Check out my latest recipe video series!

Cauliflower “Fried” Rice

I’m excited to share this yummy and healthy recipe with you today!

So back to today’s recipe. I modified this from skinnytaste (their original recipe here).

Ingredients:

• Two 1-lb bags organic fresh or frozen riced cauliflower (or you can make your own pulsing cauli florets in a food processor…I’d guess 2 heads worth). If using frozen, defrost an hour before cooking
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen organic peas
• 1 cup diced organic carrots
• 5 cloves minced garlic
• 2 yellow onions, diced
• 1 T sesame oil
• 1 T ghee
• 3 T tamari
• 2 eggs (scrambled)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: top with sesame seeds

How to:

• Add ghee to large wok or pan, medium heat
• Once pan is warm and ghee melted, add onions
• Stir and cook onions until almost translucent and then add carrots and garlic
• Cook for several minutes and then add cauliflower, stir well.
• Mix in the sesame oil, tamari, peas, salt and pepper then cover with a lid for about 5 mins
• While cooking, scramble up the eggs.
• Uncover, add eggs, stir well and check cauli and carrots for texture (I prefer al dente but if you like it more well cooked, cook until desired texture–leave uncovered so the cauliflower doesn’t become mushy.
• Enjoy!

We absolutely love this recipe at our house. I hope you do too! Pro tip: if you or other family members prefer less spice or flavor, you can leave out the sesame oil and/or tamari and let them add it as desired to their own serving.

Macadamia Fat Bread

I learned about this recipe from the Netflix documentary The Magic Pill. You are going to love how easy and tasty this bread is!

• 5 eggs
• .2 oz baking soda (6 grams, 1 tsp)
• 2 fl oz lemon juice (60 ml, .25 cups)
• .1 oz salt (3 g, ½ tsp)
• 7.7 oz coconut butter (220 g, just under 1 cup)
• 5.3 oz unsalted macadamia nuts (150g, 1.12 cups)

How to:

• Blend macadamia nuts to make butter. Add coconut butter and other ingredients except lemon juice and blend well (add lemon juice at the end). Grease a bread pan and add batter.
• Bake at 350 for 35 mins. Allow to cool before serving.

Happy Gut Zoodle Pesto

• Slice ends of zucchini off and slice zuch in half. 1 medium zucchini per person.
• Then insert each half on the spiralizer and use smallest triangle blade for small noodles.
• Rotate until all of zuch is used, repeating for each zuchinni half.
• Cook on low-medium heat in olive oil for 10 minutes. 1 zuch per person.  OR bake in the oven on a tray lined with paper towels (to soak up moisture) at 250 for 20  mins (this yields a firmer zoodle, which I love).
• Top this with pesto, or fresh tomatoes, a homemade tomato sauce, and/or protein of choice) and stir well.
  • I love Pasta Mike’s organic pesto sauce (made with olive oil, not canola or soy)~look for a brand that uses quality oil!
  • Favorite toppings are hardboiled eggs (shown below), sausage, grilled chicken, or shrimp.

Vanilla Bean Popsicles

Ingredients for Maria Emmerich’s Vanilla Bean Ice Cream:

5 egg yolks (organic, pastured whenever possible)
1/2 cup Lakanto or Swerve (these are both healthier alternatives to sugar)
1 cup heavy whipping cream (or full-fat coconut milk for dairy free)
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean scraped clean)
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

How to:

Blend all ingredients in a bowl.

If you aren’t using good quality eggs or if you aren’t down with eating raw egg yolks, mix up the cream or coconut milk, sweetener and egg yolks in a saucepan and cook on medium heat on the stove stirring constantly until thickened into a custard. Then remove from heat and stir in the almond milk, vanilla (or vanilla bean seeds) and salt. Let cool for a few minutes. Spoon or pour into popsicle molds.

Now, if you have an ice cream maker, you can enjoy this recipe straight out of your ice cream make (make sure to let it cool completely before putting it into your ice cream maker if you cooked the custard!).

I love popsicles since they are single serving and tend to last longer so that’s what we do. They freeze in about 4 hrs. These are the popsicle molds we use. Makes 6-8 popsicles depending on the size of the molds you use.

Enjoy these wonderful treats!

Per 1/2 cup serving:
144 calories, 13.9g fat, 3.4g protein, 1.9g carbs, 0g fiber (86% fat, 9% protein, 5% carbs)

Chocolate Decadence

Got a chocolate craving but sugar sends your health into a tizzy? Join the club!

Here’s a super simple dessert I LOVE! It’s basically keto chocolate frosting and it doesn’t take much to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Chocolate Decadence Ingredients:

• Heaping 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (organic preferred)
• ¼ cup Lakanto
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (combo 3 T butter and 3 T coconut oil)
• 1 T vanilla
• ¼ cup cream (or coconut cream for dairy free)

Mix up and enjoy a spoonful!

Holiday Menu Favorites

Celebrate the holidays with recipes that are simple, delicious, will invigorate your energy, satisfy your appetite, and won’t leave you stuck in the kitchen cooking all day.

My favorite 5 holiday dishes:

• Baked turkey with gravy or ham with glaze

• Mashed cauliflower
• Garlic almond green beans or bacon Brussel’s sprouts
• Green salad with nuts, cheese, and a little fruit (apple, pear, or persimmon)
• Pumpkin custard with whipped cream

Practice chewing thoroughly, taking time between bites and focusing on being thankful.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

5 healthy holiday drinks

Reducing sugar (and getting plenty of healthy fat) around the holidays will help you avoid packing on the extra pounds AND curb sugar cravings.  This holiday season, curl up by the fire with one of these delicious, guilt-free drinks:

1. Christmas cocoa: 1 cup of raw, full-fat organic cow’s milk OR unsweetened full-fat organic coconut milk OR unsweetened nut milk; 3-4 teaspoons raw cacao powder (super high in antioxidants); a dash of vanilla; and a healthy sweetener (4-6 drops stevia extract OR other low fructose sweetener such as 1-2 teaspoons coconut sugar, xylitol, SweetPerfection prebiotic fiber, or Truvia). Heat in a small pot on low-medium heat till warm, stirring throughout so cacao dissolves. Optional: dash of cinnamon or nutmeg & lightly sweetened or unsweetened whipped cream.
2. Winter Wonderland: Heat 1 cup of coconut milk in a small pot on low-medium heat. Pour into a mug and add a healthy sweetener (options mentioned above) to taste. Top with fresh nutmeg.
3. Ginger tea (use fresh ginger root) garnished with a cinnamon stick or apple spice tea.
4. Eggnog: so much tastier & healthier than what you get in the store (see recipe here).
5. Warm milk with cardamom: Use organic, whole milk (preferably raw) or go dairy-free with coconut or nut milk.  The cardamom transforms plain warm milk into an aromatic treat. Crush 1-2 cardamom pods into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle for the best flavor. Otherwise, use 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom). Sweeten if preferred (vanilla and/or vanilla crème stevia extract, coconut sugar, SweetPerfection, or Truvia).

Ingredients for these drinks can be found easily in the Bay Area at New Leaf Community Markets, Staff of Life, Rainbow Grocery and most local health food stores.

Garlic Almond Green Beans

Ingredients:

Duck Egg Eggnog

Ingredients:

6 duck eggs
2 cups raw and/or organic milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp.-1 tsp. nutmeg (fresh is best!)
20 drops liquid stevia or 1/2 cup sugar (try coconut sugar, lower in fructose)

Duck egg nog, fresh nutmeg

Beat eggs till frothy. Add stevia or sugar, nutmeg and vanilla, still whisking strongly. Slowly stir in cream and milk. Chill in refrigerator and serve cold. Delicious!

Grilled chicken and zoodle pesto

Go Bananas Smoothie

I’ve been loving this smoothie and hope that you do too!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk of choice (raw cow or goat, coconut, etc)
• 2-4 Tbs. collagen powder (easily digested, high quality protein)
• 1 Tb. maca powder
• 1/2 Tb. MCT oil (easily assimilated fatty acids)
• 1/2 green tipped frozen banana or plantain (the less ripe, the less sweet & blood sugar raising)
• 1 Tb. nut butter (peanut, almond, or sunflower)
• 1 Tb. raw carob powder OR cocoa powder (both are high in nutrients, carob is especially high in fiber and has a naturally sweet flavor)
• Optionals: pearl powder (fabulous skin support), lion’s mane herb (immune support), Pure Synergy Pure Radiance Vitamin C powder (support those adrenals & immune system), Pure Synergy Powder (high nutrient powdered greens)

How to:
Blend all ingredients together and enjoy the deliciousness!

Rise & Shine Smoothie

I’m sharing my FAVORITE breakfast smoothie recipe with you! I wasn’t previously a fan of drinking my breakfast–I’d be hungry an hour later–but this smoothie keeps me satisfied and gives me stable energy for a solid 3-3.5 hours. Win!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw cow’s milk (can substitute with goat, coconut, or almond milk)
• 2 tablespoons collagen powder (Great Lakes or Bulletproof)
• 1 tablespoon cacao nibs
• 1 tablespoon maca powder
• 1-2 tablespoons nut butter (i.e. peanut, almond, pumpkin seed or sunflower)
• 1 tablespoon coconut butter or cacao butter
• 1/4-1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries
• 1 teaspoon vitamin C powder (I love Pure Radiance)
• 1/2-1 tablespoon quality powdered greens (I love Pure Synergy)
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional–preferably soaked in advance in water or milk)

How to:
Put all ingredients into a mason jar and blend thoroughly with a hand blender. Enjoy!

Bec’s Cocoa Tonic

I’m sharing with you my favorite morning beverage recipe. I love this soothing drink for several reasons: it is high in digestible protein, soothing to the mucosal barrier (and therefore awesome for the immune system and for reducing inflammation), a good source of minerals like calcium, magnesium and iron; rich in important fat-soluble vitamins & fatty acids like CLA; oh and it is also delicious!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of hot water
• 1/4 cup of cold water
• 2 tsp-1 T Great Lakes Gelatin (beef or pork)
• 1 T cocoa powder (I prefer Navitas Naturals)
• 1 T raw butter (you can use unsalted organic butter, but raw butter has a very different flavor and provides additional benefits to the immune system-beneficial enzymes & bacteria)
• Optional: sweetener such as stevia or honey

How To:

1. Add gelatin powder to a large mug and cover with cold water so that it dissolves completely (this is important! Otherwise you’ll have a very clumpy drink…you may need to mix with a spoon to make sure all the gelatin powder is covered with water).
2. Bring 3/4 cup of water to a boil.
3. Add cocoa powder to the mug.
4. Once the water boils, add to the mug and stir thoroughly to mix the cocoa and gelatin.
5. Add the raw butter and stir well. Enjoy!

Hearty Sweet Potato Carbonara

I always love sharing when I find a great new recipe and this one ROCKS! I’ve made it several times and improved upon the original in terms of satiety and flavor.

The original recipe can be found here. If you do well with more carbs and less fat & protein, you’ll prefer the original recipe. I know that for myself and many of my health coaching clients, the opposite is true. In fact, the first time I made this recipe, I was still really hungry afterward. Once I modified it, I found it totally satisfying.

Without further ado, here’s my version:

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, the ones with orange flesh (spiral sliced)
• 2 lbs bacon (uncooked)
• 2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms (uncooked)
• 4-6 cups raw spinach
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon each of ground sage, onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper
• 3 eggs (pastured, organic-they won’t be thoroughly cooked so good quality is really important)
• 1-2 cups of Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or bacon fat

How to:

1. Chop bacon up into inch long pieces and spread onto baking tray. Bake until done, about 40 mins at 350, stirring occasionally so all pieces get cooked. Cook until brown but not crispy. Add sliced onions and mushrooms on top for last 10 minutes.
2. Slice up onion and mince garlic and set aside.
3. Spiral slice sweet potatoes (I’ve used this spiral slicer for about 5 years).
4. Put sweet potato noodles into a large pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes until just tender (or al dente if you prefer but do not overcook or they’ll get mushy and fall apart).
5. While cooking, beat eggs in a bowl, add spices, garlic, and cheese.
6. Take 1/4 cup of the cooking water and add to egg mixture.
7. Drain the sweet potato noodles and add back to pot, stir in egg mixture thoroughly.
8. Add in bacon, mushrooms and onions from oven and mix completely with either some bacon fat or olive oil.
9. Turn heat on low and mix in raw spinach. Turn off heat once the spinach is wilted.
10. Serve with some fresh pepper and Parmesan on top.

Enjoy! 🙂

Gluten free, paleo fried chicken

My hubby’s favorite birthday meal from his childhood is fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and peas.

For his birthday this year, I looked at probably 15 different recipes online and in cookbooks to try to find one that I’d feel good about eating and feeding to my family. I decided to go with this recipe by Crunchy Mama with a couple of adjustments and it was AWESOME!!! See my modified ingredient list below:

• 3 lb chicken pieces with skin and bone
• 2 cups almond flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk (original recipe calls for almond milk, but I wasn’t happy with the ingredients in all the almond milks I reviewed)
• 3-5 TBSP melted butter or olive oil (I used butter!)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp Cajun spices (I didn’t have these)
• 1 tsp white pepper (oops, I was out so I had to use black)
• 1 tsp paprika

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Prepare an oven grilling tray. You can use a lined baking sheet and set a grill rack on top. Brush some butter or olive oil on the grill so the chicken won’t stick (I just used my ceramic baking tray and the chicken didn’t really stick to it and it came out nice and crispy).
3. In a small bowl, mix together all the seasoning except for paprika and then divide in half
4. Add paprika to one half and mix this well into the chicken pieces. Set aside.
5. Take the other half of the seasoning and mix with almond flour in a bowl.
6. In another bowl, whisk together egg and milk
7. Taking one chicken piece at a time, dip in egg and milk mixture and coat in flour mixture and set on a plate. You can make this process go quickly by using one hand to dip the chicken in the egg and using your second hand to handle the chicken in the flour. Let the chicken sit for 10 minutes
8. Coat each chicken pieces in flour again (not the egg!) and set on the grilling tray
9. Drizzle butter or olive oil over all the chicken pieces
10. Bake for 40 minutes or until chicken pieces are nice and brown and cooked through

Our family LOVED this fried chicken and we will definitely be adding this to our family favorites. Try it out and let me know what you think. 🙂

Blackberry Protein Pancakes

I’ve modified my traditional protein pancake to give it a better, less dense texture. Instead of using starchy flour which can raise blood sugar and cause energy to tank, I substitute a bit of the almond flour for coconut flour.

Ingredients:

• 4 large organic chicken eggs (pasture-raised is best!)
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 tsp. organic vanilla extract (optional)
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt (optional)
• 2-4 tsps. coconut oil…my husband and I find that they are fluffier with 4 tsps.
• 1/2 cup or more blackberries

How to:

Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl. Mix with a fork or whisk until smooth (smash up the blackberries a bit. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Melt coconut oil in pan and then pour most of it into mix, but leave about 1 tsp in. Use a spoon to place batter into pan to make pancakes (silver dollar-sized work best). Cook about 1 minute per side; flip. Continue making batches and adding oil as needed. Delicious topped with grass-fed butter and a little maple syrup or coconut syrup. Enjoy!

Chicken Nuggets

• 1 pound ground chicken (dark meat preferred, chicken thighs)
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (more if you like spicy)
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta (optional and preferably organic)
• coconut oil (refined is more stable at higher heat) or bacon fat for cooking

How to:

1. Mix all ingredients in bowl.
2. Heat about 3 tablespoons of coconut oil or bacon fat on medium high heat in a large skillet.
3. Use a spoon to dollop tablespoon sized nuggets into pan. Space them about an inch apart.
4. Cook for about 5 minutes (chicken should not be white or only slightly pink) and then use a fork or tongs to flip.
5. Cook on other side for another 3-5 minutes. Serve with your favorite veggies and enjoy!

Egg Muffins

Ingredients:

• 8 large pastured eggs
• 2 cups spinach
• 6 slices pastured bacon
• Optional: Bell pepper, mushrooms, onions

How To:

1. Chop up bacon and cook on medium heat till done.
2. Add in veggies and cook on low heat for 3-5 mins.
3. Mix eggs up in a bowl and add bacon and veggies. Scoop/pour into lined muffin tray and cook on 325 for 20 mins or until eggs have puffed up.

Protein Waffles

Below is a wonderful recipe for waffles that uses coconut flour and whey protein powder instead of grains. They are fluffy, delicious and much more filling than traditional grain-based waffles. Whether you have a gluten intolerance or are just making a choice to eat more nutrient-dense foods, you’re sure to enjoy this recipe. Seen below is my daughter topping her waffle with fresh, organic blueberries (underneath is Kerrygold butter and a little coconut nectar).

“HEALTHIFIED” PROTEIN WAFFLES by Maria Emmerich

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup JAY ROBB vanilla egg white or 1 cup whey protein (I use Whey Natural by Synergistics -grass-fed)
• 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
• 1 TBS aluminum free baking powder
• 1 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (I have used both raw cow milk and coconut milk and they both work great)
• 4 eggs
• 4 TBS butter or coconut oil, melted

Preheat waffle iron to high. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine the wet ingredients in another bowl. Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry. Let sit for 5 minutes. Bake according to your waffle iron directions (I spray my waffle iron with THIS Coconut oil spray). Enjoy! Serve with Nature’s Hollow Xylitol syrup. Makes 10 waffles.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per waffle)
Traditional Waffle = 223 calories, 8.5g fat, 5g protein, 27 carbs, 0.7g fiber (26.3 effective)
“Healthified” Waffle = 144 calories, 8g fat, 12.2g protein, 4g carbs, 2.1g fiber (1.9 effective)

Paleo Chocolate-Walnut Fridge 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!

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

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!!!!

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.

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).

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.

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. 🙂

Grain-free Spinach Gnocchi with Browned Sage Butter

I got this wonderful recipe from my mother-in-law (who got it off of the Cooking Channel). She and my daughter made it during her last visit and the entire family LOVED it!

Ingredients:

• 1 8-ounce container organic ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup organic shredded parmesan cheese (and 1/4 cup or more to sprinkle on top at the end)
• 1 lb. organic spinach
• 2 egg yolks
• 20 or more fresh sage leaves (the more the merrier. They. Are. So. Good.)
• 2-3 T organic salted butter for making sage-butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to:

• Boil 3 cups of water and then add spinach for literally 1 minute. You just want to wilt it, not cook it.
• Strain spinach in strainer and rinse with cold water to stop it from cooking. Then squeeze as much water out of it as possible. Don’t be gentle. Like seriously wring it.
• Separate 2 egg yolks into a large bowl (keep the whites to add to an omelette the next morning) and beat them thoroughly.
• Chop the spinach finely and add to egg yolks.
• Add ricotta and parmesan and mix up.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• On a buttered baking sheet, form little smushed teaspoon sized balls of mixture OR just lather the whole concoction onto the baking sheet (about 1/2 inch thick). It’s going to taste the same, so it’s really just a matter of how you want it to look. Put in oven for 20 minutes. After 20 mins, turn broiler on low for 5 minutes until gnocchi starts to brown and crisp.

• While baking, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet and add sage leaves. Saute the sage until it turns brown and crispy. This really is the most amazing part of the recipe! The gnocchi is really just a carrier for the crispy buttered sage leaves.
• Serve the gnocchi with the sage and sage-butter sauce and top with Parmesan.

When we made this recipe, the balls didn’t remain intact in the oven and became one big flat piece. We cut it into squares and enjoyed it just fine. This would be an excellent pizza crust, I imagine. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. 🙂

Grass-fed, sugar-free Beef Hot Dogs & Spiral Sliced Sweet Potatoes

After a long day, I love this recipe! It’s nourishing, delicious, and SIMPLE!

Ingredients:

• 1 package of grass-fed beef hot dogs (I love the sugar-free ones by U.S. Wellness Meats), OR chicken or turkey dogs if you prefer

• 1 large sweet potato (get a huge one, preferably a hanna white sweet potato, but yams are also delicious)
• 3-4 Tablespoons of Ghee OR bacon fat OR duck fat OR coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• OPTIONAL: Sauerkraut

How to:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Use a spiral slicer to slice the sweet potato into long curly noodles and place on a cookie sheet (This is the one I have).
• Melt fat on low heat and then pour over sweet potato noodles
• Sprinkle salt over the sweet potato noodles (you can also add other spices if you’d like, such as turmeric)
• Place hot dogs on top of sweet potato noodles and stick the whole thing in the oven for 20-25 mins

• Take hot dogs off the top and put on a plate.  Stir around the sweet potato noodles.
• OPTIONAL: Put the oven on BROIL for 3-7 mins until they get a little crispy (watch them so they don’t burn).
• Serve with mustard and sauerkraut…or any other vegetable for that matter!

Healthy Sloppy Joe’s

I admit it: I LOVED sloppy joe’s as a kid. For those of you that grew up on Manwich canned sloppy joe mix (and have fond memories), you will be delighted to have this healthy recipe alternative!

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds grass-fed ground beef
• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 1.5 cups chopped shiitake mushrooms
• 1 small can of organic tomato paste (I really like the Bionaturae in the glass jars)
• 1 small can of water (use the tomato paste can once you’ve emptied it)
• 1 Tbsp. ghee
• 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. fresh chopped ginger root (about 2 inches of root)
• 1 tsp. molasses
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. each of sea salt and black pepper
• 2 tsps. organic hot sauce (I used Arizona Pepper’s Organic Harvest Chipotle Habanero Pepper Sauce)
• 2 tsps. fish sauce (I used Red Boat, no sugar added)

How to:

• In a large skillet, melt ghee on medium heat.
• Add onions and cook for 3-5 minutes until translucent.
• Crumble up beef into pan and cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes with the lid on. Peel and chop ginger while it’s cooking.
• Add tomato paste, water, ginger root, fish sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, molasses, spices and mushrooms and stir well. Cook for 20 minutes on low heat.
• Serve over spinach or beside your favorite veggies or make these buns to go with it!

Chicken Parmesan (dairy optional)

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds chicken thighs (we prefer bone in and skin on, but you can use skinless if you prefer)
• 1 large can crushed tomatoes (look for organic and BPA-free cans such as Muir Glen or Bionaturae)
• 1 can black olives (whole or sliced, your preference)
• 2 cups chopped mushrooms, we prefer shiitakes
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T rosemary
• 2 tsps thyme
• 1 tsp sage
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Optional: Onions, garlic, bell pepper, other veggies like zucchini, chopped spinach, oregano or other herbs…and Parmesan cheese! Dairy has been on my hit list lately, so I’ve been making this recipe without cheese and it is great.

How to:

• Salt both sides of chicken thighs and place in large glass cooking dish.
• Drizzle olive oil on thighs.
• Sprinkle herbs , mushrooms, olives, and spinach (and optional ingredients) on chicken.
• Pour crushed tomatoes on top of everything.
• Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours at 250 degrees. It tastes better cooking it longer at a lower heat, so set the timer and go play~you’ll come back to a yummy smelling house and fabulous meal.

Butternut Squash or Sweet Potato Flatbread

By Empowered Sustenance

This recipe is SO amazing! Whenever we make it at my house, the batch gets tripled. Great texture, flavor and ingredients that support good health.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs. coconut flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. grassfed gelatin
• 3 Tbs. well cooked and mashed butternut squash (or sweet potato)
• 1 Tbs. butter, ghee or coconut oil
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt (more or less to taste)

*(You can double the recipe if desired…and you really should)

How to:

• Have all ingredients at room temperature. (If the squash and butter is cold, you can stir them together in a saucepan over low heat to bring them to room temperature.)
• Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir together the coconut flour and gelatin.
• Stir together the squash and the butter until smooth. Stir in the coconut flour/gelatin mixture until combined, then stir in the egg and sea salt.
• Spoon into rounds on the baking sheet. You can make these thinner or thicker– experiment and find what you prefer! I made them about 1/4 inch thick for the picture here, but I usually make them a bit thicker.
• Bake for about 12 minutes, then carefully peel them off the parchment paper and flip. Bake for another 5 minutes (or longer), until they are dry to the touch and pliable. (They will take longer to cook if they are thicker and they will cook faster if they are thinner… you know the drill.) Let cool completely, then enjoy within an hour or so of baking for the best texture. (Compliments of Empowered Sustenance)

Bec’s Healthy Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:

How to:

Banana Nut Pancrepes

I’ve got a great new recipe to share! Banana nut pancrepes (cross between a pancake and a crepe)!

Ingredients

• 3 chicken eggs, preferably organic
• 3 T sunflower seed butter or almond butter
• 1 medium banana, ripe
• Coconut oil for cooking
• Cinnamon and butter for topping

How to

• In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to thoroughly blend eggs, banana and sunflower or almond butter.
• Heat 1 T of coconut oil in a large skillet.
• Pour palm-sized dollops of batter into pan and cook for 1-2 minutes (top side will change from shiny to matte). Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side.
• Top with butter and cinnamon and enjoy! Makes about 10 pancrepes.

These pancrepes have such a great flavor to them and while they were thinner than I expected, I really enjoyed the texture. If you desire a thicker texture, try adding a small amount of coconut flour (like a teaspoon or two) or nut flour to the mix. Happy cooking!

Chia Porridge

Ingredients per person:

How to:

Cauliflower Rice

• Wash and core large head of cauliflower. Cut into large pieces. Steam for 5-10 minutes on medium heat until just fork
• tender.
• Let steam water drip off and then toss all cauliflower
• into food processor and pulse until it’s the consistency
• of rice.
• Add fat of choice (duck fat, lard, or bacon fat all work, ghee or butter is great for less strict paleo-itarians) and S&P and herbs to taste.

• Note: This is also delicious made into fried “rice” if you put it on a skillet, add 2-3 egg yolks, chopped bacon, scallions, and peas.

Hot Cocoa

1 cup of raw, full-fat organic cow’s milk OR unsweetened full-fat organic coconut milk OR unsweetened nut milk; 3-4 teaspoons raw cacao powder (super high in antioxidants); a dash of vanilla; and a healthy sweetener (4-6 drops stevia extract OR other low fructose sweetener such as 1-2 teaspoons coconut sugar, xylitol, SweetPerfection prebiotic fiber, or Truvia). Heat in a small pot on low-medium heat till warm, stirring throughout so cacao dissolves. Optional: dash of cinnamon or nutmeg & lightly sweetened or unsweetened whipped cream.

Variation: I’ve been LOVING adding a tablespoon of raw, cultured (unsalted) butter instead of cream to this cocoa. The flavor is even richer & creamier. YUM!

Primal Porridge

I lucked into this yummy recipe this week. I was feeling a bit bored with my usual breakfasts, started experimenting and voila! Primal Porridge! Delicious and satisfying, unlike carb-based cereals, this porridge will actually satiate appetite for 4 hours!

Ingredients & How To:

• 2 tsps. chia seeds
• 2 T ground flaxseed (also called flax meal)
• 1/2 cup raw or organic full-fat milk
• Optional, also add 1/4 cup raw or organic cream if your body feels better when you eat more fat.
• 1/4 cup finely shredded coconut, unsweetened
• Handful each of pecans, pumpkin seeds, and goji berries (or any nuts, seeds and berries you love).
• 3-5 drops hazelnut (or plain) stevia

In a cereal bowl add chia seeds and flaxseed.

Right away, add milk and cream so that the seeds start to gel, making a thick, porridge-like consistency. I like a lot of fat, so I use more raw cream than milk, but do what works for you. Full-fat coconut milk is also great if dairy doesn’t agree with you.

Next,  shredded coconut (finely shredded works better than flakes in this recipe) and your favorite nuts, seeds, and berries. I used soaked/dehydrated nuts and seeds because they are more digestible, higher in enzymes and protein, and lower in anti-nutrients such as phytic acid. Check out this video to learn how to do this.

Stir in stevia and enjoy! The slower you eat it, the more liquid the chia and flax will absorb, so you may want to add a little more milk and/or cream if it becomes too thick.

SUPER tasty, loaded with healthy fat, calcium, fiber, Omega-3’s, and antioxidants.

Paleo Coconut Popsicles 

I’d like to share this wonderful and incredibly easy popsicle recipe with all of you, compliments of Kelley Herring of Healing Gourmet.

Yield: 4

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

• 1 can Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk
• 1 Tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut
• 20-40 drops SteviaClear Stevia Extract (to taste)
• 1 Tbsp. organic vanilla extract (optional)
• 2 Tbsp. Great Lakes Unflavored Gelatin (optional)

Directions

• Add all ingredients to a medium bowl. Mix well.
• Pour into stainless steel popsicle molds.
• Freeze for 5 hours or until solid.

Be sure to check out her site and her other yummy recipes.

Hope to see you at my next class, HIDDEN Solutions to Weight Management on Wed, Sept 25th at 6pm at the west side New Leaf Classroom. 🙂

Zesty Herb Dressing

Nutritious Delicious makes a cleansing herb dressing/marinade in this video.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs. ea rosemary, sage and thyme
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 3 cloves finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp. unrefined sea salt

How To:

Put all ingredients into a glass jar, tighten lid and shake! Keeps 1-2 wks in refrigerator.

Gluten-free, Grain-free Apple Crisp

Nothing like a yummy apple crisp to make the whole house smell like the holidays. Enjoy this awesome recipe throughout apple season!

Recipe modified from Elana’s Pantry.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups blanched almond meal
• 20 drops liquid stevia
• 1 Tbs vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil
• 5 medium apples (preferably organic), I keep the peel on

How to:

• Cut apples in half, use melon baller to scoop out seeds.
• Slice apples about 1/4 inch thick.

• Put apples into large glass baking dish (8×13).
• Mix almond flour, spices, salt, stevia, vanilla, and butter together in a large bowl and then pour on top of apples.

• Cover dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350. Uncover and broil on low for 3-4 minutes until slightly browned. Serves 6.

I strongly recommend enjoying this crisp with a large dollop of fresh whipped cream. Not only does it taste great, but it adds healthy fat which balances out the carbs from the apples. Healthy noms.

Ham & Maple Pineapple Glaze

I’m not a big turkey fan. For all of you out there groaning over the anticipation of eating turkey for Thanksgiving, this recipe is for you.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/4 cup onion, minced (optional)
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbs. brown mustard seed
• 1 can crushed pineapple
• 1 boneless  or bone in ham, about 5 lbs. (I prefer bone-in ham. Use the leftovers to make my delicious creamy ham soup).

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Combine first 7 ingredients and pepper to taste in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring about 1 minute. Set aside to cool.
3. Cut diamond pattern on the outside of ham. Place ham on a lightly oiled roasting rack with a shallow roasting pan below OR place ham and glaze in a deep baking dish (it tastes great either way, less cleanup with second option).
4. Brush syrup mixture over ham.
5. Bake 5 minutes, reduce heat to 325°F, and bake another 60-70 mins, basting with syrup mixture every 20-30 minutes. Remove ham from oven and set aside 15 minutes before slicing.

This recipe is higher in sugar than most of my recipes. If your blood sugar is sensitive or you know that eating a lot of carbs increases your food cravings, go easy on the glaze. Serve with a low starch veggie like green beans, asparagus, zucchini or a lovely green salad.

Enjoy! Happy Holidays!

Mashed Cauliflower

“Cornbread” Stuffing

Cornbread Ingredients:

Healthy Cheese It Crackers

Video here!

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thank you Bruce Fife for this amazing recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup sucanat or brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp powdered or liquid stevia
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sifted coconut flour (although I never bother to sift)
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips or cut up your favorite dark chocolate bar
• 1 1/2 grated shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp sea salt

How to:

Mix together eggs, butter, sugar, stevia, vanilla and salt. Stir in chocolate chips, coconut,  and coconut flour. Drop batter in spoon-sized mounds 1-inch apart on greased cookie sheet (smush downswitch fork or spoon). Bake at  375 degrees for 15-20 mins. Cool slightly and remove from cookie sheet. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

One fine Fall day, my daughter and I embarked on a seasonal baking adventure: pumpkin spice cookies! I modified Maria Emmerich’s Pumpkin Whoopie Pie recipe from her cookbook The Art of Eating Healthy (for kids). They’re awesome! Great flavor (like pumpkin pie) with a texture similar to banana bread…and the best part is that they’re nutrient dense, gluten-free, sugar-free, high in protein & totally healthy! That’s my kind of cookie. 🙂

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground clove
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
• 2 TBS butter or coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp liquid stevia extract
• 1/2 tsp maple extract
• 5 large chicken eggs
• 1 cup canned OR fresh pumpkin

How to:

1. Combine all dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another bowl.
2. Pre-heat oven to 325.
3. Grease 2 large cookie sheets with butter or coconut oil.
4. Drop spoon-sized dollops of batter 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets (12 per sheet).
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cookies are springy and firm to the touch. Makes 24 cookies.

Enjoy & Happy Holidays!!!!

Healthy Chocolate Truffles

I just tasted an AMAZING, decadent, rich, creamy chocolate truffle that I made for Father’s Day. Bonus=rich in quality fats, antioxidants, fiber, very low in sugar, AND dairy & gluten-free! What’s not to love?!

I’d been wanting to give this recipe from one of my favorite recipe blogs Nom Nom Paleo a try. So glad I did! They are truly awesome. 🙂

These truffles are dairy & gluten free.

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces of dark chocolate, I used 2 bars of my favorite chocolate, Divine 85%, and 3 squares of Lindt’s Touch of Sea Salt
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 3 T coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut and/or 1/2 cup raw cacoa powder (for rolling the truffles in)

I toasted the coconut in a pan on the stove on low heat and added a dash of sea salt to it. The sweet salty combo is, after all, fabulous.
Full recipe with lots of pictures available here.

Crispy Almonds

Increase the protein, enzymes and flavor of your almonds (and all your favorite nuts and seeds) while also reducing the anti-nutrients so you get more nutrition per bite with this great recipe video.

Healthy Hot Chocolate

Instead of coffee in the morning, I enjoy sharing a mug of hot cocoa with my daughter. Here’s what we do:

In a small pot, add 1 cup of raw, full-fat organic cow’s milk (OR unsweetened full-fat organic coconut milk OR unsweetened nut milk); 1/4 cup raw cream; 3-4 teaspoons raw cacao powder (super high in antioxidants); a dash of vanilla; and a healthy sweetener (4-6 drops stevia extract–English Toffee or Vanilla Creme are best–OR other low fructose sweetener such as 1-2 teaspoons coconut sugar, sucanat, xylitol, SweetPerfection prebiotic fiber, or Truvia). Heat in a small pot on low-medium heat till warm, stirring throughout so cacao dissolves. Pour into a mug and enjoy!

*I also really love chia seeds in my cocoa. If you want to give it a try, add 1 T of chia seeds right away, before you even turn the stove on, into the milk and cream. They take a few minutes to soften and expand. I personally like them once they have expanded and softened fully, so I let the cocoa sit in the pot with the heat off after the cocoa is warm and just let the chia gel for a few extra minutes. Delicious!

Steak & Pesto

This was a yummy spur of the moment one-pot-wonder!

Ingredients:

• 1.5-2 lbs grass-fed skirt steak (if you love a lot of steak, go for 2 lbs)…also, I bet this meal would be AWESOME with chicken
• 1 package kelp noodles
• 1 package organic pesto sauce (I use Rising Sun Farms Basil & Garlic pesto. It’s tasty & gluten-free)
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T butter (optional)
• Parmesan cheese to top (optional)

How to:

1. Drain the kelp noodles and chop in half so that noodles aren’t super long. Add to large skillet or pot along with olive oil and butter (omit for dairy intolerance) and pesto sauce. Cover and heat on low for 10 minutes to soften noodles.
2. Turn heat up to medium-low. Cut up skirt steak into bite-size pieces and add to skillet. Add zucchini slices. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until meat is to desired doneness (only takes 5 minutes for medium-rare).
3. Add spinach and turn off heat. Keep covered and let spinach wilt for a couple minutes. Serve and top with Parmesan cheese (optional). Enjoy!

Kale Chips

Make your own amazing kale chips at home for a fraction of the cost of store bought chips. Here’s the quick how-to video.

Healthy Ranch Dressing

Making your own dressing is EASY and delicious. Watch this quick how-to video and enjoy nutritionally superior ranch dressing!

Salmon Avocado Seaweed Wraps

Nutritious Delicious is happy to bring you the 7th and final breakfast of our series. These wraps are a quick and easy way to get 2 servings of veggies, healthy protein, antioxidants, and essential omega-3 fats. Enjoy our video here.

Ingredients:

• 1 Can Wild Pacific red salmon (packed in water)
• 1 Avocado
• 1 Package small Nori wraps or several large Nori sheets (we used Sea’s Gift Korean Seaweed)
• 1/4 lemon
• Sea salt, garlic powder, and parsley to taste

How to:

Empty the entire can of salmon into your bowl, including the liquid, skin, and small bones. Add the entire avocado. Add about 1 tsp lemon juice and seasoning. Smush (yes, that is a technical term) it all together with a fork. Spoon it onto your nori paper and roll it up. Enjoy!

Why Nori?

We use Nori wraps instead of bread or tortilla because Nori is hypoallergenic (unlike wheat) and very low in carbs. Nori also contains Iodine, an essential nutrient that is critical for healthy thyroid function and not in many foods.

Why Wild Salmon?

As we mentioned, farmed or “Atlantic” salmon is highly toxic and contains chemicals like PCB’s and Dioxins which have a negative impact on hormonal health. Wild salmon is one of the cleanest fish available and one of the few foods that contain essential Omega 3 fats an an easily absorbable form.

For more info on seafood and toxins check out the Environmental Working Group’s Safe Fish List.

In health,

Rebecca & Holly

Low-carb cereal

Make your own gluten-free, low carb cereal by combining coconut flakes, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds and goji berries in a bowl with raw cream and milk. Give the chia seeds a minute or two to expand and soften. This cereal is delicious and the nuts, seeds and fruit can be varied for an equally delicious breakfast option. One of our favorites is to throw in a handful of fresh blueberries when they are in season.

Liver Mousse
I don’t care if you haven’t historically liked liver. With enough butter and cream, even cardboard would taste good. And by the way, liver is WAY more nutritious than cardboard. It ranks at the top of superfoods, is full of vitamins D & A and several B’s, high in all nine essential amino acids, iron, and antioxidants: So don’t knock this recipe till you’ve tried it! Oh and by the way, babies LOVE liver mousse. Seriously.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs free-range chicken livers
• 3 T organic grass-fed butter
• 2 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1.5 cups organic heavy cream (even better, use raw cream)
• 1 tsp sea salt

*This recipe is adapted from Julia Childs’.

How To:

1. Saute chicken livers in butter on low heat for about 5 minutes or until chicken livers are still slightly pink inside.
2. Transfer to a food processor and puree.
3. Pour liver puree back into the pan (low to medium heat) and add cream, salt, and spices, stirring occasionally. It’s done once the cream has thickened slightly, but don’t cook it till it is thick. It’s best when it’s a slightly soupy. Do a little taste test. if it doesn’t taste awesome yet, add a little more cream and/or butter. I’m only half joking when I recommend adding butter and cream until it tastes good.

This mousse is incredibly high in healthy fats and is great for protein type metabolic types. If you aren’t someone who does well with higher amounts of protein and fat, I’d advise enjoying smaller portions of this moussey goodness.

Great with any meal, as a dip for veggies or on its own. Good hot or cold.

Grainless Lasagna

As I write this blog, I have a belly full of this delicious meal. A scrumptious blend of meat, veg, cheese and spices makes this meal nutritious, satisfying, super low-carb, gluten-free, and total comfort food.
Amounts of ingredients aren’t critical. Customize this recipe to your preferences. If you like a lot of meat, or more vegetables, or more/less cheese, go for it! It’ll be awesome.

Ingredients:
3 lbs grass-fed meat (beef, lamb, pork, chicken turkey…whatever you prefer. I used beef and a teeny bit of ground organ meat)
1 head green cabbage
2 cups raw organic spinach
1 zucchini
1/2 cup cubed shitake mushrooms
1.5 cups of organic full-fat ricotta cheese or cottage cheese (or a blend of the two)
1 cup full-fat shredded mozzarella (Greenbank Farms brand if you can)
1/2 cup pepperjack cheese (Raw Greenbank Farms brand if you can)
1/2 cup organic Parmesan cheese
1 can sliced black olives
1 large bell pepper (I used orange, but any of them will taste good)
1 large can (28 ounces) of organic crushed tomatoes
About 1 tsp each of rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, fennel seed
2 large cloves of garlic finely chopped
1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper

How To:

1. Cut the head of cabbage in half and slice off the bottom to remove stem. Place in a steamer basket in a large pot with a few cups of water and steam until tender on medium heat (about 25 mins).
2. While cabbage is cooking, cube up shitakes, bell pepper and zucchini.
3. In a large skillet, crumble all the meat, add spices and garlic. Cook on medium heat. After a few minutes, add the bell pepper to the skillet so that it seasons the meat. Mmmm. Cook till medium doneness (don’t overcook!).
4. Once the cabbage is done (let it cool for a minute or two so you don’t burn your fingers), peel the leaves off one by one and place in the bottom of a huge glass baking dish. And pre-heat the oven to 350 while you’re at it.
5. Then layer everything however you like. Cabbage, meaty goodness, some crushed tomatoes, ricotta or cottage cheese, spinach, more meat, zucchini, some cheese…you get the idea.

When you run out of everything, top it with any remaining cheese and sprinkle some more herbs on top to make it pretty. Then stick it in the oven at 350 for an hour.
Enjoy!

Healthy Halloween cider
Spiced apple cider is such a classic holiday beverage. It tastes great, makes the whole house smell good…but did you know that 1 cup of this stuff contains close to 30 grams of sugar?! Ouch. That’s not very helpful for maintaining balanced blood sugar, a strong immune system or a trim waistline.

Using the recipe for fresh ginger tea from local Ayurvedic chef Talya Lutzker’s cookbook as a base, I came up with a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional spiced apple cider.

Witch’s Brew

• 4 cups filtered water
• 2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into thin slices
• 1 organic medium-sized apple (pick your favorite sweet apple), cut into medium slices
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 tsp clove
• 1/2 tsp grass-fed ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 tsp raw honey (optional in mug)

Bring all ingredients to a simmer in a medium pot for 15 minutes. Serve in small mugs (serves 4). Add ghee and stir well. The ghee gives it fuller body and sweetens it slightly. For additional sweetness, add a teaspoon of raw honey to your mug. Adding a teaspoon of raw honey only adds 4 grams of sugar, a dramatic difference to other ciders.

Witch’s Brew is also great for strengthening digestion (ginger and cinnamon).

If cooking really isn’t your thing and you’d still like to enjoy a low-sugar holiday beverage, New Leaf Community Markets has several comparable options at their juice bar/cafe including a chai (a water rather than tea-based chai, which tastes similar to the Witch’s Brew).

Happy Halloween!
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Christmas in a bowl
I came up with this delicious combo recently. It’s low carb, high protein, healthy fat, full of antioxidants and easy to customize!

Combine about half a cup of full-fat organic cottage cheese with 1 or more tablespoons of coconut butter, and a handful each of pumpkin seeds and goji berries in a bowl. Perhaps I was feeling nostalgic–the white cottage cheese and coconut butter, green pumpkin seeds and red goji berries…looks like Christmas.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Custard

• 4 large eggs from pastured chickens
• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin
• 1/2 cup heavy cream OR full fat coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 40 drops vanilla creme stevia extract
• 1 tsp blackstrap molasses
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into glass pie dish and bake at 350 for 35 mins (center should be just slightly jiggly). Let cool before serving. Delicious warm or cold…and especially great with fresh whipped cream! Watch the Nutritious Delicious cooking video here.

Gluten-free dessert crust

This crust is SO easy and yummy, has virtually no carbs and is gluten-free! Check out the video here.

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces finely chopped pecans
• 1.5 T melted butter (organic, grass-fed)

How to:

• Place chopped nuts in glass pie dish, drizzle butter over them and spread evenly in dish. That’s it!! Enjoy 🙂

Meatball Soup

This recipe is very customizable! Make about 6 quarts of beef stock in advance (cook beef bones in a large pot of water for 12 hours with a little vinegar or lemon juice to help release the minerals from the bones).

Use whatever blend of ground meats you prefer (beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, pork, buffalo, venison, ostrich, goat). I used the following ingredients, but this soup is delicious no matter what! 🙂

Ingredients for meatballs:

Mix the following in a large bowl:

• 1.5 pounds grass-fed beef
• 1 pound pastured pork
• 1 pound ground “pet food” (ground beef and ground organ meat)
• 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1-2 T italian herbs (blend of rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil)
• 1 T red chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp fennel seed
• Optional, egg to bind the meatballs if they seem dry when you are forming them.

For the soup:

• 6 quarts beef bone broth
• 2 large carrots, 4 stalks celery, 1 zucchini, 1 large red bell pepper, 1-2 cups mushrooms.
• Large can crushed tomatoes (organic preferred)
• 1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped
• 1-4 cups leafy greens of choice
• Optional: Chives, onion and garlic to taste

How to:

Form golfball sized meatballs and drop into soup stock, medium heat. Add a large can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, 1 bunch of Italian parsley (finely chopped), chives or onion and garlic to your tasting preference (it’s also perfectly tasty without them). Add your favorite vegetables, chopped into bite-sized pieces and cook for 45 mins. For the last 10 minutes its cooking, add some spinach or other leafy greens (kale, chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, beet greens).

Serve in a bowl and top with parmesan cheese (optional).

Enjoy!

Sugar-free Chocolate Mousse

This is the first Nutritious Delicious video in a series of sugar-free dessert series. We were inspired to do this series by our many patients and clients who want to get off of sugar but feel challenged by doing so. Our hope is that by having healthy sweet alternatives that getting and staying off of sugar will be an easier and more sustainable process.  We hope you enjoy making and eating this mousse as much as we do. 🙂

Ingredients: 

• 8 oz grass-fed organic whipping cream (We like Kalona brand. Bonus if you get raw cream. 🙂 )
• 2 Tbsp raw unsweetened cacao powder
• 2-6 drops flavored liquid stevia (We used vanilla cream but other options are – toffee, raspberry, valencia orange. Liquid is much easier to use than powdered.)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional toppings: cacao nibs, nuts, raspberries, orange zest

Serves 2

How to:

Place all ingredients into a large bowl and whip it good! We prefer using a hand blender (so much easier to use and clean) but you could also use a regular blender or food processor. Whip for a minute (or less) until desired consistency is reached. Start on a low speed to avoid powdered cacao explosion! Chill for 1+ hour and enjoy!

Why Stevia?

Stevia is a very sweet-tasting herb that is gaining popularity for use as a sugar-substitute. It is chemical-free and now comes in a variety of flavors. Stevia is a great alternative to sugar because unlike other sweeteners (even honey and agave) it does not raise your blood glucose (blood sugar) when you consume it. On the contrary, it actually supports your pancreas in insulin and glucose metabolism.

Try it in sugar-free desserts, coffee, or tea and see if you can feel the difference. Remember, when using Stevia – less is more! Start with a couple of drops and then gradually increase to your taste preferences. 

More info about Stevia here

Purchase flavored Stevia here 

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Peaches & Cream

This is part 2 of our Nutritious Delicious sugar-free dessert series. This recipe can be made vegan and requires no added sweeteners. It’s a perfect guilt-free summer treat!  See the video here.

Ingredients:

• 1 organic peach
• 1 tbsp butter or coconut oil
• 2-3 tbsp coconut cream
• 1/4 cup walnuts, slivered almonds, or even our low carb granola
• Dash of cinnamon

How to:

Melt butter or oil on low-medium heat. Add peach slices and cook for about 5 minutes until peach is soft. Remove from heat and add coconut cream. Coconut cream is the thick coconut milk that comes in canned coconut milk. Add walnuts and cinnamon. Enjoy!

Why is it a MUST to use organic peaches?

In the video we mention that peaches are in the Dirty Dozen. This is a list compiled by the Environmental Working Group of the top 12 most toxic fruits and vegetables. Be sure to always buy these foods organic. The Clean 15 is the list of least toxic fruits and vegetables. If you can’t afford to or don’t have access to 100% organic, the clean 15 are safer to eat than many other conventionally farmed fruits and vegetables.

New York Cheesecake with Stevia

This cheesecake is incredible and there is no sugar!!

Ingredients

Crust: 8 ounces pecans, chopped or ground

• 1 1/2 T melted butter (optional, add 1 T flour)

Filling: 3 (8 ounce) packages organic cream cheese

• 1 cup organic sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 3-4 T vanilla, can also add 2 scraped vanilla beans
• 35-50 drops liquid vanilla stevia (taste after mixed and add more if you like)
• 2 T corn starch
• Optional: 3/4 cup frozen or fresh organic blueberries

Directions

1. Place chopped or ground pecans into the bottom of a round glass baking pan and drizzle melted butter over them.
2. In a large bowl, mix all other ingredients thoroughly and taste for sweetness (only if you use high quality eggs).
3. Pour in baking pan over crust and bake for 45-60 minutes at 300 degrees until firm in center and then refrigerate till cooled, preferably overnight.

*Optional, if you use organic, pastured eggs, this dessert is DELICIOUS raw! Put a small amount of crust into individual dessert bowls or glasses and pour custardy mixture over the top and enjoy immediately.

*Other options are to use another nut, like almonds or walnuts for the crust or add blueberries or chocolate into the mix

Topping: melt 6 ounces of organic bakers chocolate in a pot on low heat until melted, add stevia or Truvia until preferred sweetness is achieved (10-15 drops or 4-6 packages Truvia) and then add fresh or frozen blueberries. Spoon onto top of cheesecake right before serving. Oh my goodness, so good!

Banana Pudding with Whipped Cream & Toasted Walnuts

This little treasure of a dessert was created spur of the moment for Father’s Day and turned out great the first time. The only sugar in this recipe is from the bananas. The fats in the cream and walnuts help balance it out and keep your blood sugar from spiking.

Banana Pudding with Whipped Cream & Toasted Walnuts

Ingredients:

• 2 large medium-ripe bananas
• 2 T. organic butter
• 2 drops vanilla stevia
• 1 pint organic whipping cream
• 2 handfuls chopped walnuts

Directions:

Put butter in a medium saucepan and add bananas by breaking them into bite size pieces. Add stevia and put lid on. Cook on low heat for 2-5 mins or until bananas are completely softened. Mix thoroughly and spoon into 2 bowls. Use a hand mixer and mix whipping cream and a couple drops of vanilla stevia in a large bowl. In a small pan, lightly toast the walnuts with a little butter. Top banana pudding with whipped cream and walnuts. Serve warm.

Cinnamon Ginger Panna Cotta with Stevia

Meaty Tater Pie

Ingredients:

• 3lbs grass-fed ground beef (optional, substitue 1 lb of grd. beef with “pet food” from U.S. Wellness Meats–a blend of ground beef and ground organ meats)
• 3 organic russet potatoes
• 1 large head organic cauliflower
• 1 bunch parsely, finely chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 4 tbsp. organic butter
• 1/2 cup organic whole milk
• 1.5 cups organic swiss cheese, grated
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. each of thyme, coriander, cumin, and rosemary
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon and paprika

How to:

In two separate pots, cook cauliflower and potatoes and mash up with 2 tbs. butter and a 1/4 cup  milk. Set aside. Crumble ground beef into a large pan with a little olive oil. Add onion (leave in large chunks if you want to remove after cooking or cut finely if leaving it in), parsley, and all herbs and spices. Cook on med-low heat until meat is brown.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large rectangular glass dish, spread mashed cauliflower evenly so it covers the entire bottom. Then, dump the ground beef mixture as the second layer (if you do well with more fat in your diet, include the drippings. If not, strain off). Sprinkle half the swiss cheese on. Then add the mashed potato layer. Add the rest of the cheese on top. Bake for 15 mins or until cheese is melted.

Italian Potroast

Ingredients:

• 3 lb. 100% grass-fed chuck roast
• 1 large can of organic diced tomatoes
• 2-3 tbs. olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 tbs. mixed herbs (pick your favorites…I use rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil and tarragon)
• Sea salt and pepper
• Root veggies of your choice…I use 2 medium parsnips and 2 zuchhini squash
• 1/2 cup organic Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups red wine

How to:

In a large pot, brown the roast on both sides using olive oil. Add salt and pepper as its browning. Next, add the can of tomatoes, juice and all, over medium heat. Add cheese, herbs and bay leaves and cook for 1 hour. Then, add the red wine and cook on low heat for 3 hours or so until the meat is falling apart. Add root veggies and cook for another 30 minutes. Delicious!

Cream of Ham Soup

Wondering what to do with your leftover ham dinner? My husband and I made this yummy soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 hambone with about 2 cups of meat left on it (or buy a small ham 2-3 lbs)
• 2 large carrots
• 4 stalks of celery
• 2 large russet potatoes
• 4 cups organic milk
• 1 pound organic sharp shedder cheese
• 1/2 pound organic salted butter
• 1/2 cup organic full-fat sour cream
• 1 cup coconut flour

How to:

Fill a large pot halfway with water and put hambone in it. Cook on medium heat with the lid on for 6 hours.
Chill overnight. Cook on low heat for another 4 hours, remove bones, then add chopped up carrots, celery and potatoes. In another pot, melt butter and whisk in milk and coconut flour. Add the cheddar cheese. When cheese is melted, mix into the pot of soup. Add the sour cream last and stir it all up. Cook on low for another half-hour. Depending on your preference, you may want to cook it longer to thicken it further. Add a dash of salt and pepper (to your liking) and enjoy!

Healthy Chocolate Milkshake

Who says that pregnancy cravings have to be unhealthy?

Serves: 1.5 🙂

• 1 cup whole raw milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1-2 T grass-fed collagen hydrolysate (to support blood sugar balance, healthy hair/skin/nails/connective tissue/bones)
• 2-3 teaspoons raw cacao powder
• 6 drops liquid chocolate stevia
• Ice (3/4 cup)
• A delicious option is to add a small, barely ripe banana to this mixture. If you don’t tolerate carbs well, leave it out.

Blend in a blender and enjoy!

Protein Pancakes

Hi everyone! I just got this fabulous recipe from Healing Gourmet and wanted to share it with all of you who love pancakes but don’t love out of control blood sugar. I have made some modifications. Enjoy!

Time To Table: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Excellent Source of: Magnesium, Protein, Vitamin E, Riboflavin

Good Source of: Calcium, Fiber, Iron, Selenium, Zinc
Ingredients:

• 3 large organic chicken or 2 duck eggs (pasture-raised is best!)
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 tsp. organic vanilla extract (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt (optional)
• 2-4 tsps. coconut oil…my husband and I find that they are fluffier with 4 tsps.

How to:

Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl. Mix with a fork or whisk until smooth. Heat a safe, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Melt coconut oil in pan and then pour into mix. Pour batter into pan to make pancakes (silver dollar-sized work best). Cook about 1 minute per side; flip. Continue making batches and adding oil as needed.

Nutrition Information per Serving
285 calories, 24 g fat, 13 g monounsaturated fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 5 g polyunsaturated fat, 159 mg cholesterol, 53 mg sodium. 9 carbohydrates, 2 g sugars, 5 g fiber, 12 g protein

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Prep: 10 min, Cook: 35 min.

Ingredients:

• 1 sun dried tomato, packed in oil or dried
• 1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1/4 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 1-1/2 tsp. parsley, minced
• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast half, about 1/4 lb. each
• toothpick
• 2 Tbs. seasoned breadcrumbs

How to:

If using dried tomatoes, cover with boiling water in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes and drain. Finely chop tomatoes. Press excess liquid from spinach and combine with tomatoes and remaining ingredients, except chicken and breadcrumbs. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of wax paper and pound lightly with a mallet or other heavy flat object to flatten slightly. Divide spinach mixture into equal portions and spread over each chicken breast. Roll up chicken breasts and secure with toothpicks. Roll in breadcrumbs. Arrange chicken in a shallow pan and bake 35-40 minutes, or until chicken is opaque throughout. Remove toothpicks before serving.
Per serving: calories 293, fat 5.1g, 16% calories from fat, cholesterol 111mg, protein 45.9g, carbohydrates 14.0g, fiber 2.6g, sugar 0.9g, sodium 566mg, diet points 6.3.

Compliments of mealsforyou.com

*For protein types, use chicken thighs instead of breasts, use less breadcrumbs and more butter.

Rebecca’s Meatloaf

Who doesn’t love comfort food? This meatloaf is the bomb!

• 2 lbs. grass-fed ground beef (75-80% lean)
• 1 pound ground organ meat (I prefer the “pet food” from US Wellness Meats)
• 4 tbs. organic ketchup OR tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. each basil, cayenne pepper, oregano, rosemary and thyme
• 1 tsp. sea salt

How to:

Mix contents into a large bowl thoroughly while preheating the oven to 375 degrees. When mixed, press into a glass cooking dish so it is level. Bake uncovered for 1 hour and enjoy!

This meatloaf is also quite tasty with cut up veggies inside so feel free to add a bit of mushroom, carrot, bell pepper or whatever your healthy heart desires.