’re thinking, “well, that’s great for you Melissa but…” So that’s why I’m going to share some tricks I’ve learned so that you can take your old gluten-filled favorites and convert them into a yummy and healthier gluten free version. I’m a hands-on, visual kind of person, so I’m going to show you how to take a recipe and make it gluten free by just walking you through it. 

I wanted to make some goodies, but the problem was I was out of the ingredients for something simple like paleo chocolate chip cookies and too strapped for time to make something else up. So I grabbed an old church cookbook and found this lemon bar recipe.

I picked this one because first, I had made the original recipe before and knew what it was supposed to taste like (and I had everything to make it), second because it didn’t call for tons of flour, and third, there weren’t too many ingredients to mess with. So I started with the crust. I want this not only gluten free, but healthier, so here’s some substitutes to replace the unwanted ingredients and still make it taste just as good. 

The Original

Crust:

1 c. margarine, 1/2 c. powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 c. flour

The Conversion

1 c. margarine —> 1 c. pureed beans or 1/2 c. or less coconut oil

1/2 c. powdered sugar —> 1 packet stevia or 1-2 tbsp. honey

2 c. flour —> 2 cups gluten free flour blend or 1-1/2 c. almond flour + 1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp. salt —> 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Because this was a crust I wanted it to be crisp and a little flaky so I went with the almond/coconut flour, stevia, and coconut oil (pour in a little at a time until you get the right consistency. I ended up only using 1/3 cup). Hint: when using almond flour and coconut flour, use 1/4 – 1/3 the amount of coconut flour compared to almond, i.e. 1 cup almond, 1/4 cup coconut. Coconut keeps things moist and flaky, but too much will leave you with a crumbly mess. 

Combine ingredients and mix well. Pat into 9×13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. While cooking, make the filling.(Watch it as cooking times may vary.) 

The Original 

Filling:

4 eggs, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. lemon juice, 2 c. sugar, 1/4 c. flour

This part is pretty straight forward. The eggs and lemon juice are good so put them in a bowl. As for the remaining ingredients… 

The Conversion

1/2 tsp. baking powder —> gluten free baking powder

2 c. sugar —> 1 c. organic sugar + 1 c. unsweetened applesauce or 3/4 c. honey + 1/2 c. applesauce + 1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. flour —> 1/4 c. gluten free flour blend or tapioca flour 

Because there is such a small amount of flour and the filling is supposed to have a sticky, somewhat gooey consistency, in this case straight tapioca flour would work. In most cases using an equal amount of a GF flour blend with added xanthan gum will give you the best results. When using honey it’s best to reduce the liquid slightly. If you’re worried about it not being sweet enough just add 1 tsp. vanilla extract. It will bring out the sweetness without adding any extra sugar. 

Mix all ingredients and pour over hot crust. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Cut when cool. 

 

Looks pretty dang good, right!? And guess what? They were! As good as the original but with way less calories and no gluten! Bottom line, don’t be scared to mess up. Just start with an old fav that you’ve made a hundred times and try converting it to a gluten free and healthier version. 

I’d love to hear about your success and would love to help answer any questions you may have along the way!

Enjoy!

-Melissa 

Filed Under: Sweet Treats

Healthy Gluten-Free Snack Ideas for Kids (and everyone else)

February 10, 2014 by Leave a Comment

This has been a subject that I’ve been thinking about for a while and get asked about a lot. I know for most kids and adults alike, a snack isn’t always healthy and rarely gluten free — chips, crackers, soda, and sugary treats. There are all these misconception that it takes a lot of work and planning to prepare a healthy snack. As a mom of four kids who love to eat, and as a family who have all committed to a gluten free diet in support of one of our littles with Celiac disease, I’m sharing a few of the simple snack possibilities my family likes to nibble on.

 

Fresh fruits and veggies are an obvious easy snack idea, but sometimes you need something a little more filling than just a few carrot sticks. Have it with some gluten free store bought or homemade Rosemary Hummus (I’m still perfecting my traditional chickpea hummus, but I came up with some yummy Hummus Soup in my attempts). Dip carrots, celery, or sweet peas in hummus for a healthy, filling, protein, and fiber packed snack. 

 

This snacky submission is by my oldest who has followed in his mom’s footsteps and loves to create things in the kitchen. He calls this is “secret recipe” (so don’t tell anyone). Just cut a slice of gluten free bread, spread some almond butter on it and a drizzle of honey. He also likes to mix it up by topping it with raisins or sliced banana. It’s just something simple that he can make on his own.

This may seem so silly, but this snack is my girls’ favorite. Yep, just frozen peas! Buy a bag of organic frozen peas, dump in a cup or small bowl and let them nibble to their hearts content. It’s a nice cool snack on a hot day and it’s so good for them! 

Okay, I don’t know about all of you out there, but this was the best snack EVER growing up — Ants On A Log! My kids like a lot of “ants”. It’s just celery, peanut butter, and raisins and it’s fun to watch my kids use their imagination while eating them. 

 Who doesn’t love popcorn? We skip all the preservatives and additives in the bags of microwave popcorn and use an air popper instead. Then just melt some coconut oil, drizzle over the top and sprinkle with salt or if you have a sweet tooth make Coconut Sugar and Cinnamon Popcorn.  

 Trail mix is always a good healthy snack, but because most trail mixes are contaminated with gluten we just toss together our own. I like to make it with 2 parts raw, unsalted nuts to 1 part anything else. My youngest daughter’s favorite is just almonds and dark chocolate chips, but throwing in some dried fruit, and shredded coconut just makes it even yummier to me.

Here’s some more ideas: Cheese and apples (a piece of each, put them together and bite. Yummy), a spoonful of peanut butter, plain greek yogurt with fresh fruit and honey — you get idea. 

How’s that for quick, simple, and healthy? Of course, I also like to make things like Lemon Almond Muffins or Gluten-Free Granola Bars too. 

Happy snacking! 

Melissa 

Filed Under: Appetizer please

{Homemade} Quinoa Tortillas

February 3, 2014 by Leave a Comment

 

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a bit of a nerd. I love reading National Geographic magazine, watching a special on ancient civilizations, or reading articles on the latest Celiac disease research. So I could probably sit here and tell you all about the amazing benefits of including quinoa in your diet. This ancient seed – yes seed, closer to spinach and beetroot than grain- was the staple diet and sacred food of the Inca’s and today has been called a superfood,  high in complete proteins as well as other vitamins and minerals. Best of all (especially for us) is that it’s naturally gluten free and easy to digest.

Really all I should say is how easy and quick these healthy and delicious tortillas are! 

I’ve used the tiny, yet versatile little quinoa seeds in lots of dinner dishes like Jamaican Jerk Mahi Mahi with Coconut Quinoa, in sides like Quinoa with Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes, for breakfast in Cinnamon Apple Crockpot Quinoa , and snacks like {Homemade} Gluten Free Granola Bars. However, I’ve never attempted making anything using quinoa flour, until now! 

Since I’m a nerd, I did my research and found that like most nuts and seeds the best way to bring out the nutty flavor of quinoa is with heat. I knew this was true from when I prepared the seeds in the before mentioned dishes, but probably wouldn’t have thought to pre-toast the quinoa flour. As it turns out, the ingenious little quinoa plant keep their seeds from being eaten by birds thanks to a bitter saponin coating.  Lucky for those of the non-bird variety who buy their quinoa ,many manufacturers now rinse the quinoa before packaging, eliminating most of the saponin. However, having said that when I first opened my bag of quinoa flour I was taken aback by how grassy it smelled – like ground alfalfa . Not exactly appetizing…unless you’re of the four-legged grazing variety.

So I baked it in a 215 degree oven for 2 hours. Just spread quinoa flour evenly on a couple cookie sheets. 

  Much better!

After it cooled I just dumped it into a freezer bag and stashed it in the freezer until I was ready to make these…(drum roll please)… Quinoa Tortillas! I felt very native Andean while making them. Hope I did the ancient Incan culture justice. Me and my family certainly think they’re tasty!

2 cups baked and cooled quinoa flour + more for dusting

2 tbsp. tapioca flour

1 tsp. xanthan gum

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1-1/3 cup water

Combine dry ingredients and stir to mix. Add water and continue stirring until it forms a sticky ball. Scoop out a good 1/4 cup sized amount and roll into a ball. It took a few tries to get the recipe just right and a little frustration to get them to the griddle without sticking to everything. But, after figuring out that you have to use some extra quinoa flour (or you could also use rice flour) to dust the board and hands I finally succeeded! I could have benefited from some Inca ancestors to give me pointers.

 

Now just use your hands and press the ball of dough into a flat tortilla. I just got a tortilla press and can’t wait to try it, but I wanted you all to see that they’re easy to make without one too. 

Using a spatula will help to transfer the freshly flattened tortilla to the hot griddle. Just preheat an electric griddle to 325. You can use oil if you like, but I didn’t and they turned out amazing! Cook on both sides until they’re browned and puff up a little. They’ll be soft and pliable when warm. 

 

Serve warm with anything you can stuff in a tortilla like Slow Cooker Carnitas or Chicken Fajitas! 

Enjoy  

Filed Under: Breads, Gluten Free Bread

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies

January 13, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Gf Banana Cc Cookies

We were getting ready to go to my hubby’s grandma’s 90th birthday party when I realized that there probably wouldn’t be any gluten free treats available there. So I found a big ripe banana in the basket of fruit in my pantry, some dark chocolate chips in my freezer, and came up with these delicious gluten free, egg free, paleo, refined sugar free AMAZING cookies! Don’t worry about all the stuff they don’t have, these babies are so good! As in good enough that I was swatting hands away while trying to take a picture before they all got eaten. I was lucky to make it out of there with one for myself before the feeding frenzy began. This recipe makes a dozen or so cookies. They’re great to freeze for a quick, healthy treat and really good dunked in almond milk!

1 large ripe banana
1 cup almond flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup organic coconut oil, warmed to liquid
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/8 cup pure maple syrup or wild honey
dash sea salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (60% or higher)

Cc Cookie Dough

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. The coconut oil will become a liquid at warmer temperatures so just run the container under hot tap water until it liquifies. Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed so that the banana gets mashed and incorporated with all the other ingredients. There’s no egg so if you’re one of those cookie-dough-eating people then here’s your chance to nibble Otherwise roll the dough into balls and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. You can use a cooking spray or rub it with some coconut oil so they won’t stick. I realized after a few minutes in the oven that the cookies would need some help flattening so I used my spatula to press them into a cookie shape. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Filed Under: Paleo, Sweet Treats

Peanut Butter & Honey-Caramel Dipped Apples

December 27, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Apples

I have a confession to make. I have owned a candy thermometer for close to 8 years and I’ve never used it…until now.  I had set out to make a gluten free, refined sugar free, dairy free peanut butter fudge. After the fourth attempt I was ready to give up. Oh don’t get me wrong it tasted great, but it was just too soft to call fudge.  Then I had a moment of inspiration while cutting an apple for my daughter and Peanut Butter & Honey-Caramel Dipped Apples were born!

If you’re planning on entertaining guests, need a treat for the neighbors, or just want something to satisfy your sweet tooth that won’t go against your New Years resolutions — this is it! This clean-eating caramel is made with only THREE INGREDIENTS! A candy thermometer isn’t absolutely necessary, but is very helpful if you have one.

4-5 apples, sliced and rubbed with lemon juice (to prevent browning)
Your favorite chopped nuts (almond, pecan, walnut, hazelnut, or macadamia nut work good)
1 cup coconut milk cream
(Put a can of coconut milk in the fridge. The cream will separate from the water. Just scoop out the white cream with a spoon and reserve the rest for Thai Coconut Curry with Shrimp) 
3/4  to 1 cup raw wild honey or agave nectar 
1 cup peanut butter 
(if using freshly made or natural PB, pour off the oil that collects on the top to get as little as possible and up the honey to 1 cup.)

In a saucepan heat coconut milk cream and honey together. Bring to a boil, stirring often to keep it from burning on the bottom. Boil for about 20 minutes or until your candy thermometer reads 235-240 F (soft ball stage). Add in the PB and stir into the boiling nectar until well incorporated. Remove from  heat and allow to cool on the stove for about 10 minutes. Slice your apples and dip in the hot PB honey-caramel. Roll the dipped apple slices in chopped nut of choice. Set on a wax paper lined baking sheet and put in the fridge to cool completely. Go straight from the fridge to the serving tray and enjoy a delicious and healthy treat!

Filed Under: Fun Fruits, Happy Holidays, Paleo, Sweet Treats
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