Category: Autumn

Paleo Eggplant Lasagna

Published on by Alissa36 Comments

I’ll tell you a little secret.

The easiest way to get to my heart is to make me lasagna.

Yes, it is sad, but there is an expressway right to the center of my heart via layers of ricotta cheese, meat sauce, and ribbons of lasagna noodles.  I would eat it for breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert…second dessert.

But alas, I have not had lasagna in so long.  My gluten sensitivity has slammed that door shut. Oh lasagna….*sigh* I miss you dearly.

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Growing up, my mom would make lasagna and homemade strawberry cake for my birthday.  It was a several hour affair.  Making the perfect lasagna is like building a log cabin.  There are so many steps, but it is so worth it in the end:

  • Boiling noodles;
  • Making the ricotta mixture;
  • Grating the mozzarella and parmesan cheese;
  • Making the fresh tomato and meat sauce;
  • Constructing the masterpiece;
  • Baking the amazing masterpiece for an hour;
  • THEN waaaaaaaaaaiting for it cool down!!!!!

UUUgh.  The roof of my mouth suffered many times from not being able to wait. But then…there it was. *Chorus Line Dancers* *Jazz Hands* “Ladies and Gents…I present to you….The Great Laaaasagnaaaaaa.” I dove head first into that big slice of layered heaven.  I always looked forward to that meal. Again…a moment of silence for my dear lasagna.

A few years ago, my husband surprised me with a homemade spinach lasagna for my birthday.  This man does not really cook…but he made it from scratch.  Oh it was delicious. It was comfort rolled up in layers of sauciness.  But that was the last time I had lasagna.  TWO YEARS.

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My birthday is at the end of the month and my innate need for lasagna has been getting strong.  I dream about it. I smell it in the air….in my car. I’m serious. I seriously started thinking that maybe I just smelled like lasagna?  Maybe I emit oregano and basil fumes.  I guess there are worse things to smell like.

Anyways, I decided to remedy my lasagna cravings by using strips of eggplant in place of the noodles.  I made an amazing and deliciously thick batch of meat sauce chunked with large pieces of mushrooms. Although there is no cheese or ricotta (blasphemy….I know…if you are a lasagna purist…please, turn your eyes), this cooked up to be layered, saucy, meaty heaven.  If you eat dairy, you could easily add a layer of cheese to this.

Slice the eggplant lengthwise in 1/4-inch thick slices. I prebaked my eggplant “noodles” in an oven at 375F for 10 minutes while I was making the sauce.  I haven’t tried making this without prebaking the eggplant. I’m sure it would work but would just require longer baking time once it is fully constructed.  After prebaking the eggplant slices and whipping up the meat sauce, the lasagna is ready to be BUILT!

  • Start with a layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9″ X 13″ baking dish.
  • Then place 3 to 4 slices of eggplant in a single layer across the bottom of the pan.
  • Add another portion of meat sauce,
  • Then add another layer of eggplant (stacking on top of the first layer).
  • Top the whole thing with the remaining sauce.
  • Bake at 375F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through.

Bonus features of my version of lasagna are that it takes a fraction of the time since there are no noodles to cook and no cheese to shred.  It also cooks in half the time. You could easily sub zucchini and/or yellow squash for the eggplant.

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Paleo Eggplant Lasagna (Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

  • 1 large globe eggplant, cut lengthwise into 8 1/4-inch slices
  • olive oil
  • 1 lb ground grass-fed beef
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 10 oz whole baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 to 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 15 oz cans of diced tomatoes (undrained)
  • 6 oz can of tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley (plus more for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.  Spray two baking sheets with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.  Set aside.
  2. Place eggplant pieces on prepared baking sheets in single layer. Brush both sides of eggplant slices with olive oil. Bake until eggplant slices are tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes per side. Watch closely and remove eggplant slices as needed if they are cooking too quickly or not long enough.   Remove baking sheets from oven and cool eggplant while preparing sauce. Eggplant can be roasted 1 day ahead and refrigerated.
  3. In a large sauce pan or pot, brown ground beef over medium heat.  Drain excess grease. Return pan to heat and add onion, garlic, and mushrooms.  Stirring frequently, brown and cook until onions and mushrooms are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.  Add 2 cans of diced tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and parsley.  Bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Sauce can be made several days ahead and refrigerated.
  4. Spread 1/3 of the meat sauce (about 2 cups) in the bottom of a 9″ X 13″ glass pan.  Layer 4 slices of eggplant on top of the sauce.  Spread another 1 to 2 cups of sauce on top of the eggplant slices.  Arrange a second layer of eggplant slices directly on top of the first layer, stacking them. Spoon remaining sauce on top. This can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to cook.
  5. Bake eggplant lasagna until heated through, about 20 to 30 minutes if freshly made or 40 minutes if refrigerated. Serve hot topped with fresh parsley or basil.

*Nutritional Information (based on 8 total servings), 1 serving = 209 calories, 15 g carbohydrates, 11 grams fat, 15 grams protein

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Pecans

Published on by Alissa4 Comments

So let me tell you a story about a notorious vegetable called Mr Brussel.

Mr Brussel was bulky and brawny. A bad boy in the vegetable kingdom. Not many people liked him. He kind of had multiple personalities or at least was pretty moody.  Some days he was bitter. Other days he was bland. But generally, most of the time he was smothered and tired and wilted and just overcooked. Bleh.

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Then one day Mr Brussel went to the Roasting Pan, a new pub.  He had heard stories of this place changing other veggies, but he thought that it was a myth.  Rumors stirred about Madame Cauli Flower and her infamous roasted makeover.

So Mr Brussel decided to give it a shot.

He went in. He stayed awhile. He lingered. He rested. He was massaged in some olive oil. He got braised and roasted.

Then when he got out of the Roasting Pan, something amazing happened. He was sweet and delicious and caramelized. He was a changed veggie. He was the Ryan Gosling of vegetables…well, maybe not THAT far…but close.

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The moral of the story, people?  Turn Mr Brussels from bleh to BAM by:

  • cutting those tiny cabbage-like veggies into quarter segments,
  • drizzling with olive oil,
  • sprinkling with salt and pepper, and
  • roasting in an oven!

That’s it. Oh the magic of the great Roasting Pan.

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For this recipe, I tossed my roasted brussels sprouts with cranberries, pecans, and a balsamic drizzle.  But don’t stop there. There are plenty of other ways to prepare these….maybe bacon? roasted garlic? parmesan? Harissa?  Yes!  Branch out. Give Mr Brussels another try. He won’t disappoint you.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Pecans (adapted from Whole Foods Market recipes)

Serves 6 as a side

Ingredients

  • 1 lb of fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper each
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.  Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.  
  2. In a medium bowl, toss the brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spoon the brussels sprouts in a single layer onto  the roasting pan.  Roast for 30 minutes. Stir the brussels sprouts. Add the pecans and cranberries onto the roasting pan. Add the pan back into the oven and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir well until brussels sprouts are well cooked.
  3. Remove from oven and toss with balsamic vinegar.
Paleo Cranberry Apple Cobbler

Paleo Cranberry and Apple Cobbler

Published on by Alissa2 Comments

My heart is heavy on this last day of December and this last day of 2012. I’m staying in my pajamas and watching the snow fall. The snow falls so peaceful outside my window, yet I know that sometimes there is no peace and life is just not fair.  

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My thoughts go out to everyone who has lost someone this year. My thoughts go out to those that are lost. My thoughts go out to those that are enduring hardships that are unfathomable. 

There are so many cruel and unfair things that occur and I always ask “why?”…but sometimes there is no reason. It’s just the way it is.  I only hope that there is something better that hopefully will come out of tragedy.

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So I make this cobbler for my friends that are struggling right now, my friends that are enduring an unfathomable loss, my friends that are lost in life.  I make this cobbler to hopefully bring comfort into their hearts and to warm their souls.

Paleo Cranberry and Apple Cobbler (Grain Free, Gluten Free, and Diary Free) (adapted from Beeckman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook)

Filling:

  • 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries
  • 3 medium apples, cored and diced
  • 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, diced
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder

Topping:

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a 9X9-inch baking dish with butter, coconut oil or nonstick spray.  Set aside.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, apples, crystallized ginger, water, and honey. Heat over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil and the cranberries pop. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in arrowroot powder. Pour the hot cranberry mixture into the baking dish and set aside.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, combine all of the topping ingredients. Mix well.  Spoon the topping mixture evenly over the filling.
  4. Bake at 350F for 30 to 40 minutes. The cobbler will begin to bubble and the topping should lightly brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.  Best when served with vanilla coconut ice cream!
Flourless Brownie Bites

Flourless Brownie Bites (Grain Free)

Published on by Alissa2 Comments

Merry Christmas!

I hope you all are having a wonderful and cozy day.  My husband I made the trek from KC down to Oklahoma to visit my family.  My brother had back surgery a week ago and has been recovering.  It was wonderful getting to spend time with all of us together.

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We cooked, we ate, we laughed, we made our gingerbread house, and we watched christmas movies on repeat while my bro was horizontal in bed recovering. He’s getting around better and was able to eat dinner with us and walk around with his walker.

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We had to leave a day early because Oklahoma freaks out over the mere mention of a slight chance of snow. So thinking Snowmaggeddon is on its way, we had to make a mad dash up north to Kiley’s family’s house in Tulsa last night to try to miss this “massive” snow storm. We woke up this morning to clear skies and no snow. Womp womp.  But at least we are safe and sound in Tulsa with Kiley’s family now with the warmth of coffee and a fire in the fireplace.  We hope you and your families are warm, cozy, and enjoying time together and slowing down this season.

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I’m whipping up a batch of flourless bite-sized brownies. I love the tiny size for snacking.  There is no flour, only cocoa powder, melted chocolate, honey, eggs, and butter or coconut oil! They are super easy and can be topped with anything you have on hand. Yes…even bacon.  I topped some with bacon (it was a hit), some with crystallized ginger, others with toasted walnuts, and some with salted caramel (my fave). The recipe is inspired by the flourless brownies in my new favorite cookbook, Practical Paleo. The recipe is found below.

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Also, if you are looking for some last minute quick gluten-free recipes to make for Christmas dinner, I’ve gathered up a few of my favorites….

Gluten-Free Breakfast:

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Mexican Breakfast Casserole (Grain Free and Dairy Free)

Crustless Quiche (Grain Free and Dairy Free)

Pumpkin-Apple Muffins (Grain Free and Dairy Free)

German-Style Apple Walnut Pancake (Grain Free and Dairy Free)

Gluten-Free Appetizers:

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Spinach-Cheese Balls (Vegetarian and Grain Free)

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs (Grain Free and Dairy Free)

Nutty Coconut Date Balls (Vegetarian, Grain Free, and Dairy Free)

Gluten-Free Side Dishes:

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Kale Salad with Cranberries, Pecans, and Apples (Gluten Free and Vegan)

Roasted Cauliflower 

Grilled Delicata Squash with Kale (Gluten Free and Vegetarian)

Gluten-Free Desserts:

Ginger Chocolate Chip

Chewy Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free, Grain Free, and Dairy Free)

Fudge Brownies (Gluten Free and Vegan)

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Flourless Brownie Bites (adapted from Practical Paleo)

Makes 30 brownie bites

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces dark chocolate (I use 85% cocoa from Trader Joes), melted and cooled
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter, melted and cooled
  • 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • Toppings or mix-ins: bacon, walnuts, crystallized ginger, caramel, unsweetened coconut, flaked salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease mini muffin tin with butter, coconut oil, or nonstick spray. Set aside.
  2. To melt the dark chocolate bar, break into small pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted. It takes me 2 minutes.
  3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the melted dark chocolate, melted coconut oil (or butter), maple syrup, vanilla, and eggs. Slowly sift the cocoa powder over the wet ingredients, whisking it evenly to ensure there are no lumps. Stir in salt and baking soda.
  4. Spoon the brownie batter into the mini muffin tins (about 1 1/2 tablespoons per muffin tin), filling about 3/4ths full. Top the batter with the topping of your choice (chopped bacon pieces, walnuts, ginger, coconut, caramel pieces, kosher salt). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Crustless Quiche (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)

Published on by Alissa2 Comments

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Christmas morning we always eat QUICHE! THE great Christmas Quiche!  It’s a tradition.

We brew coffee, throw the great Christmas quiche in the oven, and unwrap presents. The quiche bakes and fills the house with wonderful smells.  Unfortunately, I can’t have the tasty pastry crust since I have a gluten sensitivity.  So…..we are going crustless.

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I found a few recipes for almond flour based crusts, which I have tried and love. But going crustless is uber eeeeazy peeeeazy and allows me to focus on what really matters…enjoying my family unwrapping presents!

You can throw this quiche together in the morning, or you can put it together the night before.  There are so many variations of this….add meat, add mushrooms, add other veggies that you have on hand.  The original recipe is adapted from my newest cookbook that my husband gave me, Practical Paleo.

Before we go any further, I have to tell you that I LOVE this cookbook.

If you are still trying to figure out what to get someone, this is an awesome gift for a anyone wanting to learn to cook with whole foods. The author, Diane Sanfilippo, also blogs at balanced bites. She gives a wonderful detailed approach on how to heal and treat certain allergies, digestive health, blood-sugar regulation, thyroid health, cancer recovery, auto immune disorders, migraines, hormone imbalances, etc. Her recipes are delicious, inspiring, and wholesome.

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This crustless quiche originally had zucchini and carrots. I used chopped spinach instead of zucchini. For Christmas, instead of throwing in raw spinach, I will saute the spinach with mushrooms and peppers before adding it eggs. Then I will throw it in the oven, grab a huge cup of coffee, and watch everyone unwrap their presents.

Crustless Quiche (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)

(adapted from Practical Paleo)

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

  • 12 eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups of spinach, chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground sage (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9X13 baking dish with either butter, coconut oil, or nonstick spray.  Set aside.
  2. Mix everything together in a large bowl. Pour into the prepared baking dish.  For the swirled effect, stir the mixture with a spoon or fork before baking.
  3. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Gluten-Free Spinach Cheese Balls with Marinara Dipping Sauce

Published on by Alissa1 Comment

It’s party time.  Office parties. Family parties. Friend parties.  School parties.

It’s time to walk around, snack like you have elastic waistband pants on, and then wonder if maybe your dryer is shrinking your clothes. January is around the corner…let’s worry about it then.  OR….bring along a safety net.

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My safety net is to make sure that when I go to parties, I am prepared and bring something that I don’t feel too bad stuffing my face full of.  Being gluten-free during the holidays brings certain benefits and difficulties. I find that I have to walk away from the cookie table. So instead, I’ll bring my own sweet treat like these chewy ginger chocolate chip cookies or veggie loaded spinach cheese balls. Or both!

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These spinach cheese balls are a redo of last year’s spinach cheese balls that I made for Christmas. Unfortunately, they had bread crumbs and flour….not gluten-free. But, if you aren’t gluten free, then jump on them. So delicious…but, if you are gluten-free, try my new version where I simply replaced the wheat flour with almond meal from Trader Joe’s.  Serve with either store-bought marinara sauce or a simple homemade sauce.  My recipe for a homemade simple sauce is found below.

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Gluten-Free Spinach Cheese Balls with Marinara Dipping Sauce

Makes 20 to 30 1-inch balls

Ingredients

  • 1 frozen package of spinach (16 oz), thawed and thoroughly drained
  • 2 cups of shredded mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup almond meal (may need more depending on moistness of spinach)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • fresh ground pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
  2. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with homemade marinara dipping sauce (see below).

Homemade Marinara Dipping Sauce

  • 1 15 oz can of diced no salt tomatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to the bowl of your food processor. Process until well mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potato Soup

Published on by Alissa3 Comments

I love soup. I love soup like I love sweaters…and throws…and wool socks. I mainly love soup because they require little effort and you get a huge piping hot bowl of comfort. This soup is loaded with sweet potatoes and kale, which are both great fall/winter veggies.  It should be no surprise at this point of my infatuation with kale. So I shall skip forward to my utter love for the amazing sweet potato.

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I love roasting sweet potatoes, making them into sweet potato fries, throwing them into chili, or dumping them into soups and stews.  So I was über pumped when I came home from my family’s farm with a boat-load of home-grown sweet potatoes!

Sweet potatoes are planted in the summer and harvested in late October before the first frost.  The variety that my dad planted are amazingly sweet with red skin and bright orange flesh.  Sweet potatoes are naturally rich in antioxidants, and are great sources of both Vitamin A and Vitamin C.  They pack some powerful nutrients, dietary fiber, and are a great source of healthy carbs for athletes. So stock up on these in-season veggies. Store them in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place (not the fridge). They should keep for at least a month or two. Yay for food hoarding!

This is one of those soups that can be adapted from whatever you have on hand.  I used italian sausage, sweet potatoes, and kale.  If you don’t have sausage, try chicken…no sweet potatoes, try butternut squash or red skinned potatoes…no kale (weirdo), try spinach.  You can even add tomatoes or mushrooms.

The sausage that I had on hand was a spicy italian sausage from my CSA.  If you do not have access to local sausage and you are purchasing sausage from the store, read the ingredients on the package.  Some types of sausage contain preservatives, nitrates, and wheat-based fillers.  So just be aware of what you are buying. If you can not find a gluten-free or organic brand of sausage where you live/shop, then substitute shredded chicken (or a can of white beans for vegetarian version).

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Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potato Soup (adapted from Bon Appetit)

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground sausage (gluten-free and nitrate free)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bunch of kale, stems removed and leaves cut into 1-inch strips
  • red pepper flakes (optional)
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Heat large heavy pot or dutch oven or medium heat. Add sausage and cook until brown, breaking into pieces (about 5 to 10 minutes).  Transfer cooked sausage to a bowl lined with paper towels to drain.
  2. Add onions and garlic to pot and cook in sausage drippings until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir often.
  3. Add potatoes and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften.
  4. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes (stirring occasionally), until potatoes are soft when stabbed with a fork. Using a potato masher, mash some of the potatoes in the pot. Add cooked sausage back into soup. Stir in kale (or spinach) and simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes, until greens are wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Grain-Free Chewy Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies

Published on by Alissa5 Comments

I’m so excited. Christmas is getting closer. We went and picked out our tree a week ago. Even though it feels like Christmas in California (temps are in the 70s!!!), we still decorated the tree, drank bourbon-spiked egg nog, and watched Home Alone.

We pulled out all of our old and favorite childhood ornaments, placing them strategically on each limb.   We have many ornaments that have special meaning, but some are just funny.

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For instance, we have a ceramic ornament that came from some craft show ages ago that has Santa’s face painted on what appears to be tree bark but instead looks like Santa is floating on poop. We lovingly refer to this ornament as “Terd Santa”. Terd Santa has a high priority placement on the tree. He is usually placed near the 1980 Avon classic Bear Bell (a mama bear whose legs are the swinging bell) and the Headless Paper-mache Angel.

Now that it looks like Christmas has vomited throughout my house, leaving poinsettia and pine cones everywhere….it was time to make it SMELL like it too! I cooked up a batch of ginger chocolate chip cookies to make the house smell of gingerbread and spice.  These are inspired by this amazing cookie that I made last year, which unfortunately contains gluten from the wheat flour. In order to make those cookies grain free, I used almond flour as the base.  If you don’t have almond flour on hand, I have also made these cookies using almond butter, making them slightly more dense and chewy but still scrumptious.

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Even if you are not gluten-free, I seriously recommend this grain free cookies for the following reasons:

(1) The nuts give them protein…GOOD.

(2) They ooze of chocolate…DOUBLE GOOD.

(3) The ginger gives a nice spicy kick in your mouth….YES.

(4) And they are a COOKIE! Hellooooo. Nuff said, peeps.

I made these cookies bite-sized and rolled each one in turbinado sugar. The crunch of the sugar in contrast to the gooey, chewy, chocolatey cookie is divine.  WARNING – these suckers are so easy to pop in your mouth like popcorn. They can be quite addictive.

SO HIDE THEM IF YOU WANT TO EAT ANY!!!!  Because as soon as you tell anyone else that you made them, they will disappear and you may not get any…booooh. At least that is what happens in my house!!!

Ginger Chocolate Chip

Grain-Free Chewy Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free, Vegan, Paleo Friendly)

Makes 2 dozen tiny, bite-sized cookies

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups almond flour*
  • 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, softened
  • 4 Tablespoons maple syrup or honey
  • 2 Tablespoons unsulphured blackstrap molasses
  • 3 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or bar, chopped into tiny pieces
  • 1/3 cup turbinado sugar or coconut palm sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper or a Silpat mat. Place the large-grain turbinado sugar or coconut palm sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, ginger, salt, and baking soda. Mix until a thick batter is formed. Chill the batter in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes which will make it easier to scoop and form cookies.
  3. I like these cookies tiny and barely bite-sized.  Scoop out the dough in exact, level tablespoons. Then tear those pieces of dough in two before rolling each 1/2 tablespoon of dough into a ball shape. From there, grab a small handful of the large-grained sugar that was set aside earlier and roll each ball between your palms to coat the outside of each dough ball.  Place dough a few inches apart on prepared baking sheets.  Use a wet fork to flatten each dough ball into your desired cookie thickness. 
  4. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until firm around the edges, but still soft in the center. Allow to cool on the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
  5. Hide a few for your secret stash!

*NOTE – I use Honeyville almond flour. I have also made these cookies using 1 cup of almond butter instead of the 1.5 cups of almond flour. The cookies tasted great but were a little more dense.  I personally liked them both! So feel free to sub out for almond butter if you do not have access to almond flour.

Carrot, Walnut, Cranberry Bread with Almond Flour

Published on by Alissa3 Comments

I’m a morning person. At least, I thought I was a morning person until I met my husband.  He is the HAPPIEST morning person I have ever known. But here is the problem. His über happy morning disposition turns me into the most grump-a-licious person.  It’s weird.

Grey clouds swirl my head and lightning bolts shoot out of my red beady eyes as soon as he starts skipping around.  It’s like I have to balance out his extremely excited attitude by acting like someone took a poop in my Cheerios. If we both were happy at once, the house would implode! right?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m so glad that he isn’t crabby or grumpy…like me.  But, in the mornings, there are a couple of “rules” that I tend to follow. Rules that, well…my husband does not.  I consider these rules to be universal, but after marrying a man who is anything but rigid, pragmatic, or regimented…. I realize that my rules only apply to me….a very rigid, pragmatic, and regimented person. 

For example…

Alissa Morning Rules – The first thing that must occur is the brewing of a large pot of coffee. No speaking above a certain decibel in the morning.  I like to open the windows and see the fresh light stream through the house.

Kiley Antirules – Anything goes. Sing as loud as possible in as many octaves as possible. If you don’t know the words, make them up.  There are no songs off-limits.  Drum beats on hard surfaces (including your wife’s butt) are encouraged.  Turn TV on immediately, play music on phone, watch videos on iPad…..all at the same time.

I love and adore this man…but honestly, must he sing the Gummy Bears theme song at 6:30 am? Seriously. I didn’t even know they had a theme song. And maybe they don’t and he just was singing this ridiculously happy song. Must he sing the ENTIRE R Kelly “Trapped in the Closet” montage!?

But that is just it…he is happy.

So happy.

He hasn’t even drank coffee and he’s bouncing around like a pinball. And then I think…why is this man married to me? Why is he constantly happy to wake up next to the grouchiest person that THINKS she is a morning person but will break your finger in three places if you dare touch her before coffee and food are in her hands.

And that’s when I realize that I’m grateful for things that just don’t make sense sometimes. I’m grateful that this bouncy jukebox-singing man continues to wake up every morning and think that he hit the jack pot…with me. HA.  I know that if that jukebox ever went silent, my world would be a very boring and sad place. It would be like having banana bread every morning.

I mean, I like banana bread…just like I love silence in the mornings sometimes, but when you’ve had Carrot, Walnut, Cranberry Bread…whoa buddy…it’s a new ball game. Breakfast is exciting again. This breakfast bread is carrot cake reincarnated in a breakfast. So make a batch, freeze part of it for quick breakfasts, and you will find yourself singing your own morning show tunes. Just be sure to warn your family!

Carrot, Walnut, Cranberry Bread with Almond Flour (Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free, Paleo-Friendly)

(adapted from Anja’s Food 4 Thought)

Makes 2 loaves or 24 muffins 

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup almond flour (I use Honeyville)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 4 bananas, mashed (1 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 4 medium carrots, shredded
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray muffin tins or loaf tins with nonstick spray.
  2. Mix dry ingredients (almond flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon) in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients (eggs, vanilla, coconut oil, mashed bananas, and honey). Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until combined. Stir in carrots, coconut, cranberries, and walnuts.
  3. Pour batter into prepared loaf tins or muffin tins. Bake at 350F for 40 to 50 minutes if baking loaves. For muffins, bake at 350F for 25 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before removing from tins. Place muffins/loaves on cooling rack.  Muffins keep best in the refrigerator. I freeze a batch to reheat for quick breakfasts.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)

Published on by Alissa1 Comment

Tis’ the season of roasting pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash, delicata squash…. We all know what to do with the roasted flesh. Hello pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread.

But, don’t stop there! Roast those seeds. They are delicious as a snack, on a salad, or topping a delicious pumpkin or butternut squash soup!

These were a great addition on our holiday table this year. I used the seeds from the pie pumpkin that was the centerpiece for our Friendsgiving!

Toasted pumpkin seeds are a healthy snack too.  The flavors options are endless: Cajun, BBQ, cinnamon-spice, curry, or simply salt and pepper.

When you scoop out the seeds from the pumpkin or winter squash, wash off the pumpkin goop. Discard stringy fiber from seeds along with any seeds that are split or cracked then transfer to a strainer and rinse well. Drizzle with olive oil, seasoning, and salt. Roast in an oven until golden and BAM. Tasty tasty tasty.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We are lucky to have amazing friends and family to celebrate and eat delicious food with.  Please be safe this week in your travels! Merry Thanksgiving from Kansas City!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

  • Seeds from one medium-sized pumpkin or winter squash (Acorn, Butternut, Hubbard, Delicata) – about 1 cup
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 to 2 tsp seasoning of choice (Cajun, BBQ, curry, cinnamon n sugar) (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, drizzle the olive oil over the pumpkin seeds. Add the seasoning of choice and salt. Toss well. Place seeds in a single layer across a baking sheet.
  3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until seeds are golden. Sprinkle with a bit more seasoning when the seeds come out of the oven. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Makes about 1 cup.