I made these cookies for my 17-year-old one morning this week as an alternative to packaged granola bars for breakfast. They go together quickly (5 minutes to mix up, 10 minutes to bake), are packed with protein, fiber, and fat to keep him full for the morning, and are easy to grab and go before a busy day. I'm calling them breakfast cookies because I cut down on sugar from a typical cookie recipe, and added in some oats. A bit of a stretch, but in terms of nutrient density, it's better than a donut or a bowl of cereal! Compared to a packaged breakfast bar, this recipe has only 7 ingredients as opposed to 20 in the commercial version, the same number of calories, more fiber, the same amount of protein, and less sugar (see nutrition facts label for this recipe below). It contains no soy (common in packaged bars) and none of the mysterious "natural flavors" so common in ingredient lists. It also doesn't require plastic packaging, and contains no preservatives. The fats are all good for you (nuts and eggs) , and you can control whether or not the ingredients are organic. It's also more economical. Ingredients: 1 cup peanut butter (other nut butters would work as well) 1 egg 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 cup raw oatmeal 1/2 cup chocolate chips Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 1. Combine all ingredients and mix well. 2. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto a cookie sheet. This should make 12 good-sized cookies. 3. Bake for 10 minutes. 4. Remove onto a cooling rack. Let cook for 5-10 minutes before eating. Note that these will be soft and crumbly when warm, and will set up once they cool a bit. Handle them gently when placing on the cooking rack.
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For a Thanksgiving dessert this year, I decided to bring a fruit salad, inspired mainly by the pomegranate that is becoming available in the grocery stores right now. Coupled with some Florida citrus and kiwi, the colors and flavors combine to make a tart yet sweet, jewel-y treat. Additionally, I've been craving gingerbread so I made a batch of gingerbread-inspired pecans to top the fruit salad.
A few words about pomegranate: I tried this fruit for the first time while living in Turkey, where it is quite ubiquitous. It is available in markets, juiced for drinking, added to desserts, and used to make a type of sour sauce that is sometimes used in the way that one might use vinegar. My neighbor showed me how to open one and pull out the seeds, and I grew to love this delicious tart fruit. The seeds are beautiful - they look like rubies - and delicious - they pop with juice when you bite into them. I eat them by the spoonful, or mixed with plain yogurt. I still make a holy mess when I cut into one and pull the seeds out, but it's well worth it. Toasted Gingerbread Pecans 2 cups pecans 1 Tbsp sugar 2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp powdered ginger 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp maple syrup Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Once well combined, dump onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Bake at 400 degrees, stirring every 10 minutes twice for the first 20 minutes, and then every 5 minutes after. For the fruit salad, I combined several cups of peeled and sliced oranges, red and white grapefruit, kiwi, and the seeds from two pomegranates. Top the fruit salad with the nuts right before serving. This is a paleo-friendly makeover of a summer potluck classic. I first had this over a decade ago when my good friend made this for a cookout, but in its classic form. Old school style involves broccoli, bacon, shredded cheddar, raisins, sunflower seeds, and a slightly sweet and tangy coleslaw-type dressing. I overhauled the recipe just a bit for a gathering we hosted on the fourth of July, taking the cheese out to keep it dairy-free, cutting down on the sugar in the dressing, and adding grated carrots for extra crunch and color. I made a huge bowl and it was gone by the end of the night. It was such a hit with my own family that I actually made another big batch this morning. This is the type of salad that can keep for a few days, and actually tastes better after the flavors have had an opportunity to meld as it chills. One important piece: chop things very, very small. It tastes better. I don't know why - something about surface area and being able to get more little bits of different things into one bite. Ideally the dressing would be made with paleo-friendly mayo - either homemade or purchased. I used conventional because I have never mastered the art of mayo making. I would love to get good at it, but I have wasted many high quality products trying a few times and, sadly, have given up that fight. But I would imagine any number of alternatives would work fine in the recipe, even skipping mayo altogether, though it lends a creaminess I really like. Ingredients 4 cups of well-chopped broccoli 1/2 cup chopped red onion 1 cup grated carrots 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup sunflower seeds For the dressing, combine the following in a separate bowl: 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup white vinegar 2 Tbsp sugar 1/2 tsp salt Mix veggies and dressing in a large bowl. Toss well to combine. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Will remain delicious for about 1 week in the fridge. Today was supposed to be spent doing a 12-mile loop hike in the mountains, tagging two more 4,000 footers. But it rained. And yes, we could have gone in the rain. But it's so much more fun on a nice day. So it turned into a (much needed) day at home. Having just finished my first week at a new job, I needed some down time. In the midst of working through a large sorting/cleaning/moving project, I decided to make some banana muffins. What I really wanted was banana bread, but even the GF flours bother me sometimes, so I decided to go with a grain free recipe. This is one that I've made once before, but I tweaked it a bit and it came out much better. The coolest thing about this recipe is that it has NO FLOUR. None. Not coconut. Not almond meal. Not rice flour. So I don't have to worry about the nut issue (son is allergic to tree nuts) or the "funny taste" of coconut that both kids complain about. This is a 6-ingredient recipe, and you won't believe it unless you try it. I throw my browning bananas into the freezer and save them for smoothies or baking. Today I happened to have 3. They thaw very quickly if you put them in a bowl of water...it took about 15 minutes this morning. I used peanut butter (not paleo, strictly) because we have a kid with tree nut allergies, but I'd love to try this with cashew or almond butter. And I used maple syrup that my older son made this spring when he and a friend tapped some trees on the property and boiled it down. Ingredients 1 cup nut butter 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp vanilla 3 eggs, beaten 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey 1 cup chocolate chips (optional) 1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. 2. Grease 12 muffin tins, and fill 3/4 full with batter. 3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. The muffins will need to sit and cool for about 15 minutes until you attempt to eat them. They are initially quite soft, but will become a consistency such that you can pick it up and eat it just like a regular muffin. If you can't wait that long, I recommend a plate and a fork (from personal experience...). A good friend at work and I have recently started a "salad club". We take turns bringing in salads for each other to eat at lunch time. This has a number of benefits, including not needing to pack a lunch once in a while, and giving both of us, busy moms and teachers, a great excuse to try new recipes. I'm much more apt to whip up an exciting salad when I'm making it for someone besides, well, me. It's been successful so far, except for that one time when I dumped half of one of her beautiful salad onto my lap and the floor of my office. (Classic move for me, by the way.)
Balsamic vinagrette+ feta cheese + sandals = slimy toes for the rest of the day. And a stained skirt. And a big spot on my office carpet. Oops. I decided to experiment with a Waldorf salad this week. It's very simple, and satisfying. I used a rotisserie chicken, but you could always just gently cook chicken, let it cool, and chop it up. Ingredients 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces 1 cup celery, diced 1 cup grapes, halved 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup chopped or halved walnuts 4 Tbsp mayonnaise, sour cream, or yogurt, depending on your dairy/paleo preferences Salt and pepper to taste Serve over a bed of lettuce greens, or wrapped up in Romaine leaves with pickles and other salad toppings. Yes, the name pretty much says it all. Except that it's delicious!! I'm more into mushrooms than ground beef these days, so I made these for myself as a burger alternative on a night when I made burgers for the men folk. I didn't get a picture because I ate it too fast! Next time.
I started the caps marinating, then the onions caramelizing, as soon as I got home from work. I sliced up some sweet potatoes and placed them on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, and preheated the oven to 400 degrees. The mushrooms only take 20 minutes or so grill to perfection, but the onions and sweet potatoes take about 40 minutes to get just right. Plan accordingly. Caramelized Onion Sauce Cook one large onion, chopped, in 2-4 Tbsp oil/butter (I used 1 part olive oil to 1 part butter) over medium-low heat for 30-40 minutes. Stir frequently. If the onion starts to brown really fast, turn the heat down, as they will burn given the right conditions. And that sucks, because then you have to start over, and it takes a while for caramelization to occur. (I speak from experience.) Marinade In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup oil (I used avocado oil this time), 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp tamari sauce, 1/2 tsp salt, black pepper, and 1/2 tsp sage. Pour over mushroom caps and leave to marinade for at least 20 minutes. I also cut a red bell pepper into quarters and threw it in with the mushroom caps. Grill the mushrooms and peppers for 20-30 minutes, or until browned and soft. Serve mushroom cap topped with a red pepper slice and a generous pile of caramelized onions. I also topped mine with hamburger fixings - mustard, ketchup, and pickles. Enjoy with a side of oven-roasted sweet potato slices. Blizzard = two days snowed in at home = banana bread. Naturally. This is adapted from the recipe found in The Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen, one of my favorite vegetarian cookbooks. I made it milk-free and allergen-free. I also cut the recipe in half and added chocolate chips. This is dairy-free. If you are opposed to using grains at all, try it with coconut or almond flour. This is very yummy warm with coffee. Especially while watching a movie on a Wednesday morning, wrapped in a cozy blanket on the couch, watching the snow come down outside the window. Ingredients 3/4 cup melted butter 3/4 cup sugar (use whatever type you like) 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups GF flour, plus 1/2 tsp xantham gum if your blend doesn't include it (or wheat flour if you aren't GF) 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon 1 cup mashed banana soaked in 1/2 cup black coffee (do not even think about skipping this bit) 1. Combine melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Mix until light and fluffy. 2. Meanwhile, mash bananas in a separate dish and mix in black coffee. I used cold coffee that was leftover from the morning. Let it soak while you finish combining dry ingredients. 3. Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl. (Original recipe calls for sifting, though I skipped the sifting myself. This is a bad habit I have - skipping the sifting - which I blame my mom for. Thanks, mom. The bread still came out light and fluffy, so I think the woman may have a point.) 4. Combine dry and wet ingredients. Mix well. Add bananas and coffee, and combine. I folded in 1 cup of chocolate chips at this point. Pour into a well-greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Check to make sure it's done in the middle. My loaf this morning required another 15 minutes. This was one of the better GF quick bread recipes I've tried. Enjoy! I had the pleasure of trying this dish a few weeks ago at a small Lebanese restaurant in Nashua. It was amazing. I think this is a delicious and satisfying midweek option for a family. Caramelized onions make a great base for soups, pasta (like this one) and pizza sauces, and work great in this dish, as well, adding that interesting combination of sweet and savory. Serve this dish with plain yogurt and a nice salad for dinner. Also reheats nicely for lunches the next day.
Ingredients: 3 Tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 clove of minced garlic 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp salt and fresh black pepper to taste 2 cups of lentils, rinsed 6 cups of water, or broth of your choosing 1 cup of rice (I use brown) 1. Heat oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute gently for 10 minutes, until softened. Stir frequently. When onions start to brown, add about 4 Tbsp of water and allow them to cook until the water cooks off. This will complete the caramelization. 2. Add cumin, garlic, and salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 more minutes, just enough to let the flavors combine. 3. Add the lentils and 4 cups of liquid. Allow to cook for about 20 minutes, until lentils are softened. Stir occasionally. 4. Add enough liquid so that the lentils are covered by about 1 inch of water. Stir in the rice. Cover and turn the heat to low. 5. Check the lentils and rice after about 20 minutes. They should both be tender, and all of the water should be absorbed. If needed, add more liquid, cover, and cook for a few more minutes. 6. Serve garnished with fresh parsley, if desired, and with plain, full-fat yogurt on the side. It's apple season in New Hampshire! Last weekend, I picked up a peck of "seconds" at a local orchard for $9. Now the trick is to figure out how to use a peck of apples. I found an apple coffee cake recipe and adapted it to make it gluten free, and also tweaked it to remove the apple chunks that my kids object to. It turned out really nicely - a strong apple-y taste, and very soft and moist. This is gluten-free and potentially dairy free, as detailed below.
Ingredients 1/4 cup butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 large egg 1/2 cup yogurt (use 1/2 cup cultured vanilla coconut milk, Greek style, to be dairy free) 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup gluten free flour blend, or 1/4 cup tapioca starch, 1/4 cup potato starch, 1/2 cup brown rice flour, and 1/2 tsp xantham gum 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 3 cups grated apples (I used McIntosh) 1. Butter a 9x9 baking dish or a 9-inch pie plate. 2. Mix together butter, brown sugar, and egg until smooth. Add yogurt and vanilla and combine. 3. Combine dry ingredients (flour through salt) in a separate bowl, then stir into wet ingredients. 4. Fold in grated apples. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until set. This is very apple-y, so a toothpick test might look underdone, but it probably is fine. Let it set up for 10-15 minutes before cutting. This is one of my favorite quick school night dinners. It is simple, yummy, and can be ready in about 30 minutes from the time I walk in the door. This recipe uses red curry paste - I buy the Thai Kitchen brand - and fish sauce. These will keep great in the refrigerator and you will get about 5 meals from one jar of paste. I follow the recipe on the curry paste jar, but have doctored it up a bit as well. A word on fish sauce: it stinks. Like really stinks. But it's supposed to, so don't throw it away, thinking you got a bad batch. It gives Thai food its distinctive flavor, and once it's simmered with all of the other ingredients, you don't notice it. I promise. Just don't put too much in. This recipe is easily vegetarian- or vegan-ized. Just use tempeh or tofu in place of the chicken. Or just stick with veggies - I have thrown in peppers, cauliflower, green beans, potatoes, peas, broccoli...most veggies pair very well with the flavors in the sauce. If you object to the idea of fish sauce, use a tamari sauce or soy sauce instead, or just throw in some extra salt. It won't be the same, but it should still be tasty. I have often thought that a white flaky fish or shrimp would work really well in this recipe, but I haven't tried that yet. Ingredients: 1 pound of chicken, or about 2 cups chopped meat substitute of your choice 1 onion, chopped Olive oil 2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups of chopped vegetables of your choice 1 can coconut milk 1 Tbsp red curry paste 1 Tbsp fish sauce (or 1/2 tsp salt) 1 Tbsp brown sugar 1. Start jasmine rice cooking on a separate burner. 2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, garlic, veggies, and chicken. Saute gently for 10 minutes. 3. Pour in can of coconut milk. Add curry paste, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Stir to combine. 4. Allow mixture to simmer gently for another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice. |
AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
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