Recipes

Cookie Butter (Dairy-free/Gluten-free)

March 5, 2018

Who else is obsessed with all things cookie butter? I’ve always been a huge lover of the speculoos cookies. They have the perfect crunch along with having a great balance of sweet and spicy. What’s not to love?! When I realized that there was a butter with all of those same flavors. I WAS DONE. GAME OVER. GIVE ME ALL OF THE JARS. The flavors and spices involved just scream comfort and holidays to me! There just isn’t anything better!

The cookie butter that I used to know and love was far from paleo. Therefore, I set out to make a healthier version of this creamy spread, and I’m pretty sure…I accomplished just that. This turned out ridiculously delicious. Thankfully, Simple Mills makes a Cinnamon Cookie that has just the right texture for this task! Stay tuned, if you can’t find these cookies. I’m going to try to come up with a recipe that doesn’t involve this particular brand, as some of you may not be able to get your hands on them. Sad day!


Print Recipe
 Cookie Butter (Dairy-free/Gluten-free)
Prep Time 2 minutes
Servings
cup
Ingredients
Prep Time 2 minutes
Servings
cup
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.
  2. Pour into a storage container and let sit for a few minutes to set up. The cookie butter will thicken as the coconut oil cools and solidifies again.
Recipe Notes

If you do not have cashews, you can sub 2 TBSP more of coconut oil

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Sheet Pan Flank/Skirt Steak with Roasted Veggies

February 25, 2018
Course

Sometimes, steak can be intimidating, right? I know I used to feel that way about it sometimes. …Especially cuts like flank and skirt steaks! Don’t be afraid! If you don’t feel like getting out the grill, or if you don’t have a big cast iron skillet, (Really, if you don’t have one, get one!) this recipe is for you!

Everything gets mixed up in one big bowl, tossed on a lined sheet pan, and cooked in the oven. It doesn’t get any easier than that! You are, however, required at one point, to turn the broiler on, and  to flip the steak, but I don’t feel like that’s asking too much. 😉

Afterwards, you are left with a juicy steak and super crispy veggies! Please note, you do not have to cook the veggies for the full amount of time. We prefer them VERY crispy, so they get the full treatment!

Although this meal is quick, resting the steak outside of the oven is just as important as the quick cooking process! Do not cut short, skip, or omit that step!

Also, marinating your steak is totally optional! Life doesn’t always permit extra time to do so! 😉

 

Print Recipe
 Sheet Pan Flank/Skirt Steak with Veggies
Course Dinner
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 10 minutes - resting
Servings
Ingredients
Seasonings for steak
Course Dinner
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 10 minutes - resting
Servings
Ingredients
Seasonings for steak
Instructions
  1. Optional: If you have the time, you can marinade the steak. (However, it is not necessary.) In a ziploc bag or shallow baking dish, mix together 2 extra tbsp of oil and a tsp of each of the spices listed above. Coat both sides of the steak with the marinade and let it sit for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
  2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  3. Chop your vegetables into bite size pieces. The brussels are usually fine just cut in halves.
  4. In a large bowl, toss the chopped vegetables, oil, and seasonings (except for the steak seasonings) until everything is coated evenly.
  5. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread out the vegetables.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes - half way through, flip the vegetables.
  7. Remove the sheet from the oven and set your oven to the BROIL - High setting.
  8. Move the vegetables to the edges and position the steak in the middle of the pan.
  9. Drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle half of each of the seasonings on each side. (If you marinated your steak, you do not have to season your steak again.)
  10. For a medium steak, broil for 6 minutes on the first side, flip and broil for another 3-4 minutes on the remaining side.*
  11. Remove the steak from the baking sheet, cover with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  12. After 10 minutes, slice the steak, against the grain, and serve with the vegetables.
  13. Top with garlic herb butter for extra flavor!
Recipe Notes

*Cook for 1 minute less for Medium-rare and 1 minute longer for Medium-well.

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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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Nut & Dairy Free Cheese Sauce

February 22, 2018
Course

My favorite way to make cheese sauce involves cashews, however, there are some allergies out there that do not permit eating those. So I wanted to come up with a comforting, cheese-like sauce anyone could enjoy!

I like to mix this with cauliflower rice or paleo pasta for a “Mac ‘n Cheese” inspired meal!

It’s even delicious as a soup! (Mind you, I LOVE SOUP!) There is no guilt involved in eating this sauce because it is PACKED with veggies. It’s a great way to sneak in a new vegetable that your kids may not normally want. They won’t even know that they are eating a….SQUASH! That’s right! The main ingredient in this “cheese” sauce is a vegetable! The color it adds is amazing! I swear, the cheddar-cheese color of this sauce makes it taste even cheesier!

My instant pot comes in super handy with this recipe! It cooks the squash in less than 5 minutes! CRAZY! If you haven’t heard about the Instant Pot craze…get on it! It’s my favorite appliance! SO WORTH EVERY PENNY!

Disclaimer: THIS IS NOT AN ACTUAL CHEESE SAUCE. IT IS NOT GOING TO TASTE THE SAME. However, to those with dairy intolerances or those who just want to eat better, it is delicious and nice way to change things up!

Print Recipe
 Nut & Dairy Free Cheese Sauce
Course Sauces, side dishes
Cook Time 10-15 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Course Sauces, side dishes
Cook Time 10-15 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Cook your squash however you prefer! See recipe notes for different cooking methods.*
  2. To a blender (you could use an immersion blender too!), add your cooked squash and remaining ingredients.
  3. Blend until smooooooth!
Recipe Notes

*

  • You can cut the squash in half (long ways), remove the seeds, and roast it in the oven for 30-45 minutes at 400 degrees, or until soft. Then scoop out the insides of the squash and add it to your blender.
  • You can peel it, remove the seeds, chop it into 2 inch chunks and boil it until it's soft.
  • OR You can cook it in the Instant Pot, like me! I peel it, remove the seeds, chop it up into chunks and cook it for 4-5 minutes on HP. It comes out perfect!

Tip: I cook the other half of the squash at the same time. Then, I freeze the cubes for smoothies later! OR you could double the recipe for more "Cheese" sauce!

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2-minute Tropical “Ice Cream”

February 22, 2018
Course

What’s better than ice cream you can make in 2 minutes?! When your sweet tooth hits, it’s nice to have something delicious AND on the healthier side to indulge in! This creamy and fruity treat is hitting all of the right spots and taking my winter blues away! It only has a handful of ingredients and comes together super quick in a blender! That is, if you have the fruit already frozen in your freezer! I’m a smoothie lover, so I almost always have quite the selection of fruit, including peeled and sliced bananas – which happen to be the base for this creamy deliciousness!

This is not the super, scoop-able type of ice cream. It’s a super-thick, smoothie-like consistency. You can definitely freeze it in a pan and scoop it at a later time. However, it gets HARD. So you will have to let it thaw quite a bit if you freeze it solid! Either way, way it’s an indulgence that you can feel good about eating! Just don’t OVER-indulge. 😉

Print Recipe
 2-minute Tropical "Ice Cream"
Course Dessert
Cook Time 2 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Cook Time 2 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a blender, combine all ingredients until smooth! Afterwards, I like to fold in some chopped up freeze-dried fruit for texture. Totally optional!
  2. BOOM! YOU'RE DONE!
Recipe Notes

*The riper the banana, the sweeter it will be. Depending on your preference, if you used very ripe bananas, you may need very little sugar. Just do a little taste-test and add more if you want! 🙂

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Creamed Cauliflower & Caramelized Onions {Dairy, Gluten, & Grain free)

February 22, 2018
Course

I’m always looking for ways to make healthy food…taste, for a lack of a better word, UNHEALTHY. Usually making it creamy does the trick!

Rice, in general, is bland. I prefer riced cauliflower to it ANY DAY. Not everyone is that way though! To them, the taste of cauliflower is just not enjoyable. (I used to be that way when I was a wee little one!) Therefore, finding a rice replacement on the paleo diet can be hard! Adding a flavorful cream sauce to cauliflower rice can totally help you out! I have a bunch of different variations of creamy cauliflower rice. It reminds me of a creamy, adult Rice-a-Roni-like side dish (…the San Francisco Treeaaattttt. Anyone else just sing that with me?) … and I LOVE IT! That was one of my favorite things to eat as a kid! TOTAL comfort food right there!

With a little patience to caramelize the onions, and a few ingredients from your cabinet, you can have that same comfort food for your meal! It’ll be packed with nutrients too! What’s better than delicious, nutrient-dense food?! Feeling good about what you put into your body is one of the best feelings!

Give this creamy side dish a chance!

 

Print Recipe
 Creamed Cauliflower & Caramelized Onions {Dairy, Gluten, & Grain free)
Course side dishes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Course side dishes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté sliced onions, oil, and vinegar until translucent and caramel in color. This should take about 15-20 minutes. The longer they cook, the more they will reduce and the sweeter they will get. I still like a little texture to the onions for this dish. Therefore, 20 minutes works just right!
  2. When onions have reduced to about 1-1 1/2 cups worth (They shrink A TON!), add in remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until the cauliflower has cooked through!
  3. It's as simple as that! ENJOY!
Recipe Notes

*If you do not have Nutpods, you can substitute cashew, coconut, or almond milk. Just make sure the variety is plain and unsweetened! Start with 3/4 cup and add more if you need it. Nutpods is thicker and creamier than those milks.

**I use this brand of bouillon. You can find it almost anywhere. It's THE BEST! It has fairly clean ingredients too. Feel free to omit it or replace with broth! It just adds tons of flavor!

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Breaded Chicken Cutlets/Tenders (Gluten/Grain Free)

February 19, 2018
Course

Chicken tenders…for kids young and old! They just never get old! These cutlets are wonderful served over creamy pasta, cauliflower rice and gravy, or make them into tenders and dip them in some good ol’ RANCH! You can’t go wrong. Totally kid-approved!

These are made with a combination of gluten free flours and spices that make the crust, crispy and flavorful! Don’t let fried chicken intimidate you. These are a great way to try it out! They’re super simple to bread and fry – you’ll impress yourself! 😉

 

Print Recipe
 Breaded Chicken Cutlets/Tenders (Gluten/Grain Free)
Course Appetizers, Dinner
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20-25 minutes
Servings
cutlets
Ingredients
Course Appetizers, Dinner
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20-25 minutes
Servings
cutlets
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a medium sized bowl (big enough to toss chicken pieces in), beat the egg and water. Set aside.
  2. In a shallow bowl or plate, add 1/4 cup of arrowroot powder.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together remaining ingredients (except for the chicken breasts).
  4. On a cutting board, slice each chicken breast into 2-3 thin slices. (about 1/4-1/2 inch thick) You do this by placing the chicken breast, flat on the board, and laying your hand on top. Hold your knife sideway (parallel to your hand and the board), and cut into the breast. Eyeball it and cut 1/4 inch above the cutting board, leaving a thin chicken slice. I typically can do this 1-2 more times with each breast. It just depends on the thickness.
  5. You can also make tenders, by simply cutting the breast into long chunks. Cooking times may vary with the thickness of the chicken pieces.
  6. In a large, deep cast iron skillet (you could use a good, nonstick or heavy bottom pan/pot), heat oil over medium high heat. (it should take about 4-5 minutes to heat up)
  7. Dip each piece of chicken in arrowroot powder, being sure to evenly coat all sides. Use a fork or your fingers! You might get a little messy! (It's worth it though!)
  8. Follow by dipping each piece of chicken into egg mixture.
  9. Finally, coat all sides of each piece with the seasoned flour mixture, being sure to pat the mixture onto the chicken.
  10. Gently shake off excess flour and place each chicken cutlet into hot oil. Make sure it sizzles when you place it in there. That helps to get a nice crust on the chicken! (Do not over crowd the pan. I usually fit about 3 pieces at a time.)
  11. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden brown and flip. You should easily be able to flip the chicken when it's done on the first side. If it sticks, do not flip, and cook for another minute or so.
  12. Cook the chicken pieces for 3-4 min on the other side. The thinner you slice the chicken, the quicker it will cook! Usually, when both sides are evenly browned, it's done.
  13. Repeat steps 7-12 until all of the chicken is cooked.
  14. I like to keep the chicken cutlets/tender warm by placing them on a baking rack on top of a baking sheet in a 250 degree oven. It keeps them nice and crispy until you're done cooking them all!
  15. Serve over pasta or rice, or with some Ranch or BBQ sauce! 🙂
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Loaded “Sour Cream” & Chive Twice Baked Potatoes (Dairy Free)

February 17, 2018
Course


Balanced Health

Words don’t do these potatoes justice.

My husband was obsessed to say the least. I’m just gonna get right to the recipe so that you can hurry up and make these. THEY ARE SO GOOD!

 

Do yourself a favor, and make plenty! Leftovers are still just as tasty!

Balanced Health

Print Recipe
 Loaded "Sour Cream" & Chive Twice Baked Potatoes (Dairy Free)
Course Dinner, side dishes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings
halves
Ingredients
Course Dinner, side dishes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings
halves
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Clean and cook whole potatoes until you can easily poke with a fork or knife. However, don't cook them until they're falling apart! The second cooking will cook everything further! You can bake them for 45 minutes - 1 hour, depending on size OR microwave them for 20-25 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
  3. Once potatoes are cooked, cut in half - long ways!
  4. With a spoon, scoop out the center, but leave just a tad of potato around all of the inside. This helps keep stability. I like to push the limits here, myself. I scoop out as much potato as possible, so I can get a crispy skin!
  5. Place skins on a baking sheet face down first - almost touching each other. (I like to line mine with parchment paper for easy cleanup!). Baking them face down and closer, helps them to hold their shape and not flatten out. Spray inside and outside of each skin with olive, coconut, or avocado oil. Feel free to sprinkle some salt on the outsides too - I love it!
  6. Bake skins for 8-10 minutes, flip, and bake the other side for another 8-10 minutes or until desired crispiness is reached.
  7. While the potatoes crisping up, combine remaining ingredients with the potato you removed from the skins. If you decided to add bacon, set aside the bacon pieces for the topping, and add the bacon grease to your filling. This addition is completely optional and not necessary! However, bacon grease makes everything better!
  8. Taste your filling and adjust the salt and pepper! We like our potatoes, not only crispy, but SALTY! Therefore, I add close to 2 tsp to this recipe.
  9. Once the potato skins are finished crisping up in the oven, remove them and add filling to each. Don't be afraid to go heavy on that filling! For this recipe, each half took about a cup of filling. Use it all or save some to snack on as these finish cooking! 😉
  10. Top with bacon pieces and bake for 10 minutes or until the tops have just slightly started to brown up.
  11. Top with more chives or sour cream alternative of choice and DIG INNNNN!
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Creamy Chicken Enchiladas (Gluten, Grain, and Dairy Free)

February 6, 2018
Cuisine
Course

I honestly have SO MANY COMFORT FOODS! Chicken Enchiladas are one of those foods! However, this dish used to be filled with a bunch of stuff that irritated my husband’s stomach, and just wasn’t good for anyone to eat a bunch of! Therefore, I knew I HAD to convert it to Paleo…for my poor husband’s sake – it’s one of his favorite meals. I really didn’t want to live without these enchiladas either. I love the creamy filling when it mixes with the green chile sauce. You could definitely sub a red enchilada sauce in this dish too! I just prefer the lighter flavor of the green sauce with these enchiladas. I typically prefer red sauces with beef. That’s just me! You do you. 🙂

You might want to double this recipe too! They freeze wonderfully, if there is any left, that is! My husband has to practice serious self-control around these things – especially since they’re made with my Paleo Tortillas/Crepes! He actually prefers these to any other tortilla. They have a bit of an eggy flavor, compared to other tortillas, and they hold up so well, in comparison! I don’t know about you, but some brands of tortillas, just completely fall apart and tear whenever you try to roll them up! NOT COOL. These tortillas do NOT do that – I PROMISE!

Print Recipe
 Creamy Chicken Enchiladas (Gluten, Grain, and Dairy Free)
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings
medium enchiladas
Ingredients
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings
medium enchiladas
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Prepare 2 batches of tortillas according to recipe. See notes below.
  2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  3. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, except for the tortillas, enchilada sauce, and green onions/cilantro.
  4. To each tortilla, add 1/2 cup to the center and spread it out, vertically.
  5. Roll up each tortilla and place in a baking dish. You might have to use a couple baking dishes.
  6. Repeat steps 3 & 4 until all of the filling and tortillas are used up.
  7. Pour enchilada sauce over tortillas.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges of the tortillas start to brown and crisp up.
  9. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and cilantro before serving!
  10. If you can tolerate some dairy, feel free to sprinkle some raw, grass fed cheddar on top or top with a dollop of sour cream!
  11. ENJOY!
Recipe Notes

* Paleo Tortilla/Crepes

  • for the tortillas, I make them in an 8 inch non stick pan for enchiladas. Each batch makes 5-7, depending on how thick you make them.

** You can substitute almond, cashew, or coconut milk instead. If using coconut milk, try to use the creamier part of it - unless you can find "culinary coconut milk" (that's similar to Nutpods!). If using almond or cashew milk, reduce amount to 1/3 cup.

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Korean BBQ Meatballs

February 2, 2018
Cuisine
Course

 

Print Recipe
 Korean BBQ Meatballs
Course Appetizers, Dinner
Cuisine BBQ, Korean
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings
meatballs
Ingredients
Korean BBQ Sauce
Korean meatballs:
Course Appetizers, Dinner
Cuisine BBQ, Korean
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings
meatballs
Ingredients
Korean BBQ Sauce
Korean meatballs:
Instructions
  1. In a deep, sauce pan over medium heat, add 1 tsp of ghee/oil and chopped green onions. Saute for 5 minutes or until soft. Set aside to cool.
  2. In the same pan, over medium heat, add all of BBQ sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until sauce has reduced slightly. Reduce the heat to low and cover while you prepare the meatballs.
  3. In a bowl, mix together the remaining meatball ingredients along with the cooled green onions.
  4. To the BBQ sauce, drop 2 tbsp size balls into the mixture until one layer has formed. It's ok if the meatballs are touching slightly, just DO NOT overcrowd the pan or try to stir them around just yet.
  5. Increase heat to medium, cover, cook for 3-5 minutes.
  6. Remove cover and shake the pan slightly. Gently flip each meatball. If you find that you do not have enough liquid in the pan, feel free to add about 3-4 tbsp of water.
  7. On top of the first layer of meatballs, add another layer of the meat mixture, in 2 tbsp size balls. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes - shaking the pan every few minutes to slightly move the meatballs around. Repeat until you have used up all of the meat.
  8. After 10 minutes, uncover the pan and gently flip the meatballs around, moving the ones from the bottom to the top. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until you're ready to serve!
  9. Serve these on top of cauliflower rice or as bite-sized appetizers!
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