Tag Archives: gluten-free

Lemon Granita

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Well, it’s pushing 90 in Seattle this week which really is not bad given the damp chilly weather we had this winter. OK, 90 does start to feel a little hot, but that’s when you make awesome Lemon Granita! 🙂

Blog lemon honey granita

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar (or 2/3 cups honey)
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons chopped fresh basil, mint, lemon balm or rosemary (optional)
  • 1 1/4 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest

Preparation

  • Combine water and sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
  • Remove from heat and stir in optional fresh herbs. Cool to room temperature; strain.
  • Stir together herbed simple syrup, lemon juice and zest. Transfer to a non-reactive baking dish and freeze for 30 minutes. Thoroughly scrape the entire pan with a fork, breaking up ice crystals. Repeat this 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.

Thanks and inspired by the PCC Granita de Limone recipe!

dit-elle-Esther

Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes // Gluten Free

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What makes Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins even better?  FROSTING!! 🙂  I didn’t have any cream cheese on hand, so I thought I’d try something with goat cheese.  I love getting creative with what’s on hand!Blog Healthy Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes-1 Blog Healthy Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes-2I left the room for a minute.  When I came back, Maya had taken a bite out of every carrot and was working her way through this one 🙂Blog Healthy Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes-3Blog Healthy Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes-4I’m reposting the recipe for the muffins turned cupcakes 🙂

Ingredients (makes 12)

Muffins

  • 4-5 small organic carrots (about a cup)
  • 1/2 Cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 6 Medjul Dates (pitted)
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/8th teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/8th teaspoon salt
  • 1/8th teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8th teaspoon grated fresh ginger (I cheat and use this)
  • 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Pure Organic Honey
  • 1 Cup Cooked Quinoa
  • 1/4 Cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Frosting

  • 3 oz goat cheese (I get the little individual 1 oz packs from Trader Joe’s)
  • 2 6 oz containers of Non Fat Greek Yogurt
  • 1 Tablespoon Pure Organic Honey

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • Peel and break in half the carrots and pulse in a Cuisinart til shredded.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse til blended.
  • Scoop 1/4 of a cup of the mixture into muffin tins
  • Sprinkle shredded coconut on top
  • Bake for 50-55 minutes.
  • Place a big dollop of frosting on and ENJOY!
  • These are really moist.  I’m not sure why.  They don’t do well if you seal them up in a container, so just refrigerate what doesn’t get gobbled up immediately, and they will not dry out.

Nutritional Facts (I entered all the ingredients into Calorie Count)

Cupcakes

Serves 12 //  Calories per frosted cupcake- 160 // Total Fat- 5.9g // Saturated Fat- 3.9g // Cholestererol- 35mg // Sodium- 178mg  // Total Carbohydrates-18.7g // Dietary Fiber-1.5 // Sugars- 12.6g // Protein- 8g

dit-elle-Lauren

Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

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I’ll admit…these were my 2nd attempt.  I’ve been wanting to make a carrot cake version of the Banana Muffins I made, and my first attempt were just a liiiiiittle too healthy tasting haha.  Maya gobbled them up, but that’s not really saying much 😉  So…I made them a little bit sweeter, and loved them!  There’s still no refined sugar, so they are much healthier than the standard carrot cake.  They are super moist, not heavy like other carrot cakes, and delicious!Blog Healthy Paleo Carrot Cake Muffins-1 Blog Healthy Paleo Carrot Cake Muffins-2 Blog Healthy Paleo Carrot Cake Muffins-3 Blog Healthy Paleo Carrot Cake Muffins-4

Ingredients (makes 12 muffins)

  • 4-5 small organic carrots (about a cup)
  • 1/2 Cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 6 Medjul Dates (pitted)
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/8th teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/8th teaspoon salt
  • 1/8th teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8th teaspoon grated fresh ginger (I cheat and use this)
  • 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Pure Organic Honey
  • 1 Cup Cooked Quinoa
  • 1/4 Cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • Peel and break in half the carrots and pulse in a Cuisinart til shredded.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse til blended.
  • Scoop 1/4 of a cup of the mixture into muffin tins
  • Sprinkle shredded coconut on top
  • Bake for 50-55 minutes.
  • These are really moist.  I’m not sure why.  They don’t do well if you seal them up in a container, so just leave them out and they will not dry out.  Enjoy!

Nutritional Facts (I entered all the ingredients into Calorie Count)

Serves 12 //  Calories per muffin- 98 // Total Fat- 3.4g // Saturated Fat- 2.2g // Cholestererol- 27mg // Sodium- 146mg // Potassium- 198mg // Total Carbohydrates-15.1g // Dietary Fiber-1.5 // Sugars- 9g // Protein- 2.2gdit-elle-Lauren

Five Ingredient Baked Chicken Curry

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OK, this recipe was inspired because my cupboards were (almost) bare one day and I did not have many ingredients available. This turned out DELISH! The sweet raisins balance with the heat of the curry, creaminess of the coconut milk and tomatoes. Yum!

Blog five ingredient curry chicken

Ingredients

  • 4 Chicken breasts or 6 thighs
  • 2 Tbsp curry powder
  • 1 can coconut milk (full fat)
  • Handful of raisins
  • 1 can diced or crushed tomatoes

Directions

  • Heat tomatoes, coconut milk and curry powder in a saucepan over medium heat.
  • When warm and combined pour over chicken and raisins in glass baking dish
  • Bake (covered in tinfoil) for ~45-60 minutes or until chicken registers done on your cooking thermometer
  • Serve with shredded carrot or other salad and fresh cut cucumbers. Voila!

dit-elle-Esther

Paleo Warm Peach Salad with Apple Cider Dressing

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I used the dressing from the Warm Butternut Squash Salad recipe, and basically just threw some perfectly ripe peaches in there instead of the butternut squash.  It was easy and delicious!Blog Paleo Warm Peach Salad-1

Ingredients

  • 1-2 Ripe Peaches (depending on their size and how many people you need to feed)
  • Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 3/4 C Pure no sugar added Apple Cider
  • 2 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 Diced Shallots or I’ve also used 1/3 C diced red onion
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 4-5 cups (or really, you choose depending on how many mouths you have to feed!) of spinach or arugula.  I personally LOVE arugula, but our boys don’t.  When I make this for friends, it’s arugula.  When I make it for the family-spinach.  It wilts down a little when you pour the warm dressing over it, so put in more than you think you need.

Directions

  •  Combine cider, vinegar, onions/or shallots, and a little salt and pepper in a small sauce pan.  Bring that to a boil and stir for about 6-7 minutes so that it reduces.  Take off heat and whisk in mustard.  (original recipe calls for adding a 1/2 a cup of olive oil now, but I forgot to do that once.  It tasted fine, so I’ve left it out ever since :))  You choose!
  • Place salad greens in a large bowl.  Toss in peaches and dressing.  Pepper to taste.
  • You can also toss in nuts of your choice and sprinkle with a cheese of your choosing.
  • dit-elle-Lauren

Blueberry Paleo Muffins

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Yum yum yum. I love that these are dairy free, gluten free, and nut free! Oh, and delicious!

Blog blueberrypaleomuffins2 Blog blueberrypaleomuffins1

Ingredients

  • ½ cup coconut flour, sifted
  • small dash of sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 6 eggs
  • ⅓ cup agave nectar
  • ⅓ cup grapeseed oil (I used coconut oil, butter is great as well)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda
  2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, agave, grapeseed oil and vanilla and blend well with a hand blender
  3. Mix dry ingredients into wet, blending with a hand mixer
  4. Gently fold in blueberries
  5. Place batter into a paper lined muffin pan
  6. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes
  7. Cool and serve

Thanks Elana’s Pantry!

dit-elle-Esther

Deer Tacos

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Adam brought back some deer last hunting season – and had some of it ground up with hamburger fat (deer is VERY lean) to make burgers or tacos. It’s a little gamey so the seasoning in this recipe helps.. but talk about grass fed, all natural and paleo!

Blog deertacos1

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground meat (deer, beef, buffalo)
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-2 tsps ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, adds heat)
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 1 chopped tomato
  • 1 cup lettuce, finely chopped
  • 1 cup cheese, shredded (Mexican blend works well)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 lime, cut in wedges

Directions

  • Heat oil and add onion and buffalo
  • Cook for a few minutes, then add garlic, and continue to cook – stirring to crumble
  • Add seasoning and stir well to combine
  • Warm tortillas and assemble by spooning meat mixture and layering the veggies, cheese and sour cream
  • Serve with lime wedges and cilantro as garnish

dit-elle-Esther

Frozen Raspberry Cashew Cream Cake

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It reached 90 degrees last week and the forecast is for 80+ all week. Yay!!!! This is when Seattle seems the most gorgeous place to live – snow capped mountains in the east and west, lake Washington on one side, the sound (ocean) on the other, green and lush and blue sky covering it all. Anyway, who wants to bake or cook when it’s 90 degrees out? Not me! We’re a little helpless here when it gets above 90 as most houses do not have A/C. Need a cool dessert? This is a no bake, super easy, frosty treat! Oh, and paleo(ish)! 🙂

Blog frozen raspberry paleo tart Blog frozen raspberry paleo tart 3 Blog frozen raspberry paleo tart 4 Blog frozenraspberrypaleotart2 Blog frozen raspberry paleo tart 5

Ingredients

Directions

  • Place dates, walnuts, coconut and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is fairly fine and uniform. When a small amount of the mixture is pinched between the fingers and sticks together, it is ready to form the crust. Press the crust mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform or pie pan, making sure the edges are well packed. Rinse the food processor well.
  • Place cashews, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla and lemon zest in the food processor. Blend until very smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to help with the blending process.
  • Pour about 2/3 of the cashew mixture on top of the crust and smooth the surface. Add raspberries to the remaining filling and blend until smooth. Pour the raspberry mixture on top of the first layer.
  • Freeze cake until firm, 2 to 4 hours. Allow to warm up for 30 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh raspberries and serve.

Thanks PCC

dit-elle-Esther

Rhubarb Clafouti

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Tart rhubarb pairs so well with this sweet custardy Clafouti. What’s Clafouti?  It’s a baked French dessert of fruit (traditionally black cherries) covered in batter and baked! In other words, yummy not-quite-cake, not-quite-pudding goodness. It would be delicious with fresh peaches or cherries, but given that it’s rhubarb season.. well enough said! I added some raspberries as well and it turned out great!

blog rhubarb clafouti 2 Blog rhubarb clafouti 1

Ingredients

  • 1.5 c. chopped rhubarb
  • 1/2 c. raspberries or strawberries
  • 4 Tbsps agave syrup (less if you are using another type of fruit, as rhubarb is so tart.. it needs a little extra sweetener)
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Directions

  • Put all ingredients except for rhubarb in blender and process for 1-2 minutes until frothy
  • Put chopped rhubarb (and optionally berries) in baking dish and cover with batter
  • Bake at 375* for ~45 minutes or until golden and fork comes out clean
  • Serve with cinnamon, a splash of heavy cream or ice cream (the French dish is served with a dusting of powdered sugar as well :-))

dit-elle-Esther

Banana Quinoa Muffins (4th of July edition :)) // Gluten Free and DELICIOUS

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This is my 3rd time making these since I first made them about 3 weeks ago haha.  Our neighborhood has this huge parade, and I thought these would be perfect for before hand (ok, and after too!)  I doubled the recipe from my first attempt, and added some blueberries, craisins, and shaved coconut to the top to make them more festive 🙂Blog Gluten Free Banana Quinoa Muffins 4th of July-1Blog Gluten Free Banana Quinoa Muffins 4th of July-2Blog Gluten Free Banana Quinoa Muffins 4th of July-3Hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th!

Ingredients (Made 21 muffins)

  • 2 Cup cooked Quinoa
  • 4 fully ripe bananas
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
  • 4 Eggs
  • 3 Medjul Dates (pitted)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure Vanilla
  • 3 grinds of Sea Salt (aka not very much :))
  • 1/2 cup blueberries, craisins, and coconut to sprinkle on top (optional)

Directions

You can do all of it in the Cuisinart or mixing bowl.  One dish-easy clean up-WIN!!Blog Gluten Free Banana Quinoa Muffins-2

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Throw everything into a Cuisinart/Mixer and blend until creamy.
  • Put into muffin tins, greased loaf, or greased ramicans (that’s what I used the first time)
  • After 5 minutes of baking, take out and sprinkle with blueberries, craisins, and coconut.  I waited too long and the top was already too cooked.  They barely stuck, but I wanted them to sink into the muffin a little bit.
  • Bake for a total 18-20 minutes or until top is firm and lightly golden.  I’m a firm believer in slightly undercooking when baking.  It will continue to bake after you take it out, so if you wait until it’s completely firm it’s too done.  You can always do the toothpick test.  Insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, it’s done.  If it has batter still on it, not yet done.
  • Sprinkle with unsweetened coconut flakes.
  • These are really moist.  I’m not sure why.  They don’t do well if you seal them up in a container, so just leave them out and they will not dry out.

ENJOY!

Nutritional Facts (I entered all the ingredients into Calorie Count)

Serves 21 //  Calories per muffin- 120 // Total Fat- 4.1g // Saturated Fat- 2.5g // Cholestererol- 55mg // Sodium- 99mg // Potassium- 198mg // Total Carbohydrates-20.2g // Dietary Fiber-2.1 // Sugars- 9.6g // Protein- 3.4g

dit-elle-Lauren