Paleo Chocolate-Walnut Fudge

Healthy fudge anyone? I think I actually drooled when my friend emailed me Paleo Mom’s fudge recipe. I made it at the soonest opportunity with only slight modifications. You can view the original recipe here. Below is the fudge recipe I am in love with. Enjoy!

Picture from thepaleomom.com

Picture from thepaleomom.com

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup extra virgin coconut oil and 1 cup of salted Kerrygold butter (or other grass-fed butter)
  • 1 cup raw or natural unsweetened cacao powder such as Navitas Naturals or Divine Organics
  • 2 Tablespoons raw honey
  • 1½ cups raw walnuts, roughly chopped

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How to:

1.    Whip coconut oil  and butter in a bowl with an electric mixer till it is well mixed and a bit fluffy.
2.    Add cocoa powder and honey and blend thoroughly (about 30 seconds).
3.    Add chopped walnuts and mix just to combine.
4.    Spread into a glass dish, 9”x9” is good.  Chill in the refrigerator until set (at least 1 hour).  Cut into squares and enjoy (store in the fridge or freezer). OMG, delicious!!!!

BEST Autoimmune Paleo BBQ Sauce

My dear friend Zanna amazed us at our recent camping adventure when she made pork ribs with this BBQ sauce she developed just days before our trip. If any of you have read about the autoimmune paleo dietary guidelines then you know that nightshades are out (includes tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, paprika and cayenne) and seeds (includes seed-based spices like mustard seed) making BBQ sauce particularly challenging…but she did it with the help of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook by Mickey Trescott, NTP. Whether you try this recipe for dining at home or to bring along camping, this sauce is a winner.

Now that's how you enjoy a rib!

Now that’s how you enjoy a rib!

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tb solid cooking fat (I used coconut oil)
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups pitted cherries, fresh or frozen, halved
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 3 Tb apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon smoked sea salt (I didn’t have smoked sea salt, so I just use sea salt)

Instructions:

1. Heat the solid cooking fat in a saucepan on medium heat. When the oil has melted and the pan is hot, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another couple minutes, stirring until fragrant. Add the cherries, maple syrup, cider vinegar and smoked sea salt.

2. Cook uncovered over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the mixture thickens considerably. Transfer to a blender and blend on high until smooth.

Storage: keeps in the refrigerator for a week. Also freezes well.

Amazing. Hope you enjoy it as much as our group of campers did. 🙂

Bacon Pancake Sandwiches

Nom Nom Paleo has done it again. When I got their newsletter with this recipe, I wanted to go straight to my kitchen and start cooking (but seeing as it was bedtime, I had to wait. Dangit!).  You’ve got to try this wonderfully delicious, nutrient-dense, grain-free delight (here is the link to NomNomPaleo’s blog and photo documentation of the cooking process).

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Here’s what you need for 4 sandwiches (or 8 mini sandwiches):

  • 16 cooked bacon strips
  • ¼ cup mashed ripe banana (1 medium banana)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 6 tablespoons full fat canned coconut milk (or organic cream if you tolerate dairy)
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons of Bob’s Red Mill organic coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • ghee or coconut oil (for frying)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or coconut syrup)

How to:

  • Bake the bacon at 350 for 25-30 mins and then broil it for another 5 minutes until crispy.
  • While it’s baking, get a medium-sized bowl and mash up the banana well. Then add the vinegar, eggs, coconut milk or cream, and vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, mix up the coconut flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and mix thoroughly so you don’t have any lumps.
  • In a large skillet, melt a heaping tablespoon of ghee or coconut oil on medium heat. When melted and shimmering, pour 3 tablespoons of batter into pan and try to shape it into a rectangular shape (you want it to be about the length of your bacon strips).
  • Cook for about 90 seconds or until pancake top starts to form bubbles, then flip and cook for about 30 more seconds.
  • Once your pancakes are done, place preferred amount of bacon strips on top, drizzle a little syrup and either fold it like a taco and eat it OR top it with another pancake and eat it like a sandwich.

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There is a magical flavor that emerges when combining banana, cinnamon, and vanilla. Amazing taste…and then you add bacon to it and OMG. The texture of these pancakes is very light and fluffy. Try out this great recipe and I look forward to your comments. 🙂