Date-Nut Quick Bread

“I’ve heard it said that when you die you enter a room of bright light, and that you can smell bread baking just around the corner.” ~ Rick Bass

Looking for a bread that’s light, moist and with a little sweetness to it? Then this is your baby. Make a schmear or just pat a dab of butter on top – this ones definitely a keeper. If less carbohydrates are desired, reduce the quantity of dates and make up for the difference with the sweetener of choice. And for kids, you can switch out some of the dates with raisins. Enjoy 🙂

WHEAT FREE DATE NUT QUICK BREAD

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup almond flour/meal
1/3 cup ground golden flaxseeds
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup pitted dates, chopped
1/2 cup chopped almonds or pecans
2 eggs
1 egg white
1/4 cup butter, coconut oil, or extra light olive oil, melted and cooled (I used butter)
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tsp EVOO (for extra moistness)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease an 8 1/2 inch by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, sift together the almond flour, flaxseeds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Add the dates and pecans or almonds to combine.

In a small bowl combine egg white, eggs, butter or oil, and buttermilk and beat lightly to break up the yolks. Add the EVOO and mix together. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix thoroughly, just until moistened. Spoon the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean and the bread is firm yet springy to the touch.

Braised Pot Roast with Vegetables

“The smell of roasting meat together with that of burning fruit wood and dried herbs, as voluptuous as incense in a church, is enough to turn anyone into a budding gastronome” ~ Claudia Roden, food writer, ‘Picnic’

Does this look like your typical roast beef dinner? You betcha. But check it – there’s no wheat in this dish. And this is done by using coconut flour as a thickener for gravies and sauces instead of using wheat flour or cornstarch. It’s a total win/win situation here – not only is this a delicious meal, but your also eliminating any health risks associated with wheat flours.

So yes … you can carry on with your wheat less lifestyle, continue to eat like a king or queen, and still not miss out on all those scrumptious meals. What’s not to love?!?!? Enjoy

Braised Pot Roast With Vegetables
Total cooking time – 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients

1 – 1/2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 can (15 oz) beef broth
1/2 cup red wine or beef broth
1 tsp gluten free soy sauce
2 tsp EVOO
1 bay leaf
3/4 lb parsnips, peeled and sliced
2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
2 cups carrots, sliced
2 tbls coconut flour
1/4 c water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Season the beef with the oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. In a bowl combine the broth, wine or broth, soy sauce. Set aside.

In a Dutch oven or ovenproof pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Cook the beef for two minutes per side or until browned. Remove from heat and stir in the reserved broth mixture and bay leaf. Cover and bake for one and half hours. Add the parsnips, onions, and carrots. Cover and return to the oven. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the meat and vegetables are tender.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the beef and vegetables to a serving platter. Set the pot over medium-high heat. In a small bowl whisk the coconut flour and water. Gradually add to the pan gravy and cook, whisking constantly for four minutes, or until thickened. Remove the bay leaf and pour the sauce over the beef and vegetables.

And here we go, the complete dinner – yummo !!

Triple Berry Wheat Free Muffin

These quick muffins are the perfect go to breakfast meals for that person who’s always on the run – running to take the kids to school, running to catch the train or bus to work, running off to the gym or your home gym for that workout. And the reason I say this is because they’re a little high in calories (500 if your counting). But if your always on the go, chances are your metabolism is naturally high; and if your one to have a morning workout routine, these calories will burn off in no time.

“Quick muffins” are packed with healthy ingredients, plenty of protein and those good-for-you fats … so indulge and enjoy. And remember, you don’t have to follow these recipes verbatim – have some fun and be creative; add your own mix of fruit to your liking.

This Triple Berry Muffin is the one I made today, which btw – turned out a lot more flavorful than the yesterdays plain jane. Gotta love those berries. And because of the size of this bad boy, I only ate half. So enjoy 🙂

Triple Berry Wheat Free Muffin

Ingredients

1/2 c all-purpose baking mix
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Sweetener equivalent to 1 tbls sugar
Pinch of sea salt
1 egg
2 tbls milk
1 tbls melted butter
1/4 c frozen or fresh mixed berries (I used raspberries, strawberries and huckleberries)

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the baking mix, cinnamon, sweetener, and salt. In a separate bowl whisk the egg first, then add to the dry ingredients. Next add the milk, butter and berries and mix thoroughly. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixture into a large mug or a 10 ounce ramekin.

Microwave on high power for 2 1/2 minutes and check with a wooden pick (comes out clean) to see if its done. I zapped for an additional 30 seconds because I used frozen berries and more time was needed to cook thoroughly. If using fresh berries, microwave for a minute and a half. Allow five minutes to cool.

Apple Spice Quick Muffin

“Now for the tea of our host; Now for the rollicking bun; Now for the muffin and toast; Now for the gay Sally Lunn!” ~ William Shakespeare

This is one of those mixes I probably should have tasted before popping it into the microwave, because the muffin wound up tasting really bland. I thought for sure the applesauce would put a little sweetness into it, along with the sugar, but it did not.

However cooking IS all about trial and error. And since this was my first attempt at making one of these quick muffins, I really can’t complain. It was still fluffy, moist, and very easy breezy to make – 10 minutes tops !! And if your counting calories, it falls at 506. Now I know – next time I’ll add a little somethin’ somethin’ to it to make it a bit more flavorable.

But for now … what a great way to start my morning. I got it happening with a cup of coffee, catching up on some reading, and just chillin before plunging into some hard-core exercising with Tony Horton (and if you know who he is, then you’ll fully understand why we have this love/hate thing going on right about now).

So enjoy 🙂

Apple Spice Quick Muffin

Ingredients

1/2 c all purpose baking mix
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Sweetener, equivalent to 1 tsp sugar
Pinch of sea salt
1 egg
2 tbls unsweetened applesauce
1 tbls melted butter

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the baking mix, cinnamon, nutmeg, sweetener and salt. Whisk the egg, and then mix it into the dry ingredients. Add the applesauce and butter, and blend together thoroughly. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixture into a large mug or a 10-ounce ramekin.

Microwave on high power for two minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for five minutes.

Cajun Chicken Cutlets

“When the taste changes with every bite and the last bite is as good as the first, that’s Cajun” ~ Paul Prudhomme

Need a quick and easy meal for dinner? And one that is simply delish too? Well this Cajun chicken meal hit it spot on – only took 30 minutes to prep and bake, and the taste did not disappoint in the least. Serve it on top a bed of spaghetti squash and with a side of green bean casserole – mmm mmm good. And as the Cajun Cook Justin Wilson used to say “I Gawr-On-Tee” you’ll love it.

Enjoy 🙂

Cajun Chicken Cutlets

Ingredients

3 tbls mayonnaise
2 tbls almond meal/flour
1 tbls Cajun seasoning mix (see recipe)
1 tsp Sriracha or hot pepper sauce (optional)
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, almond meal/flour, seasoning mix, Sriracha or hot pepper sauce if desired, and salt. Place the chicken breast on the baking sheet and brush the tops evenly with the mayonnaise mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes or until thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 165 degrees and the juices run clear. If additional browning is desired, broil for 2 to 3 minutes more.

Green Bean Casserole

“Go vegetable heavy. Reverse the psychology of your plate by making meat the side dish and vegetables the main course” ~ Bobby Flay

Casseroles always remind me of the holidays – they’re one of those side dishes that go really well with that big turkey dinner. And if you’re a big green bean casserole lover, you know it’s those crispy onions rings that make this dish complete. But unfortunately the onion rings typically used are the ones from a can, which are no doubt coated in bread crumbs and deep-fried in oil. So you can imagine how surprised and excited I was to find this recipe in the wheat belly cookbook.

But check it out because this recipe nails it. It’s creamy, tasty, and has the same onion ring topping as your holiday green bean casserole – but without the wheat. Now that’s what I’m talking about !! Enjoy 🙂

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

4 tbls butter or coconut oil
1 lrg onion, sliced into rings
1/4 c golden flaxseeds
1 red onion chopped
4 oz sliced button mushrooms
1 bag (16 oz) frozen green beans, thawed
1 c chicken broth
8 oz cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 tbls grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp ground red pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 1 to 2 quart shallow baking dish.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter or oil. And the onion rings and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Place the flaxseeds on a large plate. Add the browned onion rings and toss with the flaxseeds to coat. Set aside.

In the same skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter or oil. Cook the chopped onion and mushroom for eight minutes, or until most of the liquid has absorbed. Add the green beans and broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cream cheese until melted. Stir in the Parmesan and red pepper. Pour into the baking dish. Arrange the onion rings over the top.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Simply Delicious Basic Bread

“What must you break apart in order to bring a family close together? Bread, of course” ~ Jodi Picoult, The Storyteller

This basic bread is by far the best loaf I’ve made so far – moist, flavorful … absolutely perfect. And I believe the secret was that I added a little EVOO to the mix, only because I worried it would be too dry. Nice call on my part.

And for future reference – there are a couple other variations for this bread that you may want to try (I haven’t yet, but as soon as I do a picture will be posted). You can either:

• Add 2 tsp cinnamon, another 3 tablespoons of xylitol, and 1/2 to 3/4 cup raisins for cinnamon raisin bread.
• Add garlic powder to the flour and grated Parmesan or Romano cheese sprinkled on top for garlic bread.
• And orange peel, additional cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and clove for a spicy orange bread.

The xylitol is an optional ingredient. Whether to add it or not is up to you. However by adding the xylitol, it adds a nice browning effect to the bread surface. Enjoy 🙂 and bon appetit

Basic Bread

Ingredients

1-1/4 c blanched almond flour
1/4 c + 2 tbls garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
1/4 c ground golden flaxseeds
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
5 eggs, separated
1/4 c butter, melted
1 tbls buttermilk
1 tbls xylitol or 4 drops liquid stevia
1 tbls EVOO

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease an 8″x4″ loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, garbanzo bean flour, flaxseeds, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.

In a mixer, blend the egg yolks, butter, buttermilk, and xylitol or Stevia. Now you can add the EVOO. Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended.

In a large bowl and using an electric mixer on high, beat the egg whites until soft peaks forms. Pour into the flour mixture and pulse until the egg whites are evenly distributed, but do not run the machine at a constant speed. Spread into the pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely on a rack. Simply delish

Roast Beef and Corned Beef Smammies

“Too few people understand a really good sandwich” ~ James Beard

(and I do apologize for the half roast beef sandwich on the left, but I was hungry, got a little carried away, and ate half of it before I realized I needed to snap a pic – my bad !)

Sandwiches for lunch – ham sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, even P&J’s are your typical go to foods in the afternoon. But why not shake it up a bit with a couple of hearty sandwiches, or should I call them smammies, without the wheat, the rye bread and the gluten. If your interested check out these two easy breezy but really yummy recipes. And just a little FYI – I don’t normally keep corned beef in the fridge, but because St. Patricks day was only 2 days ago, well … whats not to love about leftovers. Enjoy 🙂

Roast Beef Sandwich with Horseradish Mayonnaise

Ingredients

1/4 cup mayo (see recipe)
2 tsp horseradish
Sandwich bread (see recipe)
Roast beef – couple slices
Swiss, Provolone, or Asiago cheese
1/4 small red onion sliced thin

Directions

In a small bowl combine the mayo and horseradish. Spread the mayo mixture on two slices of bread. On one slice of bread, layer the roast beef, cheese and onion – then spread the remaining mayo mix on top. Top with last slice of bread. You can microwave the sandwich for 20 seconds to melt the cheese. Mmmm mmmm good !!

Corned Beef Sandwich

Ingredients

Homemade Thousand Island dressing (see recipe)
Corned beef – couple slices
Swiss, Provolone, or Asiago cheese
1 jar Sauerkraut (drained)
Sandwich bread (see recipe)

Basically the same directions as above, but with a little variation. And because I just love a warm corned beef sandwich, I zapped the sauerkraut and corned beef in the microwave for about 30 seconds before layering.

Directions

Spread thousand island dressing on two slices of bread. On one slice of bread, layer the corned beef, cheese and sauerkraut. Top with last slice of bread. You can microwave the sandwich for 20 seconds to melt the cheese. Another mmmm mmmm good smammie.

Mayonnaise

This recipe will make about 1 1/4 cup of mayonnaise. All ingredients should be at room temperature. You can also add paprika and dill to the mayo to spice it up a bit.

Mayonnaise

Ingredients

3 egg yolks
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 cups EVOO
1/4 cup white vinegar

Instructions

Either in a food processor or a blender, combine the yolks, mustard and salt and pulse or blend at high speed. Slowly pour in the oil over several minutes and process or blend until the mixture thickens. Add the vinegar and process until combined.

This should be stored in an airtight container for up to a week, so if your not planning on using this much mayo over that course of time, cut the ingredients in half.

Basic Sandwich Bread

This sandwich bread is one of the few recipes that takes a little longer than 30 minutes to bake – but if made ahead of time, it will allow you to create sandwiches and other dishes within 30 minutes.

Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose baking mix (see below)
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
5 eggs, separated
1/4 c butter or coconut oil, melted
1 tbls buttermilk or coconut milk (canned or carton variety)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° – grease an 8×4 loaf pan.

In a food processor, combine the baking mix, baking powder and salt. Pulse until well blended. Add the egg yolks, butter or coconut oil, buttermilk or coconut milk. Pulse until blended.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer on high-speed, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Pour into the flour mixture and pulse until the egg whites are evenly distributed, but do not run the machine at a constant speed.

Spread into the pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until wooden pick comes out clean.

All Purpose Baking Mix

Ingredients

4 c almond meal/flour
1 c ground golden flaxseeds
1/4 c coconut flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground psyllium seed (optional)

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together all of the above ingredients. Store in an airtight container, preferably in the refrigerator.