Single Serving Apple Ginger Banana Muffins

Here is a simple and very comforting, paleo aip treat. 

I divided the batter between three ramekins though you can also bake them in a muffin pan. I think this batter would freeze well–save one for a rainy day!

Ingredients:

• One apple, peeled and chopped
• One ripe banana
• Two tablespoons coconut flour
• Two eggs, or gelatin egg substitute (recipe here)
• One inch chunk grated ginger*
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch salt
• Coconut oil to grease ramekins

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Grease ramekins or muffin pan
• Grate apple or blend in nutribullet
• Mash banana with back of fork
• Combine all ingredients
• Bake 25 minutes

*Ginger tip! Freeze peeled and chopped ginger. It will easily grate and last a long time.

 

Herbed Celery Root & Parsnip Soup

How about steepin’ out with some new veggies in 2015?

This soup is a light and refreshing chowder delicious on it’s own and even better with roasted fish added. Due to my delicate constitution (or delicate humors) I can’t eat onions/leeks/garlic lately but the herbs give this soup tons of flavor.

When peeling the celery root you will notice a strong celery flavor (didn’t see that coming!) but I guess I was surprised as it looks nothing like celery. It has a mild flavor that is an excellent potato substitute. Double down on the parsnip for a sweeter soup.

The herbs will come off their stem when cooking–no need to take off leaves in advance.

Ingredients:

• Celery root, peeled and cubed
• Parsnip, peeled and cube
• Big bunch or fresh oregano and/or thyme
• Kale or other green vegetable
• Water

Directions:

• Cover celery root, parsnip and herbs with water and bring to a boil
• Simmer at least 45 minutes or until very soft
• Remove stems of herbs
• Blend with stick blender
• Add greens and simmer until cooked through

 

 

Paleo: Asian Inspired Chicken and Cabbage Dumplings

These tasty dumplings are delicious on their own or in a soup.

Ingredients (all  measurements approximate):

• 1 pound ground organic dark meat chicken
• 1-2 tablespoons coconut aminos
• 1-2 tablespoons red boat fish sauce
• 1 inch chunk ginger
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1-2 cups cabbage, chopped
• 1-3 tablespoons arrowroot starch/flour
• a bit of chicken broth (if needed)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine fish sauce, coconut aminos, ginger, garlic and cabbage in Nutribullet or food processor. Pulse until ingredients to form a paste. If it is too dry to blend-add chicken broth.
• Pour mixture over ground chicken and add arrowroot powder and mix. It will be very sticky but if its too sticky add more arrowroot.
• Tablespoon portions onto baking sheet.
• Bake until done–check after 15-20 minutes.

Plantain and Spaghetti Squash Paleo Kugel

I have been having a lot of fun cooking with plantains as they offer a great alternative to all the almond and coconut flours you often see in paleo cooking.

When cooking with plantain recipes make sure you note the color that is called for. A green plantain offers a totally different consistency (more for chips/crackers) than a ripe one  –the darker the sweeter, softer and more desert like. In this recipe a ripe or an almost ripe would work best. 

Kugel is a traditional Jewish comfort food –often containing noodles, cinnamon and creamy dairy . Sounds delish right? But I really wanted a healthy alternative that would not put me to sleep or make me feel awful after.

To me this really tasted like a kugel–though not nearly as sweet. You may want to add raisins, vanilla or a little honey/maple syrup.

And with that I give you Plantain and Spaghetti Squash Paleo Kugel:

Ingredients

• 2 ripe plantains
• 1-2 cups cooked spaghetti squash
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, very soft or melted
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 1 small apple, grated
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine plantains and coconut oil in a blender or nutribullet. You can also mix with the back of a fork if plantains are very ripe.
3. Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix.
4. Add to well greased pan.
5. Top with more cinnamon
6. Bake @ 20-25 minutes

 

Paleo: Banana Orange Walnut Mini-Muffins

These muffins are very tasty and somehow better in the mini muffin cups. I blended a whole orange in my NutriBullet which gave them an extra level of moistness and flavor. You can also squeeze an orange or put it in a blender or food processor.  

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut flour (sifted)
• 4 eggs
• 1 orange (blended or squeezed)
• 2 bananas (very ripe/blended with back of fork)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
• 1/4 cup ghee or butter melted

Directions:

• Grease muffin pan with coconut oil
• Combine all ingredients and pour into pan
• Bake @400 degrees about 12 minutes
• Let cool and gently remove from pan with a small spoon

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Don’t let the luscious looks of this puddin’ fool you–it is a health food!  

Although it tastes like a treat and satiates a chocolate craving it is loaded with nutritious ingredients. It has the same light and creamy texture as traditional chocolate pudding though (prepare yourself) it is not nearly as sweet.

Mint leaves are delicious in this recipe and (ta da!) also aid in digestion. You can also add in fresh ginger or even cayenne pepper for a spicy kick.

I used my beloved Nutribullet for this recipe though a food processor should work as well.

Ingredients:

• One avocado (or 1/2 large)
• 1 cup almond milk (add more or less for the right consistency)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons cacao powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Fresh mint leaves
• Honey or maple syrup to taste

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients and blend

Looking for another healthy desert? Check out my Easy Apple Crumble which is gluten/dairy & sugar free.

Yummy NutriBullet Smoothie Recipes

I love, love my NutriBullet and make “blasts” at least once or twice per day. It is an easy way to make a fast breakfast or snack and takes up very little counter space.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes:

Green Smoothie

You can use any combination of greens and fruit (fresh or frozen). We have been getting a lot of collards and mandarins in our farm box and I have found it makes a perfect combination.

• Collards
• Whole mandarin orange
• Avocado (whole or half)
• Banana (whole or half)
• Water
• Fresh ginger

Sweet Potato Banana Smoothie

• Cooked Sweet Potato (1/2- 1 cup)
• Banana
• Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Fresh ginger
• Frozen pineapple
• Almond milk

Gorgeous Beet Smoothie

The color of this smoothie is a gorgeous vibrant red that I just couldn’t capture in a photo. Great way to get your veggies and energize!

• Cooked beets
• Frozen Pineapple
• Banana
• Water

Chocolate Almond Shake

Great for a fix if you are craving sweets. I also add some beet greens sometimes.

• Frozen Banana
• Cacao Powder
• Almond Milk

Let me know if you have a favorite smoothie recipe! Best wishes-Julie

Chicken Soup

Ideally, making chicken soup is a leisurely affair involving a bath and/or a nap. You could make it in a couple of hours–but I like to make a day out of it.

All you really need to make it is a big pot, a chicken, water, onion and salt. I make it differently each time depending on what I have on hand. It is a great way to cook all those extra farm box veggies and I sometimes freeze the parts I don’t use (kale ribs etc.) for this purpose. A typical recipe combination I use is listed below.

You will have many meals from this one dish: chicken dinners, sandwiches, and plenty of broth to freeze.

Ingredients:

• One whole organic, free-range chicken (I like Mary’s Chicken)
• Celery greens (adds a lot of flavor)
• Onion, cut in half
• Whole garlic, cut in half
• Carrots
• Burdock root (medicinal)
• Fresh Dill and Thyme (put in spice bag or wrap in cheesecloth)
• Greens
• Salt

Steps:

• Put all ingredients in stock pot, cover in water and add salt. Bring to a boil.
• Once it reaches a boil, add more salt. You may also skim the fat off at this time.

 

• Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.
• Turn off heat and cover.
• Take a nap and/or bath.
• Allow chicken to continue to cook with heat off for 1-2 hours.
• Remove chicken and allow to cool.
• Scoop out vegetables with a mesh strainer and discard. Rinse out the spice bag for reuse.
• Once cool remove from bones and shred. You can freeze the carcass for another use.

• Remove broth–I like to use a glass measuring cup for easy pouring.

• Store in glass and plastic containers for the refrigerator and freezer.