Paleo Nut-Free School Lunches

A couple of months before school started, my sister who owns Rocq Macarons gave me a 25-pound box of almond flour as part of my birthday present. Since her macaroons are made with almond flour, she orders thousands of pounds at the time, and gets a much better price than I get at the store. It was probably one of the best presents I have gotten,  something that I would use and enjoy for months and months and that would also save me tons of money. Fast forward to a the middle of August, my oldest daughter Lilah was about to start kindergarten and  I begun preparing for school: I made and froze 8 pounds of almond crusted chicken nuggets, several loaves of grain-free almond flour bread, 4 batches of paleo crispy waffles, a few batches of banana-nut muffins and several other make ahead, freezable school snacks. I really put that almond flour to good use!  I felt accomplished, prepared and ready for school to start…

Not so much! The very next day I found out that the school we had chosen to send our daughter, had just agreed to become a nut-free facility due to a high enrollment of children with anaphylactic-nut allergies… Back to square one!
At first I was very annoyed and inconvenienced by this, but I followed the rules anyway. Then I found out about a little girl at school  going into an anaphylactic shock because some parents were not complying with the rule. Nut allergies are serious, life threatening and they affect a lot of people. I am now 100% in support of their nut-free policy. I am glad that the school is taking extra measurements to protect their children. It’s been a little difficult to abstain from our beloved nuts, but it has forced me to come up with new recipes.

It’s been a learning process, so I decided to take daily  pictures of Lilah’s lunch box and share them with you, to help give you some paleo nut-free school lunch ideas. This is a progressive post, as the school year goes by I will be adding more lunches to the list. If you have any other ideas please share them with us in the comments. I would love more suggestions.

As for the giant box of almond flour; it now hibernates  happily at the bottom of my deep freezer, waiting for  winter, spring and summer break to come back to life.

 

The Basics

• School lunches don’t need to always be very elaborate, sometimes I have extra time to make a grain-free wrap that morning, or make a chicken salad with a homemade mayo , but sometimes I just pack leftover dinner or breakfast in her thermos, a piece of fruit a vegetable and maybe a bar or something pre-packaged but healthy.
• Although I avoid processed foods altogether, I make a few exceptions for healthy already-made packaged snacks that contain very few ingredients and that are made with only with things you would commonly find in my kitchen. I used those for days when I am pressed for time. Some of these include:
  • Chia pods (I buy them from Costco and contain only chia seeds, fruit, coconut sugar and coconut milk)
  • Plantain chips
  • Paleo Wraps
  • Mineral Crisps
  • Coconut and apple bars or fruit bars from Trader Joe’s
  • Enjoy Life Nut-Free Trail Mix
  • Go Raw cookies and cracker
  • Unsweetened sunflower butter
  • Organic Nitrate-Free deli meats
  • Grass-fed, nitrate-free jerky
  • Coconut chips. I buy these at Costco
  • Unsweetened banana chips
    
  • Love Bean raw chocolate spread
  • Pemmican
  • Unsweetened applesauce
  • Pumpkin seeds in shell
  • Wrawps (raw flatbread)
  • Coconut oil roasted seaweed
• A good lunch box and/or containers make things easier. I usually stay away from all plastic container to prevent chemicals leaching into our food, so I bought this  stainless steel insulated thermos container to pack warm dishes and a Planet Box for snacks and cold dishes. I absolutely LOVE the PlanetBox. It was a little pricey, but it is made with very sturdy stainless steel and I am sure it will last several years. I bought the one that comes with the lidded containers, the case and the ice pack. It comes with fun magnets that you can switch for a fresh new look. The thermos I bought also fits on the drink compartment of the planet box.
• Always have a good selection of fruits and veggies that you can rotate throughout the week, especially those that can be eaten without peeling or cutting: apples, carrots, persian cucumbers, snap peas, etc.

Tips To Get Your Child to Eat Healthy

• Only serve healthy choices. If you serve Mac n’ Cheese and  cucumbers, most likely your kid will only eat the Mac n Cheese, but if you serve grilled chicken, broccoli and cucumbers, most likely he/she will eat a little bit of  each.
• Talk to them about the importance of eating healthy and how unhealthy foods affect their body, their health, their play, their learning, etc. I like how this children’s story book addresses this concept.
• Go shopping with your child and encourage them to choose the fruits and veggies they would like to bring to school.
• Make them a part of packing lunch, reminding them that there should be at least one vegetable in their lunch box.
• Talk about the nutrients and benefits of every food inside their lunch box. I always point out a the healthiest item in her lunch tray and encourage that she eats that first.
  

The Lunches

1. Kale wraps: Kale leaves stuffed with tuna salad (wild planet tuna, shredded carrots, lemon and homemade easy mayo), sliced mango, bell peppers, and homemade nut-free trail mix (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut chips, raisins, banana chips, and a sea salt.
2. Turkey wraps ( turkey slices rolled around bell pepper and avocado strips), mango, olives, and a banana.
   
3. Homemade raw milk kefir mixed with applesauce, flax meal, and ground cinnamon, turkey and kale sandwich made on a homemade grain-free roll, pumpkin seeds, tangerine, and an apple + coconut bar.
4. Leftover braised short ribs, cherry tomatoes, jujubes, sweet potato pancake, Enjoy life seed and fruit mix
5. Homemade gelatin made with organic fresh-pressed grape juice and grass-fed unflavored beef gelatin, leftover chayote squash picadillo, tomatoes, snap peas, watermelon, and plantain chips.
6. Pulled pork sandwich on a grain-free roll, carrot sticks, apple slices with Love Bean Chocolate spread, cherry tomatoes and an apple banana bar.
   
7. Cheeseburger kabobs made with beef meatballs, crispy bacon slices, raw cheese, and cherry tomatoes, apple/sweet potato/carrot bake, toasted coconut chips, and cantaloup.
8. Spanish tortilla made with eggs, onions and diced turnips, plums, avocado and pumpkin spice shelled pumpkin seeds. To make the pumpkin seeds I just mixed the seeds with coconut oil, coconut sugar, and pumpkin spice and I baked them until golden brown.
9. Chicken burger ( chicken patty, homemade mayo, mustard, and lettuce leaves), steamed broccolini with sea salt, olive oil and lemon juice, rambutans, sautéed butternut squash with coconut oil, cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup, and homemade raw milk kefir with raw honey, chia seeds and bee pollen. 
10. Chicken salad cucumber cups, Paleo “granola” bar, vegetable chips, and tangerines.
11. Plantain chips with garlic bacon guacamole, rolled Iberian ham, raw broccoli, and grapes.
    
12.  Raw milk  homemade kefir with chia seeds and honey, raw green beans, grass-fed, nitrate-free jerky, avocado, cherry tomatoes and nut-free trail mix.
13.  Baba Ganoush dip, sliced organic summer sausage, carrot sticks, sliced cucumber, green beans, and a chia pod
14.  Zucchini noodles with bacon Bolognese sauce (leftover dinner), coconut oil roasted seaweed, homemade “granola” bar, mushrooms, and papaya. 
15.  Homemade roast beef/ cucumber sandwich, pomegranate (read this to learn the fastest way to seed them), sliced bell peppers, taro root chips.
16. Grain-free bread with duck pate, dulse, sliced persian cucumber, and longans.
    
17. Salad made with diced chicken, chopped tomatoes, diced cucumbers, sea salt, raw apple cider vinegar and olive oil, grapes, love bean chocolate spread and sweet plantain chips.
    
18. Banana “sushi” ( spread sunflower butter on a grain-free crepe, wrap it around a banana, slice it into sushi like pieces, and drizzle it with honey ), baba ganoush with carrot sticks, raw broccoli, and grapes.
    
19. Roast beef wrap, made with a grain free wrap, lettuce, avocado, and homemade deli-style roast beef, a persian cucumber, sliced bell peppers, Go Raw Spirulina chips and sunflower butter.
    
20. Do-it yourself chicken salad lettuce wraps, cherry tomatoes, and nut-free trail mix.
    
21. Sweet potato maple pudding (recipe coming soon), sliced chicken sausage, sliced persian cucumbers and a homemade trail mix made with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, coconut chips, and banana chips.
    
22. Meatza: made on a pre-made chicken patty with glass-jared tomato paste, Daya’s dairy-free cheese, and bacon, sliced carrots, 2-ingredient banana pancakes, sliced kiwi.
23. …

More lunches coming soon… Don’t forget to subscribe to this blog to get weekly recipes and updates.

 

 

 

Grain-Free Dinner Rolls (nut and coconut free)

I have been holding on to this grain-free dinner roll recipe for a very long time.  It is one of  the yummiest breads I’ve ever tried, even among the wheat breads I used to eat. I was waiting for a special occasion to share this, or maybe even for a book or an e-book, but my youngest one started kindergarten two weeks ago and since her school has a very strict nut-free policy, this bread rolls have made things much easier. I imagine that there are a lot of paleo parents going through the same dilemma, so this one if for you.

The best part about this bread recipe is that I can make several batches of it at the time and freeze them for later, when I am ready to eat them. I just pop them in the toaster oven for a few minutes and they are as tasty as when they were first baked.

For other bread or wrap recipes, check out my paleo bread, grain-free wrap, or cranberry pumpkin bread.

Ingredients:

1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese (use 1 cup of Daya’s cheese for a dairy-free option)
1 cup of organic tapioca flour
1 large egg, preferably room temperature
1/4 cup of softened butter or coconut oil
1/2 tsp of baking soda
salt to taste

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.
• Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
• Using your hand, mix and knead the dough until uniform.
• If the dough it too dry and powdery you may add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water, if the dough is too sticky add a little bit more flour.
• Grease or line a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with unbleached parchment paper ( I use  this stainless-steel jelly roll pan).
• Roll the dough into desired size balls. I use approximately 1/4 cup of dough for each ball
• Place the balls on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until the dinner rolls start to brown
• Eat preferably while still warm.
• Once baked these rolls can be frozen and thawed in a toaster oven when needed.

Grain-Free Dinner Roll (nut and coconut free)

Recipe Type: Bread

Cuisine: Paleo

Author: Edible Harmony

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese (use 1 cup of Daya’s cheese for a dairy-free option)
• 1 cup of tapioca flour
• 1 large egg, preferably room temperature
• 1/4 cup of softened butter or coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Using your hand, mix and knead the dough until uniform.
4. If the dough it too dry and powdery you may add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water, if it’s too sticky add a little bit or flour .
5. Grease or line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
6. Roll the dough into desired size balls. I use approximately 1/4 cup of dough for each ball
7. Place the balls on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until the dinner rolls start to brown
9. Eat preferably while still warm.
10. Once baked, these rolls can be frozen and thawed in a toaster oven when needed.

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Paleo Flourless Chocolate Cake (4 ingredients)

Besides being affordable, this Paleo Flourless Cake  is the fastest, simplest, and easiest cake recipe I know of. The cake and the ganache combined only call for 4 ingredients.

Grain-Free flours are sometimes hard to find, especially outside of the U.S. I make this cake often whenever I’m traveling abroad, because the ingredients are easy to find pretty much anywhere. A few times I haven’t been able to find a soy-free chocolate bar, so I’ve used a regular kind and it works just as well. If you can’t find unsweetened chocolate, buy the sweetened one and just decrease the amount of honey to taste.

I’ve also made this for one of my daughter’s friends who is allergic to dairy, soy, nuts, and coconut, but I used  this organic environmentally friendly palm shortening instead of the butter or the coconut oil.

I have a new-found love for this environmentally-friendly organic  palm shortening. I can use it to cook my savory dishes or to safely fry things like sweet plantains, yucca chips, vaca frita, or patacones, without leaving them tasting like coconut, butter, or lard. Not to mention that palm oil is far less expensive.

The best part is that this non hydrogenated oil comes from small-scale family farms in South America. These farmers are certified by ProForest, which ensures that they meet strict social, environmental and technical criteria. With regard to environmental criteria, the assessments are carried out at the landscape and operational level at both the farms and processing facilities. These assessments cover environmental impact on the soil, water, air, biodiversity and local communities. The lands the farmers use are not lands that were deforested.

For other treat recipes try my grain-free carrot cake,

 

Ingredients:

6 ounces of unsweetened soy-free chocolate or tempered cacao paste
3 large eggs, preferably room temperature
1/2 cup of butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup of honey or more to taste
1 tsp of vanilla (optional)
1/4 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of apple cider vinegar

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to  350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• While the oven is preheating, place the chocolate and oil in an oven safe bowl and place it in the oven until they gently melted. If you are using raw honey melt it as well.
• Allow the mixture to cool down a little bit so that the eggs don’t cook before you mix them in
• Mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
• Grease a small cake mold. I used this 6-inch soufflé dish.
• Cut a piece of parchment paper the same size as the inside of the mold and line the bottom to prevent it from sticking.
• Pour the batter in the dish and bake for 25 minutes or until the cake starts to crack in the center.
• Allow the cake to cool down.
• Using a small knife, separate the sides of the cake from the dish.
• Remove the cake from the mold by turning it upside down over a plate and pour the ganache on top.

Ingredients for the ganache:

3 ounces of unsweetened soy-free chocolate or tempered cacao paste
2 tablespoons of butter or coconut oil
2 tablespoons of honey

Preparation:

• Gently melt and combine all the ingredients together and pour over the cooled down cake.
• If the ganache is too runny, let it cool down for a few minutes.

Paleo Flourless Chocolate Cake (4 ingredients)

Recipe Type: Dessert

Cuisine: Paleo

Author: Edible Harmony

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 6 ounces of unsweetened soy-free chocolate or tempered cacao paste
• 4 large eggs, preferably room temperature
• 1/2 cup of butter or coconut oil
• 1/2 cup of honey
• INGREDIENTS FOR THE GANACHE
• 3 ounces of unsweetened soy-free chocolate or tempered cacao paste
• 2 tablespoons of butter or coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons of honey

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. While the oven is preheating, place the chocolate and oil in an oven safe bowl and place it in the oven until is gently melted. If you are using raw honey melt it as well.
3. Mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
4. Grease a small cake mold. I used this 6-inch soufflé dish.
5. Cut a piece of parchment paper the same size as the inside of the mold and line the bottom to prevent it from sticking.
6. Pour the batter in the dish and bake for 25 minutes or until the cake starts to crack in the center.
7. Allow the cake to cool down.
8. Using a small knife, separate the sides of the cake from the dish.
9. Remove the cake from the mold by turning it upside down over a plate and pour the ganache on top.
10. FOR THE GANACHE:
11. Gently melt and combine all the ingredients together and pour over the cooled down cake.
12. If the ganache is too runny, let it cool down for a few minutes.

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Crispy Banana Paleo Waffles (nut-free option)

Grain-free breakfast can be fun, diverse, and go beyond the usual bacon and eggs. Although I love bacon and eggs, sometimes I just need something sweet and crispy, yet protein and nutrient-rich.

I love this recipe because the batter can be made in seconds, but also because I can make a double or triple batch of these Crispy Banana Paleo Waffles, freeze them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag, and then pop them in the toaster straight from the freezer. Even when they have been previously frozen, they still taste fresh and crispy .

This is my go-to “hurry-up-we-are-late-for-school” breakfast!

For other breakfast ideas try my banana-scramble, tropical frittata, almond flour pancakes, orange muffins, paleo corn-flakes, or my nut-free pancakes

Ingredients:

2/3 cup of tapioca flour
½ a cup of almond flour
1 banana
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoons of baking soda

Ingredients for the nut free option:

2/3 cup of tapioca flour
1/3 cup of coconut flour
1 banana
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
3 large eggs
1/4 cup of water
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoons of baking soda

Preparation:

• Preheat your waffle maker.
• Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
• Pour the batter in the waffle maker and follow the manufacturer’s directions
• For crispier waffles, remove from the waffle maker before they start to brown and then pop in a toaster or a toaster oven until crispy.
• Eat as is or top with butter, maple syrup, berries, banana slices, whipped cream or your favorite toppings

Crispy Banana Paleo Waffles

Author: Edible Harmony

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup of tapioca flour
• ½ a cup of almond flour
• 1 banana
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoons of baking soda
• Ingredients for the nut free option:
• 2/3 cup of tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup of coconut flour
• 1 banana
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup of water
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoons of baking soda

Instructions

1. Preheat your waffle maker.
2. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
3. Pour the batter in the waffle maker and follow the manufacturer’s directions
4. For crispier waffles, remove from the waffle maker before they start to brown and then pop in a toaster or a toaster oven until crispy.
5. Eat as is or top with butter, maple syrup, berries, banana slices, whipped cream or your favorite toppings

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Primal Strawberry Cheesecake with Hazelnut Crust

Looking for an easy-but-tasty  grain-free cheesecake recipe? Look no further! Whether you are looking for a dessert to bring to a gathering or just a treat to satisfy a lazy Sunday craving, this primal strawberry cheesecake is just what you were looking for.

For the crust I used whole hazelnuts and ground them, but you can use any other type of nut you’d like, or you can use any kind of nut flour as well. If you are looking for a NUT-FREE crust use this recipe instead. You can also use blueberries, raspberries, apples, mango or any other fruit for the top layer or omit it altogether.

For other pie ideas try my strawberry rhubarb pie, mint chocolate ice cream pie, pumping cheesecake

Ingredients For The Crust

2 cups of hazelnuts or your favorite nut
1 large egg
2 tbsp of honey
2 tbsp of softened coconut oil or butter

 

Ingredients For The Cheesecake

16 ounces of cream cheese
1 cup of honey
½ cup of sour cream
1 tsp of vanilla extract
4 large eggs
½ tsp of lemon zest (optional)

 

Ingredients For The Strawberry Topping

16 ounces of frozen strawberries
1/3 cup of honey
1 tsp of lemon juice

 

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Using a food processor grind the hazelnuts into a flour-like powder, do not over-grind or it will become hazelnut butter.
• Mix the rest of the crust ingredients and pulse in to combine.
• Roll the crust dough into a ball and using your fingers, spread it and press  it at the bottom and sides of a greased pie round mold.
• Bake for 8  minutes.
• Clean the food processor and mix in all the ingredients for the cheesecake in it, you can use a blender for this as well.
• Pour the cheesecake mix on top of the crust.
• Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the cheesecake starts to crack towards the middle or is no longer runny
• For the strawberry topping, place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until it thickens to a heavy syrup consistency.
• Allow the sauce to cool down.
• Pour over the cheesecake and refrigerate.

Primal Strawberry Cheesecake with Hazelnut Crust

Recipe Type: Dessert

Cuisine: Primal

Author: Edible Harmony

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Ingredients For The Crust
• 2 cups of hazelnuts or favorite nut
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp of honey
• 2 tbsp of softened coconut oil or butter
• Ingredients For The Cheesecake
• 16 ounces of cream cheese
• 1 cup of honey
• ½ cup of sour cream
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• ½ tsp of lemon zest (optional)
• Ingredients For The Strawberry Topping
• 16 ounces of frozen strawberries
• 1/3 cup of honey
• 1 tsp of lemon juice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Using a food processor grind the hazelnuts into a flour-like powder, do not over-grind or it will become hazelnut butter.
3. Mix the rest of the crust ingredients and pulse in to combine.
4. Roll the crust dough into a ball and using your fingers, spread it and press it at the bottom and sides of a greased pie round mold.
5. Bake for 8 minutes.
6. Clean the food processor and mix in all the ingredients for the cheesecake, you can use a blender for this as well.
7. Pour the cheesecake mix on top of the crust.
8. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until the cheesecake starts to crack towards the middle or os no longer runny
9. For the strawberry topping, place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer uncovered over medium -low heat until it thickens to a heavy syrup consistency.
10. Allow the sauce to cool down.
11. Pour over the cheesecake and refrigerate.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: The links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a very small percentage. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nut-Free Paleo Pancakes

Finally a paleo pancake recipe that is light and fluffy. Not too “nutty”, too “eggy” or too “coconuty”. These nut–free paleo pancakes did seem much lighter than my usual almond flour pancakes and a much easier to flip than any other grain-free pancake recipe I’ve tried before. They are also probably the closest paleo recipe to wheat flour pancakes there is.

This recipe is for plain pancakes, but you can change it up by adding chocolate chips, unsweetened cocoa powder, banana slices, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, blueberries,  vanilla, cinnamon, raisins, etc.

For other pancake recipes, try my 2-ingredient banana pancakes, almond flour pancakes, crispy waffles or tropical frittata

Ingredients:

½ cup of tapioca flour
½ cups of coconut flour
½ cup of applesauce
6 eggs
½ to 2/3 cup of full fat coconut milk
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tbsp of coconut oil plus more for greasing the griddle

Preparation:

•  Preheat a griddle to medium/low heat and lightly coat with some coconut oil.
•  Using a blender or a whisker combine all the ingredients together until smooth. Start by using only ½ cup of coconut milk and if the mixture is too thick, then slowly add more of it until the batter has a yogurt-like consistency and it is easy to pour.
• Pour the batter onto the hot griddle forming desired sized circles.
• When the top of the pancake starts to bubble, flip and cook the other side until the center of the pancake is done.
• Remove from heat and serve with extra coconut oil, butter, nut butter, date paste, maple syrup, jam or your favorite topping.

Nut-Free Paleo Pancakes

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Cuisine: Paleo

Author: Edible Harmony

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• ½ cup of tapioca flour
• ½ cups of coconut flour
• ½ cup of applesauce
• 6 eggs
• ½ to 2/3 cup of full fat coconut milk
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1 tbsp of coconut oil plus more for greasing the griddle

Instructions

1. Preheat a griddle to medium/low heat and lightly coat with some coconut oil.
2. Using a blender or a whisker combine all the ingredients together until smooth. Start by using only ½ cup of coconut milk and if the mixture is too thick then slowly add more of it, until the batter has a yogurt-like consistency and it is easy to pour.
3. Pour the batter onto the hot griddle forming desired sized circles.
4. When the top of the pancake starts to bubble, flip and cook the other side until the center of the pancake is done.
5. Remove from heat and serve with extra coconut oil, butter, nut butter, date paste, maple syrup, jam or your favorite topping.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: The links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a very small percentage. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Paleo “Corn” Flakes

So simple, yet so tasty! This Paleo Corn Flakes recipe is my attempt to win my nephews’ heart and a way to redeem myself from too many not-so-child-approved meals.

In case you were wondering why I have been so “quiet” lately, I have 8 relatives visiting from Costa Rica for the holidays and  they will be staying with me for about 3 weeks… Yes! It sounds a little unusual on this side of the world, but remember that I am hispanic and to us it is totally normal, expected, and fun. I am currently on day 8 and I must admit that it is a little bit more work than I thought. Right when I finish a meal and clean the kitchen, it is already time to get the next meal started. On the plus side, I am getting lots of help keeping the girls entertained and the house clean. They are even doing my laundry.

The most challenging thing so far, has been getting my 3 nephews to try new foods. As most Costa Ricans, their main staple is rice and they are not completely sold on the idea of being grain-free. Luckily the adults are being surprisingly embracing of this way of eating.

For this recipe I used Coconut Chips from Tropical Traditions, they are much larger than the regular shredded coconut or coconut flakes, but any other larger-flaked brand should work. I served it with coconut milk and fresh blueberries and it was a big hit.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of water
¼ cup of coconut sugar
¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
2 cups of coconut chips or large coconut flakes

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit
• In a large bowl combine the water, coconut sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon.
• Whisk until the coconut sugar is almost dissolved
• Add the coconut chips and mix until it is uniformly coated with the sugar-water mixture
• Let stand for 2-3 minutes
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
• Spread the coconut chips over the paper, forming a single thin layer
• Bake for 15 minutes
• Carefully move around and separate the coconut flakes
• Place the coconut back in the oven.
• Close the oven door.
• Shut the oven off and leave the Paleo Corn Flakes there for an additional 15-20 minutes or until they are crispy.
• Eat as is or with your toppings and milk of choice.
• Store in an airtight container
• If the chips become stale, you can bake them again for a few minutes to draw the moisture out again and make them crispy

Paleo “Corn” Flakes

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Cuisine: Paleo

Author: Edible Harmony

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of water
• ¼ cup of coconut sugar
• ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 2 cups of coconut chips or large coconut flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit
2. In a large bowl combine the water, coconut sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon.
3. Whisk until the coconut sugar is almost dissolved
4. Add the coconut chips and mix until it is uniformly coated with the sugar water mixture
5. Let stand for 2-3 minutes
6. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
7. Spread the coconut chips over the paper, forming a single thin layer
8. Bake for 15 minutes
9. Carefully move around and separate the coconut flakes
10. Place the coconut back in the oven.
11. Close the oven door.
12. Shut the oven off and leave the Paleo Corn Flakes there for an additional 15-20 minutes or until they are crispy.
13. Eat as is or with your toppings and milk of choice.
14. Store in an airtight container
15. If the chips become stale, you can bake them again for a few minutes to draw the moisture out again and make them crispy

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Cranberry Sage Turkey Meatballs

A perfect appetizer for holiday gatherings, potlucks or any other get-together, Cranberry Sage Turkey Meatballs are a great make ahead dish. I usually keep a batch in my freezer and simply pop them in my toaster over for a few minutes.

This year, my daughter Lilah is on a nontraditional preschool schedule. She goes to school from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm. This means that lunch has to be served at 11:30 am,  only 2 hours after she finishes breakfast. I’ve been having a hard time trying to incorporate an early lunch making time in my morning routine, so we have been surviving with salads, frozen homemade chicken nuggets, cucumber roast beef sandwiches and anything that I can put together in 15 minutes or less. These Cranberry Sage Turkey Meatballs have added some variety and the girls just love them.

I recommend you use fresh ground turkey instead of previously frozen because it is much easier to work with. Previously frozen turkey can be watery, mushy and hard to roll into balls, but you can try wrapping the turkey with a kitchen towel and squeezing some of the moisture out. The glaze is optional, as the meatballs themselves are flavorful enough to eat as it.

You can also omit the dry cranberries and replace the glaze with a cranberry sauce.

Ingredients:

1 pound of ground turkey
½ cup of dry cranberries
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped sage
¼ cup of pine nuts (optional)
½ tsp of red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tsp of dry thyme
salt to taste
¼ cup arrowroot powder (optional)

Ingredients for the optional glaze:

1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup of coconut aminos
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tsp of arrowroot powder

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients for the meatballs except for the arrowroot powder.
• Roll the mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls.
• If the turkey is too sticky or hard to roll, dust your hands and rolling surface with arrowroot powder.
• Place the turkey balls in a greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until fully cooked (cut a turkey ball in half to make sure they are no longer pink in the inside).
• While the turkey balls are baking combine all the ingredients for the glaze un a small saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook uncovered until the sauce has thicken into a gravy-like consistency.
• Remove the turkey meatballs from the oven, brush lightly with the glaze and serve.

Cranberry Sage Turkey Meatballs

Recipe Type: Appetizer

Cuisine: Paleo

Author: Edible Harmony

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1 pound of ground turkey
• ½ cup of dry cranberries
• 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped sage
• ¼ cup of pine nuts (optional)
• ½ tsp of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tsp of dry thyme
• salt to taste
• ¼ cup arrowroot powder (optional)
• Ingredients for the optional glaze:
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup of coconut aminos
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tsp of arrowroot powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients for the meatballs except for the arrowroot powder.
3. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls.
4. If the turkey is too sticky or hard to roll, dust your hands and rolling surface with arrowroot powder.
5. Place the turkey balls in a greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until fully cooked (cut a turkey ball in half to make sure they are no longer pink in the inside).
7. While the turkey balls are baking combine all the ingredients for the glaze un a small saucepan.
8. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook uncovered until the sauce has thicken into a gravy-like consistency.
9. Remove the turkey meatballs from the oven, brush lightly with the glaze and serve.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: The links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a very small percentage. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Paleo Nutmeal (oatmeal)(nut-free option)

My grain-free, protein rich version of a traditional comforting breakfast: Paleo Nutmeal

Oatmeal brings me tons of childhood memories. Growing up I was an extremely picky eater, there were about 5 things I could tolerate, but they needed to be spaced out with at least a week in between. Needless to say, meal times were always a torture. There were only three things that I looked forward to regularly: macaroni and cheese, flan, and oatmeal. Since then oatmeal has been sort of a comfort food for me and somehow my oldest daughter now feels the same way about it. Luckily for me, she eats most anything I put on her plate, but Paleo Nutmeal is something she always looks forward to.

If you don’t like cashews or you do not want to use a blender you can replace the cashews, water and dates for 1 1/4 cup of sweetened almond milk, Here is my recipe for it.

For a NUT-FREE version replace the cashew nuts and water for 1 1/4 cup of coconut milk.

For other sweet breakfast treats try my banana scramble, cream of chocolate or crispy paleo waffles

Ingredients:

1 large egg

1 tbsp of coconut flour

1 tbsp of  coconut oil

1 cup of water

1/4 cup of cashew or macadamia nuts

3-4 pitted dates or sweetener or choice

1/4 tsp of vanilla extract

a pinch of salt

1 tbsp of hemp seeds (optional)

Optional toppings: raisins, cinnamon, shredded coconut, lucuma powder, sliced bananas, chopped nuts, berries

 

Preparation:

• Using a blender combine all the ingredients together, except the hemp seeds.Blend until the nuts are finely ground.
• Pour the mixture in small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• When most of the  liquid is absorbed, remove from heat, mix in the hemp seeds and desired toppings, and serve. You may add more water or almond milk if the consistency is too dry.

Paleo Nutmeal (oatmeal)

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Cuisine: Paleo

Author: Edible Harmony

Prep time: 3 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 8 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• Ingredients:
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp of coconut flour
• 1 tbsp of coconut oil
• 1 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of cashew nuts
• 3-4 pitted dates or sweetener or choice
• 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp of hemp seeds (optional)
• Optional toppings: raisins, cinnamon, shredded coconut, lucuma powder, sliced bananas, chopped nuts, berries

Instructions

1. Using a blender combine all the ingredients together, except the hemp seeds. Blend until the nuts are finely ground.
2. Pour the mixture in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking at the bottom of the pan.
3. When most of the liquid is absorbed, remove from heat, mix in the hemp seeds and desired toppings, and serve. You may add more water or almond meal if the consistency is too dry.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: The links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a very small percentage. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Chocolate Pumpkin Coffee Cake (Paleo)

A mixture between a brownie, a pumpkin bar, and a spongy cake, this Chocolate Pumpkin Coffee Cake satisfied the two polar opposite palates in my house: “the chocoholic” and the “spice-junkie”. My husband is a true chocolate lover, everything to him is better with chocolate on top. Me on the other hand, I am a fan of vanilla, cinnamon, and spices.  We can never agree on desserts, but this one was satisfying to both.

My next step is to get him to like spicy foods, curries, organ meats, coconut, avocado… yes AVOCADO! Who doesn’t like avocado? The guy who orders a hamburger with bacon, peanut butter and jelly on a gluten-free bread, or that adds sprite to his red wine. Apparently it is a popular drink in Spain, called “Tinto de Verano”. Someone call the “paleo police”, he can’t behave in restaurants. Do you stick to your  dietary preferences or restrictions even when eating out?

For this recipe I used my immersion blender to combine all the ingredients, because it is the fastest kitchen tool to clean, but you could certainly use your food processor, or electric mixer. The goal is to fully incorporate the coconut oil with the rest of the ingredients until there are no more chunks in the batter. If your coconut oil is melted (but cool) and your eggs are room temperature, you could even mix it all up with just a spatula.

For other pumpkin desserts try my pumpkin cheese cake, pumpkin butter, pumpkin custard, pumpkin ice cream, or pumpkin spice coffee creamer.

Ingredients

2 cups of almond flour
¼ cup of coconut flour
6 large eggs
½ cup of coconut oil
1 teaspoon of baking soda
3/4 cup of honey
½ cup of unsweetened cocoa
½ cup of pumpkin puree
1 large egg
½ tablespoon of pumpkin spice (or 1 ½ tsp of cinnamon,¼ tsp of ground clove,¼ tsp of ground ginger,¼ tsp of ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp of ground cardamom)

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Using an electric mixer, food processor, or immersion blender, mix the almond flour, coconut flour, coconut oil, baking soda,  honey and 6 eggs, until well combined.
• Scoop 2 cups of this batter and place in a separate bowl.
• Mix in the  2 cups of batter you set aside with the unsweetened cocoa and transfer the chocolate layer into a greased 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
• Mix in the pumpkin puree, spices and 1 egg with the remaining batter.
• Pour the pumpkin layer over the chocolate batter.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out dry.

Chocolate Pumpkin Coffee Cake (Paleo)

Recipe Type: Dessert

Cuisine: Paleo

Author: Edible Harmony

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 2 cups of almond flour
• ¼ cup of coconut flour
• 6 large eggs
• ½ cup of coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 3/4 cup of honey
• ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa
• ½ cup of pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• ½ tablespoon of pumpkin spice (or 1 ½ tsp of cinnamon,¼ tsp of ground clove,¼ tsp of ground ginger,¼ tsp of ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp of ground cardamom)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Using an electric mixer, food processor, or immersion blender, mix the almond flour, coconut flour, coconut oil, baking soda, honey and 6 eggs, until well combined.
3. Scoop 2 cups of this batter and place in a separate bowl.
4. Mix in the 2 cups of batter you set aside with the unsweetened cocoa and transfer the chocolate layer into a greased 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
5. Mix in the pumpkin puree, spices and 1 egg with the remaining batter.
6. Pour the pumpkin layer over the chocolate batter.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out dry.

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Recommended products and offers:

Disclosure of Material Connection: The links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a very small percentage. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”