Category Archives: Food

Pomegranate

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Pomegranates.. what a sweet and juicy and beautiful fruit. Each seed is like a small sparkling ruby. Pomegranates are supposed to be a super food (remember the pomegranate juice craze?), but we think they are just delicious as is and love adding them to all sorts of recipes when the fruit is available.. usually winter season. I add the seeds to drinks (see my New Years Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail here), salads, yogurt, as garnish to oatmeal or cereal for the kids, in fruit salad, or just.. plain!

When I was in Barcelona a few months ago, a restaurant I visited one day served pomegranate seeds in a small oval bowl for dessert. I also learned from a friend that in Persia they sprinkle a little salt on the seeds before eating.. sound a little odd? Try it! Delicious!

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dit-elle-Esther

4 Ingredient Healthy Banana Maple Sunbutter Mini Muffins!

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Every once in a while, I stumble upon a food blogger than not only makes me want to make every single recipe they post, but also…makes me die laughing!

One of those would be Arman, from The Big Man’s World.

I finally dove in on his Healthy 4 Ingredient Chunky Banana Bread, but subbed out the almond butter for Sun Butter (I have a bit of a nut intolerance and with most schools being nut free now, it’s all we eat + YUM!)

I made them into mini muffins instead of a loaf, because…portion control 😉  He is totally right.  The texture is gooey deliciousness!!  I mean, is there ever an adjective that makes you want to dive into a dessert other than “gooey”???!!  No. 🙂Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-1 Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-2 Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-3What you need… (made 19 mini muffins)

  • 3 cups overripe banana, mashed roughly
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
  • 1/2 cup smooth Sun Butter (can sub for any nut butter, if you’d like)
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

What to do…

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease mini muffin tins
  • In a large mixing bowl mash bananas til they are smooth with a few chunks.
  • Add in sifted coconut flour, sun butter, and maple syrup.  If spills occur, guess on how much more to add 😉  Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-6 Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-7 Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-8
  • Lick the measuring cup…oh, wait 🙂  BUT…the great thing about only 4 ingredients (with no eggs!) is that you totally CAN lick the spoon and measuring cup worry free!  Although, let’s be real.  In my day, I made cookie dough with eggs and ate so much dough while making them, that I didn’t even want the cookies. 😉 I turned out just fine, but…whatever.  Play it safe, no?Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-4 Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-5
  • Spoon out about 1/4 cup into each mini tin.  Or, if you want to make regular muffins, until they look like this.  They don’t rise much.Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-9
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden on top. Remove from oven and allow to sit until completely cool. Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-10Enjoy!dit-elle-Lauren

 

Apple, Whipped Cream and Cinnamon Almond Parfait

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This is a traditional Norwegian dish called “Tilslorte Brudepiker”. The literal translation is “veiled bridesmaids”. Sound lovely? It is! It is a beautiful dessert but surprisingly simple.. layers of apple sauce, cream and toasted almond meal with sugar and cinnamon. It’s one of those dishes you remember forever..

The recipe usually calls for toasted breadcrumbs or cookie crumbs but as mentioned I used almond meal, a little sugar and cinnamon, and it was perfect! Using different shaped glasses (flutes, punch, or even a large glass serving bowl), you can have a lot of fun with the presentation. Enjoy!

norwegian apple trifle blog (4) norwegian apple trifle blog (3) norwegian apple trifle blog (2) norwegian apple trifle blog (1)

Ingredients

  • Apple sauce, unsweetened)
  • Cream (you can whip it yourself with some vanilla and sugar or just get a can of whipping cream like I do for super short cut!)
  • 1/2 cup almond meal
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1-tsps cinnamon

Directions

  • In a skillet melt butter on low and add almond meal and sugar and cinnamon, stir constantly and do not let burn or get too toasty! You just want slightly toasted almond meal and to melt and crystalize the sugar a bit so that you get a crunchy topping.
  • In clear glasses (for individual servings) or in a large glass bowl (for group serving) layer applesauce, whipped cream, and almond mixture two or three times.. ending with a topping of the almond mixture.
  • Serve immediately.
  • Enjoy!

dit-elle-Esther

Marzipan Cookies

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Marzipan Cookies are awesome because they are slightly less rich than pure marzipan, use only three ingredients, and are chewy and delicious!

marzipan cookies (3) marzipan cookies (2) marzipan cookies (1)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 – 1 1/2 cups almond meal
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 egg whites
  • whole raw almonds (optional)

Directions

  • In food processor mix almond meal and sugar
  • Add egg whites until a stiff dough forms
  • Remove from food processor and knead with a little almond meal as needed so that a workable dough forms
  • Shape 1″ diameter balls and press down on cookie sheet with an almond in the middle if desired
  • Bake at 350 for ~12 minutes or until edges just start to turn golden
  • These store very well in an airtight container in freezer for a few weeks!

dit-elle-Esther

Crock Pot Rosemary Pork Loin with Apples + Onions | Paleo + Whole30

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Every time I make a meal in my crock pot, I think…

“WHY don’t I do this more often!??”  As in…ever single day?! HA!

Alas, I get brain dead with the day to day, and fail to think ahead.  That is pretty much the only prep time with a crock pot meal.  Thinking of it ahead of time.  Once you do.  You toss everything in to the pot in the morning/early afternoon.  Your entire house smells amazing ALL DAY LONG, and then when it’s dinner time-it’s DONE!  Seriously, what’s better than that??

NOT MUCH. 😉

BUT…can we all agree that crock pot meat does NOT look appealing?  Everything you cook ends up looking about the same color, BUT all that really matters is that it tastes delicious!  I may have thrown a few greens on top to break up the monotony haha 🙂  I snapped these pictures about 5 minutes before we ate dinner, as always (with a flash *UGH*)…yet wished I could have made the meal look a liiiiiiiittle more appetizing.  Styling dreams that may never come true.

Added bonus?  The meat easily shreds, so no slicing on a cutting board necessary, aka child friendly and one less thing to clean!! Blog Paleo Whole30 Crock Pot Rosemary Pork Loin Apples Onions-1 Blog Paleo Whole30 Crock Pot Rosemary Pork Loin Apples Onions-2 Blog Paleo Whole30 Crock Pot Rosemary Pork Loin Apples Onions-3What You Need…

  • Pork Loin (depends on how many people you want to feed) I used one pack from Costco, which is equivalent to 2 small ones from other grocery stores.
  • 1 Can of Chicken Stock (have it cover about half the pork loin)
  • 1  teaspoon Rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 small apples or one large apple  (I used Gala, but any strong flavor type would be good)
  • 2 small onions or one large onion
  • 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
  • Salt and pepper to taste

What to do…

  • Chop the onion and apple into approximately 1 inch slices.
  • Layer everything into your Crock Pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours or or low for 7-8 hours.
  • THAT’S IT! 🙂

Serve with any kind of side or all by itself!

Enjoy!dit-elle-Lauren

Marzipan Chocolate Miniature Sandwiches

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I grew up making marzipan, but just last year discovered the secret ingredient to marzipan perfection.. rose water! See the recipe here. This year I made tiny Marzipan “sandwiches” for a holiday party. You roll a bit of marzipan into a ball and press two discs of chocolate to make the sandwich. I found dark chocolate ‘discs’ at the local gourmet foods grocery store, but chocolate coins could work well too! Because the marzipan is quite sweet, the less sweet dark chocolate is a nice complement!

I made these for Christmas, but marzipan is popular year round in Scandinavia and Germany (especially again around Easter).

marzipan chocolate sandwich blog (4) marzipan chocolate sandwich blog (3) marzipan chocolate sandwich blog (2) marzipan chocolate sandwich blog (1)

Ingredients

  • One batch of Marzipan (you can also find this pre-made at some grocery stores.. look for almond paste if not marzipan)
  • Chocolate ‘discs’ (dark chocolate, should be around 1″ in diameter)

Directions

  • Roll a bit of marzipan into a ball (the size of a large marble) and press two discs of chocolate to make the sandwich.
  • Store in an air tight container and refrigerated for a week or more, or frozen for a month or so!

Super Mom Tip: Marzipan has the consistency of play dough and is a lot of fun for (older) kids to roll into various shapes and cut out with small cookie cutters, or decorate with chocolate chips!

Enjoy!

dit-elle-Esther

Rosemary Almonds

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Earlier this week I published Spicy Maple Glazed Nuts. Enjoy the more savory notes of the rosemary almonds, below!

rosemary almonds blog (2) rosemary almonds blog (1)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups raw almonds
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions

  • Heat oven to 350*
  • In a bowl, combine almonds, syrup, rosemary and salt
  • Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until toasted and golden brown, about 10 minutes

dit-elle-Esther

Spicy Maple Glazed Nuts

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Nothing fills the house with the comforting warmth of holiday cheer like toasted nuts.

I made a bunch of new dishes over the Christmas holiday that I will post here in the next few weeks. Related posts include Rosemary Almonds and Spiced Honey Almonds!

These Spicy Maple Glazed Nuts are wonderfully delicious – sweet, salty and a little spicy! A great holiday treat, but really.. who doesn’t like glazed nuts any time a year? Great for gifts, taking to parties, as an appetizer with cheese, meat and fresh fruit perhaps, or a simple dessert!

spicy candied nuts blog (2) spicy candied nuts blog (1)

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used 1 tsp cayenne and it was perfectly spicy.. for my taste, but keep in mind a little goes a long way. If you are sensitive to spice, just omit this ingredient!)
  • 4 cups shelled nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pecans)
  • 3 tablespoons turbinado or muscovado sugar

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 250° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  • In a large saucepan combine butter, syrup, water, salt, cinnamon and chili powder. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, then mix in nuts and stir to coat evenly.
  • Spread nuts in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake 30 to 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes (I forgot this part and the nuts were fine!).
  • Spread on waxed or parchment paper to cool.
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Thanks PCC Natural Markets!

dit-elle-Esther

Gingersnap Cookies // Paleo, Nut Free

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Happy NEW YEAR!!!

Truth be told, I made these last week.  I’m not going to lie.  I almost said &*^% it to the cookies for Santa this year (BAD MOMMY!!!), but…someone kept me honest.  AND…I’m always on the hunt for a healthier version of a cookie that I love.  Honestly, I set out to make Gingerbread men…decorated and all.  AND THEN…life happened.  So, honestly, we are lucky these cookies happened at all!  Our entire family is a sucker for gingersnaps, so I thought this might be the perfect thing to try.

The biggest dilemma (in my opinion!) is underbaking vs overbaking vs just right baking.  WHO KNOWS??!!  I’m usually a fan of underbaking.  The ooey gooey goodness is spot on as far as I’m concerned.  BUT…when you are talking Ginger SNAP…well, snap leads you towards the more crunchy aspect, no?

I cooked the two batches a little differently.  One for a little longer, and one for a little less.  I’m still on the fence about which one I liked better ha!Blog Paleo Nut Free Ginger Snap Cookies-1 Blog Paleo Nut Free Ginger Snap Cookies-2 What you need…(makes 2 dozen cookies)

  • 1 cup Sun Butter (you could use any nut butter if you have no dietary restrictions)
  • 3 Tablespoons Pure Molasses
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger root
  • 3/4 cup coconut sugar
  • ¼ cup coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pumpkin spice (originally called for all spice)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • A pinch of freshly ground pepper (sounded weird to me, but I went with it ha!)

 

What to do…

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  I wouldn’t skip this as they really are pretty gooey and sticky.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or by hand, beat together the sun butter, molasses, eggs and freshly grated ginger until smooth.  It’s STICKY, as an fyi, so hand mixers won’t work as well because they just get really stuck in all the blades…I actually tried, and then switched over.  Not a deal breaker, just a warning 🙂
  • Into a medium bowl, sift together coconut sugar, coconut flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, salt and pepper.
  • Slowly add the sugar and spice mixture to the almond butter mixture while mixing on low until just combined.
  • Drop the dough by the rounded Tablespoons about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.Blog Paleo Nut Free Ginger Snap Cookies-3
  • Bake for about 10-12 minutes of you want a softer cookie go on the 10 side, crisper on the 12 side.
  • Cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets out of the oven then transfer the parchment paper with the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.Blog Paleo Nut Free Ginger Snap Cookies-4Maya deciding exactly which one she wanted 😉 Blog Paleo Nut Free Ginger Snap Cookies-5 Blog Paleo Nut Free Ginger Snap Cookies-6

Adapted from Gourmand In The Kitchen- Thank you!

dit-elle-Lauren

Pistachio Cherry Bark

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Chocolate bark is a lovely and festive holiday treat! This was my first batch and it was easy to make and as delicious as it looks. I used crushed pistachios and pecans, dried cherries, toasted coconut and sea salt to top melted dark chocolate – make this for an easy dessert, hostess gift or party favor! 🙂

Pistachio Cherry Bark blog (4) Pistachio Cherry Bark blog (3)  Pistachio Cherry Bark blog (2) Pistachio Cherry Bark blog (1)

Ingredients

  • 5 oz dark chocolate (e.g. 65-70% cacao), roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • Parchment paper
  • 3 Tbsp crushed pistachios
  • 3 Tbsp crushed pecans
  • 3 Tbsp toasted coconut flakes
  • 3 Tbsp dried cherries, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt

Directions

  • In a double boiler or heatproof bowl over simmering water, melt chocolate, coconut oil and syrup, stirring until just melted and smooth.
  • Pour onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread with spatula until 1/4 inch thick.
  • Top with nuts, coconut flakes, cherries and salt
  • Freeze until set, about 3 hours
  • Remove and break into pieces
  • Serve chilled
  • Store in airtight container in cool place

dit-elle-Esther