Grain Free

Cranberry Butternut Muffins

This recipe is from Kate O’Donnell’s book “The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook”.  I have loved cooking and baking from this cookbook especially when the seasons are shifting and I feel a bit off kilter.  These muffins have been a weekly go to and I am surprised how much I like the fresh cranberries. They add a bit of tang to counterbalance the sweet and just really give these muffins a “zing”. Of course, I have tweaked the recipe a bit mainly for texture.  I also like to double this recipe because it only makes 6 muffins.   Ingredients: 2 eggs ½ C cooked butternut squash (I have used both fresh and canned and haven’t noticed a difference) ¼ C maple syrup 2 T avocado oil 1 C almond meal ½ C blanched almond flour ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp baking powder (use aluminum-free) 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ ginger powder ¼ tsp cardamom ¼ C fresh cranberries, chopped (I purchased these around Thanksgiving and store them in a ball jar in the freezer.  I have been using them directly from the freezer and they have worked perfectly) 2 T shredded unsweetened coconut (gluten-free)     Directions:  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with baking cups. 2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk eggs for 1-2 minutes.  Whisk in butternut squash followed by maple syrup and avocado oil. 3. In a separate small bowl, blend together dry ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix […]

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Cauliflower Mash

Let’s talk about cauliflower! What an incredible substitute for potatoes. For me personally, I need all the cruciferous vegetables and cauliflower is packed with fiber and helps the body eliminate fake estrogens. I love using cauliflower as a side option and it gives me more bang for my buck nutritionally.  Enjoy this simple and filling recipe. It would be perfect alongside my turkey meatloaf or a leg of lamb for Easter dinner. Yummmm.    Ingredients:  1 head of cauliflower ¼ to ½ cup chicken or vegetable stock 1 T ghee 2 green onions, finely chopped Salt & Pepper to taste   Directions:  1. Chop a head of cauliflower and put in a medium saucepan with ¼ cup of stock.     2. Steam, adding additional stock if needed.   3. When Cauliflower is soft, using a potato masher or large fork, mash in a saucepan adding ghee, salt & pepper.     4. Transfer mixture to a bowl.  Stir in green onion and serve.               © The Sown Life LLC, 2019

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Grain-free Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins

One of the best things I did when I started to eat in a more holistic and nourishing way was to revamp my baking pantry with healthier options.  I said goodbye to bleached flour and sugar and replaced them with baking items that had something to offer my body. I posted my top 10 nutrient-dense baking pantry substitutions a while back, so take a look! One of my favorite substitutions is raw cacao powder, which is amazing for hormone balance and a simple and easy switch out for cocoa powder. I am also a huge fan of coconut and almond flour. They both have healthy fat and fiber as well.  Enjoy these delicious muffins!!   Ingredients: ¼  C creamy peanut butter (you can use almond butter if you prefer) 2 T avocado oil ½ C coconut sugar 1 T vanilla extract 2 eggs, at room temperature 1 C almond milk ½ C coconut flour  2 tsp. baking powder Pinch of sea salt ⅓ C raw cacao powder (you can use high-quality cocoa powder as well) ⅓ C chocolate chips (I use Lilly’s that are sweetened with Stevia)   Directions:  1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners and generously spray the inside of each liner with nonstick cooking spray. 2. Add peanut butter, avocado oil, coconut sugar and vanilla to the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium speed until well combined. Slowly add in eggs, one at a time; beat again for […]

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Roasted Squash Lasagne Boats

  This recipe is a spin-off from a great recipe by Half Baked Harvest. I simplified the recipe and definitely made it my own. The great thing about any recipe is that you can easily tweak any one of them to suit your tastebuds! This is the perfect meal for a cold evening, and I didn’t even miss the pasta.   Ingredients: 1 spaghetti squash 3 T olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced 1 carrot, finely diced 4 cloves garlic 1 lb. ground pork, beef or lamb 1 24 oz. can of San Marzano crushed tomatoes 1 T tomato paste concentrate 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce 2 T chopped fresh oregano ¾ C whole milk ricotta cheese ¼ C shredded parmesan cheese ¼ C shredded mozzarella 2 T chopped fresh basil 4 slices smoked provolone cheese Salt and pepper     Directions to roast squash: 1. Preheat oven to 350. 2.  Slice off stem area. 3. Stand squash on the freshly cut end and using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half. 4. Scoop out the seeds. 5. Drizzle insides of the squash with 1 T olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 6. Put face down on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and puncture the entire surface with a fork. 7. Roast squash for 30 minutes or until it is easily punctured with a fork. 8. Set aside.    For the meat sauce:  1. In a large pan, heat about 1 Tablespoon of olive […]

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Turkey and White Bean Chili

  This Turkey and White Bean Chili is one of my favorites and also happens to be the perfect way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey!  I have removed all the heavy cream from this recipe but I am using a special trick to get all the creaminess you would look for in white chili.  I also have added some anaheim chilis for a depth of flavor and enjoy adding toppings such as chopped green onion, toasted pumpkin seeds, some crumbled bacon, and maybe a bit of goat cheese. So delicious! Eat up!   Ingredients: 4 C shredded turkey (if using chicken,1 whole roasted chicken) 1 ½  32 oz. cartons of chicken stock 3 C cauliflower rice (1 bag of Trader Joe’s frozen cauliflower rice) 1½ C yellow onion, chopped 2-4 oz. cans green chilies (or 1 C Anaheim chilies, chopped) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1-15 oz. can organic cannellini beans 1 C frozen corn  1  tsp. ground cumin 1  tsp. dried oregano ½ tsp. ground coriander Salt and pepper to taste Pinch of cayenne 2 T fresh lime juice (optional)     My favorite toppings: Chopped cilantro Chopped green onion Shredded cheese Crumbled goat cheese Toasted Pepitas Sliced jalapenos   Directions: 1. In a medium saucepan, add cauliflower rice and cover with chicken stock. (approx. 2 cups) 2. Simmer until cauliflower rice is soft and most of the chicken stock is absorbed. Cool slightly.     3. In a medium dutch oven, saute onions (and chili’s if using fresh […]

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Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle

  I love these cookies so much. They remind me of the Peanut Butter Blossoms that my Dad used to make but these have much cleaner ingredients and far less sugar.  They are grain-free and so a perfect choice for someone with an autoimmune disorder who is trying to limit grain in their diet.  For those who have nut allergies, I have made these with Sunflower seed butter and they are just as delicious.  For a pre-diabetic or type 2 diabetic, you can eliminate the coconut sugar and double the monk fruit sweetener.  This will keep the sugar remarkably low. You are not missing one thing with these cookies!  Enjoy!!!   Ingredients:  1 C creamy peanut butter ½ C coconut sugar ½ C Monkfruit sweetener (I like the Lakanto brand) 1 egg 1 tsp baking soda 4 TBS. Dark Chocolate Chips (I use Lilly’s) 1 tsp. coconut oil     Directions: 1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 2. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix together the peanut butter and both sugars on medium speed until combined and creamy.  3.  Add in the egg and baking soda and mix on medium until smooth. 4. Scoop out about 2 TBS. of dough and roll into balls. Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet. You can leave them to bake just like that or you can use a fork to press the dough down creating […]

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Crispy Pan Seared Salmon with a Lemon Butter Herb Sauce

  This is such a simple recipe and seriously will probably only take you 15 minutes to fix.  I love great tasting food but in my life, complicated is not welcome. Really good food doesn’t have to be difficult to make! With this recipe, the goal is crispy skin…that is why we will start by searing it skin down first and for a longer period of time. I amazed my husband with this one so I think you will find this to be a favorite recipe!!!     Ingredients: 4 wild-caught salmon fillets 1 T of Ghee Salt & pepper ¼ C butter (½ of a stick) Juice of 1 ½ lemons ¼ tsp lemon zest ⅓ C white wine…Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc  (you can also replace the wine with chicken stock and it tastes just as good) 1 tsp fresh lavender, finely chopped 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped 3 C fresh arugula   Directions: 1. Heat large skillet on medium-high.  Add ghee.      2. When the melted ghee is shimmering, you will know that it is ready for the salmon. 3. Salt and pepper the skin side of the filet and put the SKIN side down FIRST.     4. You will sear the salmon on this side for 5 minutes before flipping. 5. While the salmon is cooking on the skin side, salt and pepper the flesh side. 6. After 5 minutes have passed, flip salmon over to the flesh side and cook for only […]

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Warm Crispy Onion and Hakurei Turnip Salad

  Growing up, I never ate turnips.  Just the name turned me off. Well, if your opinion of turnips was similar to mine, you need to try this recipe.  Sauteeing the turnips in some ghee really softens their sharp flavor and they have quickly become one of my favorite root vegetables. Hakurei is a Japanese variety of turnip and it is known to be very mild and delicate in flavor. This recipe will work with any type of turnip though!     Ingredients:  2 lbs. Hakurei turnips, sliced in half and then quartered ½ medium red onion, cut in half and then sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 ½ tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped 1 TBS. ghee 1 bunch of Tuscan kale, stemmed and chopped 1 TBS. olive oil 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar 1 tsp. maple syrup 1 tsp. dijon mustard 1 tsp. sea salt   Directions:  1.  Using a medium skillet, heat over medium-high heat.  Melt ghee.   2. Add onions and turnips.  Leave both onions and turnips to brown up a bit on one side and then stir.  Continue to stir every so often so onions don’t burn but you want the turnips to have a nice golden hue and be soft on the inside.      3. Meanwhile, in a small jar with a lid, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, and a ½ tsp. salt.  Put the lid on and shake until well blended.     4. When turnips are golden brown, […]

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Pesto, White Bean and Sausage Soup

  I’ve got another top-notch soup recipe for you!! I am riding the soup train as long as the weather is cold! This Pesto, White Bean and Sausage Soup is super easy and should be enough for 2 meals which makes it a great solution for a busy week.  Take advantage of the lingering cool temps and make some soup as part of your dinner routine. This pesto soup is packed with delicious flavors and awesome ingredients that will heal and nourish your body.      Ingredients:  4 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced into 1-inch pieces 1 medium onion, chopped 3 ribs celery, chopped 3 carrots, chopped 1 sweet potato, cubed ¾ C pesto (I used a jar from Trader Joe’s) 4 C chicken stock 2 cans white cannellini beans, strained and rinsed 4 sausages (I used garlic chicken sausage from Trader Joe’s), sliced 3 C chopped kale Salt and pepper to taste   Directions: 1. In a medium dutch oven, fry up bacon until crisp.     2. Let sit out on a paper towel to soak up excess grease. 3. Strain out most of the bacon fat leaving about a TBS. in the bottom of the pan. 4. Return Dutch oven to stovetop and add onions, carrots, and celery. Saute until soft.     5. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute. 6. Add sausage and allow to heat through. 7. Add pesto and allow to cook for about a minute to bring out the flavor.     […]

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Grain Free Gooey Chocolate Brownies

  This recipe is from Ambitious Kitchen and is unbelievable.  These brownies are so gooey, chocolatey and yum yum!!  If you have not visited Monique’s website…do it now.  She has the best recipes and especially for those whose health requires them to eat gluten or grain free. I have made a few tweaks to the recipe to make it even a bit more nutrient dense.  I absolutely love these and amazingly enough they only have 11 grams of sugar per brownie. Ingredients: 1 C tahini (sesame butter) ½  C coconut sugar ¼ C pure maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 eggs ⅓ C unsweetened raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder) 1 T coconut flour ½ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt ⅓ C Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips For the chocolate drizzle: 2 T Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips 1 tsp coconut oil   Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×9 inch baking pan with coconut cooking spray. (I prefer to use a round cake pan since I like my brownies in a pie slice) In a large bowl, combine the tahini, coconut sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract and eggs until smooth and well combined. Gently fold in raw cacao powder, coconut flour, salt and baking soda until batter is smooth. Fold in 1/3 cup chocolate chips into the batter. This batter should be pretty thick. Spread batter evenly in prepared baking pan. Bake for 22-30 minutes or until knife inserted into the middle comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. […]

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