Weekend mornings call for waffles! Growing up, my grandparents had two giant commercial waffle irons. My grandpa loved using them and used any excuse he could to convince my grandma to allow him to cook up a few batches of these ginormous delights.
You really couldn’t eat more than 1…maybe two, if you were starving and ready to over-indulge to the max. However, sneaky grandpa used to make 2-3 for each of the grandkids just so he had plenty of extras for himself. SMART MAN. Some of my fondest memories involve these waffles…and now I have one of this waffle irons in my own kitchen. I can’t wait to pass on the fun tradition with my own kids – hopefully the beast of a machine lasts forever!
EGG FREE BAKING – it can be a real struggle – particularly with bread-like things. Thankfully, the waffle iron does a lot of work here and cooks up this beloved breakfast item perfectly, free of eggs and gluten!
I’m currently working on a egg-free paleo version, but I want it to be perfect before sending it your way. The testing process has been VERY EXCRUCIATING. 😉
Preheat your waffle iron. You want it hot and ready!
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
To the mixing bowl, add the milk, melted butter, flax eggs, vanilla, and vinegar and stir until just combined. If it's a little lumpy from the butter hardening from cool milk, it will be fine.
Spray the bottom of the iron liberally with the spray oil.
Pour enough batter just to cover the griddle and fill the edges. You want enough, but not too much to wear it leaks out the edges.
Spray the top of the waffle iron right before closing.
Closing the iron (and flip if you have one like I do) and cook for 4 1/2 -5 minutes. This is for a LARGE belgium waffle. If you're making smaller ones, the cooking time will be about 3 minutes. The rule of thumb is the waffle is done when the steam stops coming (or almost - I've found a little steam is ok) out the sides of the waffle iron.
Serve with lots of butter and maple syrup...even some fruit if that is your thaaaang!
These keep great in the freezer! To heat up: bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes or toast them up in the toaster if you made small ones!
Breakfast. Snacktime. Dessert. These bars can honestly fit the criteria for any of those situations that you may find yourself in.
They’re delicious, satiating, and packed with fat to curb that hunger when it hits.
They’re easy to grab and go in the morning too! I know that can be a struggle for many of us busy folks – or just the ones that have a hard time planning and prioritizing our time. GUILTY!
They can be made gluten free with puffed rice or paleo with shredded coconut, and even made lower in carbs with the combo of shredded coconut, unsweetened chocolate, stevia sweetened chocolate, or your favorite keto chocolate.
This recipe can be switched up a few different ways to fit almost any lifestyle!
In a food processor or blender, pulse the sunflower seeds and puffed rice (or quinoa/shredded coconut) until it is a bit smaller than oats would typically be. It's ok if a bit of it turns to a finer powder. Don't go crazy though - we still want some chunks in there!
In a bowl, combine the sunflower seeds and rice mixture with chia seeds, coconut flour, salt, coconut oil, and maple syrup.
In the microwave or a double boiler, melt the chocolate and the coconut cream until it's completely smooth. You can use less than the recipe calls for or more - Just depends on how fudgey of a center you'd like! If you want the dark chocolate sweeter, add the coconut sugar! If you're using a semi-sweet variety - taste it first. It may be sweet enough for you!
In a 8x8 parchment paper lined dish, spread out half of the rice mixture and press it firmly into the bottom of the pan.
Pour the chocolate mixture on top and spread it evenly on top of the bottom layer.
To ensure the top layer doesn't fall too much into the chocolate layer, I like to put the bars in the freezer for 3-5 minutes - just to set up.This step isn't completely necessary though.
Top the chocolate layer with the remaining rice mixture and spread out evenly.
Drizzle with extra chocolate, if desired.
Chill the bars for 20-30 minutes in the freezer or 1-2 hours in the fridge to set up before cutting into desired pieces.
Store the bars in the fridge.
Recipe Notes
*for a sweet but low-carb option, try out a monk-fruit maple syrup here!
**feel free to substitute your favorite chocolate here - we use EnjoyLife dairy-free semi-sweet mini chips for just about everything. They are sweetened, so we usually don't have to add any other sweetener. Lily's brand of chocolate would be a great substitute for a more keto-friendly recipe!
Sometimes, you just gotta have something sweet – at least I do. These fudge cups are super simple and require just a few ingredients. They’re super versatile too! Fill them with a little dollop of nut butter, throw in some chopped nuts, or keep it simple with just the chocolate!
Personally, the flaky sea salt and crispy puffed rice are my favorite. It’s about as close as you can get to a “healthy” Crunch bar. HA!
These are a great addition to your meal prep for the week. They make for a great snack or dessert!
In a small bowl, melt chocolate chips and coconut oil.
(You can do this in the microwave or a double boiler. If you do it in the microwave, stir every 15 seconds to make sure the chocolate doesn't burn.)
In a lined cupcake tin, sprinkle 2 teaspoons of puffed rice into 9 liners.
Distribute melted chocolate into each liner.
Sprinkle with 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of coconut sugar for added sweetness, if desired.
Sprinkle each cup with a couple pinches of flaked sea salt. This little touch of saltiness makes these cups SO delicious!
Recipe Notes
*My favorite choice of chocolate chips are EnjoyLife dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips. You could try out Lily's chocolate as well, for a lower sugar option!
The other day I started grinding some pecans and almonds in my blender to make some nut butter when I realized we were almost out of protein balls. That occurrence is just NOT allowed to this house.
So, there I had a roasted, pecan-pie-like butter to use in the protein balls and I began adding ingredients. I started off adding vanilla, coconut oil, collagen peptides, and almond flour…as I do with most of my protein ball recipes. I always add sugar or honey last so I can adjust accordingly. Sometimes, they just don’t need very much, if any.
I kept adding ingredients and still couldn’t figure out exactly what flavor I was making. I started to get scared. In the past when I’ve been in similar situations, I’ve ended up with 5 dozen really weird protein balls that my husband HAD to eat because I hate waste. haha! I just kept adding ingredient after ingredient and all of a sudden I had a huge bowl of protein ball mess. I kept thinking…Jon is going to be none to pleased if I screw up a batch again.
Before I added any weird specifically flavored ingredient, I decided to just add some chocolate chips and call it a day. I figured this would just be a recipe I’d scratch and nothing that great would come out of it. Then I tasted it and it was delicious…but I had no clue what flavor it was. It was familiar, yet I HAD NO CLUE.
My husband came home from work the other day, tried one, and was like, “Mmm…chocolate chip pancakes.”
THAT WAS EXACTLY IT! Leave it to my husband, who can never describe flavors whatsoever, to come up with exactly what these reminded me of.
These Chocolate Chip Protein Balls may be free of lots of things, like dairy, gluten, grains, but they sure pack in some good, comforting flavor (and lots of healthy fats and protein!) when it’s snack time or you’re just looking for a quick breakfast as you run out the door.
Add these protein balls to your meal prep plans for next week. I promise, You won’t be disappointed!
Don’t forget to save the recipe to your Pinterest board for later! Tag @butteraddictgonepaleo on Instagram and Facebook if you make these! I’d love to see it!
Print Recipe
Chocolate Chip Pancake Protein Balls |Dairy, Gluten, & Grain Free|
When fall rolls around, I’m definitely guilty of going all out on the pumpkin! However, I don’t usually stop when the season is over.
Anyone else?
These Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars have been requested by my husband ever since I first made them. I’ve found that I’m hesitant to make them too often, as he will most likely eat them all within two days and then yell at me for listening to his requests. haha! I take it as a compliment though – He’s my number one fan and almost always willing to be my taste tester.
Seriously though, these are delicious and no one would guess that they’re free of dairy, gluten, and grains and refined sugars. These bars are filled with ingredients that your body will know what to do with! They keep well in the fridge, so you could definitely make ahead of time for thanksgiving festivities later on during the week!
And THAT CRUST! It’s like a pecan shortbread, and it’s the perfect compliment to the pumpkin cheesecake flavor. If you’re not a fan of pecan, you could just substitute more almond flour or a unflavored protein powder of your liking!
You could use the “cheesecake” part and the crust are a base for another bar. Drizzle caramel or a fruit compote or jam on top – the possibilities are endless! Get creative!
If you make these or any of my recipes, be sure to tag @ButterAddictGonePaleo and #butteraddictgonepaleo on Instagram and Facebook! I love to see all of your guys’ remakes of recipes!
I’m definitely every bit of that stereotypical fall-lover. Give me all of that cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, caramel, and pumpkin goodness and I am one happy girl!
Honestly, I don’t even need a specific time of year to put me in the mood for those things, but I’ll take the opportunity now to give you one of my favorite recipes – Pumpkin Gelato! It’s extra creamy and rich like a gelato should be, but so easy to make!
This treat is not only free of any type of dairy, but it’s also made with only honey and coconut sugar to sweeten it. Feel free to adjust the sweetness to your liking. It won’t hurt the recipe a bit!
Another plus to this recipe is the fact that you only need a blender to make it – that mean’s no ice cream machine! I don’t know about you, but personally, when I think homemade ice cream, I’m never thinking of a mixture you mix, cook, and add to a machine to churn. That’s just not my thing. I want to simply mix up some stuff, pour it in a pan, freeze it, and scoop my little heart out. Now, THAT is my thing!
This recipe couldn’t be simpler, and it’s one that you won’t feel guilty about indulging in this season.
In a high powdered blender or food processor, combine all ingredients until smooth.
Pour gelato mixture into a lined loaf pan.
Freeze for 2-3 hours or until firm.*
If you freeze this overnight, remove from the freezer 15-20 minutes before serving to soften.
Recipe Notes
* If you're too impatient, don't freeze it, and eat it like a smoothie! However, freezing it helps to balance out the sweetness. (Anyone else feel like melted ice creams taste sweeter than their frozen counterparts, or is that just me?)
When I choose to have sweets, I try to always make sure there are some health benefits included in my indulgence. That usually makes it super guilt-free in my book. 😉
These Anti-Inflammatory Spiced Peach Bars are moist, perfectly sweet,and have medicinal benefits from the ginger, turmeric, and ceylon cinnamon (google the difference in cinnamon – I’ll spare you that explanation now, and save it for a different post). There is even some black pepper in them to maximize your body’s absorption of the turmeric! These are things that help your body function properly. Read on to hear just what I’m talking about!
So, what’s the big deal about this anti-inflammatory stuff? WELL, let’s go into a mini explanation of inflammation of the body. Anti-inflammatory foods help to…you guessed it, reduce inflammation. Inflammation is triggered when your immune system is activated by something foreign entering your body, i.e. pollen, chemical, microbes, or a number of other things. Small happenings of inflammation can protect your health by threatening these invaders of your body. Wait, so that should be a good thing, right? Why would you want to reduce inflammation? Sometimes, inflammation persists daily even when you are not threatened by something foreign in your body. Depending on what foods you consume, you could be triggering inflammation day in and day out in your body! This is when it can become un-friendly. Diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer’s have been linked to chronic inflammation. Clearly, that’s when it has become your enemy. Instead of medical looking charts showing all of this, I’m still going to show you pictures of these bars, because, let’s be real, that’s why you’re really here!
A healthy diet that stays away from foods that increase inflammation is a great start to regulating inflammation and your risk of many diseases. Refined carbohydrates, fried foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, margarine, processed meat, and even too much RED meat can all cause an increase of inflammation. So, how do you know if you’re a victim of chronic inflammation? If you have a diet completely filled with these foods, that is a dead give away. Other signs include: aches and pain, fatigue, irritated skin, excess weight or inability to lose weight. These are some signs that you might have a war going on in your body. Much like when you’re sick and you feel tired – because your immune system is fighting off an illness which is causing inflammation – you could be causing similar fatigue from eating that fast food burger and fries for dinner.
Eating foods such as nuts, leafy greens, avocados, pineapple, salmon, bone broth, coconut oil, broccoli, blueberries, chia or flax seeds, papaya, and….cinnamon (ceylon cinnamon specifically), turmeric, and ginger (all three of which are in this recipe!) can reduce unwanted inflammation in your body. Now, keep in mind, I am not suggesting that you make these bars and consume them on a regular basis just because they include some beneficial ingredients. They are still a treat! 🙂
Life is about balance, but when you can treat yourself with good, beneficial whole foods – WHY CONTINUE TO EAT CRAP INSTEAD? It’s just not always worth it, especially after feeling just how great your body can function, it’s hard to go back to letting it just not function at it’s best. Analogy time! > It’s kind of like filling up a lawn mower with tainted gas. Sometimes, gas can become filled with water, sediments, or a number of things that prevent a gas motor from functioning properly. It still runs, yes, however, it just chugs along most of the time, and doesn’t sound or look very good. This has happened when some rainwater got into one of our gas tanks and we filled up a mower with said gas. IT WAS FANTASTIC – NOT. We ran the gas out of the tank, and refilled it with quality gas and it was good to go. Same goes for your body. You can repair damage by simply putting some good fuel in your tank. Once you fill up with the good stuff, your motor is going to run so well, you’re going to want to keep filling it up with the same quality fuel. Ok, my rant and cheesy perspective is over. 🙂 Let’s get to the goods!
I’m always looking for new pre-mixed flours for gluten/grain free baking. So, when I came across Thrive Market’s Paleo Flour, I knew that I had to try it!
Let me tell ya, this flour did NOT DISAPPOINT!
I whipped these up by just throwing stuff together in a bowl, and I couldn’t believe when they turned out as fluffy as they did! Even my husband who isn’t a fan of muffins, unless they’re chocolate, liked them!
I used Green Valley Organics lactose-free sour cream, but you could substitute greek yogurt or your favorite dairy-free sour cream alternative!
Next time you’re looking to make a breakfast to-go for the week, whip up a batch of these! They will not disappoint!
In a small bowl, combine egg, oil, vanilla, maple syrup, and sour cream.
In a separate bowl, combine the 1 1/4 cups of flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add the egg mixture to your dry ingredients and stir to combine. Don't over-mix.
For the crumb topping, combine the ingredients in a food processor until a crumble mixture is formed. You can do this without a food processor and just use a fork. However, it will take a little bit longer and some patience!
In a cupcake pan, fill each cup about 3/4 full.
Top each muffin with 2-3 tsp of the crumb topping, pressing it down slightly into the muffin.
Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the centers are completely done.
Enjoy! (TIP: they get even better with a little bit of butter on top of a hot one, directly out of the oven!)
Recipe Notes
*The butter must be fairly cold - not soft or melted. This helps to give you a good crumb on top of the muffin.
Sloppy Joes was a big-time comfort food for me growing up. I feel like everyone ate theirs a little different – some on buns or in a wrap, some covered in onions or mustard, some with shredded cheese, or some just PLAIN.
For me, I almost always ate it with mustard, shredded cheese, and onions…and corn chips. To this day, I eat it very similar. I scoop up that sweet tomato-y goodness with plantain chips, but leave off the cheese most of the time. Not because I don’t want it or never eat it, though! We just rarely keep cheddar cheese in the house. Thanks to my lactose-intolerant hubby, cheese is a rarity! I never thought I’d say that! I’ll go as far as saying that I don’t really miss all of that dairy. I used to be obsessed!
I love to stretch out meals to save some extra change. This way, it’s more affordable to use quality proteins. This recipe only calls for one pound of ground beef, but makes 5-6 good-sized servings … thanks to lots of veggies! I cook the veggies down enough (and chop them small!) that you don’t even notice they’re in there – a tip, courteous of my mom who used to cook for a bunch of school-aged children each week. It’s a great way to sneak some in for those picky eaters in your family. I get no complaints when I serve these for dinner, that’s for sure!
Note: It’s highly recommended to simmer this for at least 30 minutes, however, it’s not completely necessary.
