Grain Free

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 […]

Details

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 […]

Details

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 […]

Details

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, […]

Details

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.     […]

Details

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. […]

Details

Cauliflower Rice

Cauliflower rice I’ve found to be a satisfying substitute for grains. You don’t have to be strictly paleo to want to substitute grain sometimes. As you can tell by my other recipes, I’m not against whole grain in any way; I don’t believe in haphazardly removing food groups for no reason, however, it is true that many of my clients benefit greatly from either eliminating or reducing their grain intake. It just depends on the person. For example, someone who has high blood sugar or who is insulin resistant should not partake in very much grain at all.  While whole grains are amazing in so many ways, they still turn into sugar in your body. For most, that sugar is compensated for by the amount of fiber in the grain but for someone who is insulin resistant, those sugars are still going to be stored in your body as fat. Enter cauliflower rice! Cruciferous vegetables (like cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts etc.) are so great for removing fake estrogens from the body and help level out your hormone levels. Plain white rice does not do that for you. Think of cauliflower rice as an easy way to add more goodness into your diet and treat your body right. This is one food trend I can get on board with, I love a grain free option that still satisfies. You can do so much with this easy recipe! Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower 3 green onions, finely chopped 3 TBS. Ghee Salt and […]

Details

Curried Socca

This curried socca is a terrific side dish or appetizer! I really enjoy having an option that is just as satisfying as bread but much healthier. I love to serve this along with my peach chutney or, you guessed it, my salsa verde. Both options are delicious! If I make the salsa verde, I actually make it a little more “mint heavy” as mint and curry are long-time good friends. I found this recipe in one of my absolute favorite cookbooks, “At Home in the Wholefood Kitchen” by Amy Chaplin. I love this cookbook and keep coming back to it for guidance and inspiration in my day to day cooking. This Socca is delicious and naturally gluten-free, it won’t cause the bloating that so many of us experience after eating glutinous products. Hope you enjoy making it and pairing with tons of yummy foods like grilled meats and veggies. This recipe makes about 6, 9-inch socca. Enjoy! Ingredients: 3 cups chickpea flour 2 ¼ teaspoons sea salt 3 cups warm filtered water, divided 2 tablespoons melted extra virgin coconut oil 2 tablespoons ghee, plus more for cooking socca 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds 5 teaspoons homemade curry powder (or high-quality organic store-bought) 2 onions finely sliced Directions: 1. Mix the chickpea flour and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine well. 2. Pour in 1 ½ cups warm water and whisk until completely smooth, then add the remaining water and coconut oil; whisk again and set aside. 3. Warm 2 tablespoons of ghee […]

Details

Sauerkraut

This Saurkraut recipe is such a satisfying side with grilled chicken or some kind of roast. Something about the flavor helps to round out the meal and make you feel full. Its also make from cabbage which is a cruciferous vegetable that can help improve digestion with the fiber it offers and also balances hormone levels. The probiotics in this recipe work to elevate the good hormones in your body. Besides that, it is an incredible asset in preventing cancer and can actually decrease cancer risk by removing toxins (xeno-estrogens) from the body. I try to find ways to incorporate fermented food into my diet and this is a great way to do so. It’s so good for your overall gut health. A little side note: If you choose to strain the whey when making my homemade yogurt, this is the perfect use for it. If you don’t have whey then water also does the trick. This recipe and the yogurt are perfect to make in the same week. Enjoy making these fermented foods and pay attention to how it makes your tummy feel. It has definitely helped me. Happy eating! Ingredients: Fresh Organic cabbage, 1 medium/large head 1/2 cup of whey from organic yogurt and (or) filtered, lightly salted water 2 TBS Salt (kosher or sea salt, non-iodized) A bowl Mandolin (optional) A potato masher or similar tool A large jar for fermenting with a lid A small ziploc bag   Directions: 1. Slice your cabbage into thin pieces or shreds. (you can […]

Details

Mexican Shredded Beef

I love this stove top recipe because it only takes a few hours to make. While I really like the crockpot it’s nice to have a recipe on hand that doesn’t involve getting that out every time. Making shredded beef is much easier than you might think! I make this recipe often at home, it’s so nutrient dense and simple, we love it. One thing I think is key: to mix your own seasoning from really high-quality spices. It makes such a big difference in the flavor! I get my meat from a farm which tastes way better in my opinion. This recipe is so diverse, you can eat it in a taco, enchilada or on some nachos. You can also have it for breakfast over an omelet or huevos rancheros or just on top of a salad. I can’t tell you enough how incredible the flavor is. You’ll just have to make it yourself! This recipe also freezes really well so it’s a great idea to make lots and freeze some for a future meal!   Ingredients: 2 lb. Chuck Roast cut into 4 pieces and rubbed with Mexican blend seasoning 1 large yellow onion, chopped 2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded and very finely chopped 1 28 ounce can San Marzano whole tomatoes in their juice, or 2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes 1 cup beef stock Avocado oil or rendered pork fat Salt   Mexican Blend Seasoning: 1 tsp. Cumin ½ tsp. Ancho Chili Powder ½ tsp. Chipotle Chili […]

Details
12