Mutritious Nuffins

Grain-free Coconut flour Spice Cake.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 23:25:00 +0000

Calling this recipe cake isn't really fair. Calling this recipe bread isn't really fair either. It is actually similar to both, but with the best parts of each. Light and airy (bread), but sweet and satisfying (cake). Remember when I promised you I'd post other versions of my lemon poppyseed cake? Well, this is actually my original recipe, as I made first made a spicy version, but instead shared the lemon poppyseed recipe with you all before this version, since I hadn't taken proper pictures.

This recipe reminds me of gingerbread, but without all the heavieness or sugar content of a thick cake, as this is more light and airy; something that you can eat everyday. It's great by itself for a snack, or on the side of a salad for paleo/primal friendly treat. I like to make this on the weekend and slowly eat the pan down over the next two weeks. This would free great too!

Grain-free Coconut flour Spice Cake.
makes one 9x13 pan

    1/3 cup organic coconut oil - source
    2/3 cup warm water
    6 happy eggs
    1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp (or 1/3 cup heaping) organic coconut flour - source
    2 Tbsp honey - mine was wildflower runny honey
2 Tbsp molasses
    1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp unrefined sea salt
1 Tbsp organic cinnamon
3 Tbsp ground ginger
3 dashes ground nutmeg
2 dashes ground gloves

To make your lovely simple spice cake:
   1. Place coconut oil and warm water in a medium sized bowl, whisk vigorously for about 2 minutes or until white, glossy and homogenous (and no longer clumpy).
   2. To the same bowl, add flour, and remaining ingredients. Whisk until incorporated.
   3. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan (I used coconut oil), and bake at 350 degrees non-convection for exactly 20 minutes.
   4. Pull pan from the oven and place on a baking rack to cool. Transfer to the fridge to cool some more. Cut into squares when cool, and spread with your favorite filling. I used grass-fed butter! Yum! Tahini, peanut or cashew butter would go nicely with these too.

Other spices like cardamom and allspice would be great in this cake too! Use your favorite warm spice combination :)

Meat + Egg Protein Bites.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 21:52:00 +0000

I am finding that I have very little time for cooking now that I am in medical school, and I've been searching for easier and easier ways of eating home cooked real food that doesn't take a lot of time, or create a lot of dishes, which I will inevitably have to do myself.

One evening as an experiment (and since I was short on time), I took some grass-fed ground beef which I had defrosted, stuffed it into a mini muffin tin, and baked it. Turns out my experiment worked very well, and I decided to do it on a larger scale. This time I used a normal sized muffin tin and cracked an egg on top - a definite success!

This is the what the underside looks like :)

This recipe is so easy because all you have to do is take your meat of choice, section it into a muffin tin, press down and bake! In less than a half hour you have easy bites of protein which can be conveniently topped on a salad, warmed with a side of veggies, or eaten quick and on the go. I seasoned mine with only a little bit of salt, but feel free to sprinkle on top whatever spice you fancy. Cheese and ketchup were my other experiments, which turned out great too! Please note - do not grease the muffin tins, there is enough fat in the meat and there will be no sticking. The meat actually shrinks away from the sides and will look like it's "swimming" in fat when you take them out of the oven. I really like this because you can so easily lift out each little bite / piece and place on a paper towel, and then discard (or save) the meat fat / tallow that has rendered out of the meat!

Meat + Egg Protein Bites.
makes 1 dozen

    1 lb grass-fed ground meat - I used pet burger
    12 pastured happy eggs
sprinkle unrefined sea salt
    spices - optional
    ketchup - optional
    cheese - optional

To make your protein bites:
1. Evenly section out beef between the holes of a normal sized muffin pan.
2. Press down with your fingers. Add optional spices or cheese.
3. Crack an egg on top. Sprinkle each with unrefined sea salt
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees (don't believe mine is convection), for 25-30 minutes. Bites will be ready when eggs are cooked through. Remove from oven and promptly grab bites out of the tin with tongs, placing then on a paper towel drain. When cool, store in a glass container in the fridge for grabbing whenever you need some protein :) ENJOY!

Even though this idea is quite simple, they taste so good. It would be possible to make this with ground chicken, turkey or bison, but I would suggest greasing the sides of each muffin cup with olive oil first; these meats have very low fat content and therefore may stick.

I hope you find these a useful addition to your food plans for busy weeks :)

Grain-free Lemon Poppy Seed Coconut Flour Cake.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:00:00 +0000

It's a rather odd sounding title, isn't it? This recipe was a spin off my primal gingerbread cake, as well as my grain-free waffle recipe. I wanted a simple coconut flour-based grain-free baked good that I could whip up fast and was super easy. So I experimented, and made this! It was delicious on the first go! This cake has just the right amount of cakey-ness to satisfy my (occasional) bread cravings, but without being loaded with sugar or refined gluten-free grains. It is also nut-free and Paleo! My first version was a spiced flavor with lots of ginger and a touch of molasses, and my second (this version) was lemon poppy seed, but feel free to change spices and flavor extracts for a different taste. I know I will be sharing several different versions as time allows me :) This bread bakes thin in the pan, so I used two squares and spread some grass-fed butter in between both sides, to make little "sandwich" looking treats. The whole batch lasted me nearly two weeks, and I was very happy to have something interesting (besides veggies) to nibble on at lunch time :) It's also a great way to add some more coconut oil and grass-fed butter to your diet, which are rich in good for you saturated fats and fat-soluble activators, which our bodies, brains, and hearts desperately need!

Grain-free Lemon Poppy Seed Coconut Flour Cake.
makes one 9x13 pan

    1/3 cup organic coconut oil - source
    2/3 cup warm water
    6 happy eggs
    1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp (or 1/3 cup heaping) organic coconut flour - source
    1/4 cup honey - mine was wildflower runny honey
    1 tsp baking soda
    1/2 tsp organic lemon extract
    2 tsp poppy seeds
    zest of one organic lemon

To make your lemon poppy cake:
   1. Place coconut oil and warm water in a medium sized bowl, whisk vigorously for about 2 minutes or until white, glossy and homogenous (and no longer clumpy).
   2. To the same bowl, add flour, and remaining ingredients. Whisk until incorporated.
   3. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan (I used coconut oil), and bake at 350 degrees non-convection for exactly 20 minutes.
   4. Pull pan from the oven and place on a baking rack to cool. Transfer to the fridge to cool some more. Cut into squares when cool, and spread with your favorite filling. I used grass-fed butter! Yum! Sun-butter or cashew butter would go nicely with these too.

Spread something fun inside and enjoy :) PS-- Don't you love my plates! I found them last year at Sur La Table, and I absolutely love them! I'm so happy they survived the trek from Southern California to Seattle!

Roasted Amber Cup Squash.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 17:06:00 +0000

The medical school study load did not kept me from cooking (but it certainly did limit it), and I made one or two new discoveries this past fall. One is this squash which I am about to share with you today. I had never heard of Amber Cup squash before I saw it in my local grocery store. Game to try anything, I bought it, took it home, popped it in the oven, and waaala! The most amazingly delicious squash I'd ever had. A squash that didn't need either butter or cinnamon to make it taste good. It was good on its own! It has a sweet taste, very smooth grain, and is neither starchy or watery like butternut squash can be.

Photo credit

Roasted Amber Cup Squash.
makes a lot or a little, depending on the number of people, and how much you like the squash ;)

1 or 2 amber cup squash

To make your squash:
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cut the squash down the middle from both knobs. Then cut the knobs off of each half. Then cut into slices. Place on a baking sheet.
2. In a different shallow pan, fill with water. Place this pan on the rack below the pan with the squash - it helps to create a steaming effect in the oven.
3. Roast squash for about 30-45 minutes or until fork tender.
4. Enjoy! Eat plain cold (this is good) or warm with some coconut oil, butter and or cinnamon.

I love me some veggies! (So sorry for the bad pictures, Seattle is not great for lighting!)

Grain-free Gingerbread.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:20:00 +0000

Holiday baking is always a lot of fun for me. Since I just completed my undergraduate degree, and have now begun medical school, I don't exactly have a lot of time to bake! I've been home for Christmas for the past few weeks, and it's been really nice to be "on vacation," and have time to read books, bake, workout, and sleep at my leisure!

When discussing what we wanted to make during the time I am home, as well as for our family Christmas celebrations, my mom suggested we make a gingerbread cake, since my gingerbread men cookies are just too delicious! (And hooow long has it been since there's been gingerbread in the house?? Apparently years!!) You see, gingerbread used to be a favorite of mine, but today I realized I haven't had gingerbread cake in probably about 10 years! What a shock!

So today, I got out my bowl, my favorite spatula, a bunch of yummy molasses and baked this goodness. My family and I love the cakey texture of this gingerbread, the rich flavor of the molasses, and the punch of the ginger. And it's not overly sweet, which is what I prefer!

Grain-free Gingerbread Cake.
makes one 9x13 pan

    1/2 cup organic palm oil shortening - source
    1/4 cup homemade vanilla sugar - or any sugar of choice
    4 REAL eggs
    1 cup molasses
    1 cup organic coconut flour - source
    1/2 cup blanched almond flour - source
    1/2 cup arrowroot flour/starch - source
    1/2 cup organic applesauce
    1 tsp baking soda
    1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
    lots of ginger + cinnamon (probably 2 T ginger, and 1 T cinnamon)

To make your gingerbread cake:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (convection). Grease a 9x13 pan liberally with butter.
2. In a large bowl, cream together shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add one egg at a time until just incorporated.
3. To the same bowl add spices, coconut flour, almond flour, arrowroot, sea salt, baking soda, molasses. Mix. Add applesauce. Mix until combined.
4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth top with spatula. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, depending on the heat of your oven.
5. Remove for oven when sides are slightly browned, and center of cake is springy. Let pan cool on a baking rack for about 20 minutes, then slice and transfer to desired container. Feel free to freeze for later! Top with whipped cream, ice cream or eat it warm and slather it with cinnamon butter.

Try it cold (you can REALLY taste the ginger punch this way) and topped with some fresh whipped cream! Yum! And don't forget to share it with all your primal, paleo, or grain-free friends! :)

Merry Christmas.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 22:27:00 +0000

Hello everyone,

Merry Christmas to all of you celebrating the holiday. I am having a wonderful time relaxing at home with my mom and dad. Christmas is one of my favorite days of the year simply because it is a time when we slow down, take a moment to rest, enjoy some Christmas music, cookies, and twinkly Christmas tree lights. A Christmas run or walk is always in order too, and I find myself braving the cold each year to do so. Christmas Eve is always a very special day for me because it is a time where I get to see my extended family. I decided to be a little different this year and made a slightly different version of my lemon cookies; I made them instead like little sandwich cookies with lemon yogurt frosting inside. My mother always likes to make my pumpkin muffins for Thanksgiving and for Christmas, and they always taste so good! And we have leftover muffins at home! They certainly make for an excellent breakfast!

This year we were blessed with a white Christmas. We woke up in the morning to light snow and a dusting all over the ground. The snow kept up all day until it warmed up slightly later in the afternoon, and we ventured outside for some exercise and fresh air. Tonight I think I am going to make some gluten-free pizza for the family and have "movie" night. One morning this week I plan to make some waffles and eggnog too. Eggnog is always synonymous with Christmas in my house ;) While I am home I also plan on making some spiced nuts, grain-free granola, gluten-free crackers for my mom, protein bars for my sister-in-law, and of course Yule Log for my family when we get together to celebrate a little later in the week. I also hope to make a gingerbread cake or gingerbread cookies, since I have definitely had a hankering for some spice-y molasses-y goodness lately. While I have a whole pile (in a three-ring binder, actually) of new recipes I want to try, I think I will mostly be staying with some of my tried and true favorites this year.

I hope you are all healthy, happy, warm and enjoying time with family during this Christmas season.

Jesus is the Reason for this SEASON.

The Future of Natural Medicine.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 17:06:00 +0000

All family, friends, fans, followers and lukers, please take TWO minutes of your time and visit this link:

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/include-licensed-naturopathic-physicians-primary-care-providers-federal-healthcare-law-obamacare/rW0MNqMt

Sign the petition to get Naturopathic doctors (doctors who specialize in natural medicine) covered under federal health care. This would further my future profession (I am a first-year medical student), and also open up a whole new scope of practice for NDs so they can be better Primary Care Practitioners for America, as we are LACKING primary care physicians! We need over 2k signatures by this FRIDAY (and have 22k so far, need a total of 25k) - so sign, share, circulate, and get all your friends to sign! Please, think of your health, the health of your children, and the health of America

For more info on Naturopathic Medicine and what is a Naturopathic Physician, see here: http://www.naturopathic.org/

I plan on doing a more informative post on NM at a later time, (after finals).

Thanks everyone! December is here, and I'll get you some more recipes soon (again, after finals ;).

Spinach Artichoke Dip with Cheddar.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Spinach artichoke dip has been on my list to make since who knows when! I bought a few cans of whole artichokes from Whole Foods a while back in anticipation of one day making it. And now I have :)

Right now, I am wondering why did I wait so long?? Spinach artichoke dip is delicious!! (I admit I was skeptical.) Before making this recipe I consulted a few other food blogs and food websites to see what they were doing in their artichoke dips. After some internet searching, I decided to go for it and do what seemed intuitive to me. My first attempt could not have been more delicious. One thing that is unique about my dip is that it has some protein because I decided to incorporate some chicken and tuna. Not only would it help with the texture, but it would also make this dip a little bit more wholesome. And ooh my goodness, this dip is good. The smoked paprika and cheddar cheese along with a splash of hot sauce really help the depth of flavor in this dish.

Spinach Artichoke Dip with Cheddar.
    makes one large dish, must be at least 9x13

    1 large bag spinach
    2 cans whole artichokes, chopped
    1 cup dill havarti cheese, grated
    1/2 cup smoked cheddar cheese, grated
    2-3 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese (I used Cabot)
    8 oz sour cream
    ~1/4 tsp smoked mild paprika
    1/2 tsp pepper
    1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
    3 dashes Franks Red Hot sauce
1 small can tongol tuna (I used Trader Joes)
    1 large can white meat chicken (I used Trader Joes)

To make your dip:
1. In a 3qt sautee pan, cover the bottom of the pan with 1/2 inch of water. Stuff as much spinach as you can in the pan. Close the lid. Cook over high heat until wilted. Drain, and gently squeeze out excess water.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix with your hands - it's easier!
3. Pour dip into a large casserole dish or any sort of oven safe baker. Sprinkle top with more cheese.
4. Bake at 400 degrees until bubbly. Then broil for a minute or two until the top is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
5. Let cool. Spoon out a section and dip baby carrots, red pepper slices and cucumber slices. Enjoy!

I think this is quickly becoming one of my favorite recipes! Try this delicious dip in your home for a satiating lunch! It's great for a summer lunch, and also in the winter time when you want something warm and toasty. Feel free to refrigerate for about a week as you eat it, but I would not freeze this or keep it over 10 days.

This yummy dip makes getting your veggies easy. Kids might even love the warm cheesy goodness. It would also be perfect for taking to parties. People won't know it's so good for them, and you'll actually enjoy taking leftovers home!

Grain-free Cinnamon Raisin Granola.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Granola is one of the things that I have missed a lot since giving up grains. I've tried a few recipes here and there that don't use oats, but the ease of making them and the combination of ingredients just didn't agree with me. Recipes were either too complicated, or just odd. I wanted a recipe that had the same satisfying crunch that I remember from normal oat-based granola. Finally I came up with this! It's so delicious my mom and I ate it up in no time. Primal, WAPFers and paleo people will love this recipe. It makes either a delicious breakfast, or a great snack on the go. I also shared this with my SIL who just had twin boys :) She's a grain-free granola lover and this totally made her day! I know that you'll love it too!

Grain-free Cinnamon Raisin Granola.
makes a bunch! :)

    6 egg whites
    1/4 cup coconut sugar
    3 tsp cinnamon
    1 tsp unrefined sea salt
    1/2 cup sesame seeds
    1/2 cup chia seeds
    1 cup (each): whole cashews, pistachios, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut chips, walnuts, chopped pecans, sliced almonds, raisins

To make your delicious granola:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees convection.
2. Combine egg whites, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Whisk until frothy.
3. Add all nuts and seeds, mix well with a wooden spoon.
4. On two silicone lined baking sheets, spread out the mixture evenly between two pans.
5. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Stir. Another 10 minutes. Stir. Depending on your oven, you may need another 5 minutes. The first time I made this I didn't, the second time, I did.

This granola keeps very well. I store mine in an airtight container in the cupboard. Eat within 2 weeks or store in the fridge.

My favorite way to eat this is in a bowl with freshly sliced banana and some cold raw whole milk. What a nourishing breakfast!! Enjoy!

Real Chocolate Ice Cream.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:00:00 +0000

I got an ice cream maker for my birthday a few years ago, and I've put it to good use! It's been so fun to experiment with different ice cream recipes. Some have been really good, and some have been, not so good. Several batches have come out too sweet, not sweet enough, or too icy or crumbly and hard as rock. But this summer I think I've got the whole process down! I am so happy with this recipe. It's incredibly scoopable and you don't need to remove it from the freezer for any amount of time before serving. It's texture is fantastic and the sweetness is just right.

Real Chocolate Ice Cream.
   makes 2 quarts

    1 pt raw cream
    2 cups raw whole milk
    4 egg yolks
    1 T arrowroot starch
    1/2 cup cocoa powder
    1/2 cup raw honey
    1 T vanilla
    5 dashes unrefined sea salt

To make your ice cream:
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. Pour into ice cream maker and freeze per manufacturers instructions.
3. Freeze overnight until hard.
4. Serve and enjoy! Try it with fresh whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Or top it with peanut butter!!

Mhmm. The goodness is beginning to melt! YUM.

I like to freeze my ice cream in leftover yogurt containers! They are the perfect size, and I can put equal amounts in two 32 ounce containers. Eat one, save one (shove it in the back). In a few months you'll have several types of ice cream to choose from waiting for you in the freezer!

Chocolate not your style? Check out my other flavors:

Homemade French Vanilla Ice Cream
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt

Cauliflower Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Like most people, I love mashed potatoes. I think they are the best when the skins are left on, they are creamy but hold their shape, and they have a nice garlic flavor. Every since going gluten-free, becoming healthy, and really changing my diet, mashed potatoes have gone out the window. While they were a treat before, they are now a complete rarity. Until now.

Since I found out about the Weston A. Price foundation and Primal eating, I have rediscovered mashed potatoes. Only now they aren't actually made of potatoes, they're made out of cauliflower! I used to think cauliflower was ghastly, and I would say that it was just a bad tasting version of broccoli (I love broccoli). Well I am a firm believer that vegetables must be tried in several preparations, and more than one time, before anyone can say they don't like them. Because now, I love cauliflower. And after trying several fruits and vegetables several times, I now like them. Once I didn't like cucumbers!

Now that cauliflower has made it's way into my diet, I've decided to make them in mashed potatoes. This idea has been floating around in the Primal community for a while, and while I have made "cauliflower mash" before. This time was different. I went all out. Roasted garlic. Butter. Whole milk. Food processor. Super smooth texture. Oh yeah!

Cauliflower Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
   makes about 8 servings

    1 head of cauliflower, steamed or boiled
    1/4-1/2 cup raw whole milk
    4T - 6T real grass-fed butter
8 cloves of home-roasted garlic
1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

To make your mashed potatoes:
1. Place hot boiled or steamed cauliflower, in a food processor. Add butter and roasted garlic cloves. Blend until smooth. Add spices. Blend. Lastly, add milk until desired consistency is reached.
2. Taste. Modify if needed. (Becareful, these are really good, it was hard to stop eating them! ;)
3. Serve warm with some more butter (if desired) along with a nicely cooked protein, like grass-fed beef, chicken or turkey!

Leftovers (if there are any) keep really well in the fridge. Eat within a week. They are even great cold! This recipe is a great side dish option for those of us who do best on low carb, low starch, Primal, paleo diets.

Cranberry Sauce with Oranges.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 19:47:00 +0000

My mom loves cranberries! This past Christmas I decided to make some real cranberry sauce to accompany some turkey we were having. The recipe was an experiment but a complete success. I knew I wanted to blog about it, but had to wait until the summer to make it again, tweek the ratios/flavors, and give it a photo shoot. I am happy to say that the recipe was again successful! So here it is... cranberry sauce in September. The meal photos are from one July evening this summer, when I decided to make a miniature "Thanksgiving" meal in July. It was delicious! With some cornbread taken from the freezer, some roasted turkey breasts and frozen cranberries we froze during cranberry season, a miniature Thanksgiving in July was served. I plan to make this cranberry sauce again, and again for all the remaining Thanksgivings and Christmases to come! It's a fantastic alternative to the canned refined sugar gelatinous mass that usually is called cranberry sauce. This recipe is gluten-free, Primal, paleo and very easy! The honey makes balances out the tartness of the cranberries, and makes it a little sweet. The cloves and chinese five spice make it just a little bit spicy ;)

Cranberry Sauce with Oranges.
    makes 10-12 servings

    8 oz bag fresh organic cranberries
    3 oranges, peeled, ends cut off and sectioned
    1 T organic coconut oil
    1/4-1/2 cup raw honey
    zest of 1-2 oranges
    1/4 tsp chinese five spice
    1/2 tsp (or more) ground cloves
    pinch unrefined sea salt
water as needed

To make your cranberry sauce:
1. In a 10" inch skillet or sautee pan, simmer cranberries with coconut oil.
2. While cranberries are simmering, zest oranges. Juice oranges into the skillet. Simmer until cranberries soften and break apart ~10 minutes on medium and high heat. Stir every few minutes. Add some water if needed. Do not let it burn. Add zest to skillet.
3. Add honey, spices, and salt. Stir well. Simmer for another 10 minutes. If sauce is too thick, add some water to thin it out.
4. Serve with turkey and some delicious cornbread. May be served cold or hot. Keep leftovers in the fridge. It can also be frozen.

When cranberries come back into season this winter, give this recipe a try! Your family will love it's sweet and spicy flavors as an alternative to the "classic" canned cranberry sauce.

Cashew Cookie Butter.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Rarely do I ever see a recipe online and go out and buy all the ingredients and then make it. But I did exactly that with this recipe (and in less than 24 hours!)... it just looked too good. This recipe comes from Studio Cuisine blog. I love to try different combinations of nut butters, like my cinnamon honey almond butter, and this one was fantastic! It tastes amazing -- just like sugar cookies! But it has none of the undigestible grains or refined sugars, and the cashews make it full of protein. Therefore it makes a great snack, or a great spread for breakfast! If you love cashew butter, you'll love this cookie butter.

Cashew Cookie Butter.
    adapted from Studio Cuisine
    makes one cup

    1.5 cups organic whole raw cashews
    1/3 cup unsweetened organic banana chips
    1 T organic coconut sugar/palm sugar - source
4 tsp organic coconut oil
1/3 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional - for flavor)
1/4 tsp baking soda (optional - for flavor)

To make your cookie butter:
1. In a food processor, blend coconut sugar, banana chips and cashews together until it become homogenous and balls up.
2. Add honey, vanilla, cream of tartar, baking soda, and blend again. Lastly, add coconut oil and blend until smooth. If you'd like your butter a little more runny, add more coconut oil. Mine was a perfect consistency at just 4 tsp.
3. Store in an airtight container. It keeps outside for a little over a week. For longer storage, refrigerate.

I can't wait to try some of this in my Vitamix! Make sure you share it with your friends :)

Grain-free Unsweetened Banana Cake.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Today is my birthday, so I thought sharing a cake today would be only appropriate. I didn't make this cake today, however, but made it sometime early summer.

Banana bread has always been one of my favorites. Since going gluten-free, I've made lots of different versions. Up until now, my best recipe has been my original banana cake recipe. Then there was a banana cake made with oatmeal. There was also my gluten-free whole-grain banana bread, which I adapted from my favorite wheat-based recipe when I first went gluten-free. And now there is this banana cake. Made with grain-free flours, left-over soured milk, and bananas, this banana bread is easy to digest, primal and absolutely delicious! I also love it because it give me a use for raw milk that has gone a little bit too sour to be palatable. Raw dairy is so valuable nutritionally, it's such a waste to not use it!

I've made this recipe twice now, and it's been fantastic. The first time I made a frosting over the whole cake made with peanut butter, butter, yogurt and coconut oils. It was fantastic and I ended up eating it for breakfast because it had enough protein and fat to make my metabolism happy :) The pictures you see here have one layer of a peanut butter-butter frosting in the middle, but not over the entire cake. I hope to tweak my peanut butter recipe, get it just right, and then share it with you. For now, feel free to mix equal parts, butter, fresh ground peanut butter, a few drops of Stevia clear, and vanilla extract together to make a wonderfully nourishing peanut butter filling for the middle of these cakes. And be sure to share with family! It's so good (and makes a lot) so sharing should be mandatory! This cake is also completely unsweetened (bananas only) and it's Primal!

Grain-free Unsweetened Banana Cake.
    makes two 9" rounds

    1 cup blanched almond flour - source
    1 cup organic coconut flour - source
    3 cups ripe bananas, mashed
    6 small real eggs
    2 cups soured raw milk
    1 T warm spice blend (mine was a mix of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice)
    1 T vanilla
    1 tsp baking soda
    1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
    2 T grassfed butter (to grease the pan) - source

To make your banana cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (convection or non-convection, same results for this cake). Use your fingers to butter the cake pans liberally.
2. In a large bowl, mash bananas, whisk in eggs, sour milk, and vanilla.
3. In another medium sized bowl, combine flours, baking soda, and sea salt.
4. Mix wet ingredients into dry, using a spatula to incorporate.
5. Distribute batter evenly between both pans. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until sides have pulled away from the pan and top is golden brown. When the cakes have cooled, remove from pans by gently inverting them onto your hand or a plate. Wait until cakes are completely cooled to frost, if desired.

Texture up close.

This cake has quickly become one of my favorites, I hope you enjoy it too!

Chocolate Yerba Mate Iced Tea.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:30:00 +0000

It's August, and in most areas of the USA, the weather is hot. This weekend in Seattle is going to be extremely warm. On Friday, 90 degree temps are expected. This is definitely NOT your typical Seattle weather. I love to drink water, but sometimes when it's so hot outside, liquid with a little bit more interest is way more appealing than plain H2O. This iced tea fits the bill precisely. It is sweet, with a hint of chocolate, so it tastes a lot like chocolate milk, but without the calories. So it's light - it's refreshing! And the raw milk adds some healthy fats along with probiotics and enzymes! This would be a great iced tea to serve at a party. Your guests, real foodies, primalists, paleo, or not, will drink it up!

Chocolate Yerba Mate Iced Tea.
    makes one large pitcher

    4 chocolate yerba mate tea bags - source
    1 cup raw milk
    2 tsp vanilla extract
    3 full droppers stevia - source
    dash unrefined sea salt - source
    ice cubes
    water

To make your tea:
1. We have an iced tea maker at home, but if you don't, simply boil a pot or tea kettle full of water, pour it into a glass bowl, and place tea bags in the water to steep. After about 5 to 10 minutes, remove the tea bags, push the rest of the tea from the tea bags.
2. Pour about 1 quart of ice into the bowl, add the stevia, pinch of sea salt and vanilla. Mix well. When the tea is cool, add cup of milk and stir. Return to pitcher and place in the fridge!
3. Serve in a cool glass with more ice. Straws are optional!

Wherever you are, stay cool! Happy summer :)

Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Happy August everyone! As I type this post, it's July, and I anticipate some hot weather ahead for New Englanders in August. But as you read this post, it's August, and I am busy busy studying Organic Chemistry. I am completing my last pre-requisite before starting the ND program (naturopathic medicine program) in the fall at Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington. This East Coast girl, turned California girl, is now a Seattlite(?) I never imagined this! Now can say I've lived in all four corners of the USA. I was born and raised in Florida, lived in New Hampshire until college, lived in Southern California for my undergrad, and now I am pursuing my doctoral degree in Washington state! How cool. Even though I haven't moved around "a lot" in comparison to some people, I still feel as if I have. Am I an East Coaster now? Or a West Coaster? For the past four plus years the West Coast has been my home, and now for the next four plus years (at least) the West Coast will continue to be my home, only instead of the Southwest I'll be in the Pacific Northwest. Once I was just starting to feel like a true CA girl, I'm off to Seattle. Sunshine to rain. Dirty LA traffic, to clear Seattle roads. It's a new adventure.

But enough about traveling. Let's take a look at this yogurt. YUMMY. This recipe was inspired by a guest post over at Kimi Harris' blog The Nourishing Gourmet. I didn't have exactly the right ingredients the original recipe called for, so I made some changes, and now instead of honey and tahini ice cream, it's more like peanut butter frozen yogurt. The 1/2 cup of raw honey was a little sweet for my taste, so next time I will probably reduce to either 1/3 or 1/4 cup. If you aren't partial to peanut butter, feel free to use tahini, cashini, cashew butter, almond butter, coconut butter, sunflower seed butter, etc. But if you're a peanut butter fan (in moderation of course) like me, you'll love this recipe! Chocolate chips would go great with this too!

Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt.
Makes almost 2 quarts

    3 cups raw milk yogurt
    1 cup raw whole milk or full-fat coconut milk (mine was mixture of both)
    ½ cup organic peanut butter
    ½ cup organic raw honey
    2 real eggs
    1T vanilla extract
    1T arrowroot powder
    ¼ tsp unrefined sea salt

To make your delicious peanut butter fro-yo:
1. Mix all ingredients in a blender.
2. Pour into ice cream maker and churn per manufacturers instructions.
3. When ready, scoop into reused plastic yogurt containers (or another vessel) and freeze for at least 12 hours. Serve when frozen yogurt has hardened. You may also want to remove from freezer a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Make this frozen yogurt as a healthy "cool-off" treat to beat the August heat. East Coast humidity is something that I definitely don't miss on the West Coast! You can also put this fro-yo into popsicle molds for yourself or the little kiddos in your life. I can't wait to do this when my little nephews get older!

Question for you: how much does your location relate to your identity?

Cinnamon Honey Almond Butter.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 15:41:00 +0000

Almond butter is one of my mom's favorite foods. We enjoy using to make protein bars, waffles, and as a topping of one of our morning breakfast bowls. It's a great primal peanut butter alternative, and it is much more digestible than peanut butter. We've both tried lots of almond butter over the years, raw, roasted, organic, natural, salted, unsalted, fresh ground, homemade, either fresh or in jars of all forms.

After trying all the different varieties, I can definitely say that fresh ground, either raw or roasted, is the best. Fresh ground almond butter comes just like fresh ground peanut butter from those nut grinders you can find at Whole Foods or your local health food store, except these grinders have dry roasted almonds in them instead of peanuts!

I have also found that fresh roasted peanut and almond butters from these machines (that you grind right in front of you! :) are much more digestible than the jars you can buy at the store. I think that's because fresh ground is, well, fresh, and the stuff in the jar has been there for who knows how long. The oils there have likely become old and rancid. That said, I always stick to fresh ground nut butters.

One day I had some of fresh ground almond butter on hand and I decided to make it a little bit more exciting. First I added coconut oil for some nourishing MCFA's, then some raw honey for some raw enzymes and probiotics, then molasses for flavor and iron, and then some cinnamon and sea salt to really make the sweetness of the honey and almond butter come out. What I got was a lovely new take on almond butter. Why try to buy this in the store when you can make it yourself? This stuff is very flavorful, spreadable and delicious! It's also Primal and paleo!

Cinnamon Honey Almond Butter.
makes about 24 ounces

    16 oz fresh ground dry roasted almond butter
    4 oz organic coconut oil
    2 oz organic raw honey
    1T blackstrap molasses
    1 tsp cinnamon
    1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt

To make your almond butter:
1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients together. You can use less honey and it will be less sweet. Personally, 2 ounces tastes very sweet to me.
2. Transfer to a jar of choice. Eat within 2 weeks or store in the fridge for longer periods.

Try spreading cinnamon honey AB on homemade banana or zucchini bread for a delicious snack! This would also go great with cacao nibs and celery to make celery logs snacks. Or even on top of grain-free pancakes or yogurt and berry breakfast bowls!

Enjoy :D

Grain-free Kefir Brownies.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Sometimes my best recipes come from nowhere. These brownies are definitely a testament to that. One day I was in my apartment and I had some soured kefir that I had made. It was past the palatable drinking stage, and not wanting to waste it, I threw together these brownies. I didn't expect the results to come out very well, but I was completely surprised. These are so incredible, I may like them better than my favorite grain-free brownie recipe. I gave the pan away to one of my advisors as a thank-you, and he ended up (due to the pestering of his students) sharing them the with his entire class! I got an email the next day with rave reviews. I think you'll rave about them too ;)

Mhmm. Fudgey cakey chocolatey goodness!

Grain-free Kefir Brownies.
    makes one 8x8 pan

    2 cups soured homemade kefir
    1 cup organic coconut flour - source
    4 happy eggs
    1 cup raw cacoa powder - source
    16 oz chocolate chunks, I used Enjoy Life
    1 Tbsp vanilla extract
    1 tsp baking soda
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    2 full droppers plain stevia - source

To make your brownies:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (mine is convection).
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips. Mix well.
3. Add chocolate chunks and mix again.
4. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the top is cracked, the sides are slightly firm and there is a tiny bit of jiggle in the middle of the pan.
5. Remove from oven and let cool. Try a slice warm. Let it cool and try another slice. Share. Serve with a nice cold glass of raw milk. Yum!

I love these brownies, not only because they are delicious, but that they are low in sugar and carbohydrates! The only added sugar comes from the sugar in the chocolate chunks. If you use unsweetened chocolate the brownies will not taste very sweet. For those of you who are not partial to stevia, feel free to omit it. I haven't made the recipe without stevia so I don't know if it will grossly affect the flavor, but my guess is that it will make a small difference in sweetness.

Mhmm. Chocolate chunks.

These will freeze very well. They will also make a great accompaniment to homemade french vanilla ice cream and homemade raw whipped cream. I love anything chocolate and vanilla combined!

Here are some of my other delicious brownie recipes:

Grain-free Coconut Flour Brownies
Banownies
Gluten-free Brownies (for you whole-grain folk)

Primal Pea(nut) Butter Cookies.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:00:00 +0000

As soon as I typed the title to this post I realized what I had done. I just called peanuts Primal! Peanuts are actually a legume (which is like a bean), not a nut, and legumes are not Primal. Oops! But if you're like me, you are Primal, but you still eat peanut butter. I don't eat gobs of it like I used to, but on occasion, it's great! For those of you who are pure Primalists, try making these cookies with almond butter, cashew butter, pecan butter, tahini, the list goes on!

I love this recipe because it has barely 6 ingredients. And it's so easy! You can even let your kids help you make these! I made the ones with MMs specifically for my brother, but his favorite was actually the chocolate/sea salt combination.

Primal Pea(nut) Butter Cookies.
    makes 14 cookies

    8 oz (1 cup) organic creamy unsalted peanut butter (best is fresh ground or homemade)
    4 oz (1/2 cup) organic coconut sugar
    4 oz (1/2 cup) blanched almond flour
    1 happy pastured egg
    1/2 tsp baking soda
    pinch unrefined sea salt

    Optional toppings: various candies, sea salt, dark chocolate, raisins

To make your cookies:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (mine is convection).
2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl with a electric mixer.
3. Use your hands or a cookie scoop to make balls of the dough. Place peanut butter balls on a silicone lined baking sheet.
4. Bake for 7 minutes, then remove from the oven and make criss-cross design with a fork. This will flatten the cookies. Add toppings if desired.
5. Bake for 5 more minutes or until golden brown and chocolate has melted.
6. Remove from oven and let cool on the sheet. Carefully transfer to a wire rack when cool and place cookies in the fridge to set the chocolate. Enjoy!

Don't forget to share! (It won't be easy :)

Lactation (Oatmeal) Cookies.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 15:52:00 +0000

My lovely sister in law just gave birth to TWINS! I could not be more thrilled. It is my first time being an Auntie! Now I have two adorable little boys to love and spoil. Now that the twins are here, my brother and sister in law have a lot to keep them busy!

One thing that a lot of new moms struggle with (so I am told) is keeping up their milk supply, sleeping, and keeping their calories up sufficiently to breastfeed. My friend Heather created the idea of a "lactation cookie" when she had her first child (and she has also had twins recently!). This is exactly what nutrition is all about, using food to meet your bodies needs.

These lactation cookies are pretty much just like your standard oatmeal raisin cookie. (Men don't worry, you won't lactate if you eat these). These are called lactation cookies because the main ingredient is oats, and they also have some flaxseed. Oats are very well known to increase milk supply for mothers, and flax help increase milk supply too. They also do not have a lot of sugar (you can eat many and not get blood sugar spikes), and the oats and almond flour provide some protein, which is crucial for breastfeeding! Cookies are also great for new moms because suddenly life revolves around the baby(ies) and finding time to eat can be hard. Having twins doesn't leave a lot of time on your hands! Cookies can easily be grabbed and eaten with one hand. Just make sure they're as nutritious as these! Beware - I am told husbands like lactation cookies too! Moms may want to guard them ;)

Lactation Oatmeal Cookies.
    makes over 2 dozen cookies

    2 1/2 cups toasted rolled gluten-free oats (mine were sprouted and soaked oat groats)
    1 cup blanched almond flour
    1 Tbsp organic coconut flour - source
    2 sticks grass-fed butter, softened - source
    1/2 cup coconut sugar - source
    2 real eggs
    1 cup organic unsweetened shredded coconut
    1 cup organic raisins (can use chocolate chips)
    2 tsp vanilla
    2 tsp cinnamon
    1/4 tsp unrefined sea salt
    2 Tbsp organic raw honey -- for topping - source
    2 Tbsp organic raw ground flax seed -- for topping
    2 Tbsp warm water

To make your cookies:
1. To toast your oats, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour oats onto a silicone lined a baking sheet and spread evenly. Place in the oven for 5 minutes, stir and return to oven for another 5 minutes or until oats are toasty (be careful not to burn!).
2. In a large bowl combine almond flour, coconut flour, sugar, coconut, cinnamon and sea salt. Whisk until combined. Add toasted oats.
3. In another large bowl, beat together butter, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer.
4. Combine the dry into the wet ingredients, incorporating together with a spatula. Add raisins, and mix again.
5. On silicone lined baking sheets, use your hands to make balls of the dough and place cookies in rows 4x3. Place sheets into the fridge to set for about 30 minutes. Then pull from fridge and bake in oven for about 12 minutes until golden brown.
6. Make your topping in a small dish combine honey, warm water and ground flax. Mix together with a pastry brush. Let cookies cool for about 10 minutes. When cookies are warm, but not hot, brush the flax-honey mixture on top of the cookies. Remove cookies from pan with a spatula, transfer to a wire rack, and place in the fridge to set the topping.
7. After about 10 minutes in the fridge, cookies are ready to eat!

Do the new moms in your life a favor - bring them these cookies :)

Grain-free Chocolate Cake.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 18:19:00 +0000

My attempts at grain-free cakes have really come a long way. Those of you who have ever made a grain-free cake know that it's not the easiest thing ;) I started my journey with some of Elana's recipes at Elana's Pantry. The results were better than I hoped, but I knew I could make it better. Over the past three summers, I've made a couple versions of her chocolate cake. I've scoured a countless number of other food blogs, drawing ideas from what other real food bloggers have done in grain-free cake land. I've experimented with the amounts of liquids and ratios of flours and other ingredients, changing it as I went along, longing for a certain taste and mouth feel of cake. Now I finally have a recipe entirely my own. Each time I've learned something new, and now this is a cake I am really happy with. I cannot say more about this cake's texture, flavor and ease of cooking. I know that you'll love it too.

Grain-free Chocolate Cake.
makes two nine inch round cakes

Cake:
3/4 cup organic coconut flour
1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder - I used Ghirardelli
12 real eggs
1 cup maple syrup - grade B
1 cup organic coconut oil, melted
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp unrefined sea salt

Frosting:
4 cups organic powdered sugar
1 stick unsalted butter - I used KerryGold
~1/2 cup raw whole milk
1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
optional: extract of choice for flavor, here I used mint extract

Chocolate Ganache:
1 - 12 oz package chocolate chips - I used Trader Joes brand - feel free to use unsweetened also
1/2 stick unsalted butter - I used KerryGold

Here's the final product! Cake assembled and frosting+ganache set.

To make your chocolate cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees convection.
2. In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder, coconut flour, almond flour, sea salt, baking powder, baking soda. Whisk until there are no lumps.
3. In another bowl, whisk together eggs (room temp), maple syrup, melted coconut oil (make sure it's not hot), and vanilla.
4. Combine wet into dry ingredients until just combined.
5. Pour equal amounts of cake batter into 2 9" round cake pans.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes or until top springs back lightly when touched and sides are pulling away from the pan.
7. Let cool completely before gently inverting the cakes and removing them from the pan.

To make your frosting and ganache:
1. For the frosting, with room temperature butter, cream butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Add milk slowly as needed into the sugar and butter.
2. Add vanilla, extract (optional).
3. For the ganache, in a double boiler melt chocolate chips and butter. Remove from heat when 80% of the chocolate is melted. Stir. The heat will melt the remaining chips.
4. Let ganache cool, but still be spreadable.

Cake assembly:
1. Remove cake from the pans. Place one on a large plate.
2. Frost with one layer of frosting on the top of the cake.
3. Place the remaining cake on top of the frosted layer.
4. Frost with remaining frosting on top and sides of both layers.
5. Place cake in the fridge for the frosting to set.
6. Spread ganache on top of the cake. Return to the fridge and allow ganache to set.

Here are some pictures of the first grain-free chocolate cakes I made:

At my house, cake is always served with real ice cream!

There was A LOT of filling inside, and it still wasn't enough ;)

German chocolate cake, completely finished!

This was my first attempt at grain-free chocolate cake. I wish I had remembered to snap a picture before cutting it up!

My brother's birthday is always during the summer, so I always have an excuse to make a cake. It's my once a year cake indulgence! However that is beginning to change since I've learned how to make these cakes so nourishing and healthy! This summer will probably be a little different since my brother and his wife are having twins! It's very exciting, but I doubt a birthday celebration with cake and ice cream will be the last thing on their mind ;) This past week I made this cake in a banana version with peanut butter frosting! It's so nourishing and low in sugar and high in protein I've been eating it with my yogurt and berries for breakfast!! In an upcoming blog post I will show how I made the best German chocolate cake I've ever had ;) in pictures 1, 2, and 3.

Happy summer! Cake away :)

Squash Fries.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:00:00 +0000

See those yellow things? No they are not french fries... They're SQUASH fries! Also known as my version of "real food french fries." Squash fries have no trans fats, acrylamides, or toxic omega-6 vegetable oils. They are super easy to make and are a definite crowd pleaser. They are Paleo and Primal. Your friends, family, spouses and children will have NO IDEA that they are eating something healthy and nourishing. You'll never go back to eating normal french fries again. Well maybe not true, but you'll definitely consider the thought -- they're that good! My family could not rave about them more.

The other foods in the picture are homemade venison burgers with fresh chopped onion, parmesan cheese and spices. And the white stuff is not rice, but cauliflower rice, which is simply steamed soft cauliflower mashed with a fork and mixed with grass-fed butter, and salt and pepper. Deliciously Primal and Paleo! I can't believe ketchup didn't make it into this picture :) We love ketchup at my house and that would be a perfect addition to this meal.   I am sure I doused my plate in it after snapping this photo ;) Dipping these nourishing squash fries into real ketchup made this meal a highlight of my culinary year.   I am so excited to (finally) be sharing it with you... I've been making these for almost a year.

Squash Fries
makes four servings

    2 organic delicata squash
    unrefined sea salt
    organic black pepper

To make your squash fries:
1. Prep the squashes:
             1) Wash the outside of the squash well. You will be consuming the skin.
             2) Cut both ends off of the squash and then cut in half lengthwise.
             3) Scoop out the seeds from both halves. Slice lengthwise into small strips
2. On a hot cookie sheet that has already been in the oven (can be lined with a Silpat), broil the squash fries on high, watching carefully so that they don't burn and moving them so they don't stick to the sheet. Having the sheet already hot helps them to come out more crispy. You can also bake these around 425 until they are cooked, as well.
3. Serve to your wonderful family with condiments of choice. I like sprinkling some more unrefined sea salt on mine and then dipping them in ketchup. If you do have leftovers, they keep very well in the fridge for a couple of days. Eat them cold :) or warm them up!

YUM! So easy and so delicious! They make a great primal snack!

What Is Up and What Is Down.

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:34:00 +0000

To say that this has been a busy season of life for me would be a little bit of an understatement. I've got a lot to tell you about, but I'll keep it short, because I've got more interesting things I should write about, like the grain-free granola I made this week...

This semester was my last of undergrad. I knew Senior Spring would be very busy and it was. Besides classes I tried to do as much as possible (not knowing how long I would really still be in California) like hanging out with my friends, going new places, and trying to figure out the next step for after graduation. The latter was the most hard. I know my passions, but couldn't figure out how i should use them. For years I have been thinking about pursuing graduate work in nutrition or going to medical school to become a Naturopathic doctor. As the semester unfolded it was looking like I was going to stay in California (not move home to the East Coast), find a job, work, and save up some money before going on to whatever graduate school path I decide. So I applied to jobs, I applied to internships, (one of them was on a old agricultural estate, ie, an organic working farm in Tuscany, Italy), but nothing worked out. Then during Spring Break I was visiting a friend and I was in the area of an naturopathic school and so I decided to visit. It really opened my eyes, and when I got back to school I applied to three different naturopathic schools in three days. And so from the beginning of April to the beginning of June, I juggled finishing up undergrad and planning for medical school in the Fall. This preparation largely consisted of visiting all three schools for personal interviews. I traveled to Tempe, AZ, then to Seattle, WA, and after graduation, to Portland, OR. All of this within a mere six week period. I was admitted to all three schools, and given scholarships to two. And so I am officially, officially, going to naturopathic medical school. I know this is what God wants me to do. I feel so much peace and excitement when I think of pursuing this new path. I'm doing this because I believe He has given me talents and a calling. My arms are open and I am excited for everything new and all the adventures that await me around the bend.

And that explains just why you haven't been hearing for me. On top of all that my parents are moving, and my older brother is having TWINS next month. My life is very full right now, which is such a blessing. So dear reader, know that I am busy, and with all these changes in my life I have no idea what path my blogging is going to take. Lately it's been the last thing on my mind. I still cook and bake, and I still read my favorite food blogs, but as anyone who blogs will tell you, blogging takes time and effort. After a long day lifting boxes or making phone calls or studying, sometimes is the last thing I'd like to do. Thanks so much for all the comments you've left over the last few months. It is so great to know that my recipes are making a difference in your lives. That's why I have this blog. Helping people make something taste good and have it work for their dietary restrictions and also be healthy (which they thought wasn't possible), really gets me excited. Keep reading, and I promise you I will keep sharing. It may not be as frequent, as you've already witnessed, but I will share. Thanks for sticking around! I am excited for what's next! And if you don't already, try following me on Twitter... sometimes I can more easily update that than write a post.

I hope to get a few recipes up this week... stay tuned!!

Nourishing Vegetable Egg Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:00:00 +0000

If you're on a budget, tight for time, really hungry and love real food, this recipe is for you. I created this casserole specifically for these constraints. I needed a dinner dish that was filling, nourishing and grain-free with adequate protein and fat. This casserole easy, cheesy and delicious. As you can see, there's a bit missing! That was me ;) It's a perfect dinner option that can easily be sliced and re-warmed. I have even taken a cold slice of this casserole to-go for a meal on the run and it is perfect! This dish is great for working or busy moms too, since all that's required is five minutes of assembly and then baking time.

Nourishing (and Easy) Vegetable Egg Casserole
makes anywhere from 12-18 servings

1 dozen real eggs
1 package frozen vegetables of choice
1 package fresh mini mozzarella balls, or shredded cheese of choice
Any leftover chopped vegetables - I used organic scallions
1/2 tsp smoked mild paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Unrefined sea salt and black pepper to taste

To make your casserole:
1. In a large bowl, whisk eggs together by hand until glossy yellow.
2. Add frozen vegetables, cheese of choice, spices and any leftover vegetables. Fold together with a spatula.
3. Pour into a lightly greased (use butter, olive or coconut oil) 9x13 glass baking dish. Mine was actually a bit bigger than a standard 9x13, more like 10x15. This will only affect the thickness.
4. Bake, covered in foil, at 400 degrees non-convection for about 30 minutes. Remove foil, and bake longer until top is golden brown, the middle is set, and the eggs have puffed up a bit.
5. Let cool, slice into squares and enjoy!

Broccoli, onions and peppers are great vegetables for this dish, but feel free to use whatever vegetables are your favorites! This is a great way to use leftover roasted vegetables. Change it up and make different flavor combinations. For an Italian flare, use oregano, basil and thyme, along with parmesan, ricotta or mozzarella cheeses. For a Mexican flare, use homemade taco seasoning, along with cheddar, feta or cojita cheeses. For an Indian flare, use garam masala or curry powders, along with very mild cheddar or goat cheese. I could go on, but I think I've given you enough ideas.

Have a happy, healthy, nourishing dinner!

Gluten-free Soaked Baked Oatmeal

noreply@blogger.com (Meagan) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 04:56:00 +0000

This is a departure from my normal grain-free posts, I know. And that's ok. Have you ever had baked oatmeal? I grew up on it as a kid, since they would serve full sheet pans of it at the camp where I grew up living. We would gobble it up, kids and staff included. Today is no different (it's still delicious), but I was wanting to make my beloved baked oatmeal healthier. No refined sugar, no rancid vegetable oil, and grains properly prepared.

I posted the original camp recipe way back one summer when my blog was just beginning. That recipe is the scaled down version of the full sheet pan camp size. For some reason, the recipe doesn't quite work, as the liquid pools in the bottom. I think this is because when you bake with full sheet pans you use "cake guiders" which you place on a sheet pan to give the pan temporary sides. Excess liquid commonly finds itself seeping out the sides, if what is being baked isn't completely homogenous. This would happen in the large pans at camp. When the baked oatmeal would come out from the oven, steaming, golden brown and smelling of cinnamon, between the guiders and the small edges of the sheet pan there would be this wonderful crispy and delicious crunchy cake like stuff that tasted of sweet baked oatmeal and cinnamon. It tasted even better once the pan cooled and I could snap off a piece. Crispy baked oatmeal heaven. But pans that home cooks use do not come in commercial size or use cake gliders, so the recipe had to be edited.

The reason you see a post on this isn't because I made it for myself (although it's so delicious I could find myself doing that minus the fact I typically avoid grains), it's because I wanted an easy recipe that I could whip up and share with others. These past few weeks have shown me that the majority of people don't plan ahead with their food, so they end up eating whatever is convenient. (This sounds like a no brainer, but I'm guilty of forgetting how "regular" people eat). I am hoping to get some good, nourishing food into people by making this more often and bringing it around campus to share with my co-workers, friends and professors.

I wasn't happy with the idea of adapting the original recipe to a real food, WAPF approved version. Instead I scoured the internet, consulted my favorite real food bloggers recipes and engaged in some serious recipe reconissance. This version is heavily adapted from my friend Jami. I can not thank her enough for helping inspire this recipe! I am very happy with the end result, though I may tweak it in batches to come, and rest assured I will share those updates with you here. But for now, here's the best baked oatmeal I've ever made. And best part is, it's completely gluten-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free, possibly dairy-free, WAPF approved, and completely digestible.

Gluten-free Soaked Baked Oatmeal
    makes one 9 x13 pan

    4 cups gluten-free rolled oats - soaked: with 2 Tbsp whey, and covered with water for 8-16 hours or overnight - source
    1/2 cup organic coconut oil, melted - source
    1/2 cup coconut sugar - source
    4 eggs
    2 tsp cinnamon
    2 tsp baking powder
    2 tsp vanilla
    1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt

To make your baked oatmeal:
1. The night before you plan to make your baked oatmeal: measure 4 cups oats in a glass bowl, cover with lukewarm water, stir, and add 2 Tbsp of whey or for a dairy-free version use apple cider vinegar. Cover lightly with a dishtowel and let soak on the counter overnight, or for 8-16 hours.
2. In the morning, or sometime the next day, strain out the water from your oats using a fine mesh colander. Lightly tap the colander with the side of your hand to shake out any more liquid. Plop strained oats into a large bowl. Add cinnamon, baking powder, vanilla, and sea salt to the oats and fold together with a large spatula.
3. In a separate small bowl, whisk eggs by hand until glossy yellow. Mix sugar with melted coconut oil, and add this slowly to the eggs. Make sure coconut oil is not hot, or the eggs will curdle.
4. Add coconut oil and egg mixture to the big bowl with the oats. Fold together to combine.
5. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with coconut oil or butter. Pour batter into the pan. Bake at 375 (mine is non-convection) for about 25 minutes or until top is set, and sides are just beginning to pull away from the pan and become golden brown.
6. Let cool, slice into squares and enjoy :) If needed, this freezes very well too.

When the recipe originally came out, I contemplated baking it longer, using less oil and or using less eggs in subsequent batches. However, now I am not so sure. I like it how it is, and it received rave reviews from everyone I shared it with. Like I mentioned previously, I'll continue to play around with the recipe and share any other edits I find. If you want the baked oatmeal to taste more on the sweet side, add another 1/4 cup or 1/2 cup sugar. The current amount of sugar gives it just a bit of sweetness, but some might like more. I like to keep the sugar content lower, since you can always smear it with some raw honey, or even some peanut butter, or top it with yogurt, maple syrup and berries for breakfast. Since it's sliced into squares it makes a great portable breakfast and snack option, also. Baked oatmeal is very versatile. Feel free to add more spices, dried fruit like raisins or even fresh blueberries to the mix!

Happy soaking!