Paleo Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

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Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble - 1
I am counting the days until the organic blueberry farm opens; however, I am not going to let that overlook strawberry season! The other day while I was at Martin’s, I noticed their organic strawberries were 2/$5! That’s an amazing price and that’s when you stock up. I had some rhubarb in the freezer from a while back when I was feeling adventurous and never really did anything with it. You see strawberries and rhubarb together all the time, so I decided to take my blueberry cobbler recipe and make it strawberry rhubarb. You really can’t go wrong with any fruit in this situation and what an awesome way to enjoy seasonal, fresh produce!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

  • 3 cups of strawberries and rhubarb chunks (or enough to cover the bottom of your cast iron skillet)
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 Tbsp arrowroot powder
  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 3/4 Tbsp cinnamon

Note: I thawed and drained my frozen rhubarb.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a cast iron skillet, fill the bottom of the pan with fruit. Depending on the skillet, you may have to use 4 cups. Just make sure you fill the bottom. Pour in the maple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Fold in the arrowroot powder until you can’t see white anymore. (This thickens the sauce that the berries make as it cools….so good). In a bowl, use a fork to crumble together the almond flour, cinnamon, and butter. Sprinkle over the top of the berries, drizzle the top with maple syrup and put in the oven for 30 mins. Turn the oven to low broil and cook another 3 minutes or until the top of the almond flour starts to brown. Watch it carefully! No one wants burnt cobbler! Get it out, let it cool.

Pizza…and an Elephant Ear!

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pizza

This week starts my first week of the CSA! I’m so excited to starting picking up produce and figuring out what to do with all the surprises! Anyway, that’s beside the point. I told you guys that I have been trying recipes without success. Leave it to pizza and elephant ear’s to save the day. Once in a while, I wonder what it would be like to have pizza. I never eat pizza because not only is the crust a grain-filled disc, but the topping is dairy. It has literally been years, and I can say that I don’t miss pizza…at all. However, when I was looking at my fresh basil in the garden, I thought I would take my first stab ever at making one without the grains. I got the crust recipe from my friend Carole, so I can’t take credit for coming up with it, but I can take credit for what I decided to do with it! The recipe calls for enough dough to make 2 pizzas. However, when you don’t have kids, what am I going to do with 2 pizzas?! My mind instantly went for an elephant ear. All its made of is dough dusted in cinnamon sugar. Done. Dinner and dessert.

Pizza/ Elephant ear crust base:

  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1 cup tapioca flour (or arrowroot)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk (I used homemade coconut milk kefir)
  • Pizza dough addition: 1 tsp oregano
  • Elephant ear additions: butter, cinnamon, coconut sugar, vanilla

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Whisk the eggs and coconut milk together. Add in the dry ingredients. Separate the dough in 1/2. Add 1 tsp of oregano to 1. Add a tsp vanilla and 1 tsp of cinnamon to the other. Spread each of them into whatever form you like (I used a round pizza stone). Bake for 8 minutes. Take them out of the oven and put sauce and toppings on your pizza and brush your elephant ear with melted butter. Put them back in for another 8 minutes. Take the elephant ear out and brush it with more butter and sprinkle it with coconut sugar and cinnamon to your heart’s desire. Then pull out your pizza after another 5 minutes.

If you just want to make 2 pizzas, use 1 1/2 tsp oregano.
If you just want to make 2 elephant ears, use 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

This texture is not light and airy like an elephant ear but that’s what it reminded me of! It tasted like the Pillsbury cinnamon rolls…yes, I ate those back in the day.

The Best Brownies Ever…(and they are paleo!)

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Remember how I told you that I found a new brownie recipe that I resisted posting for months because I didn’t want to taunt the girls in Lurong?  Well, I have made those brownies so many times now, it is ridiculous.  I have also made them for nutrition class and gotten rave reviews.  I have also made non-paleo peeps stuff them in their mouth without any disdain!  I have also had nutrition patients take them to Thanksgiving because they were that good!!! Yesterday, my hormones were outta control, so I decided I wanted to make some type of dessert with maca.  Maca is a plant known for its hormone balancing effects.  I thought it would go awesome in some brownies….and then I kept remembering how much I love the chocolate caramel coffee bars from PaleOMG because they have the salt chunks on top. Mmmm…salty sweet.  Baby was born.  I loved this version so much!!! However, you can omit the salt and maca and just have the best regular brownies, too. ;)…or just omit the maca and have salted brownies!!!

Salted Maca Brownies

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp tapioca flour
  • 3 Tbsp coconut flour
  • 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp maca (optional)
  • 1 stick grassfed butter (you could sub coconut oil)
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips (I’ve used chocolate bars, chocolate chips, and enjoy life chunks…all work)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/3-1/2 coconut sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • coarse ground salt to top (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease an 8×8 pan. Melt the butter, sugar, chocolate together on the stove top or in the microwave.  Once combined, add vanilla and eggs.  Add the rest of the dry ingredients.  Pour into pan and sprinkle salt on top.  Bake for around 20 minutes until the pan stops giggling on you. ;)

Holy Moly Goodness

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I don’t even know what to call this dessert because the recipe is actually a variation on “Eating Clean with a Dirty Mind’s” Ice cream Sandwiches When I saw her pictures, heard her descriptions, and saw the ingredients, I knew I had to try it. However, I’m not a big complicated recipe kinda person, and there were a few steps to actually get the goodness. I always start with the original recipe as it’s called for so I know exactly how it’s intended to taste. Then, I put my spin on it to make it more convenient, or suite my palate, etc. The original recipe was amazing! This is my personal spin on it though….and you could easily halve the recipe to make a thinner layer. The photo is a half batch that was frozen in an 8×8 to give you an idea of thickness. The photo is also of a version with homemade sunflower/walnut butter and tahini mixture. The first time I made it, I did the original cashew butter. All are good! The one with sunbutter tastes a lot like peanut butter fudge, so if you are going for a classic chocolate chip cookie flavor, I would stick with almond butter or cashew butter.

Holy Moly Goodness

-Cookie Dough Layers-

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups nut butter of choice (almond, cashew, sunbutter)
  • 1/2 cup browned butter (don’t change this! Although I’m sure it’d be good regular, too)
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • dash of cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup Dark Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Brown the butter by putting it in a shallow sauce pot on medium-low heat until it becomes a dark golden brown. You will know it’s ready when it smells like toffee. Take the butter off the burner right after it reaches this point to prevent burning.

2. In a medium sized bowl add the nut butter, browned butter, coconut flour and stir together. Next add the maple syrup, sea salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and stir until combined.

3. Cover the bowl and place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes. You want the cookie dough to harden up a bit but you still want it to be somewhat pliable so you can work with it.

4. Remove from the freezer and fold in the 3/4 cup of chocolate chips. If you add them before going in the freezer they will sink and settle at the bottom.

5. Line an 8×8 glass or metal pan with parchment paper and pour in the batter.

6. Put in freezer for at least 20 minutes.

7. While it is freezing, make vanilla ice cream!

This is amazing all by itself, but feel free to top a piece with a scoop of coconut milk ice cream! This will give you all the same flavors, minus the steps of making it into a sandwich!

Paleo Lemon Curd

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We are doing a challenge at our gym right now which requires me to post what I eat everyday.  I’ve noticed that the last few posts have had lemon curd in them and I can’t help but wonder if people think I’m weird?!  I’m sure they do.  However, I decided I needed to post this recipe for everyone to try.  It is packed with fat soluble vitamins and pairs amazing with fresh summer fruit.  Once you try it, you won’t think it sounds weird anymore!!!

Paleo Lemon Curd (this is derived from the nourishing gourmet)

  • 6 egg yolks (save the whites for macaroons, or smoothies, or an egg white omelette)
  • 1/4-1/3 cup honey
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest (1-2 lemons worth)
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed, about 3-4 lemons)
  • 6 Tbsp grassfed butter (you could use coconut oil but I haven’t tried it)

Directions:

In a medium enamel or stainless steel bowl, whisk together the yolks, the honey, the zest, and the lemon juice.  Once combined, Put the enamel pot over medium heat or put the stainless steel bowl over another pot of boiling water (essentially a double boiler).  Continue to whisk as you add chunks of the butter little by little until well incorporated and smooth.  Continue to keep over heat while whisking until it thickens up a bit.  Take off heat.  Place in the fridge for a few hours or over night and then enjoy over fresh berries! (or cheesecake….)

I have made this with a combo of lemon and grapefruit since I had some grapefruit to use up and it was fantastic.  You could use any citrus you’d like…orange….lime.  I just happen to love lemon.  If you decide to switch it up or do a combo, just make sure to use zest from whatever fruits you are using.  I’m assuming most of you won’t try to make this…so I will probably try to make a batch for the next crossfit get together so everyone can try it out and see what they have been missing!!!

Paleo Olive Oil Ice Cream: No Joke

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It’s been over 80 degrees everyday, and when it’s that hot out, I want something a little creamy and cold.  Ice cream always seems to do the trick.  I have tried several variations of coconut milk ice cream and I can honestly say that “you can’t go wrong!”  However, I am a huge foodie and will watch the Cooking Network for hours for flavor inspiration.  One day, I was watching a show where the couple went back to Tuscany to cook a traditional meal and olive oil ice cream was on the menu for dessert.  Really?  Wouldn’t that taste absolutely disgusting?  I started researching it and I found out that this is a super traditional concept where olives are grown.  When you have good quality olive oil, it tends to be on the fruity side.  Who knew?!

We have a store called the Olive Branch in Granger and I knew they had tons of infused olive oils.  I went out to check it out and I was completely torn between one of the citrus infusions like lime, meyer lemon, or blood orange, but I ended up going with roasted almond.  The reason I chose Roasted Almond infused olive oil was because I could not resist the thought of using their espresso balsamic vinegar as a reduction over the top!   Done.  Had to go home and make it….right after I did the Regional workout #6.

It turned out great and I am going to say that this is an awesome option to add healthy monosaturated fats to your diet without the heat!  It really took on the flavor of the olive oil.  Try it with basic EVOO or ANY of the infused olive oils at the Olive Branch!  I considered trying to infuse my own with vanilla but sometimes I just get impatient when I have an idea….

*Lurong folks use honey instead

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups full fat coconut milk
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup roasted almond olive oil (or regular EVOO, or any other flavor)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • pinch of salt

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and blend until smooth.  Put into the ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions!

I put some of the espresso balsamic in a saucepan and reduced it gently while the ice cream was processing.  I drizzled it over the top to eat it….pure magic.

Paleo Almond Cookies

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This is a recipe that is so good that I almost wanted to keep it to myself.  It’s one of those recipes that’s just so perfect, people may think it’s a secret recipe from your grandma or something.  If I ever own a restaurant or make baked goods for money, or sell food at the farmer’s market, this would be the cookie everyone would be trying to copy to no avail!  I am starting to get mad at myself for telling you how good it is…for some reason when someone tells you how amazing something is, it never tastes THAT amazing!  So, I’ll stop.  This is not the thing to give your friends with pizza palates; this is a recipe for taste buds that have evolved to love flavors beyond peanut butter chocolate.  Eating this cookie is like having a present in every bite!  One minute I am loving the nutty flavor, then I catch a hint of salt…mmm….wait, what is that!?  Almond extract, lemon, omg.  Enough already.  Here’s the dang recipe.  I can’t take credit for this recipe; nor can I give one of my bazillion paleo cookbooks credit either.  This recipe came from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, with a couple switch-a-roos.

Paleo Almond Cookies (makes 18 cookies)

Ingedients:

  • 1 1/2 cups almonds processed into flour (a little less than 2 cups almond flour if you use preground)
  • 1 cup arrowroot powder
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup grassfed butter or coconut oil, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • zest from one lemon
  • 18 almonds or chocolate chunks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300F.

Mix the dry ingredients together and then add the butter and extracts.  Fold in the lemon zest.  You should have a pretty solid dough.  Drop tablespoon size balls onto a cookie sheet and place a whole almond in the middle of each cookie (or chocolate chunks if you wish).  Place in the oven for 5 minutes then use a fork to press the cookie down slightly.  Continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Let cool completely.  Try not to eat the entire batch in one sitting.

Homemade Coconut Milk Ice Cream

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I couldn’t wait.  I had a bunch of friends in town this past weekend and one of them kept going to get ice cream!  I usually don’t think that much about ice cream, however, she was not helping the matter.  So, when I was at the health food store, I thought about picking up a small container of coconut milk ice cream.  I took a peek at how much I pay for that little bad boy, and I was like OMG!  I pay over 7 bucks for a tiny container.  So, that was a good sign that I shouldn’t wait any longer to do my homemade ice cream post.  I got the recipe from my friend Cathy, and here it is:

Mocha Nut Brownie Ice Cream.

Ingredients:

Ice Cream Mixture:

  • 2 C. Coconut Milk (basically a whole can, I put mine in the frig to get it cold before I started – not necessary, but thought it would help it get thick)
  • 2 Tbsp. Honey
  • 1/4 C. Chilled Coffee
  • 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

Nut Crumble Mix-In:

  • 1/2 C. Unsalted Cashews
  • 1/2 C. Pitted Dates
  • 2 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder

Preparation:

There are two parts to making this ice cream; making the ice cream mixture itself and then making the nut crumble mix-in.

To prepare the ice cream mixture, combine the Coconut Milk, Honey, Chilled Coffee, and Vanilla Extract in a blender and mix together well.

In either a food processor- combine  Cashews, Dates, and Cocoa Powder mix until they are crumbly.

Pour the ice cream mixture into the ice cream maker and I let mine run for about 20 minutes.  As it gets thick you then spoon the nut mixture into the machine as it is still churning to get it all mixed in.

It cost me pretty much the price of a can of coconut milk…maybe $2.  Whatever you decide to use to flavor it will decide how expensive it is.  This particular variety probably cost about $4 in mix-in ingredients.  The batch I made gave me about 5-6 cups of ice cream.  My friends and I ate it all in one sitting so I didn’t have any to store, but you could put in the freezer.  That would be at least 2 containers of my regular, store-bought version!

Rating:

Ease: 5 stars (the ice cream maker does all the work!)

Price: 5 stars (cost half the amt of the store version…without preservatives!)

Worth the trouble: 5 stars (Passed for amazing ice cream to those that knew no different)

Taste: 5 Yum!!!!