Recipes

2/3/2017 1 Comment

Pumpkin Walnut Pancakes

Pancakes are always a big hit with guests and children.

Additionally, they store well and can be made ahead for an easy weekday breakfast. But don’t underestimate the potential of pancakes for dinner! Alongside your favorite steamed veggies, or a light soup, these pancakes make a satisfying dinner. These pancakes are packed with omega 3 fatty acids. For a twist, try using another winter squash in place of the pumpkin. Simply cut the squash in half, seed, and spread coconut oil or butter on the cooked half, then bake, cut side down on a baking dish at 350° for 45 minutes. Spoon out the flesh and mash or blend and use in place of the pumpkin puree.

Prep
½ cup walnuts

Chop walnuts.

Heat a pancake griddle to medium, or 350°.

Pancakes
½ cup almond flour
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1 tablespoon chia seeds
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger, ground
½ teaspoon nutmeg, ground
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup pumpkin puree
3 eggs
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
coconut oil for cooking pancakes

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together wet ingredients in a small bowl. Add wet to dry ingredients, stirring just long enough to mix. Some lumps will remain in the batter.

Add enough coconut oil to the pan to grease the center.

Pour batter in approximately ¼ cupsful onto pan and spread out into pancake shape (the batter will be a bit thick and need some help to form a circle)

Cook for about 3-4 minutes on the first side, carefully flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the second side. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more coconut oil to the pan as needed

Serve
Serve along with slices of your favorite fruit and pure maple syrup or applesauce.

Preparation: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

1 Comment

1/20/2017 1 Comment

Festival Chicken Stir-Fry

The secret to a good stir-fry is preparation!

Have all of the ingredients chopped and measured and at the ready when you begin heating the oil. This recipe uses pre-cooked chicken, so you don’t have to worry about timing the cooking of the raw meat. I like stir-frys because they are an easy way to incorporate beneficial spices that taste good. Plus, kids like it and it makes for great leftovers. Coconut aminos are a product made from the sap of the coconut tree. They are a sustainable, soy-free alternative to soy sauce for those who prefer to avoid soy. This recipe is packed full of turmeric, which is a potent anti-inflammatory. It has been used in Chinese and Indian medicine for centuries, and growing evidence demonstrates that turmeric offers protection against neurodegenerative diseases.

Prep
Sprouted rice or quinoa
1 shallot
2 cups shiitake mushrooms
2 cups broccoli florets
3 large carrots
6 cloves garlic
1½ inch piece ginger
2 cups chicken, cooked
1 lime

Cook quinoa or rice according to package directions, to make 2 cups cooked grains.

Finely chop shallots. Roughly chop mushrooms, and broccoli. Thinly slice carrots. Mince or finely chop garlic, grate ginger. Shred or roughly chop chicken meat. Slice lime into wedges.

Stir-fry
2 tablespoons coconut oil
½ cup coconut aminos
½ teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 tablespoon turmeric
½ cup sugar snap peas

Heat coconut oil in a wok or large skillet. Add shallots and cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and ginger, then carrots and broccoli; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in coconut aminos, salt and turmeric. Add peas and chicken; cook long enough to warm chicken.

Serve
Serve over rice or quinoa with lime wedges.

Preparation: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

1 Comment

12/30/2016 2 Comments

Almond Baked Chicken

Image source: Flickr user preppybyday

This is a great dish to make with children. Younger kids love dipping the chicken pieces in egg and the flour mix, while older kids can practice their knife skills with the vegetables. Feel free to substitute veggies that your family enjoys. Generally, roasting is a wonderful way to introduce new veggies, as roasting intensifies the natural sweetness of many vegetables. Almond flour is lovely in this dish, in addition to the many health benefits of almonds; it creates a satisfying crunchy crust for the baked chicken. Almonds are excellent sources of biotin, vitamin E, manganese and copper. These vitamins and minerals help your body to lower LDL cholesterol. Coconut milk makes a fine substitute for eggs if you so desire.

Prep
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 eggs
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 carrots
1 shallot
4 cloves garlic
handful fresh green beans or asparagus
3 tablespoons coconut oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare the baking dish for the chicken by lining it with aluminum foil and placing a rack in the dish, set aside.

Slice shallot and carrots, peel garlic cloves. Toss carrots, shallot, garlic and green beans or asparagus with coconut oil and place in another baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Slice chicken breast into strips. Pluck leaves from thyme.

Lightly beat eggs in a small bowl.

Coat
1½ cup almond flour
1½ teaspoons coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Mix thyme leaves along with almond flour, sea salt, pepper, sage, turmeric and garlic powder in a small bowl.

Dip the chicken pieces individually into the eggs, and then coat them with the almond flour mixture. Place on baking rack.

Bake
Once all the pieces are coated, place the chicken in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°, turning midway through. When the chicken has been baking for 15 minutes or so, add the veggies to the oven, continue baking along with the chicken, stirring occasionally.

Serve
Serve roasted veggies along with the chicken strips.

Preparation: 60 minutes
Serves: 4

2 Comments

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