Tag Archives: Recipe

Appetizers, Dinner, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe, Snacks

First Update: Crackers Plus An Awesome Paleo Recipe Page

Leave a comment

Well, some nights, you just don’t really want to cook anything.  So, our dinner was a little carnitas with salsa and cheese, chicken salad, and salami with cheese, all on a plate.  Hubby went searching for crackers but since I have to consciously think of him in order to put them on the shopping list, we didn’t have any.  I could have sworn I posted some of the wonderful-looking nut recipes I’ve seen online but I hadn’t on either blog.  Here’s the post I just made about how to make your own flours: How to Make Flour Substitutes
So, here are some I’ve found.  I’ll be trying some of these out tomorrow and will update this post with my thoughts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.greenkitchenstories.com/gluten-free-nut-crackers/
2 cups (300 g) of mixed nuts (we used cashew, almonds, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds)
1 egg
2 tbsp water
1 tsp sea salt
Top with: sea salt, anise seeds, nigella seeds or some other seeds of your choice.
UPDATE: 12-19-2013: O.k.  I made this today.  I used
1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup each of walnuts, sesame seeds, pistachios, and sunflower seeds (which I made into flour using my Magic Bullet)
I don’t have parchment paper, so I buttered an insulated cookie sheet and had to keep adding water to my rolling pin because these sure were sticky. I also don’t have sea salt so used kosher salt instead. They ended up with too much salt, so I think next time I will use 1/2 teaspoon in the dough and 1/2 teaspoon for sprinkling on top.
To me, with this mixture of nuts/seeds, these taste a lot like Ok Mok crackers. The sesame was surprisingly strong but you could almost make the mistake that there is whole wheat in this recipe. I like them but the final verdict will be when hubby tries them when he gets home from work. And they feel like they need oil, so I can’t wait to try the next recipe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.lifeasaplate.com/2012/01/04/paleo-onion-sesame-crackers/

Recipe: Paleo Onion Sesame Crackers

Ingredients

  • 2 c. nut meal (any kind will work – I used 1 c. almond & 1 c. walnut)
  • 3 tbsp. dried flaked onion
  • 1 tsp. garlic salt
  • 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
  • 3 tbsp. olive/grapeseed oil
  • 1 egg, beaten

Instructions

  1. Mix dry ingredients together.
  2. Add in oil and egg and mix until moist.
  3. Form into large ball and place in the middle of a large piece of parchment.
  4. Place another piece of parchment on top.
  5. Roll from the center out with a rolling pin until around 1/10th of an inch thick (see photos of crackers to gauge).
  6. Remove top parchment.
  7. Using a pizza cutter, make a grid. You don’t need to separate them now; after they bake, they will break right along this edge, like perforation.
  8. Remove any pieces from the edge that are too thin – they will burn.
  9. Bake at 250 for around 45-60 minutes, depending on your oven until no longer soft.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://fastpaleo.com/recipe/savory-dilled-crackers/

Savory Dilled Crackers

  • 1 cup blanched almond flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 egg white
  • 2-3 tablespoons water

1. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and dill.
2. Add the egg white and 2 tablespoons water and mix well with a fork.
3. Generously flour the counter and the dough with coconut flour and roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thick. You can either cut then with cute little cookie cutters or score them into squares with a knife. Transfer the crackers to 2 greased baking sheets.
(Note: if you are using cookie cutters, the dough will begin to dry out as you repeatedly roll out and flour it. Add a bit more water to the dough when/if needed)
4. Bake the crackers at 375 degrees for 10-13 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

Note: The crackers tend to absorb a little moisture as they sit out on the counter. So either consume within a couple hours, (which isn\’t really that hard) or pop them back in the oven for a couple minutes before serving to get maximum crispiness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And this is one giant page of paleo recipes!
http://www.paleofood.com/baked.htm#supercrackers

Appetizers, Desserts, Journal, Levels 2 And Above, Lunch, Recipe, Snacks

How To Make Flour Substitutes

1 Comment

Boy, I’ve been slacking.  I haven’t posted about how to make nut/seed flours!  I don’t make them very often but with the next post I’m going to make, knowing how to do this will save you TONS of money.  A while ago, I posted a recipe that called for almond flour on Facebook.  One of the responses I got was, “Do you know how expensive that is?”  Well, no.  I had never bought any.  So, I looked the next time I went to the store.  Dear Lord!  $9 for a bag that would be used with just two of the recipes I have collected over the years!  Just buy the nuts and make your own!


This one focuses on nuts and seeds (and she talks about using chia as an egg substitute):
Wayback Link for how to make nut and seed flours


How to make coconut flour:
https://dontmesswithmama.com/how-to-make-coconut-flour-recipe/


And this one discusses gluten-free flour substitutes (not just low carb):
http://www.attunefoods.com/blog/2013/04/how-to-make-your-own-gluten-free-flours-in-3-minutes-or-less/ Defunct link. Here’s the information that was originally in the post:

How to Make Your Own Gluten-Free Flour in 3 Minutes or Less

It’s hard to deny the convenience of wheat flour. One bag and you’ve got a million recipes at your fingertips. Venture even slightly into gluten-free recipes, and your grocery shopping list could double in length with various flours and starches. It gets especially frustrating when a recipe calls for just 1/4 cup of two or three different flours. Suddenly you’re investing in a $5 to $10 bag of millet flour or gluten-free oat flour that will sit, virtually untouched, for months and months. To avoid this issue, and to simplify my pantry, I learned how to make gluten-free flours at home in a pinch.

Make your own almond flour

The Equipment
Yes, a flour mill will give you the most powdery result, and allow you to pulverize even the toughest grains and legumes, but that requires an investment of kitchen space and money. Instead, you can use a spice / coffee grinder, the grinder attachment with a personal-size blender (just $20 to $30 if you don’t have one!), a food processor, or even a high power blender. I find that the grinder route actually works best, but ideally you want to use one that has at least 200 watts of power. Some are on the wimpier side at just 150 watts – they will grind the “easiest” options below, but may struggle beyond that.
Best “Grains” for the At-Home Job
You might notice from my pantry picture (below) that I do still stock some pre-ground flours and starches. Not all grains and legumes are easy to “flour” at home. For that reason, I have this little guide of easiest, pretty easy, definitely doable, for convenience and too tricky as categories.

how to make your own gluten free flour- oat flour- before

Oats Before

 

how to make your own gluten free flour- oat flour- after

Flour After

how to make your own gluten free flour - millet

EASIEST
These can be made with even the wimpiest of spice grinders; I always recommend making them at home.

Oat Flour – Whole or quick gluten-free oats can be pulverized in just 30 to 60 seconds into very powdery flour.
Cashew Flour – You may not hear of this one much in gluten-free recipes, though it is a staple for dairy-free recipes, but cashews are a beautifully soft nut that grinds up nicely. It doesn’t work as well in baking as almond flour, but still has its place. You may need to sift out some little nut butts, but typically 60 seconds of grinding does the job.
Sun-Flour – Sunflower seeds also grind seamlessly. Like cashews, they work well in recipes but shouldn’t be relied upon when baking. I use them more for coatings or things like hearty cookies with other grain flours. Again, 60 seconds in the grinder usually gives you a slightly coarse but lightly ground seed flour.
 
PRETTY EASY
The following can turn into nut or seed butter if you grind them for too long (stick to just 1 to 2 minutes, giving them a stir or shake 30 seconds in to avoid clumping on the sides. Grind just until they turn into coarse flour and not a second longer. To give you a few second window of opportunity, freeze the nuts before grinding.
Almond Flour – You can go for fancier nut flour by using blanched almonds, but everyone here voted for the muffins made with unblanched, home-ground almonds over the store-bought blanched stuff – no joke!
Hazelnut Flour – Hazelnuts offer a different flavor profile, but with similar results to almond flour.
 
DEFINITELY DOABLE 
You’ll definitely need those 200 or 250 watts plus for these coarse grains, but even my little spice grinder was able to tackle millet and quinoa. I sometimes buy buckwheat flour still, but most of my friends grind it at home. You may need those full 3 minutes of high power grinding to get a fine result. Keep in mind that millet, quinoa, and rice flours can all be slightly sandy, even when store-bought.

Millet to flour after 2 minutes in my little $10 spice grinder

Millet Flour – The little grains actually pulverize well, and as a flour is a great ingredient for whole grain breads – though you only need a little.
Buckwheat Flour – Nutty, awesome, a must try.
Quinoa Flour – Similar to millet, but slightly bitter.
Rice Flour (White or Brown) – I’ve found this to be the toughest of grains, and have to let my little grinder rest a little, but it still works.
 
FOR CONVENIENCE
For toastier or crunchier needs, I grind grainy cereals and skip the flours altogether! You can even crush them in a baggie with a meat mallet if you don’t feel like cleaning an appliance.
Whole Grain Cereal – As you’ll notice, I always stock a whole grain gluten-free cereal (Buckwheat & Hemp Erewhon Cereal is my latest kick). It is versatile for grinding to make an easy coating, no other flours required!
Corn Flakes or Crispy Rice Cereal – Another great one for coatings, but can also be ground for using as some of the flour in recipes like muffins.
 
TOO TRICKY
Some flours and starches are simply too hard to tackle or require extra processing that isn’t easy to do at home.
Chickpea Flour – Nearly broke our grinder trying to do this one. A flour mill should be able to tackle it though.
Coconut flour – Coconut requires de-fatting to turn into flour.
Starches – These are a different animal, but also fairly inexpensive to purchase. This includes corn, potato, arrowroot (pricier), and tapioca starches.
 
Why Grind your own Gluten-Free Flours?

  • Buying the whole grains and nuts is much less expensive.
  • Whole grains and nuts won’t go rancid as quickly as their flours.
  • Whole grains and nuts are much more versatile – you can cook them as a side dish, use them whole in recipes, or grind them into flour.
  • It helps to simplify your pantry! You will have one item instead of two in your cupboard and on your shopping list.
how to make your own gluten free flour pantry
Dinner, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe

How To Cook Greens

Leave a comment

I was given these instructions from my husband’s co-worker. Hubby said how much I disliked greens and he said it was because I wasn’t cooking them right. 🙂 On a personal note, I made this with beet greens and collard. It was fantastic! The beet greens added a sweetness that was wonderful. As a matter of fact, last year we only grew beets just for the greens. If you are lucky enough to live in a climate where dandelions actually die off during the winter (I’m in California, where the only plants that die off are the ones you don’t want to), you can throw some of the young spring leaves in here also. They taste really good. The older dandelion leaves are just way too bitter. AND nothing says yum like bacon! I don’t use any vegetable oil. I only use olive oil and animal based oils. So, I used bacon grease, with chopped, cooked bacon thrown over the top when serving. YUM! I also love kale and beet greens chopped up and thrown into soups.
So, word for word, here they are:

Greens Recipe
Ingredients:
Collard Greens
Turnip Greens
Mustard Greens
Kale
I was raised on Collard and Turnip Greens. Since becoming an adult and cooking on my own, I have always mixed two types of greens for a fantastic flavor.
Collards/Mustards or Collards/Kale or Turnips/Kale. I don’t mix collard and turnip greens, just a personal preference.
I use a bunch of greens per adult person. I use a one to on or two to one ratio at times. 1 bunch of Turnip Greens to 1 bunch of Mustard Greens or 2 bunches of Collard Greens to 1 bunch of Kale.
I use vegetable oil instead of meat to grease my greens. A meat would be a cheap buy of beef stock.
Pick your greens. I pull the leaf from the stem. I put great emphasis on cleaning my greens. I soak them before thoroughly rinsing. Nothing worse than biting down into a serving of greens and finding a rock or clump of dirt.
I start with 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil and a quart of water. Water amount depends on total amount of greens to be cooked. Bring to a boil.
Place the cleaned greens into the boiling water. Add seasoning: salt, pepper, etc. No salt if using meat instead of vegetable oil. Bring the greens to a boil, making sure that all greens are covered with water. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir occasionally and watch the water level. Do not allow the water to deplete. When adding water, adjust your seasoning.
Cook on medium to low heat for 45 to 60 minutes. Greens will change color as they cook. Check for doneness by sticking with a fork. I cook my greens on low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours.
Greens taste best with good old fashioned corn bread. If you leave some stem on the greens, you will need to cut them prior to eating. If you cooked only the leaf, get a plate full and enjoy.

Desserts, Dinner, Holidays, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe, Salads

Sugar-Free Cranberry Raspberry Jello Salad

Leave a comment

I used this recipe, leaving out the pineapple and the cream cheese topping (I didn’t think that would taste good slathered all over my turkey). This was good but, of course, would be better with the pineapple. I looked EVERYWHERE for a sugar-free alternative for the pineapple (well, all over in the one store). If they would have had diet pineapple soda or pineapple Koolaid packets, I would have been happy but nothing! This is missing that deep sweetness only pineapple can bring but otherwise it’s good!
http://www.food.com/recipe/cranberry-salad-in-raspberry-jello-with-cream-cheese-topping-80121
1 lb fresh cranberries
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup walnut pieces (or amount as desired)
2 packages Sugar Free raspberry Jell-O gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold water
1 3/4 cups sugar (Splenda)
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

Desserts, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe

Pumpkin Pie Meringue Cookies

Leave a comment
Meringuecookies


Yes, believe it or not, I actually made a recipe (and took pictures … I need a real camera) before posting it!  These are fantastic!  I can see being able to tweak this recipe to suit whatever mood you are in (like adding cocoa powder instead of spices).  With these, I started with this recipe.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/meringue-bones/print
2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
I substituted the sugar with Splenda, then added 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, which I had mixed with the Splenda. I KNOW I didn’t beat the egg whites long enough (I never do or I over-beat them) and this is MAYBE the second time I’ve used a piping bag. Also, I never have parchment paper. They don’t carry it at the stores I usually go to and I don’t feel like it’s important enough to make a special trip to buy. So, these were baked on an insulated cookie sheet (I sure do love these … they were a gift from my in-laws right after we first got married).  Obviously I didn’t make them into bones and ended up with 33 button cookies.
One of the comments on the original recipe said they would add mint next time and that got me thinking.  I have some Biosports – Xtreme Whey Strawberry protein powder that I swear tastes like strawberry Quick. I wonder how that would taste in these?

Dinner, Levels 2 And Above, Lunch, Recipe, Soups

Low Carb Zuppa Toscana Soup

Leave a comment

I know.  Instead of binging on food, I’m binging on recipes!  Here’s another discovery. And it’s delicious!

http://www.nobunplease.com/zuppa-toscana-soup/
As always, please go to the above link for instructions.
2 cups chicken stock
1 quart water
1 pound Italian sausage ground
3 cups kale chopped
2 cups cauliflower riced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste (I like salty)

Dinner, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Lunch, Recipe

The Food Lab: How To Make Tacos Al Pastor At Home

Leave a comment

Now, I love shawarma.  The first one I had was in London and from that point on that’s all I wanted to eat (seriously.  The only “English” food I ate over there was fish and chips, once.  It was soggy and flavorless).  Well, now, I see this.  I didn’t know what the spits of meaty goodness were called (I just stumbled on the name Pastor) so I didn’t know what to search for.  Well, I found an awesome-looking cooking method we can try at home!  I can’t wait for more meat!
http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/05/food-lab-tacos-al-pastor.html

Dinner, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Lunch, Recipe

Favorite Chili Recipe Ever

4 Comments

I have always loved chili (Hormel’s No Bean chili).  About a month into my low carb journey, I had chili dogs (2 hot dogs, in a bowl, with chili, cheese, sour cream and a little onion).  Now, granted, I had about 1/2 cup of chili poured over these hot dogs but I was shocked at my blood sugar response!  That morning was 104 and after my meal it was 137!  That was when I read the label.  That chili not only contains corn flour (which was a huge “Duh!” but also, oatmeal).  I have since been on a mission to find a substitute.  I have yet to find one but this … this looks promising!  Just do away with the corn meal and I’ll be good to go!  I’ll scrounge through the freezer and hopefully be able to try this recipe out tonight!
http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2009/11/18/How-To-Make-Authentic-Texas-Red-Chili

UPDATE:  Well, I didn’t have any bulk meat so I threw in what I could and ended up with chili soup.  That being said, the flavor is spot on!  I love it!

  • 1/4 lb Fat [I use clarified bacon fat but beef suet would be more traditional]
  • 5 lbs Beef Tips [Chuck Roast cut into cubes is best but you may use the product labeled beef tips in the market]
  • 1/2 Cup Chili Powder [Gebhardt is king in Texas but if you can’t find it use common sense and buy a good brand. Preferably from a market that sells a fair amount of it so it’s fresh. If you have access to a genuine Mexican market then you can find the really good stuff and get a pure chile powder like Guajillo]
  • 2 T. Cumin [I like to buy the seeds, toast them on a comal, then grind them in a spice grinder but powdered cumin will work just fine
  • 2 T. Ground Oregano aka Mexican Oregano [Not the Italian kind, this Oregano is sold as a powder and is essential in this dish]
  • 1 T. Salt or to taste
  • 1 T. Cayenne [obviously if you’d like to ratchet up the heat just add more]
  • 1 bulb Garlic [Freshly minced garlic,not the stuff that sits in a jar of oil in your fridge]
  • 2 quarts Stock [I use chicken which is not traditional, beef is recommended here for purists. If you don’t have time to make stock the brand Better Than Bouillon is surprisingly good]
  • 1/2 Cup Masa Harina [If you can’t find masa mix in your part of the country, corn meal will do just fine-the finer grind the better]
  • 1/2 Cup Water
Dinner, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Lunch, Recipe, Salads

Carnitas

Leave a comment

Is it my imagination or am I wrong? I could have sworn I posted how I make carnitas! I searched and searched both blogs (and Lord knows it is like pulling teeth to find anything on Facebook if you posted something more than a week ago) and I can’t find it. I’m shocked! Well, here it is. I originally was making it closer to original (frying the meat in lard first) but one of hubby’s co-workers said we were working too hard. So, now this is how I make carnitas. I make up a whole bunch and, if we don’t eat it all within a couple of meals, I throw the excess in the freezer (if it’s a lot, I portion them out in sandwich bags then store those in a freezer bag).

  • Pork Butt roast
  • Chicken broth
  • Maybe salt and pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the massive amounts of fat (you can throw that into the freezer until you have enough to render for lard). Don’t remove all of it, just enough so you won’t end up eating nothing but a gob of fat. Cut the meat into cubes and place in a 13×9 baking dish. Put enough chicken broth in the pan to barely cover the meat. Cover with foil, place in oven and bake for at least an hour and a half (when the meat can be broken with a fork, move onto the next step. Turn your broiler on, remove the foil, and place the pan beneath the broiler. Leave there until the liquid has reduced and the meat is crispy (the best I ever made was when I forgot it until just before it burned). Break up with a fork (or don’t). Season with salt and pepper if it’s needed (we tried seasoning the meat like usual, with Pappy’s or Taco Seasoning and it was too much. This is much better simply seasoned).
That’s it! What is my favorite way to eat this now that I don’t eat tortillas? In a bowl with some shredded cheese, a tablespoon (or two) of sour cream and a tablespoon of well-flavored lower-carb salsa (my current favorite is Del Real Salsa de Molcajete Roja btw, that’s the same company that makes heat and serve carnitas).

Fitness, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe, Soups

Low Carb Chicken Broth

1 Comment

If you don’t know how to cook (or didn’t grow up with the “use everything more than once” principle) this recipe is for you.  Well, it’s not really a recipe.  It’s more like instructions.  I woke up with a chest cold (it’s been REALLY windy here lately so I was hoping it was allergies … nope!) and pulled a gallon Ziploc bag of this out of the freezer.  My favorite broth is to use the bones from a rotisserie chicken.  I don’t have to doctor up the broth so much that way.  Otherwise, when I de-bone the chicken thighs, I just throw the bones in the freezer (usually in sandwich bags) until I have enough to make a broth.  Now, I usually make enough for an army (well, almost).  I have a 10-quart stock pot I make my broth in.  I don’t add any veggies, since if I want to make soup with this I can always add veggies then (btw, kale is FANTASTIC in soup).  And the best thing about this over bouillon is the chicken fat is still in there.  Just season this with whatever you like (garlic, black pepper, red pepper flakes, turmeric, etc.).  I’ve gotten pretty lazy over the years, though.  I usually end up seasoning the broth with dried bouillon or paste soup base.  Just read your labels!  I have found too many paste soup bases that contain sugar.  The last time I was sick to my stomach, the only thing I needed was this (my usual before was saltines).  I just simmer until the water has reduced by at least 1/3, strain, then once cool, pour into gallon Ziploc freezer bags and toss in the freezer.
http://genaw.com/lowcarb/chicken_broth.html