Grain-Free Foodies

Kale Chips

2012-01-17T12:58:00.000-08:00

Do you think your kids won't eat vegetables? Try these. I am generally against recipes that require me to stand around doing repetitive work, especially when the fruits of my labor are then gobbled up in less than 10 minutes. But I have to make an exception for a recipe that gets my kids chanting, "Kale! Kale! Kale! We want kaaaaaale!" I think we all know that kale is a "super food" and these delicious chips have the added benefit of being crispier than potato chips!

Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 bunches kale (the flatter varieties are easier to work with, but any type will do)

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil* (or other oil/fat, if desired)

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

Heat your oven to 250 degrees F. Wash kale and remove tough central rib (you can skip this step, if your kids will eat up to the rib, and you don't mind having chewed on stems around). Pat kale dry. Place in a bowl and coat with olive oil (I use my hands to rub the oil on all surfaces). Place kale in one layer on two baking sheets. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper (you can leave out the pepper. I sometimes do). Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until leaves are very crispy (they will easily break apart). Allow to cool until they are easy to handle, then watch the feeding frenzy begin.

*NB, Dr. Campbell-McBride advises against heating olive oil. Personally I do not have a problem cooking with extra virgin olive oil at low temperatures (below its smoke point). I have not read any scientific studies that corroborate the claim that heating olive oil causes it to take on unhealthful properties. I would be happy to peruse any such studies that my readers might know about. (I'm not interested in links to claims, only to actual studies or reports of actual studies, where the journal of publication is cited). If you wish not to use olive oil, any fat would work, but the flavor would be different (though almost surely very tasty). Obviously hard fats would need to be melted first.

Almond Flour Brownies

2012-01-10T19:46:00.000-08:00

Imagine my delight when I discovered that Dr. Campbell-McBride had decreed that cocoa powder was OK for us advanced GAPSters. Then imagine my sadness when I discovered that there were zero decent almond flour brownie recipes out there on the internet. Of course I had to fill the void. Some things are worth a little trial and error! I believe I have finally got it right. These babies could definitely give the old gluten-laden variety a run for their money. I made these today, and there is one left (only because I don't think anyone else realizes it!).

These make a dense, moist, chewy, chocolaty brownie.

So here it is in all it's simple glory :)

Ingredients

2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup cocoa (I used raw cacao)
1/4 tsp. baking soda (this can be omitted)
1/4 tsp. sea salt (omit if using salted butter)

Method

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix honey, butter, vanilla and eggs until smooth. (If omitting baking soda, beat eggs until foamy before adding in other wet ingredients.) Add almond flour, cocoa, baking soda and optional salt. Stir to blend. Pour into greased 8x8x2 inch pan. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, until center no longer jiggles and top feels cakey.

Cool on a wire rack at least until sides pull away from the edge of the pan before cutting.

Chili

2012-01-04T07:39:00.000-08:00

The problem with chili is that it doesn't photograph well. It's not exactly an elegant dish, but it is delicious and a crowd pleaser. Giving up most beans does not mean you have to give up chili! Real chili doesn't include beans anyway (but you can add navy beans, if you don't mind the look). I have been making this chili for a while now, and it is a big hit with my family and with company. It's also a lot of fun to prepare a variety of toppings for people to add as they desire--chopped tomatoes, chopped avocado, chopped jalapenos (or other chilies), chopped onions (or scallions), minced fresh cilantro, olives, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, etc.

This is another recipe I don't measure precisely with, plus I always make a huge batch and freeze any leftovers. Also, I tend to make my "spicy" dishes mild and let people add more hot sauce, if desired.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons fat (for browning meat)
Salt and pepper
5 pounds beef stew meat, cut into cubes
1 1/2 large onions, finely chopped (my kid doesn't like chunks of onions)
3 Tablespoons dried ground paprika
2 Tablespoons dried ground cumin
1 Tablespoon dried oregano, crushed in palm before adding
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2-4 Tablespoons red wine (optional)
2 Cups beef broth (or water)
3 cloves garlic, crushed

Method

Sprinkle salt and pepper over meat. In a large cooking pot, brown the meat in the fat over medium heat. You will probably need to do this in batches. Add onions, and saute until softened and translucent. Add all meat back to the cooking pot. Add paprika, cumin, oregano, and cayenne to meat and stir over medium heat for about a minute to coat and allow spices to "activate". Add optional red wine, and stir to blend. When simmering, add beef broth to cover meat at least half way. Bring to a simmer then lower heat to keep at a low simmer and cover. Cook for an hour or two until meat is tender. Add garlic at the end and stir through. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

If you want to do this in a slow cooker, just add all of the ingredients after you've browned the meat and softened the onions. If you put everything in together at once (raw), it will still taste good, but the onion flavor will be stronger, and the meat will have less depth of flavor and color.

Chicken Salad

2011-12-30T09:02:00.001-08:00

This is my favorite chicken salad "recipe". I don't measure with this, but I love this flavor combination. These are my best guesses for amounts, but don't be afraid to experiment.

Ingredients

2 Cups cooked shredded or cubed chicken
4 Tbs. homemade mayonnaise
1 tsp. grated lemon zest or 2 tsp. chopped, preserved lemon peel
1-2 tsp. chopped pickled jalapenos (OR whole non-pareil capers)
1 clove garlic freshly crushed
Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste (you will probably not need salt if you used preserved lemons and/or if you salt your mayo)
Fresh greens, such as arugula, spinach, butter lettuce, romaine lettuce, etc.

Method

Mix all ingredients except greens together until desired consistency is reached. Serve on a bed of greens.

Sorry we've been out of touch

2011-12-30T08:30:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

I'd like to apologize for our having been out of touch for awhile. I have not had regular access to a decent computer. Additionally, we've both been pursuing other post-GAPS foods/diets, but in my case, I'm returning to full GAPS for awhile as a transition to a low-carb/paleo-friendly form of GAPS. I will continue to post new recipes here as I come up with them. I would expect that you will see quite a few sweets in the coming weeks, and then a lot more soups/salads/meat dishes.

I may also start to add more of my musings on food, farming, nutrition, etc.

I hope you all are doing well!

Sincerely,

Teri

Crustless Quiche

2011-12-27T01:12:00.000-08:00

If you have a crust recipe that you like, you could certainly use one, but I find this so easy without a crust. This recipe is so simple and works for any meal of the day, is relatively portable, and can even be fancy enough to bring to a gathering or serve to guests.

INGREDIENTS:

4 eggs
1 can (14-16 oz) of coconut milk without additives
1-2 T butter or fat for cooking
1/2 onion
1 cup diced meat (I prefer ham)
OR diced vegetables (bell pepper, asparagus, greens, or zucchini work especially well)
1 cup of cubed cheese
1/2 tsp salt
other herbs and spices, optional

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat in the coconut milk. Mix in the cubed cheese, salt, and any other herbs or spices that you are using.

3. In a 10 inch skillet (ideally cast iron), melt the fat and saute the onions for several minutes.

4. If you are using vegetables, add them now and saute several more minutes, allowing any moisture to come out (such as with mushrooms).

5. Turn off the heat, add your meat and stir, and then pour the egg mixture over the top.

6. Bake for 45 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

Pork Carnitas

2011-06-23T14:32:00.000-07:00

This is a really delicious and easy dish. We can't get enough of it in our house. Left-overs are even better. It's a nice meal for a warm evening or for a cold night when you're sick of traditional winter foods. It's excellent served with an avocado/tomato salsa (as pictured here) or served up "taco salad" style with lettuce, olives, cheese, sour cream, hot sauce etc. Even though you see cheese in the picture, the recipe is dairy-free, and it is also quite tasty without any garnishes.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon olive oil, softened butter or lard
1 (4-5 pound) pork roast
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth

Method

Mix first seven ingredients together to form a paste. Add more olive oil, if necessary. Rub mixture all over the roast. Place bay leaves in the bottom of slow cooker. Place roast on top. Carefully add chicken broth around meat (don't pour over the meat or spices will rinse off). Cover and cook on low heat for six to ten hours, until meat shreds easily with a fork. Remove from pot and allow to cool a bit. Shred the meat with two forks. Alternatively you can refrigerate immediately and shred the next day with your hands (This is what I usually do. Sometimes I cook it overnight, then refrigerate all day, then shred and eat for dinner.) The shreds are also good fried in coconut oil.

You can also make this in a pot on the stove top or in the oven. Just keep the temperature low and cook for a long time.

Lacto-Fermented Mayonnaise

2011-06-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

This is another fabulous recipe from our friend Chris over at Lost Arts Kitchen. Chris is brilliant in the kitchen and a great teacher about food and food preparation if you are in the Portland OR area. There are many recipes on the Lost Arts Kitchen site that are GAPS or GAPS-friendly, but she now has a GAPS blog as well called Cooking GAPS.

So here is Chris' recipe for lacto-fermented mayonnaise, which is now the only kind I make!

Shredded Beef Soup with Kimchi

2011-04-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

This was so easy and delicious. I've been making a lot of "recipes" that are quick throw-togethers lately. I'm guessing that there are a lot of other people out there who'd like some ideas for what to do with leftovers or big pots of meat and broth!

I had planned to make a large batch beef broth with my grass-fed "soup bones". It turned out that those bones had loads of meat on them. I boiled the beef in filtered water (with the usual salt, pepper, carrots, onions, celery and bay leaf) until tender. Then I stuck the whole lot in the fridge to cool. The next day I shredded up the beef by hand and came up with this dish.

Ingredients

1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup shredded beef
2 whole garlic cloves, minced or crushed
2 scallions, washed and sliced
1/4 cup kimchi
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro (well rinsed)
A couple dashes hot pepper sauce to taste (optional)

Method

Boil the beef broth and shredded beef until hot. Pour into a bowl. Add garlic, scallions, kimchi, cilantro and optional hot pepper sauce.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding (Transitional Recipe)

2011-03-14T23:36:00.000-07:00

We have decided to include some recipes on the site for those either transitioning off of GAPS or transitioning on. We feel these recipes still embody the spirit of GAPS by focusing on real, nutrient-dense foods as ingredients, but with one or more ingredient that is not legal on the full diet.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

This delicious and creamy pudding works well as a snack, a breakfast, or even as frosting!

INGREDIENTS:

2 avocados (ripe but not over-ripe)
1/4 cup plus 2 T honey
1/4 cup plus 2 T cocoa or carob powder
3 T coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

METHOD:

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust flavors if needed.

NOTE: The first time you make this, you may want to begin with just the 1/4 cup of honey and carob or cocoa and see how you like the flavor. It is easy to add more of these ingredients later.

Peach Pomegranate Cranberry Sauce

2010-12-30T16:45:00.000-08:00

This is a simple yet unusual twist on cranberry sauce that has become our favorite. If you like cranberry sauce, you can have a lot of fun trying different combinations of fruit, juices, and vegetables.

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups cranberries (one 4 oz bag)
2 cups of peaches, cut into chunks (frozen work fine)
1/4 cup pure pomegranate juice
1/4 cup honey (or to taste)

METHOD:

Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to medium heat.

Continue to heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture has simmered long enough for the cranberries to pop, about 20-30 minutes. The mixture should thicken as it simmers- if it gets too thick, or begins to scorch, you can add more pomegranate juice.

Lemon Cardamom Cashews

2010-12-23T16:59:00.000-08:00

Not to toot my own horn, but these are unbelievably good! I can't have many cashews because of the oxalate levels but these are worth suffering for :)

INGREDIENTS:

2 T butter or ghee
1/3 c honey
zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
2 cups of cashews (preferably soaked and dehydrated)

METHOD:

Dry toast the cashews in an iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat until they are slightyl browned and crunchy.

Add the butter, allow it to melt, then add the other ingredients. Stir them to combine and cook until the liquid has bubbled for about 5 minutes.

Pour the mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with greased parchment paper and allow to cool.

Store in an airtight container preferably in the refrigerator.

Chili almonds

2010-12-23T16:36:00.000-08:00

These are sweet and spicy and make a nice gift.

INGREDIENTS:

2 T butter or ghee
3 T honey
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chipotle powder (or cayenne powder)
2 cups almonds (preferably soaked and dried)

METHOD:

If the almonds are not crunchy, dry toast them in an iron skillet (or other heavy-bottomed pan) on medium heat until they reach desired level of crunchiness.

Add the butter to the nuts and allow it to melt, then add the other ingredients and thoroughly stir them together.

Continue heating and stirring until the liquid bubbles for about 5 minutes, then pour the mixture out onto a cookie sheet lined with greased parchment paper and let it cool.

Store in an air-tight container, preferably in the refrigerator.

Breakfast Sausage Sticks

2010-12-13T18:44:00.000-08:00

Hubby is very picky about his sausage, and he said these were the best of this type he's ever had. I'm sorry I don't have a picture, but we've been having camera problems lately. They look like the Brown n Serve frozen sausages, but taste better!

Ingredients

1 pound ground pork
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. savory
dash of cayenne pepper
pinch of cloves
1 tsp. honey (optional)
1-2 Tbsp. lard or bacon grease for frying

Method

Combine dry ingredients in a medium glass bowl. Rub with your fingers to crush and thoroughly mix. Add ground pork and mix well with your hands. Add optional honey and mix through. Heat 8 inch skillet over medium-low heat. Form sausage into small link-shaped sticks. Saute until browned and cooked through, turning at least twice to brown all sides.

You can partially cook these ahead of time and freeze for a quick breakfast, lunch or dinner in the future. Just them out of the freezer and brown before serving.

Gianduia Torte

2010-12-10T09:35:00.000-08:00

If you like Nutella, you will like this torte! I made this awhile ago, before I knew that Dr. Campbell-McBride had OK'd cocoa for more advanced GAPSters. I am sorry I don't have a photo, but I am so happy I can share the recipe with you now :)

Ingredients

2 cups Hazelnuts
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup filtered water
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or butter an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan. Grind hazelnuts into a fine powder in a food processor. Melt butter and mix with honey in a medium-sized bowl. Add eggs, water and vanilla and beat until well-blended.

Pulse cocoa powder and salt into the ground hazelnuts. Gradually beat dry ingredients into wet ingredients.

Bake for 15-30 minutes until set. (Sorry I don't remember the exact time. When I make this again, I'll jot down the time and get a pic.)

Arroz Con Pollo

2010-12-08T19:44:00.000-08:00

This is my adaptation of my mother-in-law's fabulous recipe for this dish that she got from a Puerto Rican neighbor many years ago. It adapted well and may become my favorite way to use leftover chicken.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cauliflower, grated
3 c cooked chicken, shredded or cut into chunks
1 c peas
1 c chopped ham (or 3/4 c chopped bacon)
2 T butter or bacon fat
1 onion, chopped
2-3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp saffron
1/3 c broth
2 green onions, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped and drained
3 c cheddar cheese, grated
8-10 green olives, sliced

METHOD:

If using bacon, fry until crispy then crumble or chop.

Heat about 2 T of butter (or bacon fat if you are using bacon) in a large skillet. Add the chopped onion, and once it begins to soften add the saffron and salt and stir thoroughly.

Add the grated cauliflower and broth and let cook for about 3-5 minutes or until the cauliflower has softened.

Transfer to a large bowl and combine with the peas, ham, green onion, chopped tomato, and chicken pieces.

Pour this mixture into a 9 x 13 Pyrex baking dish, or dish of similar size. Cover with the grated cheese and olives and bake for 25-30 minutes, until it is heated through and the cheese is adequately melted. Put it under the broiler if you want the cheese to be browned.

GAPS Cookbook is Now Available

2010-11-24T13:13:00.000-08:00

The new GAPS Cookbook is now available. It features 140 GAPS recipes, 82 of which are from Grain-Free Foodies! We've included a few that aren't here on the blog, plus there are those from other authors. I know I'm going to find it very convenient to have the recipes in printed form. We hope you enjoy it. We'd love to hear any feedback. There's a permanent link now on the side of our blog, if anyone wants to order it.

http://shop.gapsdiet.com/product.sc?productId=83&categoryId=7

Chicken Liver Mousse

2010-11-19T19:01:00.000-08:00

This is essentially a recipe from the Cheeseslave blog called Balthazar's Chicken Liver Mousse. Amazingly chicken liver has become the favorite food of my 9-year-old son so I have been exploring different ways to cook it. I am personally not a huge fan of it but this was pretty good, especially if you use the bourbon (I substituted bourbon for cognac). I also followed her example and baked these without the water bath, and they were fine.

Aioli (Garlic Mayonnaise)

2010-09-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

This is so easy, delicious and healing. It is fabulous with artichokes, but it is also good with boiled eggs and a variety of vegetables.

Ingredients

2 fresh egg yolks
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2-3 cloves fresh garlic (peeled)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 scant cup olive oil

Method

Place egg yolks, lemon juice, garlic and sea salt into the bowl of a food processor. Blend until garlic is chopped. With motor running, begin adding olive oil in a very thin stream. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of your bowl from time to time. Continue adding olive oil until all has been incorporated. Refrigerate or use immediately. It will keep for about a week in the refrigerator.

Spanish Rice

2010-08-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

This is a basic and very tasty variation of cauliflower rice. We had this tonight with lettuce leaf tacos and it was wonderful!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cauliflower, grated
1 onion, finely chopped
2 T lard or other cooking fat
1 green bell pepper or 2 Anaheim peppers
1 1/2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp chili powder (optional)
2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
2 c pureed canned tomatoes
green olives for garnish, optional

METHOD:

Melt the cooking fat in a large skillet and saute the onions for several minutes until they begin to soften. Add the peppers, the garlic, and the spices. Stir thoroughly and allow to cook until softened.

Add the canned tomato (I used tomatoes frozen from my garden last year). Because the cauliflower doesn't absorb liquid the way rice does, I would recommend using 2 cups of tomatoes but not using much of the liquid. Reserve the liquid for use if the mixture is too dry. You can use broth instead for that purpose if you prefer.

Add the cauliflower and continue to cook on medium-high to high heat, stirring frequently. Cook until the cauliflower has reached desired softness, about 5-10 minutes. If the cauliflower isn't softening well, you can add some liquid and cover it for a few minutes.

Put in a bowl and garnish with green olives if desired.

Blueberry Coconut French Toast

2010-08-08T22:49:00.000-07:00

I have been making cake/bread out of coconut flour recently in order to make it low oxalate (the nut butter bread is high oxalate). I added some blueberries to the batter to "liven it up", which does raise the oxalate content a bit, but not too much. This was so delicious! This would make a wonderful brunch for non-GAPS guests.

To make the batter, follow the recipe for Teri's Almond Cupcakes. Substitute vanilla for the almond extract and add 1 or 2 handfuls of blueberries, depending on preference. Bake in an 8 x 8 inch Pyrex dish (or in two loaf pans filled only halfway up). The cooking time will be at least 10 minutes longer.

To make the french toast, slice the bread into 3/4 inch thick slices. If you used a square Pyrex dish, cut it into two 4 x 8 halves first, then cut each half into slices so the slices aren't too long to work with. Soak in a mixture of 2 eggs with a little coconut milk, kefir, or yogurt, and vanilla extract. Fry the slices in butter on both sides until golden brown. Serve warm with jam, honey, or fresh fruit on top.

Pork N' Beans

2010-06-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

This would go very well with a side of greens cooked with salt pork, or would be good with greens added in before baking.

INGREDIENTS:

2-4 T cooking fat
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1-2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ginger powder or grated fresh ginger
1 cup tomato sauce or puree
1/4 cup honey
2 cups GAPS-legal beans, cooked and drained
2 cups cooked pork, shredded or chopped into pieces
1/2- 1 cup broth

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large skillet, melt the cooking fat and add the onions. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions begin to soften. Then add the garlic and spices and stir.

Add the tomato puree or sauce and the honey. Stir thoroughly and cook for several minutes.

Add the beans and pork and stir to coat, then add enough broth to reach desired consistency. Pour the mixture into a greased casserole dish
(I used an oval dish that measured 9" x 13").

Bake for about 30 minutes.

NOTE-

You can vary the ratio of beans to pork as long as you keep the total at around 4 cups. If you use only beans, it would essentially be baked beans.

Gormeh Sabzee (Persian Parsley Lamb Stew)

2010-06-06T19:33:00.000-07:00

This soup has a rich flavor that is a little different than the other soups on this blog and a nice change.

INGREDIENTS:

4 T butter or fat for cooking
1 onion, chopped
3-4 c lamb (cubed if raw, in chunks or shredded if already cooked)
2 bunches of parsley, chopped (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 quart lamb broth (or more if you prefer more of a soup then a stew)
juice of 1-2 lemons, to taste

METHOD:

Melt the butter or fat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Saute the onions for several minutes until soft.

Add the salt and spices and stir, then add the parsley and stir again. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until the parsley turns dark.

Add the meat (if already cooked) and the broth. Bring the soup to a boil, then let it simmer for 15 minutes to heat the meat through and to give the flavors a chance to blend.

Add the lemon juice and cook about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and adjust the seasonings.

NOTE:

I like this soup as a way to use leftover meat from a leg or shoulder of lamb. If using raw meat, brown it first in the fat and then remove it to a bowl, cook the onions and parsley in the fat, then return the meat to the soup when you add the broth.

Beef may be used instead of lamb if desired.

It is traditional to make this stew with beans as well. If you are able to tolerate beans, you can add about 2 cups to the soup.

Mixed Spiced Nuts

2010-05-21T07:27:00.000-07:00

This recipe is a slightly modified version of the one I found in the book "Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes" by Jennifer McLagan. That book is great, and I highly recommend it, but many of the recipes will need to be skipped or adapted for our purposes. These nuts are really delicious and definitely company-worthy.

Ingredients

4 cups mixed unsalted nuts (I used pistachios, slivered blanched almonds, cashews and walnuts here)
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 Tbs. butter (I've tried it with unsalted and with salted, cultured butter, and both worked fine)
2 Tbs. honey (I made it with one Tbs. the first time, and it was good, but 2 is better)
1 Tbs. dried rosemary (crushed in palm) or 2 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
dash cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (180 C.)

Place the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10-20 minutes, stirring a few times, until browned to your liking. (I like mine browner).

While the nuts are toasting, place a small heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the coriander and cumin, and toast until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat, and add the remaining ingredients, except salt.

Place the pan over low heat and stir constantly until the butter and honey melt and dried rosemary softens, about four minutes. Add salt and keep mixture warm.

Transfer the nuts to a large bowl, pour the spiced butter on top, and stir until the nuts are well coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if desired. Allow to cool completely for the nuts to crisp up. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Hazelnut Cake with Coffee Buttercream Frosting

2010-04-25T21:21:00.000-07:00

I just turned 40. I wanted to have a special cake to celebrate. This one was a hit with everyone. There was only one piece left over, and I had to hide it to keep it safe ;)

Ingredients for cake

2 2/3 cups hazelnuts
8 Tbs. honey
8 large eggs, separated
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt

Method

Lightly toast hazelnuts in a 350 degree (F) oven. This takes about 15 minutes. They will just start to smell fragrant when ready. Allow to cool slightly. Place hazelnuts in a kitchen towel and rub vigorously to remove most of the skin. This does not have to be perfect. Discard skins. Finely grind skinned hazelnuts in a food processor. Use the pulse function to avoid over-processing (you don't want hazelnut butter).

Set oven to 300 degrees (F). Butter two nine inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Grease parchment paper as well.

Combine egg yolks, two tablespoons honey, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until thick and smooth, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in ground hazelnuts and set aside. Make sure this mixture stays at room temperature.

In a clean dry bowl, with clean dry beaters, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 6 tablespoons honey. Continue beating until stiff peaks form and mixture is glossy.

Fold two tablespoons egg white mixture into hazelnut mixture. Continue gently folding in whites a tablespoon and a time.

Divide batter between prepared pans. Smooth tops. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Slide knife around edge of pan and gently pry up parchment paper. Turn out first layer onto platter. Thinly frost with coffee buttercream. Top with second layer, and frost more thickly with additional buttercream.

Ingredients for Frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2-4 Tbs. honey
1-2 Tbs. strong espresso, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Method for Frosting

Cream butter and lesser amount of honey until light and fluffy. Taste. Add more honey, if desired. With mixer running, slowly beat in lesser amount of espresso. Taste. Add more espresso, if desired. Beat in vanilla. Must be used at room temperature, but may be stored in refrigerator.

Milk Kefir Instructions

2010-04-21T07:31:00.001-07:00

I couldn't find any clear, concise kefir-making instructions on the web, when I did a quick Google search. So I thought I'd post what I do. This makes some yummy kefir!

Ingredients

2 Tbs. kefir grains
3 1/2 cups milk (preferably whole, non-homogenized)

Method

Place kefir grains in clean quart sized glass jar. Pour milk over grains. Leave about an inch of head space. Cover loosely with lid. Leave on the counter, at room temperature for 24-48 hours. Occasionally tighten the lid and shake the jar. The milk will start to separate a bit, leaving pockets of whey throughout the jar. When it is fermented it will taste tart, like yogurt, with a yeasty, cheesy flavor as well.

Shake the kefir before straining through a fine mesh stainless steel sieve, pushing the kefir through with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, if necessary. The grains will remain in the sieve and can be reused indefinitely to ferment milk and/or cream. (They will multiply and grow too, and can be eaten as an excellent probiotic source.)

Store strained kefir in a sealed pitcher or jar in the refrigerator. Consume within two weeks. Place grains in a clean jar to start another batch.

Storing grains when not in use--cover with fresh milk and refrigerate for up to one week. This produces kefir at a slower rate, and you can drink the product. Alternately, cover the grains with fresh milk and freeze for up to several months. The product of this method should be tossed. Grains will need to be "refreshed" after freezing, by being put into fresh milk. The product of this first post-freezer ferment may need to be tossed as well.

Cowboy Stew

2010-04-20T16:23:00.000-07:00

No actual cowboys were harmed in the making of this stew.

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 T cooking fat
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp salt
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 Annaheim or Poblano pepper, chopped
1 large yellow summer squash or 1 medium zucchini, chopped
1-2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1-2 tsp chili powder (optional)
1 lb ground beef
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 quart beef broth
1/2 - 1 cup chopped cilantro, loosely packed (optional)

METHOD:
Saute the onions in the fat until they begin to soften, then add the garlic and stir a little longer.

Add the spices and salt, and stir. Add the chopped peppers and zucchini and saute for 5-10 minutes, or until they soften. Add a little of the broth if the vegetables start to get dry.

Add the beef and keep stirring to break it up and let it brown a little. Pour in the stock and add the tomatoes and bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and let it cook, covered, for about 30 minutes.

When it is done, remove it from heat, stir in the cilantro if using, and taste it. Add more salt and spices if needed. You can also crush a clove or 2 of raw garlic in at this point if you want it to have more "bite".

Cole Slaw

2010-04-14T18:29:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 yellow onion
3 carrots
1 large green cabbage

for the dressing:
1/4 c plus 2 T olive oil
1/4 c mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 T lemon juice
honey to taste

METHOD:

Grate or puree the onion in a food processor. Grate the carrots. Put the thin slicing blade on the food processor and slice the cabbage. Place the vegetables in a large bowl.

To make the dressing, whisk together the ingredients and pour over the vegetables. Stir to coat thoroughly, then taste and adjust the seasonings.

Layered Popsicles

2010-04-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for a way to make food that is fun and interesting for my kids. Sometimes it's about making things in fun shapes, other times it's about presentation, and other times it has to do with color. Popsicles are fun, but they had lost their novelty for us, so I came up with this version.

You can make as many layers as you want in as many colors as you want. Layers can be either fruit/veggie juice, like popsicles, or can be ice cream. You can use coconut ice cream, peach ice cream (which can be made with other fruit such as pear or mango), or kefir cream ice cream.

I found that layers work best with both a strong flavor as well as an ingredient to give it a bright color. Here are some ideas for layers:

orange/carrot
lime/kale or other leafy green, or celery
raspberry or strawberry/beet
lemon/golden beet

If you want to sweeten the layers, heat the juice just enough to dissolve some honey in it (to taste). If you put a layer of vanilla ice cream between two orange layers, it's like a creamsicle.

To make the popsicles, pour a layer of juice into the bottom of each mold and let it freeze. Once the bottom layer is frozen (or nearly frozen), then pour another layer of juice or spoon a layer of ice cream in. Continue this process until you have created all of your layers. Inserting the stick or handle can be a bit tricky since you can't stick it into an already frozen layer. The molds that I have have a handle with a small stick, so it just got frozen into the last layer. If you do it this way, you have to be very careful when removing the popsicles from the molds or they can come apart at the layers. It would work better to put long sticks in that go through each layer, and have some way of holding them up, such as covering the molds with plastic wrap or foil that will hold the sticks in place.

Crab and Asparagus Salad

2010-04-13T23:35:00.000-07:00

This salad turned some leftovers into a fabulous lunch.

INGREDIENTS:

1 c crab meat
1 c cooked asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 c cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/2 c mild cheese, cut into small cubes (optional)
2 T olive oil
juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp curry powder or cumin
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

Combine the crab meat, asparagus, tomatoes, and cheese (if using) in a bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the food and stir to coat, then sprinkle on the salt and pepper and curry powder and stir. Pour on the lemon juice and stir again.

Cauliflower Fried Rice

2010-04-08T22:37:00.000-07:00

This dish was mentioned in a very early post, but my husband has been working on it and it is definitely worthy of its own post now. It was just delicious and is quite different than most of our GAPS dinners. Leftovers also reheat well.

INGREDIENTS:

3 T unrefined sesame oil
1 head of cauliflower
1 small head of broccoli
1 bell pepper (red or yellow)
1 carrot
1 onion
1-2 jalapenos (optional)
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
Green onions

METHOD:

Fit the grating blade onto the food processor and grate the head of cauliflower. Steam the grated cauliflower for 3 minutes. Set aside.

Chop the broccoli, bell pepper, and carrot and set aside in a bowl. Chop the onion and jalapenos (if using) and put them in another bowl.

Lightly scramble the two eggs so that they are about half cooked, set aside. In another small bowl, mix together the toasted sesame oil and the vinegar, set aside.

Heat the sesame oil in a large iron skillet or wok so that it is very hot but not smoking (the surface of the oil will ripple). Put in the grated cauliflower and stir constantly, keeping the heat on high. Keep cooking like this until the cauliflower begins to brown, at least 3 minutes or so. Add the mixture of toasted sesame oil and vinegar and stir.

Add the onions and jalapenos if using. Cook for several minutes until the onions start to soften. Then add the other veggies and saute to until they reach the desired level of doneness.

Turn off the heat and add the eggs, stirring until they finish cooking.

Turkey Pecan Waldorf Salad

2010-03-30T17:41:00.000-07:00

This makes a nice lunch or light dinner. It can be served on its own or on a bed of salad greens.

INGREDIENTS:

1 c cooked turkey, cut into pieces
2 stalks of celery
1 large crisp apple
1/2 c pecan pieces
1/2 c red grapes, cut in half

For the dressing:
1/4 c plus 2 T mayonnaise (6 T total)
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 T olive oil
salt to taste
a little honey, optional

Chop the celery (I like to include the leaves), and place in a medium mixing bowl. Cut the apple into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl. Put in the meat and grapes.

To toast the pecan pieces, put them into a dry skillet and heat them on medium heat while stirring. Remove from heat when they start to smell really good. Let them cool, then add them into the salad and mix.

Whisk the ingredients for the dressing together and pour over the salad.

You can substitute raisins or chopped dates for the grapes. Chicken would work in place of turkey. You can also try adding fresh herbs, such as parsley or cilantro for a little more flavor.

Peas with Mint

2010-03-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

This goes very well with lamb, and together makes a meal that to me tastes like spring.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups peas (1 package frozen)
2 T butter or ghee
1 leek, thinly sliced
1/4 c meat broth
1/4 c coarsely chopped mint
1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed, optional
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Melt the butter or ghee in a skillet, and saute the leeks a few minutes, until soft.

Add the peas (they can be added frozen). Pour in the stock, add the garlic and stir, then cover and reduce heat.

Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the peas are nearly done. Add the mint, and put the cover back on. Cook another 2-3 minutes until the mint has wilted.

Tomato Melts

2010-03-27T23:20:00.000-07:00

This was a quick and oh-so-delicious impromptu lunch the other day and it would lend itself to so many variations! The first batch (pictured here) were simply slices of tomato with provolone cheese melted on top in the broiler to a nice brown. We later experimented with "pizza toppings" such as green olives and mushrooms, but this could also be faux-mexican (with taco meat and cilantro) or an open -faced version of many sandwiches, such as ham and swiss or a tuna melt. There are just so many possibilities!

Lamb Curry

2010-03-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

This is a flavorful dish that will fill your house with fabulous smells. You can use different vegetables to give some variety, and it would work well with all vegetables instead of meat. I buy my curry powder from Mountain Rose Herbs which provides high quality spices with no fillers, or you can find a recipe and make your own. Curry powder is easy and fun to make.

INGREDIENTS:

2 T coconut oil
1 lb cubed lamb meat or lamb stew meat (ground meat would probably also work)
1 large or 2 medium onions
3-4 carrots
1 T grated ginger root
3 cloves of garlic
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 c broth
1 c coconut milk

METHOD:

Cut the onion into large pieces and chop the carrots into 1-inch lengths, set aside.

Melt the coconut oil in a large pot and brown the meat. Remove the meat and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.

Saute the onions on mediumuntil they soften, about 10 minutes. Then add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder and saute a little longer. Add the carrots and continue to stir to coat them with the spice mixture.

Pour in the stock and scrape up any brown bits that are still stuck to the bottom of the pan from browning the meat. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer.

Add the meat back in and simmer for 30 minutes.

Deviled Eggs

2010-03-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

These are yummy, and just in time for Easter :)

Ingredients

4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
2 Tbs. homemade mayonnaise
1 tsp. homemade curry powder*
Sea salt to taste
Celery seeds or paprika for garnish

Method

Remove yolks from whites and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, curry powder, and salt. Mash together with a fork. Spoon (or pipe with a pastry bag) yolk mixture back into whites. Sprinkle with celery seeds or paprika.

*I used Alton Brown's curry recipe. It was serviceable, but not great, in my opinion--too much cardamom and not enough complexity. I'll keep experimenting with this.

We're finally on Facebook!

2010-03-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

A rare, non-food-related post from us :) We finally have a page on Facebook. Check us out, we're Grainfreefoodies, and become a fan! We will be posting GAPS-supporting articles and other info there. We will continue to devote this site to recipes.

We invite you all to post links to your own GAPS-related site and/or to share recipes there. Facebook is a much better venue for that kind of thing. If we like your recipe, we'll post it here, with your permission and a grateful acknowledgment, of course!

Hugs and health,

Teri

Amoreena's Peanut Butter Fudge

2010-03-18T23:31:00.000-07:00

This simple and absolutely delicious recipe was given to me by my friend Amoreena, and has been a favorite snack for the past week. It is also a great way to eat coconut oil for those who don't enjoy eating it straight.

INGREDIENTS:

1 c coconut oil
1/2 c peanut butter
honey to taste
dash of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:

Melt the oil in a saucepan on very low heat.

Pour the oil and remaining ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Pour this mixture into an 8 x 8 pyrex dish (or similar glass dish), and place in the freezer.

This fudge is best stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Green Beans with Garlic

2010-03-18T23:23:00.000-07:00

This is a delicious, simple side dish served warm as well as a flavorful and very portable salad for lunches and picnics.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb green beans
2 T butter or ghee
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
salt to taste
fresh dill (optional)

METHOD:

Rinse and trim the green beans. Cut them into 2 inch pieces.

Steam them until they reach desired softness. The time will vary, so keep a close eye on them after about 5 minutes and taste one to check the level of doneness.

Remove the beans to a bowl. Add the butter, and stir to let it melt and coat the beans. Then add the crushed garlic, vinegar, and salt, and fresh dill if using.

You can serve this right away or refrigerate for later use.

Kefir Cream Cheese

2010-03-14T12:51:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 Tbs. kefir grains (available online, through friends or places like Craigslist)
1 Quart heavy cream

Method

Pour cream over grains in a glass jar. Leave about an inch of head space. Cover. Shake the jar and leave on the counter for 24-48 hours, shaking every now and then. When it is fermented it will taste sour, like sour cream. Strain through a fine mesh stainless steel sieve, pushing the cream through with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. The grains will remain in the sieve and can be reused indefinitely to ferment cream and/or milk. (They will multiply too, and can be eaten as an excellent probiotic source.)

Take the strained, fermented cream and pour into a sieve lined with a quadruple layer of cheese cloth. Tie the ends of the cheese cloth together to form a little package inside the sieve. Put the whole thing (with sieve) over a tall bowl or large Pyrex measuring cup and place in the refrigerator. The whey will drip out into the bowl and the solids will remain in the cheese cloth. After 24 hours, flip the soft cream cheese over into fresh cheese cloth, tie, put back in the sieve over the bowl, and place the whole lot back in refrigerator for another 24 hours.

Remove cheese cloth and place in a jar for storage in the refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Icing

2010-03-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

This makes a pourable, thick icing that actually stays put pretty well. It is quite sweet, and would probably make a thicker frosting without so much honey, but I was cooking for a non-GAPS crowd, and I wanted to appeal to their tastes.

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup kefir cream cheese
1/2 cup honey
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
Juice of half a lemon

Method

Boil honey for about five minutes and allow to cool completely. Beat butter until creamy. Beat in cream cheese. Slowly pour in honey while mixer is running. The honey will make the whole thing runny. Add vanilla and lemon juice, and blend in. When well mixed, chill for at least an hour. Pour over cake, and allow some to run down the sides like a glaze.

Carrot Cake

2010-03-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

This cake is good. My non-GAPS friend said, "It tastes just like a store-bought carrot cake!" It tasted even better today than it did yesterday. I would prefer it with walnuts, but I didn't think the birthday boy would have, so I didn't include them. I will for Easter though!

Ingredients

1 cup honey
1 cup butter
12 eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1 1/8 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda*
5 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 a whole nutmeg, grated
3 cups shredded carrots (about 6 medium)

Method

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 13x9x2 inch pan, and line bottom with greased parchment paper or a greased paper towel.

Melt honey and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Cool. Lightly beat eggs. Add vanilla and blend. Add coconut flour, sea salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg, and beat until well blended, scraping down sides as necessary.

Pour into prepared pan and bake 25-35 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool completely and invert onto a tray. Remove paper.

Top with cream cheese icing, if desired.

*Not allowed on GAPS, but is SCD legal.

Dairy-Free "Cheez-It" Crackers

2010-03-08T18:34:00.000-08:00

These crackers are about the closest I've come yet to a "junk food" flavor, at least a savory one. They taste a lot like a Cheez-It or goldfish cracker. These are based on a recipe I found in an episode of Raw World TV, which you can view here on YouTube. They present the recipe as a cheese sauce as well as a cracker recipe, however when I made it it didn't have the "cheese-like" texture that theris did. Maybe you need a Vitamix to make it into a sauce. It might be worth playing with this for those who are really wanting a macaroni and cheese type sauce.

To make it as crackers, follow the same basic recipe, which is to put one red bell pepper, one cup of macadamia nuts, some salt and cayenne pepper in the blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Then spread it thin on a dehydrator sheet and dehydrate until it reaches the desired level of dryness. At 105 degrees this took me well over 24 hours, so I would use a higher heat. If you want to make crackers in cute shapes I would pull it out partway through, when it is still pliable, and cut it with cookie cutters, then put it back to continue drying.

Coconut Macaroons

2010-03-03T17:39:00.000-08:00

This is a simple and tasty way to use up extra egg whites. These are also essentially the same as "normal" macaroons so make a nice snack for non-GAPS visitors.

INGREDIENTS:

6 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c honey (you can use much less if preferred)
1 1/2 T vanilla extract OR 1 T vanilla extract and 1 tsp almond extract
3 c shredded coconut

METHOD:

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the salt, honey, and extract slowly as you continue to beat until stiff. Fold in the coconut or add while the mixer is running (if using a mixer).

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 30-40 minutes, until lightly browned but not scorched.

Let cool slightly before removing from parchment. Once cool, store in an airtight container.

Lentil-Tomato Soup

2010-02-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 T butter or fat for cooking
1 onion
2 leeks
1 red bell pepper
1 zucchini
2 cups of greens
2 cups of cooked lentils
1 bay leaf
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 T dried basil
1 T dried thyme
1-2 cups of GAPS-legal tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes or diced tomatoes
1 quart meat stock
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

Melt butter or fat in a large pot. Chop the onions and leeks and saute for about 5 minutes, then add the other veggies, chopped. Add the salt, spices and crush the garlic into the pot.

Pour in the stock and tomatoes, and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and simmer until the veggies are cooked and the flavors have had a chance to blend. Add in the lentils and continue to cook until they are hot.

Remove from heat and adjust seasoning if necessary.

The Creamiest Ice Cream Ever!

2010-02-26T15:46:00.000-08:00

This ice cream is made from kefired heavy cream and is so incredibly luscious and creamy. The richness out-does Hgen-Daaz but with the tangy flavor of frozen yogurt. This has become one of our favorite ways to get good fats and probiotics into diet.

To make the ice cream, kefir pure heavy whipping cream for at least 24 hours and strain out the grains (I would use between 2 and 4 pints). Mix honey and vanilla into the kefired cream to taste, several egg yolks if you want (I add at least 3), and pureed fruit if you want. Then freeze in an ice cream maker. This also makes creamy popsicles with the "feel" of a fudge-sicle.

Golden Beet Noodles

2010-02-09T20:05:00.000-08:00

These noodles are a bit more like pasta in their texture than spaghetti squash, and offer another option if you can't find spaghetti squash or are wanting more variety in your meals. They are also much faster to make (as long as you have a food processor). To make them, simply grate golden beets. I found that 3 beets makes a nice amount of "pasta". You can either eat them raw, in which case they have a harder, crunchier texture, or you can boil them for 2 minutes. This gives them a texture much more like al dente pasta and reduces the bitter taste that raw beets have. Serve them with whatever sauce you like or just with butter and salt.

Mexican Chicken in Green Almond Sauce

2010-01-31T09:41:00.000-08:00

This recipe came from The Mexican Kitchen by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz. It is super good. I modified it slightly to be GAPS legal*.

Ingredients

Whole chicken--3-31/2 pounds
2 cups chicken broth
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 bunch fresh cilantro, washed
1 green bell pepper, washed
1 jalapeno pepper
1 lb. fresh tomatillos*, papery coating removed, and tomatillos washed
1 cup ground almonds
2 Tbsp. fat
Salt

Method

Cut up chicken and poach in broth (cover pan) until done, about 45 minutes. Drain the stock, and reserve. While chicken is poaching, roast peppers and tomatillos in a very hot oven (around 450-500 degrees F) until charred on the outside. Watch closely. Remove from oven and place in a brown paper bag (top rolled down to keep in steam) for a few minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove the peel, stems and seeds from the peppers and the peel/blackened bits from tomatillos. Don't worry if a little is left on.

Roughly chop onion, garlic and cilantro in a food processor. Add almonds, tomatillos and peppers and pulse until blended, but still chunky. Heat the oil in a frying pan over low heat. Add almond mixture and cook for three to four minutes. Add reserved stock and some water to equal two cups, if necessary. Mix thoroughly and add chicken. Simmer to reheat chicken and allow flavors to blend. Add salt to taste and garnish with cilantro.

*Tomatillos are not listed as legal or illegal, so their status is officially unknown. If you are in a very compromised situation, please try a different recipe.

Apricot Rosemary Turkey Breast

2010-01-13T18:40:00.000-08:00

This is a simple and delicious way to roast a turkey breast, as well as a way to include some broth. The sauce that results from this dish is light and tasty and my otherwise broth-averse 8-year-old loved it. It goes well with cranberry sauce and celery chestnut stuffing.

INGREDIENTS:

1 4 lb turkey breast (I prefer bone-in)
1 c meat stock
1/2 c apricot jam
OR 1/2 c pureed fresh apricots, or 8 dried apricots
1/4 c honey
1 T dried rosemary (or fresh if you have it)

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Rinse the turkey breast, pat it dry, and place it skin side up in a roasting pan. Place in the oven and set a timer for one hour and fifteen minutes.

Combine the stock, apricot jam (or pureed apricots), honey and rosemary in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes to allow it to thicken and reduce. Set aside. NOTE- if you are using dried apricots, pour boiling water over them and let them stand until soft. Drain them and add them to the stock mixture as you would the jam, but puree the mixture BEFORE adding the rosemary.

When the timer goes off, pour the apricot mixture over the turkey breast and return it to the oven for another 15-30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.

Celery Chestnut Stuffing

2010-01-13T18:38:00.000-08:00

Chestnut stuffing has always been one of my favorite comfort foods and I have been experimenting with it for quite a while now. This version is my favorite so far.

INGREDIENTS:

2 T butter or ghee
2 onions, chopped
1 T dried rubbed sage
2 tsp dried thyme
1 cup reduced turkey stock (or other meat stock)
1 large celery or 2 small ones
2 c chopped chestnuts
salt to taste
additional stock as needed

METHOD:

Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet. Saute the onions until softened, about 5 minutes, then add the herbs. Mix and add the stock, and bring to a simmer. Add the celery and chestnuts and cook until they are soft, adding additional stock if needed. Taste and add salt if desired. This will depend on how salty the stock was.

VARIATIONS:

For "rice stuffing", add a grated cauliflower at the end. You may need to add additional stock as well.

For bread stuffing, I used the nut butter bread recipe although coconut bread may work as well. Cut about half of a loaf of bread into cubes. If you feel that the bread is too soft, you can slice it and toast it first. The cubes can then be added to the above recipe at the end and cooked until they are softened and have absorbed the liquid. You may need to add extra stock or butter.

Jam

2010-01-13T18:06:00.000-08:00

This is a very simple way to make GAPS-legal jam. It is a bit runnier than "normal" jam, but still works well. You can adjust the level of sweetness to suit your preference. I made my jam not very sweet at all, figuring that I could always mix honey in later for flavor. Also, if you make it less sweet, then you can use it in savory sauces and dishes (such as apricot-rosemary turkey breast).

I used apricots, but pretty much any fruit that you would normally make jam from would work. I simply cut up the fruit into large pieces- probably into quarters or eights- and then put it in a large stock pot. I covered the fruit with cold filtered water and brought it to a boil, then turned it down to a simmer. I think I added the honey at this point- I'm not sure it matter exactly when you add it.

Simmer the fruit for several hours until it thickens and cooks down to a consistency you like (keeping in mind that it is thicker when cool). Keep a close eye on it while it cooks so it doesn't scorch, and add more water as needed. Once it has thickened, remove a little and let it cool enough to taste, and add more honey if desired.

Once the jam is done you can either can it or freeze it in small containers or ziploc bags. I suggest making large batches in the summer when the fruit is in season and less expensive, but many of us on GAPS don't have as much control over when we are ready for certain foods. You can easily make this in smaller batches during the winter as well. Even though it may be more expensive, it can still be cost effective compared with purchasing SCD-legal jam online.

This jam is delicious on toast, in sandwiches, on pancakes or french toast, in crepes, or as a filling in desserts.

Baked Seed Crackers and Pizza Crust

2010-01-05T19:03:00.000-08:00

I originally came up with this recipe as a pizza crust (which, by the way, I think is the best one so far), but quickly realized that it would also work well as crackers. As a pizza crust, it's a little on the crispy side (which I like), and as crackers they are a little on the soft side. If you like your crackers crispier, then simply leave them in the oven longer.

INGREDIENTS:

1 c ground pumpkin seeds
1 c ground sunflower seeds
1 tsp salt
1 large or 2 small eggs
1-2 tsp olive oil
optional- crushed garlic, chopped parsley, dried Italian herbs, or any other ingredient for flavor

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ideally the seeds should be soaked in water overnight, then dried in the oven or dehydrator on a low setting. Once dry, they can be stored in jars so they are ready when you want to cook.

Grind the seeds before measuring out 1 cup each. I like to grind mine in a coffee grinder that I use only for seeds, nuts, and spices. Blend all ingredients with an electric mixer in a medium bowl. The dough will be very stiff. Vary the amount of olive oil based on how dry the dough seems- if it is wet enough with one tsp, then omit the second one. If you are adding herbs, garlic, or anything else for flavor, do it now. For the batch in the photo, I added 2 cloves of garlic and a handfull of chopped parsley (additional flavors are good for both crackers and pizza crust).

Grease a cookie sheet and sprinkle it with coarsely ground pumpkin seeds. Pat the dough into a ball shape and place it in the middle of the cookie sheet. Beginning in the center and moving outwards, squish the dough flat with your hands. I suppose you could also cover it with waxed paper and roll it out with a rolling pin. I try to get it to about 1/4 of an inch. For pizza crust, you may want to make the edges slightly raised, for crackers, make it flat.

For pizza- bake for 20 minutes (or longer if it looks very wet). Remove from oven, top with sauce and toppings, then return to oven for as long as it takes for the toppings to get hot and cheese to melt if you are using cheese.

For crackers-bake 25-30 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them. Cut them into squares with a pizza cutter. If you left them in a long time to get crispy, you should cut them quickly while they are still a little soft. Top with hummus, yogurt or kefir cheese, or any other topping you like. If you made them on the softer side, you could cut them with cookie cutters to make them look fancy.

Raw Egg Nog

2010-01-01T16:13:00.000-08:00

I've never actually made real egg nogg before and it was much better than I expected. It's also pretty easy, and very nutritious. This is something I plan on enjoying throughout the year!

INGREDIENTS:

3 eggs (farm fresh if possible)
1 pint coconut milk or kefir or kefired cream
2 T - 1/4 cup honey, depending on taste
grated nutmeg
bourbon (optional)

METHOD:

Separate the eggs and beat egg whites until soft peaks form. In another bowl, beat the yolks with the honey, just until frothy and well mixed. I personally feel that egg nog needs very little sweetness to be delicious, so I use only a few T of honey. If you are using kefir you may want to add more honey.

Gently fold the yolk mixture into the beaten whites. Then fold in the coconut milk or kefir. Fold in bourbon to taste if you are using it. After you pour it into cups, sprinkle the top with nutmeg.

This recipe makes quite a bit and easily serves 4.

Bacon Cheddar Potted Cheese

2009-12-24T23:24:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, one of my favorite flavors of the holidays was those salty cheese spreads that came in the Christmas food packages. I loved how they were so creamy and salty, and probably loved them partly because of the MSG. A friend recently posted a recipe online for one of these spreads and when I saw it I knew I had to make it work for GAPS. I think this is even better without the MSG.

INGREDIENTS:

2 T coconut oil
12 oz raw cheddar cheese
8 oz bacon (I used Organic Prairie brand)
2 shallots
1 T bourbon
1 cup kefir or homemade yogurt (you could probably use coconut milk if you don't have either)

METHOD:

Chop the bacon and cook in the coconut oil until crispy, remove and set aside.

Fry the shallots in 2 T of the fat left from cooking the bacon, until caramelized.

Chop the cheese into small cubes and put into the bowl of a food processor along with the bacon, and pulse until well blended. Add the kefir, bourbon, and shallots and continue to blend until the mixture is creamy.

At this point the mixture is a thick spread or dip, that would go well with veggie sticks, apple slices, crackers, or coconut bread or nut butter bread.. You can easily adjust the consistency by adding in more kefir, if you want a thinner dip. For an extravagant salad dressing, or dressing for vegetables, you could thin this down a lot with oil and vinegar as well as more kefir.

Cinnamon Nut Cookies

2009-12-17T18:52:00.000-08:00

This is essentially a recipe that I found online but I don't remember where. If it looks familiar please let me know who to credit :) It's simple, my kids love it, and is a great way to use some of those egg whites that I always have left over from other things.

INGREDIENTS:

2 egg whites
2 cups of nut flour or nuts that have been soaked and dried
1/4 cup honey
1 T cinnamon

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Beat the egg whites until frothy.

If using nut flour, fold it into the egg whites. If using nuts, grind them into flour (I use a coffee grinder for this, or you can use a food processor too), then fold them in. Fold in the other ingredients.

Drop teaspoonfuls of the batter onto a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, until nicely browned.

For variation, you can use different combinations of nut flour and spices as well as flavoring extracts or lemon or orange zest.

Lima Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Salad

2009-12-11T22:43:00.000-08:00

This salad is so simple and absolutely delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup cooked and rinsed lima beans
1 roasted red bell pepper
about 1/4 cup chopped parsley
1-2 T olive oil
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste (preferably a course, gourmet salt such as Hawaiian Red Salt)

METHOD:

Cut the pepper into chunks and mix with the beans and parsley in a small bowl. Add enough olive oil to generously coat the vegetables, squeeze on some lemon juice, and sprinkle on the salt.

Roasted Peppers

2009-12-11T22:30:00.000-08:00

This is a simple thing to do to add some wonderful flavor to many different dishes. Roasted peppers are great in salads, mixed in lima bean hummus, added to salsa, on pizza and burgers, and so many other things.

The technique I use is simple. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash the peppers and cut them in half, then clean the seeds and pith out of the middle. Rub the skins with oil or fat (I used olive oil) and place them skin side up on a baking sheet. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until the peppers are soft. I like it when the skins get a little burned or charred. When they are cool enough, remove the skins. If using smaller peppers such as Anaheim, reduce the cooking time.

Peppers, particularly hot chili peppers, are also very good roasted over a fire or roasted in the broiler for a similar effect. Hold them near the fire until their skins blacken, then cover them or put them in a bag for 10 minutes, which will cause the skins to come off more easily. Be careful with hot peppers- roasting them in any fashion can release the capsaicin (what makes them hot) into the air which can irritate your eyes and nose.

Cracklins

2009-12-08T18:26:00.000-08:00

Sorry if this grosses some of you out- it's an old time treat that has become one of my boys' favorite snacks. It's so simple, and a great way to use more of our food and have less waste. Between making these and broth with the bones, we pretty much use up the whole chicken these days.

To make cracklins, simply heat fat or oil for frying in a large skillet and fry the skins on both sides until crispy. I salt them as they are cooling down. You can also shake on other seasoning if you like. These are best eaten when still warm.

Turkey Green Chile Stew

2009-12-07T22:07:00.000-08:00

I was looking for a creative way to use leftover turkey and came up with this. It was a pleasant change from chicken soup. The flavor of the soup would be greatly enhanced by fire roasting some or all of the chiles ahead of time. I didn't have time and it still came out very nicely.

INGREDIENTS:

1 onion, chopped
2 T butter or other fat for cooking
2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 cups various green peppers, chopped (I used a blend of poblano, anaheim and green bell pepper)
1 quart meat stock (ideally turkey, but I used chicken and it was fine)
1-2 cups of chopped cooked turkey (however much you have on hand)
handful of chopped cilantro
salt to taste
dash of lime juice
optional- chile powder or chipotle powder, fresh jalepenos

METHOD:

Fry the onion in the butter or fat. Add the spices and garlic and let cook a few minutes, than add the peppers. Once they have cooked down a little, after about 5 minutes, add the stock. Simmer for another 10 minutes or so until the flavors have blended more and the veggies are soft. Add the turkey and cilantro and cook another few minutes to allow the meat to warm through. Remove from heat, add the lime juice, and taste and adjust the seasonings. This is delicious with sour cream, if you can have it.

For intro, just simmer the vegetables and meat in the stock.

Trail Mix

2009-12-07T18:57:00.000-08:00

It seems a little silly to post a recipe for trail mix as it's such a simple snack and one that is infinitely variable. However, I came up with this particular blend that is a little more fancy than just peanuts and raisins and is really a treat.

Mix together:

2 parts nuts
1 part granola
1 part dried fruit (chopped if large fruit)
chopped GAPS "chocolate" coconut candy

When making the coconut candy for this, you can use the leftover bits from cutting it with cookie cutters, or you can roll it out and cut it into squares, than cut it into small pieces. This is a replacement for chocolate chips so I was going for the equivalent size. The coconut candy does get soft if not refrigerated so you may want to store this in the fridge. I kept mine in the cupboard and didn't mind the softer texture.

When I made this, I used granola that had raisins in it, so for the dried fruit I added chopped dried apricots for variety. I used peanuts but using different nuts and combinations of nuts would give this some variety. My friend Chris was just saying that hazelnuts and dried cranberries are a great combination. There are so many ways of varying this recipe, I'm sure you'll find your own favorite way to make it!

You can make this ahead of time and put some in plastic baggies and you have a convenient "take along" snack food, just as convenient as the old snack bars and junk food that many of us probably used to keep around for convenient snacks on the go. It is also delicious enough to go into a Christmas stocking as a treat, especially if it were in a small tin.

Lima Bean Hummus

2009-12-06T17:36:00.000-08:00

It looks sort of grayish in the picture because I added black olives before I thought about how unappetizing that might make it look in the photo! Honestly this tastes so good that my husband has wondered why everyone doesn't make hummus with lima beans. This would work fine with other white beans that we're allowed on GAPS, but as they are higher in oxalates I decided to go with limas.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups soaked and cooked lima beans
3 cloves of garlic
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
3 T lemon juice
3 T olive oil (or more depending on how "wet" your beans are and the texture of hummus that you like)

METHOD:

Put all ingredients in the blender or food processor and blend to desired consistency. Taste and adjust flavors. You will undoubtedly find your own blend of ingredients that you like best.

For variation, try adding olives, anchovies, roasted garlic, roasted peppers, dried tomato, or whatever herbs and spices you like. If you find an especially tasty variation, please post it in the comments for us all to enjoy!

If you serve the hummus with sliced veggies for dipping it makes a nice side dish or even a light meal.

Classic Hamburger or Cheeseburger

2009-11-30T16:15:00.000-08:00

We've been eating hamburger patties since nearly the beginning of the diet, which we enjoy, but we really wanted "the real thing" the other day. For the bun we used large bread-like pancakes which held together remarkably well. We topped off our burgers with homemade mayo, Bubbie's pickles (which are raw and lacto fermented), sliced tomatoes and GAPS-legal mustard. You could also make your own ketchup for this.

Here's the basic recipe we use for hamburger patties:

1 lb ground beef or buffalo
1 egg
1 T honey
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/4 cup marrow or liver (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneed with your hands. Form the meat into patties (we prefer to make 6 patties from 1 pound of meat). The patties can be fried in cooking fat, broiled, or grilled. We like ours topped with melted cheese and fried onions.

Roasted Garlic and Zucchini Soup

2009-11-28T21:58:00.000-08:00

The roasted garlic really gives this soup a hearty, robust flavor, that is just right for autumn. This is based on a recipe in the book "Nourish" by Holly Davis. Her culinary background is in vegan and macrobiotic diets, but this book contains some meat as well. Her approach to cooking is a focus on healing, nutrient dense foods, which makes the book an interesting source of inspiration for GAPS food. If you're feeling adventurous it's worth checking this book out.

INGREDIENTS:

10 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
3 large zucchini (this soup is a great way to use those zucchini that grew a little too big in the garden)
3 T olive oil (or melted fat), approximately
2 T butter or ghee
1 tsp salt
2 onions, coarsely chopped
1/2 leek, sliced
4 cups of meat stock (I used chicken, beef would work well too)
2 T toasted walnuts

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the zucchini and place in a large bowl with the unpeeled garlic cloves. Pour the 3T of olive oil or melted fat over the veggies and stir to coat, Adding more oil if necessary. Add the salt and stir. Pour into a shallow pan and roast in the oven for 30 mintues, making sure the veggies don't burn.

When the veggies are done roasting in the oven, let them cool enough to handle. Put the zucchini into the bowl of a food processor. Peel the garlic and add the roasted pulp. Add the toasted walnuts and blend until smooth.

In a soup pot, melt the butter or ghee and saute the chopped onions and leek until soft. Add the meat stock and bring to a boil. Add the pureed zucchini mixture and cook a little longer. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

The original recipe called for pureeing the whole soup, but I personally liked having the chunks of onion and leek still in the soup. This would of course be up to you. Also, the original recipe called for 2 tsp of umeboshi vinegar. I don't know much about this vinegar, so I don't know if it's legal or not. I have heard that it is healthy so it may be worth looking into. I didn't feel that the soup needed vinegar so I didn't substitute for it. I did however add sour cream, which was delicious!

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

2009-11-25T21:18:00.000-08:00

This dish is for those who aren't as wild about brussels sprouts. By shredding them and adding other strongly flavored ingredients, such as bacon and lemon juice, the strong flavor that these little veggies can have is toned down a bit. Of course, if you really love their flavor, you can let it shine through!

INGREDIENTS:

About 2 cups of brussels sprouts (shredded)
About one large handful of sliced leek
3-4 slices of bacon
salt to taste
dash of lemon juice or vinegar

optional- dry white wine, bourbon, anchovies, olives, or Parmesan cheese

METHOD:

Chop the raw bacon into small pieces and put them in a shallow pan on medium heat. Stir them frequently so they cook evenly. Prepare the brussels sprouts while the bacon cooks down and becomes crispy. When it does, remove the bacon into a dish and set aside. Leave the drippings in the pan!

Rinse the brussels sprouts and remove any tattered outer leaves, and cut off the stems. To shred them, cut them in half from pole to pole, then make thin slices from top to bottom. Don't worry if oyu don't have exactly 2 cups- the recipe can be flexible.

Add the leek to the hot bacon drippings and let cook for several minutes. Add the shredded brussels sprouts and stir. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the brussels sprouts become bright green and soften. Try a little to see if it's done.

Remove from heat, slat to taste, and add a dash of either lemon juice or vinegar. Add the bacon pieces back in or serve them on the side. At this point you can add any of the optional ingredients if you'd like.

Pecan-glazed butternut squash pudding

2009-11-25T10:32:00.000-08:00

This is good. (My husband says that "good" is not an adequate description of this dish. He says, "I took one little bite, and it was phenomenal!") I am using it as a substitute for my usual sweet potato dish for Thanksgiving. I am also having butternut squash in my winter vegetable medley, so I'm skipping the pumpkin pie and opting for apple cobbler instead.

Ingredients

Filling

1 small butternut squash

1-2 Tbs. honey

2 Tbs. butter (I used salted pasture butter, if yours is unsalted, add a pinch of salt)

1 egg

2 tsp. bourbon (optional)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/4 cup honey

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Method

Bake whole butternut squash in 350 degree (F) oven until fork-tender, about 40 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut in half and remove seeds, pulp and skin. Shred or mash the flesh into a bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients for filling. Spread in a greased 8 inch square baking dish.

For glaze: mix first three ingredients together in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to carmelize (honey will turn slightly darker). Do not overcook, it will continue to carmelize in the oven. Add pecans, and spread glaze over filling. Bake at 325 degrees (F) for about 30 minutes or until glaze looks consistent and filling looks firm.

Candied Butter Pecans

2009-11-24T17:44:00.000-08:00

This is basically the candied nuts recipe from Breaking The Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall. I made this for Halloween along with some other candies it was by far my favorite. It would make a great praline topping for ice cream if crumbled up.`

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound pecan pieces (or other nuts), previously soaked and dried
2 egg whites
1/2 cup honey pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon (or more?)

METHOD:

Toast nuts in oven at 300 degrees for 10 minutes on a large baking sheet. Let cool.

Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Slowly add in honey until well mixed in.

Fold in nuts and cinnamon. Spread mixture on a large shallow pan, such as a jellyroll pan, that has been generously greased with butter or ghee.

Bake for 30 minutes at 300 degrees, turning nuts every 10 minutes. Bake a little longer if the butter hasn't disappeared.

Let cool in pan, then break into bite-sized pieces. Store in a covered container.

Chile Verde

2009-11-24T16:53:00.000-08:00

This was a delicious treat after being in a GAPS rut for awhile. It was a time-consuming meal, especially since I started out by going into my garden and harvesting the tomatillos! If you make a lot of the sauce ahead of time and freeze it, this would be an easy crock pot dinner.

Amazingly, the recipe I used was the first one that came up in a google search. The steps of the recipe are nicely pictured, which I appreciated. The only modification I made was not to drain off the excess fat. Here's the link:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chile_verde/

Pie Crust II

2009-11-23T14:49:00.000-08:00

This is my second take on pie crust, and I think it's better. It's crispier without the egg yolk, I think, and yummier with more butter! One of my non-GAPS friends says she likes this better than regular pie crust. I don't concur, but I still like it!

Ingredients

1/2 cup ground sunflower seeds
1/2 cup ground pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup ground pecans or walnuts
4 Tbs. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
2 egg whites

Method

Pulse all ingredients except egg whites in food processor until butter is blended through. Add egg whites a bit at a time and pulse through after each addition until mixture forms a ball. Chill for an hour or so.

Press dough into a 10 inch pie plate. Fill and bake according to directions for filling.

For a pre-cooked or raw filling, place in oven at 325 degrees Farenheit for 10-20 minutes until lightly browned. (The timing here is a ball-park estimate. I took it out when I smelled the pecans toasting.)

Honey Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

2009-11-23T13:57:00.001-08:00

This is yummy. I hope some of you have a chance to try it for Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

8 oz. organic cranberries, washed and picked over
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup honey
zest of half an orange or whole lemon
1 Tbs. good quality bourbon

Method

Bring all ingredients except bourbon to a boil. Simmer until all of the cranberries pop. Allow to cool a bit in the pan. Add bourbon. Refrigerate. You can pass the sauce through a sieve of food mill, if you don't like whole cranberry sauce.

Golden Crusted Brussels Sprouts

2009-11-17T22:42:00.000-08:00

I was looking for a simple recipe for brussels sprouts and found this one online on the website 101 cookbooks. It was really good. The only modification I made was to cook them in butter, and I kept the heat very low so as not to burn the butter. These would be very good with some toasted nuts on top. The recipe calls for grated cheese, which we skipped, and they were fine. Here's the link to the recipe:

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/goldencrusted-brussels-sprouts-recipe.html

Peanut Butter Brownies

2009-11-15T17:35:00.000-08:00

This recipe is from Breaking The Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall. This was the first SCD recipe I ever made, back when I had just read BTVC and was convinced that we would benefit from the diet but equally convinced that it would be impossible for us to do. This is still my favorite recipe from that book, and an excellent way to introduce anyone to how good this diet can be!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey (I use 1/4 and find it plenty sweet)
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda (not GAPS-legal, it works fine if you leave it out)

METHOD:

Thoroughly mix all ingredients (I find an electric mixer works best). Pour into a generously greased 8" x 8" baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Do not overbake- these are so moist and chewy but get dry if baked too long.

Bacon Ranch Chicken Wrap

2009-11-14T21:48:00.000-08:00

The other day I went past a fast food restaurant with signs up for bacon ranch chicken sandwiches. While the smell of that particular restaurant was far from appealing, I thought the combination sounded great and I had a strong sense of nostalgia for the convenience that such a sandwich would provide. I had this version for lunch today and it was nearly as easy.

When I boiled a chicken last night to make stock, I set aside a small portion of the white meat to use today. I like to have a batch of Teri's fabulous ranch dip in the fridge for easy snacking anyway, so whipping up a batch today was something I had planned on doing anyway. We made bacon for breakfast so it was easy to set aside a strip to use for lunch. While it took a little coordinating and planning ahead, it made for a very quick and satisfying lunch (simply combine the ingredients on a lettuce leaf).

Braised Red Cabbage

2009-11-13T22:20:00.000-08:00

This side dish is so simple yet so incredibly good. It works really well as a bed for serving pork or fish on. it's bright color makes it a nice side dish for the holidays as well.

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 T butter or ghee
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium or 1/2 large red cabbage
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
small amount of meat stock
2 tsp lemon juice or balsamic vinegar

METHOD:

Saute onion in butter until soft. Add the coriander and salt, then add the cabbage. Saute for 5 minutes or until the cabbage becomes softer. Add a small amount of stock (maybe a quarter cup?), mostly to keep the cabbage from sticking to the pan as it continues to cook.

Cook, uncovered, on medium-low heat for about 20-30 minutes more, adding a little stock when the cabbage needs more moisture. It is done when it is very soft and has cooked down. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice or vinegar.

Lentil Stew with Greens

2009-11-12T17:53:00.000-08:00

This may not sound like anything special, but it is delicious. This has been a favorite recipe of mine since my college days, and the original recipe is GAPS legal- the only modification I made for our current use was to substitute other greens for spinach (because spinach is so high in both oxalates and histamine).

INGREDIENTS:

2 T butter or ghee
1 large onion, chopped
3 (or more!) cloves of garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
2 cups of lentils, soaked for 24 hours and drained
2 cups of chopped greens, somewhat tightly packed
1 quart (or more) of meat stock
1 T vinegar or lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
optional- equivalent of 1 can of chopped tomatoes in juice

METHOD:

Saute onions in butter for several minutes until they become soft. Add the garlic, salt and spices and continue to saute on moderate heat another 5 minutes or so.

Add the lentils and greens and cook another few minutes. Add the stock, tomatoes and juice (if using), and bring to a boil. Simmer until lentils are tender, 30-50 minutes depending on lentils.

If the stew is thicker when done than you want, add more stock and heat through. Remove from heat and add lemon juice or vinegar (real balsamic vinegar is the best if you can get it). Taste and adjust the seasonings.

VARIATION:
This stew is delicious with meat. You can either use leftover meat (I added 3 leftover sausages to the batch pictured), or fresh ground meat or stew meat. Add the meat, cut into pieces, at the time you are adding the spices. Depending on the flavors in the meat (if sausages or leftovers), you may want to reduce or alter the spices used.

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

2009-11-11T06:57:00.000-08:00

I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving this year. I've been thinking about menu ideas, and I'd love to hear yours too. Some of the things I'm considering:

Olive and pickle tray.

Artichoke soup.

Sauerkraut, onions and apples sauteed in butter, then braised in dry champagne.

Roast turkey stuffed with fresh herbs, lemons and onions. Covered with melted butter, sea salt and fresh pepper.

Smoked turkey is yummy too!

Celery Root and Apple Puree

Cranberry sauce made with honey, orange juice and rind, finished with a tablespoon of bourbon.

Roasted brussels sprouts with bacon, onions and chestnuts.

Butternut squash casserole.

Green beans with italian vinaigrette, toasted pecans and shaved parmesan.

Apple pie with a walnut, pumpkin seed and sunflower seed crust, topped with a walnut honey butter and spice crumble, served with a dollop of kefir creme fraiche.

Pumpkin pie made with coconut milk instead of evaporated milk and honey in place of maple syrup or sugar, with a hazelnut, pumpkin seed and sunflower seed crust, served with sweetened, whipped, kefir or yogurt creme fraiche.

Honey Caramels

2009-11-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

These are really creamy and delicious, but they are a little soft. It is best to serve them straight out of the fridge. I used raw honey, which I know kills the enzymes, but I buy it in bulk for a better price than "regular" honey. That's why there are flecks of dark in the candy.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups honey
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup water

Method

Grease a square pan 8x8x2 inches with butter or coconut oil. Heat all ingredients in a three quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until boiling. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture reaches 245 degrees F. on a candy thermometer (firm ball stage). Pour into prepared pan, and chill uncovered until set. Cut pieces as needed.

Honey Marshmallows

2009-11-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

I modified this recipe from one by Alton Brown. These are a fun treat for kids at holidays or on campouts. You can even toast them, but you have to be quick, as they melt faster than the commercial variety. I am going to try more vanilla next time, but this amount works.

Ingredients

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
2 cups honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut shreds
Coconut oil or butter for greasing pan

Method

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Use the whisk attachment.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, honey and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the honey syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pan as follows.

Grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking pan. Add the shredded coconut and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Save any extra for coating marshmallows after cut.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled or greased spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining shredded coconut to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel or scissrs, dusted with coconut flour. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with shredded coconut, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Celery Cheese Soup

2009-11-04T16:37:00.000-08:00

My family, including my formerly profoundly casein-sensitive son, are now able to eat cultured dairy including cheese! I am amazed at the level of healing that my family has experienced from the GAPS diet. I am also so grateful to be able to include cheese in our meal planning as it opens up so many possibilities! This soup is a simple and delicious step into the lovely world of cheese. The recipe that this is based on comes from the book The Complete Vegetarian Cuisine" by Rose Elliot, and originally called for Stilton, but I used very sharp cheddar and the result was fabulous.

INGREDIENTS:

1 head of celery
1 onion, chopped
2 or more T of butter or ghee
1 quart of meat stock (I used chicken)
1 cup grated cheese
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

Saute the onions in the butter for 5 minutes or so, until they soften, but don't let them brown!

Clean and chop the celery, including the leaves. You may want to save a few leaves for garnish. Add the celery to the onions and stir. Then cover, and cook on low for about 10 minutes.

Add the stock and let it simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, until the celery is very soft.

Add the cheese and puree with a hand blender. A regular blender or food processor will also work but will be so much more work to clean.

Adjust the seasonings, and serve a few celery eaves for garnish.

Mexican Caprese Salad

2009-11-03T17:04:00.000-08:00

I can't harvest a beautiful, ripe red tomato from the garden without thinking of Caprese Salad- the wonderful summer dish of fresh tomato, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella. Since the fresh mozzarella is out, I tried to think of what else has a creamy texture and goes well with tomatoes.... Once I had the avocado and tomato combo, it seemed only natural to give it a more Mexican feel. This is a bit unorthodox, but it is delicous!

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 vine-ripened tomatoes, depending on size
1-2 avocados, depending on size
handfull of cilantro
olives to taste
olive oil
salt to taste

METHOD:

Slice the tomatoes and avocados, and then arrange them on a plate in a circle, alternating tomato with avocado. Drizzle generously with olive oil, then sprinkle with cilantro and olives. Salt to taste.

Ranch Dip or Dressing

2009-11-01T13:50:00.000-08:00

This is a simple and delicious recipe that Teri came up with. It is basically the "real thing" rather than the sugar-and-MSG concoction that tends to pass for ranch. This is an easy and wonderful thing to bring to a potluck or buffet.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup mayonnaise (yogurt and thick kefir would also work if you prefer egg-free)
2 T chopped parsley or cilantro
1 (or more!) cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
2 green onions minced, or 1/4 regular onion minced
squeeze of lemon juice
ground pepper to taste

METHOD:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. This is great for simply dipping veggies in, or can be thinned to make salad dressing with olive oil, nut milk, kefir, or water.

Yummy Granola

2009-10-25T17:15:00.001-07:00

This granola is truly good. It is also nut-free, if you consider coconut a seed (which botanists and most allergy sufferers do). I kept asking myself if I hadn't accidentally grabbed hubby's store-bought stuff. It's easy, stores well, and travels well. Now if that isn't a GAPS convenience food I don't know what is!

Lately I've been able to drink kefir, so having this granola topped with that stuff is like a vacation back to regular food land.

I hope you enjoy it as much as our family does!

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup coconut flakes or shreds
1/2 cup honey, warmed
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 TBSP. vanilla extract
1 cup dried fruit (cut up if large)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet. Mix all ingredients EXCEPT dried fruit. Toss well. Spread on baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in dried fruit. Continue to stir every few minutes during cooling process as well.

When it is cool, it will be deliciously crunchy.

Note: I did not soak these seeds, as I can digest seeds alright without soaking. I'm sure it would be delicious with soaked and dehydrated seeds too.

Churasco Burger with Chimichurri Sauce

2009-10-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from the book "Great Burgers" by Bob Sloan. This is one of the few cookbooks that I have bought since beginning the GAPS diet- even though it is not technically special diet at all, many of the recipes are GAPS-legal without any modification, and most of the others require only minor adaptations. I particularly like that the recipes in this book provide many ideas for using ground meat, something that I am wanting to use more of to save money, as well as recipes that are very flavorful and with a wide range of flavors to help bring more variety into the diet.

INGREDIENTS:

For burgers:
1 1/2 pounds of ground round (beef)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
3 T finely chopped or crushed garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 T red pepper flakes (optional)

For sauce:
1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1 cup packed fresh mint
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 T finely chopped garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 T red pepper flakes (optional)

METHOD:

In a medium bowl, combine the ground meat with all of the burger ingredients except the salt. Mix gently until just blended. Form into 4-6 patties, depending on how large you want the patties. Sprinkle both sides of each patty with salt.

Grill on high heat (around 500 degrees) for 4-5 minutes per side, depending on how rare or well done you like your meat. You can also fry the burgers in a very hot skillet for about 5 minutes per side.

To make the sauce, blend all ingredients together in a food processor. According to the recipe, this sauce also goes well with steak and chicken.

Garlic Bread

2009-10-08T18:08:00.000-07:00

Now that fall weather is settling in, it's back to the joys of having the oven on and wonderful smells filling the house. Garlic bread is a flavor I've missed until now. This coconut bread recipe is very good, and will work well for many things I'm sure!

The recipe for the bread comes from the Cheeseslave blog:
http://www.cheeseslave.com/2008/11/26/coconut-flour-bread/
The original recipe comes from the book "Cooking with Coconut Flour" by Bruce Fife and was adapted for GAPS by the Cheeseslave Lady. Thank you Cheeseslave Lady!

Once you've made the bread, just melt a lot of butter or ghee in a skillet and gently saute LOTS of crushed or chopped garlic to let the butter take on the flavor. I used about 1/3 of a loaf of the bread and big chunk of butter, so I can't tell you exact proportions here. Some people prefer to make the garlic butter by mashing the crushed garlic into butter at room temperature without melting it. Also, many people like to add chopped parsley. Garlic bread is more of an art than a science :)

Spread the garlic butter between slices of the bread, and wrap in foil (if that's your thing) and place in a baking dish. I prefer for my food to not touch aluminum, so I put the bread back in it's bread pan and covered the top with foil to keep in the moisture. If you have another method, please post it in the comments!

I placed it in a 300 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Tandouri Lamb Burger with Cumin-Yogurt Dressing

2009-10-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

I recently got the book "Great Burgers" by Bob Sloan from the library, and am loving it. Because the focus of the book is meat patties with seasonings, most of the recipes are GAPS-friendly (some are entirely GAPS-legal) and offers ways to include more variety of flavor into the diet as well a a way to use more ground meat (which I have been wanting to do to save money). This was the first recipe from the book that I tried but there are many more that I am eager to get to. These were absolutely delicious and my 8-year-old LOVED them, he said they tasted just like food from an Indian restaurant. This recipe did not require modification, and even includes a yogurt sauce that is diet-legal. Did I mention that I love this book?

For the meat patties:

1 lb ground lamb
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 T finely chopped garlic
2 T finely chopped (or grated) peeled fresh ginger
1 large egg
1 T curry powder (I get mine from Mountain Rose Herbs)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I left this out)

METHOD:

Combine all ingredients (I used my Kitchen Aid mixer). Form into 4 patties.

To cook them, the book suggests putting them into a 500 degree oven for 8-10 minutes in a skillet on the middle rack of the oven. The idea is to mimic a tandouri oven. I did this and while the burgers were cooked and tasted good, they didn't brown and were very soft. In the future I plan to broil them on a rack.

Serve with slices of red onion, tomato, and lettuce leaves. Cumin-Yogurt dressing is optional.

For the dressing, combine the following ingredients in a small bowl:

1 cup yogurt
1 T freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt

French Toast

2009-09-29T22:48:00.000-07:00

It would be an understatement to say that we are tired of eating eggs for breakfast, so I've been looking to branch out. I had part of a loaf of nut butter bread left over and decided to try an old favorite of ours, french toast. This bread is soft and spongy and worked very well!

To make french toast, first make a loaf of the Nut Butter Bread:
http://grainfreefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/09/nut-butter-bread.html

In a large, flat dish (such as a Pyrex baking dish), put three eggs and several tablespoons of coconut milk. You may also want to add a dash of vanilla extract and or cinnamon for flavor. Blend with a fork.

Place slices of the bread in the dish to soak, making sure to flip them over so they soak up the liquid on both sides. Take care not to soak too long or the bread will come apart when yu try to remove it. Cook them on a hot greased griddle or skillet, on both sides, until they are brown.

Serve with butter or ghee, honey, homemade SCD-legal jam, fruit compote, stewed prunes, or honey lemon syrup. To make honey-lemon syrup:

1/4 C honey
juice of half a lemon
vanilla (optional)

Combine the first two ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. They will heat up and become much thinner very quickly. Turn off heat, and add vanilla, if using. At this point you can further thin the syrup by adding in some filtered water.

This would also be good with a different fruit juice, such as pomegranate or cherry. The Knudsen's Just Juice line is supposed to be acceptable for GAPS, and this could offer some welcome variation.

Nut Butter Bread

2009-09-29T22:36:00.000-07:00

This bread is soft like a quickbread, but stays together well enough to use for sandwiches. It has a pretty neutral flavor to it, but can be either sweet or savory depending on what you add to it. It is very similar to the recipe for nut butter muffins already on the site.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup nut butter (or seed butter)
1/4 cup honey
3 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 T vinegar or lemon juice

METHOD:

Combine all ingredients except for the vinegar and mix well (this usually requires an electric mixer for me). Add the vinegar or lemon juice and mix well, then pour into a greased loaf pan.

Bake about 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven. It is done when a knife or toothpick comes out clean.

For a sweet bread, increase the honey to 1/3 or 1/2 cup and add cinnamon and whatever other spices you like, such as nutmeg or ground cloves. Adding more honey will extend the baking time so keep an eye on this.

To make it savory, reduce or omit the honey, and add a little more salt as well as crushed garlic, onion powder (if it is SCD-legal), and other savory spices such as thyme.

Gazpacho

2009-09-29T22:21:00.000-07:00

We have more tomatoes than we know what to do with right now, so I am doing everything I can think of to do with them. This is a basic Gazpacho and very tasty.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large cucumber
4 ripe tomatoes
1 onion
2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups diced bell pepper, preferably blend of red and green
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 T lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 egg yolk
salt to taste
1 tsp ground pepper, preferably white pepper
1/2 cup tomato juice
Handfull of cilantro (optional)
SCD-legal hot sauce, to taste, optional

Chop the cucumber, tomato and onion, peeling the cucumber first. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of cucumber, 3 cups of tomato, and 1 cup of onion.

Put the chopped vegetables into a food processor, and add the remaining ingredients, reserving some cilantro for garnish. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt or seasonings.

Let chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Garnish each bowl with cilantro when serving.

Cinnamon Truffles

2009-09-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for ways to get more butter into our diet lately (as an aside, I have to point out that you gotta love a diet that leads you to begin a blog post like that!). I came up with this simple way to make butter into a nice little snack.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup butter or ghee (pastured if possible)
1 tsp honey (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (or more to taste)
Drop of vanilla extract

To roll the truffles in:
Any combination of shredded coconut or coconut flour, cinnamon (or any other spice you like), or ground nuts or seeds

METHOD:

Cream butter with honey, then mix in the drop of vanilla and cinnamon to taste. You can add some coconut flour at this point if you want for texture. Without the flour it is a lot like ganache, adding the flour makes it a bit more like cookie dough.

The next step is to roll it into little balls. You may need to refrigerate it for awhile to do this, but it will be tough to do because the heat from your hands will melt the butter a bit. Decide what you want to roll the truffles in- straight ground cinnamon, ground cinnamon mixed with shredded coconut or coconut flour, and straight shredded coconut all work well. All of those options are in the photo above.

Put whatever you want to roll the truffles in into a small bowl. Scoop up a small amount of the butter mixture, briefly roll it in your hands, then drop it into the bowl, and continue rolling it in the bowl. I prefer a ball about 3/4 of an inch across.

Store in the refrigerator when done.

Hazelnut Pizza Crust

2009-09-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

This is based on a recipe from Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall. The recipe in the book calls for almond flour, which we don't use because it is high oxalate. Hazelnut flour gave this crust the look and feel of whole wheat. This is the best GAPS pizza crust we've had so far.

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs
2 cups of hazelnut flour, plus more?
2 tsp olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
dried spices, such as basil, thyme and oregano, are optional

Beat the eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients and stir. If mixture does not easily form a ball, add more flour by the tablespoon. 1 T of coconut flour will also help as it absorbs excess liquid very well.

Grease a pizza pan or cookie sheet, and sprinkle some of the flour on as well. Place the ball of dough in the middle of the pan and squish it out into the shape you want. This should be enough dough to mostly cover a standard cookie sheet. It is fine if it doesn't reach all the way to the edges.

Bake the crust for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees, until it is lightly browned and no longer wet. Top with sauce and other toppings, and return to oven for 5-10 minutes, or long enough for toppings to heat up and cheese to melt if you are using cheese.

NOTE: I think this would also work well as a pie crust, but as I am allergic to hazelnut flour so I won't be experimenting with that. I also think that if you just baked the crust then cut it up it would make nice crackers.

Banana Hazelnut Bread or Cake

2009-09-19T22:41:00.000-07:00

We ate this before I could photograph it :)

This is based on the recipe for banana cake by Elaine Gottschall in Breaking the Vicious Cycle. The hazelnut flour gave it more of a look and feel of wheat then anything else I've tried. Unfortunately, I also discovered that I'm allergic to hazelnut flour. This can be a bread or a cake, depending on how much honey you add to it.

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups hazelnut flour (other flour should work as well)
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup melted butter or ghee
1 tsp baking soda (optional, not GAPS legal)
2 extra ripe mashed bananas
honey- 1/3 cup for bread, 2/3 cup for cake

METHOD:

Mash bananas with a fork in a large mixing bowl. Add other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour into a greased cake, loaf, or baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes, or until the top springs back when poled. Baking time will vary depending on the shape of pan used.

Strawberry Shortcake

2009-09-13T19:14:00.001-07:00

No, it's not all treats with me! It's just that I expect good soup, roasted meat, delicious vegetables etc. on GAPS. When I find desserts that I think are really tasty, I'm excited, because I didn't expect to be able to enjoy something like strawberry shortcake while on the protocol. This recipe also makes a great cobbler topping.

The cake in this is more like pound cake than shortcake, but it is really good. (You might have noticed that it's awfully similar to my other muffin/cupcake recipes.) The whole family plus picky visitors enjoyed every bite of this. I made it a lot when strawberries were in season around here, but we were so busy I never got a pic. to post. These strawberries are still local and organic, but they must have come from a greenhouse. They were still sweet though.

Ingredients

1/3 cup melted butter or oil
6 eggs lightly beaten
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup honey
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup coconut flour

Method

Mix all ingredients together and divide among 12 muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes. I like these when they just start to brown. The tops become glossy and yummy!

Cut muffins in half crosswise and top with sliced strawberries that have been tossed with honey to taste and a dash of vanilla extract.

Coffee Glazed Macadamia Nuts

2009-09-13T16:34:00.000-07:00

Everybody in my family loves these. They are a great snack or treat. You can leave out the coffee for plain honey-glazed, but I think they're better this way. My neighbor couldn't get enough of the honey-glazed though.

Ingredients

1/4 cup double strength decaf espresso

2 Tbsp. melted butter

1/4 cup honey

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

4 cups raw macadamia nuts

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine first four ingredients well. Add macadamias and toss to coat thoroughly. Put on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, stirring about every five minutes during the cooking. Remove from oven when lightly toasted. Stir on the baking sheet as they cool. Place in a jar in the refrigerator for storage. They are fine at room temperature for a few hours, but the coating does start to soften. They do stick together in the fridge, but can be loosened with a spoon or knife.

Peach Ice Cream

2009-09-06T23:01:00.000-07:00

This is a rich, creamy, very flavorful ice cream. The recipe is loosely based on a recipe from France featured in the cookbook "Sun Drenched Cuisine" by Marlena Spieler (this is one of my all-time favorite cookbooks). The original recipe calls for either peaches or pears, and suggests serving with praline, which can be made with honey and nuts for the adventurous among you.

INGREDIENTS:

4 egg yolks
1 cup coconut milk
4 or 5 ripe peaches (or pears)
1 T bourbon
3/4 cup honey (or less)

METHOD:

Peel the fruit and puree it in a food processor, set aside.

Blend together the egg yolks, honey, and bourbon. Add the fruit puree and blend until smooth. It may help to heat the coconut milk slightly first and dissolve the honey in it, then combine with the other ingredients.

Freeze in an ice cream maker or popsicle mold.

Crepes

2009-09-04T17:17:00.000-07:00

I am always pleased when I find a food that my whole family enjoys. This definitely fits the bill. I brought these to a non-GAPS brunch recently and was told that they are better than regular crepes. I think they are virtually indistinguishable. The key seems to be generous amounts of vanilla, plus delicious fillings of course.

A lovely lady named Millie, from the GAPSHelp group, posted this recipe http://www.tiana-coconut.com/coconut_flour_recipes.htm recently. I modified it slightly to work for GAPS and my taste buds

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons coconut flour

Method

Blend together butter, eggs, honey, vanilla and salt. Stir in coconut milk. Thoroughly mix in coconut flour. Heat 1/2 teaspoon butter in a small skillet. Pour one tablespoon of the batter into the skillet; immediately rotate skillet until there is a thin even layer of batter. Crepe should be about 4 inches in diameter. Cook until batter is bubbly and cooked (I find it easier to flip if they are slightly browned) around the edges. Turn and cook the other side for a moment. Cover one side of crepes with your choice of chopped fruits, nuts, honey lemon curd, apple butter or homemade jam. Roll up and serve.

I usually double this recipe and keep them warm in the oven until serving time. Leftovers refrigerate well. I'm going to experiment with freezing too.

Makes 6 or more crepes.

Spiced Steamed Artichokes with Lemon Garlic Mayo

2009-08-30T23:25:00.000-07:00

This is simple, delicious, and requires no modification to be GAPS-legal. This is our favorite "treat food" for dinner when we are feeling down about the food restrictions- you can't feel down when eating this!

To Prepare Artichokes:

Choose artichokes that are firm and green over ones that feel "squishy" and have deep splits in the leaves (these can be okay too, but aren't the best). Wash them.

Pull off the small leaves around the stem, these are very bitter. With a sharp knife, cut off the spiny end- the tips of the leaves bunched together at the top. With scissors, trim the sharp tips off of the remaining leaves. Cut off the tip of the stem where it is brown. Some people prefer to trim off most of the stem, while others feel that the stem is the best part and should be saved. To do this, carefully remove the outer skin around the stem and leave the soft inner part attached (like the one in the picture).

Place them stem-up in a steamer basket, or if they don't fit, you can slice each one in half lengthwise first. Put enough water into the bottom of the pan to not quite touch the artichokes. Into the water, put about 4-5 whole cloves, 2-3 cloves of garlic cut into several pieces, a bay leaf, several black peppercorns, some red wine or vinegar, a few cardamom pods if you have them, or other savory spices that you like.

Cooking time varies quite a bit depending on the size of the artichokes and their age. For smaller artichokes, I would check them after about 25-30 minutes, larger ones can take more like 45 minutes to steam. Check them by poking the choke end with a fork for tenderness. Let cool a little and serve with lemon garlic mayo, or just melted butter with garlic.

Lemon Garlic Dip for Artichokes

Combine 1 cup of GAPS-legal mayonnaise (I make my own), the juice of half a lemon, and 2 (or more) cloves of garlic, crushed. Add salt if desired.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

2009-08-24T21:37:00.000-07:00

We are growing bell peppers in our garden this year and wanted to find a special way to use them. These were delicious, my 8-year-old ate 3! This is one of those recipes that you can just "eyeball" as you go along, and is infinitely variable. I'll list out approximately what we did and estimates for amounts, but have fun with this! It's hard to go wrong!

INGREDIENTS:

5 bell peppers
1 medium onion
1 pound ground meat (we used buffalo)
grated cauliflower, optional
3-4 cloves of garlic
2 tsp cumin, or more!
Oregano or Mexican seasoning blend to taste (I use blends from Mountain Rose Herbs)
hot pepper, such as jalapeno (optional)
salt to taste
chopped cilantro
1/2 cup- 1 cup meat broth
1 tomato
cheese if you can have it to melt on top

METHOD:

To make the filling, heat some cooking oil or fat in a large skillet. Finely chop the onion and saute on low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the seasonings and crushed garlic cloves, and stir. If using hot or other peppers (such as Anaheim or Poblano for flavor) dice and add them now. Once these have cooked together, add the meat and saute until meat is just done. If you want "rice" in it too add some grated cauliflower about 5 minutes before the meat is done. Turn the heat off and mix in chopped cilantro, then taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To prepare the peppers, you can either cut them in half lengthwise if they are long and thin, or cut the tops out if they are short and round (in the picture you can see one of each). Remove the seeds.

Oil the bottom of an oven-proof pan with a lid that is big enough to fit all of the peppers in a single layer on the bottom. Carefully fill each pepper or pepper half with filling and place open side up in the pan.

In a small bowl, mix together the broth and the tomato, chopped. Season with salt and crushed garlic if desired. Pour this mixture around the peppers. Place the lid on the pan and bake for 30-45 minutes. Melt cheese onto them at the end if desired. Delicious with fresh salsa and guacamole.

VARIATION: use a variety of chopped veggies instead of the meat for veggie-stuffed peppers.

Apple and Beet Salad

2009-08-23T22:33:00.001-07:00

This salad was a favorite of mine before starting GAPS and has become one of my favorite diet-legal comfort foods. It is also my current favorite replacement for potato salad.

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 medium beets
1-2 tart apples, such as Granny Smith
2-3 pickles or to taste
1/2 cup or so of onion, diced

For dressing:

1/4 c olive oil
3 T mayonnaise
1/2 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
fresh dill (optional)

METHOD:

Cook the beets and chop into bite-sized pieces. Cut the apples into similar sized pieces. Dice the pickles. Combine these ingredients in a medium bowl, and add the onion.

To dress the salad, either follow the recipe above or, if you are feeling more adventurous, here is how I prefer to do it:
Pour on enough olive oil to coat the vegetables nicely. Stir in a few spoonfuls of mayonnaise, add the salt and any other seasonings if using, stir, and then add some vinegar. The dressing is really a matter of preference. I like to keep the dressing light and tangy.

This is a very attractive-looking salad and works well on special occasions.

Dairy-free coffee creamer

2009-08-19T06:53:00.000-07:00

I was dying for a cup of coffee last weekend (decaf, but still), and I don't like it without half-and-half or cream. I also wasn't in the mood for coconut cappuccino. Since we can't have uncultured dairy on GAPS, I needed to come up with an alternative. I was thinking of these artificially-flavored coffee creamers that are filled with hydrogenated oil that my mom likes, and I thought I could make a healthier version of one of those. I think that this recipe was a success. My husband thought it tasted great in the coffee too, and he can eat whatever he wants!

I used 1/2 cup honey and thought it was a tiny bit too sweet. I'm going to try 1/3 cup next time. I also plan to try different flavors in the future, especially vanilla.

This makes enough for two to three cups of coffee (at least the way I like it).

Ingredients

4 egg yolks
Pinch of sea salt
1/3-1/2 cup honey
14 oz. coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon natural almond extract

Method

Heat coconut milk in a medium saucepan to just boiling. Beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Add the salt and honey and continue to beat until thoroughly blended. Add hot coconut milk, a little at a time, to egg yolk mixture, while beating. Put the entire mixture back into the saucepan, and heat over medium low until mixture begins to thicken. Add to hot coffee in desired proportion, and enjoy.

Asian-Style Cole Slaw

2009-08-09T12:20:00.000-07:00

This is a light, delicious, and somewhat sweet version of cole slaw. My 8-year-old, who can't stand normal cole slaw, likes this version. It is a very refreshing summer side dish and goes very well with Chicken Satay
http://grainfreefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/08/chicken-satay-with-peanut-sauce.html

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium cabbages
1 large carrot
1/2 sweet onion
1-2 ribs of celery, optional

For the dressing:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar *
1/4 cup cider vinegar
4 T honey
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 T olive oil
about 1-2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
handful of chopped cilantro, optional

*Balsamic vinegar is not legal on the official SCD list, but with the note that real balsamic vinegar is fine, it's just that most of what you get here in the US is not actually balsamic vinegar. I'm pretty sure that what I have is real and my family seems to tolerate it fine. If you are concerned, you could either use all apple cider vinegar, or there are recipes for SCD replacements for balsamic vinegar around.

METHOD:

Shred the cabbages in a food processor (I use the thin slicing blade), or finely cut by hand. Grate the onion and carrot. If using the celery, slice thinly and add to the veggies. Place all the veggies in a large bowl.

Combine the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the veggies. Mix in the cilantro if using. Taste and add salt if needed.

Thai Cucumber "Noodles"

2009-08-08T12:20:00.001-07:00

My 8-year-old suggested that we make cucumber noodles using the same technique that we use to make zucchini noodles, but eat them raw instead of cooking them. This seemed to lend itself to a Thai-style dressing so this recipe was created. These are delicious and are one of my husband's favorite foods on the diet.

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 large cucumbers
juice of 1 lime
3 T peanut butter (tahini would also work well)
1 T honey
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 T toasted sesame oil
1 T olive oil
1 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of Chinese 5-spice powder*
about 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

For garnish:
1 handfull of cilantro, chopped
about 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped or crushed
tomato slices

*I get my spice blends from Mountain Rose Herbs and have not had a problem with them.

METHOD:

Peel the cucumbers. Take a cucumber and hold it over a bowl, and peel off thin strips using a vegetable peeler into the bowl. I stop when I get down to the seeds. Continue until all the cucumbers have been shredded.

Put the shredded cucumber into a colander over a bowl or sink, and mix in the salt. Let stand for at least 15 minutes to draw out excess water.

Mix together the remaining ingredients to make the dressing. The dressing will be very thick, but it will thin out once added to the cucumbers as they give off more water. Dress the cucumber noodles when they are ready. Garnish with the chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts and tomato slices, or whatever else you would like.

NOTE: To save time, you could make this as a salad by thinly slicing the cucumbers with a food processor instead of shredding them.