Coconut milk

Blueberry Cobbler Smoothie {Dairy Free, Paleo, Keto}

August 10, 2018

Smoothies are my favorite way to pack in extra veggies when I’m feeling like a “treat” instead.

Cauliflower is a staple in every smoothie that I make. Any smoothie that calls for ice, I replace it with cauliflower.

I promise, you can’t tell!

Smoothies are a great way to hide veggies from picky kids (and adults!) too. If I have spinach on hand, I’ll throw a little in there too sometimes. Typically, I try to keep my smoothies pretty simple for my digestion’s sake. Too much going on can often lead to discomfort.

My go-to’s are quick and easy and take little thought. I usually grab some frozen cauliflower, some frozen chopped fruit,  yogurt (coconut milk or goat’s milk), cashews for extra creaminess and lots of ceylon cinnamon.

SIMPLE AND EASY!

The cauliflower that I use is either the bagged variety from the freezer aisle in my grocery store or fresh cauliflower that I’ve steamed and then frozen. The latter method helps with digestion, and I always try to do it when I remember. Sometimes, raw veggies can cause bloating and discomfort as well. Everyone is different!

This Blueberry Cobbler Smoothie tastes like dessert and the sweetness level is totally up to you! A few pinches of extra spices totally make this smoothie hit the spot! It tastes like more of a “treat” than a meal or snack, but it’s completely guilt free!

You have fiber from the cauliflower, antioxidants from the blueberries, fat from the cashews and yogurt (plus probiotics!), and anti-inflammatory properties with the ceylon cinnamon. Lots of the goods in this bowl!

Try it without adding anything else sweet and see how you like it!

Usually a few extra blueberries on top and some added granola is plenty sweetness for me!


Print Recipe
 Blueberry Cobbler Smoothie
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a blender, add yogurt and coconut milk first.
  2. Follow by adding the remaining ingredients.
  3. Beginning at the lowest setting and working your way up, blend until smooth.
  4. Add additional milk or water, as needed to blend.
  5. Top with desired toppings such as, granola or frozen fruit.
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White Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Bars {Dairy, Gluten, & Grain Free w/ Vegan option}

February 25, 2018
Course

I often think…do people really read all of this random stuff that bloggers type before they list the recipe? I won’t lie, I usually skip down to the recipe. I MIGHT scroll back up and graze over some paragraphs. That’s just the truth. Let’s be honest, some of us just want to looks at the pictures! 

 

Anyways, I will spare you an overly descriptive paragraph about how delicious these things are. They’re quick, basically raw, and so yummy! They’re packed with fiber, protein, and healthy fats – my kind of treat! 🙂

These are the collagen brands that I used for these bars. Either work for this recipe, but are not NECESSARY – see recipe notes. However, they add great protein and, you guessed it, collagen – which happens to be great for your hair, skin, digestive health, joint pains, and the list goes on! It’s an awesome addition to pretty much everything!

Print Recipe
 White Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Bars {Dairy, Gluten, & Grain Free w/ Vegan option}
Course Dessert
Cook Time 10 minutes
Passive Time 20 minutes - cooling
Servings
bars
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Cook Time 10 minutes
Passive Time 20 minutes - cooling
Servings
bars
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt cocoa butter, sugar, milk, oil, and vanilla. Bring to a simmer and cook until it's well combined and slightly thickened. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. In a bowl, combine coconut flour, collagen, and shredded coconut.
  3. To that, add the melted cocoa butter mixture and combine.
  4. Finally, mix in the chopped nuts.
  5. In an 8X8 pan***, evenly spread out mixture. You can top the bars with extra shredded coconut and nuts, if desired. Just make sure to slightly press it into the dough.
  6. Freeze for 20 minutes to set or refrigerate overnight.
  7. Slice however you'd like and ENJOY!
Recipe Notes

*if you don't have coconut milk (I used the So Delicious Brand of "culinary coconut milk"), you can sub. cashew or almond milk. I would just only add 1/2 cup at first, and add more towards the end of the recipe if you need it! It's not as creamy as coconut milk and you don't want the bar dough too runny!

**sub 6 scoops of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides or 1/2 cup of almond flour - these two subs will yield bars with less of a coconut flavor.

***I like to line the pan with parchment paper. Just make sure to cut it bigger than the pan so you can pop them out for an easy clean up!

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Ranch Turkey Burgers (Dairy-free and Whole30)

January 16, 2018
Course

This recipe uses one of my favorite things…RANCH! These super juicy and zesty burgers are a nice way to switch things up on your next burger night! Feel free to use any type of ground meat that you have on hand. Personally, I think the “ranch” flavor shines the best with turkey or chicken, but it would taste delicious mixed with beef too!




Check out my handy, go-to Ranch Seasoning Mix that I used in this recipe. There’s also an option if you do not have that!

Print Recipe
 Ranch Turkey Burgers (Dairy-free and Whole30)
Course Dinner
Servings
burger
Ingredients
Course Dinner
Servings
burger
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. I like well seasoned foods! Therefore, I use a full 4 tablespoons of the ranch seasoning. The meat mixture will be a fairly sticky glob. However, you will still be able to form it into a patty easily, I promise! Your hands will just need a good washing afterwards!
  2. So I can easily divide it into 4 patties, I like to flatten the mixture in my bowl and gently score it into quarters.
  3. Take each section and flatten out into a 3/4"-1" thick patty. Press your fingers gently in the middle to create a dimple. You want the center to be a bit thinner (about 1/2" thick) to prevent your burgers from doming up in the middle.
  4. In a pan over medium-high heat, add your cooking oil. Allow the pan to heat up for a couple minutes. You want it to be nice and hot. Place your burgers in the pan and cook for your burgers for 3-4 minutes. You should hear a sizzle when you place the patties in the pan. The sizzle is key for a nice crust on your burger. When you have a nice golden brown crust, it's time to cook the other side!
  5. After a few minutes and the crust has formed, using a wide, flat spatula (makes for easier flipping), flip your burger and cook the other side for another 3-6 minutes - depending on your preferred doneness.**
  6. Top with your favorites! I like grilled onions, but some bacon and jalapeños would be delicious too!
Recipe Notes

*This recipe uses my Ranch Seasoning Mix. If you don't have that made you can substitute in these amounts: 2 tsp dried parsley, 1 tsp dill, 1 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp minced onion, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp pink salt, 1 tsp pepper, and 1/2 tsp ground mustard.

**Cooking times:

 

For a medium-rare burger: cook the second side for 2-3 minutes (6 minutes total)

For a medium burger: cook the second side for 3-4 minutes (7-8 minutes total)

For a medium-well burger: cook the second side for 4-5 minutes (8-9 minutes total)

For a well-done burger: cook the second side for 5-6 minutes (10 minutes total) - this burger will be a bit drier - FYI!

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Spicy Queso (dairy-free and vegan)

December 28, 2017
Cuisine

Before I get into this yummy dip, don’t judge this recipe just because it’s classified as vegan! I know that there are some of you out there that will! If you want, use chicken or beef broth and make it just dairy-free! 😉

Anyways……

Having a husband that is lactose intolerant has really changed perspective on things. I have to omit one of my favorite ingredients from every meal (CHEESEEEEEE!) or make two meals (who wants to do that?!) and risk antagonizing him with what I’m eating. Therefore, I have had to get very creative and come up with replacements that are still tasty and give us that cheese fix! Mind you, many dairy-free things are far from the original and by no means, taste the same. However, they are still delicious and help us not to miss all of that cheesy goodness so much. We still splurge from time to time on QUALITY dairy.

Give your body a break now and then from all of that cow’s milk. It’s filled with sugar, cholesterol, saturated fat and many times hormones that were pumped into the cows. It also has been linked to an increased prevalence of acne in many studies. It’s just not something you should be consuming large amounts of in every meal. You absolutely still need fat and calcium, but try finding substitutes elsewhere for a couple of meals! Your body will thank you!

Oh, look! Here’s a great substitute for a cheesy dip! 😛

I like to drizzle this queso over tacos or mix with some ground beef and taco seasoning for a jazzed up dip!

Print Recipe
 Spicy Queso (dairy-free and vegan)
Cuisine Dairy Free, paleo
Prep Time 3-4 hours of soaking cashews
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Cuisine Dairy Free, paleo
Prep Time 3-4 hours of soaking cashews
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a high powered blender*: Combine all of the ingredients until a smooth, creamy sauce is formed. This usually tastes about 3-5 minutes. If you're having trouble getting the mixture to puree, add a bit more broth/coconut milk.
  2. Once blended, taste and add more salt to your liking! Serve warm with chips or tacos!
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Spinach Artichoke Dip (dairy-free and vegan)

December 28, 2017
Cuisine

In the past, whenever I would go out to eat, and Spinach Artichoke Dip was on the appetizer menu, I’d always order it! I loved all of that creamy, cheesy, goodness. Sometimes, I’d just make a meal out of it. However, I’d often leave the restaurant feeling overly stuffed, heavy, greasy, and just not so good. All of that cream and cheese can wreak havoc on one’s tummy – especially the dairy allergic or lactose intolerant tummies! Don’t get me wrong, the dip was always amazing…ALWAYS, but once I began paying more attention to my body and what I put into it, I really began noticing the effects food had on it. I consciously began asking myself, “Is it really worth it?” Now, I’m not saying to never order the spin-dip again. Just…maybe…try passing on it the next time, and going home and making this recipe the next day! (I know, it’s more work and definitely isn’t instantly gratifying. I promise though, it’s worth it!)

This version is packed with protein from the cashews and tons of flavor from onions and garlic – you won’t miss the cheese! (that much 😉 haha) If you’re someone that is lactose intolerant or has a dairy allergy, this is a great substitute to give you that fix!

Print Recipe
 Spinach Artichoke Dip (dairy-free with vegan option)
Cuisine Dairy Free, paleo
Prep Time 3-4 hours of soaking cashews
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Cuisine Dairy Free, paleo
Prep Time 3-4 hours of soaking cashews
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a sauce pan, saute onions in butter for 5 minutes or until they've become translucent and started browning.
  2. While the onions are cooking, drain water off soaked cashews. In a food processor or high powered blender, combine cashews, broth, and coconut milk. Blend until the mixture has lightened and is very creamy. If the mixture is too thick to blend, add a couple tablespoons more of broth until it begins to blend completely.
  3. If your spinach is frozen, follow the cooking directions until it has thawed enough to squeeze the moisture out. You want VERY LITTLE moisture left. If your spinach is thawed, simply wring out the liquid using cheesecloth. You will be surprised with how little spinach you're left with!
  4. Once you've completely pureed the cashews, add the mixture, drained spinach, and remaining ingredients to the cooked onions. Cook the dip over medium low heat for about 10 minutes.
  5. Taste and adjust the seasonings! If you want a cheesier flavor, you can add more nutritional yeast. If you want more garlic, (I ALWAYS WANT MORE GARLIC) add more chopped garlic or some garlic powder. I've found that when I add more nutritional yeast, I also have to add more salt amount as well. Use your own discretion! 🙂
  6. Serve hot with tortilla (I like Siete brand chips! They're grain free and made with minimal ingredients!) or try some plantain chips! YUM! Leftovers of this don't go to waste either. It's delicious when mixed with shredded chicken and cauliflower rice!
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Cake Batter Cheesecake with Sugar Cookie Crust (Dairy, Gluten, and Grain free)

December 27, 2017
Course

Is there much to be said after I mentioned cheesecake? Personally, I’ve never met one that I don’t like. The cashews add a nutty flavor that only brings out the cake-battery-ness (yes, that’s a word – at least, in my dictionary) even more! This version of a cheesecake is completely diary-free (there’s a vegan option too!), so it tastes a bit different from your normal cream cheese based one, but it’s not lacking in the flavor department! If desired, you can omit the sprinkles – they just make it so dang purrrrtty. I couldn’t resist. Unless you can find sugar and grain free ones, the sprinkles are NOT paleo. Life’s all about balance!

This dessert would be perfect to make for a party or to introduce something paleo to your friends! It’s a sure hit with kiddos too – who can pass up sprinkles or something with cake batter in it’s name?!

You won’t miss the dairy at all with this creamy dessert! This cheesecake is one you won’t feel guilty about havings seconds…or thirds!

Print Recipe
 Cake Batter Cheesecake with Sugar Cookie Crust (Dairy, Gluten, and Grain free)
Course Dessert
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Passive Time 2 hours of chilling
Servings
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Crust
Cake Batter cheesecake filling
Course Dessert
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Passive Time 2 hours of chilling
Servings
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Crust
Cake Batter cheesecake filling
Instructions
For the cookie crust:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry crust ingredients.
  3. Beat the egg white separately until stiff peaks form.
  4. To the butter and sugar mixture, add the remaining wet ingredients for the crust, except the egg white.
  5. Once everything is combined, gently fold in the egg white.
  6. Form crust into a shallow pie or tart pan and bake for 15 min until golden brown.
  7. Set aside to cool.
For the filling:
  1. To a high powdered blender*: combine all of the filling ingredients. (start with 1/2 tsp of almond extract - you can always add more later!) The cashews should be very soft from soaking. This is key to a quick creamy consistency. *I use a Vitamix 5300.
  2. Blend everything for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture has become lighter in color and very creamy. You shouldn't feel any grit from the cashews. If you do, add a bit more coconut milk and blend for another minute or so.
  3. Once the desired consistency is reached*, pour mixture into your cooled sugar cookie crust. *if desired, you can add sprinkles to the mixture at this point.
  4. Freeze cheesecake for 2-3 hours or overnight before serving. Enjoy!
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Quick Alfredo Sauce

December 14, 2017
Cuisine

Chicken Alfredo is my lactose-intolerant husband’s favorite dish. It’s pretty much always a goal of mine to give him something that reminds him of that…however, it always seems impossible to compare to the original. This recipe comes close despite it’s lack of dairy.

If you have the resources to get the products involved, it’s SO WORTH IT! However, if you do not have some of the ingredients, there are substitutes for a few ingredients that will still yield a delicious and creamy alfredo sauce.

After one taste of this, my husband said, “you’ll be making this often!”


Print Recipe
 Alfredo Sauce
Cuisine Dairy Free, Dinner, Sauces
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Cuisine Dairy Free, Dinner, Sauces
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Over medium heat, sauté garlic in ghee for 30 seconds to a minute.
  2. Whisk in cream cheese until it melts completely.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients* and whisk together. Let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes to thicken. *I also add 1-2 TBSP of Italian seasoning - like Primal Palates Amore Seasoning (YUM!) to the sauce. It gives it a nice herby-kick!
  4. You can adjust the salt and pepper now. I like mine on the saltier side - so I add 1/2-1 tsp or so. If you want a thinner sauce, add more coconut milk. I like mine pretty thick, so I stick with about 1/2 cup. IT'S THAT EASY! Now go and pour this over whatever pasta (or pizza!) you please!
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Jalapeño Crema

December 4, 2017
Cuisine
Course

It’s no secret that our house loves spicy things, and particularly jalapeños. You’ll find that I often suggest adding them to things in my recipes. If I didn’t suggest adding them, chances are, I still put them in there when I make the dish. Believe it or not, not everyone likes them as much as my husband does. 😉

This sauce is a MUST-HAVE whenever we have anything of the Mexican cuisine. Plus, it comes together in just a few minutes! If there’s any leftovers, it’s pretty easy to find something to pour this over the next few days.

Print Recipe
 Jalapeño Crema
Course condiments
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Course condiments
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. With the exception of the coconut milk LIQUID, add all of your ingredients to a food processor and blend! Start with 1 tsp of salt...you can always add more.
  2. Add more coconut milk liquid until your desired consistency is achieved. If you can tolerate some dairy or have a favorite unsweetened yogurt, you can add some of that to it as well to make a thicker sauce.
  3. Now, go and pour this over EVERYTHING.
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Quick Instant Pot Chicken Taco “Pasta”

December 4, 2017
Cuisine
Course

I’m always amazed at how evenly and quickly my Instant Pot cooks meals. It is one gadget that I seriously can’t say enough good things about! It’s been a year with my IP, I should just get used to it…


If you don’t have an IP, you could still cook this on your stove top. Just bake your spaghetti squash separately (it’ll probably take at least 30-40 min, depending on the size) or microwave it , for a quicker cook…then add it to your chicken taco sauce. Still easy, it will just take a bit more time and you’ll have to keep an eye on that pot. That’s probably my favorite part of the Instant Pot, I can set it and not pay any attention to it until the timer goes off and it’s basically ready! I can’t complain about that aspect a bit!

This “pasta” is made with spaghetti squash – so it’s totally guilt-free! If you’re a taco lover, this is a nice change from your typical tortillas, meat, and veggies. I use my jalapeño crema on top of this too! Love the bright, spiciness it adds!


Switch things up on your next Taco Tuesday …or Taco Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, and whip up this guilt-free “pasta”!

Print Recipe
 Quick Instant Pot Chicken Taco "Pasta"
Course Dinner, Instant Pot, Main Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Toppings ~ Optional
Course Dinner, Instant Pot, Main Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Toppings ~ Optional
Instructions
  1. To your Instant Pot, add your onions, chicken, seasonings, coconut milk*, tomato sauce, and lime juice. *(if you don't have coconut milk, use 1 1/2 cups of whatever milk you want!)
  2. Wash and cut spaghetti squash in half - I do it the short ways, around the middle section - so you're left with two "cups."
  3. Line the pot with a double layer of tinfoil. You can use your trivet, if it fits. For the spaghetti squash I used, the handles of the trivet wouldn't allow the lid to close. If you can fit it all in there with the trivet, by all means, use it. It'd work the same.
  4. Place your halved squash on top of the tinfoil layer. Close the lid, seal the valve, press the "Manual" button*, then press the "+" button until the screen reads 8. The pot will switch to "On" while it preheats. *Make sure it's on High Pressure (if it is on Low Pressure, just press the "pressure" button to get it to High)
  5. Your pot will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure. If you want to speed this up, you could sauté the onions and chicken for a few minutes before adding the other ingredients. For me, this cuts the preheat time in half or more, also you could reduce the cooking time as well. However, then you have to stir and watch the pot more than before. So, do whatever YOU feel like doing. Experiment! When it comes to such a quick cooking time, if something isn't done enough to your liking, it's easy to add a couple extra minutes!
  6. When the timer goes off, do a QR (quick release), and open the lid. Remove your squash and divider.
  7. Make a slurry with the arrowroot powder and almond milk or water and add that to your sauce and stir. Your sauce should thicken in seconds. Personally, we like our pasta saucyyyy. If you want a thicken sauce, you can always make more slurry and add it. Once it's thickened, turn the pot off by pressing "Keep Warm/Cancel."
  8. Remove the inside of your squash, shred, and squeeze excess water out of it. If you don't do this, you will have a VERY saucy pasta - not necessarily bad - but definitely on the "wet" side.
  9. Add your squash to your pot and stir. Serve it up!
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