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Growing Up Isn’t So Bad, Peter Pan Squash Spiced Oven Fries

July 25, 2012 By 25 Comments

Today on FoodNetwork Summer Fest, food and garden bloggers are joining up to highlight the vibrant staple: Summer Squash.

Oddly enough, the title “Summer Squash” has less to do with the time a squash is grown or harvested and more to do with the sustainability of a squash.

You see, summer squash like zucchini, yellow squash, bulan and ball squash as pictured here all have thin, edible skins and will only maintain their edibility for a few weeks after they are picked. Wherein winter squash like pumpkin, butternut, spaghetti squash and Hubbard squash have thick rinds and are able to keep for months at a time; hence, they are perfect for winter storage.

Of course, as it is with all vegetables, the sooner they are eaten after they are picked, the better the nutrient retention will be.

Still, when preparing food storage or planning meals, it is good to know how long you will be able to keep vegetables like these.

Today though, I would like to talk to you about my friend Peter Pan.
No, not the boy who refused to grow up…

Rather Peter Pan the squash. Peter Pan squashes are light-green scalloped squashes that are typically harvested when they are a mere 2 ½ to 3 inches across. Among the smaller of the summer squashes, it is said that their name comes from their refusal to ‘grow up’ like it’s sister squash, Patty Pan, which is golden in color and generally twice as large as Peter Pan squash is at harvest.

I told my kids that between the funny shape and light-green color, they look like something Peter Pan would wear and that must be how they got their name.

Meh. You decide.

Oddly enough, I had never eaten a Peter Pan squash before one of my dear Farmer’s Market vendors introduced me to them this year!

Goodness knows how I love to play with my veggies so I asked her what she does with them.

“Fries,” she said, “these make the perfect oven fries.” Then she continued “but I love to cover mine in an egg and flour batter so I don’t know what you’ll do with them.”

To which I smiled and said “oh, I’ll figure something out.”

;) That is what I do after all, isn’t it?

But you know, she is right. These precious little squash bake up to be some of the tastiest oven fries I have ever enjoyed.

The perfect mixture of grown-up savory yet maintain childlike undertones with just a hint of cinnamon and cocoa, great for children of all ages I hope you enjoy these Peter Pan Oven Fries as much as we do.

Print
Peter Pan Squash, Spiced Oven Fries

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs Peter Pan Squash (about four squash)
  • 1 ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Cocoa Powder
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt
  • ½ tsp Smoked Cayenne (I get mine from a local FM vendor, regular cayenne would work well, too)
  • 3 Tbs Olive Oil (not evoo)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425f.
  2. Clean squash but leave skins intact. Slice squash in half and remove seeds with a spoon. Cut squash into fry-sized pieces and place in large mixing bowl.
  3. In small bowl, mix together smoked paprika, cinnamon, cocoa powder, sea salt and cayenne. Set aside.
  4. Drizzle cut squash evenly with olive oil, sprinkle spice mixture evenly on top and mix the squash with your hands to ensure even coverage. I recommend using gloves for this step if you have sensitive skin, that cayenne can sting!
  5. Spread spiced covered squash over parchment lined cookie sheets, ensuring they are in one thing layer—anything more will leave them soggy and nobody wants soggy fries.
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
  7. Remove from oven and serve.
  8. Makes 6-8 servings
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Be certain to stop by all of today’s FoodNetwork Summer Fest featured recipes for more fantastic ideas on how to use your summer squash today! xo

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Quick and Easy Sesame Summer Squash Stir-Fry

Cooking With Elise: Orange Summer Squash Bread

Feed Me Phoebe: Summer Squash and Cornmeal Cakes With Tarragon

Chez Us: Zucchini Pancakes With Minty Dill Crème Fraiche

Made By Michelle: Pattypan Squash and Tomato Frittata

Cooking Channel: Our Top 5 Favorite Squash Recipes

Daily*Dishin: Summer Squash Confetti Salad

Delicious Lean: Summer Squash Ribbons With Feta and Pine Nuts

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Summer Squash Chips

Ingredients, Inc.: Summer Squash and Kale Sauté

Thursday Night Dinner: Summer Squash Medley

Sweet Life Bake: Zucchini Fried With Tequila-Spiked Avocado Dip

Dixie Chik Cooks: Fried Summer Squash Parmesan Sliders

Healthy Eats: Summer Squash Any Way You Slice It

FN Dish: Cheesy Summer Squash

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Other, Paleo, Recipes, Side Dishes, Sugar Free, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Plum Pickin’ Pineapple Jam

July 18, 2012 By 12 Comments

This time of the year our pantry and refrigerator is overloaded with all kinds of delicious produce.

Most recently, with the help of Bountiful Baskets we have received an overabundance of fruits like cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums and pineapples.

So much so that even my large family cannot keep up.

What’s a girl to do?  Well preserve them of course!

Freeze them, dehydrate them, jam them, can them, whatever you do, do your best to maintain the natural goodness of these fruits.

This recipe combines the sweetness of pineapple with the tartness of fresh-picked plums.  No added sugar, artificial flavor or preservatives, this is a jam you can be proud to serve your family.

The best part?  It’s only two ingredients and can be whipped up in minutes, poured into your crockpot and prepared overnight while you are sleeping.

It is that easy.

I suppose it’s not really fair to call this a jam.  The texture better resembles a fruit butter, but the process is very jam-like and the flavor reminds me of my great-grandmother’s plum jelly.  If you desire a more jam-like preserve, simply create a slurry of arrowroot and water (1 tbs of each should do the trick), remove the reduced pineapple and plum preserves from the crock, cook them over medium heat and add just enough of the slurry to create the jam-like texture you desire.

Because this recipe only makes four half-pints, I prefer to simply keep this in the refrigerator.  If you choose to keep yours in the pantry, I recommend a hot-water canning bath. Step-by-step directions can be found here.

Whatever you choose to do with your preserves, I hope they invoke memories of summertime and stories on grandmas lap, just as they do for me. :)

Enjoy!

Print
Plum Pickin’ Pineapple Jam

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs Ripe Plums
  • 1 lb Pineapple

Instructions

  1. Prepare plums by washing, slicing and removing pits. Leave skins intact. Place plums and pineapple into high-speed blender, ½ batch at a time.
  2. Blend until smooth and pour into 6-quart crockpot.
  3. Set crockpot to cook on high for 6 hours, do not use your lid! It is important to allow the mixture to reduce by at least half (mine usually reduces to about 1/3 once complete), so please leave the lid off to ensure for the best reduction.
  4. Once reduced to the appropriate thickness, fill four half-pint jars and refrigerate or process as directed.
  5. Serve on your favorite gluten-free/paleo bread.
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Be certain to visit the other FoodNetwork SummerFest bloggers to see what other fun dishes you can make with your plums this season!

Ingredients, Inc.: Pork, Plums and Rosemary Kabobs

Virtually Homemade: Grilled Plum Pizza With Goat Cheese

Cooking Channel: Best Plum Dessert Recipes

BGSK: Grandma Esther’s Plum and Walnut Cake

Delicious Lean: Plum Delicious Pork Chops

Daily*Dishin: Roasted Chicken With Plum Chili Salsa

Healthy Eats: 6 Ways to Cook With Plums

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Time for Plum Cobbler?

Thursday Night Dinner: Plum BBQ Chicken

From My Corner of Saratoga: Plum Upside Down Cake

Cooking With Elise: Vanilla Plum Tart

Sweet Life Bake: Plum Pineapple Margarita

FN Dish: Perfect Plum Recipes

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Other, Paleo, Recipes, Side Dishes, Sugar Free, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fermented Spicy Garlic-Dill Cukes and Zukes

July 11, 2012 By 7 Comments

Between the digestive issues my daughter has faced since she was a baby and my own celiac diagnosis, I have been somewhat obsessed with healing our guts for quite some time.

For many years, I thought yogurt and liquid acidophilus were our only options.  It has not been until recently that I have learned the magic of fermented foods.

More specifically, fermented vegetables like cucumbers and cabbage—better known as pickles and sauerkraut.  So when I was invited to join in on this year’s FoodNetwork Summerfest, I was excited to see cucumbers as the first ingredient on the produce-packed list!

If you have never made fermented vegetables, now is a great time to start!  Not only are they really easy, making your own fermented vegetables is extremely affordable and delicious!

How does fermenting work?

According to Exploratarium.edu, proper fermentation helps to keep away “bad” spoilage-causing microorganisms and allows the “good” bacteria, lactic acid, to flourish.

Of all the ‘friendly flora’ in our guts, lactobacilli, are among the most important and the most fragile.  Stress, poor diets and antibiotics will kill off lactobacilli, but eating foods rich in good bacteria will help them replenish.  Given that our digestive system is the heart of our immune system, it is very important to take care of your gut. Very important.

Of all the vegetables you can ferment, cabbage and cucumbers produce the most lactic acid bacteria and should be included in anything you choose to ferment.

Slicing your vegetables will help accelerate the fermentation process and ensures a snackable treat once the fermentation process is through!

It is important to use purified water.  Chlorine is present in most tap water and will kill off the beneficial bacteria before it has a chance to take over.  If you do not have a filter, either use bottled water or boil your water for 10 minutes and allow it to cool.

Additionally, too much salt will kill the fermentation process as well!  Use 100% salt. Non-iodized salts like pickling salt, pure sea salt or Himalayan salt are your best options.  Make certain the only ingredient on the label is “salt.”

The best salt-to-water ratio for any fermented vegetable recipe is 1.5-2 tablespoons to 1 liter of water.

Before you begin, be sure to sterilize everything! Your jar, your lid and most especially, your rock.  This can be done using the sterilization setting in the dishwasher or by boiling all of the equipment for 15-20 minutes prior to use.

As always, organic vegetables are best.  Everything used in this recipe is in-season and should be readily available at your favorite store and most especially, at your local farmer’s market.

I hope this recipe for fermented cukes and zukes finds you well!

Happy summer!

 

Print
Fermented Spicy Garlic-Dill Cukes and Zukes

Ingredients

    Equipment Needed
  • 1-Steralized Half Gallon Glass Jar with a Screw-on Lid (I use an old pickled okra jar)
  • 1-Steralized Rock, small enough to fit in the lid of the jar, big enough to keep your vegetables below the brine
    • Ingredients
  • 3 heads of fresh dill
  • 2 large cloves of garlic
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded for mild, whole for spicy
  • 1 lb cucumbers, sliced
  • ½ lb baby zucchini, sliced
  • 1.5-3 Tbs Pure Salt (Non-iodized Pickling, Sea Salt or Himalayan)
  • Purified Water

Instructions

  1. Place dill, garlic and jalapeño in the base of sterilized jar. Layer sliced cucumbers and zucchini’s as desired, I like to slice and layer vegetable by vegetable as I go.
  2. Stop adding vegetables once you have filled the jar to 1.5 inches below the surface.
  3. Place rock on top of vegetables, ensuring you have centered it well enough to keep vegetables below the surface during fermentation process.
  4. Mix together 1 litre of room-temperature water with 1 Tbs salt, stir until dissolved. Follow this process until vegetables are covered in brine, stopping when there is ½ inch head space between the brine and the top of the jar.
  5. Screw on lid and place jar in bowl to help capture overflow during the fermentation process.
  6. Set jar away from windows in a cool room, with temperatures below 72 degrees for 2-2 ½ weeks. Because gasses will form and pressure will build while the fermentation process, it is important to unscrew and release pressure from your jar on a daily basis until the vegetables are ready for refrigeration. Make certain you set a calendar reminder, put the jar in a place you will not forget to do this, get in the habit of doing this first thing in the morning, before you eat breakfast, after you get home from work, whatever you need to do to remember to unscrew the lid. Too much pressure can mean danger, worst case scenario it means an exploding jar and ruined vegetables (or worse). Nobody wants that.
  7. Keeping the lid on helps prevent harmful bacteria from forming. If a white scum forms on the top, skim it off. The liquid will cloud over time, this is a normal part of the good bacteria growth.
  8. Once fermentation is complete and you are satisfied with the flavor, fermented vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 year.
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I hope you enjoy these fermented vegetables as much as we do! Be sure to visit the rest of the FoodNetwork Summer Fest bloggers for more idea on how to enjoy your cucumbers this season!

The Sensitive Epicure: Chinese Style Cucumbers

What’s Gaby Cooking: Cucumber, Herb and Pita Salad

Ingredients, Inc.: Easiest Cucumber Salad

Virtually Homemade: Cucumber Strawberry Cooler

From My Corner of Saratoga: Marinated Cucumber Salad

The Cultural Dish: Pasta With Roasted Shrimp and Cucumbers

Daily*Dishin: Southern Benedictine – Creamy Cucumber Spread

Delicious Lean: Cucumber Jicama Salad

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Cucumber and Avocado Open-Face Sandwiches

FN Dish: No-Cook Cucumber Recipes

Cooking With Elise: Wedge Salad With Cucumber-Ranch Dressing

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Other, Paleo, Raw, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ingredient-Challenge Monday: Very Berry Fruit Bowl with Spiced Whipped Coconut Cream

July 9, 2012 By 19 Comments

Happy Ingredient-Challenge Monday, everyone!

I hope you are brimming with excitement…if the recent entries are any indication; I cannot wait to see what you have for us this month.

I don’t know about you, but I have had a great day!

Yes, I know it’s Monday, but this really was a great day.

Why you ask?

My husband, sons and I all began our day with an intense cardio workout at the gym.  Only recently have we started all working out together, for a long time it was me working out alone, and I was okay with that…but more recently we decided to make a move that would get us all out the door together.  We manage to get up and out the door by 5am together, and our boys are awake and ready without mom or dad having to say a word!

How many 13 year olds do you know who will do that? Especially during summer break?!

Shortly after we got home, my husband updated his facebook status to this:

“I’ve lost 11 pounds in 14 days. Maybe this crazy diet my wife has me on isn’t so bad.”

As you may recall, my husband agreed to join me on my second Whole30, his first.

And he has stuck with it, stopped himself from making poor food decisions and recently told his boss not to purchase lunch for him at their company meeting this Friday, saying that he would rather bring something that is ‘totally safe’ for him right now than have to worry about what a restaurant is going to do.

Seriously, this man is awesome.

The only aspect of the Whole30 he has not been sold on?  No weighing in during the entire 30 day process, hence the facebook mention above…

But you know what? If that is the one shortfall he has on this program, I can live with it.

So after all of this, I went in to work for a while.

Yes, even teachers work during the summer.

While I was there, one of my co-workers asked me what I was doing to “lose so much weight,” and earnestly was hoping for some insight and direction.

Now keep in mind, I have no idea how much I have lost.  The last time I was weighed was for our campus weight loss challenge back in May where I learned just 11 days in to my first Whole30 that I had dropped 9 pounds (yes, I broke the weigh-in rule my first go-round, too).  And frankly, we don’t own a scale and there is no way I am hopping on one that is stationed in middle of our gym…no way.

Really though, it doesn’t matter…I feel better, my clothes fit better, and now other people are noticing!

I don’t know why that matters, but it does.

Anyhow…this has really been a great Monday for me; I hope you can say the same about yours.

Now, on to our Ingredient Challenge for July!

As announced yesterday, this month I am challenging you to share your favorite blueberry recipe.

Why blueberries?

Well let’s start with the fact that one cup, one whole cup of blueberries has only 84 calories.  In these 84 calories, you’ll also get 14% of your RDA in fiber, 24% in Vitamin C, and a good dose of Vitamin A, Calcium and Iron. More importantly though, blueberries are rich in anti-oxidants (http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/blueberries.html), so not only will you stay thin and healthy by eating blueberries, you’ll stay young as well! ;)

Sounds like my kind of fruit.

Before I share this recipe, I will say I feel a little guilty over the simplicity of this dish.

My kids suggest that I make a blueberry cobbler, but the main recipe I use has already been shared with you.

My oldest daughter shouted, “MAKE SOME OF YOUR SORBET, MAMA!” To which I said, “I’ve already shared that one, too.”

Then my husband spoke up and said, “make some more of that creamy berry thing you made the other day, that was really, really good.”

Now how could I resist?

So for this Ingredient Challenge Monday, I am proud to share with you the creamy berry thing my husband loved so much.

:) Enjoy!

Print
Very Berry Fruit Bowl with Spiced Whipped Coconut Cream

Ingredients

  • 1 can Whole-Fat Coconut Milk (I prefer Thai Kitchen)
  • 2 c Fresh Blueberries
  • 8 Strawberries
  • 1 Nectarine, or Peach, really any stone fruit would do well in this recipe.
  • ¼ c Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
  • ¼ tsp Cinnamon
  • 2 pinches of Cardamom
  • 1 tiny pinch of Sea Salt

Instructions

  1. First, refrigerate your coconut milk for several hours, overnight is best. Frankly, I always have at least one can of coconut milk in my fridge, just in case.
  2. Place your whipping bowl in the freezer and allow it to chill while you prepare the fruit and the coconut flakes.
  3. Preheat medium sized cast-iron or any other dry skillet over medium-high heat. Let this warm while you prepare your fruit, you’ll be back to it in just a moment.
  4. Prepare fruit by rinsing, drying and slicing strawberries and nectarine. Divide into two bowls and add one cup of blueberries to each. Gently toss fruit together and set aside.
  5. Pour ¼ c coconut flakes into warm skillet, spreading evenly over the pan. Stir gently until flakes are golden in color. Remove from heat and set aside. Resist the urge to take a bite, once you start on these it is nearly impossible to stop.
  6. Remove whipping bowl from freezer and prepare your whipping tool of choice (I prefer my stand mixer for this). Remove coconut milk from refrigerator, open and remove the firm cream from the coconut water below. Sprinkle in cinnamon, cardamom and the tiny pinch of sea salt. Whip cream until desired consistency is achieved. If the cream is too liquidy, return bowl to freezer for 5-10 minutes, check and either return if still too runny or whip once firm but not frozen.
  7. Top each bowl with ½ spiced whipped coconut cream, sprinkle ½ toasted coconut flakes on to each bowl. Serve immediately.
  8. Serves 2
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Are you ready to share your beloved blueberry best?

It’s easy! Simply link your recipe back to this page, come back and link in with the linky tool below.

Because this blog is a gluten-free and dairy-free blog, I do ask that your recipes also be gluten-free and dairy-free.  Please also keep in mind that I want to try your creations in my own home and do my best to make each and every item you share…that being said, as the main cook in the home, the more Paleo-Friendly your recipe is, the more likely I will be able to taste it.

What do I mean by Paleo-Friendly? Well, it must be free of grains (including corn and quinoa), dairy (already a given), legumes (beans and peanuts), and free of refined sugars.

Many naturally gluten-free and dairy-free recipes fit nicely into the paleo lifestyle. Gluten-free vegan foods are welcome, as are gluten-free non-vegan foods.  As long as it is free of gluten and dairy, it is welcome here!

That being said, if there is something (like sugar or peanuts) that can easily be substituted without changing the nature of your recipe…and if you are okay with me throwing my own minor tweaks in when I give your recipe a try, please share! I promise to keep my changes minimal as I aim to taste YOUR recipe, not create my own.

So are you ready to have the next ICM featured recipe??

Link it up and have a wonderful week! xoxo

This recipe is also shared with: Wellness Weekends, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

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Ingredient Challenge Monday Featured Recipe- Strawberry Arugula Salad with Sweet Cilantro Honey Dressing from Heather, The Gluten-Free Cat and ICM Challenge-Ingredient Announcement!

July 8, 2012 By 4 Comments

Months that begin on a Sunday or a Monday seem to mess with me.  Here it is, July 8 and it’s already the second week of the month.

What does that mean?

That means tomorrow is Ingredient-Challenge Monday!

And I almost forgot.

Before I go on and tell you what ingredient we will be playing with this month, I would first like to brag a little about the spectacular recipes we had the opportunity to try last month!

First, these Vegan and Grain Free Strawberry Shortcake Push-Pops are simply amazing.  Even though Danielle was our first entry into the Strawberry Ingredient Challenge, I was pretty certain her recipe would take the cake (pun intended).

And while Danielle did not win our featured recipe spot this month…she was a very close, I almost had to feature two recipes these were so good, winner.

I’m not certain I could select a third recipe to feature.  Maybe it’s because we love strawberries so much, or maybe it’s because all of the recipes were just.that.good. But really, my family enjoyed everything from this Anti-Aging Strawberry Energy Smoothie to this Fresh Strawberry Pie in a Chocolate Crust (oh my!).

But even with several desserts on the list, it was the salads that won us over. (weird but true)

This Asparagus, Strawberry and Basil Salad with Mosto Cotto was very filling and brimming over with summer time flavor.  If you have never tried Mosto Cotto, Janet gives a link where you can purchase your own…as far as balsamic’s go, this is one of my favorites.

I was surprised by the joyous response my children gave when a second strawberry salad graced our table.

I like to include fruits, nuts and all sorts of flavors when I make salad, but there was something about the addition of big, fresh strawberries in each of these salads that made my children smile.

That being said, this Strawberry Arugula Salad with Sweet Cilantro Honey Dressing is a definite winner!

From the coolness of the cucumber to the delightfully green dressing, there is so much to love about this salad.  For once though, I favored a little less garlic than this recipe called for (I am usually a double or nothing type garlic girl).  For my children, especially, 2 cloves of garlic seemed to do the trick, although 4 cloves not only intensifies the flavor, it adds a bit of unexpected spice that will please most grownups.

Two or four, I am pleased to present you with this month’s Ingredient-Challenge Featured Recipe.

Thanks, Heather! xoxo

Strawberry Arugula Salad with Sweet Cilantro Honey Dressing from Heather, The Gluten-Free Cat

Salad ingredients:

  • 4 c. arugula
  • 1 c. sliced strawberries
  • 1 c. chopped cucumber
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1 whole strawberry, fan cut

Dressing Ingredients:

  • 1 c. cilantro
  • 1 c. olive oil
  • 2 T. honey (or agave nectar)
  • 4 cloves garlic

Directions:

1.  Place all dressing ingredients in a mini food processor or Vitamix and blend until smooth.

2.  Place arugula in a bowl and layer strawberries and cucumbers on top.

3.  Fan the avocado slices on top of the salad.

4.  Fan cut the whole strawberry and place on top for decoration.

5.  Drizzle entire salad with dressing.

Serves 4-6

 

Now that you have enjoyed Heather’s delightful recipe, are you ready for this month’s challenge??

With so many summertime options, I really had a difficult time narrowing down one ingredient to play with.  I mean really, watermelon would be great, then there is basil, oh and eggplant or maybe zucchini…but no, when I went through the list of options with my family, it was unanimously decided that blueberries need to be our featured ingredient for the month.

So get ready, break out those aprons and prepare to send your most fabulous gluten-free and dairy-free blueberry recipes my way!

I will have my own blueberry recipe with linky posted late tomorrow, July 9th, and I look forward to seeing you then!

xoxo

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Cherry-Lime Flavored Water

July 3, 2012 By 17 Comments

The last few days have brought some significant changes to my home.

After much discussion, my husband agreed to join me on my second Whole30, which began just a couple of days ago.

Why is this such a big deal?

My husband is a die-hard dairy-loving gluten-eating sugar-binging wonderful man.

Don’t get me wrong…he is fully supportive of our gluten-free household. In fact, once it was realized just how sensitive I am to gluten and how any amount of it in a house with five children was going to find its way into my body, he was the first to say gluten had to go!

That doesn’t mean he stopped eating it though. He just doesn’t eat it at home.

So for him to agree to eat only what I give him and ditch his beloved Monsters and snacks at the local convenience store (yuck!) for an entire 30 days…well, that means a lot!

Forget the fact that I need to wake up an extra 30 minutes earlier to ensure I can feed him a good breakfast before he leaves for work; forget the fact that he protests, often in jest, to the level of health he is now enjoying at every meal (not just dinner anymore!); forget all of this and rejoice with me that he is willing to eliminate the junk and do what is right, both inside and out (at least for the next 30 days but I am aiming for beyond!).

To this point though, I haven’t been able to get my spouse to read either the original e-book The Whole30 Success Guide or our copy of It Starts with Food (ISWF), both written by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig, both containing the vital information regarding Whole30 (although ISWF is far more detailed with both scientific and logical information related to the Whole30 plan. Either way, you are guaranteed a great read).

To counteract this reality, he quizzes me several times a day about what is allowed and what is not allowed, he trusts me to feed him only what is safe and asks me before he eats anything I haven’t directly offered.

His number one complaint? No soda!

Today I stated to him plainly, “You are a sugar addict, a caffeine addict and a carb fiend. I am too. I did this plan all on my own and found success in it. You can do this, I am here to help.”

As a compromise I am doing all I can to offer him drinks, just once a day, that are on-plan but just enough to keep him from getting (as he said) “bored with all this water.”

Today I whipped up a batch of this Cherry-Lime flavored water, first with mineral water then with filtered water.  To my surprise the filter water won him over, although I truly enjoyed the fizz from the mineral water.

Reminiscent of those sugar laden drinks found throughout the southern states, this drink is light and refreshing yet free of all the junk you are trying to avoid. Perfect for your Independence Day celebration, I hope you find as much satisfaction in this as we have!

xoxo

Print
Cherry-Lime Flavored Water

Ingredients

  • 1 c Fresh Cherries, halved and pitted
  • 1 whole lime, sliced thin
  • 1 liter Mineral or Filtered Water

Instructions

  1. In a large pitcher, using a wooden spoon or the tamper(er?) from your blender, mash together cherries and lime slices, releasing as much of their natural juice as you can.
  2. Cover fruit mixture with water and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before serving (if using mineral water, I recommend serving as soon after as you can because mineral water loses its fizz very quickly).
  3. Serve over ice.
  4. Makes 4 servings
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This recipe has also been shared on: Allergy Free Wednesdays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

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Chinese Chicken Salad (Paleo, Fruit-Sweetened, Whole30)

June 20, 2012 By 19 Comments

 

This month’s Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten-Free  is perfect for summer.  With digits well into the 100’s here, I’m all for keeping my oven time to a minimum, so having an extra push to play with some of my favorite salad recipes was something I gladly jumped into!

This Chinese Chicken Salad is an updated version of a classic cabbage salad my mom used to make when I was younger.  You may be familiar with the Top Ramen Chicken Salad? Loaded with fried noodles, salt and not-so-good for you ingredients, looking back at this ‘healthy’ meal makes me cringe a little.

That being said, I always enjoyed this salad. In fact, this was one of my pregnant cravings. Every.single.time.

V8, beef jerky and Top Ramen Chinese Chicken salad.  My other cravings varied, but I guarantee you if I was pregnant, I would be wanting one or all of the above at any time nearly every.single.day.

While I am not pregnant, when I received two beautiful heads of Napa Cabbage in a recent order from Bountiful Baskets, I knew I wanted to finally nail down a more ‘me’ friendly version of this salad.

Having recently finished my first Whole30, I am a little obsessed with making anything and everything without sweeteners of any sort.

As you know, I have been using non-refined sugars for more than a year now; but this is different.

While the occasional fruit-juice sweetened item is allowed, part of the Whole30 program includes eliminating all sweeteners, including stevia. Effectively, the Whole30 program is designed to reset your body, your mind, and your taste buds.

The purpose of eliminating all sweeteners goes beyond a mere breaking the sugar cycle ideal, it ensures you taste your food for what it is, tasting your food for what it should be.

And you know what? Beyond being the most difficult part of the program for me (I even found stevia as an included ingredient on my favorite herbal tea, seriously!?) eliminating all sweeteners taught me something…

I don’t need to sweeten my food nearly as often as I thought I did, and when a little sweetness is required, a little fruit juice goes a long way.

So while I may use a bit of honey, maple syrup, palm sugar or stevia when I am not on the Whole30 program, expect to see many, many more recipes without any of the above.

And because of how I felt on the end of my first Whole30, the fact that I was running easier and faster, the fact that my skin was clearer than it has been (probably ever), the fact that I dropped quite a bit of weight (although I don’t know exactly how much because we don’t own a scale! But who cares? My clothes fit better and that matters more in the scheme of things); because of all of this expect to see many more Whole30 type recipes from here on out.

Want to learn more about the Whole30? If you read my review of Well Fed, you may have noted the mention of Melissa and Dallas Hartwig from Whole9.  Whole30 is their brainchild and ultimately what pushed Melissa Joulwan into her own health-centric lifestyle.

The epitome of the paleo lifestyle, a great guideline and a fantastic way to live, the Whole30 program is something everyone can do and something I really feel everyone should do to rest our minds, our bodies and our lives.

In case you were wondering, despite being a paleo-centric lifestyle, Melissa and Dallas have made alternative menu suggestions for followers who are vegan, vegetarian and those suffer from any other food related allergies or autoimmune syndromes.

So yes, you too can do this! ;) It’s worth it, I promise.

Learn more about the Whole30 and buy the Success Guide here; or even better, invest in Dallas and Melissa Hartwig’s new book: It Starts with Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways.  My copy should be here sometime today, after which I will begin my second Whole30 and with this, look forward to even more progress and continued success.

Without further adieu, here is my entry into this month’s Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten-Free

 

Print
Chinese Chicken Salad (Paleo, Fruit-Sweetened, Whole30)

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1 head Napa Cabbage, chopped
  • 5 stalks Celery, sliced
  • 3 Spring Onions, whites and greens, sliced
  • 8 oz Snow Peas
  • 1 c Raw Cashew Pieces
    • Dressing:
  • ¼ c Coconut Aminos
  • ¼ c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • ¼ c Pineapple Juice
  • 1 Tbs Dried Chives
  • 1 Tbs Dried Onions
  • 1 Tbs Dried Parsley Flakes
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400f. On parchment lined baking sheet, sprinkle chicken breasts with garlic, salt and pepper. Bake until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 170f. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  2. Prepare dressing by combining coconut aminos, extra virgin olive oil, pineapple juice, chives, onions, parsley, garlic powder and onion powder in a medium Mason jar or shaker mug. Shake until well combined and set aside.
  3. Prepare salad by mixing together cabbage, celery, spring onions, snow peas and cashews. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Toss chicken and dressing in with salad base and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
  4. Make up to 2 days before serving, flavor is absorbed without salad becoming soggy (yay!).
  5. Serves 8.
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This recipe is also being shared with: Allergy Free Wednesdays, The GFE-Virtual Support Group

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Main Courses, Other, Paleo, Recipes, Sugar Free Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ingredient-Challenge Monday: Strawberry Mojito Sorbet (Fruit-Juice Sweetened, Vegan, Raw, Paleo)

June 11, 2012 By 20 Comments

Welcome to Ingredient Challenge Monday!!

As announced yesterday, this month I am challenging you to bring your best strawberry recipe to the table.

Some things you should know…I.love.strawberries. I do! In fact, now that they are in season, I have purchased more than 20 pounds of strawberries in the last month alone (no joke!).  Some have been frozen, some have been turned in to fruit juice sweetened jam while others have been dehydrated (I have about 3 pounds of strawberries in the dehydrator right this moment) and many have simply been eaten and enjoyed by my entire family.

And you know what? According to The World’s Healthiest Foods this little obsession of mine is a good thing! Especially since I enjoy them most in their purest form.

That being said…I didn’t create this challenge to have you all show me how you eat your every-day strawberries. No, I am hoping to see your most exotic, yet healthy strawberry recipes and look forward to trying each and every one of them!

I must admit, I had an extremely difficult time narrowing down which strawberry recipe I wanted to share with you today.

Given that our temperatures have topped 100+ degrees since we returned home from our vacation, I knew whatever I shared needed to be cold if for nothing else than because I wanted something cold!

To solve this, I whipped up several different recipes that I had been trying to perfect and had my kids chose their favorite (yeah, sometimes it’s good having a food blogger for a mom).  Even though I had them test each recipe separately and at different times, even though two of my recipes were very similar and could only be separated by taste, not by sight, without ever discussing it amongst themselves…my kids all selected the same dessert!

I suppose this minty cold concoction is exactly what we all needed today.

For my entry into this month’s Ingredient Challenge Monday, I am proud to present you with my Strawberry Mojito Sorbet!

Enjoy

Print
Strawberry Mojito Sobet

Ingredients

  • 1 c Pineapple Juice
  • 1 Tbs Lime Juice
  • 1 lb Frozen Strawberries
  • 1 c Fresh Mint

Instructions

  1. Place pineapple juice, lime juice and strawberries, in that order, into high speed blender. Blend ingredients together, tampering as needed.
  2. Once smooth, quickly add in fresh mint and blend just long enough to incorporate the leaves, one or two seconds maximum.
  3. Your sorbet should be frozen enough to serve immediately. If you find that it is too soft, simply freeze in a glass bowl, stirring every 30 minutes, until the sorbet is as firm as you like.
  4. Makes approximately 3 cups
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!

 

 

:) Don’t let the simplicity of this recipe fool you, it is extremely decadent!

Are you ready to share your own strawberry sensation?

It’s easy! Simply link your recipe back to this page, come back and link in with the linky tool below.

Because this blog is a gluten-free and dairy-free blog, I do ask that your recipes also be gluten-free and dairy-free.  Please also keep in mind that I want to try your creations in my own home and do my best to make each and every item you share…that being said, as the main cook in the home, the more Paleo-Friendly your recipe is, the more likely I will be able to taste it.

What do I mean by Paleo-Friendly? Well, it must be free of grains (including corn and quinoa), dairy (already a given), legumes (beans and peanuts), and free of refined sugars.

Many naturally gluten-free and dairy-free recipes fit nicely into the paleo lifestyle. Gluten-free vegan foods are welcome, as are gluten-free non-vegan foods.  As long as it is free of gluten and dairy, it is welcome here!

That being said, if there is something (like sugar or peanuts) that can easily be substituted without changing the nature of your recipe…and if you are okay with me throwing my own minor tweaks in when I give your recipe a try, please share! I promise to keep my changes minimal as I aim to taste YOUR recipe, not create my own.

So are you ready to have the next ICM featured recipe??

Link it up and have a wonderful week! xoxo

This Recipe is also linked to: Wellness Weekend, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Allergy Friendly Friday, Allergy Free Wednesday

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Other, Paleo, Raw, Recipes, Sugar Free, Vegan Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

May ICM Winner: Coconut Secret Bars from Tessa the Domestic Diva and June’s Challenge-Ingredient Announcement!

June 10, 2012 By 7 Comments

First, I want to congratulate everyone who participated in last month’s Ingredient-Challenge Monday, your coconut recipes were simply amazing!

If you haven’t been by to see everything shared, please do…in addition to the several that were linked in, there were two- late arrivals, one from Kate at Eat Recycle Repeat that is vegan, sugar-free, and absolutely worth exploring; and another from Sandra over at Candida Diet Plan that looks positively delicious! I hope these ladies can join us for this month’s challenge as well.

I really had a difficult time narrowing down my favorites this month, which is a great issue to have!

Our three favorites include this Vanilla Sweet Potato and Kale Curry from Janet at The Taste Space, which I made in our crockpot and subbed out the peanuts for cashews but kept everything else the same.  Positively delicious both as a side-dish or a main course!

Iris from The Daily Diet Tribe shared her Sugar-Free Lemon Custard, and heaven knows I love me some sugar-free desserts.  I didn’t have any kuzu root starch to make her custard with but noted in her comment section that Iris mentioned arrowroot might be a good substitution. For me, this worked perfectly.  Creamy and smooth, this is a dessert I will be making again and again!

Finally though, this recipe for Coconut Secret Bars/Homemade Healthy Mounds Bars from Tessa the Domestic Diva proved to be the overall favorite for my entire family.  Frankly, unbeknownst to her, Tessa had an unfair advantage as I have been craving Almond Joy’s like crazy for several months now and once I completed my whole30 program, which does not allow for any sweeteners of any type-including stevia, this was the first dessert I opted to make.

So very rich that I could only handle one little square, this recipe was exactly what I needed to kill this long-time craving.  My kids not only flipped over this, my husband even proclaimed that these taste just like Mounds bars but couldn’t figure out how given that he knows I don’t use regular sugars.  The coconut nectar in the filling sends these bars over-the-top.

I hope you enjoy this Ingredient-Challenge Monday winning recipe as much as we have and don’t forget to check below to see what the Challenge-Ingredient for June will be, I look forward to seeing more wonderful creations from all of you!! xoxo

Coconut Secret Bars/Homemade Healthy Mounds from Tessa the Domestic Diva

4 cups unsweetened, grated coconut
1/2 cup softened or melted coconut oil
2-4 tablespoons coconut nectar(Tessa says you could also use real maple syrup, honey, or agave)
Roasted whole or slivered almonds (optional) (I used raw and did ½ with, ½ without)

Coating:
1 1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces (I used Enjoy Live Chocolate Chips, Tessa also says that you can sweeten your own baking chocolate squares-the ones with no sugar.  She did a mixture of 6 squares/1/4 cup coconut nectar/40 drops vanilla creme stevia)
1 tablespoon coconut oil

In a food processor (or vitamix), put the filling ingredients and blend  until well incorporated and smooth.  Taste for sweetness, add more if you like.    It is necessary the coconut oil be soft or melted so the mixture blends.   Line an 8 x 8 or similar sized  pan with waxed paper or parchment.  Pour the mixture in and spread around evenly.  If you would like to use almonds, now is the time.  Press them in!   Place the  pan in the fridge or freezer to speed the solidifying process.  Meanwhile, melt your chocolate with the coconut oil.  Once solid, lift the whole chunk out by lifting the paper.  Cut into desired shapes.    Dip each piece in the chocolate, letting the excess drip back before laying it on A Silpat, parchment, or waxed paper to solidify.  Store in an airtight container on the counter or in the freezer. unlike most coconut oil delicacies these are solid at room temp and travel well out of refrigeration.

SHORTCUT?: Tessa has also done these the easy way by spreading the chocolate coating right over the top of the whole pan and forgoing the dipping process!

 

Are you ready for this month’s challenge?

High in antioxidants, low glycemic-value but very sweet, one of the world’s healthiest foods, strawberries are something we can all use a little more of!

Stay-tuned tomorrow to see my personal contribution to this month’s Ingredient-Challenge Monday and learn how to link-in your own strawberry recipe to win your spot as the next featured ICM recipe!

Have a great afternoon, everyone! xoxo

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Paleo, Raw, Recipes, Sugar Free, Vegan Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BLT Frittata

June 2, 2012 By 3 Comments

I will be quite literally off-the grid for a few days but couldn’t leave without sharing just one-more recipe with you all.

This BLT Frittata or Egg Pie is one of our favorite meals. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner, it goes together quickly, is loaded with healthy greens and delicious ingredients.  Make ahead and re-heat as needed, this dish is sure to become a family favorite.

Enjoy!

Print
BLT Frittata

Ingredients

  • 6 oz Uncured Bacon
  • 2 Tbs Bacon Grease
  • ¼ med Red Onion, diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 c Greens (Kale, Broccoli Raab or Spinach all work well), chopped
  • 8 eggs
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Pepper
  • 1 large tomato, sliced
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh Parsley

Instructions

  1. In 425 degree oven, bake bacon on parchment-lined cookie sheets until crisp.
  2. Grease one 9-inch pie pan, set aside.
  3. Set aside to cool and measure two tablespoons of bacon grease into a large skillet.
  4. Over medium-high heat, use the bacon grease to caramelize the onion and garlic.
  5. Remove from heat and quickly add greens, stirring until wilted but not over-cooked.
  6. Crumble bacon and add to the greens mixture.
  7. Add greens to prepared pie pan.
  8. Whisk together eggs, salt and pepper. Pour over greens mixture.
  9. Carefully layer slices of tomato over greens and eggs and sprinkle with parsley before baking at 425 for 30-35 minutes.
  10. Once a knife can be inserted into the middle and come out clean, remove pie from the oven. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
  11. Makes 8 servings.
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Have a wonderful week everyone! Happy Summer!

This recipe is also being shared at: Foodie Friday

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