Tag Archives: gluten-free

Blackberry Vanilla Coconut Pops

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Ready for some more blackberry inspiration? Try these Blackberry Vanilla Coconut Pops. Low sugar and kid approved! Not just for the kids, these are a cool treat for anyone on a summer day.

blackberry coconut paleo popcicles blog

Ingredients

  • 2 cups blackberries
  • 2 Tbsp honey, divided (or more if needed)
  • 1 tsp vanilla, divided
  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • 1 Tbsp water

Directions

  • In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine blackberries, 1 Tbsp water, 1 heaping Tbsp honey. Simmer, stirring gently, 3 to 5 minutes. Mash berries with a spatula as they cook. Remove from heat and add 1/2 tsp vanilla.
  • Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with spatula to extract all liquid. Discard solids, and set liquids aside to cool.
  • In another saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the coconut milk with another 1 heaping Tbsp honey. Simmer, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly blended. Remove from heat, stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla, and set aside to cool.
  • Fill pop molds 2/3 full with coconut mixture and then pour in blackberry mixture until mold is full. Insert sticks and freeze.
  • Enjoy! 🙂

dit-elle-Esther

Princess Pink Drink (or Red Currant Flavored Water)

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Red Currents are a lovely berry and I planted a bush for the kids to graze on a few years ago. It’s a berry that grew in abundance in Norway where I grew up (read more about red currants in last years blog post) and I have fond memories of snacking on picking berries that were warming in the sun. To me, they taste like summer in Norway.

Ava loves little cooking projects and making drink concoctions. She loves feeding them to test bunnies like her Grandma. Here, Ava and I turned sparkling water into a ‘festive and pink’ party drink. No sugar, no other additives.. simply mash berries and strain juice. Discard solids. Mix with sparkling water and top with some berries as garnish! Voila! Berry water for the princess party!

red currant festive water for blog (3)red currant festive water for blog (2)red currant festive water for blog (1)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup of red currants and a small handful for garnish
  • Sparkling water
  • Ice

Directions

  • Mash berries in strainer
  • Discard solids and save the juice
  • In a large glass pitcher with ice and sparkling water, add berry juice
  • Stir and garnish each glass with some fresh berries
  • Pinkalicious would approve!

dit-elle-Esther

Blackberry Season

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It’s blackberry season in Seattle! The season can be pretty long depending on weather. A bunch can have flowers, little green berries, ripening red berries and juicy sweet blackberries all at once! 🙂

Blackberries are known for their fiber and nutrients (like vitamin C and K) and antioxidant properties.. and of course, their tastiness! They are a great berry for pies, cobblers, crisps, shakes, cordial and other drinks.

We have a lot of recipes with blackberries on this blog, simply type in the keyword on our homepage! Because blackberries tend to grow wherever the vines reach, it’s a great activity for big and small.. berries are often found at or near ground level. Pick, eat, enjoy! And I’ll be posting more recipes as the summer goes on! 🙂

Blackberries july 2016 for blog (1)Blackberries july 2016 for blog (3)Blackberries july 2016 for blog (2)

Enjoy blackberry season! 🙂

dit-elle-Esther

White Sangria with Summer Fruit

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This is a perfect summer drink! Pick fruits that are in season.. I used peaches, cherries, raspberries and blackberries.. but you could add some citrus fruit, other stone fruit or other berries! Serve chilled.. lovely on a hot summer day!

white sangria with summer fruit and berries blog (3)white sangria with summer fruit and berries blog (2)white sangria with summer fruit and berries blog (1)

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle white wine
  • 1/2 cup triple sec (or brandy, or rum)
  • 1-2 cups chopped summer fruit or berries
  • 1/2 cup peach juice

Directions

  • Mix all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve
  • Serve with ice

dit-elle-Esther

Avocado and Apple Salad with Sea Vegetables

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This is a great salad and I can’t wait to make it again! I have been experimenting with kelp noodles recently and came across a mix of “sea vegetables” (which was a variety of seaweeds) in the local grocery store. I found a packet of the “Sea Tangle” brand of fresh seaweed in the refrigerator aisle. It’s supposed to be high in calcium and iron, and known to promote thyroid function and skin support. the seaweed was crispy and tasted fresh and good! The only downside, as my husband likes to point out, is that you are paying for “not a lot of calories”. Well, however you want to look at that 🙂 these are a great alternative to starchy pasta noodles and a great way to try some new foods!

avocado and apple seaweed salad blog (2)avocado and apple seaweed salad blog (1)Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsps. lemon juice
  • 1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 3 oz. sea vegetable mix

Directions

  • Whisk olive oil, lemon juice
  • Add avocado, apple, and sea vegetables and gently toss
  • Serve fresh or refrigerate for a while
  • Enjoy!

dit-elle-Esther

 

Strawberries Romanoff

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Marinate berries in liqueur and sugar for a special summer dessert! Leave the liqueur off for the kids and just serve freshly sliced strawberries with whipped cream, Greek yogurt or coconut milk!

strawberries romanoff blog

Ingredients

  • 4 cups sliced strawberries (1 1/2 lbs)
  • 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1/4 Cointreau
  • Whipped cream
  • Mint for garnish (optional)

Directions

  • Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl, cover and chill for about 3 hours
  • When ready to serve, spoon strawberry mixture into bowls or cocktail glasses, top with whipped cream and garnish with mint
  • Enjoy! 🙂

dit-elle-Esther

Dill Ranch Dressing

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My favorite dressing at PCC is this fresh “dill ranch” dressing. They only sell it in small one serving sizes with salads to go, so I looked up the recipe, made it, and it turned out just as excellent as the in store version!

Here you go! 🙂

dill ranch dressing and veggies blog

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder (I omitted because I didn’t have this ingredient, still tasted great!)
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (optional)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons milk (to make thinner if desired)

Directions

  • Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir together with a whisk until the herbs and spices are mixed evenly.
  • For a thinner dressing add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve!
  • Serve with fresh cut vegetables or salad.

 

Thanks PCC Natural Markets for this recipe!

dit-elle-Esther

BBQ Pulled Pork Sweat Potato Bun Sandwiches | Whole 30 & Paleo

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Truth be told…these were too messy to pick up and eat like a sandwich!  BUT…the flavors are so good together, and it looks so good as a “sandwich”!!

🙂Blog Paleo Whole 30 BBQ Pulled Pork Sweat Potato Bun Sandwiches-1 Blog Paleo Whole 30 BBQ Pulled Pork Sweat Potato Bun Sandwiches-2Ingredients (feeds 4 with leftovers)

  • 1 Large Pork Loin or 2 small
  • 1 Can of Low Sodium Chicken or Vegetable Stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed ginger
  • 1/2 Teaspoon crushed garlic
  • 2 Medium size sweet potato
  • 1 Medium Avocado
  • 1 Medium to Large Onion
  • Olive oil + Salt + Pepper to lightly coat the sweet potato
  • BBQ Sauce.  If you aren’t on any dietary restrictions use whatever you’d like.  There are lots of healthy options out there that are Paleo and Whole 30 approved.  Try here.

Directions

 

  • Place Pork Loin(s), Chicken/Vegetable Stock, Crushed Ginger, and Crushed Garlic in the crockpot, and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5.
  • When it’s done, drain all but 1 cup of the liquid.  Shred with a fork, stir it all up in the liquid, and pour half a jar of BBQ sauce on.

When you are closer to dinner…Blog Paleo Whole 30 BBQ Pulled Pork Sweat Potato Bun Sandwiches-3

  • Light Grill and set to medium heat.
  • Cut sweet potato in 1/2 inch slices (lengthwise not width wise.)  Then they actually look like buns!
  • Cut Onion in 1/2 inch slices
  • Lightly coat both and  in olive oil (or oil of your choosing), and salt and pepper to taste
  • Grill both 7-8 minutes on each side.
  • Layer a flat sweet potato round, pork, slice of grilled onion, slice of avocado, and top with the end piece of the sweet potato!  Drizzle more BBQ sauce over if you’d like!

Enjoy!

You might also like Esther’s Bacon Avocado Chipotle Sweet Potato Burgerdit-elle-Lauren

Balsamic Rosemary Beets

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This is a wonderful paleo side dish any time of year. It calls for fresh rosemary but you could also use the dried herb. Beets are nutritious and delicious, especially when roasted and seasoned.

roasted beets with balsamic and rosemary blog

Ingredients

  • 4 medium beets, peeled and cubed
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400.
  • In medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly
  • Transfer to glass baking dish and cover with aluminum foil
  • Bake for 45 minutes
  • Remove foil and bake uncovered, for another 10-20 minutes until beets are tender when pierced with a fork
  • Serve hot, warm or cool

Thank you Paleo Cooking from Elana’s Pantry which has many more excellent recipes!

dit-elle-Esther

Sage and Rosemary Turkey Breakfast Sausage

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The sage give these a delicious “breakfast sausage” flavor. Excellent served with Parsley, Cilantro and Tarragon Pesto.

turkey breakfast sausage with sage blog (2)turkey breakfast sausage with sage blog (1)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
  • 2 Tbsp minced fresh sage
  • 1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil or coconut oil

Directions

  • Combine turkey, sage, rosemary, honey, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly
  • Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, form the mixture into 8 patties
  • Heat oil in large skillet over medium low heat
  • Cook patties, turning them once and pressing down to flatten, approx. 5-8 mins per side or until golden and crispy (mine turned out more steamed then crispy, but were still good!)
  • Serve and enjoy!

Thanks for the inspiration Paleo Cooking from Elana’s Pantry.

dit-elle-Esther