Rosemary Roast

Our new favorite way to eat roast!

3-5 lb roast
1 tbs dried rosemary
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic
1 onion

Put roast in crockpot and top with seasonings.  Add onion and garlic.  Add 1 c water or broth, cover and cook 6-8 hr on low or 3-4 hr on high,  You can also add potatoes and carrots to make it a meal.  YUM!

Apple Berry Crisp

I saw this recipe on Elana's Pantry and knew I had to try it.  I made several modifications to it.  When it came out of the oven it was all I could do to not take a spoon and dig in!  It was a piece of heaven.


Here is what I did:


Apple Berry Crisp

• 5 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (Gala, Braeburn or Honeycrisp)
• 6oz fresh blackberries
• 6oz fresh raspberries
• 6oz fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (I will increase this to 2 tablespoons next time because it was a little more runny than I would like it to be.)
• 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
• 1/2 cup quinoa flakes
• ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey

1. Place apples and berries in a large bowl
2. Sprinkle with lemon juice, vanilla and arrowroot, tossing to incorporate all ingredients
3. Place apple-blackberry mixture in an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish and set aside
4. To make topping, in a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients into crumble mixture
5. Crumble topping over apple-blackberry mixture
6. Cover with tinfoil and bake at 350° for 60 to 75 minutes until fruit is juicy and bubbling
7. Remove from oven and uncover
8. If topping is browned, allow to cool for 10-15 minutes
9. If topping is not yet browned place in oven uncovered for 5 minutes, or until browned
10. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 6

Avocado-Citrus Salad

This was posted on Disney Cruise "Favorites".  It looks really good.

Avocado-Citrus Salad

Serves 4

Citrus Dressing
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 lime, juiced
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Avocado-Citrus Salad
4 navel oranges
3 ripe Hass avocados, halved and pitted
6 cups mixed baby lettuce

For the citrus dressing:

1. Combine orange juice and lime juice in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in oil, salt and pepper, whisking vigorously until combined. If making in advance, re-whisk before serving.

For the avocado-citrus salad:

1. Cut peel, including the white pith, from the oranges with a small knife. Cut segments free from membranes; set segments aside and discard membranes.
2. Cut avocadoes into 3/4-inch-thick slices.
3. Divide mixed greens among 4 salad bowls. Top with 5 avocado slices and 5 to 8 orange segments; drizzle lightly with dressing. Serve immediately.

Nut Brownies

These are flourlesss brownies!  I have seen this recipe floating around on a few sites, and finally decided to try them.  I opted for the lower carb version of them.  They were not as sweet, but still yummy.  I used 1 cup of raw almond butter instead of roasted.  I think that made a difference as well.  The other change I made was I did 2 Tablespoons ground flax w/6 Tablespoons of water for the 2 eggs to make them egg free.  One recipe made an 8x8 pan.  Here are both of the recipes if you wanted to compare them on The Healthy Cooking Coach.

• 1/2 cup sunflower nbutter (for a peanut-like taste)
• 1/2 cup roasted almond butter
• 2 (medium to large) eggs
• 1/3 cup honey; add 2 Tablespoons honey if you are not using sunflower butter above!*
• 2 droppers-full vanilla or vanilla creme liquid stevia*
• 1/2 teaspoon mint extract, optional
• 2 tablespoons water or almond milk; double if batter appears dry (as needed to moisten; I always add this)
• 1/4 teaspoon finely ground unrefined sea salt
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (don’t add more  or the brownies will be bone dry!)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (not in her recipe but I think it improves them!)
• 1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (for people with allergies and/or celiac disease, I use Enjoy Life Chocoalte Chips) or coarsely chopped bittersweet dark chocolate (70 to 73% cocoa content)
• Virgin coconut oil or non-hydrogenated palm shortening to grease baking pan

*Chef notes: If you don’t have vanilla stevia, substitute clear stevia extract liquid, then add 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.

1. Preheat oven to 325˚F. Grease an 8x8x2-inch baking pan or 9-inch round cake pan  with coconut oil or palm shortening. (I use palm shortening. To make it easier to remove the brownies from the pan, after greasing the pan, line the bottom with parchment paper cut to fit, then grease the top of the paper. The brownies will slip right out after you cut them.)
2. In a medium size bowl, combine sunflower butter and almond butter. (Alternatively use 1 cup of almond butter.) Add the eggs, honey, vanilla stevia, optional mint extract, and 2 tablespoons water or nut milk. Beat with an electric mixer or mix briefly in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.
3. Combine the cocoa powder, sea salt, and baking soda. Add this to the wet ingredients and stir or blend to combine. Add 2 more tablespoons water or nut milk if batter appears stiff and mix again. Fold in 1/4 cup of chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate. (Kelly’s recipe calls for sprinkling them on top; I prefer to fold them in.
4. Pour and scrape batter into the prepared pan. Spread lightly with a damp spatula and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 to 24 minutes. Watch closely so they don’t dry out.

Pita Bread

I got this recipe from Living Without.  It is not your typical Pita Bread where you can stuff it inside.  Mine looked nothing like their's did.  Still...it made for a nice flat piece of bread that I could put toppings on and enjoy!  It is really good plain too. I opted for the egg free version.

1 package yeast or quick-rising yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
½ cup warm water
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1½ cups brown rice flour
½ cup tapioca flour
1 cup sorghum flour
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1¼ teaspoons salt
1 cup lukewarm water
1 egg or 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water

1. Dissolve yeast in ½ cup warm water. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes until water is frothy.

2. Combine flours, xanthan gum and salt in large bowl using a Kitchen Aid or other heavy-duty mixer. Pour in yeast mixture and egg (or egg substitute) and mix on medium speed using paddle attachment.

3. Slowly add ½ to 1 cup warm water and mix on medium for 2 minutes. Add enough water so that dough is soft and tacky, not liquid.

4. Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all dough is oiled. Allow dough to sit in a warm place for about 2 to 3 hours or until it has increased in size.

5. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Lower oven rack to bottom position and place baking sheet in oven as it preheats.

6. Pinch off 10 to 12 small pieces of dough and place pieces on floured surface.

7. Roll each piece into a circle, about 5 to 6 inches across and ¼-inch thick, with a rolling pin.

8. Place several circles on preheated baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes until bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for additional 2 minutes.

9. Remove each pita from baking sheet with a spatula and gently push down each puff. Bake additional dough until all pitas are made. Serve immediately or place in storage bags.

TIP  You can freeze pita bread (use freezer bags) for up to a month.

Swedish Meatballs: Gluten/Dairy Free

Instead of ham for Christmas Dinner, I thought I would try making Swedish Meatballs.  I left the eggs out of the mix and they still tasted good.  The gravy is not a cream base, and that is the only thing John would trade.  He gave them two thumbs up though for being "gluten & dairy free."  He thought it tasted more like a Chicken Fried Steak than a Swedish Meatball however.

1 pound lean ground pork OR beef (I did 1/2 of each)

1 small freshly grated onion

1/2 cup Quinoa Flakes, finely crushed gluten-free cracker crumbs or use dry gluten-free bread crumbs

2 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg for meatball mixture and 1/8 teaspoon to add to gravy

1/8 teaspoon allspice

2 lightly beaten eggs

1/2 cup milk OR your favorite dairy free milk substitute (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut milk)

1/2 cup potato starch or cornstarch to roll meatballs in before pan frying

2 cups gluten-free beef broth (I used Pacific Natural Foods brand Organic Beef Broth)  (Chicken will work too.)

2 tablespoons potato starch or sweet rice flour to thicken gravy

 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening for browning meatballs**

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl combine ground pork or beef, grated onion, quinoa flakes/cracker/bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons potato or cornstarch, seasonings and eggs. Use an electric mixer to thoroughly combine ingredients. Add coconut milk or your favorite milk substitute. Beat on high for 1 minute. 

Shape meat mixture into about 1 1/2-inch to 2-inch balls and dust each meatball with potato starch or cornstarch. I used a level 1/8th cup scoop to shape my meatballs but you can make them smaller if you like. Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet. Brown meatballs in batches, turning to evenly brown. 

Remove browned meatballs from the skillet to drain on a plate. Leave pan drippings from browned meatballs in the skillet. Whisk 2 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch into 1/2 cup of the beef broth. Add this mixture along with remaining beef stock to the skillet. Add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg to gravy. Whisk and simmer over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Add browned meatballs and simmer on low for about 15 minutes. 

To serve remove meatballs with a slotted spoon and pile in a large serving dish. Pour hot gravy over meatballs. 


**The second time I made these, I cooked them in a non-stick skillet and did not use any oil to fry them.  They tasted much better and were not as heavy.  I also did not have beef stock, and used chicken.  Still tasted wonderful!  A double batch made 70 Tablespoon sized meatballs.

Easy Chicken Chili

I had some leftover grilled chicken...it rained...I thought this chili would be a great recipe and it did not disappoint.  I made it dairy free, but the original recipe called for sour cream to be added to the mix.  I also had dairy free cheese I sprinkled on top of mine.  The original recipe called for A LOT more spices (three times as many.)  I did a can of black and kidney beans.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 2 (15.5 ounce) cans great Northern beans (or any other cans of beans)
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 1 roasted chicken, bones and skin removed, meat torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Place olive oil in a pan and sauté the onion until soft.  Add the chicken broth, beans, green chillies, chicken and spices.  Bring to a boil and you are done!  Add the sour cream and cheese to individual bowls.

Peach Crisp - gluten, dairy & egg free

I tried this recipe earlier from Elana's Pantry and forgot to cover while it was baking.  (Don't make that mistake!)  It was still yummy, but dried out as well.  I made a few changes to it and think we have a winner!


8 large peaches, peeled & sliced
1/2 c frozen blueberries1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1 cup blanched almond flour
½ cup coconut flour
½ tsp cinnamon½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup agave nectar

Peel and slice the peaches.  Add the frozen blueberries, lemon juice, vanilla and arrowroot powder.  (If you don't have arrowroot, you can use cornstarch.)  Place in a baking dish.  I used an 8 x 10.

Combine the remaining ingredients to make the crumble topping.  Place it on top of the fruit mixture:

Place in 350 degree oven COVERED for 45 minutes.  Remove the foil and cook for another 5 minutes.  When it is done it will look like this:

It smells so good with that little bit of coconut flour.  This dish is high in protein with the almond and coconut flours in it.
Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten, Dairy & Egg Free)

I have been wanting to try this recipe from Elana's Pantry for a while now.  I went today and got some almond flour from Honeyville with my sister.  When I got home, I made these.  They are very simple to make and my boys loved them.  John's comment was, "For a healthy cookie, they are great."  For the chocolate chips, I found these Enjoy Life Foods Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips 10 Oz at Sprout's.  They are mini chocolate chips, and I could have got away with using 1/2-2/3 c verses 1 cup.

Thomas snuck three of them.

Here is the recipe:
2 ½ cups blanched almond flour - If you use Bob's Mill Almond Flour, the cookies will be flat and not very good.  Honeyville's blanched almond flour is much better.
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup grapeseed oil (This adds a butter flavor that other oils do not.)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup agave nectar
1 cup  Enjoy Life Foods Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips 10 Oz

1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
2. Stir together wet ingredients in a smaller bowl
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry
4. Form ½ inch balls and press onto a parchment lined baking sheet
5. Bake at 350° for 7-10 minutes
6. Cool and serve

Makes 24 cookies (I actually got 30 mini ones and 20 larger ones.)

Graham Crackers (Gluten, Egg, Dairy, Corn & Rice Free)

My SIL Jessica made these for her children.  They look great!

3/4 C almond flour
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t cream of tartar
3/4 t guar gum
1/2 t celtic sea salt
2 T grapeseed oil
1/3 C honey

Preheat oven 325. Mix all dry ingredients. Mix all wet ingredients. Mix together. Roll out between two sheets of parchment paper to 1/4" thick. Use pizza cutter to make 2"x2" crackers. Poke fork holes on top for added texture if you like. Bake 15-20 minutes. (Longer if you like them crunchy - I like them chewy)

The result: If you're looking for a Nabisco Graham Crackers, sorry, it's not the same thing, but I like it better! Eden and David's verdict: they kept asking for more. Hopefully we'll have one left for Daddy when he gets home :)