Category Archives: Food

Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella and Watermelon Skewers

We’re having another “heat wave” (Seattle doesn’t really know what to do when it’s 80+ degrees (except celebrate perhaps). Get to 90+ though and we start melting). With no air conditioning, we try not to cook and bake much, instead we head to the lake for picnic dinners or grill on our deck. These skewers require no grilling or cooking however and are totally summer, totally simple, and totally delicious.

We had these at a wedding few weeks ago in California. It was the perfect appetizer.

You skewer cherry tomatoes, cubed mozzarella, cubed watermelon and fresh basil leaves. Then drizzle with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette and serve! So easy!

Ingredients

Cherry tomatoes
Watermelon, slice into 1″ cubes
Mozzarella, cubed
Fresh basil leaves
Balsamic vinaigrette
Skewers (look for bamboo knot cocktail / Hors’ D’oeuvre picks)

Directions

Skewer tomatoes, watermelon and cheese with basil layered in
Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve
Enjoy!

Orange Cake

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This is a totally delicious cake! Eat it for breakfast or dress it up for high tea or dessert! You can enjoy this as is for paleo goodness, or add an optional sweet and citrusy glaze to make it even more amazing!

Though I haven’t tried it, Elana (from Elanaspantry.com) says there’s a Starbucks version out there that tastes just like this one.

The one tricky part of this recipe is that you have to boil oranges for 90 minutes. So plan ahead. The oranges are low maintenance while cooking, but keep an eye so you don’t run out of water. As an extra bonus, your house will be filled with a refreshing and natural citrusy aroma! 🙂

Ingredients

2 oranges
4 large eggs
1/2 cup agave nectar or honey (original recipe says 3/4 cup)
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 tsp celtic sea salt
1 tsp baking soda

Glaze (optional)

1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 orange, thinly sliced for decoration

Instructions

Wash the oranges and boil them whole (peel and all) for 1 ½ hours, or until soft
Place whole oranges (peel and all) in a food processor and blend until smooth
Process in eggs, agave, almond flour, salt and baking soda until well blended
Pour batter into a greased 9 inch cake pan
Bake at 375° for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean
Cool in the pan for 2 hours
Make glaze by working orange juice into powdered sugar. You can add more/less liquid to get desired consistency. Pour onto cake and even out with spatula. Decorate with optional orange slices.
Enjoy or refrigerate for a few days (if you can keep from eating it up)! 🙂

Thanks for the inspiration Elanaspantry.com!

Red, White and Blueberry Popsicles

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These popsicles were inspired by our favorite summer ingredients – strawberries, blueberries, coconut milk! This is a great project for kids to help with. Getting molds ready, selecting ingredients, sampling the flavors! Have fun! 🙂

Ingredients

Red

1 cup strawberries
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
add some water if too thick

White

1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream

Blue

1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup coconut milk
add some water if too thick

Directions

Blend individual popsicle batches and pour into molds in layers. And yes, layers may bleed a little (but this is the quickest way to do this!) and hey, give a pretty marbled effect! 🙂

There is another version using berries/water/honey on Elana’s Pantry that is worth checking out also! http://elanaspantry.com/red-white-and-blueberry-popsicles/

Lemon Basil Cookies

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My basil plant has been loving the heat wave in Seattle and growing like crazy! These lemon basil cookies are great for breakfast or as a quick snack – keep in the freezer for a yummy cold paleo cookie treat! Grain free, dairy free, soy free, egg free! Ingredients

2 cups blanched almond flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup coconut butter
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions

Combine almond flour and baking soda in a food processor
Pulse in coconut butter, honey, basil, and lemon zest
Scoop dough one level tablespoon at a time onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet
Press balls of dough down to flatten
Bake at 350° for 6-10 minutes
Cool for 2 hours
Serve or freeze for an easy protein rich snack!

Inspired and modified. Thanks Elanaspantry.com

Strawberry Balsamic Granita

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It’s been so hot in Seattle that all I can think of making is frozen treats! Granita is an Italian dessert made of sugar, water and flavor or juice and is very easy to make.

Also check out Lemon Granita and Cranberry Jalapeno Granita!

Ingredients

10 ounces fresh strawberries (about 2½ cups), hulled
1/4 cup coconut sugar, or to taste
1 cup water
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
More balsamic vinegar for topping (optional)

Preparation

Combine berries and sugar in a food processor until smooth. Stir in water and vinegar. Transfer to a glass baking dish and freeze for 30 minutes.
Thoroughly scrape the entire pan with a fork, breaking up ice crystals. Repeat freezing and scraping process every 30 minutes, until granita is firm but not frozen solid, 2 to 4 hours.
Spoon into small glasses and serve.
Garnish with a fresh strawberry and a few drops of balsamic vinegar (optional)

Thanks PCC Natural Markets for the inspiration!

Cranberry Jalapeno Granita

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A deliciously refreshing icy dessert for hot summer days (or Christmas holiday season). The Jalapeno adds a bit of heat (you can remove the seeds for a milder taste), so this is not really a kid dessert. Someone mentioned topping oysters on the half shell with this spicy-sweet ice, but I have not been that brave yet. 🙂

Ingredients

2 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1/3 cup sugar
4 mint sprigs
1 jalapeno pepper, slices
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Directions

Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to boil
Cover and remove from het, let stand for 15 minutes
Strain cranberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a baking dish, discard solids
Cool to room temperature, stir in lime juice
Cover and freeze.
Once frozen, remove mixture from freezer and scrape with a fork until fluffy
Serve and enjoy with a mint sprig for garnish

Red, White, and Blue Salad | Happy 4th of July!

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So, I’m not recreating the wheel by any means with this salad, but for those of you that need inspiration for a 4th of July dinner/picnic…done 🙂 All of these items are from Trader Joe’s 🙂 Ingredients

Mixed Greens
Kale Broccoli Mix
Blueberries
Beets
Raspberries
Goat Cheese
Cranberry Walnut Vinagrette What to do
Dice up the beets, and toss it all together-DONE! Enjoy and Happy 4th of July!

Paleo Plum Pie with Crumb Topping

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This is a totally delicious breakfast, snack or dessert. Make it when plums are in season and top with ice-cream or Greek yogurt for some totally non-paleo deliciousness! 🙂

Ingredients

For the crust

2 cups almond meal
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 egg
dash of salt (optional)

For the filling

4 cups sliced plums
1/3 cup coconut sugar
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder (I used 1 Tbsp potato starch instead since I didn’t have arrowroot powder)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the topping

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup almond meal
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
3 tablespoons coconut sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Place almond meal and salt in a food processor and pulse briefly. Add coconut oil and egg and pulse until mixture forms a ball, adding a little water if necessary to make dough stick. Press dough into a 9-inch pie dish.
Toss together filling ingredients in a bowl; arrange in pie crust and pour remaining liquid over the top.
Stir together topping ingredients and crumble over filling.
Bake until the filling is tender and the top is golden, 35 to 45 minutes.

Thanks PCC Natural Markets for the inspiration!

Healthy Bake at Home Pizza

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Some nights pizza just sounds good. Ok, most nights pizza sounds good haha, but that’s not going to happen… I love trying to make healthy options that our teenage boys will still like. Do they like it as good as our favorite delivery? No…but they still chow it down, and I feel good. Oh, and it’s pretty easy too!Ingredients

Pizza crust or ready made frozen cheese pizza of your choice (you can find gluten free options easily now!) I used Costco’s Frozen Cheese pizza-not greasy at ALL!
Aidell’s Chicken Sausage (I used apple), diced. Amount varies on how many you are feeding.
Red, Yellow, and Orange Bell Peppers (diced) Amound varies on how many you are feeding.
1 Avocado diced
Handful of BasilWhat to do
LOAD the pizza up with the chicken sausage and peppers. That way, everyone is filling up on healthy stuff! Cook as per directions.
Once cooked, top with avocado and basil and serve it up!

Enjoy!

Potato Egg Baskets

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Potatoes, eggs, prosciutto and some herbs all in one! These are a very pretty addition to a breakfast or brunch spread, or keep in the freezer for a great protein snack!

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and grated (super fast – run potatoes through your food processor with grater blade)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
12 eggs
3 slices prosciutto, chopped
2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425° F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
Combine potatoes, butter, 1/4 cup cheese, salt and pepper in a bowl. Divide potato mixture evenly among prepared muffin tin and gently press to form a thin layer on the bottom and sides of each cup.
Bake until just golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350° F.
Gently crack 1 egg into each potato basket. Sprinkle with prosciutto, chives and parsley.  Top each egg with remaining cheese.
Return to the oven and bake until eggs are set, 10 to 13 minutes. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper before serving.

Thanks PCC Natural Markets!

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