BIG EATS tiny kitchen

Birthday Trip to Sunny San Francisco

Published on February 2, 2013 by Alissa1 Comment

My birthday was this past week. To celebrate, Kiley and I traveled to San Francisco for an awesome birthday vacation weekend. We stayed with my cousin and her husband in Berkley. The weather was amazing and a great escape from the midwest cold spell.

We hiked over 5 miles in Muir Woods and I saw my first Redwood! I was in awe. There is something magical about that area. John Muir should be elevated to sainthood or superhuman status for preserving these areas and for being the father of National Parks! If it were up to humans, there would be a Walmart Supercenter smack dab in the middle.

Another big milestone was getting to eat at Alice Water’s restaurant Chez Panisse which is located in Berkley. I’ve been a huge fan of hers for years. I had roast chicken wrapped in pancetta with braised brussels sprouts and pureed root vegetables. My cousin and I shared an amazing vanilla bean ice cream with chestnut honey and Marcona almonds. Swoooon! It did not disappoint.

We also managed to visit some dear friends that live in the city that have the most amazing view of downtown. We went to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). That night, we ate at Kennedy’s Irish Pub and Curry House. Ha…with a name like that, how could we pass it up! And let me tell you, that was the best dang curry I’ve ever had. Who knew that the Irish were curry geniuses!

I wish we had more time there because the food was stellar, the views were sublime, and the weather was serene. I can’t wait to go back.

Mexican Chicken and Lime Soup

Published on January 24, 2013January 22, 2013 by Alissa9 Comments

I came down with a horrendous cold last week. My head felt like it was in a vice grip. Thinking about going on a walk made me too tired. So all I did was lay on the couch, become a Pinterest addict, and watch guilty pleasures including Downton Abbey, Wes Anderson movies, Lady and the Tramp, and, of course, Varsity Blues.

The two things I wanted to eat were tapioca pudding (a childhood comfort food) and chicken soup…warm brothy chicken soup. I didn’t get the tapioca (boooh) but I did get chicken soup. I found this Mexican Lime Soup on Pinterest. This amazing brothy and spicy soup hit the spot.

Note – Be sure to use fresh limes to obtain the 1/4 cup of lime juice. Oh and serve with a fresh avocado. Game changer! I can also see this easily being compiled into a slow cooker and cooked all day.

Mexican Chicken and Lime Soup (Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free, Paleo-Friendly, Whole30 Compliant) (slightly adapted from Williams Sonoma)

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

4 limes juiced to yield 1/4 cup lime juice, extra slices for serving
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
4 to 6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
3 cups low sodium organic chicken broth (homemade is best)
3 cups water
1 lb boneless chicken breasts and/or thighs
1 teaspoon dried mexican oregano
1/3 cup diced cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large heavy pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, red bell pepper, and jalapeño and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add broth, water, oregano, and lime juice and bring to a full boil. Add chicken. Bring back to a boil, lower heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
Remove cooked chicken from pot with tongs and place on a cutting board. Shred into pieces with two forks. Add the shredded chicken back to pot. Turn off heat and add fresh chopped cilantro. Serve soup with diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and sliced limes.

Slow Cooker Carnitas (Pulled Pork)

Published on January 19, 2013 by Alissa7 Comments

Is it just me or is there a juice frenzy going on? I feel like everywhere I look and read online, everyone has caught the “juicing” bug. Get the tiger juice master…juice your veggies…green juice…orange juice…juice your juice.

Not me….I personally like to CHEW my food. Isn’t that what these chompers called teeth are for? chewing? masticating? gnawing?

So if you are into chewing your food, then you will totally be into these carnitas (mexican-style pulled pork). But it is the good kind of chewing. I’m not talking about chewing through leather, my friends. I’m talking about chewing tender and juicy fall-apart pork. USE THOSE BEAUTIFUL TEETH!

Want to please a crowd? Serve pulled pork. You’ll be a hero. They’ll write legends about you. And even better…make it in your handy dandy crockpot. Win win. Throw in the roast in the morning…come home to drool-worthy smells. It’s so versatile. You can make tacos or taco salad bowls or bbq pulled pork or sliders or add it to chili or even mix it into scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Even if you don’t need to feed a crowd, slow cooking a 4 to 5 lb pork roast will give you dinner options for the full week. Or call me and I’ll be over pronto for dinner. I’ll be your best friend. F-o-r-e-v-e-r! Hear the crowd roar!

You may be asking, “But carnitas typically have crisp edges!?!” “How do you get that in a slow cooker?” Oh honey… Easy Peasy! Just before serving, finish the shredded pork roast under a broiler or high temp oven to get the crisp edges that we love so much. Ya. This is a little trick that Cook’s Illustrated uses. Those people are geniuses!

You can even freeze the leftovers in small portions for later use. Quick lunch or quick dinner options right at your awesome finger tips! You will never lose. See…you are a hero!

Slow Cooker Carnitas (Pulled Pork)

Recipe adapted from Gimme Some Oven and Bon Appetit.

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Ingredients:

4 to 5 lbs boneless pork roast, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large white onion, diced
1 Tablespoon chipotle powder (or 1 chipotle in adobo sauce)
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
1 cup of chicken broth (low sodium)

Instructions

Toss pork in bowl of slow cooker with spices (chipotle powder through black pepper) to coat. Place onion pieces on top of cubed pork. Pour lime juice and chicken broth on top. Cover slow cooker. Cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours, or until meat is very tender and falling apart.
Now for the crispy edges. Once the pork is cooked, preheat your broiler to high heat. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Set aside.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork from the slow cooker to a cutting board. RESERVE THAT BROTH!!!! Use a fork or fingers to shred the pork into bite-sized pieces. Transfer the shredded pork to the prepared baking sheets, spreading it out evenly in a single layer.
Broil one sheet at a time for about 5 minutes, or until the edges of the pork begin crisping up. Remove the sheet from the oven and use tongs to carefully toss the pork. Ladle some of the reserved broth (about 1/4 of a cup) over the pork. Return to the oven and broil an additional 5 minutes to finish the crisping processes. Pull from oven. Repeat this process with the second pan.
Transfer crisp carnitas to a platter and ladle more reserved juice on top. For taco bowls, serve with avocado slices, cilantro sprigs, fresh lettuce, jalapeños, fresh salsa, and sliced red bell peppers, if desired.

Paleo Eggplant Lasagna

Published on January 12, 2013 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.

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.

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.

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

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray two baking sheets with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
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.
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.
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.
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 January 5, 2013January 5, 2013 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.

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.

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.

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

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
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.
Remove from oven and toss with balsamic vinegar.

Paleo Cranberry and Apple Cobbler

Published on December 31, 2012December 31, 2012 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.

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.

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:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9X9-inch baking dish with butter, coconut oil or nonstick spray. Set aside.
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.
In a separate medium bowl, combine all of the topping ingredients. Mix well. Spoon the topping mixture evenly over the filling.
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!

Grain-Free Hazelnut-Pecan Delights

Published on December 29, 2012 by AlissaLeave a comment

First things first. I have some amazing news. I received my official notification in the mail that I passed my Professional Engineering exam!!!! A grueling exam that I studied for nearly half a year for last year. It consumed me, but was worth it. I now am a certified P.E., which has been a huge goal of mine. CHECK that off my bucket list.

But now that I have checked that huuuuuge goal off of my list, I find myself at a bit of a loss. Where do I focus my energy next? I’m a goal-oriented person and it only seems proper to set new goals. But aside from the small goals of “read more books” or “travel more”, I just can’t seem to figure out where to point my laser beams. So, if you have any ideas, I’m game.

At this point, I’m trying to tackle small things that include: (1) Organizing my “office” (junk room), or (2) Thinking about hanging pictures that have never been hung, or (3) Properly learning to do laundry because reading the labels seems more like reading hieroglyphics and I end up just throwing everything in at once and washing on cold. Evidently when clothes say gentle…they mean it. Booh.

I also have been perfecting cookies….my butt thanks me and my skinny jeans do not. These Hazelnut-Pecan Delights are THE perfect cookie. They are just sweet enough, with a hint of salty, and are chewy and are….well….redonculous. Yes…redonculous, people.

They taste like my favorite Girl Scout cookie….oh that beloved Caramel Delight…and yes…they are soooo delightful. The bonus with MY cookies is that they are gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. Plus they have hazelnuts and pecans, giving them added protein.

These are perfect to bring to your New Years Eve party, or football Bowl Game watch party, or for your last-hoorah-before-you-go-on-you-2013-fit-back-in-your-jeans party.

Grain-Free Hazelnut-Pecan Delights

Makes 2 dozen tiny, bite-sized cookies

Ingredients

1 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup pecans (or other raw nut such as almonds, walnuts)
3 teaspoons ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tablespoons coconut oil, softened
4 Tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1 Tablespoon unsulphured blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips, chopped into tiny pieces
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
In a the bowl of your food processor, add nuts and process for 2 minutes, until finely ground. Add ground ginger, salt, and baking soda and process until well mixed. Add coconut oil, honey, and molasses and process until a thick cookie dough ball forms. Add chocolate chips and shredded coconut to the food process or and pulse for 15 to 30 seconds to finely chop the chocolate, distributing throughout the cookie batter.
Chill the batter in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, making it easier to scoop and form cookies.
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. Place dough a few inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Use a wet fork to flatten each dough ball into your desired cookie thickness.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until firm around the edges (ovens vary so watch them), 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.

Flourless Brownie Bites (Grain Free)

Published on December 25, 2012December 25, 2012 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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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:

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:

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:

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

Fudge Brownies (Gluten Free and Vegan)

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

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease mini muffin tin with butter, coconut oil, or nonstick spray. Set aside.
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.
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.
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 December 22, 2012December 22, 2012 by Alissa2 Comments

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.

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.

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

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9X13 baking dish with either butter, coconut oil, or nonstick spray. Set aside.
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.
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 December 16, 2012December 16, 2012 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.

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!

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.

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

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
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