Grain Free

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Grain-free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

It’s Pumpkin Season!!!! These muffins are delicious and turned out perfectly the first time which is great for me because I am not a baker!! My husband loves them as well so that’s a win for me:) I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen and modified it just a tad. The first batch I made I added half a teaspoon baking powder for extra plumpness but that’s all I changed. The second batch, I tried coconut oil instead of olive oil and also added half a teaspoon of cinnamon. They were perfection! Enjoy one on a crisp morning with your best cup of coffee. Happy Fall!!!   Ingredients: 1 cup pumpkin puree 3 eggs ½ cup maple syrup ⅓ cup olive oil or coconut oil, warmed 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice ½ tsp. sea salt ¼ cup coconut flour 1 ½ cups almond meal (blanched preferably) ½ tsp. baking soda ½ cup chocolate chips or a 3.5oz. dark chocolate bar, roughly chopped raw pepitas/pumpkin seeds for garnish, optional   Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 360′ and grease a muffin tin with coconut oil or use liners. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, maple, oil, pumpkin pie spice and salt and whisk really well to combine. You want to get some air up in there. 3. Add the coconut flour and mix. Let that sit a minute to absorb some moisture. Add the almond meal, baking soda and stir again to mix. Add the chocolate […]

Sown Life Apple Crisp

Fall is in full swing and that means I have been doing some more baking! Fresh, in season apples are so delicious and I love to use them any way I can this time of year. Crisps traditionally have a lot of added sugar and can be a very decadent dessert. Large quantities of sugar really does not appeal to my body so I always cut back on it when baking. This recipe has only 1/3 cup of coconut sugar in the whole dish as the sweetener. All the rest comes from the apples. I am not stingy with the butter as I believe that high-quality grass fed butter is so good for you. Plus the saltiness mixes beautifully with the sweet apples. Embracing life’s moments and the changing seasons is important! It helps us to stick to a healthy, balanced and nourishing lifestyle! Ingredients for filling: 6 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon lemon juice For topping: ½ cup almond flour ½ cup gluten-free oats 1 ½ tsp. cinnamon ⅓  cup pecans, chopped  ⅓ cup coconut sugar  6 T salted butter   Directions:  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees 2. To make the filling: Peel, core and slice your apples. 3. In a medium bowl, combine apples, cinnamon and lemon juice. Stir together until apples are coated evenly. 4. To make topping: in a separate bowl, whisk together almond flour, oats, salt, cinnamon, chopped pecans and coconut sugar. 5. Use a fork or fingers to mix butter until topping […]

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 […]