Tag Archives: paleo

Carrot Fries

Who does not love fries! Fun to eat, always good and goes with everything. Well I wanted to come up with a healthy paleo version and I was very happy with the result.

Ingredient:

1 Large Carrot (mine was like 1/2 pound!)

1 Tbs Salt

Cooking Spray

Slice the carrot in half the long ways and then into quarts. Carefully slice each piece again into long fry like strips. Place in a big bowl and spray well will cooking spray or oil. Toss with salt. Lay carrots on a large foiled cookie sheet. Bake at 500 degrees for about 20 – 25 minutes until golden.

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Paleo Brownie

Brownies that are gluten free but also paleo are hard to find. This brownie recipe is filled with tons of health nutrition and protein but will fulfill any chocolate craving.

Ingredients:

1 15oz Can Pure Pumpkin

1/2 Cup Honey

1 TBS Vanilla

1 tsp Baking Soda

2 Tbs Ground Nuts

1 Cup Coco Powder

2 Eggs

1/4 Dark Chocolate Chips or Crushed Nuts

Place pumpkin, egg and vanilla in bowl and mix together. Add nuts, honey and coco powder. Continue to mix well. Finally add baking soda and mix one last time. Pour into a baking dish and bake 350 for 35 min.

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Raw Fruit Bar

I am always coming up with new and improved granola bar recipes. Grab-n-go snacks are what keep me going all day. I find my self stoping at WAWA all the time looking for a bag that is low in sugar, high in protein, no junk and gluten free. Now that I have been getting into cross fit I am really understanding the benefits of eating paleo. I came up with a bar that is easy to do, made of all the good stuff and easy to play with.

Ingredients:

15 Prunes

15 Dates

10 Figs

50 Hazel Nuts

1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds

1/3 Cup Coco Powder

In a food processor place the hazel nuts and sunflower seeds. Blend into a nut meal. Place nuts in a large bowl. Now add the prunes, dates and figs to the food processor and blend until it starts to form a ball. Place the fruit in the bowl with the nuts and mix by hand well. Slowly add the coco powder and knead it in to the mix. Place the mix into a square tim pan and push evenly to fill the dish. I used an empty mason jar to help roll it to all edges. Slice and enjoy.

Makes 8 – 205 cal – 3.5g protien

 

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Gluten Free Paradise

Arenas Del Mar- Celiac Week, Fall 2014

Beachfront and Rainforest Resort

I love to travel and find new and exotic places.  I feel that it’s important to share the places that I find that are gluten-free friendly.  Recently, Arenas Del Mar (based in Costa Rica) approached me to assist them in their mission in transforming their resort into a luxury gluten-free vacation destination.

The program director has a daughter recently diagnosed with Celiac disease. Since her diagnosis, traveling has became a challenge for her.  As a result, her father embarked on a journey to show people that a luxury vacation in an exotic country can be made safe and enjoyable for anyone with a dietary restriction.  He wishes to transform his resort to accommodate anyone living on a gluten free diet.

Avoiding consuming gluten when traveling can be very challenging.  To suffice for the lack of gluten-free food, it’s common to spend a lot of money on granola bars, trail mix and other items that can be eaten when gluten-free food is unattainable.  It’s hard when you want to go on a vacation to relax, but you find yourself constantly worrying about what is safe to eat and drink.

Arenas Del Mar has decided to host a few special weeks at the resort that will be entirely gluten-free.  In order to accommodate this, the resort will ensure all food and beverages and even the soaps and cosmetics provided in the rooms, bathrooms and spa

contain no traces of gluten.  They have invited guests that share the commonality of living with celiac disease and other gluten sensitivity issues to visit the resort during these week.  This time will undoubtedly serve as a wonderful place to share experiences and learn from each other.

In May, I will be traveling down to the resort to write a full review about Arenas Del Mar.  Iwill spend time examining the kitchen and advising the staff of the obvious and not-so-obvious means in which gluten appears in the kitchen.  I will be charged with the responsibility to help the staff prepare a kitchen that is sanitized sufficiently and contains no contamination.

Arenas Del Mar is situated in paradise on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica.  It is a boutique, luxurious, and lush 38-room hotel that is awe inspiring.  See it for yourself at:  www.ArenasDelMar.com.

  • The readers of Travel and Leisure magazine voted it the top family hotel in Central and South America in 2013.
  • The wedding planning website TheKnot.com listed it as one of the 50 most exotic honeymoon resorts in the world in 2013.
  • The Government of Costa Rica has annually awarded it 5 Stars for luxury and 5 Leaves for sustainability, the only hotel to win both awards.
  • The hotel has just been certified as being Carbon Neutral.

Situated in Manuel Antonio, it’s at the other end of a gorgeous tropical beach just minutes from Costa Rica’s most famous national park.  Wildlife abounds on the property, birds (157 species have been counted so far!), sloths, monkeys, frogs, iguanas….the list goes on!  I am counting down the seconds before I encounter the massages in the spa and margaritas under a palm tree on our own private beach.

Arenas del Mar is a bi-level hotel.  Half of the property is located on a 150-foot cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean while the other half is on a private beach. Views to the Northwest remind you of Big Sur and views to the Southeast are overlook a beautiful, curved, and long tropical beach that is ideal for walking.  The views, along with a cocktail at sunset, are listed in the famous book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die.

A Week for the Celiac Community

In support of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA), Arenas Del Mar will host two weeks for the Celiac Community this year.  Both restaurants at Arenas Del Mar will go 100% gluten-free for their guests’ safety and comfort.

The first week, beginning September 13th 2014, will feature guest chef Monica Glass, who herself has celiac disease, accompanied by Chef Nicole Petrongolo. Monica has worked as a pastry chef at the acclaimed seafood restaurant Le Bernardin in New York City, 10 Arts in Philadelphia and now Clio in Boston.

The second week, beginning November 8th 2014, will feature Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook, the owners and chefs of the highly rated Zahav in Philadelphia. This restaurant was named best restaurant in Philadelphia by Philadelphia Magazine.

All the kitchen staff at Arenas Del Mar will also have completed the NFCA’s Great Kitchens training program which is accredited by the American Culinary Foundation.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit the NFCA.

For further details please contact: www.ArenasDelMar.com

or

Jeremy Allen, Program Director and hotel Partner by e-mail at AllenAllen@aol.com  or phone 610-407-9371.

If you plan to book, please let them know you found them from my blog to get the best rates.  Stay tuned for my full review in May!

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Cilantro Chutney

Chutney makes for an incredible dipping sauce for any meal. Full of flavor that pops. Chutney recipes can be creative. This one is easy to whip up in a crunch.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Fresh Cilantro

1 Clove Garlic

1 inch cube ginger grated

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbs honey

1 small thai chili or half a jalapeño

Juice of 1 lime

2 Tbs Water

Place everything in a small food processor and blend until a paste forms. Feel free to keep out chili if you want to keep it mild.

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Masala Cauliflower

I could eat indian food all the time. It is easily gluten free and paleo which is great. My favorite part about indian food is that its packed with flavor and veggie dishes. Making indian food at home is easy and fun. You can use this recipe on any mix of veggies.

 

Ingredients:

1 Small head of cauliflower

4 Carrots

2 Tbs Gram Masala Spice Blend

Cooking Spray or Oil

Start by cutting cauliflower and carrots into large pieces. Place into large bowl and toss with oil or spray. Add spice blend and toss well. Spread on a large foiled cookie sheet. Roast at 500 degree for 20 minutes.

 

If you can’t find the spice blend try making your own with cumin, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

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Baba Ghanoush

This is a recipe that has been passed down in my family for a long time. My dad use to tell me story’s of my grandma making it for him as a child in Isreal. I have never been able to get it just right but at least it’s close.

Ingredients:

2 Eggplant

6 Garlic Cloves

2 Tbs Tahini Paste

1 tsp Salt

1 Tbs Oil or Spay

Start by cutting each garlic cloves into about 3 large slices. Then using a pairing knife make a bunch off deep gashes in each. Shove a chuck of garlic in each slit. Spread oil or spray the eggplant all over. Place the eggplant on a grill or under a broiler turning every few minutes until each side is blackened and soft. Once the eggplants are fully cooked and soft peel off the skin. Place the inside of the eggplant in a food processor and mix it up well. Add the tahini and salt and pure. Serve cold or warm.

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Bacon Brussel Sprouts

I did not start liking brussel sprouts until I was older but now I can’t get enough. I love cooking them up different ways to get brussel sprout haters to fall in love with them. This time I had some bacon around and I figured everything is better with bacon. 

Ingredients

4 Cups Brussel Sprouts (cleaned and raw)

3 Pieces of Bacon

1 Tbs Cider Vinegar

1/4 Cup Water or Wine

Pinch Salt and Pepper

Start by cutting up bacon into small pieces and toss onto a hot pan. Slowly brown the bacon to render fat. While bacon cooks slice brussels in half. Once ready toss brussels into pot with salt and pepper. Mix and cook covered over medium heat mixing every few minutes. After a few minutes add water or wine and continue to cook until Brussels are fork tender. Then remove cover add vinegar and cook till liquid is gone. Serve hot as a side to any protein.

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Paleo Bar

It’s hard enough to find a good gluten free protein bar but to find one that is not full of all the sugar and junk. Plus they are always very expensive. This version was my first paleo attempt but I was very happy with the result.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Sesame Seeds (black or tan)

1/2 Cup Almond Meal

1/2 Cup Pecan Meal

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 Cinnamon

1 Egg

2 Tbs Honey

2 Tbs Peanut Butter

First start by soaking the sesame seeds in a bit a water for ten minutes. After that, drain seeds well by hand and place in large bowl. To that add nut meals, egg and mix well. Next, add honey, peanut butter, cinnamon, vanilla and baking soda. Mix it really well. Place into a well sprayed square baking pan. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Allow to cool and then slice into ten.

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Herb Pork Chops

Living in the italian market allows me to say that I have “a guy” for an ingredient I need! When it comes to butchers I have a guy for anything I’m craving. Last week I walked into the butcher and said give me something good. He recommended some amazing pork chops. Seems simple but these were something special. He recommended a great recipe and they came out incredible. I felt the need to share. 

Ingredients:

4 Thick Pork Bone In Pork Chops

1 tsp Salt

1 Tbs Sage

1/2 Tbs Thyme (crushed or chopped)

1 Tbs Oregano

1 Tbs Parsley

1 tsp Garlic

 

Start by salting each side of the chop. Place them on a plate and allow they to sit for a 15 minutes. In a ball mix all the remaining herbs and spices. When ready coat reach side of the pork chop with seasoning mix. Place on a foiled baking sheet and place in broiler on high. Chops will splatter so keep distance from flame. Cook on high for about 6-8 min each side. You want the coating to be golden and the inside to hit 150 degrees. I actually served this with escarole that I sautéed with drippings I from the chop.  Enjoy!

 

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