{Refined Sugar Free} Paleo Basalmic Raspberry Rhubarb Jam

If I were to give out another Addictive Blog Award (and why not, they are free and fun)  I would give it to Gluten Free Vegan Love.   A lot of her recipes are Paleo which is great. They make me wish I could eat nuts, which I sadly can't. However, I still love to peruse her blog, and get tons of inspiration.  So, Gluten Free Vegan Love, thank you for your wonderful blog, and for making gluten free look so stinkin' delicious!

Without further ado. . . here is one of Gluten Free Vegan Love's recipes.  This would make a tremendously fun Christmas gift!

photo from Gluten Free Vegan Love

Vegan Paleo Balsamic Raspberry Rhubarb Jam Recipe:

*Makes 1 jar of jam (as pictured)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped rhubarb (I used frozen)
• 1 cup raspberries (I used wild)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup (or another liquid sweetener of your choice)
• juice of 1 lemon (or roughly 3-4 tbsp lemon juice)
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp agar agar flakes

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients except balsamic vinegar and agar agar in a sauce pan (I used a cast iron pot) and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Once the 15 minutes are up, add in the balsamic vinegar, stir, and allow the jam to continue simmering for another 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the agar agar flakes until they are dissolved. Discard the cinnamon stick. Remove the jam from heat and transfer into a glass jar. Allow the jam to cool down to room temperature, then store in the fridge and use within a week or freeze for later use.

{Gluten Free, Paleo and Vegan} Sweet Potato Casserole

My family of origin always makes a sweet potato casserole. Cupcakes OMG makes a gluten and dairy free version with no added refined sugar. You can top it with brown sugar, or gluten-free marshmallows instead of the pecans.

photo from Cupcake OMG

Sweet Potato Casserole
Makes a ton (i.e., 12 servings-ish)

• 4 large sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1-2 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• juice of half an orange

Pecan topping

• 3/4 cup chopped raw pecans
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp melted coconut oil

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. While water comes to a boil, peel and dice sweet potatoes into large chunks.

2. Add sweet potato chunks to water. Boil until fork tender--about 10 minutes.

3. Drain potatoes, then dump them back in the large pot with all the other ingredients. Using a hand mixer, blend until potatoes reach desired consistency and flavor. (You may like to add a little more coconut milk, spices, or syrup based on your taste.)

4. In a small bowl, combine all topping ingredients until pecans are well coated.

5. Dump sweet potatoes into an oven safe dish and top with pecans.

6. Bake in preheated oven until topping is browned--about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Paleo Cucumber Noodles with a Raw Pumpkin Seed Pesto Sauce

Nourishing Meals, one of my all time favorite blogs, came up with this super fun noodle alternative: Cucumber Noodles!  They are the authors of one of my very favorite cookbooks, too, the Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook. These nutritionists have easy meals with wholesome ingredients. If you want to eat whole foods or have a  lot of food allergies this is just the ticket. Their recipes usually have limited ingredients and are always delicious and healthy!!

photo from NourishingMeals.com

Noodles:

4 medium cucumbers (middle eastern or english)

Sauce:

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, soaked 

1 cup water

½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 teaspoon sea salt

4 cups fresh basil, packed

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Other Ingredients:

3 to 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped

nasturtium flowers (or other edible flowers)

fresh basil leaves

To make the sauce, place pumpkin seeds into a bowl and cover with filtered water. Soak for about 6 hours. Then drain and rinse.

Place pumpkin seeds, water, lemon juice, garlic, and salt into a blender and blend until smooth. Then add the fresh basil and blend again. Add the olive oil and blend on low speed until combined. Taste and add more salt if necessary. 

Use your spiralizer to make the cucumber noodles. Place them into a bowl and toss with about 1 cup of the pesto sauce. Add any additional ingredients. Serve immediately. Place extra sauce in the refrigerator for up to a week (or freeze in ice cube trays). Yield: about 4 servings

{Gluten and Dairy Free} Easy Paleo Greek Chicken

Physical Kitchness came up with this super yummy greek meal.  If you are could use crumbled goat's cheese (make sure there is no casein, or cow's milk protein!) or you could use Daiya Mozzarella. You could also skip the cheese altogether (insert crying sound here, LOL).  I probably would skip the cheese. There are a lot of flavors here without it. I would slightly increase the salt, as cheese has salt, and adding some salt can help compensate for the flavor. Yum!

photo from Physical Kitchness

Author: PHYSICAL KITCHNESS

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts or 3 small breasts
• ¾ cup sliced black olives
• 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 small bell peppers, sliced
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• Optional: crumbled feta 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat coconut oil in a medium oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Place chicken breasts in the pan and sear on one side, roughly 3-4 minutes (depending on thickness). Flip breasts over and add sliced bell peppers. Cook additional 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and spices. Mix well and transfer skillet to oven. Bake 15-20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
4. Serve immediately and garnish with crumbled feta if desired.

{Paleo and Raw} and Gluten Free German Chocolate Macaroons

Gluten Free Vegan Love has me drooling again with this AMAZING delight. I would do it without the nuts, and just the coconut. Wowsers! Her desserts are out of this world!

photo at Gluten Free Vegan Love

Author: Audrey @ Gluten-Free Vegan Love

Makes: approx. 14 macaroons {~2 tbsp each in size}

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups toasted shredded unsweetened coconut {use untoasted coconut for raw version}
• 1 cup toasted pecans {use untoasted for raw version}
• 5 tbsp coconut oil, soft or liquified {but not hot}
• 10 soft medjool dates
• 2 tbsp maple syrup {or liquid sweetener of your choice or a couple more dates}
• ¾ non-dairy chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar of your choice {or use this DIY Vegan Magic Shell for raw or easy paleo option -- see notes at end of recipe on how to use}
• optional: some salt flakes for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place all ingredients except for chocolate and salt flakes in a food processor and process for a few seconds at a time until the mixture is combined and can be lumped into a ball {don't over-process into a paste -- just enough to get the ingredients well-mixed and sticky when pressed together}.
2. Shape into balls {1-2 tbsp at a time -- mine were on the larger side} and place on a tray lined with parchment paper. Place the balls in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to chill and firm-up slightly.
3. Melt your chocolate {either in a double boiler, or microwave, etc.} {or prepare the magic shell as per the directions in this recipe} while you wait for the balls to chill.
4. Dip the bottom of each macaroon in the chocolate mixture. Drip off excess chocolate {to avoid excessive "feet" on your macaroons}. Place back on the parchment paper. When done dipping all macaroons, drizzle any remaining melted chocolate on top of each macaroon {I just used a fork for this part}. Optional: sprinkle with some salt flakes if you like your chocolate salted. Place the tray back into the fridge for another 10-15 minutes for the chocolate to harden. Enjoy! See notes below on storage.

NOTES

Store any leftover macaroons in the fridge. If using tempered chocolate for coating {i.e. store-bought chopped chocolate bar or non-dairy chocolate chips} then these will hold up well at room temperature as well.

For the raw or easy paleo version, if using the magic shell option, bear in mind the chocolate coating is not tempered, meaning the chocolate will melt when warmed. So keep the macaroons refrigerated until eating time. They will still taste absolutely amazing, promise! But could get a little messy if you try and take them as an on-the-go snack...

Starbucks Copycat Gluten-Free, Vegan, and Paleo Pumpkin Scones

Gluten Free Vegan Love has this super yummy starbucks Paleo copycat! For those of you that are grain free, this will be a huge score!  Instead of the cashew glaze I would use a version of this frosting with more rice milk to make it more runny.

photo from Gluten-free Vegan Love

Starbucks Copycat Gluten-Free, Vegan, and Paleo Pumpkin Scones Recipe:

*Makes 8 scones (or can be cut into smaller pieces for more servings…)

Scone Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups pureed cooked pumpkin — at room temperature (if using homemade, make sure it is strained well)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup coconut butter (manna)
• 3/4 cup maple syrup (or another liquid sweetener) — at room temperature
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• dash of salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp allspice (omit for AIP)
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg (omit for AIP)
• 1 1/2 cups coconut flour
• 1 cup tapioca starch

Glaze Ingredients:

• 1 cup cashews, pre-soaked and strained (I was in a rush, so just soaked mine in boiling water for 15 mins. For AIP version, use 1 cup warmed coconut manna instead)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup (or another liquid sweetener)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Use coconut milk for AIP)

Pumpkin Spice Drizzle:

• a third of the glaze mixture above (see directions in step 7)
• 2 tbsp pureed cooked pumpkin
• 1 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Use coconut milk for AIP)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg (omit for AIP)

Directions:

1. Place coconut oil and coconut butter in an oven safe baking dish or glass container and place in a toaster (or microwave) for a few minutes to warm up the oil and butter and let them melt a little. Note: If your maple syrup or pumpkin puree are colder than room temp, include them in this as well so that all the ingredients are warm enough not to make the coconut oil solidify.

2. Pour the coconut oil, coconut butter, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, hot water, vanilla, and spices into a large mixing bowl and blend all the ingredients together into a smooth mixture using an immersion blender (you can also mix by hand or put this mixture through a food processor and then pour into a mixing bowl).

3. Cut out a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover a cookie sheet. Place it on a cutting board and set aside.

4. Add coconut flour and tapioca starch to the liquid mixture in the mixing bowl and mix using a wooden spoon to combine the liquid ingredients with the dry. Now it’s time to get your hands dirty — you’ll notice the batter will need more mixing than your wooden spoon can handle. Use your hands to thoroughly knead the dough and then lump it into a large ball.

5. Place the dough ball onto parchment paper on the cutting board. Flatten it with your hands into a 1″ tall disc. Fix up and round off all the edges with your hands so that the disc looks nice and rounded everywhere. Using a knife cut the disc into 8 triangles (I first cut mine into 4 parts forming a cross, and then cut each triangle in half). Do not separate the scones just yet. Place the entire cutting board into the fridge and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

6. Preheat oven to 350F. Once the scones have chilled, remove from the fridge and transfer the parchment paper along with the scones onto a cookie sheet. Carefully separate and spread the scones apart on the cookie sheet on top of the parchment. Bake scones for approximately 22-26 minutes (watch the edges and remove from oven when they begin to brown up). Then, cool the tray on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.

7. In the meantime prepare the glaze by placing all glaze ingredients in your blender and blend on high until smooth. I used my Vitamix for this and recommend it for smoothest results (or another high power blender). If your blender isn’t up to scratch, you may want to add a tiny bit more non-dairy milk to help it blend better. Once the scones are cooled a little, use a spoon to spread this glaze over each scone, but RESERVE about a third of the mixture for the next step (just leave it in the blender).

8. Add pumpkin spice drizzle ingredients to the blender. Blend on high to create a smooth mixture. Transfer into a squirty bottle or a piping bag and then drizzle over the glaze on the scones. Serve warm with a hot cup of coffee, or enjoy these chilled (or reheated in the toaster) for an incredible breakfast treat!

Happy Baking!

Paleo {Gluten and Dairy Free} Chocolate Berry Parfaits

These might make you want to drool on your keyboard.  They look so good!  Cook it up Paleo takes a few simple ingredients and turns them into a party in your mouth! These would be super fun to serve at a party. You should check out her website. She has many other wonderful paleo things to offer.

photos from Cook It Up Paleo

chocolate berry parfaits

PRINT

prep time

10 mins

cook time

20 mins

total time

30 mins

By: Jessi @ Jessi's Kitchen

Recipe type: Dessert

Yield: 4 servings

ingredients

• 1 can full-fat coconut milk
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅛ tsp sea salt
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• 1.5 cups frozen mixed berries
• ½ cup shredded coconut

instructions

1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the coconut milk and chopped chocolate and stir frequently until chocolate is mostly melted.
2. Add the cocoa powder and whisk it thoroughly. Add the maple syrup, vanilla extract and sea salt and mix until combine.
3. Take the saucepan off the heat and mix in the chia seeds. Let the mixture cool down to room temperature. Approximately 10-15 minutes.
4. While the pudding is cooling place the mixed berries in a saucepan over medium heat and cover with a lid.
5. Cook the berries until they are broken down and resemble a thick jam. Put the mixed berries in a container and let cool in the refrigerator.
6. Once the pudding mixture has cooled put it in a high-speed blender and blend for about 1 minute or until smooth. If it has trouble blending add a little bit more coconut milk to get it mixing.
7. Place pudding mixture in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until pudding is cold.
8. You can layer the pudding, mixed berries and shredded coconut in small jars or you can serve in small bowls.

notes

If you chose to serve the pudding in small jars I have found a piping bag to be a great way to layer the chocolate pudding and have a beautiful presentation.

Carrots: A Gluten-free {Paleo} Pasta Alternative

This goes out to my Paleo readers. . .a new pasta idea from Welcoming Kitchen. You can turn carrots into linguine like noodles. To find out how to do it go here!

photo from the Welcoming Kitchen

Paleo Menu Plan

Are you thinking about trying a Paleo diet, but have no idea where to start.  5 Dollar Dinners has this great meal plan to get you started.

Who is this 6-Week Paleo Meal Plan for?This plan is for anyone who is looking to try the Paleo (or Whole30 diet) without breaking the bank. Yes, the meals might be a little more expensive than my typical $5 meals because it’s all protein/veggie/fruit based. Rice and bread are very inexpensive parts of a dinner plate, so eliminating them will change the cost make-up of each meal. But it’s still very budget friendly!

It’s also for anyone who has been on the Paleo diet and is looking for new recipes, ideas and ways to save $$.

Here is a sample menu plan from 5 Dollar Meals

Paleo Apple Strudel

This beautiful recipe from Cook It Up Paleo,  goes out to my Paleo peeps. It is a Paleo Apple Strudel. I would omit the egg and use Palm Shortening or Earth's Balance instead of butter. I bet you could sub any GF flour for the cassava. I have never used Cassava flour, and since I can't have nuts this is an exciting idea.  

 Paleo Apple Strudel (nut-free)

By Heather Resler April 12, 2015

• Prep Time : 30 minutes
• Cook Time : 25 minutes
• Yield : 6 servings
• Allergens : dairy, egg,FODMAP, sugar

Nutrition facts :

Ingredients

• Apples:
• butter - 2 tablespoons
• apples - 5 cups sliced
• coconut palm sugar - 2 tablespoons
• cinnamon - 2 teaspoons
• applesauce - 1/2 cup
• Dough:
• butter - 1/2 cup, cold
• cassava flour - 1 cup*
• salt - 1/2 teaspoon
• egg - 1
• coconut palm sugar - 2 tablespoons
• Topping:
• 1 egg white - beaten
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Heat the butter in a medium skillet and add the apples, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and applesauce.  Saute until caramelized.
3. Meanwhile, make the dough.  Cut the butter, cassava flour and salt together until the mixture resembles course crumbs.  Stir in the egg and coconut sugar.
4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a 1/4" thick rectangle.  Use a knife to cut slits down the long sides ever 1/2" or so.
5. Spoon the apples down the middle and fold the strips over the apples, alternating sides.  Seal with wet fingers and carefully transfer to a baking sheet.  Brush with the egg white and sprinkle with coconut sugar.
6. Bake for 25 minutes.
7. Slice and serve.

*You can get cassava flour here.

12 Paleo Crockpot Meals

This one goes out to my Paleo peeps. Paleo made easy; in the crockpot!  Graciously Saved came up with 12 great recipes and a run down on how to make these into freezer meals. If you are on the go, and want a fast inexpensive allergy-friendly meal, this is for you, too!  Just whip these meals up, store them in freezer bags in the freezer and throw them in the crockpot in the morning! You can either savor the aroma all day or enjoy coming home to a house bursting with these scents! I love coming home to a crockpot meal.  Walking in the door and smelling those yummy smells instead of scrambling to make dinner at the last minute is a real treat.

photo from Graciously Saved

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

1 T corn starch

1 medium onion chopped

1 can chopped green chilis, drained

2 cans white beans (drained)

2 t. cumin

2 t. chili powder

1 lb chicken tenders

1 t. salt

1 t. pepper

Directions:

Place all ingredients except chicken stock in large freezer bag, toss to coat and freeze. 

Write on bag: 2 cups chicken stock

   1. When ready, place ingredients in slow cooker, add chicken stock and cook on low for 4
       5 hours. 

   2. Remove chicken, shred & return to crock pot. 

   3. Serve with warm cornbread (or not:))

{Gluten and Dairy Free} Paleo Double Chocolate Cookies

What a wonderful idea! I love that these cookies are Paleo yet nut free!  The Paleo Mom knocked it out of the park with this one!

photo from The Paleo Mom

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup pureed green plantain (about 1 average sized plantain)
• 3 Tbsp molasses
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 6 oz 100% unsweetened baking chocolate
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil (you can substitute palm shortening, butter or lard)
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup tapioca flour/starch
• 2 tsp vanilla (or substitute espresso)
• Pinch salt
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• ½ cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Puree plantain in a food processor or blender with molasses and honey for 2-3 minutes, until very smooth.
3. Melt chocolate and coconut oil together (you can do this in the microwave or on the stovetop, up to you), being careful not to burn it.
4. Add melted chocolate to the food processor.  Add vanilla and process to combine.
5. Combine cocoa, tapioca, salt, and baking soda.  Add to food processor (if you’re using a blender, you probably want to pour this out into a bowl and mix in the dry ingredients by hand).  Pulse to form a uniform dough.
6. Remove from the food processor and fold in chocolate chips.  The dough should be cool enough to handle (but still slightly warm).
7. Take large spoonfuls of batter and drop onto the prepared baking sheet.  Flatten and smooth out with your hands, a spatula or the back of a spoon (think of this like making cookie patties).  You are completely shaping the finished cookie since these cookies don’t spread while baking.  Form 11 or 12 large cookies–about 3” in diameter and 3/8” thick.  You can change the size if you want, but then you’ll have to adjust the baking time.
8. Bake for 9-10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool at least a few minutes on the baking sheet (you can let these cool completely on the baking sheet if you want).
9. Enjoy!