Category: Fresh Recipes

Lemon, Raisin, Carrot and Banana Cupcake Muffins

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*Grain Free *Gluten Free *Primal

I created this recipe one night when I was craving something sweet after dinner. I wanted to indulge a little but still have something nutritious.  So I came up with these Cupcake Muffins. They clearly have an identity complex- and that’s fine by me.  By using coconut palm sugar, these cupcake muffins are just sweet enough and are far lower in sugar, calories, and carbohydrates than commercial muffins and cupcakes. If you want to treat them like a cupcake, just add a little of your favorite frosting on top of each one. In the picture above, I added a dollop of coconut flavored yogurt on top. They are a dense and filling treat, pre-workout snack or grab and go breakfast for the week.

Recipe:

1 cup Almond Meal
3 Tbsp Tapioca Starch
1/4 cup Raisins
7 Grated Baby Carrots
2 Tbsp Melted Kerry Gold Butter
7 tsp Coconut Palm Sugar
2 Cage Free Eggs
1/2 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Banana
1 Tbsp Lemon Zest

Mix all ingredients together until smooth.
Scoop into greased muffin tin and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Makes 12 muffins

Macro Breakdown:
150 Kcal
10 g Fat
11 g Carbs
4 g Protein

Mediterranea Zucchini “Pasta Noodles”

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Since eliminating most grains and wheat from my diet, I have been struggling with substitutions for pasta. I like using spaghetti squash, but it can be hard to find in the spring and summer months. Then I came across zucchini noodles- which are basically just zucchini sliced with a julienne slicer. Now I am hooked. I enjoy the consistency of zucchini “pasta” more than I did spaghetti squash, as it has a consistency much closer to pasta. No matter what sort of diet you follow, an abundance of vegetables are always encouraged. This recipe for Zucchini noodles replaces the starchy pasta noodles, that would normally spike blood sugar and be stored as fat, with fiber rich zucchini that pairs well with just about anything you top it with. The entire recipe can be made in 20 minutes from start to finish. The best thing about zucchini noodles is you can eat a larger portion for very little calories, around 320 for half the recipe. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I have.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Large Zucchini

1 Can White Albacore Tuna (you can substitute chicken breast or ground grass-fed beef also)

1/3 Cup Chopped Red Onion

1/3 Cup Sliced Sun-dried Tomatoes

1/3 Cup Sliced Kalamata Olives

1/4 Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese

1 Tbsp Oregano

1 Tbsp Basil

1 Tbsp Fresh Minced Garlic

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Sea Salt to taste

Cayenne Pepper flakes to taste.

RECIPE:

Using a julienne peeler, julienne all zucchini lengthwise. Set aside.

In a large sauce pan or skillet, Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat.

Add red onion, saute til slightly softened- About 5 minutes.

Add garlic and sun-dried tomato. Cook 2 minutes.

Add zucchini, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Cook for 2 minutes

Add Tuna, Oregano, Basil and Olives. Stir all ingredients together. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.

Zucchini should be softened but not mushy.

Next add crumbled goat cheese and stir. Cook until it softens if you prefer a creamy sauce consistency.

Top with sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Dig in!

Makes Two Servings (use one large zucchini per person to increase recipe. ex: 4 People=4 Zucchini)

 

 

 

 

Primal/Gluten-Free Personal Pizza

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I have been practicing mastering the perfect Primal pizza since I gave up grains and all things wheat. I have failed every time. Until now. The pizza always came out crumbly and not like the pizza crusts I grew up loving so much. I wanted something I could load with nutritious and delicious ingredients that would stand up to the challenge… and the crust HAD to be crispy. Although Tapioca Starch is lacking in nutrition, it is the reason this crust works and is sort of the saving grace. So we will let it slide until I find something that works as well.

So here is the the recipe for the best pizza crust I have created so far. I used a pie pan to achieve a perfect circle and to keep it portion controlled. You could very easily split this pizza in half for two people and have it with a salad for a very well rounded dinner or lunch. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Almond Meal

2 TBSP Tapioca Starch

1 tsp Dried Oregano

1/2 tsp Dried Basil

1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes, for heat (Optional)

1/2 tsp Fresh Minced Garlic

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1 Egg

1/3 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

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DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425

Grease a 9X9 pie pan

Combine Dry ingredients and whisk together to combine and break up clumps.

Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix together well.

*This recipe is runny, unlike traditional pizza dough- so the pie pan works best.

Bake dough 15- 20 minutes until it starts to become solid and slightly golden around the sides

In the meantime, prepare the ingredients you would like to top your pizza with.

I used:

Bell pepper

Cherry Tomato

Kalamata olives

Shredded Italian Cheese

Goat Cheese Crumbles

Fresh Lemon Basil

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Take pizza out of oven and top with ingredients. Bake another 10-15 minutes. I also turned the broiler on for the last few minutes to make the cheese golden and the crust nice and crispy.

Enjoy!

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Creamy Avocado “Top Anything!” Dressing

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This super creamy avocado dressing is a nutrition powerhouse. Loaded with fiber and healthy fat, it is the perfect creamy alternative to store bought dressings.  The dressing is also wonderful for the summer grilling season as an unexpected topping for coleslaw, salads, sandwiches, and even tacos instead of sour cream. For those with food allergies and restrictions it is important to note that this dressing is Soy-free, Dairy- free, and Gluten-free. The entire recipe is only 310 calories! This is because the avocado does all the work and no oil is necessary. The recipe makes almost a full mason jar.  A single serving of  the dressing (2 Tbsp) is  only  about 40 calories. I find that this recipe is very forgiving and you can play with it to achieve a consistency you like.

INGREDIENTS:

1 very ripe Avocado

1 handful of Cilantro

1 Tbsp fresh minced Garlic

Juice of  2 Limes

1 Tbsp. Honey

1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/2 cup Water

1/2 a tsp. Sea Salt

RECIPE

Add all ingredients in blender or bullet and blend until creamy. You can add more water for a looser consistency. Top over your favorite salad, slaw, or make an old recipe new again by topping it with some avocado dressing!

Enjoy!