A Crafty Gourmet

Cooking with doTerra Essential Oils: Coconut Lemon Yogurt Parfait

2013-12-14T21:12:00.000-08:00

Ever since I did my cleanse last year, I have been in love with doTerra Essentials oils. I feel like recently doTerra Essential Oils have taken the San Francisco Bay Area by storm! I came up with this recipe today as a treat for my daughter because we had a very late lunch and she wasn't hungry for dinner. I used my new favorite Paleo Coconut Yogurt brand: Coconut Grove and Great Lakes Gelatin for protein, since that's one nutrient that Coconut Yogurt lacks and I also added doTerra's Lemon Essential for a unique lemony flavor. My daughter's response: "Mom! You made my dreams come true! I was wishing that I could have dessert for dinner!" The kids' 4 by the way and a total ham! Unbeknownst to her, there was no sugar in her "dessert" since it was sweetened with Stevia!

Coconut Lemon Yogurt Parfait
Ingredients:
12oz Coconut Grove Yogurt
1 tbsp Great Lakes Gelatin
7 drops Stevia
2 drops doTerra Lemon Essential Oil
1/2 cup Sprouted Brown Rice Cocoa Crisps
1 cup berries

Process:
1. Mix or Blend Yogurt, Gelatin, Stevia and Lemon Oil until well blended

2. Arrange layers of Parfait

3. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Alternative: Creamy Apple Pie (Paleo, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

2013-11-28T23:03:00.001-08:00

"It's like an apple punched me in the face," exclaimed my husband as he described this Creamy Apple Pie I made for Thanksgiving this year. You see, the concept of Pumpkin Pie is completely foreign in my family. I wasn't born in the United States and in Latvia we didn't have Thanksgiving or canned pumpkin puree on the shelves in supermarkets. But we did have apples, applesauce, and apple pie. The hubby and his family, although also not US born, acclimated much better to the American culture and the love for pumpkin pie. I can say he's obsessed with traditional Thanksgiving dessert. My family, not so much. So after years of having him be the only person eating Thanksgiving dessert, I decided to create a pie everyone would love. And I was right! This year EVERYONE ate dessert. And so I share with you the most delicious and unique Apple Pie recipe you will find! Creamy Apple Pie!

Creamy Apple Pie

Ingredients:
Crust (adapted from Deliciously Organic)
2 cups Almond Flour
2 tbsp Coconut Flour
1/2 tsp Great Lakes Gelatin
1 pastured egg yolk
1-2 tbsp Coconut Sugar
1-2 pinches of Celtic Salt
6 tbsp of Coconut Oil

Filling:
2 cups of Home Made Apple Puree/Sauce (see below)
1/2 cup Creamed Coconut/Manna
1 cup water
2 pinches of salts
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp Great Lakes Gelatin
3 tbsp cold water
2 tbsp boiling water

Process:
1. For homemade applesauce/puree. Put 6 apples unpeeled into a Dutch Oven and bake them covered for 2.5 hours at 350 degrees. Once baked add 2 tsp of Apple Pie spice. Let this cool and then remove the apple cores. I made this a few days in advance.

2. For Crust. Put Almond and Coconut Flour, gelatin, sugar and salt into a food processor with an s-blade. Pulse 8-10 times to mix well. Add yolk and coconut oil to the food processor and leave it on until the dough forms a ball. Remove dough and pressed into a 9-inch pie dish. For those that like a thinner crust, remove 1/2 cup of dough and press the rest into the dish. Place into refrigerator to set.

3. For Filling:
a) Preheat oven to 325 degrees

b) Place 1/2 cup of Creamed Coconut/Manna, water, and honey into a small saucepan over medium heat until coconut and honey are completely melted. Remove from heat.

c) In a bowl, mix homemade applesauce/puree, salt, ginger, and coconut/honey mixture into a mixing bowl

d) In a small bowl or dish, mix gelatin with cold water and then add boiling water and mix until gelatin had fully dissolved and the mixture is clear

e) Add gelatin into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients

f) Once the pie crust has spent 30 minutes in the fridge, take it out and pour the filling into the pie crust

g) Bake for 75 minutes, but check to see after 60 minutes to make sure the edges have not burned. If they seem to be burning turn off oven for 10-15 minutes and leave pie in there. Then turn back to 325 and bake for another 10-15 minutes

h) Remove pie from oven and let cool. After pie has cooled, place in the fridge overnight

i) Slice and Enjoy!!

Paleo Gummy Candy: The Healthiest Candy Recipe on the Internet

2013-10-30T22:56:00.000-07:00

This Halloween, I have a 4 year old who is finally interested in and aware of trick or treating. I want her to have a great time, but I'm not excited about her eating the usual Halloween candy fare. I agreed that for every candy she collects, it will count as "money" and then we will use this money to buy her something special. In the meantime, for her school party, I made these awesome Halloween gummy goblins. Made with Great Lakes Gelatin and Coconut Milk, these gummies are a perfect balance of protein and fat, but the kids won't even know that because they are so delicious! I made two flavors: lemon and vanilla. I hope you enjoy them too!

Sugar Free Coconutty Gummies

Lemon Flavor:
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp Great Lakes Gelatin
1 tbsp lemon juice
15 drops stevia
natural food color for fun

1. Boil coconut milk and water, then turn off heat and let rest for a few minutes
2. Add lemon juice and stevia
3. Whisk in gelatin
4. Pour into molds once cooled to room temperature
5. Let set in the fridge for 1 hour

Vanilla Flavor:
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp Great Lakes Gelatin
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
15 drops stevia
natural food color for fun

1. Boil coconut milk and water, then turn off heat and let rest for a few minutes
2. Add maple syrup and stevia
3. Whisk in gelatin
4. Pour into molds once cooled to room temperature
5. Let set in the fridge for 1 hour

Sardine Fritters and Apple Slaw: When You Have No Time for Anything!

2013-10-03T20:35:00.001-07:00

Sometimes all you have time for is Sardine Fritters and Apple Slaw! Now that I'm a mom of two, I find that there isn't as much time to cook as I'd prefer, let alone eat what I made. And forget grocery shopping! My first was a impeccable day sleeper, which allowed me to pull her car seat out the car multiple times during naps to run into stores to stock up for the week. This one: not so much. The moment the car seat hits the stroller, she's up and ready to party. So on some nights, this mama has got to be creative!

Luckily, I keep a pretty stocked pantry. For dinner today, I was at a bit of a loss. I hadn't gone food shopping this week, but did manage to order some essentials on Goodeggs.com. I spent a good 10 minutes staring at the fridge and peaking into the pantry. I was ready to give up and order take out, but hubby kept pushing me for a home cooked meal. And so, I came up with a quick and easy dinner for us: Sardine Fritters and Apple Slaw. Prep time was under 10 minutes and cooking time was about the same. I paired the Sardine Fritters with an Arugula and Parsley Pesto from The Pasta Shop.

Sardine Fritters and Apple Slaw

Sardine Fritters Ingredients:

2 cans of Wild Planet Sardines
2 eggs from Pasture Raised Hens
1/2 almond flour
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp Ukrainian seasoning
1 large garlic clove
1 tbsp duck fat for frying

Apple Slaw:

1 carrot
1 apple
1 tbsp mayo

Process:

1. Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl and heat cast iron skillet
2. Melt duck fat on hot skillet
3. Measure out 1/4 cup of batter for each fritter
4. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side
5. Place apple and carrot into a food process with the shredder attachment
6. Dress with mayo
7. Enjoy with Pesto!

Chinese Herbal Medicine: Sweet & Spicy Postpartum Recovery Soup

2013-07-28T21:17:00.001-07:00

I know that it's been quite a while since I devoted time to posting recipes on my blog, but based on the last post about my homebirth, I hope my readers can understand that my focus was elsewhere. The journey of the birth of my second child has been an extremely pivotal time in my life that has opened up so many doors for me. This week I am participating in a training that will prepare me to become a Hypnobirthing instructor so that I can help other women have the incredibly special and empowering birth that I was fortunate to have. Also this week, I have officially graduated from IIN, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and am now a certified Health Coach. Finally, I also made the decision to attend a training in October that will certify me as a Lactation Educator. With all of these credentials, I hope to help women during the most important time of their lives: assist them with nutrition counseling as they work to get pregnant, help maintain sanity and a healthy diet during pregnancy, teach them about Hypnobirthing and the amazing power they have to birth their babies, and then help them establish a successful breastfeeding relationship with their child.

Establishing a successful breastfeeding relationship is all about partnership between a new mama and a newborn. It requires the mother to be on her path to healthy recovery from the birth. In the United States, women are expected to be up and running the next day after a birth, but these are extremely high expectations. Even after my birth, I still have muscle soreness weeks after. In China, on the other hand, women are to be confined to their homes for 30 days. New mothers are not allowed to eat raw fruit or vegetables, or drink coffee, cold drinks or even cold water, which can only be drunk warm or hot. They are to be dressed warmly and enjoy warming, healing herbal soups. The Chinese know that the postpartum time is extremely important and requires that a new mama gather back her strength.

I researched some of the recipes for the types of healing herbal soups served to Chinese women in the postpartum period and wanted to share with you a delicious recipe that I developed. It is full of ingredients that cleanse and tonify the body.The majority of the ingredients can be found in your local Asian market. Here is a short summary of the herbal uses of the ingredients in the Postpartum Recovery Soup.

Ginger: warms the body and stops bleeding, especially uterine bleeding. It acts as a detoxifier.
Red dates (jujubes): helps to restore energy and balance
Longan: used for postpartum weakness, stablizing the stomach and the nervous system
Black dates: helps to restore energy and balance (more tonic effect than red dates)
Snow Fungus: strengthens the kidney and lung chi, perfect for aid postpartum women who are physically weak
Wakame: Reduces swelling, stimulates the production of healthy breast milk and replenishes the new mama with vitamins and minerals lost during the birthing process
Shitake Mushrooms: supports the immune system and reduces inflammation
Goji Berries: Reduces bleeding and tonifies the body

Sweet & Spicy Postpartum Recovery Soup
Stock (to be made ahead of time)
1 lb pasture raised/organic chicken bones with some meat on them
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp Celtic or Himalayan salt
6 quarts filtered water

Soup
1/2 cup sliced ginger
1 1/2 cups dried red dates (jujubes)
1 cup dried longan
1 cup dried black dates
2 cups snow fungus
1 cup wakame
1/2 cup dried shitake mushrooms
1 cup goji berries

Process:
1. Put all ingredients for stock in an enamel or stainless steel soup pot, bring to boil and then put on low and cook over night or at least 6 hours.

2. Once stock is prepared, removed chicken bones and add back the meat from the bones to the pot

3. Add in all ingredients except for snow fungus and bring to boil and cook for 15 minutes

4. Add snow fungus and then simmer on low of 30 minutes

5. Enjoy!

Farinata Pizza: Gluten Free & Delicious

2013-02-27T21:53:00.002-08:00

Have you heard of Farinata?? If you haven't then you are seriously missing out! Farinata is chickpea flour pancake that is popular in Tuscany and the Tuscan coast. It's incredibly easy to make and is incredibly delicious. The texture is rich and luxurious and the flavor is nutty and delicious.

My favorite food to make with Farinata is pizza! It's a unique canvas which makes for a very rich and yummy gluten-free pizza. The farinata pizza is also grain free, since its made from only chickpea flour. The whole family enjoys this dish from my toddler to my husband's grandmother. I hope you make it and it enjoy it as well!

Farinata Pizza
Ingredients for Farinata
3 cups chickpea flour
4 cups water
1/2 cup and 2 tbsp high quality olive oil
1 tbsp Celtic or Himalayan salt
Spices: Rosemary, Pepper, etc (optional)
Duck Fat or Bacon Grease for greasing pan

For Pizza
Tomato sauce
Whatever cheese you like, I use Daiya because I am Dairy Free. If you eat dairy, I recommend you use a raw goat mozzarella
Any other toppings you enjoy: Bacon, Bresoala, Arugula, Spinach

Process:
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees

2. Grease 10-inch cast iron pan with fat

3. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and whisk well to remove all clumps

4. Pour into pan

5. Bake for 13 minutes and then prop open oven door and cook for another 14 minutes

6. Let cool and then remove from pan

7. Place "pancake" on pizza stone

8. Cover "pancake" with tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings

9. Bake in oven at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until cheese has melted

10. Enjoy!

Paleo Friendly Smokey Roasted Potatoes with Wild Mushrooms & Bacon

2013-02-20T23:04:00.001-08:00

Nowadays I try to cook quick, simple and delicious meals. For dinner today, we indulged in a delicious dish with 4 ingredients: Potatoes, Bacon, Mushrooms, and Smoked Salt.

Several months ago, I had the pleasure of attending a book signing for Dianne Sanfilippo's Practical Paleo. During the question and answer session, I asked a question about potatoes which in her book, which I didn't realize were paleo. She said that she didn't believe that potatoes triggered cravings in people and that she didn't believe they were bad when enjoyed occasionally. Her expertise made me rethink my stance on potatoes.

Like the amazing superfood, quinoa, potatoes originated in the Andean region of South America. Potatoes are high in Vitamin C & Vitamin B6 (you're friend against morning sickness) as well as a variety of phytonutrients and photochemicals. If you have arthritis or chronic inflammation, I still believe that you should limit your consumption of nightshades, including potatoes. But if your okay with nightshades, then please enjoy this easy, gluten free, grain free recipe!

Smokey Roasted Potatoes with Wild Mushrooms & Bacon
Ingredients:
10 red potatoes
2 cups of wild mushrooms (I used chanterelles, hedgehogs, and black trumpets)
3/4 lbs of high quality bacon (I get mine from Olivier's Butchery)
1 tsp of The Spice House Smoked Salt

Process:
1. Wash and scrub potatoes and quarter them and place in a baking dish

2. Wash mushrooms and sprinkle them on top of potatoes

3. Sprinkle salt over mushrooms and potatoes

4. Place slices of bacon over mushrooms and potatoes, covering completely

5. Bake in oven at 400 for 30 mins, reduce to 250 and bake for another 75 minutes

6. Serve with an arugula salad

7. Enjoy!

Molasses Cake from Kathleen Grissom's The Kitchen House (Gluten Free & Vegan)

2013-02-12T22:12:00.000-08:00

Recently over dinner, one of my best friends said she has a proposition for me. Immediately, I thought she was going to come up with a brilliant idea for a money making start-up. I began imagining myself as a COO of a hip, up-and-coming, company filled with smart and innovative talent. She interrupted my revelry with an announcement about putting together a book club. I smiled, while my get rich quick hopes were dashed and we discussed the details. In all seriousness, the book club was a great idea! Five us meet monthly to discuss books, motherhood, life, and a variety of other female-centric topics.

Last month's pick was Kathleen's Grissom's, The Kitchen House, a novel set in the plantation South in the late 1700's/early 1800's. The book centers around, Lavinia, an orphaned, Irish indentured servant who finds herself on the plantation of sea captain. The book follows Lavinia as she's adopted by the slaves in charge of keeping the home and tending to the family to her life as an adult woman. It's a fascinating story that deals with themes of racism, grief, drug addiction, rape, and child abuse all while weaving a beautifully accurate tale of life in the rural south at the time of the Revolutionary War and the slave trade.

Another reason why I enjoyed the book, is because it came with a delicious recipe for a Molasses Cake, which was made for a character in the novel named Belle. I decided to adapt the recipe to be gluten free and vegan. The cake turned out to be very moist, but is a bit of an acquired taste. Molasses tends to be a bit bitter and has a very rich deep flavor. If you've never had it before, its definitely very unique. I felt like the cake needed acid so I made a berry creme frosting to ice it.

Gluten Free & Vegan Molasses Cake
(adapted from Kathleen Grissom's The Kitchen House)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp chia seeds with 3 tbsp water
1/2 cup coconut milk or another milk alternative
1 cup of molasses
3/4 cup tapioca flour
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 hazelnut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 dashes of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Process:
1. Mix all wet ingredients in a bowl, then add dry ingredients

2. Beat well with a mixer or whisk

3. Pour mixture in a greased 8x8 pan or a pan of your choice (I used a heart-shaped pan)

4. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, turn off oven and leave in for another 5-8 minutes

5. Remove and let cool

6. Once cool, you can ice it (recipe below)

7. Enjoy!

Tart Berry Glaze
Ingredients:
1 cup mixed berries
1/2 coconut milk
1 heaping tbsp cashew butter

Process:
1. Mix all ingredients an blend in Vitamix

2. Glaze on cooled cake

Not Your Average, Delicious Green Juice Inspired by Sōw

2013-01-26T23:24:00.000-08:00

Today I had the pleasure of trying a not so average, delicious, Green Juice at Sōw in San Francisco. Sōw is a fresh juice company in San Francisco that showcases seasonal, organic produce from local farmers. Like many new institutions in San Francisco, Sōw started as a Pop-Up Shop inside the Pause Wine Bar on Market Street on Saturdays, but starting on February 2nd, they have found a permanent home at Yield Wine Bar on 3rd Street. You will soon be able to get your fresh pressed juice fix almost every day of the week (except Thursdays and Sundays).

This month Sōw has 6 unique juices on their menu and I had the pleasure of trying the Ombudsman, a tangy concoction of white satin carrots, celery, fuji apples, fava bean leaves, orach spinach, lemon, lemon thyme. This juice was by far the best green juice I've ever had. The flavors were so rich and vibrant that I drank up my 8oz portion in about a minute. I was so sad that my Sōw juice was gone, that I spent the rest of the day driving around San Francisco to track down all the ingredients to recreate it.

My first stop was Rainbow Grocery, where I was pretty sure I would find Knoll Farm's Fava Greens. Fava Greens are the leaves of the Fava Bean plant. Fava Bean Greens have a delicious nutty and salty flavor. They can be used like spinach or any other green, but are quite unique in their rich flavor. The leaves are also rich in L-dopa, a precursor to the neurotransmitter Dopamine. L-Dopa is used to in the treatment of Parkinson's Disease.

I was hoping that Rainbow would also have white carrots, but they didn't. Nor did they have the lemon thyme. The only place I was able to find it was at Sloat Garden Center, a gardening store on the other side of town, so I decided to just leave it out.

Eventually, I decided to completely reinvent my "Not Your Average Green Juice!" as a homage to the delicious Ombudsman I had at Sōw.

Not Your Average Green Juice
6 small Gala or Fuji Apples
2 small Granny Smith Apples
4 kiwis
1 cup Fava Greens
1 cup Spinach
1 lemon

Process:
1. Juice

2. Enjoy!

Grain Free & Gluten Free Vegan Zucchini Bread

2013-01-22T22:36:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest battles I've been fighting this pregnancy is some killer sugar and chocolate cravings. I'm pretty sure that its most likely related to mineral deficiencies. I've been doing more research on the topic and found this fascinating article linking sugar and chocolate cravings, specifically to a magnesium deficiency. After taking magnesium transdermally only once (via magnesium oil spray), I didn't have any cravings all day and couldn't even look at chocolate for the first time in months.

Since I was feeling so great, I decided to do some baking, but since I've been eating so much sugar and chocolate, I decided to bake something that's low in sugar and healthy. So I've come up with a grain-free, gluten free & vegan zucchini bread, made with olive oil and chestnut and hazelnut flours. Chestnuts are high in Vitamin C and Vitamin B6 and also contain other minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. Hazelnuts are very high in magnesium, iron and manganese.

I also added unsweetened chocolate bits to the recipe just because it sounded good. The bread turned out to be deliciously nutty and naturally sweet from the nut flours. Additionally, the psyllium husks and chia seeds make for a very moist cake. Finally, the olive oil adds a nice savory flavor. The best part: my daughter's been gobbling it up!

Grain Free Vegan Zucchini Bread
(inspired by Zucchini Almond Bread from Nourishing Meals)
1 1/2 cup Chestnut Flour
1 cup Hazelnut Flour
1/2 Tapioca Flour
2 tbsp powdered psyllium husk
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 tbsp chia seeds, 6 tbsp water (mix and let stand for 10 minutes)
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 unsweetened chocolate chips

Process:
1. Mix all dry ingredients (flours, psyllium, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt) in a bowl

2. Mix all wet ingredients and sugar in a another bowl (olive oil, milk, coconut sugar, chia seed gel, zucchini) in another bowl

3. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well

4. Add chocolate chips

5. Oil 4 mini loaf tins (you can also make these into muffins) and pour batter evenly into each one

6. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes, remove from oven and let cool

7. Enjoy!

Homemade Tom Ka Gai (Spicy & Sour Coconut Chicken Soup)

2013-01-15T21:59:00.002-08:00

My favorite take out meal has got to be Tom Ka Gai, a sour and spicy fragrant Thai soup made with coconut milk, lime juice, and thai spices like galangal, kefir leaves, lemongrass, and chilies. Every restaurants' version of this soup is a little different. Having now made this soup at home, I've come to realize that some restaurants add cream to their soup and others add flours to thicken it. If you have food allergies, make sure to ask the server about possible additives in your soup. Otherwise, you can use my recipe and safely make it at home without any worries.

Tom Ka Gai (Spicy & Sour Coconut Chicken Soup)
Ingredients
6 cups of chicken bone broth (I made mine with garlic and ginger and cooked it overnight)
1 can coconut milk
3/8 cup fish sauce (I used Red Boat)
2 tbsp dried galangal or 1 tbsp fresh
1 stalk of lemongrass
4-5 kefir lime leaves
2-3 thai chilies
1 pound chicken breasts (frozen for 1 hour before use)
1 package Trader Joe's Organic Broccoli Slaw
1 package Trader Joe's Organic Mushrooms
1 jalapeno
Juice of 2 limes
1 tsp Himalayan Salt
several stalks of cilantro for garnish

Process:
1. Place galangal, kefir lime , chilies, and lemongrass in a cheesecloth or large tea bag and place in a pot with chicken broth

2. Add fish sauce, bring to boil and simmer for 1 hour

3. Add coconut milk and lime juice and bring back up to boil

4. Take out semi-frozen chicken, and carefully slice the chicken into small thing strips and add to pot

5. Slice mushrooms thickly and add to pot

6. Add bag of broccoli slaw to the pot

7. Slice jalapeno and add to the pot

8. Add salt and stir

9. Turn off soup (this would be about 5-8 minutes after you've added the chicken)

10. Add chopped cilantro

11. Serve & Enjoy!

Confessions of a Natural Health/Food Blogger

2013-01-14T22:16:00.002-08:00

I have to confess that I have not been 100% truthful in my story and my intentions when I started my 21-day detox cleanse. The fact is, I started the cleanse because I had a miscarriage. I can admit this because today I am 13 weeks pregnant with my second child. I couldn't admit it then because I wanted to keep it private.

My miscarriage in June was an eye opening experience to my need to get my health in order. I am a believer that the universe sends you messages and I heard this one loud and clear: get your health in order before you invite another being and soul into your body.

And so, I embarked on an amazing journey of self discovery. A journey that is not nearly over and will never be, but I've reached the first station: the first trimester of my 3rd pregnancy. This has been quite an interesting trip. As I mentioned in my story, when I was pregnant for the first time, I had the luxury of time and the ability to commit time to an almost daily yoga practice and when I couldn't get to a yoga class, I swam. Nowadays, already being a mother, I don't have the same luxury.

In addition to my lack of time and opportunity for physical activity, this pregnancy came with a morning sickness unlike my first. While I would have the occasional feeling of nausea when I was pregnant with my daughter, with this pregnancy I was nauseous all day long without much reprieve.

If the nausea was not enough, the worst part was the real food diet, which I had embraced over the course of the past several years and my new found Paleo lifestyle became almost impossible to follow. All I wanted to eat was corn, beans, sugar, chocolate and meat. Vegetables seemed dirty to me. And don't get me started on cooking. I literally did not step foot in my kitchen for 7 weeks. And this is after spending countless wonderful hours cooking in my little kitchen.

Finally, the shear exhaustion that I experienced during this time was almost unbearable. I am used to running at 100 miles an hour but I felt like I got hit by a freight train on most nights. I often found myself going to sleep at 7:30 or 8:30 pm, which also prevented me from cooking. I had to just roll with it and listen to my body.

So here I am, 13 weeks along and I'm almost out of the weeds. My cravings have stabilized and I am able to go back to my Paleo lifestyle at 80%. I'm giving myself the flexibility to listen to my body and respond to its needs. I'm back cooking in the kitchen and am looking forward to sharing some great recipes with you.

Thank you to all my readers who have been patient with me during this time. I appreciate all those that have been coming back. I have so much to share with you about my journey to get pregnant again and my path to my upcoming birth.

Paleo Dinners: Golubtsy aka Stuffed Cabbage

2013-01-13T22:46:00.000-08:00

Growing up, we had golubtsy, or stuffed cabbage, weekly. Golubtsy means "little pigeons" in Russian. I tried to find out why they are called that, but haven't been able to find anything conclusive. In most languages of the former USSR, the name for cabbage rolls translates to "little pigeons," so it must have some sort of culture significance. I'll update this post if I ever learn what it is.

Golubtsy are one of my favorite meals to this day. My mom's stuffed cabbage was always filled with delicious flavor, lamb, and lots of rice. I've created an a paleo version of her recipe that I wanted to share with you today. It makes for a delicious, filling dinner or lunch and is of course grain free.

"Golubsty" aka Stuffed Cabbage
1 lb lamb
1 head of cabbage (you will only need about 6 leaves)
1 cup cauliflower rice (shredded cauliflower)
1 onion
1 jar stewed tomatoes
1 tbsp duck fat
2- cups of bone broth (I used chicken)
1 1/2 tsp Celtic salt
1/2 tsp Hungarian Paprika
1/2 tsp Spanish Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp The Spice House Bavarian Seasoning
1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar

Process:
1. Finely dice 1 onion

2. In a pot of water, place cabbage and bring to boil

3. Heat duck fat in a pan, and saute onions for until golden brown

4. In a bowl, mix lamb, salt, paprikas, seasoning, and vinegar and using your hands mix well

5. Add cauliflower and mix again

6. Add onions to meat & cauliflower and mix again

7. Remove cabbage from boiling water after about 8-10 minutes and remove 6-7 leaves

8. Place meat mixture into leave and fold cabbage to create pouches

9. Place pouches into a dutch oven and add jar of stewed tomatoes and bone broth

10. Cover and bring to boil, then reduce to medium low for 1 hour.

11. Serve & Enjoy!

Paleo Dinners: Easy Stuffed Sea Bass

2013-01-08T22:24:00.001-08:00

I've been on a "it better be easy kick," meaning if I can't cook it in 35 minutes or less, I'm not attempting it. One of my favorite quick paleo meals is oven baked easy stuffed sea bass. I picked up a beautiful sea bass from Avendano's Market in San Francisco and stuffed it with carrots, celery and onions, squeezed a bit of lemon juice on it and drizzled it with some Italian olive oil and Voila! Dinner! Please excuse the craptastic photos, my DSLR was charging.

Easy Stuffed Sea Bass
Ingredients
1 gutted seabass
1 large carrot
1 stalk celery
1 onion
1 lemon
1 tbsp duck fat
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Celtic salt
1 small sprig of dill

Process:
1. Heat duck fat in pan

2. Finely chop onion

3. Add onion to pan and saute for 8 minutes

4. Shred carrot & celery and add to pan

5. Saute together for another 5 minutes

6. Add 1/2 tsp to salt and mix well

7. Preheat oven at 350 degrees

8. Place fish on unbleached parchment paper

9. Take mixture from pan and stuff inside the fish

10. Slice 6 pieces of lemon and add 3 slices underneath and above mixture

11. Squeeze half lemon on top of fish and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of salt

12. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil

13. Place dill inside of fish

14. Bake in oven for 20 minutes

15. Enjoy!

Happy New Year from A Crafty Gourmet

2013-01-06T21:29:00.002-08:00

One of my biggest fears when I started this blog would be that I would not be able to keep up with it. And unfortunately, this past month my fears have come true. It's been a really hectic month at my 9-5 (more like my 7am-1am) and with the holidays (Hanukkah, my 30th birthday, Christmas, and New Years), I couldn't find a way to balance all of my responsibilities and my favorite activity, my blog, went to the wayside.

Many warned me that I had been taking on too much, but I refused to listen because I love taking the time to share my experiences and recipes with my readers. I have gotten great satisfaction from connecting with my readers and fans. I can't imagine not doing this. I can't promise that I will continue posting 4-5 times a week like I had been, but my goal is 3 times a week. I hope you haven't missed me too much and are excited to get back reading my posts.

And so I would like to wish you all a very happy new year. I hope that this year brings to each of you a renewed sense of self, a greater passion for taking care of your needs, and a zeal for health. I will be here leading the way!

Vegan Grain Free Carrot Cake Breakfast Muffins

2012-12-16T23:20:00.001-08:00

I usually enjoy a savory breakfast of greens and eggs on weekday mornings, but every once in a while, I miss the latte and muffin breakfast I used to have a long time ago. When I get nostalgic for a sweet breakfast, I usually bake these great grain-free vegan carrot cake muffins. This recipe was inspired by this post from Gluten-Free Dish. I've made these mini-carrot cakes countless times and they are always a huge a hit!

I substitute hazelnut meal for the pecan meal and don't add the additional pecans at the end. Also, I like to add the puree of two ripe pears and substitute that for half of the applesauce. I have to say that this recipe is simply brilliant and I really hope you take the time to make it.

I'm going to be enjoying one of these with a decaf chai latte made with homemade hempseed milk tomorrow morning! Can't wait!

Carrot Cake Breakfast Muffins
(inspired by Gluten-Free Dish)
Ingredients: Makes 12 muffins
5 Tablespoons chia seed ground & 6 Tablespoons water
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 cup pear sauce (2 ripe pureed pears)
15 drops stevia liquid
3 Tablespoons raw organic honey
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
1 tsp The Spice House Apple Pie Spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (corn & aluminum free)
1 1/2 cup hazelnut meal
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 1/2 cups carrot juice pulp (3 large carrots juiced)
1/2 cup organic raisins

Process:
1. Mix chia seeds with water and let stand for 10 minutes

2. Then add apple & pear sauce, apple cider vinegar, stevia, honey, oil and spices

3. Using a mixer, mix well

4. Then add, baking soda, baking powder, hazelnut meal, coconut flour, carrots and raisins to the bowl

5. Mix well

6. Then scoop a little more than 1/4 cup into muffin cups

7. Bake for 15-18 minutes at 350 degrees.

8. Turn off oven and let rest for 10 minutes

9. Remove from oven and let rest for another 10 minutes

10. Enjoy!

Delcious Dinner Date: Spicy Kale Stew Inspired by RadishSF

2012-12-15T22:46:00.000-08:00

It ended up being another slower week at A Crafty Gourmet headquarters. With the holidays and the terrible tragedy in Connecticut, it's been hard to concentrate on cooking and recipe development.

Last night, the hubby and I went to a small local restaurant in San Francisco's Mission District called Radish. Radish a cute place with a eclectic American menu with Southern roots. I was impressed that their flat bread was gluten-free and their sandwiches can be served on gluten-free bread. I'm excited about how many places are now offering gluten-free options, but I'm a bit concerned that gluten-free is becoming as processed as wheat is. I hope all these options aren't going to make more people grain sensitive.

The hubby and I both had a simple yet delicious kale stew that I just had to recreate at home for tonight's dinner. I usually don't eat a lot of nightshades, but since I've been feeling significantly better the last couple of months, I've been testing my body to see what if reacts to and what it doesn't react too. I'm happy to report that I've been okay with most nightshades, though I've had some difficulty digesting peppers. This stew is a in a tomato base. If you are allergic to tomatoes then you can try using more stock and the juice of 1 lemon, but I can't guarantee it will taste as good.

Spicy Kale Stew (inspired by RadishSF)
Ingredients
1 Jar/Can of Peeled Tomatoes (I used a jar of organic tomatoes from Italy from Williams-Sonoma)
2 cups Chicken Stock
3 carrots/6 small carrots
3 stalks of celery
1 bunch of kale
2 sausages (Andouille or Spicy Italian) (I used Wellshire Turkey Andouille)
1 tsp smoked salt
Juice from 1/2 lime

1. In a Dutch Oven on medium heat, add tomatoes with liquid, cubed carrots, and chopped celery

2. Add chicken stock

3. Add cubed sausage

4. Add cut up kale

5. Close lid and let simmer for 45 minutes-1 hr

6. Add more stock if you want a more watery stew

7. Add lime juice

8. Serve & Enjoy!

Did You Win My Giveaway?

2012-12-13T21:31:00.002-08:00

Click here to find out! The Winner Must Email Me!

If you don't by Monday, then I'm picking someone else!

http://acraftygourmet.blogspot.com/2012/11/huge-giveaway-valued-at-over-300.html

15 Minute Meals: Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

2012-12-12T22:42:00.000-08:00

Today I have another recipe to add to the 15 Minute Meals Series: Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie. This meal takes a bit more than 15 minutes to prepare, probably closer to 20 minutes. Also my Shepherd's pie is missing carrots, peas and corn which are often added to traditional Shepherd's pies, but it's full of yummy grass fed ground beef, organic onions, and sweet potatoes.

Another note, I did boil my sweet potatoes and pureed them, but Trader Joe's has mashed sweet pototoes with no other ingredients added, so you can easily have a few bags in your fridge to use when you don't have the time to cook them from scratch.

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
1 lb Grass Fed Ground Beef
1 yellow or red onion
1 tbsp duck fat
1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Raw Coconut Aminos
1/2 Celtic Salt
dash of pepper

Process:
1. Melt duck fat in a pan (I used stainless steel)

2. Add chopped onion

3. Saute for 6-8 minutes

4. Add beef, vinegar, salt, pepper, coconut aminos

5. Saute for 8 minutes

6. Place ground beef into a small loaf tin and add pureed sweet potatoes

7. Broil at 450 in Toaster Oven for 5 minutes.

8. Serve & Enjoy!

15 Minute Meals: Pan Seared Lamb With Brussels Sprouts & Fire Roasted Tomatoes

2012-12-11T22:59:00.000-08:00

Firstly, I'm quite sorry for the long absence. I spend the weekend celebrating my 30th birthday and was tied up with preparations and celebrations! I'm going to be doing a post about the party, as the menu was almost gluten & dairy free thanks to the wonderful catering of Magdalena Banquet Hall in San Francisco, but I'm waiting on the photos to share.

All the celebrations and house guests didn't allow for a lot of time for cooking, so I came up with some simple Paleo recipes that don't require too much prep or cook time. This is the first post of several more to come on the topic to 15 minute minute meals.

Many of the ingredients are from Trader Joe's and unfortunately the vegetables are not organic. I strive to eat about 90% organic but sometimes the need for convenience is more important than the need for being organic. Ideally, Trader Joe's would have a greater selection of organic products, but one can only wish. Luckily, I did find this gem there:

Yay for Pastured Raised Lamb at Trader Joe's! I paired the lamb with frozen Brussels Sprouts and half a can of organic fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies. The total prep time for the meal was 15 minutes, because sometimes you just don't have the time to slow roast fresh ingredients, but still want to eat good food.

Pan Seared Lamb With Brussels Sprouts & Fire Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients

2 Pasture Raised Lamb Steaks

1 tbsp Duck Fat

1 tsp Celtic Salt

1 tsp Bavarian Seasoning

1/2 can Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes

1 bag of frozen Brussels Sprouts

Process:

1. Melt duck fat in pan on medium heat

2. Cost each side of steaks with seasoning and salt

3. Place lamb in pan and sear for 6 minutes

4. In a dutch oven, place Brussels Sprouts and tomatoes and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes

5. Flip steak and cook on opposite side for 6-8 minutes

6. Serve & Enjoy!

My Personal Journey: Teaching Myself and My Child about Real Food

2012-12-06T00:00:00.002-08:00

When I was child, my mother had a overwhelming fear that I would choke on my food. Because of this fear, she pureed my food until I was 3 years old. I didn't know about this until I, too, developed an overwhelming fear that my daughter would choke on finger foods, which also resulted me in pureeing much of her food.

Photo Credit: Cascadian Farms

First Foods

When it came time for my daughter to transition to food from breast milk, I was completely lost. I was mostly lost because I had no idea how to feed myself, much less feed another person. I spent weeks researching the perfect first food. I was so confused. The doctors said rice cereal; Nina Planck said don't give rice cereal. My mom said give apples, someone else said try liver. My head was literally spinning with all the possibilities. Finally, my mother-in-law mentioned that my husband's first food was egg yolk and those were on Nina Planck's list! And so egg yolks it was!

Feeling Like a Failure

Three months later, after giving my daughter egg yolks, she began to violently throw up. This pattern continued whenever she ate anything with egg yolks. She had developed an allergy to her first food and I felt like a complete failure.

In the months that passed, I spent countless hours over my baby food maker, making her concoctions that I felt were good for her and whenever she would reject them, I would feel like she was rejecting me. After a while, I began to take it so personally that an overwhelming feeling came over me. I can't exactly describe it, but it was a feeling of gross failure and uselessness. It was completely extreme. This feeling made me no longer want to cook for my child. I began to buy pre-made foods from the supermarket and boxed macaroni & cheese. Even though she seemed more interested in this food than my own, the feeling of overwhelming guilt that took over me was enough to keep the feeling of failure in good company.

Photo Credit: Push Tail of Flickr

Turning to Real Food

After my daughter turned one, we noticed that she would develop bad skin rashes on her face. They were raised and quite red and very itchy. A chiropractor told us it was a wheat allergy and I gawked. All my child ate was wheat at this point.

A few months later, I started to discover more about real food and the Weston A. Price Foundation. Having already heard of Nina Planck, the ideas were not completely foreign to me. I ordered my copy of Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions and began to transition my family to a real food lifestyle.

We began to eat more organ meats, pasture raised and grass fed beef, and raw milk. Then on 4th of July weekend in 2010, 1.5 months before my daughter's 2nd birthday, we all contracted campylobacter, a serious food-borne illness. The doctor's didn't initially think to test my daughter's stool and it took almost a week until we got a diagnosis after an emergency room visit that I will never forget. Everyone had to take a heavy duty dose of antibiotics.

Finding Balance

I hadn't taken antibiotics in years and they really took my body for a ride. All of the health benefits that I had seen from my real food diet were gone. I was bloated and in pain most of the time. My body became significantly inflamed. My daughter also began to experience more illnesses. Having been nursed until she was 25 months, she had a pretty strong immune system but after the antibiotics, she began to get sick quite often. Almost every three weeks.

We decided to take her to an osteopath and to do a food sensitivity test. The test came back positive for almost all of the foods she was eating, including cow dairy and wheat. We cut everything out of her diet that showed a reaction, but I was still clueless on what to feed her. I felt so guilty that my experimentation had made her sick.

Embracing Nourishing Transitions

Overtime, we began to get our groove. She enjoyed goat's milk cheese and yogurt. She liked quinoa pasta and rice. She was able to eat rice bread and ghee. Her skin rash began to disappear and her pickiness also subsided a bit.

It's now 18 months later and I'm happy to report that our daughter is still wheat and cow dairy free and she doesn't miss it one bit. I am so grateful to live in the San Francisco Bay Area where alternatives are so readily available. Having finally figured out how to nourish myself has allowed me to nourish my child. Nowadays, Tali enjoys bone broth soups, fermented foods, liver, caviar and other nutrient dense foods. It's a been a journey but a journey I am very grateful for.

Photo Credit: GeishaBoy on Flickr

What I Ate Yesterday: Osteria Coppa Restaurant Review

2012-12-04T23:31:00.000-08:00

Today's post is dedicated to a delicious restaurant I'm in love with right now: Osteria Coppa, in San Mateo, CA. I haven't done a restaurant review in a while, but Osteria Coppa is officially my new favorite restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area. Having now eaten there twice and both times being close to perfection, I can safely say that you NEED to check this place out if you're in my neck of the woods.

I'm not alone in my reverence for Osteria Coppa. The modern Italian restaurant was recommended in the Michelin Guide in 2012. I'm sure this recommendation is no surprise for the executive chef, Chanan Kamen, who spent time in Italy working in seven restaurants that had at least one start to their name. He is also a veteran of another Michelin starred restaurant in San Francisco: Quince. I would not be surprised if he earns his own star in the next couple of years.

Photo Credit

Osteria Coppa is unique in that all of their pizzas and pastas are available gluten free. While this is becoming a growing trend, many restaurants are still slow to jump on the bandwagon. Since I am grain-free, I did steer away from the pizza and pasta, enjoying a wonderful lamb stew instead. Our server was able to help me navigate the menu to ensure my meal was both grain and dairy free. She passed all my restrictions to the chef, who was also very accommodating and thoughtful as he brought out our dishes. We were lucky enough to sit at the chef's table and the chef, Chanan Kamen, personally brought out all of our dishes.

For an appetizer, we ordered the salumi platter, which included Bresoala, Mortadella, and two types of salami, a sweet with cinnamon, and a savory with fennel. The meats were accompanied by Marcona almonds, house cured olives, and pickled peppers. Everything was delicious.

As a gift from the kitchen, chef Chanan Kamen brought us an avocado and grapefruit salad with a lemony aioli emulsification. The salad was wonderful, airy and light. It was a great palate cleanser.

For my main course, I had the lamb spezzatino, a classic Italian stew. The lamb was delicate and melted in my mouth. The sauce and the gremolata drizzle were so good that I was wishing I had a piece of bread to soak them up. Instead, I dipped my side of garlic sauteed spinach in the savory sauce. The chef also brought us an additional side as a gift from the kitchen. It was wonderful classic dish of broccoli, anchovy and lemon. Everything was absolutely impeccable.

One of the reasons the food at Osteria Coppa is so good, is because of their dedication to farm-to-table cuisine. The restaurant has created strong relationships with local farmers that allows the chef access to the most freshest in-season ingredients. The quality of the ingredients can be easily tasted in the high quality cuisine served here. Check out this video about and learn more about the farm-to-table approach at Osteria Coppa.

I can't wait to go back and enjoy another delicious meal at this wonderful place. My husband (and editor) said his mouth was watering as he read this post and he was quite jealous that he hasn't had the chance to accompany me here. If you are in San Francisco, San Mateo is only short 20-25 minute drive South. I promise that the drive will be worth your time!

A Crafty Gourmet's Version of The Spunky Coconut' Persimmon Scones

2012-12-03T23:05:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, one of my favorite bloggers, The Spunky Coconut posted an incredible recipe for Persimmon Scones. I'm a huge fan of persimmon, which is why I made a Vegan Persimmon & Cranberry Cheesecake for Thanksgiving. I'm also a fan of persimmon for all of its health benefits, specifically its ability to treat gastrointestinal inflammation and hemorrhoids. We've also been seeing a significant resolution in our daughter's "lung heat" since she's been eating more persimmons.

I decided to try making her Persimmon Scones, but since I'm avoiding almond flour right now, I decided to substitute sunflower seed flour. Also, the recipe seemed to call for a bit too much sugar for my taste so I reduced the sugar. Finally, I didn't have psyllium husk powder, so I used ground flax seeds. The scones or cookies, which ever you prefer, turned out very well, so I'm sharing the recipe with you! This recipe is vegan, grain-free, nut-free and paleo friendly.

The Spunky Coconuts Persimmon Scones
(A Crafty Gourmet Remix)
Dry Ingredients
1 cup sunflower seed flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla

Wet Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp water
1/4 tsp vanilla liquid stevia

1 large ripe Hichaya or 2 ripe fuyu persimmons

Process:
1. In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients and then using a mixer add in wet ingredients. You can also use an "S" blade on your food processor to do this as well.

2. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out dough onto a sheet of parchment or Silpat mat and press down in the middle to create a little pool for the persimmon

3. Peel the persimmon and mash with fork to create a puree

4. Using a spoon, place puree into the dents in the scones

5. Bake for 12 minutes at 375 degrees

6. Let cookies rest for 10-15 minutes. The Spunky Coconut recommends you freeze them to let them harden.

7. Enjoy!

Why I Ate Lamb Oysters, aka Lamb Balls. Yes Those Balls!

2012-12-03T00:06:00.000-08:00

You know I'm a fan of offal, but this time you may think I went too far. I've officially crossed over to the dark side of offal consumption and I've cooked Lamb Testicles (aka Lamb Oysters, aka Lamb Fries) in my own house! Oh and I liked them!

You may be asking yourself: Why would anyone want to put an animal testicle in their mouth? Well, I have 3 good reasons for you.

3 Reasons Why Eating Testicles Is Good For You!

1. They're an aphrodisiac!
According to an article in the New York Times, Louis XV fed them to Madame de Pompadour, to "warm her up". Raw oysters are supposed to be sexy, so why not cooked Lamb Oysters?

2. They contain vitamins and nutrients essential for reproductive health!
According to the Weston A. Price Foundation, though not much research has been done on testicles specifically, most offal contains: vitamins A, D and B6, zinc, and the fatty acids EPA and DHA.

3. They help cure cellulite!
Testicles contain high amounts of an enzyme called hyaluronidase. Hyaluronidase increases tissue permeability and could help against cellulite. 1

Because I'm adventurous with my food, these three reasons were enough to get me to try Lamb Oysters. I bought my Lamb Testicles from US Wellness Meats, an online vendor of grass fed meats that I love! My advice is to cook them just like sweetbreads. Testicles, like sweetbreads really do well with a crispy coat of something, either grain or a grain-free flour, which ever you prefer.

The Weston A. Price Foundation has several great recipes on their site for Lamb Oysters. You can find it here: ---> Lamb Oyster Recipes.

Preparing Lamb Oysters

1. Peel off the membrane and cook them in boiling water for 5-7 minutes.

Photo Credit: Food Perestroika

2. Afterwards, give them an ice bath for 10 minutes

3. Coat them with an beaten egg and then dip into flour or coating of your choice (spices, almond flour, coconut flour)

4. Fry until crispy

5. Enjoy!

Photo Credit

Almost Paleo Pizza With Grain-Free Pizza Crust

2012-11-29T23:05:00.002-08:00

Pizza: probably one of the most craved foods for people following a Paleo diet. Today, I satisfied my craving, but the pizza was not completely Paleo friendly. I choose to follow the 80/20 rule, although for me its more like 90/10. I don't believe in dogmatism and I'm certainly not a hard liner. Getting to the Paleo diet has been a process of self-experimentation to relieve my severe pain and other symptoms. Chris Kresser, L.Ac speaks about this exact point in a great article he wrote a couple of years ago about food fascism and the 80/20, and having had an eating disorder in the past, I try to make sure that I stay open and flexible with my food choices even when I am restricting various ingredients.

And so, while the crust, sauce, and toppings were completely Paleo friendly, the cheese was Daiya, non-dairy "cheese" that melts. Here is a list of Daiya's ingredients:

Filtered water, tapioca and /or arrowroot flours, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and /or non-GMO expeller pressed safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, inactive yeast, vegan natural flavors, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid (for flavor), annatto, titanium dioxide (a naturally occurring mineral).

These ingredients aren't necessarily all "real food." But the fact is, I can't have any dairy or I get such horrible arthritic pain that I can barely move. I am willing to eat a little fake cheese and have a pizza vs. being in pain and feeling like I'm denying myself. So, I bought the Daiya cheese...

So now off to the recipe:

Paleo Pizza Crust

2 1/2 cups sunflower seed flour (soaked and dehydrated) Empowered Sustenance has a great recipe

3 pastured eggs

2 tbsp arrowroot

1 1/2 tsp baking powder (corn and aluminum free)

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp sea salt

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl

3. Add eggs and using you hands mix well. "Dough" will be very gooey

4. Spread dough very thinly (it rises substantially) on a piece of parchment paper

5. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes

6. Remove and add toppings. I used a raw artichoke pate from Italy, anchovies, Daiya cheese, and basil

7. Bake for 6 minutes

8. Enjoy!

Shared at: Freaky Friday, Wheat Free Wednesday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday,Gluten Free Fridays