Category Archives: Paleo

Spicy Maple Glazed Nuts

1 Reply

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

Leave a reply

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

Popcorn Ball Snowmen!

Leave a reply

Blog DIY Paleo Healthy Popcorn Ball Snowman-1I posted last week how to make these Healthy Popcorn Balls.

To be honest, I always had these envisioned in the back of my mind.  Weird?  Yes, but that’s me!

This was one of those times that I actually thought of an idea, and it ended up turning out pretty close to what I envisioned!!  Because obviously…that doesn’t always happen-proof here. 😉Blog DIY Paleo Healthy Popcorn Ball Snowman-2What you need…

  • Healthy Popcorn Balls
  • Pretzel Sticks
  • Chocolate Chips
  • Baby Carrots (cut into tiny slivers)
  • Seaweed (you could also use fruit leather!)

What to do…

  • Tightly pack 3 balls in varying sizes.  Stick all the various body parts in, and then pray he doesn’t fall over or fall apart hahaha.  Truth be told, mine kept falling over, and eventually fell apart.  Maya didn’t care!  She thought it was super cool and fun…so I’m still counting it as a WIN!!

Enjoy!dit-elle-Lauren

Healthy Popcorn Balls

1 Reply

I’ll admit.  I didn’t think anything could replace ooey gooey sticky sugary marshmallows for popcorn balls, BUT….these are so dang good!  No refined sugar, yet naturally sweetened with Raw Honey-YUM!!  Oh, and 3 ingredients for the WIN!!Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-5 Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-6 Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-7What you need… (made 15 balls)

  • 10 Cups of Popcorn (ok, so I cheated and used Skinny Pop)  Yes, I could have easily popped my own, and it’s SO unlike me to pay more for something I can do myself.  This is the exception.  I eat it everyday, and being able to just pour some into my bowl in 15 seconds?  WORTH EVERY PENNY!  And, it only has 3 ingredients too, so… :))  Oh, and 10 cups is a rough guestimate when you have a toddler reaching in and eating as we went… 😉
  • 1/4 Coconut Oil
  • 1/2 Raw Honey

What to do…

  • Melt coconut oil and honey together in a saucepan.Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-1
  • Drizzle over the bowl of popcorn, stirring as you go.  Then get down and dirty with your hands to make sure all the popcorn is evenly coated.Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-2
  • Put the bowl into the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to let it cool/solidify a little.
  • Scoop out in 1/2 scoops and really pack them into the balls.  They are still a little crumbly, and you need to reeeeeeally pack them.  I tried to let Maya help, but it really was more for her to feel included.  Hers just kept falling apart…aka…she ate as she packed. 😉Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-3
  • Refrigerate until you eat, and enjoy!! Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-4Check back, because I made the cutest little DIY edible craft out of these.  I honestly couldn’t believe it turned out exactly like I pictured in my head-that RARELY happens haha! 🙂

Enjoy!dit-elle-Lauren

Paleo Breakfast for Champions

Leave a reply

This is one of my favorite breakfasts – super quick and easy, healthy and tasty!

paleo breakfast eggs and veggies blog (2) paleo breakfast eggs and veggies blog (1)

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1-2 cloves garlic
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Fresh cut vegetables of your choice

Directions

  • Melt butter in pan, add sliced garlic and let saute for ~ 1 minute on medium heat (don’t let turn brown)
  • Crack eggs into pan and whisk with fork
  • Cook until firm and starting to brown
  • Serve with fresh veggies
  • Voila! Easy!

dit-elle-Esther

Baked Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Onion and…BACON!

Leave a reply

Because really…everything is better with bacon haha.  At least when you have teenage boys and want them to eat vegetables 😉

Blog Baked Brussels Sprouts Cauliflower Broccoli Bacon Paleo Whole30-1

What you need…

  • 1 head of broccoli
  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1 strand or bag of Brussels Sprouts
  • One Medium sized onion (really any kind would be good!)
  • 2 pieces of uncooked bacon
  • 1/2 cup of Olive Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic (or more if you like!)
  • Juice from half a lemon
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to tasteBlog Baked Brussels Sprouts Cauliflower Broccoli Bacon Paleo Whole30-2

What to do…

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Cut both broccoli and cauliflower into bit sized pieces.
  • Cut ends of the Brussels Sprouts and peel off the outter layer.  Then cut in half.
  • Dice onion into 1/2 inch wedges.
  • Scatter all the veggies on a baking sheet.
  • Dice bacon into 1/2 by 1/4 inch slices and scatter over the veggies.
  • Mix Olive Oil, Garlic, and Lemon in a bowl.
  • Pour the mixture over the veggies and toss until they are all coated.  You may need a little extra olive oil to drizzle over.  Salt and pepper to liking.
  • Bake for 25-35 minutes.  I like mine a little more charred, but others don’t, so I do a happy medium 🙂Blog Baked Brussels Sprouts Cauliflower Broccoli Bacon Paleo Whole30-3Thanks to my mom for the inspiration!

ENJOY!dit-elle-Lauren

Turkey and Potato Soup with Canadian Bacon and Sage

Leave a reply

Still have turkey leftovers? This is a fabulous soup to use some of those leftovers. Canadian bacon or pancetta gives the soup a great well rounded flavor and the mashed potatoes and turkey gives it a sense of comfort and warmth. The sage just makes it additionally interesting. A great fall or winter soup!

turkey potato sage soup blog (2) turkey potato sage soup blog (1)

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 1 large carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1 or more oz Canadian bacon, chopped
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 3 cups chopped cooked turkey (I cubed it, but think it would be good shaved as well)
  • 2 1/2 cups mashed cooked peeled baking potatoes
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage and additional fresh sage leaves for garnish
  • fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions

  • Heat butter in large pot, add onions and cook for a few minutes
  • Add celery, carrots, bacon and cook for another 5 minutes until onions are translucent
  • Add broth, turkey, potatoes and sage, stirring with whisk until blended
  • Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes
  • Garnish with fresh sage

This soup freezes very well!

dit-elle-Esther

Winter Squash and Apple Soup

3 Replies

Washington State is the apple capital of the world and are lucky to get an abundance of different varieties, especially in fall! This is a lovely soup using apples and celeriac (celery root) as the main ingredients. It is wonderful served simply with fresh apples and drizzled with olive oil, or make a full meal out of it by serving with some Winter Squash and Apple Galette or Bacon Wrapped Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates! 🙂

wintersquash and apple soup blog (2)

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 pounds celeriac, peeled and diced
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
3 apples – peeled, cored and diced and more for garnish
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 to 6 cups vegetable stock
Truffle or olive oil, to garnish
Preparation
Heat oil in a heavy stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and bay leaf, cooking for 1 additional minute. Add celeriac, potatoes and apples; cook until soft, about 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and deglaze the pot with wine, cooking until almost evaporated. Pour in enough vegetable stock to cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until celeriac and potatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and let soup cool slightly. Carefully puree soup until smooth (either with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender or food processor). Return soup to the stove to reheat, adding additional stock if too thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. To serve, drizzle with truffle or olive oil and fresh slices of apple.

Thanks PCC Natural Markets!

dit-elle-Esther

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken Sausage, Carrots, and Avocado

Leave a reply

I don’t know why it took me so long to try spaghetti squash, but now that I have…I’m hooked!!

I won’t lie and tell you that it tastes like pasta, or that you will never crave pasta again, but…it’s a great healthy alternative, and a great way to get your kiddos to eat veggies!

I’m pretty lucky that Maya will eat just about everything.  She will even sit down with a bowl of raw veggies as a snack!  The teenage boys are another matter.  I have to figure out ways to hide veggies in things.  The first few times I made this, I added about half a box of veggie pasta, and they devoured it!!  I made this version when it was just me and Maya.  She devoured it, and I think I might actually try it out on the boys!   Or…add some quinoa?  Really, you can add whatever you want or eat as is!

The avocado adds a creamy healthy fat.  I mean…what isn’t better with avocado on top??!Blog Whole 30 Paleo Spaghetti Squash with Carrots and Avocado-1 Blog Whole 30 Paleo Spaghetti Squash with Carrots and Avocado-2What you need…

  • 1 spaghetti squash
  • 4-5 Pre-cooked Chicken Sausages (I used True Story Organic Italian Chicken Sausages)
  • 1/2 a large yellow onion (or one small) diced
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1/4 Teaspoon crushed garlic (not necessary)
  • Large Handful of baby carrots sliced 4 ways lengthwise (use pre-shredded to save time!)
  • 1 Jar of your favorite Pasta Sauce (check labels if you are strict on paleo or whole 30)
  • 1 Large Avocado

What you do…

  • Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
  • Cut the ends off your spaghetti squash, cut lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds.
  • Place it flesh side down in a pan that has about 1/4 of water.  I like to sprinkle sea salt and thyme in the water, because I swear the squash absorbs some of it!  You could use any kind of herb!  Cover with tin foil and bake for 35-40 minutes or until flesh is soft.
  • While the spaghetti squash is cooking, dice up your onions, and add it to a large pan with a little bit of olive oil and crushed garlic.
  • While the onions are cooking cut up your baby carrots, or add the shredded carrots in after the onions have been cooking for about 5 minutes.
  • While the onions and carrots are cooking, dice up your chicken sausage.
  • Add the chicken sausage into the mix and stir until hot.
  • Add the jar of pasta sauce and let it simmer until the spaghetti squash is done.
  • Once spaghetti squash is done, take it out and let it cool for about 5 minutes.  I usually am too impatient and just hold it with an oven mitt haha 🙂
  • Scrape the insides of the squash out into your pan.  You can get almost ALL the flesh out, leaving only a thin skin.
  • Toss it all together, and top with diced avocado!

Blog Whole 30 Paleo Spaghetti Squash with Carrots and Avocado-3It’s been so cold and blustery here in Seattle.  2 bowls of this, and a cozy blanket just sounded like heaven.  And..it was 🙂 Blog Whole 30 Paleo Spaghetti Squash with Carrots and Avocado-4 Blog Whole 30 Paleo Spaghetti Squash with Carrots and Avocado-5Ps- Don’t be afraid to let your children help you.  Maya wanted to help me stir, and at first I thought about all the different ways she could make a mess-PASTA SAUCE!  Then…I put an apron on her and let her.  Her exact words.

“Oh BOY!  This is AWESOME!!!”

Blog Cooking with Toddlers(taken with my phone)  And the hand behind her back??  LOVE!!!

Enjoy!dit-elle-Lauren

Kale Waldorf Salad

Leave a reply

This is a fantastic kale salad! You can make it in a few minutes with the right tools – I use a food processor and run the veggies through the slicer blade. And yes – you eat the kale raw and it is delicious! 🙂

kale waldorf salad blog (2) kale waldorf salad blog (1)

Salad ingredients

  • 1 large bunch curly green kale, rinsed
  • 1-2 apples
  • 2-3 stalks celery
  • 1/2 cup nuts or pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup raisins, dried appricots, figs, dates or cranberries, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup red grapes, halved (or whole, to save time!)

Dressing

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • Juice from a small lemon
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • Salt/pepper to taste

Directions

  • Run the kale, apples and celery through the food processor on the slicer blade
  • Toss with nuts or seeds, raisins or grapes
  • Mix the dressing ingredients and toss with salad
  • Keeps very well covered in refrigerator for several days

Excellent with poached or fried eggs – paleo breakfast for champions!

dit-elle-Esther