Browsing Tag

Gluten-free

Paleo Apple Pie Of My Eye Recipe

October 21, 2015

Homemade apple pie.

PaleoApplePIePiece_HealthyStacey

It sounds so intimidating. So unnatainable. So pleasantville.

Apple pie is for sweet old grandmothers, cool hipster bakeries and stay-at-home moms.

PaleoApples_HealthyStacey

Apple pie is not for the casual cook who works a 9 to 5.

And it’s definitely not for Paleo health nuts who don't eat a lot of sweets.

PaleoApplePie_Mix

Well, I guess I must’ve knocked my head on a street sign (true story). Because I decided that I wanted – no, I needed – to make an apple pie this fall.  

Needless to say, this is not one of those recipes where I say, “It’s so easy! Just toss in random ingredients, mix it together, throw it in the oven and you’re done!”

PaleoApplePIeBaking_HealthyStacey

Nope. Apple pie is not easy. It’s not quick. It’s not simple. And it's totally not necessary. 

But damn, is it good. And for a straight-arrow like me, who always makes the "sensible" recipe, sometimes unnecessary IS necessary. (mind: BLOWN)

Paleo Apple Pie Of My Eye Recipe*

Grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, organic, and low sugar. Oh, and did I mention delicious? (You can tell because I didn't do my usual "Wait, wait, wait! I have to take a picture first!" Me and my fiance just dug in).

PaleoApplePIeOutside_HealthyStacey

CRUST INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 cups almond flour – I use good old Bob's Red Mill
  • 1 tablespoon ground flax seed – Bob, again
  • 1 tablespoon tapioca starch – love this stuff
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup coconut oil – Thrive has my favorite for a great price
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract – on sale right now at Whole Foods!
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon – The Spice House is where it's at

FILLING INGREDIENTS:

  • 5 medium-sized apples, peeled and diced (whatever kind you have, I'm sure will work)
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar – I got this one at Mariano's
  • 1/4 cup of honey
  • 1 tablespoon coconut flour – I like this brand
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice – Spice House baby!
  • ⅛ teaspoon cloves
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

PaleoApplePIe2_HealthyStacey

THINGS YOU'LL NEED:

  • 2 big sheets of parchment paper
  • A "rolling pin" (I just used a bottle of extra virgin olive oil – I don't even eat bread, why would I own a rolling pin??)
  • 9-inch pie pan (yeah, I bought this just for this pie. Mariano's for $5. #worthit)

MAKE THE CRUST:

  1. Mix the almond flour, flax seed, tapioca starch, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together with a spoon.
  2. Add in egg, melted coconut oil and vanilla extract.
  3. Get in there with your hands, and knead into a dough. 
  4. Lay out your parchment paper (2 sheets) on the counter so it's ready for your dough.
  5. Take half the dough and place on paper. Then lay the other half on top of it, making sure the dough is centered on the paper.
  6. Using a rolling pin (or a bottle of olive oil), roll the dough into a large circle so that it'll fill a 9-inch pie pan.
  7. Peel off top parchment paper. Place the pie pan upside down over the flattened dough, and carefully flip into the pie pan. You will inevitably cause a few holes here. Just smooth it down with your hands and fill up any holes or cracks with small pieces of dough.
  8. You want the dough to meet the top rim of the pan. Trim off the excess and add to your other pile.
  9. Take the remaining half of the dough and roll into a rough rectangle the same way you did the first one.
  10. Cut the flattened dough into one-inch wide strips. This part is not easy. Especially if your dough is a little dry. It may fall apart. It may look hideous (see above picture for proof). But it'll still taste amazing. 
  11. Place the dough into the refrigerator for a tick – I waited an hour.

MAKE THE FILLING:

  1. Melt the coconut oil in a pot on medium heat.
  2. Add in your sliced apples, coconut sugar, honey and spices.
  3. Stir the mixture to drench those apples in your yummy cinnamony stew. 
  4. Add in the coconut flour and mix well.
  5. Add in the vanilla extract and turn off the heat.
  6. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

PaleoApplePIe_HealthyStacey1
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Spoon in the apple pieces and sauce into the pie crust.
  3. Now comes the hardest part (in my opinion). This is the part that determines whether your final pie will look Pinterest Perfect. Or will look like a 2nd grader's art project, but still taste amazing. Mine was somewhere in between. Bust out those strips of pastry from the refrigerator, and very, very carefully – with a big spatula, peel them off the paper and lay one after the other over the filling. Ideally, you want them to reach both ends (mine didn't). And you want to create a criss-cross pattern – lay four down one way, and the other four on top the other way.
  4. Bake for 25 minutes.
  5. Let them eat pie!

PaleoApplePIeByFire_HealthyStacey

Like what you read today? Think somebody else would like the recipe for Paleo Apple Pie? (Honestly, who wouldn't?). See those cute little social shapes underneath this post? They're for sharing! Click one to post to Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or comment right here on the blog. I would love to hear from you.

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Much Love,

HealthyStaceySignature

*Inspired by this post from Louise Hendon. Thank you dearly Louise for teaching me how to make a pie. 

Healthy Body

What is Paleo?

July 13, 2015

9-course-meal-steakOn a recent work trip, I got completely spoiled with a 9 course meal with so much gastronomical fantasticalness, that I’m not even going to attempt to explain what the dishes were made of (see pictures above and below). I do know, however, that there was plenty of beef, duck and chicken liver (I think?). My coworker approached me after we had left the clients, with a very concerned look.

Octopus

"Are you okay? I saw you eat every dish!" she said. I asked her why that was a problem, and she said, "I thought you didn’t eat meat?"

I proceeded to explain to her that I’m not vegan; I’m paleo. When I got blank stares in response, I realized something.

Not everybody knows what paleo means. DUH.

I get so sucked into my own little world that sometimes I forget that paleo is still in many respects under-the-radar. SO, this is my long-overdue post to you on what it means to be Paleo. You ready? Here we go…

WHAT DOES ‘PALEO’ MEAN?

Paleo is an abbreviation for Paleolithic. People who follow this lifestyle eat foods that pass this test: Would our ancient ancestors have eaten this food?

But, for me, Paleo is really about eliminating the foods that cause inflammation (and indigestion, and stress, and feeling like crap), and enjoying the ones that don't.

WHY EAT WHAT OUR ANCESTORS ATE?

People ask me this question all the time. Why would we use the caveman as our model of health? They died at like…30. Welp. Cavemen also didn’t have modern medicine to cure their ailments or heal their bones. What they DID have was real, whole unprocessed foods that served them well: plants, meats, seafood. For about 2.5 million years, humans biologically adapted best with these foods.

Then agriculture came along. And with it, came wheat, sugar, and chemically processed vegetable oils and seed oils. Crazy coincidence – it wasn’t until this time that diseases such as autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and…wait for it…OBESITY came into our lives.

Yes, cavemen died earlier than us. But they were dying because they starved to death or were mauled by animals. NOT because of heart disease and obesity. Although we may be more evolved than our ancestors in a lot of ways, they’ve got us beat in the food department. And since our basic biochemical responses pretty much work the same as theirs – maybe, just maybe, we should follow their lead at the dinner table (not in a eat-with-your-hands-scratch-yourself kind of way, of course). 

WHAT DO YOU EAT?

  • Grass Fed Meat & Poultry
  • Wild Caught Seafood
  • Pasture-Raised Eggs
  • Vegetables
  • Fruit – mostly berries
  • Nuts, in moderation
  • Seeds, in moderation

WHAT DON’T YOU EAT?

  • Gluten-containing grains
  • Legumes
  • Dairy
  • Sugar
  • Processed foods (i.e. 80% of the food in the center of the supermarket)

WHY DON’T YOU EAT THOSE THINGS?

As I said before, agriculture didn’t come into our lives until about 10,000 years ago. Foods like grains, beans, dairy and Doritos were new to our bodies. And research shows that humans have not been able to adapt fast enough to properly digest and metabolize these foods. Again, it was only after we started eating these foods did we develop obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

This is where I could get super detailed and research-heavy with you. And I have done that in other posts like my happy stomach series and my processed oil post. But for now, I would just like to say that sometimes, it’s as simple as listening to your body. Think about it. How do you feel after you’ve eaten a cheesy pizza? A bean burrito? A bowl of sugary cereal? A box of cookies?

Okay, I know that some of you with stomachs of steel are going to say you feel fine. But I know that once I eliminated gluten, sugar and processed foods from my diet (I never ate much dairy to begin with), I felt and looked a whole lot better. Not very scientific, I know. But it’s the only evidence I need.

WHY WOULD SOMEBODY GO PALEO?

For a variety of reasons. To lose weight is obviously one of them. But more often than not, people with autoimmune diseases and digestive related problems turn to the paleo diet when they realize that medicine is not making them feel any better.

People with diseases like…

  • Crohn’s disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Ulcerative Colitis
  • IBS
  • Lupus
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Interstitial cystitis
  • Multiple Sclerosis

Are improving, and sometimes eliminating their symptoms with the Paleo diet1.

WHY DID I GO PALEO?

I have always been a health nut. But for me, the definition of “health” has changed a lot over the years. For the better half of my life, my goal has always been to lose weight. That’s all I ever cared about. Being thin. That meant a lot of low-fat, non-fat, fake sugar, diet-packaged crap. As “healthy” as I thought I was, I was never happy with my weight, often unsatisfied with my food, and almost always in uncomfortable digestive pain.

My now-fiancée introduced me to the paleo diet, back when I was closer to vegan than anything else. I was frustrated with my weight, as my initial weight loss from eliminating all meat and dairy from my diet had worn off. My stomach was bigger than I wanted it to be, and often, in pain. But most of all, I always felt like I was restricting myself. I wasn’t really enjoying food.

I slowly started following some of the paleo guidelines. I switched to unprocessed oils in my cooking. I started eating grass-fed meat. I reduced a little, then a lot, of gluten. And most importantly, I threw away anything low-fat, non-fat, and let good fat back into my life. It took no longer than a couple weeks of these small changes to immediately feel and see results. And now, almost two years later, I can’t imagine eating and living any other way.  

Becoming paleo:

  • Allowed me to eat ridiculously delicious and satisfying food
  • Encouraged me to listen to my body rather than a book or a blog (Ha! Ironic)
  • Inspired me to fall in love with cooking and start making more food from scratch – it tastes sooo much better!
  • Got my body looking the best it ever, ever has
  • But most importantly, feeling the best it ever has

Digestive health is so much more connected to our overall health than any of us ever realized. Yes, I think it’s great for people with Celiac Disease or Colitis, but I don’t think you need to “resort” to paleo. I think it can and should be something that we can all learn from. As you may have guessed from my 9-course meal above or some of the dishes I post on my instagram feed, I don’t live and die by the paleo rules. That's why I'm paleo-ish. I listen to my body and eat real food. Whether you accept it 100%, 80% or even 20%,  we can all benefit from eating more real, whole, homemade food. It’s hard to argue with that.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

This is obviously an oversimplification of a very complicated, slightly controversial topic. I don't pretend to be an expert on it, but I do know a few people who are. If you're interested in learning more about the paleo diet, I highly reccommend checking out Sean Croxton's podcast, Underground Wellness, Mark Sisson's blog Mark's Daily Apple, and Chris Kresser's site on functional medicine (i.e. connecting what we put in our body with health and disease). These are people willing to go the extra mile to tell you everyhing you need to know about the paleo diet and how we can use it to improve our health. Plus, they'll give you all the nitty gritty research that I don't have the time, the patience, or the expertise to cover here. But I hope, at the very least, this was a good start.

 

Well, what do you think? Do you get it now? Do you have something to say? Whether lovely and complimentary or mean and embarrassing, I want to hear it! Those cute little gold icons underneath this post are for sharing. You can share on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or just comment right here on this blog. So go ahead. Floor's all yours…

1https://s3.amazonaws.com/paleodietevo2/research/The+Nutritional+Characteristics+of+a+Contemporary+Diet+Based+Upon+Paleolithic+Food+Groups+The+Paleo+Diet.pdf

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Cooking Without Thinking + Sweet Potato Carrot Soup Recipe

June 3, 2015

I made the most perfect meal last week. It was rich and creamy, a little sweet, a little savory. So robust, each sip hit every single craving spot – from tongue to tummy.

But my favorite part about this dish is that I made it with absolutely no recipe.

OrangeSoupInPot

On the train ride home from work, I had this mad craving for something soothing and comforting. I knew there wasn’t much in my refrigerator but leftover bone broth and a few odds and ends.

As soon as I walked in my apartment and opened the refrigerator door, it became clear: I would make soup.

It didn’t matter that it was May 26th and nice enough outside for light jackets and open-toed shoes. After a stressful day in freezing cold air-conditioned office, the very best thing for me would be soup.

And the ingredients to that soup would not come from a Pin, a cookbook or a blog. It would simply be determined by my cravings. I start to pull out leftovers from the shelves and scrape the bottom of the produce drawer…

Carrots. Sweet potatoes. Pumpkin. Turmeric.  

IMG_3576

Everything was turning up orange. The color of comfort in my book. Reminds me of fall candles, the summer sun and warm ooey gooeyness.

I got to work. I turned on Boys II Men (don't judge). And I didn't think too much.

I roasted the carrots so they could match the texture of the already roasted soft sweet potatoes. I found half an onion, chopped it up, and sautéed it in ghee on the bottom of my big silver soup pot. I sliced and diced up my turmeric root, tossed it in with the onions, and not soon after added the broth. As soon as the carrots were starting to soften, I swept them in the bowl too, along with their orange sweet potato counterpart.

Stir the pot. Set to simmer. And a look through the spice cabinet for any last minute additions. Paprika for smoke, cayenne for spice. A little hot red to add to the orange. And last but not least, a dash of salt and a few grinds of pepper.

And for the big finish. I removed the pan from the burner. Sat it on an upside-down plate. And waited impatiently for it to cool. As good as it would be just as it was. I knew nothing could beat the taste of blending every ingredient together to create one big, complex, hearty soup.

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So as soon as I deemed it ready, I carefully poured it in my food processor and pulverized it till the colors turned one bright sunset-orange. The end result? The just-enough-spice, more-than-enough layers of smooth and creamy, richest, fullest soup I have ever, ever had.

Now I’m not naïve enough to think that this soup was an “It’s so easy” dish. I hate when people tell me that and it’s so obviously time-consuming or complicated. And I don't say this to toot my own horn and declare my awesomenss in the kitchen. It was just that, in the midst of all this slicing and dicing, sautéing and roasting, I realized that this effortless cooking dance was only the result of years of practice. A culmination of reading recipe after recipe, Googling, pinning, researching, watching, asking, and prepping my kitchen with “odds and ends” that I’m guessing most people don’t have (turmeric root, anyone? Anyone?).

This soup never would have been easy or enjoyable for me to make 3 years, 2 years or even 1 year ago. But I’ll be damned if I didn’t revel in every single moment of it on that sunny, nice-enough-outside 26th of May.

Because that’s the day, I realized I can really cook. 

Wherever you are in your cooking journey, I beg you to try your version of my comfort soup. Drop the recipe book, put down your Pinterest and just cook. You never know. You just might surprise yourself.

Orange Comfort Soup

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I give you this recipe as a jumping off point. But I strongly encourage you to replace the ingredients with whatever you have in your refrigerator and suit it to your own tastes. That's the beauty of soup. Chop it up, roast it up, toss it in, pulverize it and cross your fingers. Yes, it could be complete crap. Or it could be delicious… 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 Carrots
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 already roasted sweet potato
  • Turmeric root
  • 1 tablespoon pureed pumpkin
  • 3 cups of bone broth
  • 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
  • Ghee
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • pinch of cayenne
  • Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Dice up carrots into approximately 1 inch pieces.
  3. Drizzle or roll in coconut oil.
  4. Roast for 20 minutes.
  5. Note: If you're sweet potatoes aren't already roasted, you'll want to do start them first because they will take the longest (approximately 45 minutes).
  6. Saute chopped onion in ghee for approximately 5 minutes, or until the onions just begin to become translucent.
  7. Toss in sliced turmeric and saute another 1-2 minutes.
  8. Pour in bone broth and stir.
  9. Add roasted sweet potatoes, roasted carrots, paprika, cayenne and salt and pepper.
  10. Let it simmer for 5-10 mintues.
  11. Remove from heat and let cool.
  12. Pour soup into a food processor and pulverize until smooth and creamy.
  13. Enjoy every spoonful because you deserve it.

 

I want to hear from you guys! Have you seen yourselves grow in the kitchen? Or at least had that moment where everything came together perfectly? Does anybody else feel liberated by going recipe-less? Comment below!

Have You Ever Craved a Kale Chip? + Choco-Cado Mousse Recipe

February 10, 2015

I know that first thing in the morning, I NEED something warm and comforting.

I know that early-afternoon, I absolutely HAVE TO HAVE something crunchy.

And I know that when I've had a really tough day, I CANNOT DO WITHOUT something cool, creamy and soothing.

You get where I'm going here people??

CRAVINGS.

I love them. It's like your bodies way of telling you it needs to scratch an itch. And when you do, it feels sooo good.

Although we often associate cravings with something unhealthy, I decided that doesn't have to be the case at all. If we get inventive, there are certain tastes and textures that can be accomplished with healthy, unprocessed (and gluten-free) food, and still knock it out of the park in the cravings department. 

Here are a few of my favorite Healthy craving-CRUSHERS:

CRUNCHY:

NUTS – I have a slight addiction to nuts. Crunchy, creamy, toasty, satisfying nuts. A complete nutritional source, they contain everything that their parent tree needed to grow – fats, carbohydrates, protein and natural antioxidants like Vitamin E. AND THEY'RE CRUNCHY. (And who doesn't love things that crunch?)

Please note: With all that said, there is such a thing as TOO MANY NUTS (1). Because of their high Omega 6 content, they can be pro-inflammatory just like those shitty processed oils. Good news. There are a few with pretty low omega 6 content. They are: cashews (2.6 g), macadamia nuts (.5 g) and hazelnuts (2.7 g) which is A-Okay with me (Macadamia nuts are like crunchy creamy heaven, in my opinion). 

FLAX CRACKERS – Crackers are the only things I really missed when I switched over to a gluten-free diet. When I come home from work, and I'm hungry and need something crunchy, nothing is as satisfying as a cracker. Mary's Gone Crackers are my go-to brand. They are organic and gluten-free, and made with whole grain brown rice, quinoa, flax seeds and sesame seeds. All good protein-filled nutrients that will fill you up much faster than any cracker could.

TIP: You can get a big box at Costco for much cheaper than the grocery store.

KALE CHIPS – Although I've had my doubts about Trader Joe's snacks, they still have a few gems that don't use processed vegetable oils. One of those gems are their Kale Chips. Their ingredients are good and simple: Kale, Cashews, Tahini, Carrot Powder, Onion Powder, Cane Sugar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Mustard Powder, Salt, Garlic Powder. Of course, never rule out making your own. Homemade will always be better and kale chips don't take long to whip up. If you're interested, Oh She Glows wrote a post on how to make the perfect kale chip.

HOMEMADE PLANTAIN CHIPS – I've said it all in this blog post. Plantain chips are the bomb. They are a rich source of antioxidants, vitamin B-6 and minerals, and their soluble fiber content may help ward off intestinal problems. And they're so additively tasty. Yes, Trader Joe's makes some pretty great ones. But the sunflower oil that they use to make them – not so great. I beg you, at least once, to try making them yourself (recipe is in the blog post above). WORTH IT.

CREAMY:

FROBANA – Who needs ice cream when you have frobana in your life? Seriously. I've crossed over. I no longer crave ice cream. I crave FROZEN BANANA MIXED WITH ANYTHING MY HEART DESIRES. Check out my Cherry Garcia Frobana, my Pumpkin Frobana, or my Instagram Page for recipes. I've started to get real creative with my frobanas by adding healthy boosters (like Ginger for digestion or Goji Berries for antioxidants). 

CHOCO-CADO MOUSSE – A few months back, I had the pleasure of eating at a new-ish restaurant in Chicago that actually is based off of a Paleo Diet called mEAT. I think the waiter thought I was crazy because I was SO EXCITED about everything on the menu. Anyways, long story short, the pièce de résistance was the chocolate avocado mouse that came at the end. It might have been the most decadent dessert I've ever had in my life – but it was GOOD FOR ME. I had to figure out how to make it myself. And although it's still not quite as good as mEAT's. It's pretty darn close. Check it out below!

SMOOTHIES The health benefits are undeniable in smoothies. Greens, fruits, proteins, antioxidants and more – pulverized into a tall cold delicious drink. Again, check out my Instagram Page for more smoothie ideas. I'll keep em coming because I can't get enough of them.

SWEET POTATO PORRIDGE – Looking for something warm and creamy? THIS IS THE STUFF. I wrote to my friend Leslie about alternative gluten-free breakfast ideas and created this baby on accident. It has been my best friend on cold Chicago Winter nights. And of course, everything in it is meant for a nourishing meal. Sweet potatoes contain high amounts of fiber, potassium, vitamins (particularly vitamin A and beta carotene), and minerals, and low amounts of sodium. Add a boost of protein with almond butter, healthy fat with coconut oil, and anti-inflammatory spices like cinnamon, and you're golden. I'll follow up with a more detailed recipe, but the basics are this – throw roasted sweet potatoes, half a banana, a teaspoon or 2 of almond butter, coconut oil, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice in a bowl and mash it up.

SWEET:
[See cool & creamy]

TEA & HONEY – Sometimes, when I have the slightest craving for something sweet, instead of reaching for chocolate or candy, I simply make a cup of tea and add some really great honey to it. Honey is so good for you. Among other things, it has energy boosting benefits and can reduce allergy and cold symptoms (2). Please keep in mind, though, the type of honey that you use MATTERS. I hate to break it to you but that honey bear honey in the grocery store contains some seriously processed version of the real thing – completely defeating the health benefits of the good stuff. I picked up some INCREDIBLE honey from the farmer's market in San Francisco from this brand. But you can't go wrong with Trader Joe's raw honey. Combine it with a good quality Chai tea, splash in some whole milk or coconut milk and a dash of cinnamon, and you've got this healthy powerhouse in a cup that warms your bones. 

GINGER CANDY – If ever I had to fess up to an addiction, it would have to be ginger candy. I literally don't think I've gone one weekday in the last 5 years without a piece of ginger candy. It's my go-to treat after lunch at my desk. If I run out of them, I freak out. Ginger has been shown to reduce inflammation (like digestion), stimulate circulation, reduce gas and bloating and prevent stomach ulcers (3). I feel like they freshen my breath too. And just like everything else in this post, IT'S TASTY – especially if you like spicy things. I love the Chewy Ginger Candy from the Ginger People. They're widely available and not overly sweet.

DARK CHOCOLATE – I couldn't write a craving's post without a shout out to my favorite craving of all – DARK CHOCOLATE. The dessert that keeps on giving. It's rich, it's decadent, and it's oh-so-good for you. It KILLS it in the polyphenol and antioxidant department – MUCH higher than super fruits like acai, pomegranate, cranberry and blueberry (YA, that's awesome).  And it has been shown to improve blood pressure and blood flow. But just like the honey, the quality of dark chocolate is key. The higher the cacao content, the bigger the benefits (I try to stick to 70% or higher). I keep a bag of Dark Chocolate Chips in my freezer at all times (I like this brand), and sometimes toss it with a handful of dried cranberries for a great after-dinner treat. But if I'm in the mood for something a little more serious, I take my butt to Whole Foods and drool at all of the decadent options (I'm a BIG fan of Chocolove XOXO and for a less expensive option, Trader Joe's Organic 72% Dark Chocolate bars).

CHOCO-CADO MOUSSE RECIPE

Gluten-free, Paleo-friendly

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 Avocado
  • 3-4 TPSP. Cacao Powder
  • Handful of dark chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • 1-2 TBSP. of coconut milk (if you have it on hand, the canned kind is thicker and creamier than the carton)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • A dash of honey (per your tastes)
  • A dash of sea salt (I used Hawaiian black lava sea salt)
  • Garnish ideas: Strawberry, raspberry, mint, basil, coconut shreds, pistachios, cashews

DIRECTIONS:

  • Toss all of your ingredients in a food processor/blender
  • Taste test even before it's blended all the way through
  • Too avocado-y? Add more chocolate chips or honey per your tastes
  • Put in a pretty bowl and add a pretty topping (or just eat it straight out of the blender)

Alrighty. Here's the part where I embarrass myself and ask a question to you all and nobody answers! What are you all craving? Have you invented any foods in the heat of the moment that totally hit the spot? I'd love to hear about them! COMMENT BELOW!

 

SOURCES:

  1. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/nuts-omega-6-fats/#axzz3RAe33ixG 
  2. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/10/20/health-benefits-honey.aspx 
  3. http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/white-seeber-grogan-the-remedy-chicks/health-benefits-ginger/