WHAT WE'RE BAKING? BANANA BLUEBERRY BREAD - PALEO & GLUTEN FREE FRIENDLY

Preheat oven to 350°. Using coconut oil, grease loaf pan. Beat 2 T melted coconut oil with 4 eggs, 3 T honey, 1 t vanilla & 1/2 t apple cider vinegar. Sift in 1/2 C coconut flour, 1/4 C almond flour, 1 t baking soda & 1/2 t sea salt. Mix well. Add in 1/2 C coconut or almond milk and 3 large mashed bananas. Mix well. Fold in 1/2 C fresh blueberries. Bake around 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Freezes great!

WHAT WE'RE COOKIN'? HOMEMADE PIZZA CRUST

Over the last decade, I've been searching for the perfect pizza crust recipe. 

About 6 months ago, I think I found it! 

Mix and allow to sit for 5 or more minutes:

2 1/4 t yeast

1/2 t brown sugar

1 1/2 C warm water

Add: 

1 t sea salt

2 T olive oil

3 1/2 C flour

Mix well and allow to rise 1 hour in a warm place. Add flour as needed and knead. Roll out and place on a peel, if desired. I use cornmeal. I use a seasoned pizza stone but you could bake it on a greased cookie sheet or go Chicago style and back in a baking pan or cast iron skillet. 

For thick crust: allow to rise 15-30 minutes before baking. 

For thin crust: divide dough in half and make 2 pizzas, rolled out thin. 

Place toppings on top and bake in a preheated oven 425° for 15-20 minutes.

WHAT WE'RE COOKIN'? PAN FRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH & CITRUS GRILLED CHICKEN - Paleo & gluten free friendly

Butternut squash:
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 3 T butter or ghee. When slightly browned, add 1 T thyme. Briefly remove from heat and add 1 1/2 lb peeled, cubed butternut squash. Place back on heat. Toss to coat. Bring the temperature up to medium high heat. Brown on several sides of butternut squash, takes around 5 minutes turning every 1 1/2 minutes. Turn heat to low and cover for 20 minutes. Serve.

Chicken:
Place 2 lbs chicken in shallow dish. In a bowl, mix 1/4 C olive oil, 1/4 C lemon juice, 2 T lime juice, 1 T minced garlic, 1 T coconut aminos or gluten free soy sauce, 1 T cumin & 2 t apple cider vinegar. Pour over chicken. Cover and marinate at least an hour. Preheat grill or skillet to medium heat. Without overcrowding, place chicken on grill, season with salt and pepper & cook through, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes total per batch.

WHAT WE'RE BAKING? ALMOND BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES - Paleo & Gluten free friendly

In a mixer, mix 1 minute on medium high speed:

1/4 C coconut oil

1/4 C raw almond butter

1 egg

Add and mix to combine:

1/4 C honey

2 t vanilla

1/4 t lemon juice

Add and mix for 30 seconds:

1/2 C coconut flour

1/4 t baking soda

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheet.
Flatten slightly with the back of the spoon or with a fork.

Bake in preheated oven 350° for 10 minutes or until edges 

are slightly browned. Cool.

WHAT WE'RE BAKING? CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES - Paleo & Gluten Free

Preheat oven 350°. Blend 1/4 C 

coconut oil with 1 egg well. Add 

1/4 C coconut sugar, 2 T honey 

& 2 t vanilla. Mix well. Add 

in 1 1/2 C almond or cashew 

meal/flour, 2 T coconut flour, 

1/2 t baking soda & 1/2 t sea 

salt. Mix well then add in 1/2 

C non dairy, stevia sweetened 

chocolate chips. On a seasoned 

baking stone or parchment 

lined cookie sheet, drop by the 

tablespoonfuls. Lightly press each to flatten slightly. Bake 10 minutes or until slightly brown around the edges. Cool. 

WHAT WE'RE BAKING? PEAR BERRY PECAN CRUMBLE - Paleo & gluten free

Preheat oven to 375°.

Mix:
4 large chopped, peeled, cored pears
2 C berries
(strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.)
1 C another kind of berries

Toss with:
1 T lemon juice
1/2 T coconut or sweet potato flour
Pinch allspice
1/2 t cinnamon

Add to baking dish.
If it's glazed pottery or glass dish, there's no need to grease.

In a food processor, grind until it forms a "gritty" dough:
1 1/2 C pecans
2 T coconut flakes
4 dates (or 4 T honey)
1 1/2 t cinnamon

Spread evenly over fruit.

Using 2-4 T butter, ghee or coconut oil, drop in small clumps all over top.

Bake 35 minutes.

WHAT WE'RE BAKING? PALEO GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD

Preheat oven to 350°. Using coconut oil, grease loaf pan. Beat 2 T melted coconut oil with 4 eggs, 3 T honey, 1 t vanilla & 1/2 t apple cider vinegar. Sift in 1/2 C coconut flour, 1/4 C almond flour, 1 t baking soda & 1/2 t sea salt. Mix well. Add in 1/2 C coconut or almond milk and 3 mashed bananas. Mix well. Fold in 1/2 C non dairy dark chocolate chips. Bake around 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Freezes great!

WHAT WE'RE BLENDING? FREEZER SMOOTHIE BAGS + smoothie recipes - paleo & gluten free friendly

My sweet friend Linda from Colorado asked me for some suggestions on how to make eating Paleo a little easier for those that work and don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I had to take my own advice. Spend about an hour every 3 weeks and make freezer smoothie bags. Just take one bag out of the freezer, add the ingredients to the blender and the liquids it says on the ziploc bag. Blend well and serve. Great for breakfast and/or lunch.

Make sure to write on the bag what kind of smoothie it is and what you'll need to add to it.

Green Smoothie Formula

1. Pick one: about 1 1/2 C water or milk (almond, coconut, cow's, rice, etc.)

2. 1 big handful: kale, spinach, swiss chard, collards, beet greens, broccoli, etc.

3. 1-2 C: banana, apple, melon, berries, mango, pear, peach, cherries, oranges, etc.

4. Optional: Avocado, nut butter, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, spirullina, protein powder

5. Sweetener: 1 T stevia, 1 T agave, 1 T honey, couple of dates

Some of my favorites:

Pineapple Kale
1 C kale, 1 C spinach, 1/2 C pineapple, 1 banana, 1/2 t cinnamon, 2 dates (or 2 T honey)
+ 1 C milk (almond, coconut, cow's, rice, etc.)
+1/2 C water

Pineapple Kale II
1 C kale, 1/2 C pineapple, 1 t cinnamon, 2 dates (or 2 T honey)
+ 1 C milk (almond, coconut, cow's, rice, etc.)





Kale Green
1-2 C kale, 1 banana, 2 dates (or 2 T honey)
+1 1/2 C water

Kale Green II
1 C spinach, 1 C kale, 1 C blueberries, 3 bananas, 1 orange
+ 1 C water

Berry Green
1 C kale, 1/2 peeled lemon, 1/2 C berries of your choice, 1 banana, 1 chopped mango
+ 2 C water or milk (almond, coconut, cow's, rice, etc.)
+ 2+T honey if desired

Green Fruit

1/2 C pineapple, 1 C grapes, 1 pear, 1/4 C broccoli, 1/2 C spinach, 1 banana

+ 1/4 C water

Green Fruit II

1 C kale, 1 C grapes, 1 orange, 1/2 pear, 1 banana

+1/2 C water

Green Machine

1 C grapes, 1/4 C cucumber, 1/2 kiwi, 1/2 apple, 3/4 C broccoli, 1/2 lemon, 1/2 C spinach

+1/2 C water

Pineapple Spinach
2 C pineapple, 2 C spinach
+1/2 C milk (almond, coconut, cow's, rice, etc.)

Kiwi
4 kiwi, 2 pears, 2 dates (or 2 T honey)
+1/2 C water
+2 T lime juice

Olympic medal
1 banana, 1/2 C cantaloupe, 1/4 C carrots, 1/4 C orange, 1/4 peeled lemon, 2 dates (or 2 T honey), 1/8 t nutmeg, 1/2 C pineapple
+1/2 C water

Citrus
2 peeled oranges, 1/2 peeled lemon, 1 C pineapple, 1/2 C mango
+ 1/2 C water

Citrus II
1/2 C grapes, 1 peeled orange, 1 C pineapple, 1/2 C cucumber, 1 carrot, 1/4 C apple
+ 1/2 C water

Berry
1 C grapes, 1 C pineapple, 1 banana, 1 C strawberries, 1/3 C blueberries, 1/3 C cranberries
+1/2 C water

Triple Berry
1/2 C grapes, 1/2 C strawberries, 1/2 C blueberries, 1/2 C raspberries
+1/2 C milk (almond, coconut, cow's, rice, etc.)
+1/2 C water

Cranberry
1 apple, 1 pear, 1/4 C cranberries, 2 dates (or 2 T honey)
+ 1/2 C water

Mango
1 orange, 1 C mango
+ 3/4 C milk (almond, coconut, cow's, rice, etc.)
+1/4 C water

My Valentine
1 C grapes, 1/2 C raspberries, 1/2 C pineapple, 1/2 C cranberries
+1/2 C milk (almond, coconut, cow's, rice, etc.)
+ 1 T honey

Harvest Sweet Potato
1 1/3 C grapes, 1/2 orange, 1/2 cooked peeled sweet potato, 1/2 apple, 1/4 C cranberries, 1/2 t ginger, 1/2 t cinnamon, 2 dates (or 2 T honey)
+ 1/2 or more C water

Squash it!
1 1/3 C grapes, 1/2 orange, 1/2 cooked peeled butternut squash, 1/2 apple, 1/4 C cranberries, 1 t pumpkin pie spice, 2 dates (or 2 T honey)
+ 1/2 or more C water

WHAT'S FOR DINNER? HOMEMADE CORN DOGS - gluten free version too

8-10 hot dogs, room temp! If you don't have them at room temp, they'll be ugly like mine are.

Mix & set aside for 10 minutes:
1 C Bisquick (For gluten free, Bisquick makes a gluten free Bisquick!!)
2 T cornmeal
1/2 t dry mustard
1/4 t paprika
1/8 t cayenne
1 egg

Heat the oil over medium-high heat
approx 6 C vegetable oil (2 inches high in the pan)

Dip and coat your dog in Bisquick mixture. Place 2 dipped dogs in the hot oil. Only 2 at a time or the temp of the oil will drop. Cook turning with metal slotted spoon for 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Drain on paper towel and insert sticks if desired.

WHAT'S FOR DINNER? SMOTHERED CHICKEN

Preheat oven 350°. Mix together: 1 T garlic powder, 1 T seasoned salt & 1 t pepper. Sprinkle both sides of 5-6 chicken breasts. Place in pan and bake, uncovered for 16-28 minutes or until it's mostly cooked through.

Meanwhile, sautee 8 oz sliced mushrooms, 3 T minced red onion & 2-4 cloves minced garlic with 1/4 C butter & 2 T olive oil over medium heat. Do NOT salt mushrooms before they're browned or they won't ever brown. When the mushrooms are browned, deglaze the pan with 1/2 C white wine. Cook a minute or two until it's reduced. Add 2 bags spinach (or 1 large bag like from Costco). Stir occasionally until spinach is wilted. Add 4 oz cream cheese & 1/4 C Parmesan. Stir until melted. Season with salt & pepper.

Remove chicken from oven. Turn chicken over & divide and top with spinach mixture. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each breast. Place pan back in oven and cook for 12-14 minutes longer.