Granola Bars

These can be either crunchy or not so crunchy depending on your baking time, with my oven just 1-2 minutes is the difference between soft like a chewy oatmeal cookie and crunchy like those Nature Valley ones - either way it's been a hit here in our house.

Ingredients:

--3 cups oats, toasted (I've use both gluten-free oats or the cheapo Great Value ones, both worked equally well for this recipe. I have not tried steel cut oats because I think they would be too hard, but one day I'm sure I'll try tossing some in just to see.)
--1 to 1.5 cups nuts/seeds (I use a mix of sunflower seed kernels, almonds and walnuts)
--1 cup dried fruit (I use dried cherries and dried cranberries - next batch I'm planning on using blueberries, I bet Crasins would be awesome)
--1/2 cup dark brown sugar
--1/3 cup peanut butter, melted
--1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
--1/3 cup honey (local honey is always better IMO)
--1 egg
--1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon (you can use regular, I'm just partial to the Saigon cinnamon)
--1/2 teaspoon PURE vanilla or almond extract (yes, it costs more but ALWAYS use pure extracts! Imitations are just icky)
--1/2 teaspoon sea salt (they're trendy and a touch pretentious but if I'm going to use salt in something I prefer my "hoity-toity" sea salt, Black Lava Salt or Alaea Sea Salt are my favorites for this)

• 
  
  

  Directions:

  1. 1
     To toast oats spread them on an ungreased cookie sheet or jelly roll pan and bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes or until just golden.
  2. 2
     While oats are toasting mix peanut butter, butter and honey in small pot and melt together on low. While waiting for that to heat mix dry ingredients in large bowl (only metal or glass, never use plastic for food prep).  When oats finish toasting add oats to dry ingredients then pour melted ingredients over top, add egg and mix together.  DON'T FORGET THE EGG!!  I've had to take it out of the pan just before I put it in the oven more than once because I forgot the egg!
  3. 3
     Firmly press into a cookie sheet or jellyroll pan lined with parchment paper. Don't forger the paper or you'll have one hell of a mess to try and get out of your pan!
  4. 4
     Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes. 16 minutes gives us a nice chewy treat that doesn't cut easily into bars but still tastes amazing, 18 makes a crunchy, easily cut bar.
  5. 5
     Cool completely and cut. Good luck on the waiting part, we're all picking at it the instant it's out of the oven and it makes the house smell amazing while it's baking!

This recipe has a lot of wiggle room. Alternate crunchy for creamy peanut butter or try different nut butter such as cashew, almond or sunflower butter. Adding a bit of PB2 to the dry mix will really enhance the peanut butter flavor, too, and I absolutely love the hint of peanut butter flavor in this recipe. Add some coconut or you could leave the fruits out completely. Substitute some of the oats or nuts for crunchy chow mein noodles, rice crispies, pretzels, grape nuts, chex or cheerios for something different - just remember to keep the amounts even or the binding sauce won't be enough. If using something salted, like pretzels, you may need to adjust the amount of salt in the mixture. It's very easy to over salt something and can be difficult to get rid of the salt once it's there. Personally I don't like salt much and never use the full amount called for in a recipe anyway. Whatever combination you go with just make sure you've enough ingredients to make another batch on hand because if your're anything like us the first batch will go FAST and you'll be wanting more!

Tomatoes and Cabbage over Rice

Ingredients
1lb ground meat (beef, chicken or pork work equally well, chicken is used in the picture)
2-4 ripe,chopped tomatoes - all depends on size and how much you want in there (you can use a can of diced tomatoes)
1 head of cabbage, cut in 1/4 - 1/2 inch wide strips
1/2 diced onion
3-4 cloves diced garlic
1/4-1/2 cup veggie or meat stock
1/4 tsp red pepper
salt to your tastes


Directions
Brown meat in large deep skillet or medium dutch oven or pot, whichever you have, when meat is about half browned add onions, wait till meat is almost done and onions are beginning to clarify to add garlic to prevent burning.


Add tomatoes, cabbage, stock and seasonings - you can toss in any seasoning you want these are just the base ones.  The red pepper flakes are much better than plain black pepper, red pepper compliments green veggies much better in my opinion. Cover and let cook till cabbage is tender but not mushy, 5-15 minutes.


Can be served over rice or eaten as is.

Pork with Blueberry Sauce and Roasted Orange Cauliflower

Pork with Blueberry Sauce

8 pork loin chops
2 tsp Mrs. Dash Onion blend
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lb green beans, trimmed
2 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 small onion, finely diced
1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen, thawed blueberries would work)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp raw honey
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Instructions
-Heat oven to 400° F.
-Rub pork with Mrs. Dash seasoning and 1/4 tsp each sea salt (optional) and black pepper. Place in a roasting pan and roast for 45 minutes (or until internal temperature reaches 155° F).
-When about 15 minutes of cooking time remains, remove pan from oven and spread green beans around pork. Working quickly, drizzle green beans with 1/2 Tbs olive oil. Stir and return pan to oven.
-Heat remaining 1/2 Tbs olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
-Add onion, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add blueberries, vinegar, honey, thyme, remaining sea salt (optional) and black pepper.  Smash berries to releash juices if using fresh berries.
-Continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until thickened, turn off heat, cover and let stand till ready to serve.
-Serve pork alongside green beans with sauce drizzled on top.


Roasted Orange Cauliflower 


1 organic orange cauliflower (cut into florets)
3 garlic cloves minced
Juice from one whole lime
Pinch of dill
Olive oil
Sea salt
Pepper
fresh basil (Roughly chopped/torn)

Instructions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees
-Spread out florets in a large cake platter lined with foil
-Sprinkle minced garlic over florets
-Sprinkle a pinch of dill over florets
-Squeeze the juice from one lime, evenly coating florets
-Generously drizzle olive oil over florets
-Spread torn basil over florets
-Generously sprinkle sea salt over florets (about one teaspoon)
-Sprinkle with pepper
-Bake for 45 minutes or until tender and browned on top

Sun-tella Spread (Sunflower Seed-Chocolate Spread)

A version of Nutella for people, like me, who HATE hazelnuts!

 *NOTE* Because this is made with seeds, not nuts, those with nut allergies SHOULD be able to eat this.  But don’t just take my word for it.  Ask your doctor first if you’re not sure

.

1 cup sunflower seeds

4 oz. semisweet chocolate chips, melted

1/2 cup powdered sugar

4-6 teaspoons vegetable oil

Place sunflower seeds in food processor and process until almost powdery.  (If you want a chunkier spread, don’t process quite as long).  Add enough vegetable oil to form a smooth, soft paste.  Pour in the melted chocolate, pulsing until smooth.  Add powdered sugar, pulsing until it forms a smooth, spreadable consistency.    

Store in airtight container.  Because there is no dairy in this spread, and because we’ll eat it up in about 3 days,  I just leave it at room temperature.  If you will be storing it for more than a few days, I’d refrigerate it and let it come to room temp before using.

Makes: 1 cup

WW Points + Per Tablespoon: 3

Primal Lasagna (Paleo friendly)

Ingredients
2 lbs grass fed ground beef
1 27 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 27 oz can of diced tomatoes
8 cremini mushrooms
1 onion, 2 carrots
5 cloves garlic
dried basil, oregano, marjoram to taste
1 TBSP paprika, 1/2 tsp organic turmeric
2-3 large Zucchini for noodles, 5-6 leaves fresh basil
1.5-2 whole tomatoes, sliced thinly, 1/4 cup finely grated pasture raised hard cheese (optional)


Begin browning your meat in a large saucepan while you dice your onion and carrot. Add to the meat and simmer slowly. Once it’s almost all brown, add your garlic and spices and let cook for about 15 minutes on low heat, stirring often. Chop your mushrooms up to bite sized pieces and add to the pan. Cook with the lid on for about 5 minutes then take the lid off and simmer for about 10 minutes or so. This cooks off a lot of the juices that are released from the mushroom. This recipe does not use hard pasta so you want as much of the liquid gone as possible. Open your crushed tomatoes and drain as much of the water as possible. Add it to the meat and simmer for a while, then add the sauce. It’s best to let this stuff simmer on low for a long while, occasionally taking the lid off the pan to release water.


Zucchini, eggplant or yellow squash work equally well for the "noodles" in this dish but I prefer zucchini. Cut your "noodles" just as you begin browning the meat. If they are allowed to dry for a few hours, they release less water into the final dish. I cut mine about 1/8 inch thick. Too thin and they don’t hold the dish together, too thick and it doesn’t work. A mandolin slicer makes this super easy but it can be done with a sharp knife and a slow pace. Caveman food need not contain blood for authenticity.


Once the meat sauce is ready, ladle out about 1 cup or so into the bottom of your baking dish. Place a layer of "noodles" on top of that, then take half of what’s left of the meat sauce and spoon over the "noodles". Here is where you can add a light sprinkling of cheese, as well as a few fresh basil leaves ripped into pieces. Add another layer of "noodles" and the rest of the meat sauce.


Top with a layer of finely sliced whole tomato and a generous amount of ripped basil leaves. Sprinkle your cheese on top. Bake in the oven at 375 for about an hour (gotta cook those "noodles"). If your meat sauce is piping hot when you layer, it may take only 45 minutes. Either way, turn the oven to broil for the last 10-15 min of cooking and then let it set on the counter for about 20 minutes before serving.

24 hour Garlic Dill Pickles

Pickles should be their own food group as far as I'm concerned and this quick and amazingly easy recipe makes it a breeze to have pickles anytime, good pickles that don't taste like mushy blocks of salt.  You can use regular or canning pickles, I think canning pickles are best tho.  



1-quart mason jar with lid
6 small cucumbers
3 cloves garlic
8 sprigs fresh dill (or to taste... I probably used 10-12)
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon sugar
1 and 1/2 tablespoons salt
2/3 cup white vinegar
1 cup water


Wash the mason jar and lid in hot, soapy water. Rinse well and let air dry.


In a covered container, combine coriander seeds, sugar, salt and vinegar. Close the lid tightly and shake vigorously until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add the water and set aside.


Quarter the cucumbers lengthwise. Peel the garlic cloves and cut in half.


Pack the cucumbers, sliced garlic and dill tightly in the clean mason jar. Pour the brine mixture over the cucumbers. Tap the jar on the counter to release any air bubbles. Top the jar off with extra water if the cucumber tops are exposed.


Screw the lid tightly on the jar, and refrigerate 24 hours before tasting. The pickles last up to one month refrigerated.  I assume they last one month, a jar has never lasted more than a week in this house.  If you want to give them a little kick you can also add 1teaspoon to 1tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the mix to make em a lil more spicy but they're great either way.  I always use at least 15 sprigs of dill and you can NEVER have too much garlic in anything...

Cinnamon Toast Breakfast Cereal

*gluten-free and vegan
Makes 4 cups
1/2 c. garbanzo/fava bean flour
1/2 c. millet flour (can be made by grinding whole millet, or sub any other gluten free grain)
2 T. vegan margarine (i.e. Earth Balance), melted
3/4 c. water
1/4 t. salt
2 T. organic sugar, divided
2 t. cinnamon, divided
1 t. vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.


In a large bowl, add flours, margarine, salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 t. of cinnamon and vanilla.  Add water.  Whisk until completely smooth.


Pour batter onto lined cookie sheet and spread batter evenly to each edge of the sheet.  Sprinkle with remaining sugar and cinnamon. Bake for 22-27 minutes, until edges are starting to brown and center is just starting to crack. Remove parchment from sheet and cut the cereal into 1-inch squares. Spread the squares back onto the unlined sheet and bake for an additional 2-4 minutes, turning at least once.  Cereal should be crisp and crunchy.  Store in airtight container, make often and enjoy!  You can change up the seasonings to give it any number of flavor choices - just experiment =)


  A one-cup serving of this cereal has 172 calories and only 2 grams of sugar.  The same size serving of the store-bought kind?  Nearly 14 grams of sugar.   

SPINACH "BREAD"

10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed well 
4 eggs, beaten 
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/8 teaspoon pepper 
1 ounce parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup, the kind in a can


Butter an 8x8" glass baking pan. Mix all of the ingredients well in a small bowl. Pour into the pan; bake at 400º 15-20 minutes until set and slightly browned. Cool a few minutes in the pan, then cut into serving pieces. Store in refrigerator or freeze.


Makes 6-9 servings 
Can be frozen


VARIATION: Bake in a 9x13" pan for thinner "bread".


Per 1/6 Recipe: 83 Calories; 5g Fat; 7g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 1g Net Carbs 
Per 1/8 Recipe: 62 Calories; 4g Fat; 6g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 1g Net Carbs 
Per 1/9 Recipe: 55 Calories; 3g Fat; 5g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 1g Net Carbs


The original recipe stated that this makes 4 servings, but they would be huge. Also, since the amount of salt wasn't given, I used 1/4 teaspoon, but it could probably use slightly more. This is a little messy for a chicken/tuna/egg salad sandwich, but works pretty well for a sandwhich made with lunchmeat. I also had the idea of adding a little caraway seed to make "rye bread" sometime. As it is, this "bread" has very little flavor at all, but I don't think it would make a very good peanut butter sandwich! Another idea might be to use this as a crust for making pizza. I would make the thinner version in a 9x13" pan for that.

JUNIPER'S FLAX GARLIC ONION FLATBREAD

3 tablespoons flax meal, golden if possible 
1/4 teaspoon baking powder 
Pinch onion powder 
Pinch garlic powder 
Pinch salt, go easy on it 
1 tablespoon butter 
1 large egg 
1 tablespoon water


In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In another small microwaveable bowl, melt the butter. Add the egg and water; beat with a fork until well blended. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat well with the fork. Pour into a greased 9 or 10" glass pie plate. Spread the batter to cover the bottom of the pan. Microwave on HIGH 1 1/2-3 minutes, until cooked through but still pliable. You can reheat it in the microwave briefly if it gets too stiff. Use like a pita, wrap or tortilla.


Makes 1 serving 
Can be frozen


Per Serving: 268 Calories; 23g Fat; 11g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 2g Net Carbs


I made this in the medium size square pyrex baking dish (the set you can get with the lids on them) and 1 was PLENTY for 2 "regular" eaters. I tweaked the spices a bit and added some dill to one and basil to the other and my family went crazy for it. If you're anti microwave I'd say bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes, just keep an eye on it. Could easily be tweaked by adding a bit of dijon mustard or a sprinkle of cheese on top before cooking. Flax is a great fiber source and since it's just basically egg and flax it's less bread and more of a holder than anything - not that I'm advocating putting bread back in your diet, but sometimes you just want something a lil different. Could also leave out the savory spices and add nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves to make a sort of pancake for breakfast foods, it's also gluten free for those with gluten sensitivities =)

"fake" eggs from flax and water

all you could want to know about egg alternatives

http://www.egglesscooking.com/2008/10/15/egg-replacement-event-flaxseed-meal/

Eggplant Parmesan

3 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs (for a less carb version you can omit the breading and sear the eggplant slices in a non-stick skillet)
6 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella or Italian blend cheese, shredded and divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (or fresh basil leaves, very tasty)


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5-8 minutes on each side.
3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Shakshuka [Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce]

(sounds a little funky, esp to me who really doesn't like eggs or tomatoes, but it's actually REALLY amazing - I serve it over cauliflower rice, high protein and very filling!)


2Tbsp olive oil
3 Anaheim chiles and 1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped 
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained (or 4-5 diced fresh romas - I don't like to use canned things unless I canned them)
Kosher salt, to taste
6-8 eggs (depends on the size of your cooking vessel)
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley


Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.


Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.


Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley. Break the yolk and mix together when eating, the taste is something I can't describe but it's amazing. This sauce (minus the eggs) also works WONDERFUL for cabbage rolls or meatloaf.

Cauliflower Rice

1 head cauliflower
2-3 cloves crushed garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesean or romano cheese (fresh works best, but you can use the Kraft kind)
1-2 Tbsp chives
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp basil
1-2 tsp dill 
(I use fresh herbs when available, but dried will work - remember that dried herbs tend to be about twice as potent as fresh, so adjust accordingly - these spices are interchangeable according to your tastes)


Put olive oil in small bowl, press garlic cloves and add to oil, set aside
grate the cauliflower (a food processor or kitchen aid with grater attachment makes this much easier) put grated cauliflower into a collander and press papertowels or a cuptowel to remove excess moisture
put garlic infused oil into a sautee skillet (wok skillet works best) and allow to heat up but not burn the garlic (garlic burns VERY easily), add all other ingredients and toss/sautee for about 5 minutes, you want it warm but not too soft since it will fall apart easily after being grated down. Serve immediately as you would typical rice.

GF Vanilla Pound Cake (altered from the Land O Lakes version)

20 min prep time, 1:20 total time



2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 eggs
2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla
3 cups Gluten-Free Bisquick (or GF baking blend, see below)
2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
1 cup milk
1 individual package Chobiani plain greek yogurt.

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-cup Bundt® or 10-inch angel food cake (tube) pan; sprinkle with gluten-free flour blend. Set aside. 


Combine sugar and melted butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla; beat until well mixed. Add Yogurt, mix well.


(*Stir together gluten-free flour blend and baking powder in small bowl.) Gradually add flour blend mixture / GF Bisquick alternately with milk to butter mixture, beating at low speed until well mixed. 


Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. 


***Gluten-Free Flour Blend: To make flour blend, combine 2 cups rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Use appropriate amount for recipe; store remainder in container with tight-fitting lid. Stir before using. 

MOST AWESOME INDIVIDUAL PIZZA CRUST

3 tablespoons flax meal 
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese 
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 
1/4 teaspoon onion powder 
1/4 teaspoon baking powder 
1 teaspoon granular Splenda, optional 
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 
1 egg 
2 teaspoons water 
1-2 teaspoons oil 
Toppings


Mix the dry ingredients; add the egg, water and oil. Spray a microwaveable dinner plate with cooking spray. Spread the batter on the plate in a circle. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute 40 seconds. Meanwhile heat a little oil in a medium skillet on about medium heat; slide the crust off the plate into a skillet. Brown on both sides. Place the crust on baking sheet; add the toppings of your choice. Bake at 350º about 15 minutes until hot and bubbly.


Makes 1 serving 
Can be frozen


Per Pizza Crust: 264 Calories; 20g Fat; 14g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 3g Net Carbs 
Per 1/2 Pizza Crust: 131 Calories; 10g Fat; 7g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 2.5g Dietary Fiber; 1.5g Net Carbs


With the following toppings: 
1 tablespoon pizza sauce 
2 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded 
7 slices pepperoni 
1 tablespoons green pepper, chopped 
Dash garlic powder 
Dash Italian seasoning


Per Pizza: 518 Calories; 40g Fat; 30g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 6g Net Carbs 
Per 1/2 Pizza: 259 Calories; 20g Fat; 15g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 3g Net Carbs

GARLIC "BREAD"

4 ounces cream cheese, softened 
3 eggs 
1/3 cup heavy cream 
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1 ounce 
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded


Beat the cream cheese and eggs with a whisk until smooth. Add the cream, parmesan and seasonings. Grease a jelly roll pan very well (I used an 11 1/2 x 17" pan and it came out very, very thin. I might try a smaller pan next time); spread the mozzarella evenly in pan. Pour the egg mixture over the cheese. Spread slightly with a spatula. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a rack, then cut into 24 pieces. If desired, spread a little butter on them and sprinkle with garlic powder and parmesan cheese; broil just until butter is bubbly and very lightly browned.


Makes 24 servings 
Can be frozen


Per Serving: 73 Calories; 6g Fat; 4g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 1g Net Carbs

FLAX SANDWICH BUNS

FLAX SANDWICH BUNS 
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon flax meal 
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese 
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder 
3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
1 1/2 teaspoon granular Splenda or Truvia (I prefer Truvia, some prefer Splenda)
1/2-1 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional 
1 1/2 teaspoons dry minced onion 
3 eggs 
1 1/2 tablespoons water 
1 1/2 tablespoons oil


Put the dry minced onion in a small bowl and add just enough water to moisten; let stand until softened. Mix the dry ingredients; add the onions, eggs, water and oil. Pour the batter into 6 greased muffin top pans. Bake at 325º 15-20 minutes. To serve, split the buns horizontally to make two halves using a long, thin knife.


Makes 6 servings 
Can be frozen


Per Serving: 140 Calories; 11g Fat; 8g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 3.5g Dietary Fiber; 1.5g Net Carbs


I don't have a muffin top pan so I use a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper and spread this out thin and then cut into square slices. My 11 yr old son asked tonight if I'd just make this for him to use for sandwiches rather than the bread I usually bake for him. I also just dice fresh red onion rather than re-hydrating onions and I add a teaspoon of garlic powder as well.

gluten free eggs florentine cups

deli ham
eggs
spinach, mushrooms, or tomatoes
dash of salt
dash of pepper
cheddar cheese

Fill greased muffin tins with deli sliced ham (as if they are cups) and place dried spinach, mushrooms, or tomatoes on the bottom of the ham 'cup'. Put your raw egg in next and top with a dash of salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes at 375 degrees, then top with cheddar cheese and cook an additional 5 minutes.

As Healthy As It Gets Bread / Bread Crumbs

1 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup orange juice (lemon juice will work as well, I've even used the "real lemon" powder reconstituted with water)
1/4 cup melted butter (yes, I'm a butter believer - you could use olive oil here, but do NOT use a margarine of other butter substitute) 
3 tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 cup baby or toddler formula (this is where the extra vitamins come from)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 cups King Arthur whole wheat flour

-Line a regular 9 X 13 metal pan with parchment paper (I'm a big believer in parchment paper, it keeps things from sticking and you don't have to use extra oil or flour - perfect for when you're baking GF foods).
-Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Beat the mixture vigorously for about 3 minutes; an electric mixer set on high speed works well here. You should have a very sticky dough. It won't be pourable, but neither will it be kneadable. Scoop it into the prepared pan.
-Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes; it should just about rise to the rim of the pan, perhaps just barely cresting over the rim. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
-Uncover the bread, and bake it for about 40 to 45 minutes, tenting it with aluminum foil after 20 minutes. The bread is done when it's golden brown on top, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers between 190°F and 195°F. Remove it from the oven, and after 5 minutes turn it out onto a rack. Brush with melted butter, if desired; this will keep the crust soft. Cool the bread completely before cutting it.

To make this into bread crumbs preheat oven to 350, slice the cooled bread in slices just a bit thinner than a conventional slice of bread, cover pizza pan (or cookie sheet, whatever you've got) with the bread slices. Using the sprayable olive oil spritz the top of the slices then toss on whichever seasonings you prefer. I like the Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil Garlic blend, a bit of dill, some onion powder and a dash of italian seasoning. Put in the oven and let bake for about 20-35 minutes, just keep an eye on it, when it starts to look like it's almost getting black on the edges it done. Take it out and let it cool for about 15 minutes and then either use a sharp knife to dice it up as you would an onion or for super find crumbs just run it thru a food processor or kitchen aid mixer with a grater attachment. This works GREAT for binder for making meatloaf or meatballs as well.

no name GF nummies

so tonight I made something a lil unhealthy (depending on your views on butter) but that could be made more healthy by using olive oil instead.


First I hit up my herb garden and got a healthy amount of each of the following:
sweet basil
thai basil
greek basil (we -really- like basil if you can't tell)
lemon thyme
rosemary
dill
italian parsley


then from the fridge (b.c mine hasn't grown in yet) I got these things:
1/2 bunch fresh spinach
5 spring onions
1/3 red onion
handful of arugula
3 large cloves of garlic
6 white button mushrooms
1 medium head of green cabbage


Pre-heat oven to 375
line jelly roll pan or cookie sheet and set aside
slice cabbage in half to easily remove core then cut in equal thickness slices of 1/2 to 3/4 inch thickness - keeping them a uniform thickness only ensures that they cook at the same rate. Lay out cabbage slices flat on prepared pan then prepare the herbs. Dice everything except the mushrooms. Slice the mushrooms in thin slices and lay them on top of the cabbage slices. As you dice the herbs they can all go in the same container except the red onion and the garlic, leave those separate, even from each other. In large skillet melt one stick of unsalted butter, add red onions let cook for about 2 minutes then add everything but the garlic, cook about 4 minutes then add the garlic and cook for1-2 more minutes. You could use 1/4-1/3 cup olive oil rather than butter but it was a weekend, so we had butter =) Either way, after the herbs have cooked spread them and the butter or oil evenly over the mushrooms and cabbage then place into preheated oven. It will be cooked completely by 25 minutes, if you'd like it roasted to a crisp texture continue to cook till 40 minutes have passed.

as close to "healthy" GF chicken dumplings as you're gonna get! (any suggestions for improvements gladly accepted)

for chicken and broth
-1 family size pack of drumsticks
-seasoning of your choice 
(I used the following:
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
about 10 sprigs of fresh dill - I LOVE dill
4 large cloves of garlic chopped into large pieces
1/2 large red onion chopped into large chunks
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of fresh creacked black pepper

Place all drumsticks in large pot and cover with water, about 2 inches above chicken, add seasonings and allow to come to rolling boil. Lower heat and continur boil till chicken is done (hint, when it falls off the bone it's done). Add more water as needed during boiling process. This should take 1-2 hours depending on how high you keep the temp. While your chicken is boiling start your "dumplings" from this recipe

LAUREN'S FLUFFY BISCUITS 
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour, 4 ounces 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
1 1/2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
4 egg whites

In a medium bowl, mix the almond flour, salt and baking soda or powder with a fork. Cut in the fat using the fork until the butter is all incorporated and the mixture is crumbly and not dry. Chill this mixture for at least 5 minutes and preferably longer to get the fat as cold as possible. (I left this in the fridge while separating the chicken from the bone and filtering the stock - explained in next section)

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites with the fork until they look foamy. Add the egg whites to the almond flour mixture and whisk together with the fork for just a couple seconds breaking up any large chunks of flour. The batter will be thin and lumpy. Divide this into four portions in a muffin top pan greased very well or lined with nonstick foil. Bake immediately so that the fat doesn't start to get warm. Bake at 400º for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 4 biscuits **

After your chicken is done use a large colander to drain the broth into a bowl separating the chicken and bones from liquid. Pick chicken off bones and place in separate bowl. Save bones and fat as they can be boiled again to make more stock. Stock is VERY cheap and easy to make at home, freezes beautifully and when you make it yourself you know EXACTLY what's in it - great for folks with food allergies.

CHICKEN DUMPLING SAUCE
3-5 carrots diced up small
1 stalk celery diced up small/
12-15 fresh green beans snapped at the ends and diced into small pieces
1-2 bunched of fresh green onions, diced small
1-1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter
1/2 cup GF Bisquick baking mix (or the low carb baking mix I posted here previously)
6-8 homemade chicken stock
chicken from stock

In the pot that you boiled the chicken in melt 1 stick of butter, after it's melted add carrots, celery, green beans and green onions, cook for about 5 minutes, till they start to soften and onions and celery begin to clarify. Judge the amount of butter left in the pot and if you need more add 1/2 stick more (you most likely will). As soon as additional butter melts add bisquick stirring constantly to make a roux. When roux begins to brown add broth and stir till even consistency is achieved, Add chicken, bring to boil then turn temp down to low. As sauce cooks it will thicken to a traditional chicken dumpling consistency. While this is cooking finish mixing the biscuits and bake in oven @ 400 for about 12 minutes. I made mine more round than I should have and had to bake them an additional 6-7 minutes and they were still not perfectly done in the center but since I was pouring sauce on top I didn't worry about it. Once sauce has reached the thickness you desire turn off heat. When biscuits finish baking crumble 2 in a bowl and ladle the sauce on top. Tastes almost identical to the very unhealthy chicken dumplings I grew up eating and even got my "you gotta batter and fry it to make it edible" mother's seal of approval. Uing 2 biscuits provides only 6 carbs, 6 g of fiber and 10 g of protein - not sure on the breakdown of everything else but I know that this is THE most healthy version of an old souther classic you could possibly make. Next time I will you use the low carb baking mix to make the roux rather than the bisquick, I've just been on a lot of strong pain killers for a few weeks not and simply ran out of steam.

happy Healthy Eating!!

**I doubled the biscuit recipe and came out with 9 equal size portions that I baked in a square glass baking dish. If you're not accustomed to GF baking you'll want to make the biscuits out round thinking they'll flatten as they bake - this is not the case, you're going to want to make them more flat, GF stuff doesn't rise or expand in the same manner than tradition baking does, but that's something you'll learn along the way

LAUREN'S FLUFFY BISCUITS

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour, 4 ounces 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
1 1/2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
4 egg whites

In a medium bowl, mix the almond flour, salt and baking soda or powder with a fork. Cut in the fat using the fork until the butter is all incorporated and the mixture is crumbly and not dry. Chill this mixture for at least 5 minutes and preferably longer to get the fat as cold as possible. (I left this in the fridge while separating the chicken from the bone and filtering the stock - explained in next section)

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites with the fork until they look foamy. Add the egg whites to the almond flour mixture and whisk together with the fork for just a couple seconds breaking up any large chunks of flour. The batter will be thin and lumpy. Divide this into four portions in a muffin top pan greased very well or lined with nonstick foil. Bake immediately so that the fat doesn't start to get warm. Bake at 400º for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 4 biscuits **

Low Carb Baking Mix

1 cup soy flour 
2 cups soy protein isolate (unflavored)
1 teaspoon salt 
2 tablespoons Splenda or Truvia

Mix well and sift together. Makes about 3 1/4 cups (11 net carbs)