Roasted Almond Chocolate Ice Cream

Roasted Almond Chocolate Ice Cream

Roasted Almond Chocolate Ice CreamHappy Ice Cream Day!

I realize my last recipe post was about fudgesicles but I can’t miss an opportunity to share my Roasted Almond Chocolate Ice Cream recipe ? .

Brandon and I have an ongoing joke that we make the best ice cream. Okay, so we aren’t actually joking when we say this. We really do make the best ice cream.

 

Homemade ice cream trumps store bought ice cream any day.

Not that ice cream is something we should be eating all the time but the more affordable brands are full of unnecessary ingredients.

Blue Bunny label

Exhibit A. Blue Bunny Chocolate Ice Cream Label

 

There is definitely a good reason to look at ingredient labels and spend a little more money for a higher quality product.

Haagen Dazs labelExhibit B. Haagen Dazs Chocolate Ice Cream Label

 

Did you know that carrageenan is a thickener derived from seaweed? Sounds harmless, right? Well, some animal studies have linked exposure to carrageenan to stomach ulcers and GI cancer. Other peer reviewed studies show that it causes inflammation, which is the root cause of many serious diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.

 

So, if you want to drop $5 on a pint of ice cream feel free to do so, otherwise make your own and save a bundle ?

 

Roasted Almond Chocolate Ice Cream
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • 2 C milk
  • 2 C heavy cream
  • ¾ C cane sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ C cocoa powder
  • ½ C roasted almonds, chopped
Instructions
  1. Make sure ice cream bowl is in the freezer at least 24 hours before making ice cream.
  2. Pour milk, cream, sugar, vanilla and cocoa powder in a bowl and whisk until well combined.
  3. Set up ice cream maker and pull ice cream bowl out of the freezer. Pour ice cream mixture into bowl and turn oil.
  4. Let the machine run for about 15 minutes until soft serve consistency.
  5. Add chopped almonds and run for another 2-3 minutes.
  6. Transfer ice cream to a storage container and freeze until solid. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

 

Alternatives:
Sugar – cane sugar, beet sugar, blonde coconut sugar, brown coconut sugar would be great with chocolate ice cream!
Milk/Cream – full fat coconut milk
Cocoa – carob powder – or leave it out for vanilla ice cream!

 


Products we use:

Here is a great dairy-free recipe to make with this product: Honeydew sorbet


What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

Enjoy!

Homemade fudgesicles

Dairy Free Fudgesicles – customize your own!

Homemade fudgesicles

Now that its summer we all want ice cream, right?

I always thought I hated chocolate ice cream but one thing I love is fudgesicles in the summer time! Who am I kidding, how could I hate chocolate ice cream?

Brandon and I keep hearing the ice cream truck pass by our house but I swear it makes sure that we are not outside because we are usually outside most days of the week and he never drives by when we want him too!

This weekend I got creative and tailored a standard fudgesicle recipe to my food sensitivity results and then I got to thinking. How can I make this even more customize-able!? I want everyone to be able to eat fudgesicles if their heart desires.

what your heart desires

And fudgesicles make me happy.

 

But I guess, I do like other desserts too – like this sorbet 🙂

Dairy Free Fudgesicles
 
These fudgesicles are super chocolaty and perfect for a hot summer day!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • ½ C cocoa powder or carob powder
  • ¾ C allowed granulated sweetener
  • 2 Tbsp allowed liquid sweetener
  • 1 tsp flavor extract
  • 2 C allowed milk
Instructions
  1. In a pot, whisk together the granulated sugar and cocoa or carob powder.
  2. Add the liquid sweetener and flavor of your choice.
  3. Turn the stove on medium heat and pour in your milk.
  4. Whisk until chocolate and sugar are dissolved. The mixture does not have to boil but the heat helps it dissolve better.
  5. Pour into popsicle molds.
  6. Place in freezer until solid.
  7. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

 

Alternatives:
Milk: whole fat coconut milk or 2% or whole cow’s milk – you need some fat!
Granulated sweetener: cane sugar, blonde coconut sugar, beet sugar
Liquid sweetener: corn syrup, brown rice syrup, honey, maple syrup, cassava syrup, coconut nectar, homemade simple syrup – I use this recipe to make my simple syrup
Chocolate: you can also use carob powder for a caffeine free version!
Flavor Extract: vanilla, almond, mint would all be great flavors – I would use ½ tsp if you use mint because it is strong.


Products:


Enjoy!

fudgesicle

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Oatmeal Breakfast CookiesI’ve always struggled with finding a quick and easy breakfast that fits with my food sensitivities. Then I came across these cookies, made some modifications to meet my food sensitivities and BAM – my oatmeal breakfast cookies were born ?.

I started making these cookies a couple of years ago and got my whole family hooked – I even gave them out as Christmas presents! Oh the life of a poor post grad… Those were the days when it was acceptable to give cookies for family Christmas presents.

These past couple of weeks on the new job have been great…and busy! I love my cancer patients and survivors about a healthy diet but I am so glad to keep my private practice and continue my work with food sensitivity clients.

With my busy schedule of work during the day and food sensitivity clients in the evenings and weekends I am always looking for quick, healthy meals. I had forgotten about these cookies until recently and I’m excited to bring them back and share with all of you.


Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
 
These cookies are great frozen!
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast
Ingredients
  • 1.5 C whole rolled oats
  • 1 C unsulfured, unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 Tbsp chia seeds (optional)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
  • ¾ C coarsely chopped allowed nuts OR ½ C nuts + ¼ C LEAP friendly chocolate chips
  • ½ C allowed dried fruit
  • 1 C unsweetened applesauce OR 3 ripe mashed bananas
  • ¼ C coconut oil or other mild allowed oil
  • 1 Tbsp allowed liquid sweetener
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place parchment paper on large cookie sheet.
  3. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl then add all the wet ingredients. Mix well until combined.
  4. Form cookies – about 2 tablespoons each – onto the cookie sheet.
  5. You can place them all on one pan because they do not spread so keep them close together.
  6. Bake about 25 minutes until golden brown then cool completely on the pan.
Notes
Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

 

Alternatives:
The chia seeds and cinnamon are optional. Leave them out if you have not added this into your diet or do not know if it is a potential trigger food.

Allowed nuts – chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, or sliced almonds might be good options
Allowed dried fruit – banana chips, chopped unsulfured apricot, dried cranberries, dried blueberries
Allowed liquid sweetener – maple syrup, honey, brown rice syrup, corn syrup, tapioca syrup


Products:


What do you eat for breakfast?

Enjoy!

Grain-free, Egg-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grain-free, Egg-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grain-free, Egg-free Chocolate Chip CookiesWe have finally arrived in sunny Arizona! Here is a picture that I took on our drive. Wegrain-free, egg-free choc chip cookies took a wrong turn and ended up on 50+ miles of switchback road through the mountains. It was getting dark so this was not a fun part! We made a short stop to let our cars cool down and this was the view that we had :).

Isn’t it pretty!

Yesterday I put my kitchen gadgets away and got organized so naturally the first thing I did this morning was bake chocolate chip cookies (isn’t that what anyone else would do?).
 
This drive was not easy – 27 hours total! We split it up over 3 days but sitting for so long really tested my patience… and my hip flexors. I brought a couple healthy snacks like pistachios, dried apricots and corn nuts.
Side note: Yes, I know corn nuts are not healthy. 

https://feelgoodrd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Safe-Snacks-for-road-trip.png


Meals were difficult because on road trips you’re expected to eat fast food, right? I brought food with me but that only lasted so long. I tried to pick the best foods for me which consisted of hamburgers, French fries and unsweetened ice tea. Based on my food sensitivities, that was the best option. I know that I can handle bread, beef and potatoes. The frying oil was questionable but all went well!
 
Some may ask why didn’t I get a salad? And the answer is that I have a lot of foods that cause my IBS to flare up, several of them are the proverbial “healthy” foods. There are so many ingredients in a salad, not to mention the dressing. At a minimum there is lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrots. Then you add salad dressing, which is an oil, vinegar, and a boat load of spices – which typically includes garlic. In this short list, I am sensitive to tomato, carrots and garlic. These are some of my biggest triggers so I went the safe route and ate a hamburger and French fries.
 
Now back to cookies!
Our pantry is sparse right now but I managed to alter a recipe from The Food Fanatic to meet my food sensitivities as well as my clients.

Grain-free, Egg-free Chocolate Chip Cookies
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • ¼ C coconut oil (solid)
  • ¼ C allowed liquid sweetener
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 5 Tbsp coconut flour
  • ¼ C almond flour
  • ¼ allowed chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix together solid coconut oil, allowed liquid sweetener, vanilla and salt.
  3. Add baking soda, coconut flour, almond flour and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chip cookies.
  4. Let cookie dough sit for 5-10 minutes so that coconut flour can absorb the moisture.
  5. Place cookie dough on prepared baking sheet in 1.5-2 tsp portions. Using your finger, spread out the cookie dough (they don’t spread like traditional cookies)
  6. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Let sit on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack. These cookies will be soft right out but as they cool they become chewy and delicious.
Notes
Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

 

Alternatives:
Allowed liquid sweetener – honey, maple syrup, rice bran syrup, tapioca syrup, corn syrup
Almond flour – try cassava flour or make your own sunflower seed flour


Products:


What is your favorite sensitivity-friendly cookie recipe?

Enjoy!

Apricot Cherry Vegan Protein Bars

Vegan Protein Bars – Cherry and Apricot

Apricot Cherry Vegan Protein BarsAfter my month long hiatus I’m coming at you with some pretty amazing vegan protein bars. This month has been busy and I have not had much time to try new recipes or even cook much!
 

So many things that happened this month:

  1. WE’RE MOVING! I accepted a great job in Phoenix, AZ as an Integrative Dietitian. I will be working at an Integrative Oncology Center associated with MD Anderson. *Pinch me!*
  2. I became a consultant for Beautycounter. This company blew me away when I learned about them! They are growing fast and making a huge splash in the beauty industry. They have high standards for their products. One thing I loved was that they placed 1500 chemicals on a Never List. This is a list of chemicals they will never use because of their harmful or potentially harmful effects on the body. (More on this later I’m sure!)
  3. I recently came back from a trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. It was a blast but talk about a challenge for those us of with IBS! I was sick with stomach pains for a good part of the trip but I tried not to let that interfere with the fun. My food sensitivity test results allowed me to make smart choices. It was difficult when I didn’t know the ingredients in meals and sometimes it was hard to avoid. Nevertheless, I have a new love for cassava/yucca because that’s what I ate most of the time. I’m excited to experiment with it now that I’m home and make some awesome recipes!
 
Whew! That was a lot but now I’m back and getting back into the swing of things ?
 
Okay so back to these amazing vegan protein bars that I touched on early. I wish I could claim this recipe but I have adapted it from Lindsay Cotter at her blog: Cotter Crunch. She specializes in healthy, gluten free cooking and has some pretty amazing recipes!
 
I try to post recipes that contain ingredients found on our food sensitivity blood test – there are 120 different foods so we try to stick with that. This recipes veers off a little. The one extra ingredient that is not tested is chia seeds. They add 6 grams of protein to the batch and some healthy fats but if you can’t have them then take them out! I will list them as optional in the recipe below.
If the recipe doesn’t 100% work for your food sensitivities make sure to scroll all the way down. I try to make my recipes very general so that they work for everyone. There are so many substitutions that can be made for this recipe so that it works for you!

Cherry Apricot Vegan Protein Bars
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1-15oz can whole chickpeas (rinsed and dried)
  • ½ C rolled oats
  • ⅓ C dried apricots (sulfite free if necessary)
  • ⅓ C dried cherries
  • 2 Tbsp chia seeds (optional)
  • 4 Tbsp allowed liquid sweetener - see substitutions for ideas
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ⅔ C allowed milk - see substitutions for ideas
  • dash of cinnamon (optional)
  • dash of salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. In a food processor (or blender) combine oats, chia seeds and apricots. Blend until chopped. Empty contents into mixing bowl.
  3. In same food processor (or blender) add chickpeas. Blend until finely chopped (not pureed).
  4. Add chickpea meal to same mixing bowl.
  5. Mix in allowed sweetener, allowed milk, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, dried cherries. Batter will be very wet.
  6. Pour batter into greased 9x9 pan and spread out to even mixture.
  7. Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes or until edges are golden brown and center is no longer soft.
Notes
Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

Vegan Protein Bar

Alternatives:
Oats – you can substitute with any rolled grain like quinoa flakes, barley flakes, rye flakes, spelt flakes, wheat flakes.
Dried fruit – this can also be other dried fruit. Dried apples, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, etc
Liquid sweetener – the recipe originally calls for 100% maple syrup or honey but if you cannot have either of these you can also use rice bran syrup, coconut nectar, corn syrup, cassava syrup
Allowed milk – this can be cow’s milk, any nut milk, oat milk, soy milk, etc

 

 


Products:


What’s your favorite homemade bar?

Enjoy!

Crockpot Whole Chicken

Crock-Pot Whole Chicken

Crockpot Whole ChickenWe are closing out national slow-cooking month with a crock-pot whole chicken recipe!
 
I have always been a sucker for rotisserie chicken. To the point that I have priced out my own rotisserie for the day when I have a huge, glamorous kitchen worthy of my kitchen appliances. When I saw a recipe for crock-pot whole chicken I just HAD to try it!
 
Most of the recipe I’ve seen have a rub with tons of ingredients. In my blog I focus on only creating recipes that have ingredients tested in my food sensitivity blood test. This makes it easier for my clients as they are searching for recipes to make with their results! Having limited foods is hard enough – you pretty much have to be a Chopped Master Chef to create a cohesive meal.
 
One of my favorites things to do is create recipes from random ingredients and find a way that they can work together. During consultations, I often get carried away coming up with cohesive meal ideas. The hardest part is the start of the elimination diet. We try to stick to 25-30 foods for the first two weeks.
 

Yes – only 25-30 foods – and that includes their spices!

Anyway, sorry for that tangent, back to what I was saying. I made this crockpot recipe with my go-to spice blend. I have a pretty major sensitivity to garlic and I do my best to avoid it when possible. This blend has great flavor and I don’t even miss the garlic!

Crock-pot Whole Chicken
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 1 chicken
Ingredients
  • Whole Chicken
  • Aluminum foil
Paprika-Onion spice blend
  • 1T paprika
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp onion powder
Instructions
  1. Rinse chicken thoroughly and remove any insides. Pat dry with paper towel.
  2. Mix all spices in a bowl until combined.
  3. Rub the seasoning blend onto the chicken – top and bottom!
  4. Roll up a few balls of aluminum foil and place in the bottom of your crock-pot – this will raise the chicken up so that it is not sitting in its juices.
  5. Place the chicken on top of the foil balls.
  6. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.
  7. Chicken should be cooked until it reaches an internal temperature of 160F or the juice runs clear.
  8. Be careful when removing the chicken from the crock-pot. I used tongs to pull it out. If the chicken is cooked too long it will fall apart because it’s so tender! This tastes great but makes it hard to take the chicken out in one piece.
Notes
I have found the best results cooking on high for 4 hours. Last time I cooked on low for 8-9 hours it all fell apart. Again, it tasted great! But it was a pain to sift through the chicken meat and bones.

If you want to cook vegetables at the same time you can quarter or half large onions and potatoes to give the chicken something to sit on.

One of the reasons I love making a whole chicken is so that I have leftovers for days! Try my chicken pot pie with your leftovers!

 

Alternatives:
Protein
– try with turkey breast
Flavor Enhancer – use your favorite food sensitivity friendly spice blend!

 


Products:

Also try our crockpot quinoa enchilada in your crockpot!


What’s your favorite crockpot meal?

Enjoy!

Easy Healthy Gummies

Easy Healthy Gummies

Easy Healthy Gummies

I’m so glad I found these easy healthy gummies!

Gummies were always a go to candy when I was younger. I remember my brother and I having competitions on long car rides to see how many gummies we can fit in our mouths. Kind of gross now that I think about it!

I stopped eating gummies for years until recently I found that they can actually be HEALTHY! I’m not talking about gummies you buy in the candy aisle that contain corn syrup, artificial colors, citric acid. These are easy, homemade and healthy!

 

Bonus: they taste better than the chemical laden store bought gummies!

 

I tested a lot of gummy recipes to find the perfect combination of ingredients. One thing I found is that you have to use ingredients that allow you to concentrate the flavors . Many recipes I see call for 100% fruit juice + added sweetener. When I made them they do not provide enough flavor in the end product!

These gummies are packed with flavor!

 

What makes these gummies healthy?
  1. Make your gummies with beef gelatin powder. This helps improve gut health and digestion, protects joints, improves skin health, heart health and helps you feel full.
  2. I sweetened them with raw honey. Honey has antioxidants to prevent cell damage, natural allergy relief and it boosts immunity!
  3. My Lemon-Ginger gummies are a great source of vitamin C and lemon juice aids in digestion. Ginger is often used for indigestion and to calm an upset stomach.
  4. My Orange-Cranberry gummies are another great source of vitamin C and phytonutrients. They have significant antioxidant properties. Cranberry juice is most often associated with providing relief from UTIs. There are also cardiovascular health benefits, digestive benefits and many more!

I used these fun Fruit Shack gummy molds but any molds will do!

Easy Healthy gummies
 
Clean eating healthy gummies that you don't have to feel guilty about eating!
Author:
Ingredients
Lemon-Ginger Gummies
  • ⅔ C lemon juice
  • 1.5oz gelatin
  • 6 Tbsp raw honey
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
Cranberry-Orange Gummies
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp cranberry concentrate
  • Fill to 1 cup with 100% orange juice
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 1.5oz gelatin
Instructions
  1. Add liquid to pot.
  2. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid and let sit for 3-5 minutes to bloom.
  3. Heat and stir to dissolve gelatin – do not boil!
  4. Fill gummy molds or pour in thin layer in a 9x13 pan
  5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to cool.
Notes
Makes two trays of “fruit shack” gummies per batch. If using a gummy bear mold – ¼ cup makes about 50 gummies.

No gummy molds? You can pour the gummy mixture into 9x13 pan and cut into squares or use cookie cutters when cooled!

**Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

 


Products:


What is your favorite flavor of gummies?

Enjoy!

Zucchini Pizza Bites

6-Ingredient Zucchini Pizza Bites

Zucchini Pizza BitesHappy National Pizza Week!

Until now I didn’t know National Pizza Week existed but I can’t say I’m sad about it! This gave me an excuse to create a new healthy “pizza”-like recipe. So below I bring you ~ Zucchini Pizza Bites with Sauteed Onion Puree and Goat Cheese

I know you can’t wait for this recipe.
Keep reading or just scroll down to the recipe – I won’t be mad!

Throughout the years I have experimented with different carriers (crusts) for pizza and different sauces – some have been better than others. I’ve made my own pizza dough, eggplant pizza, zucchini pizza, cauliflower pizza, quinoa pizza bites, pesto pizza, bbq chicken pizza – ya dah ya dah ya dah. I love pizza because there are endless possibilities. No matter what your food restrictions are I’m confident that we can find a pizza that works for you!

carrier + delicious sauce + cheese = Pizza

My zucchini pizza bites are a take on the standard zucchini pizza but with my food-sensitivity-accommodating twist!

Here are some of the food sensitivities I avoid when attempting to make pizza:

  • Tomatoes – There are a lot of ‘no-mato’ sauces for people who are sensitive to nightshade vegetables. Different varieties are made with beets, carrots, red bell peppers, etc. I can’t say that I have ever had them but have been wanting to make beet ketchup soon! Stay tuned!
  • Garlic – To find recipes without garlic is nearly impossible most of the time. One trick that I use is to search “Low-FODMAP – insert food here” – i.e Low FODMAP pizza sauce, etc. This is a great place to start and then you can narrow down after that.
  • Olives – This eliminates olive oil. Depending on their use, it is pretty easy to replace the requested oil with any allowed oil. In my recipes I try to list the oil as “allowed oil” unless a specific oil is needed for flavor or texture – like sesame oil, which has a very strong flavor.

Anywho…

I made a New Years Resolution to myself to pay close attention to my food sensitivities because my symptoms of IBS are getting worse again – which happens when you get careless – oops! The worst thing about it is that I have total control over it but for several months had chosen to ignore it – I blame the holidays. Being able to control my symptoms and feeling good everyday makes it all worth it!

 

Here’s to the New Year, New Year’s Resolutions and Pizza 🙂

6-Ingredient Zucchini Pizza Bites
 
Enjoy this 6-ingredient pizza bite recipe! Great for an appetizer at a family get together or just make a full plate for yourself!
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp allowed oil
  • 1 Zucchini - cut diagonally into ¼-inch slices
  • 1 Yellow onion - sliced
  • ¼ Cup chicken/vegetable broth
  • 1oz Goat cheese
  • Fresh oregano - chopped
Instructions
  1. Heat allowed oil in pan. Sautee onions until soft and golden brown - about 10-12 minutes
  2. Place sauteed onions and ¼ cup broth into blender and blend until smooth. I used my immersion blender which worked great!
  3. Place zucchini slices in the pan that was used to sautee onions. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes. The zucchini should be lightly browned on each side but not soft.
  4. To assemble pizza put a dollop of onion puree on top of the cooked zucchini (You can put as much or as little as you would like depending on your taste!), place crumbled goat cheese on top of onion puree and garnish with chopped oregano.
Notes
Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

 

Alternatives:
Carrier – I bet this would taste AH-mazing on a wheat or gluten free traditional pizza crust, eggplant rounds, yellow squash slices, or cauliflower crust
Toppings – you can use any variety of cheese like gruyere. Pair it with sauteed mushrooms!

 


Products:

Here is another great recipe that you can make with an immersion blender: 5-Ingredient Cauliflower Soup


What’s your favorite kind of pizza?

Enjoy!

Tzatziki Dip

Greek Tzatziki Dip

Tzatziki DipToday I spent the day shopping and cooking. It was a wonderful day but now my feet hurt! I started the day making my enchilada sauce and mac and cheese (for Brandon) and then I had to go searching for our Halloween costumes. We’re going to a Halloween party on Friday night and yes, we have waited until now to decide on our costumes. We decided to be robbers… easy right? no! I would have never thought it would be so hard to find a long sleeve black and white striped shirt for a man.

Anyway, I have been doing a lot of reading/listening to webinars and research about the role of fat in our diet and how the current nutrition guidelines are essentially killing us. Ever since the 90’s when we went through the low-fat craze the rate of obesity has been increasing exponentially. Why? Because when the food industry removes fat from their foods it tastes like cardboard – so they add sugar in its place! Snackwells cookies anyone?

So here is a novel thought. We should be eliminating refined carbohydrates from our diet (i.e. sugar, white bread, etc) and adding more fat! I’m not talking about fat from fast food items, or processed goods but instead eating more avocados, eggs, nuts and healthy oils like olive oil and coconut oil.

As I listen and read all of this research I have been tweaking my diet to include more nuts and not being afraid to eat more avocado. I think it is safe to say that I am consuming considerably more calories but I have already lost 2 pounds! I’m not starving myself or logging my calories but instead being conscious of my carbohydrate intake and choosing full fat options when I have them – like full fat cheeses and milks. I am trying to keep my carbohydrate intake to 60-100g per day but this is plenty if you are not eating bread, pasta, and other heavy carb meals.

A calorie is not a calorie! Food is information for your body and everything is interpreted differently.

Greek Tzatziki Dip
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 2 C full fat plain greek yogurt
  • 1 lemon, juice only
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp allowed mild oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 cucumber, deseeded and finely diced
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
  2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

 

Alternatives:
Most of the ingredients in this recipe are needed for a traditional tzatziki. If you are sensitive to garlic, this could be omitted but understand the flavor will be different than traditional. The pepper can also be omitted without much change to the recipe.
Oil substitute – use any mild oil here – liquid coconut oil, olive oil, nut oils, etc.

 

What’s your favorite Greek food?

Enjoy!

Paleo Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

Paleo Chicken Pot PieThis morning I woke up and it was very overcast and cold outside. I made tea and sat at my kitchen table to study Chemisty – just like I do every weekend. This week I have been testing out a hydrolyzed beef protein powder from Designs for Health called PurePaleo meal – its a true paleo protein source. They offer whey protein, pea protein and their newest product is a hydrolyzed beef protein! I had to try it because most other most protein powders I can’t tolerate. I am lactose intolerant so whey protein is no good. I am sensitive to green peas, so I try to stay away from pea protein. I guess a soy isolate would work but beef protein was intriguing!

This product contains beef from animals raised in Sweden without hormones or antibiotics, and is free of any GMO grains, grasses, and/or ensilage. Besides the normal benefits of protein power this powder also has added collagen to help support muscles, cartilage and ligaments.

DISCLAIMER: I do not promote Paleo as a superior diet, however, I do believe that a low carbohydrate, clean diet can help kick start the weight loss process and help eliminate water weight up front to see quicker results and help motivate you to continue.

Anyway – I digress – I wanted to tell you about my Chicken Pot Pie. While trying this PurePaleo protein and I am trying to maintain a paleo diet but felt that the cold weather required some comfort food and thus paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free chicken pot pie was born.

About coconut oil
When shopping for coconut oil pay attention to the label. There is a definite difference between virgin coconut oil and refined coconut oil.
       Virgin Coconut Oil – made from fresh coconut meat which contributes a very pure coconut flavor. It has a lower smoke point and is best for baking when you want the coconut flavor.
      Refined Coconut Oil – made from dried coconut meat and is great for sauteing, stir-frying and baking. It has a higher smoke point and a neutral flavor.

 

Use the leftover chicken from our crockpot chicken recipe to make chicken pot pie later in the week!

Chicken Pot Pie
 
Author:
Ingredients
For the Crust:
  • ¾ C blanched almond flour
  • ¼ C tapioca flour or 2 tbsp corn starch
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp homemade baking powder (2:1 ratio cream of tartar to baking soda)
  • ¼ C refined coconut oil, cold butter or organic palm shortening
  • 2 tbsp cold water
For the Filling:
  • ½ lb leftover chicken, cut or tear into bite size pieces
  • 1 cup allowed vegetables, bite size
  • 2 tbsp refined coconut oil, butter
  • ⅓ C chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp tapioca flour or 1 tbsp corn starch
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • pinch black pepper
  • pinch paprika
  • ¾ C chicken broth (Swanson chicken stock is a great clean broth!)
  • ¼ C allowed milk (I used homemade coconut milk)
Instructions
For the Filling:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a saucepan, cook onions in coconut oil/butter until tender.
  3. Stir in tapioca flour/corn starch, salt, pepper and paprika.
  4. Slowly stir in chicken broth and allowed milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened like gravy.
  5. Remove from heat and set aside.
  6. Place chicken pieces and chosen vegetables in a bowl. Stir in gravy mixture.
  7. Pour mixture in 9x6 pan (8x8 or small casserole pan should also work).
  8. Take out crust if completely chilled - if not ready, throw it in the freezer for a couple minutes! Cold dough will make it easier to work with (less sticky).
  9. Pat handfuls of dough into palm-sized discs and piece together over filling. If you have extra dough, fill in the cracks.
  10. Place on a baking sheet in case it bubbles over and bake in oven for 35-40 minutes until crust is golden brown. I placed mine under a broiler for a couple minutes to get a nice golden brown color.
Notes
Easily double this recipe for a 9x13 pan.

If you have a deeper pan add additional chicken and vegetables. This will decrease calories per serving, increase protein per serving and fill you up more!


**Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

 

Alternatives:
This recipe has so many possibilities for customization!
Thickening Agent: as listed in the recipe, corn starch and tapioca flour can both be used to thicken sauces. If you are not looking for a paleo or gluten-free recipe wheat flour can also be used!
Baking Powder: Store bought baking powder often contains corn starch. If sensitive to corn it is best to make your own in a 2:1 ratio (listed above) and keep this to use in place of store bought. Note: cream of tartar is a byproduct of wine making so only use it if you are not sensitive to grape.
Protein: any other leftover protein would work here! Beef (I would use a beef broth to make filling gravy), pork, turkey.
Vegetables: green beans, corn, broccoli, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green peas. I used canned green beans and frozen corn because I had it on hand. This is your opportunity to make it your own! If using fresh vegetables, pre-cook them before adding to filling. Omit onions if you do not tolerate them.
Milk: any milk would work here!

There are so many possibilities that I’m sure I am missing some! Let me know if you try something different!


Products:


Let us know what you tried in your pot pie!

Enjoy!