Nut Free Fudge Brownies

March 20, 2014 Kate

Are you a fudgy brownie or cake-like brownie person? I am definitely a fudgy type...I'd eat cake if I wanted cake! This brownie recipe is so dense and fudge like, they almost melt in your mouth! I debated whether I call this recipe brownie fudge or fudge brownies..either way, they are delicious!

I am trying to create recipes that are nut free or lower in nuts. I think almond flour works great in baked goods, but I want to make something that everyone can have. Some may say tapioca or arrowroot makes these too high in carbs, not so fast! The 1/4 cup of flour is adds 25 carbs and unless you eat the entire pan, that's not much per serving! I also used Swerve to keep the sugar very low. If you want to try Swerve or need to order more, use coupon code KATE10 for a discount.

Grain & Nut Free Brownies

Ingredients
1/4 cup tapioca flour/starch (arrowroot should work, tapioca tends to be a tad bit sweeter)
1/3 cup cacao or cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sweetener ( I used Swerve for no sugar option plus a tbsp coconut palm sugar)
6 tbsp grass-fed butter (see dairy free option below)*
2 oz 100% cacao (4 squares)
3 pastured eggs
2 tbsp full fat coconut milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions
Melt the chocolate squares, butter and coconut milk in a double broiler
Whisk the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside
In a large mixing bowl combine the tapioca flour, cacao powder, sweetener and salt
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir a couple times, doesn't need to be combined well
Once the chocolate is melted, pour it over the egg and flour mixture and stir until combined
Pour batter into an 8x8 greased baking dish
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes
Store in an airtight container
Quick Notes:
*I haven't tried this with coconut oil, but it should work. I would only do about 5 tbsp of oil.
You can also use chocolate chips or any high cacao chocolate bar in place of the 100% cacao. I wanted to make these dairy free and sugar free or I would have used my favorite chocolate chips. You may need to reduce the amount of sweetener.

If you are an Amazon shopper, would you be so kind to use my affiliate link to make your purchases. It is at no cost to you, it does provide a tiny kickback to Kate’s Healthy Cupboard. This allows me to continue making and testing recipes for free. Thanks so much!!

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Kate's Healthy Cupboard - Gluten Free Recipes

Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies

March 12, 2014 Kate

I am a firm believer that you can't have too many Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes, in fact, I have another one in my pending files! This flourless cookie recipe isn't the exact texture of your traditional chocolate chip cookie, but it sure is good!!

I love almond flour, but I am trying to reduce the amount of it I use and eat. I can't just eat one cookie, so it's easy for me to get waaaay too many almonds at one time when I make baked goods with almond flour. I am doing a lot with coconut, not necessarily coconut flour, it's not my favorite, weird taste to me! You may be thinking coconut has a bunch of fat too so how is that any different? It's way different! Coconut contains medium chained triglycerides as it's main source of fat and is shuttled to the liver for immediate energy, it doesn't get stored as fat. Almonds are a great source of Omega 6's and some 3's, but really they are high in 6's and we don't want to create an imbalance of 6's to 3's in our body. Omega 6's are pro-inflammatory in the body while 3's are anti-inflammatory. We already get enough 6's in our diet, so it's best to eliminate where you can in my opinion.

With that said, this recipe does include raw cashew butter, but half a cup of it is far different than the 2 cups of almond flour typically found in chocolate chip cookie recipes. I have a couple other recipes including this egg-free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (I need to try this with Swerve in place of the honey to make them lower in sugar, I bet it will make them crunchier!!) and this Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe.

Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup cashew butter (I used raw self grind from Whole Foods)
1/2 cup coconut creme, softened*
1 pastured egg
1/2 cup granulated sweetener (I used Swerve for no sugar option)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/3-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (use Enjoy Life's Chocolate Chips for dairy free option)

Instructions

Whisk the egg and vanilla in a mixing bowl
Add in the cashew butter, coconut creme, sweetener, and salt, combine
Fold in the chocolate chips
Roll the dough into balls in desired size cookie and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Press each ball down with your palm or with the bottom of a glass. The cookies really don't spread, so size accordingly
Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes or until edges begin to brown
Remove and place on a cooling rack and allow cookies to cool and harden up
Store in an airtight container, I prefer glass jars

Quick notes

*I order coconut creme from Tropical Traditions or you can usually find the Artisana Brand at Whole Foods or other natural grocery stores. The top layer is coconut oil, so you may need to scrape that off to get to the creme, but save the oil for another use. I soften it by placing the jar in a small saucepan of simmering water.

Variations: You can use any nut butter, but cashew is neutral and tends to be a tad bit sweeter.

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Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

March 1, 2014 Kate

I randomly made this cookie recipe for my boyfriend when I was recently in Arizona...and I ended up eating just about all of them!!! I rarely eat peanut butter, prefer almond butter, but dang these were good!!! I even made another test batch when I came home and added dark chocolate chips, YUM!!!!!! There's just something about peanut butter and chocolate that no other nut or seed butter can compare to! The peanut butter can easily be substituted for any nut or seed butter and I highly suggest adding some chocolate chips!!

I have quite a few Flourless Cookie Recipes including this Chocolate Almond Butter Cookie Recipe that is similar to this recipe.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes about 15
Ingredients
1 cup natural peanut butter (I used fresh grind, no added oils)
1/2 cup granulated sweetener, palm sugar or maple sugar (Swerve for no sugar option)*
1 pastured egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt (use less if using jarred nut butter that is salted)
1/3-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions
Whisk the egg and vanilla in a mixing bowl
Add the nut butter, sweetener and salt and combine
Fold in chocolate chips (optional)
Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet
Using a fork, press the dough in both directions to make the criss cross marks
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes
Store in an airtight container...if there are even any left!!

Quick notes
*I used about 1/2 cup Swerve and a tbsp of palm sugar.

If you want to try Swerve or need to order more, use coupon code KATE10 for a 10% discount. Swerve is my favorite sugar replacement. It is the only sugar alcohol that will not cause tummy troubles and it does not raise blood glucose levels.

Cracked Pepper Cashew Crackers

February 25, 2014 Kate

Grain Free Crackered Pepper Cashew Crackers Recipe

The Whole Foods I shop at used to have Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt Cashews in the bulk section...and I loved them!! Unfortunately you know they were roasted in crappy vegetable oil and would be very easy to make yourself! They no longer carry them, I could make them or I could get a bit more creative and make a cracker recipe out of cashews in the same flavor. Let this recipe be a template for you to make any cracker flavor you'd like with any nut you'd like! I loved the spiciness of the pepper and couldn't get enough of these!!! This could easily be turned into a sweet cracker with a touch of sweetener and cinnamon in place of the salt and pepper. Looking for other grain free cracker ideas, I have a bunch of different recipes for you!

Cracked Pepper Cashew Crackers

Ingredients
2 generous cups raw cashews
1 pastured egg
1 tbsp coconut oil, butter or ghee*
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper

Instructions
In a food processor, grind the cashews into a flour. Make sure not to over blend into cashew butter, but you want it as fine as possible
Add in the salt and pepper and pulse to combine
In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg and oil together and stir in the flour mixture until combined
Place the ball of dough in the center of a large piece of parchment paper with an additional piece of paper over top
Roll out to desired thickness, about 1/8 - 1/4 inch
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into desired size. You may want to sprinkle more salt and pepper over the top of dough
Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until a bit brown
Store in an airtight container

Quick notes
*I used expeller pressed coconut oil. Macadamia nut oil would be great here too!

Chocolate Strawberry Coconut Bark

February 11, 2014 Kate

I'm excited to bring you this fun Valentine's Day Treat! I had a bunch of chocolate recipes planned, but truth be told, I didn't want a bunch of chocolate around! When it comes to chocolate, I just don't have any will power...sorry you guys have to pay the price.

How did I get these to look pink and taste like strawberries...with freeze dried strawberries! Freeze dried is very different than dehydrated, they are hard and like the texture of a Cheeto...not that I have had them lately! When you blend these in a food processor, you are left with powdered strawberry dust. You can find many different fruits that have been freeze dried, but strawberries are the lowest sugar fruit (12 grams in the entire bag)and obviously I needed a red fruit. Raspberries or cranberries would work as well. I ordered mine form Tropical Traditions, but Whole Foods sells the Organic Freeze Dried Strawberries I used and they also sell Just Strawberries that can be found in their produce section. I know Trader Joe's also sells them, but they are not organic and I personally won't eat berries unless they are organic. Strawberries are one of the worst in terms of pesticides.

I also use Confectioner's Swerve in this recipe to add a bit more sweetness...and I have a "sweet" give away from Swerve Sweeteners! I am giving away 3 bags (2 granulated and 1 confectioners of Swerve to 3 lucky winners...that's 9 free bags of Swerve!!! To enter this giveaway you must go like Swerve on Facebook and Pinterest and also comment on this blog post. Please tell us what Kate's Healthy Cupboard Recipe you want to try if you win the Swerve! The winners will be selected on Valentine's Day!!!!

Recipe: Chocolate Strawberry Coconut Bark

Ingredients

4 cups coconut chips
1/4 cup cacao butter (see variations below for substitution)
2 tbsp coconut butter/creme
2 tbsp grass-fed butter
2 tbsp full fat coconut milk cream (the hard cream found on the top of a refrigerated can of milk)
1/4 cup powdered freeze dried strawberries* (about 3/4 of 1.2 ounce bag)
1/2 cup powdered sweetener* (I used Confectioner's Swerve)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Place coconut chips in a large mixing bowl and set aside
Combine the cacao butter, butter, coconut cream and coconut milk in a double broiler and melt
Pour the mixture over the coconut and stir to coat completely
Combine the powdered strawberries and sweetener in a large ziploc bag
Pour the coconut into the bag and shake well to coat
Spread out on a parchment lined cookie sheet. You want it in one big pressed down clump so it will stick together as it cools
Place the cookie sheet in the frig to let harden
Melt the chocolate chips in a double broiler and drizzle over the bark once it's cooled and hard
Place back into the frig to let the chocolate harden
Break into pieces and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container

Variations

I used the cacao butter to give this another element of chocolate flavor. I believe you could try this with coconut oil, but I would maybe reduce the amount by a tablespoon. Cacao butter completely hardens in cold and coconut oil isn't as hard but should work just fine. I suggest the cacao butter for more flavor!!
Notes
Run the strawberries in your food processor until completely powdered. A blender like the Vitamix or spice grinder may also work.

Sauteed Radishes

February 8, 2014 Kate

How about a savory Valentine's Recipe!!! Don"t worry, more chocolate and sweets to come!!! It's so funny how much more attention my treat recipes get than recipes like these radishes!

I bought the Easter Egg Radishes that are bright pink, red and white for this dish, but the color diminishes a ton when you cook them. These are so pretty and could be served cold drizzled with a dressing for your Valentine's Day dinner as an alternative.

I had never tried cooking radishes until today...yum!! You don't even have to be a radish fan to like this recipe. So much of the "spiciness" is removed and they almost taste like little potatoes, maybe that's because of the butter. I think radishes would add a lot of flavor to roasted vegetables, so next time you roast a chicken with veggies, add some radishes. This is an easy recipe and can be seasoned to your liking! And, as an added bonus, radishes contain nutrients that detoxify and nourish the body!!!

Sauteed Radishes

Ingredients
2 bunches of radishes
2-3 tbsp grass-fed butter, ghee or coconut oil
1-2 tsp sage (I used dried)
sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Wash and remove the leaves and stems from the radishes. Cut in half or quarters depending on the size of the radishes
Melt the butter over medium high heat in a skillet and toss in the radishes
Let cook for about 6-7 minutes or until soft and browned, stir occasionally
Sprinkle the sage, salt and pepper

Variations
Diced onions and/or garlic would also be good in this recipe.

Nut Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

February 6, 2014 Kate

I am very excited to introduce you to Sharon from the blog Paleo Fondue! "It means gather at the table for plates of quality food, savor the natural flavors, and indulge in a little dessert! You can have cheese if you want." Her site is a must to go check out! She has a ton of delicious recipes...Bang Bang Shrimp or Chorizo and Green Chili Frittata or how about these awesome looking chocolate chip cookies! Sharon was nice enough to create this recipe and do a guest post for all of my followers. Please be sure to check out her site, "like" her on Facebook and follow her on Pinterest so you catch all of her recipes!!!

There are a lot of chocolate chip cookie recipes, I have to wonder what kind of contribution I can do to the classic dessert. Well gluten free, grain free, soy free, dairy free, refined sugar free, and nut free? That’s a lot of things NOT in this cookie. But what it does have is an amazing warm ooey gooey classic cookie taste.

It’s a cookie that is classic and I’m weary to diverge too far from an original recipe. Chocolate chip cookies are special to everyone. My grandma used to send me a box filled with an assortment of homemade cookies. There were tons of fancy chocolate ones, pretty sugar dusted ones, and ones with intricate decorations. Still, my most favorite in the box are the traditional chocolate chip cookies.

So it’s no wonder that I took my time perfecting a grain free version. And it sure took quite a few iterations and human taste testing to meet my mile high expectation. I’ve had cookie aficionados taste test several versions of this. It was like a panel of foodies eating plates of cookies and debating the ratios of the sugars, the textures, the type of spice. Even my mom says “You can’t taste the ‘Paleo’ in these.” It’s her way of saying these are a badass batch of chocolate chip cookies.Select this line to insert text description of recipe here

Nut Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

¼ Cup (45g) Coconut Oil, measured solid
¼ Cup (48g) Palm Shortening
¼ cup (40g) of Maple Sugar
½ cup (80g) of coconut palm sugar
1 cup of Tapioca Starch/Flour
3 Tablespoons (30g) of packed Coconut Flour
1 teaspoon of grain free baking powder
½ teaspoon of Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of Salt
1 Large Egg
½ cup of Chocolate Chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Whip together the coconut oil, shortening, maple sugar, and coconut sugar on high speed in a large mixing bowl with a whisk attachment until fluffy.
Sift together the tapioca starch, coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Add the egg into the mixing bowl and whip until combined.
Add the dry ingredients in three batches, mixing in between each addition.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Line a baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons worth of cookie dough onto the lined baking sheet.
Bake at 350F for 11-13 minutes.

Variations

You can sub the maple sugar for an equal amount of coconut sugar.

Notes

From Kate: As many of you know, I prefer to use Swerve as my sweetener. You can simply replace the coconut and maple sugar in these with Swerve. I would probably still use a tbsp of each just to give a bit of that maple and caramel taste.

Chocolate Dipped Valentine's Marshmallows

February 3, 2014 Kate

So excited to bring you this fun Valentine's Day Marshmallow Recipe. I can't really take credit for it...only the pink part and chocolate dipping is my creation. The best part is that these are naturally colored with beet juice. The credit goes to Adrienne over at Whole New Mom. Her website it full of great recipes, DIY remedies, lotions and potions. Go check her blog out!!! This recipe calls for liquid sweetener and I have not been able to find anything that works in recipes to replace honey, syrup or corn syrup with no sugar. Adrienne has the answer...vegetable glycerin!! We have all heard that you shouldn't put anything on your skin that you wouldn't put in your mouth. Well vegetable glycerin is often times found in skin care as a natural preservative, but also has a bit of sweetness to it and is completely food grade. What the heck is vegetable glycerin?

According to Wise Geek: Vegetable glycerin can also be made directly from vegetable oil — often coconut or palm oil — by heating it to a high temperature under pressure with water. The glycerin backbone splits off from the fatty acids, and is absorbed by the water, from which it is then isolated and distilled to obtain the pure product. Food-grade vegetable glycerin is 99.7% pure, with the remaining 0.3% being water. Select this line to insert text description of recipe here

Glycerin is widely used in the food industry for two main reasons: it has a sweet taste, but has fewer calories than sugar; and it is hygroscopic, that is, it absorbs moisture from the air. It is therefore used both to sweeten foods and to keep them moist. The compound is metabolized more slowly than sucrose— the type of sugar most commonly found in candy and in processed foods — and therefore does not have such a dramatic effect on blood sugar levels. It also does not contribute to bacterial tooth decay. Foods marketed as being low in carbohydrates are often sweetened with glycerin.

Another major use is in the cosmetics industry. Due to its hygroscopic properties, it is used in many moisturizing skin products, as it seems to help relieve dry skin problems by drawing water up from the lower layers. It is also a component of glycerin soap, which is often used by people with sensitive skin. Lotions containing this compound are also popular.

I did some research to find a source of vegetable glycerine that was from coconut and/or palm oils, not soy oil. I think the best source is from Wilderness Family Naturals. They are a trusted company with great products (I have no affiliation)!!! You can also use Now Foods Vegetable Glycerin that I believe to be a reputable source as well. The Now Brand can be found in many local health food stores and possibly Whole Foods. It is sold in the lotion section since many people add it to their homemade lotions.

Recipe: Chocolate Dipped Valentine’s Marshmallows

Original Marshmallow Recipe from Whole New Mom

Ingredients

2 tbsp gelatin from grass-fed cows (I use Great Lakes Gelatin)
1/2 cup cold water that has been beet juice infused (directions below)
1 – 1 1/2 cups granulated sweetener (I used a cup total of Swerve and Xylitol
mixed for sugar free option)
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup liquid sweetener (I used vegetable glycerin for sugar free option, see above for info and where to buy)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips* (Use Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips for dairy free option)

Instructions

Peel and cut a very small raw beet into about 1 inch chunks. Place the beets in a saucepan along with 1/2 cup of water
Warm the water on low heat to get the beets to bleed. You want really pink/red water. Once you blend this with the gelatin and other ingredients, it really lightens up.
Place the water in the refrigerator to cool for a few minutes. Remove and discard the beets
In a large mixing bowl or standup mixer, pour the cooled pink water and sprinkle the gelatin over top, let sit
Combine the granulated sweetener, liquid sweetener and additional 1/2 cup hot water in a heavy bottom saucepan
Cook over medium high heat until mixture reaches 240-245 (soft ball stage)
With a hand mixer or standup mixer, start beating the gelatin and beet water as you slowly add in the hot sweeteners.
Slowly add in the vanilla and continue to beat until stiff peaks have formed, thick marshmallow creme
Pour the creme into an 8×8 greased pan (or larger if you want thinner marshmallows)
Let sit and harden. Cut into desired shape and size
Melt the chocolate in a double broiler. Using a toothpick or skewer, dip the marshmallows in the chocolate and let cool
Store in an airtight container. I prefer glass jars

Quick notes

*Use more chocolate if you want to completely coat the marshmallows

Variations

As Adrienne suggests, you can roll marshmallows in coconut, cocoa, nuts or any other topping.

Buckeye Bark

January 30, 2014 Kate

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, so twist my arm, I guess I'll make a bunch of chocolate recipes!!! I have a bunch of fun stuff planned so let's hope I can get it all done and that it all turns out!!!

Nut butter and chocolate is a match made in heaven no matter what form it comes in!! Buckeye cookies are the peanut butter cookies with a Hershey's Kiss in the middle. So Buckeye Bark is peanut butter and chocolate in a different form. This recipe can be made with any nut or seed butter or even with coconut butter (cream).

This recipe was adapted from Chocolate Chocolate and More.

Recipe: Buckeye Bark

Ingredients

2 cups (about 12 oz) dark chocolate chips or pieces
1 cup natural nut/seed butter (no added oils or sugars)
1/2 cup Swerve or sweetener of choice*
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt (omit if nut butter has salt in it)

Instructions

Place parchment paper in the bottom of an 8x8 dish so that it flaps over two sides of the dish. This will make it easy to remove the bark from the dish
Melt 1 cup of chocolate in a double broiler and pour it into the prepared dish. Place the chocolate in the freezer until it sets
While chocolate is setting, combine the nut butter, sweetener, oil, vanilla and salt in a bowl
Remove chocolate from freezer and spread the nut butter layer evenly over the chocolate
Melt the remaining cup of chocolate and pour it over the nut butter and return the dish to the freezer
Once the top layer has hardened, remove the bark from the dish and cut the bark into pieces. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container

Variations

*I think liquid sweetener such as honey will work, but start with 1/4 cup and expect the nut butter layer to be a bit runnier.

Faux Baked Cinnamon Apples

January 27, 2014 Kate

Nothing against apples, but I'm trying to eat less carbs and certainly less sugar. Yes, I know there are nutrients in apples and it's natural sugar...sugar is sugar is sugar and I can find those same nutrients in vegetables!!! For me personally, I do better without fructose and fruit in my diet. For that reason, I have been using jicama in place of apples and potatoes in many recipes. In case you missed it, this Sausage and Fauxtato Frittata Recipe is awesome!!! Grab yourself some jicama, cause I've got some more low carb recipes coming soon!!!

Jicama is very crunchy, full of water and stays hard even when cooked. I have found that you have to boil the jicama for a while before you use it in recipes if you want it to soften up like it does in this baked apple recipe. It's easy to do and can be done ahead of time, just store in an air tight container in the fridge until you are ready to use them.

Faux Baked Cinnamon Apples

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

3 cups jicama, cubed and boiled* (1 small jicama)
2 tbsp grass-fed butter or coconut oil
1-2 tsp cinnamon (I like them with 2 tsp)
sweetener of choice (I used 2 tbsp of Swerve)
dash of sea salt

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350
Place the jicama in a casserole dish
Cut the butter into pieces and place over the jicama. Sprinkle with cinnamon, sweetener and salt
Bake covered for 30-40 minutes or until soft, stir after 20 minutes. I removed the lid for the last 10 minutes to remove the moisture
Serve hot with some Dairy Free Vanilla Ice Cream.

Quick notes

*To boil the cubed jicama, cover it with water and boil for 30-45 minutes (depends on size of cubes) until soft. This can be done ahead of time, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Variations

You could combine some almond flour, pieces of butter or coconut oil and sweetener to make a topping. I’d add the topping once you have removed the lid to finish cooking. You could turn on the broiler for a few seconds to brown the topping too!

I have switched all of my skincare and makeup to a company that is free of 1,500 chemicals! The European Union bans about 1,400 chemicals and the US bans 11 in an unregulated industry! I am so particular about what goes into my body, I need to be just as picky as to what goes on my body! Your skin is your largest organ and absorbs chemicals into the bloodstream faster than the gut does! I am vain when it comes to my skin and was so thrilled to find products that are safe, non toxic, but are still anti-aging and work!!! The makeup is chic, on trend and high performing! Check out Beautycounter for more info!! Their mission is to get safe products into the hands of everyone! I feel compelled to help educate and share this mission!

Sausage Fauxtato Frittata Recipe

January 16, 2014 Kate

Fauxtato Frittata...say that 5 times fast!!! As many of you know, I tend to eat a lower amount of carbs. This means potatoes are not an item I consume regularly, white or sweet. For those of you looking to stay away from starchy carbs or from nightshades (more on this below), this frittata recipe is for you!!

How did I replace the potatoes in this recipe...jicama!! When you boil jicama prior to cooking with it, it softens up and tastes great! I have been experimenting with jicama a lot lately, so get ready for more recipes that include it. If you don't like jicama, I suggest you try this recipe and see if you change your mind!

Potatoes are avoided by some for the carbohydrate content and others avoid them due to the fact they are a nightshade. What the heck is a nightshade (or moonshade as my sister likes to call them)? If you suffer from any of the following, nightshades MIGHT be a problem for you. Most common symptoms are: joint pain, stiffness upon waking, or stiffness after sitting for longs periods of time, muscle pain and tension, muscle tremors, sensitivity to weather changes, poor healing, insomnia, skin rashes, heartburn, stomach discomfort, digestive difficulties, headaches, mood swings depression, chronic pain, inflammation, arthritis, or rheumatism. They can also cause permeability in our intestinal membranes (known as leaky gut), all of which may contribute to autoimmune disease. If someone is healthy, with low inflammation in their body, a balanced immune system, and a balanced and strong digestive tract, they can often eat nightshade vegetables without a problem. However, people with autoimmune disease are vulnerable, as nightshades often exacerbate symptoms.

What are nightshade vegetables?Tomatoes, tomatillos, potatoes, eggplant, pimento, bell peppers (green, red, yellow, cherry), banana peppers, hot peppers of all kinds green, red, chili, paprika, cayenne, goji berries, ground cherries, ashwagandha (an ayurvedic herb), Tobacco is also a nightshade. The Latin name for this family of plants is Solanaceae, because all of them produce an alkaloid compound called solanine. This chemical is part of these plants’ natural defense system, acting as a nerve poison on insects that try to eat the plants.

Sausage Fauxtato Frittata

Ingredients

10 pasture raised eggs (I like Tropical Traditions soy free eggs)
1/2 lb pork breakfast sausage
5 slices bacon, sliced (about 1/2 inch pieces)
1 1/2 cups jicama, cubed and boiled to soften*
1/4 -1/2 of an onion, diced
1 tbsp dry parsley
3/4 tsp sea salt
couple dashes of pepper

Instructions

Heat a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium and cook the sausage. Remove the sausage once cooked and set aside
Cook the bacon in the pan until about half way done. Add the onions and cooked jicama to the bacon and saute until onions are translucent
While bacon is cooking, whisk the eggs in a bowl with the salt, pepper and parsley. Also turn your oven broiler on at this time
Once the bacon, onion and jicama mixture is done, add in the sausage and turn the heat to medium low.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook until eggs start to form curds and edges look cooked. You want the frittata to be half way done before you put it under the broiler.
Place the frittata on the lower shelf of the oven and let cook for 3-5 minutes or until top is golden brown
Remove from heat and serve hot. This is also great as leftovers hot or cold!

Quick notes

*The jicama needs to boil for about 45 minutes (the smaller the pieces, the less time it takes them to get soft) before you add it to this recipe. This step can be done a day or two ahead of time or right before you make the frittata. Simply add the cubed jicama to a pan of boiling water and let boil for about 45 minutes. Drain off the water and store in the refrigerator.

For more information on how to create your own frittata recipe, check out my Sausage and Mushroom Frittata Recipe.

Bacon Brussel Sprouts

January 8, 2014 Kate

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great holiday season and got a chance to enjoy a few of my treats. I just finished off the last of the cookies I made for Christmas. It's so nice to know almost all of my treats were free of sugar since I used Swerve (my favorite sugar alternative) in all my recipes. If your resolutions include giving up or decreasing the sugar in your diet, I highly recommend trying Swerve! They are running a special in January and always offer 10% off to my readers with coupon code KATE10.

Enough about the sweets, it's time for vegetables, dinners and breakfasts for a while...well until it's Valentine's recipe time! We enjoyed this brussels sprout recipe for our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. These were a huge hit by everyone, even the brussels sprout haters liked them...how can you not when bacon is included! This recipe is not a lot of work and certainly isn't high maintenance!

Recipe: Bacon Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

3-4 slices bacon, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 lb brussels sprouts, halved or quartered depending on size
1/4 cup onions, diced
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Place the sliced bacon in a skillet over medium heat and cook until tender but not full cooked
Remove all but 2 tbsp of the bacon grease and toss in the onions, cook until onions are translucent and bacon is fully cooked
Add the brussels sprouts, stir to coat with grease
Stir in the water and sprinkle with some salt and pepper
Turn temperature down to low and place a lid on the skillet
Let cook for 30-60 minutes or until very tender. The longer they cook, the more the sprouts take on the bacon flavor
Salt and pepper to taste

Flourless Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

December 23, 2013 Kate

One last holiday cookie recipe for you. These have a bit more sugar in them than I normally prefer due to the candy canes...but I did use all natural candy canes that don't have corn syrup and are colored naturally!

Recipe: Flourless Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup cocoa/cacao powder
1 cup granulated sweetener (I used Swerve for no sugar option)
1/2 cup grass-fed butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup crushed natural candy canes (5-6 canes)

Instructions

Combine the cocoa, soda and salt in a bowl, set aside
Place sweetener and butter in a food processor or a large bowl and mix well
Add in the egg (whisk if using a mixing bowl) and vanilla
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and combine until mixed well
Fold in candy canes (batter should be thick)
Use a cookie scoop or roll dough into a ball and place dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Do not press down, they will spread
Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.
Let cool on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack

Quick notes

We think these are best thin and crispy. If you want them thicker, try refrigerating the dough to harden the butter before cooking

Happy Holidays!

Gingerbread Cookie Bites

December 21, 2013 Kate

Molasses style cookies are a favorite around here anytime of the year! Gingerbread man cookies are festive, cute and have a lot of character, but they are also a lot of work!! I decided to take that flavor and do a simple cookie ball with all the flavor and half of the work! This gingerbread recipe calls for a unique flour...chestnut flour. What is chestnut flour??! Chestnut flour is a gluten free alternative to regular flour made from ground chestnuts. Chestnuts have been dried and made into sweet flavored flour in Italy for centuries. In Tuscany, chestnut flour is considered a staple food, and it is commonly called for in recipes such as: chestnut flour bread, pie crust, crepes, and other baked goods. Its sweet flavor makes it the perfect fit for recipes involving almonds, chocolate, honey and hazelnuts. I have found it to be awesome in fall recipes that incorporate pumpkin and spice. Chestnuts do not contain the fat content regular nuts have, and are instead largely composed of carbohydrates. Chestnut flour does have less carbohydrates than regular white flour but has many of the same baking properties as flour. It creates a fluffier baked good, has a distinct taste that has a bit of spiciness to it and pairs really well with warm fall flavors, especially ginger! I love using almond flour and am not afraid of fat by any means. I'm just enjoying how much fun this flour is to work with, and not to mention how good it is!

Is it actually a nut or a fruit? According to Wikipedia, it’s a fruit. If you have tree nut allergies, please look into this more, but my understanding is that it’s not a nut!!! Where can you buy chestnut flour? Check with your local natural grocery stores, I do know some Natural Grocers are selling it. You can also order it from Amazon or from nuts.com. I realize it's a unique ingredient, but I promise you will enjoy it. I have some other recipes including these crunchy Ginger Snaps or this Pumpkin Bread you could also try. I also provided a substitution for the flour in the recipe "variations" section of this cookie recipe for those of you that don't want to order it. Both versions of the cookies are great, I just think the chestnut flour adds a bit more flavor.

Gingerbread Cookie Bites

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups finely ground almond flour (I prefer Honeyville)
1/4 cup chestnut flour* (see substitution below)
3-4 tbsp granulated sweetener such as coconut palm sugar (I usedSwerve for a no sugar option)
3 tbsp grass-fed butter, softened(ghee or coconut oil should work)
1 1/2 tbsp molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Place the almond flour, chestnut flour (or arrowroot), sweetener, butter and spices and salt in a food processor and combine
Add in the molasses and vanilla and pulse until dough forms into a big ball
Place the dough in the refrigerator forat least 30 minutes to keep the cookies from spreading as they cook
Roll the dough into one inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet
Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before moving to a cooling rack. Cookies will get crisp as they cool
Store in an airtight container. Place in the refrigerator if you prefer a hard cookie

Variations

*You can sub the chestnut flour for arrowroot flour, but only use 2 tbsp of arrowroot, NOT 1/4 cup! These may spread a tiny bit more, but are still delicious!!!

Enjoy!

Flourless Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies

December 16, 2013 Kate

Here is another super easy and super delicious cookie to add to your holiday baking list. These disappeared very quickly around here! This recipe can be made with any nut or seed butter of choice. Peanut butter seems to always taste the best with chocolate, but unfortunately I don't eat peanuts, so almond butter it is...and I loved them!

Flourless Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies

Makes 12-14

Ingredients

1 cup almond butter*
1/2 cup cocoa/cacao powder
3/4 -1 cup granulated sweetener (I used 1 cup of Swerve to make them sugar free)
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder (corn and gluten free baking powder)
1/4 heaping tsp sea salt (omit if jar is already salted)

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a food processor or stand up mixer and combine
Use a cookie scoop or roll the dough into balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet
Press down the dough with hand or use a fork to flatten the cookies (the baking powder keeps the cookies from spreading, but also makes them crispier than baking soda)
Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes. The cookies will look undercooked, but that’s the way you want them to look! They will set up perfectly once they have cooled.
Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
Store in an airtight container, I prefer glass jars for storage.

Quick notes

*I used fresh grind almond butter that you grind yourself at natural grocery stores. It does not have any added oils, salt or sweeteners. If you are using jarred almond butter or other nut butters, I’d use closer to 3/4 cup. Jarred butters are thinner and may make these spread more.

Flourless Thin Mint Cookies

December 13, 2013 Kate

I'm so busy baking that all I have time to type is...THESE ROCK!!!! Enjoy this nut-free treat this holiday season with no guilt when you use Swerve!!! I suggest doubling this recipe, they are that good!! They aren't exactly Girl Scout Thin Mints, but they are much better for you and taste amazing!!

Recipe: Flourless Thin Mint Cookies

Makes: 8-10

Ingredients

1 1/2 -2 pastured egg whites (depending on egg size)
1/3 -1/2 cup cocoa powder (depending on how large eggs are)
1/2 – 3/4 cup granulated sweetener (I used 3/4 cup Swerve for no sugar option)
1/4 tsp peppermint flavor*
dash of sea salt

Chocolate coating:

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (use Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips or Chunks for dairy free option)
1/8 tsp peppermint flavor

Instructions

Whisk the egg whites, stir in the cocoa powder, sugar and 1/4 tsp peppermint extract and salt. The batter should be brownie batter like consistency. Add more cocoa or sweetener if it needs to be thicker.
Spoon out about 2 tablespoons worth of batter onto parchment lined cookie sheet. The batter will spread just slightly when baked, so spoon and swirl the batter into desired cookie size.
Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes.
Let the cookies cool and harden for a few minutes before you try to remove them from the parchment. Place cookies in the frig or freezer to harden up and cool off before coating in chocolate.

Chocolate Coating:

Melt the chocolate chips and peppermint flavor in a double broiler (glass bowl over a pot of boiling water).
Dip each cookie in the melted chocolate, use a fork to toss and turn the cookie until fully coated
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container

Notes: *I used Simply Organic Peppermint Flavor in this recipe. Other brands of mint or peppermint extracts may not be as strong and you may need to use more to taste.

Enjoy!

Mexican Wedding Cookies (Snowball Cookies)

December 10, 2013 Kate

Mexican Wedding Cookies also known as Snowball Cookies are so many people's favorite holiday treat! I have to admit, I didn't even know that's what they were called until a few weeks ago and I certainly never reached for them on the treat platters at holiday parties! I have to admit that this grain free version turned out pretty darn good!!! I have a client that said these were her all time favorite cookie as a kid and if I could pull it off, she'd be so happy! I took one to her today (how many trainers do you know take cookies to their clients...I do, when the cookie is grain free and basically sugar free) and her text to me after she tried it read: "Oh my god yes it was really really good! I want to try to make them this weekend!" I was thrilled to hear this after she said her childhood neighbor was Mexican and made the best cookies ever!

Recipe: Mexican Wedding Cookies

Makes 12-15 cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups almond flour*
2 tbsp arrowroot flour
2-3 tbsp granulated sweetener (I used Swerve for no sugar option)
4 tbsp (1/4 cup) grass-fed butter, softened (Ghee or coconut oil should work)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup pecan pieces, toasted

Sugar Coating:

2-3 tbsp powdered maple sugar or coconut palm sugar (I used 2 tbsp Swerve and 1 tbsp maple sugar only because it's lighter in color compared to coconut sugar)

Instructions

Place the flour, arrowroot flour, sweetener, butter, vanilla and salt in a food processor and combine
Add the cooled pecans to the mixture and pulse until nuts are mixed into dough. Dough will seem a bit crumbly, but will mashed together just fine for baking
Place the dough into the frig for 15-20 minutes to make sure the butter didn't get too soft. This will keep the cookies in a ball when baked.
Roll dough into 1 to 1 1/2 inch diameter balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet
Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown
Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes before you try to coat them in the powdered sugar or they will crumble. Don't wait too long or sugar won't stick to the cookies, you want them to still be warm
Place the powdered sugar in a bowl (you can powder any sugar in a blender or coffee grinder)
Using a spoon, place each cookie into the mixture and spoon sugar over the top to coat. Once you have done all of the cookies, coat again a second time if you prefer sweeter cookies
Let cookies cool completely or they will crumble. Store in an airtight container. I prefer glass jars and refrigerate all of my baked goods. Ziploc bags ruin grain free goodies in my opinion, makes them moist or soggy

Quick notes

*I used Honeyville Almond Flour, but Bob's Red Mill should work fine with this recipe. A friend decided to try this recipe with pecan flour that she made herself in a food processor. It's hard to get a fine flour with a food processor, but it worked for her even with the not very fine pecan flour...and she said they were awesome!!!

Enjoy!!

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Apple Cinnamon Muffins

December 6, 2013 Kate

I'm going to keep this short and sweet..these are flourless and delicious! I used almond butter to create this recipe and it works well will apples and cinnamon! Nut butters work great to hold baked goods together and give them structure. You can use this recipe as a template and change out the nut butter, fruit and spice. I think chocolate chips with almond butter would be mmmmmm....but what isn't yummy when you combine nuts and chocolate!!

I drizzled a caramel sauce over the top, but that is optional. I am still trying to create a caramel recipe that is low in sugar, but Swerve doesn't work well in this application. I used my experiment on these muffins, but suggest using a recipe that we know works. I suggest Elana's Pantry Dairy Free Caramel Sauce or this one from Smitten Kitchen that includes butter, but I would use full fat coconut milk in place of heavy cream and coconut sugar. I think butter is what gives caramel sauce that caramel taste...in my honest opinion.

Recipe: Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients

1 cup almond butter
1/4 cup granulated sweetener (Swerve for no sugar option)
2 tbsp arrowroot powder
2 pastured eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp or more cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 heaping cup apples, peeled and diced (1 apple)
Caramel sauce*

Instructions

Peel and dice the apples. Toss with a couple sprinkles of cinnamon, set aside in a large mixing bowl
Place all of the remaining ingredients in a food processor and combine
Pour the batter over the apples and combine well.
Spoon the batter into a lined muffin tin. You should get 6 large muffins or 8 regular sized muffins
Bake at 350 for 25-27 minutes
Remove from the oven and let them sit for a few minutes. Drizzle with caramel sauce.

Variations

*See above for caramel sauce recipe links.

Coconut Curry Chicken Meatball Soup

December 3, 2013 Kate

It's about to get REALLY cold here in Colorado...and snow a few inches. I am actually excited for it to feel like winter and like the Holidays. This soup is perfect for these next few days of below zero nights!

I used a crockpot to make this soup so that I could just throw it in and walk away from it. I don't see why this wouldn't work in a large sauce pan or a soup pot like this Le Creuset Soup Pot that I would love to have!!

Coconut Curry Chicken Meatball Soup

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken breast
1 carton of mushrooms, shiitake or button
1 bunch green onions
1/2 pastured egg, beaten (save the other half to add into eggs or add to a smoothie)
1 can full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup chicken broth (preferably homemade)
1 1-2 inch piece of peeled fresh ginger
1 tbsp Coconut Aminos*
1 1/2 tbsp red curry paste
1 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, finely minced

Instructions

Chop the whites off of the onions and set the greens aside for the soup. Finely chop 1/2 cup of the mushrooms and save the rest for the soup
Combine the chicken, egg, chopped whites, chopped mushrooms, minced garlic and sea salt in a bowl
Form the meat into desired size meatballs and place in the bottom of the crockpot
Combine the coconut milk, broth, coconut aminos and curry paste in a mixing bowl
Add the remaining mushrooms and chopped greens from the onions
Pour over the meatballs and place the piece of ginger into the liquid
Cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, add salt if needed

Quick notes

*You could replace Coconut Aminos with tamari or Bragg’s, but both of those are saltier than the aminos so maybe use a bit less to start

Variations

I imagine this will work in a soup pot or could also be cooked on the low setting of your crockpot for longer if need be. You could add some additional vegetables such as broccoli, red pepper and snow peas if you wanted to. It may not be as soupy, but still good!!! This would also be great served over cauliflower rice or white rice if you tolerate it.

I actually ate this as leftovers cold and loved it just as much!

Hazelnut Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

November 25, 2013 Kate

Toasted Hazelnut Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookie2

These cookies were quite the reminder of why Nutella tastes so good! Not that I eat Nutella, but Justin's also makes a killer chocolate hazelnut spread...with better ingredients...that is beyond addicting! If you have not tried chocolate and hazelnuts in the same bite, you are missing out!

I decided to use toasted hazelnuts along with the hazelnut flour. Don't skip this step, it adds so much flavor!! I made a few of these cookies with just chocolate chips and the rest with cranberries and chocolate, they are both delicious! The tartness of the cranberries is sweetened by the chocolate to make these the perfect match!!

Hazelnut Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 15

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup Hazelnut Flour/Meal
1 cup hazelnuts, skinned and toasted*
1/4 cup grass-fed butter, softened (4 tbsp)
1/4 cup non-dairy milk
1/3 – 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar or Swerve for no sugar option
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder (I use this Baking Powder that is gluten and corn free)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup cranberries, roughly chopped
1/3-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (Use Enjoy Life Chocolate Chipsbrand for dairy free option)

Instructions

De-skin the hazelnuts by following the method in the notes section below. Place the nuts in a dry skillet and toast over medium to medium high heat until they start to brown. Let cool in a single layer
Chop the cranberries or pulse them a couple times in a food processor, set aside
Once the nuts have cool a bit, place them in the food processor and pulse until they resemble very coarse sand. Place the nuts into a mixing bowl
Add the flour, sugar, softened butter, milk, vanilla, salt and baking soda to the food processor and blend until combined, pour into the hazelnuts and combine
Fold in the cranberries and chocolate chips. Dough may seem crumbly, but will hold together when cookie are formed
Form the dough into balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Press the cookies down to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cookies will spread slightly
Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container. I think nut flour baked goods taste best out of the refrigerator!

Quick notes

*I have tried removing the skin form hazelnuts a couple different ways.This method is definitely the easiest. It does take a few minutes, but worth it!!!

Variations

Coconut oil or Ghee should work in place of the butter.

Happy Holidays!

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