Monthly Archives: February 2015

Paleo Meenut Butter

I continue to sample new products that are paleo and fit into a whole30 life style. I have been hooked on nut butter forever. As a kid I loved peanut butter but since peanuts nuts are not considered paleo I have switched to sunflower and almond butter. If your read the ingredients on most nut butter you will find that they normally have sugar and other not so good junk in it. I learned about paleo meenut butter online and was very excited to give it a try.

Meenut butter is a combination of nuts and coconut into a wonderful nut butter. No added sugar and made with all local ingredients. It has a wonderful consistency that is slightly sweet and slightly salty. It worked great in my morning smoothies and  as a snack with carrots and apples. Filled with all the good stuff to keep you going all day. One serving has 5 grams of protein and only 1 gram of sugar! They have great recipe ideas listed on their site include cookies, cupcakes and savory treats.

INGREDIENTS (Quadruple Nut Power): California Almonds, California Organic Walnuts,Pecans, Organic Macadamia Nuts, Organic Coconut; Contains 2% or less of: Organic Golden Flax Seeds, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Sonoma Sea Salt;
CONTAINS: Tree Nuts

 

You can find meenut butter in some stores across the country or buy online at: http://mee-eat-paleo.myshopify.com/ 

They have a great selection of goodies to choose from. Makes a great treat or gift for anyone.

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Rice Pancakes

I think I have 10 to 15 different recipes for pancake and waffle batter. This one is a little more unique I’m using cooked rice as the base. This recipe taste a lot like rice pudding and is a unique morning treat. Some Vietnamese bakery items are sort of similar to this.

Ingredients:
1/3 Cup cooked white rice
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Start by breaking up the cooked rice in a food processor. Add all the remaining ingredients except coconut oil and continue to blend in the food processor for about one minute until a thick paste is formed. Let the mixture sit for about five minutes and it will begin to thicken up. Place the coconut oil on a large pan and begin to melt over medium heat. Now carefully place large spoonfuls of the batter on the pan to form nice small pancakes. Flip the pancakes after about two minutes and cook the other side for about two minutes. Serve hot with maple syrup or honey.

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RX Bars

I recently just finished my Whole30 challenge. It was a great experience and I am happy I stuck to it. I spent a lot of time looking for good snack options along the way. I found a bunch a great products and I am excited to share them all.

Normally, finding a quick meal option that is gluten free is a challenge. Add the paleo restrictions can get tricky. One of the first items I tried was RXBars. It was a real protein bar with out the junk. These bars are made mainly of egg whites, dates, fig and nuts. Each ingredient brings something to the nutrition table: egg whites and almonds with protein, fruit and cacao with antioxidants ,vitamins, fiber and potassium. They never add sugar, GMO’s or preservatives. They offer a few different flavors and I liked them all especially the apple cinnamon and blueberry. Apple reminded me of an apple turn over and blueberry of a blueberry scone.

They have a great model and believe in what the product stands for. Companny statement: “At RxBar, we believe that food should be simple and delicious without compromising nutrition. We believe that quality ingredients should never be sacrificed because of cost. We believe that food should be consumed as nature intended. This is why we do what we do and as a company all of our products directly reflect these values.”

RXBars are easily available online. Check out the website for more info and grab a sample kit here: http://www.rxbar.com/products/sample-pack-17.html

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Cuban Sandwich

The best part about my job is coming up with fun cafe specials. It’s a game using ingredients on hand to build new creations. I use to get good cuban sandwiches all the time before going gluten-free. This gf version is just as good!

Ingredients:
1 gluten-free hamburger bun (my favorite are here http://www.onlinebakery.co)
2 thin sliced ham
1/2 tablespoon mustard
1 slice provalone cheese
1/4 pickle chopped fine

Start by spreading mustard on both sides of the bread. Then add ham onto the bottom layer of bread. Next add cheese and then top with pickles. Place the other half of the bun on top and heat in a panini press or on a grill pan until cheese is melted. Enjoy hot!

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Tomato Mozzarella Salad

My bakery makes the best gluten free baguettes in the world. I am always looking for new ways to serve them. We make bruschetta all the time but wanted to mix it up. This recipe is like a cross between bruschetta and caprese salad.

Ingredients:

2 Large red firm tomatoes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Bunch basil leaves  (about 3/4 cup loosely packed leaves)
10 oz Mozzarella
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon sugar
1 Gluten-Free Baguette (click here to get my favorite)

Start by cutting the tomatoes in half and removing seeds. Chop each half into small pieces and place in a bowl. Next, cup mozzarella into similar sized pieces and add to the bowl. Now add the oil, salt and sugar to the bowl and toss. Finally, chop the basil up and add to the tomato’s. Mix everything together and serve with a toasted baguette. Enjoy.

 

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Easiest Butternut Squash Soup

Soup is great year round. It is easy to just buy the basic soup in a box or can but it’s filled with preservatives, sodium and junk. This soup is so good everyone will think you bought it.

Ingredients:

2lbs butternut squash
2 apples ( cut off the core but leave skins on)
1qt chicken broth
2 carrots (cleaned, peeled and chopped)
1 tsp salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Peel and chop the squash into chunks. Some grocery stores sell one pound packages already prepared and cut up ( if using only use one package). Place squash chunks in slow cook and add carrots, apples, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Then pour broth on top and place cover on slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours. Then using a blender or food imersiour blend the soup well till no chunks remain. Cook another 2 hours on low. Serve hot!

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Easy Orange Chicken

I’m always looking for easy meals that I can make on Sunday that makes lots of extra food for the week. This chicken recipe is perfect with tons left over for lunches. The secret ingredients is fresh squeezed orange juice it helps caramelize the meat and add a little bit of sweetness.

Ingredients:
5 Pounds chicken on the bone with skin on (see below for details)
1 Orange
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon poultry seasoning (optional)

Chicken- you can basically use any kind of chicken as long as it’s skin and bone on. One option is to use 1 to 2 chickens and just cut them apart into pieces. Another option is to either get a pack of chicken wings, quarter legs and breast or any mix of the three.

The first step is to prepare the chicken. If you’re using a whole chicken have it cut into pieces. Start rinsing the pieces under cold water and pat dry. Place the chicken in a large bowl and add olive oil, salt, pepper and any other seasoning if using. Mix together well by hand. Now, squeeze the juice of one orange on top of the chicken into the bowl. Mix together one more time by hand trying to get some seasoning underneath the skin of each piece chicken. Next, place the chicken on a large foiled baking sheet skin side up. Bake the chicken at 450 to 500°F for about an hour and 15 minutes. Chicken is done once skin on top is a crispy dark golden brown. Serve hot and enjoy.

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