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Cassava Flour Paleo Brownies {nut-free, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free}
These Cassava Flour Paleo Brownies are allergen-friendly being nut-free, gluten and grain free, refined sugar-free along with dairy-free. These fudgy, rich brownies feature both cacao powder and melted dark chocolate you are gonna love these rich, ooey gooey, chewy grain-free paleo brownies!!
Are you a brownie lover? I wasn’t growing up, but I sure am now! I LOVE a dark chocolate, fudgy, double chocolate chip brownie. Growing up my mom never made desserts from scratch. It was always a boxed brownie mix with water, eggs, and vegetable oil. There is nothing wrong with that if it’s your jam but learning more about nutrition and the value that ingredients can provide in terms of nutrients, I wanted to make a healthier version. This is a simple recipe that is allergen-friendly and more importantly delicious! Once I realized that I don’t enjoy the overly sweet brownie recipes, I started testing with different sugars, different types of chocolate, and flour alternatives.
Who would have thought that all purpose flour, almond flour, and cassava flour would yield such different results! The major concern for me was it needed to be gluten-free. The second concern was the amount of sugar. I really don’t do well with a lot of sugar, buttttt if you want a brownie, you need sugar to get that crinkly top. So, you will see 1 full cup of coconut sugar in this recipe but overall, it is what completes this brownie. You can always remove some of the sugar, just remember that altering the recipe will yield different results.
Good news for you we have our very own Tasty Yummies Raw Organic Coconut Sugar! One of the other positives for using coconut sugar is that it has been shown to have a lower glycemic index. What does that mean? It means that coconut sugar has been shown in some studies to have less of an impact on your blood sugar. It may help with not getting or feeling that sugar rush and then a crash twenty minutes later. Everyone has a different reaction to sugar, but with using a sugar that is less processed can be more beneficial than using refined sugars.
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Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Chicken Meatballs {Gluten-free, Grain-free, Keto options for Dairy-free)
These Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Chicken Meatballs are the perfect, easy-to-make protein you can batch prep / make in bulk and use throughout the week a variety of different delicious ways. With so much versatility and being gluten and grain-free, keto-friendly and very easy to make dairy-free these will definitely become a staple for your family!
Meal prepping has been making life so much easier lately. I’m not a person who can eat the same thing three or four days in a row. I need variety! Also, as the seasons are changing, I’ve been craving some lighter foods and lots of vegetables. I’m not sure where my original inspiration came for these Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Chicken Meatballs, but I am glad that vision came and I think you are going to love this new recipe!
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California-Style Marinated Avocado Salad {gluten-free, paleo, keto, vegan, Whole30}
Coastal California living is among of the greatest pleasures of my life. Waking up every day, just a 1/2 mile from the ocean, daily walks in the salty air and sunshine. Let us never forget the abundance of fresh, locally sourced ingredients to inspire all of my culinary dreams – feeling blessed to live here doesn’t even come close to covering it. California coastal cuisine features fresh ingredients, simple preparations, and an emphasis on sustainably and locally sourced ingredients. California coastal cuisine is also often characterized by global inspirations, including spices and techniques influenced by cultures including Asian, European, and South American countries.
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How to Make a Sweet and Salty Charcuterie Snack Board
How to Make a Sweet and Salty Charcuterie Snack Board: Whether a date night at home, a party, get together or just a simple, fun meal a sweet and savory snack board is a great way to keep it simple, keep it fun and keep it tasty.
Who else loves a great snack board or charcuterie board filled with meats, cheese, chocolates, nuts, granola, fruit, olives, veggies… the possibilities are endless. Suffice it to say, place a charcuterie board in front of me and I’m one happy camper!
Today we are sharing some simple ideas for you to build an easy, colorful, and delicious board filled with foods that you love and to elevate your charcuterie and snack board creations to the next level. As always, mix and match with items that fit YOUR needs and preferences. Happy building and let’s get started!
Our first tip is that boards are not just for a group of people. A single serve board is rarely highlighted to we want to make sure that anyone who is looking to build a board for themselves, there are plenty of options and the best part….you only add things that you like, which is kind of awesome.
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No Waste Broccoli Avocado Soup {gluten-free, paleo, Whole30, keto, options for vegan}
This No Waste Broccoli Avocado Soup is not only a delicious, hearty, colorful, nutrient-dense and comforting meal in a bowl, but it’s also an incredible way to limit waste in your kitchen!! Read on to learn how to make this thoughtful soup plus lots of variations for the recipe to make it suit your personal dietary preferences, from vegan to keto, paleo and Whole30, etc
This post and recipe were created in partnership with California Avocados. I am proud to work with brands that care about the health of their consumers and the planet. As always, all opinions, ideas and text are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that allow me to create new and special content like this for Tasty Yummies.
In my opinion, as a self-proclaimed soup-a-holic, the secret to any good, comforting soup, is lots of flavor, the perfect texture, loads of color and tons of nutrients! This delicious No Waste Broccoli Avocado soup features all of that and more. It is reminiscent of a classic, creamy broccoli cheddar soup but without the dairy and this bonus we limit kitchen waste by utilizing the entire head of broccoli – yes the stems and all. Plus I share a few other tricks for making the most out of the food in your kitchen, to limit waste and limit your footprint!
How to Make a No Waste Soup
Did you know that the food in your kitchen that you throw into the garbage, whether uneaten, scraps, leftovers or spoiled, it goes directly to landfill and it doesn’t just compost down to nothingness with ease as you might assume it would as organic matter.
A really sad stat that I learned after watching the documentary Wasted! The Story of Food Waste probably over 2 years ago now: One third of all food that’s produced is never eaten. In the United States, that statistic jumps to 40% of all food—of which 90% will end up in landfills. That shouldn’t be so bad, it’s compostable, right? Think again. As the film points out, a head of lettuce, alone, which most people assume would decompose relatively quickly, will take 25 years to decompose in a landfill. Read that again, it takes 25 years for a head of lettuce to decompose when it’s trapped in a landfill.
Without access to oxygen, since it’s all piled on top and buried under other garbage, many of the most common foods like a head of lettuce or other random veggies can take upwards of 25 years or longer to decompose!
With so many people struggling with food scarcity and food accessibility, it’s down right angering to think about how much food is wasted in our country, let alone considering the people who dedicate their lives and all of their energy to growing that food, transporting that food and the energy and resources required to maintain the land to grow all that food and more.
How can you help? You can implement a composting system in your home or look into neighborhood or city composting in your community or even more importantly you can limit your food waste in your kitchen by utilizing as much of the food you but or grow that you can, from proper storage, to only buying what you need, to cooking from root to leaf and throwing out as little as possible!
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Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan {grain-free with options for paleo, keto + Whole30}
This Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan comes together quite easy with some quick shortcuts and super smart hacks. Plus, there are options for making paleo, Whole30 or keto compatible, if you’d like. This is the perfect romantic meal for two or a great family-friendly, option too.
Chicken parmesan is a classic comfort dish that we took and put our own spin on. It’s says ‘hey, look, I made something amazing for dinner for a fun special occasion like a Valentine’s day dinner at home, anniversary or just a weekend where you want to reminisce about going out to fancy dinners’ – remember going out? This Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan can be a romantic dinner for two, a special dinner for a family, or dinner for one with amazing leftovers for the week. This is recipe is so simple but full of flavor it is a family favorite. Another bonus to this recipe is that its about 30 minutes from start to finish… can you believe that? We have a couple of tips to streamline the cooking process so that you can get everything prepped, cooked, and plated within 30-40 minutes showing off your amazing chef skills.
We kept the ingredients to a minimum and you can easily make this Whole30 compatible, dairy free, paleo, or keto, too. There is a way to make everyone happy with this recipe. Here’s how to do it…
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Gluten-free Chocolate Mousse Pies {Dairy-free with grain-free options}
These mini creamy, rich, decadent gluten-free chocolate mousse pies are the perfect sweet treat to share with your sweet. This dairy-free cream pie is served on a crumbly cookie crust that brings the perfect texture and flavor. With lots of options for serving, don’t miss out on the Tasty Yummies Organic Raw Dark Chocolate to compliment and finish these pies off, just right.
Chocolate mouse is one of my favorite desserts…well basically anything including dark chocolate will get you an A+ in my book. This is one of those desserts that is so simple but tastes so decadent you and anyone who tries it will think that it was made by a professional baker. No need to tell anybody that this is dairy free and gluten-free, that’s how amazing it tastes! This recipe is can easily be made grain-free and refined sugar free, depending on the cookies you use or how you make the crust. We love a good dessert, but we also like to ensure that we use the highest quality ingredients within our budget and still making sure that the recipe is amazing.
First, you want to make sure that you have a good can of coconut milk. We want the cream on the top because that will help the pie stay more solidified. If you can shake your can of coconut milk and hear everything move around, you’re going to want to put it in the fridge for a few hours and if you think about it ahead of time, put that can of coconut milk in the fridge the night before. When you open your can of coconut milk you’re going to want to scoop off the solid part on top, that’s the good stuff! You want to measure out one cup of coconut cream. You can also purchase just canned coconut cream, too, if you’d like.
Next you want about 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of dark chocolate chips, bittersweet chocolate chips or roughly chipped dark chocolate. We used dark chocolate chips that were sweetened with coconut sugar. We recommend using a double boiler to melt the chocolate down, it is the easiest way to melt down the chocolate without burning it. If you do not have a double boiler you can also use the microwave heating for 1 minute to start then 30 seconds at a time stirring every time you need to add more time.
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Beef and Broccoli Egg Bake {gluten-free, grain-free, keto, options for paleo, Whole30, dairy-free}
Egg bakes make a really fantastic meal-prep option. You can simply cook once and are set for breakfast for the next 5 days. Just a reminder, there is no rule that eggs can only be eaten at breakfast. You can also enjoy egg for lunch, a snack, and yes, even dinner!
Pasture raised eggs are a food we stand behind. You can read more about the various types of eggs that exist and what all the titles mean. Pasture-raised eggs have omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate, vitamin A. A few other benefits to mention about pastured eggs is that they have the availability to eat, insects, worms, seeds, things that are out in nature. If you buy your eggs locally it is a totally acceptable question to ask the farmers what type of supplemental feed, they give their hens. They are usually more than happy to share and give you a tour and some fun facts about their flock also making for a great photoshoot or outing with the family.
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Wine Braised Short Ribs with Rustic Mashed Potatoes {gluten-free, grain-free, paleo + Whole30}
Braised short ribs are one of those dishes that I tend to lean towards ordering from restaurants. I never knew how they’d get that meat so tender and where the heck I could buy that meat to make at home. Well years ago, I finally did some investigating and realized that wow, pretty much every grocery store carries beef short ribs.
I’ve made variations of this recipe for years but decided I needed to clean up the quality of my ingredients. This recipe does say WINE BRAISED but don’t we have an adaptable version for those who do not want to use alcohol in this recipe, if you are following Whole30, etc.
We start off with 3-4 pounds of bone in beef short ribs. This dish is set to serve 4, but I would suggest that if you’d like to have leftovers, I’d double the recipe. This recipe takes a little bit of prep but it is totally worth your time!
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Winter Salad with Chicken, Root Veggies & Champagne Vinaigrette
If you thought salad was only a summer dish, I promise this Winter Salad with Chicken, Root Veggies & Champagne Vinaigrette is sure to change your mind. This salad has a ton of warming flavors with a winter vibe from the rosemary to root veggies with lots of options for you to customize to your family’s needs.
This Winter Salad with Chicken, Root Veggies & Champagne Vinaigrette is a wonderful way to celebrate the bounty of the season with a meal-sized salad FULL of nutrients and valor.
First up is the roasted rosemary balsamic garlic chicken that smells like a night with heavy snow and everyone hanging out by the fire all nicely warm and cozy. This chicken is quick to cook, but you can also plan ahead and prep the chicken a day or two ahead, if you are someone who batch preps your proteins at the start of the week. It makes easy weeknight meals even easier. If you want to this Winter Salad to be a side dish to another protein, simply leave the chicken out.
Next up we have some roasted sweet potatoes that add a nice sweetness and texture and can take the place of croutons any day. You may be surprised with the roasted beets in this salad but the nutty earthy flavor they provide pairs very nicely with the rosemary chicken. A sprinkle of goat cheese and chopped pecans are the perfect final add-ins. The topper is the champagne vinaigrette. It sounds fancy, it tastes fancy, but don’t worry it is very simple to make and I’m pretty sure this will become a staple dressing.
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California Cobb Mason Jar Salad with Green Goddess Dressing {gluten-free, keto, paleo + Whole30 options}
California Cobb Mason Jar Salad with Green Goddess Dressing
California is known for so many incredible things, these California Cobb Mason Jars Salads with Green Goddess Dressing featuring California Avocados essentially combines them all in one easy-to-make, on-the-go meal!
Summer in California looks a lot different this year, but we are making the most of the current situation and of course, all the incredible goodness that California always has to offer us.
We’ve gotten quite creative with our time outside of the house this summer, including our date nights. Weekends used to mean heading to a new restaurant, somewhere we could feel pampered, explore a new neighborhood and have a true California experience. In recent months, we have been taking drives to the ocean, picking a new beach each week, grabbing take out from our favorite local, farm-to-table restaurants, supporting California farmers and purveyors or just making and taking our own meals to-go!!
We are always celebrating the goodness that California offers from amazing produce and signature flavors in classic recipes to the best dang views and outdoor living there is!
One of my most favorite classic California creations is the California Cobb Salad. I am not quite sure where this iconic salad originated but today I am sharing a fun new twist so you can take it up a notch and make it portable.
California Cobb Salad
A classic California Cobb salad featuring chicken, bacon, California avocado, hard boiled egg, blue cheese crumbles and various fresh produce like lettuce and tomatoes, usually lined up and arranged beautifully in a rainbow presentation.
Here’s the thing about a Cobb salad, you can really make it your own. Add some red onions or cucumbers, maybe some chickpeas. Add in spinach, kale or arugula for more dark leafy greens. Swap out the blue cheese for more avocado. As for the dressing, there are many variations you will find here, as well, from ranch to blue cheese dressing or even a simple balsamic vinaigrettes – but today, since we are celebrating California this California Avocado Green Goddess Dressing felt very apropos to celebrate one of California’s greatest gifts, the avocado!
California Avocado Green Goddess Dressing
This simple-to-make creamy green goddess dressing is THE perfect compliment to this California-inspired salad. From it’s vibrant color to the fresh, bright flavor and rich, creamy goodness. This makes more than what you need for two large mason jar salads, but keep it on hand for dipping fresh veggies, throw it over any salad or grilled veggies, over eggs, etc.
How to Make California Cobb Salad in a Jar:
Creating and serving a salad in a jar is a game-changer for summer eats, especially on-the-go. Picnics and beach trips may not be as abundant but we’ve been maximizing our date nights with grabbing food and driving to the beach in LA for what I will venture to call the finest oceanside dining, from the luxury of our own car.
When creating mason jar salads here are a few simple tips to make the best salad experience possible – meaning NO sad, soggy lettuce:
- Start with your dressing at the bottom, anywhere from 1-4 tablespoons of dressing, depending on how much you like and how large the salad is. By keeping the dressing at the bottom you’ll prevent the lettuce and other ingredients from getting mushy.
- Continue to layer your mason jar salad by adding any hard veggies and fruits. I find adding tomatoes at the bottom right after the dressing helps to keep any excess water from the tomatoes away from the other ingredients.
- Next add your proteins.
- Layer any soft veggies or fruit (like avocados) mid-jar or just right before the greens.
- Add the blue cheese at any point in the middle, if using.
- Finally, add the salad greens. Salad greens such as lettuce have to always be on top to avoid them getting soggy or wilted.
By finishing with the lettuce or greens last you can squeeze in as much as you can fit into the jar. With the greens being on top, when you turn the jar over to empty it out, you create a bed of greens.
Mason Jar Salads are the Perfect On-the-Go Meal
With how these salads are stored, you can make it up to a day head and just grab and go. Bringing a plate and some forks along for the ride. Most people assume you eat a mason jar salad straight from the jar… NOPE! That wouldn’t be very fun or easy.
How Do You Eat a Mason Jar Salad?
Well, when you are ready to eat the mason jar salad, just…
- remove the cap to the mason jar;
- if there is room in the jar, give the mason jar salad a really shake to mix the dressing with the rest of the ingredients;
- either way just shake the salad into a bowl or a large plate as you pour all the ingredients out;
- toss as needed to combine.
Enjoy!!
How Long Will a Mason Jar Salad Last?
Most mason jar salads will last up to 5 days, if stored properly, so feel free to make ahead or even use this method for meal prepping for the week.
Be sure the lid is screwed on tightly so it’s sealed and store in the fridge.
Great for on-the-go lunches if you are heading to work, the perfect park lunch if you need a break from working from home or a fun date night beach-side dinner.
California Cobb Mason Jar Salad with Green Goddess Dressing {gluten-free, keto, paleo + Whole30 options}
gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, keto, options for Whole30, paleo, dairy-freePrint Pin RateServings: 2 -4 servingsIngredients
- 2-8 tablespoons California Avocado Green Goddess Dressing, see recipe below
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 to 4 hard boiled eggs
- 6 to 8 oz of cooked chicken, shredded, cubed, etc
- 1 California Avocado, cut into cubes
- 2-4 oz crumbled blue cheese
- 6 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled or roughly chopped
- 4 cups+ of salad greens, I used little gem lettuce, because it was local and in season
Instructions
- Make sure your two wide-mouth mason jars are clean and dry.
- Add 1-4 tablespoons of California Avocado Green Goddess Dressing to the bottom each jar. (it’s your preference for how much dressing you like and how many ingredients there are). These keeps the other ingredients from getting soft or mushy.
- Diving the ingredients between the two jars, begin layering the ingredients, in the order listed above.
- Tomatoes, then eggs, chicken, avocado, cheese, bacon, then lettuce.
- When you get to the lettuce, ass as much as you can squeeze into the jar, feel free to gently press down to make enough room for the greens.
- When you are ready to eat your California Cobb Mason Jar Salad unscrew the lid and shake the contents out into a bowl or plate. Toss everything well to combine, as needed so everything is coated in the dressing and the ingredients are well dispersed.
Notes
Anything listed above typically found in a Classic Cobb is obviously optional. Feel free to add your favorite salad ingredient, like cucumber, red onion, radish, chickpeas, a different cheese, your favorite lettuce or other greens – you can make these Mason Jar Cobb Salads your own!!
Green Goddess Dressing {gluten-free, keto, paleo + Whole30}
gluten-free, paleo, keto, whole30Print Pin RateIngredients
- 1 large ripe California avocado
- 1 cup packed fresh parsley, stems removed
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup water, more or less as needed for desired thickness
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil mayo
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
- 1 large garlic clove, or 1 very small shallot
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil mayo
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a high speed blender or small food processor. Pulse a few times then blend until well incorporated and super creamy. Add more water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
Notes
You can use half basil and half parsley, if you’d like
Add a small jalapeño (seeds and ribs removed) or red pepper flakes for a little heat
Use a vegan mayo to avoid eggs, as neededThis post is sponsored by the California Avocado Commission but all opinions are my own.
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Bacon and Chive Spaghetti Squash Fritters with California Avocado Lime Dipping Sauce {gluten-free, paleo, Whole30, keto}
I try very hard to not play favorites with foods, but that’s a lot easier than it sounds. I will always have favorites, not just from a a flavor standpoint, of course there are foods that hold emotional attachments, memories and traditions and as a Holistic Nutritionist, there is a great long list foods I also really love from a functional perspective.
Avocados are one of my favorites that cross all three. There is not a week that goes by that we don’t have avocados available in our home. Besides being totally obsessed with how they taste and how versatile they are, they can go from savory to sweet, with ease, I also love what a functional and healthful food avocados are.
With nearly 20 essential vitamins and nutrients avocado are also a good source of fiber and folate, potassium, vitamin E and B vitamins. As well, as a source of healthy fats, avocados they play a vital role in a balanced, nutrient-dense diet and health fats essentially work as a nutrient-booster enabling fat soluble nutrients in foods eaten alongside the avocado, to become more assimilated and absorbed, nutrients like vitamins A, D, E and K.
I had the pleasure, a couple years back, of visiting a California Avocado grove not too far from my own home and I was so honored to see these beautiful fruits growing in their natural habitat, being cared for and tended to by a family of growers right here in my own state. The lab of love for this fruit, picked by hand by families who have been growing to and tending these trees for years, gave me a new appreciation for one of my favorite foods. Walking the groves I got to, first hand, see the patience, the love, care and craftsmanship and taste the difference and my love grew deeper.
I have a long list of ways that I love to enjoy avocados, but I especially love a delicious sauce like this one, to highlight the flavor of this delicious fruit. These crispy, flavor packed bacon and chive spaghetti squash fritters are taken up a notch thanks to this flavorful, creamy sauce that you are absolutely going to want to put on anything and everything.
With the addition of the lime and a tangy yogurt, besides flavor and a little punch, the acidity also works to prevent the avocado from browning, keeping this delicious dipping sauce, vibrant and fresh.
This California Avocado Lime Dipping sauce is also great as a creamy salad dressing, it’s amazing drizzled over roasted veggies. Use it as a marinade for chicken or as a sauce a top your favorite fish or other protein. It also makes a great veggie dip or a dip for your favorite crackers or chips.
These simple Bacon and Chive Spaghetti Squash Fritters with California Avocado Lime Dipping Sauce is a quick recipe to make and a great option for leftover spaghetti squash. They make a delicious side dish or a super fun starter / appetizer. I think you are really gonna love these.
I like to make the dipping sauce first and place into the fridge to chill while making the fritters.
California Avocado Lime Dipping Sauce {gluten-free, paleo, Whole30, keto}
gluten-free, keto, paleo, whole30, nut-freePrint Pin RateIngredients
- 2 California avocados
- 4 tablespoons lime juice, from 2 limes
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup yogurt, non-dairy yogurt works just fine here
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste, as needed
- black pepper or red pepper flakes, to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a high powered blender or food processor and blend until well combined. An immersion blender will also work.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste (just a little at a time), then blend again and taste. Add more salt and pepper, if necessary. Store the sauce in the fridge in an airtight container and give it a good stir before serving. It will keep and stay fresh for upwards of 3 to 4 days.
Bacon and Chive Spaghetti Squash Fritters with California Avocado Lime Dipping Sauce {gluten-free, paleo, Whole30, keto}
gluten-free, paleo, Whole30, keto, grain-free, dairy-free, nut-freePrint Pin RateServings: 12 frittersIngredients
- 4 cups cooked spaghetti squash threads
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 4-5 slices bacon, cooked, drained of fat, and finely chopped (1/4 cup)
- 2 tablespoon chives, finely minced
- 1-3 tbsp ghee, refined organic coconut oil or preferred cooking fat for frying
Options to add:
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
- Cook in bacon fat for extra flavor
Instructions
- Remove the "spaghetti" from your spaghetti squash with a fork and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the mound of squash to a clean kitchen towel (or a few paper towels) and squeeze out any excess moisture. Really give it some good squeezes. Don’t skip this step, it’s worth it for finished product - you will be surprised how much excess liquid comes out. Add the garlic and onion, power salt, pepper, and coconut flour. Add in the whisked eggs, the bacon and the chives.
- Mix really well with fork until all ingredients are fully combined.
- Using your hands, form into 12 equally sized patties, made with approximately 1/4 cup of the mixture each.
- Flatten and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Continue forming until all are ready to be cooked.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add your ghee or coconut oil. Once the pan is hot, please the fritters in.
- Once they'e browned on one side, flip and brown on the second side.
- Drain on paper towels and continue to fry in batches, as necessary, adding more cooking oil as needed.
- Serve right away with the avocado lime dipping sauce and enjoy!
Notes
Leave out the bacon to make these vegetarian.This post is sponsored by the California Avocado Commission but all opinions are my own.
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Low Carb Banana Bread {paleo, keto, gluten-free, dairy-free}
This delicious, low carb banana bread is only sweetened with a few ripe bananas and it’s so delicious, super satisfying and perfectly subtle. Grain-free, dairy-free, paleo and keto-friendly.
I don’t exactly love straight-up bananas, personally, but Mark often requests having a bunch on hand. I will occasionally add them to our organic CSA box (community supported agriculture) that gets delivered to the house each week. But, often, he won’t eat all of them and then they get a bit over ripe. YUCK! Literally one of my least favorite things, in the entire world. Usually I just peel them and freeze for smoothies, but this most recent time, it felt like a perfect reason to make banana bread, a treat I haven’t made in maybe nearly a decade. (not joking)
For my low key sweet taste buds, the ripe bananas are the perfect sweetener – nothing extra needed. I find for my palate, the subtle sweetness from a ripe, in-season fruit, some coconut cream, super dark chocolate or even just caramelized, roasted veggies – these are often plenty sweet for me to satisfy that important taste. I absolutely don’t believe sweet is a taste that needs to be avoided but redefining the relationship that we have with sweet is the ultimate goal. These beautiful, nuanced, naturally sweet flavors from real whole foods can easily get missed when we flood our taste buds constantly with sugar or sugar alternatives. This is what leads to the constant sugar cravings and needing more and more sweet stuff. Imagine if a piece of fruit were enough!! Talk about taking away the power a food has over us (ahem, this is what sugar is best at) and experiencing true food freedom.
If reducing your sugar intake is still fairly new for yo and you are worried bananas as a sweetener might not cut it for you, I challenge you to give it a try and then you can always consider a light drizzle of honey over your warm, toasted banana bread. Or you can always add a tablespoon or two of coconut sugar or date sugar to the batter. Some dark chocolate chips might also be a nice addition to the bread, too, if that’s your thing. Mmmmmm.
How to Make Low Carb Banana Bread:
The most important step is the super ripe bananas, they bring the flavor and the sweetness here. Regular ripe bananas will be far less sweet. If your bananas have green tips, that’s awesome for a lower sugar fruit option, but they tend to be more starchy and less sweet and you definitely won’t be able to mash them up.
Flour Options for Low Carb Banana Bread:
Next, the almond flour is the star here!! This recipe was developed and tested with blanched almond flour. Be sure to go with a blanched fine almond flour, an almond meal with the skins included in the flour will likely results in a slightly different texture. If you can’t have almond flour, you can experiment with another nut flour, like cashew flour, macadamia flour or hazelnut flour. Sunflower seed flour may work, but be aware that the baking soda combined with sunflower seed flour can result in a green color due to chlorophyll present in the seeds, half the baking soda and add 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar. You might also try oat flour or an all-purpose gluten-free flour, while not grain-free or low carb, these might work for some of you, they *should* substitute 1:1. Please note – I have not tested ANY of these, so experiment at your own risk and please report back if you do. You CANNOT swap coconut flour for almond flour as a 1:1, they are totally different flours and they behave and react completely different. Coconut flour is more absorbent. A good starting point if opting for coconut flour would be to use 1 cup of tapioca flour and 1 cup of coconut flour in place of the 2 cups of almond flour and add two additional eggs. Again, these are educated guesses, this HAS NOT been tested on my end.
Optional Add-ins for Low Carb Banana Bread:
Add in your favorite nut or seed, walnuts, pecans or hemp seeds are really great options. You can also add in dark chocolate chips or chunks, cacao nibs, cranberries, raisins or other dried fruit. You can also add cut up bananas to the top of your loaf just before baking.
Ingredients
- 2 cups blanched superfine almond flour
- ¼ cup arrowroot starch, tapioca starch would also work*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder, use or make a paleo baking power, if necessary
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- generous pinch ground nutmeg, optional
- 4 small-medium very ripe bananas, or 3 large, mashed well (measures to a bit over 1 cup)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup ghee, melted (melted coconut oil, avocado oil or melted butter would also work)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a small loaf pan (my pan was 7.5 X 3.5 inches) with parchment paper strips, leaving two inches of overhang on the sides of the pan. Lightly brush or spray the lined pan with oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour breaking up any big clumps, arrowroot starch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, eggs, vanilla and ghee (or coconut oil) until well combined.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, slowly. Stir by hand until it is smooth and no clumps of flour remains.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter top to distribute the batter and eliminate any air pockets.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until it's a nice deep golden brown color on top and set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (if the top of the loaf starts to brown too quickly, tent it with foil).
- Using the parchment paper strips that overhang, carefully lift up and remove the banana bread from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool. Carefully remove the parchment paper so the bread can cool.
- Allow to cool at least 30 minutes. Cut into 10-12 slices, serve and enjoy.
Notes
if you wish to skip the arrowroot or tapioca starch, try instead ground golden flaxseed meal -
Low Carb Chicken Pesto Cast Iron Meatza {Keto, Grain-free w/ easy options for Paleo, Whole30, Dairy-free}
This delicious Low Carb Chicken Pesto Cast Iron Meatza is a really simple recipe that comes together in no time. It brings all the pizza vibes without all the grains and heaviness that some of us can experience as a result of traditional pizza. You can use the base crust recipe for other pizza variations and get creative with your toppings! This recipe is low-carb and keto-friendly and it’s great for those who eat gluten-free or grain-free and easily adaptable to be dairy-free or nut-free.
I remember the first time I hear the word “meatza”, I remember thinking – “Um… that’s weird”. Then I thought about it, people eat meatloafs and meatballs, we make meat patties for burgers – why can’t we make a pizza crust from meat? It’s brilliant. I’d love to take credit for the idea, but I can’t. But I can take credit for making it in a cast iron and dressing it up with a tasty pesto sauce. This meatza crust holds up so well to lots of toppings, you can actually pick it up with one hand or go all in with a fork – that’s up to you and your style. It’s loaded with flavor, it is super satisfying, filling and a breeze to make.
You can certainly shape your crust and make it on a sheet pan or any other baking dish that has sides (since you will have a little grease), if you prefer, but I find making this delicious low carb pizza in a seasoned cast iron skillet makes for a really nice crispy crust. Since cast iron skillets get pretty dang hot and stay hot, it’s just perfect for even cooking and a nice high heat sear. I use a 12-inch cast iron skillet but it would work in any size cast iron pan. Obviously the bigger the pan the thinner the crust, the smaller the pan, the thicker.
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Low Carb Pumpkin Bread with Dark Chocolate Chips {Grain-free, Sweetener-free, Dairy-free}
This Low Carb Pumpkin Bread with Dark Chocolate Chips is grain-free, sweetener-free and dairy-free and it’s the most perfect way to kick-off my favorite season of them all. Serve this delicious low carb pumpkin bread warm with a little butter, ghee, coconut butter or cream cheese. Depending on your vibes with sweet stuff, you might consider a light drizzle of maple syrup or raw honey.
For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere autumn is upon us once again and we can get super basic and pumpkin spice ALL the things. I find myself getting super inspired in the kitchen this time of year, this is my favorite season to create. Cozy, comfort foods is my favorite, this is what it’s all about!
Because most of the pumpkin spice foods you find in the world are aggressively over-sweetened with refined sugars or corn syrups or to make “sugar-free” treats, they are blasted with highly-refined, non-caloric sweeteners, which I don’t personally love – it just doesn’t leave a lot of options!
REDEFINING SWEET with Sweetener-Free
As you all know, I am a really big fan of redefining the term sweet. Developing a new relationship with this important taste in our palate is something I find to be very important. Instead of continuously having to push the boundaries of sweet, going sweeter and sweeter and it never being enough, then taking on a bi-annual sugar detox where you completely cut out sweet entirely because it gets out of hand, all this before the cycle starts over again (because news flash, deprivation doesn’t work) – I prefer to instead break this cycle, redefine the relationship with sweet and really learn to appreciate and crave the natural sweetness of foods. I don’t think sweetness is a taste we need to avoid completely, it’s important to our palate and our food experiences – but I do feel that it is one that can be changed.
I love that by redefining what sweetness is for you, not only do you get the wonderful pleasure of truly appreciating the inherent sweetness and the subtleties of flavors from so many delicious foods, you also redefine the often troublesome relationship many of us can have with sweet things.
Many alternative sweeteners, natural and artificial alike, while they may not contain calories and they may not increase your blood glucose, they also can be anywhere from 100 to 20,000 times sweetener than regular table sugar. This can lead to a hypersensitive palate, where an individual will find that more and more sweet stuff is needed to receive pleasure and to placate the sweet taste receptors. But, it’s also common that other taste receptors are affected as well, the body’s ability to effectively taste (and therefore crave) important flavors like “bitter” (an important taste than can ensure that we are consuming nutrient-dense foods like dark-leafy greens, etc.) can also be affected, which is why you will often hear people who are addicted to sugar and sweet stuff adamantly swear they HATE the way some veggies taste. I believe it, they aren’t being picky, their taste buds are off!
Some research 1https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/261179.php has also shown that while non-caloric sweeteners may not cause a blood glucose response, some may still trigger an insulin response and what’s worse, it’s an increase of insulin without the high blood glucose. When insulin rises without an increase in the blood glucose that it intends to shuttle out of the blood stream and this can lead to blood glucose levels to follow that fall too low.
Additionally, many of these non-caloric alternative sweeteners don’t raise important satiety hormones that tell the body when it is satiated, satisfied and full. These sweeteners also do not affect neurotransmitters the way that sugar traditionally does, so if the sweet receptors are triggered by the sweet food but it doesn’t receive the expected results of satiety or the feel-good vibes (due to the affects on neurotransmitters) that regular sugar provides it can be quite confusing to the metabolism and this can lead to overeating and increased hunger and cravings.
Finally, many non-caloric sweeteners can lead to GI discomfort like bloating and gas and many have been shown disrupt the gut microbiome, I am sure you know by now the gut plays an incredibly crucial role in our digestion, immune health and overall vitality! We definitely don’t want to be messing with that delicate balance.
In my personal approach, I would rather use a very, very small amount of the natural options on the rare occasion I want something sweet – a date or two, a banana, a light drizzle of unrefined dark maple syrup or raw honey. Not only are they unrefined and unadulterated, blasted with heat or solvents, unlike totally nutrient-depleted sweeteners and even refined table sugar, these foods left in their whole form do contain some actual nutrients. Now, I am not at all suggesting you chug maple syrup to get your B vitamins, but they are in there. Of course, the reason a little goes a long way with these foods is that the less you consume sugar and of course, the sweetener alternatives, first of all, the less you will crave them and the less you will need, but also the more sensitive your taste receptors becomes to sweetness. And suddenly a single date will taste like straight up candy. Coconut milk will take on a sweetness you never noticed before, 85% or 90% dark chocolate will be plenty sweet and warming spices often paired with sweets, like cinnamon or nutmeg or even a little pure vanilla extract, these alone will bring a little sense of sweetness to your palate. It’s incredible.
This Low Carb Pumpkin Bread with Dark Chocolate Chips is sweetener-free. I like it this way! Yes, the dark chocolate chips, depending on which you use may have a little sugar, this is going to be up to you. You can use dark chocolate chips that are stevia-sweetened like Lily’s or maybe go for 100% dark chocolate chips (YES PLEASE). If you are like “UMMM NOPE, Beth, I need some sweetness” you can add a little coconut sugar, maple sugar or date sugar to the recipe, start with 1/4 cup and go from there. Sometimes I will drizzle the littlest amount of maple syrup or raw honey over a warm, toasted slice of this bread, with a little salted grass-fed ghee or butter.
I plan to share a podcast episode or write an article going more into depth on my thoughts on sweeteners and sugar – is that something you might enjoy? If so, please share any questions you may have about alternative / non-caloric sweeteners and my approach to sweetness!
References
1. ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/261179.php -
White Chicken Chili {Keto, Paleo, Whole30, Nightshade-free}
This comforting and hearty low carb White Chicken Chili cooks in under 30 minutes and in one pot. It’s perfect for a delicious fall or winter weeknight meal! It’s keto, paleo, whole30 and nightshade-free. With a few simple tweaks, AIP-compliant, too.
It’s about that time of year, soup, stew and chili season. My absolute favorite!!! I adore the comforts of these foods, I crave them. This is the food that makes my soul happy.
I also REALLY love meals that are ready in 30 minutes or less on the stove top, one pot, no special tools or equipment, just a straight-up, easy, hearty meal.
This particular White Chicken Chili recipe is low carb and keto-friendly, it’s paleo, Whole30 compliant and made without any nightshades. With a few minor changes you can also make this White Chicken Chili AIP compliant.
What are Nightshades?
Nightshades are a botanical family of plants, more technically called Solanaceae. The most common nightshades are tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and eggplant. These plants all have certain characteristics in common (like the shape of the flower and how the seed is arranged within the fruit–Wikipedia has a good description). There are more than two thousand plant species in the nightshade family, the vast majority of which are inedible and many of which are highly poisonous (like deadly nightshade and jimsomweed). Tobacco is a nightshade, and is known to cause heart, lung, and circulatory problems, as well as cancer and other health problems (although, clearly some of this has to do with the other toxins in tobacco products derived from the processing.) The reason why nightshades are problematic for many people is due to the glycoalkaloid content. Over-consumption of these edible species can actually be poisonous to anyone, and it is possible that the low-level toxic properties of nightshade vegetables contribute to a variety of health issues over time.1https://www.thepaleomom.com/what-are-nightshades/ Read more here about the potential concerns with nightshades for those with autoimmune disease.
Why Nightshade-free?
While I am not 100% nightshade-free, 100% of the time, I have discovered in this last year that in abundance, nightshades can trigger my autoimmune symptoms and cause noticeable joint pain for me, it can cause migraines and allergy-like symptoms, so, I have been careful about how much I consume them and the amount. If I am struggling with an autoimmune flare-up or digestive flare-ups, I will cut nightshades out completely until things calm down a bit. On the regular, when my autoimmune symptoms are managed, I still prefer to avoid them in whole food form, like tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and eggplants, but usually in pretty small amounts, as a garnish or in spice blends, etc – nightshade do not trigger a noticeable response for me, so I don’t overly concern myself with obsessing over it, in that sense. I know folks who have to be 100% nightshade-free and it can certainly be challenging, in a lot of ways I think even more than having to avoid gluten, since they can hide in spices, seasonings, sauces, etc.
References
1. ↑ https://www.thepaleomom.com/what-are-nightshades/ -
Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken {Keto, Gluten-free}
This post is sponsored by the National Peanut Board. I received compensation, but all opinions and content are my own.
This Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken is coated in the most incredible, flavor-rich peanut sauce. Serve it over zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice for an easy meal, and garnish with extra peanuts for added crunch!
I know you all are with me on those easy, weeknight meals that come together in no time but pack a major flavor punch. This simple Instant Pot meal requires very little prep and it’s layered with rich flavors. I find this easy meal brings the flavor of the Thai classic Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce but with far less work, no need to skewer meat and no grilling necessary. Just pull it all together, set it and forget it.
Peanut butter is front and center in this easy, weeknight meal. I love how a creamy organic, unsweetened peanut butter fits into a tasty, savory dish like this Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken. It’s so rich and creamy and together the peanut butter and the coconut milk leave the chicken super juicy, moist and tender.
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Keto Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps {Paleo, Whole30} + Video
These simple Keto Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a tasty, one pan meal that is a restaurant-classic reimagined. Ready in no-time, these paleo and Whole30 lettuce cups pack a flavor punch.
Earlier last year, I think it was in the late spring, I had the pleasure of attending another amazing event at 1440 Multiversity. During this short wellness event they actually had my lovely friend Michelle from Nom Nom Paleo as a guest teaching an amazing cooking demo for all of us. So fun to watch her cook and create in the kitchen. Michelle made her delicious, popular Potsticker Stir-Fry and that was all it took. One quick sample and I was obsessed, not just in how it tasted but also both in how simple it was and how versatile.
I started making it at home, once a week, most times without the original recipe and as these things do, it slowly morphed into a dish of it’s own in my kitchen. I often would replace the ground pork with ground dark meat chicken, sometimes turkey. I sometimes added the cabbage, but not always. I added bell pepper for the flavor and color and many times I will add water chestnuts at the end, cuz I really love that fresh crunch.
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Grain-free Salmon Pumpkin Dog Treat Recipe
This Grain-free Salmon Pumpkin Dog Treat Recipe will make you the most popular dog parent around. This DIY treat has just 5 simple ingredients that are loaded with nutrients for your furry baby and they are cost-effective, too!
If you’ve been following along with me on Instagram, then you know all about Uncle Larry.
If you don’t, let me fill you in. Uncle Larry is the rescue pup who came into our lives back in November. During the midst of the horrible Woolsey fires in Malibu, I was feeling helpless being so close, yet so far away, down here in Long Beach.
In the early days of the fire, as the devastation mounted, I felt like I needed to do something, but I didn’t know what exactly. As I was thumbing through my Instagram stories I saw the calls for help for displaced animals, both from the families evacuated under emergency circumstance from their homes and the animals from shelters in the fire zones, also being evacuated. There just wasn’t enough room for all of them and with the threat of euthanasia looming there was a desperate need for foster families.
For the first time ever, without hesitation I said to Mark “we need to foster a dog”. I say for the first time ever, because while we have considered it a million times over, it’s not a decision to take lightly when you already have pets, when you travel a fair amount and you know yourselves well enough to know there is a high probability that any animal you take in, may never leave.
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Low Carb Keto Biscuits {paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free}
These low-carb Keto Biscuits have become a bit of a staple around here. A bit of a legend, if you will. These low carb Keto Biscuits work amazing for savory recipes like breakfast sandwiches or biscuits and gravy or you can easily go sweet with my keto strawberry shortcake or just a smear of homemade berry chia seed jam. However you serve them up, these low carb Keto Biscuits are a breeze to make, whether you eat low carb, or not.
While I’ve personally been eating keto since January 2017, for therapeutic reasons while I seek to get my autoimmune disease into total remission, hubby isn’t necessarily exclusively low-carb all the time – so I am always working on recipes that will please us both. I created these delicious Low Carb Keto Biscuits for my Paleo Biscuits and Gravy Recipe, which also happens to be keto/low-carb, as well. That recipe is already a hit with so many of you, but also a lot of you have simply made just the biscuits just on their own, for epic breakfast sandwiches topped with fried eggs and some sausage or bacon. It’s a favorite around here, for sure. So, I felt these perfect little Low Carb Keto Biscuits deserved their own recipe post.
These low carb biscuits are a really great way to switch up breakfast and get those classic egg sandwich vibes I feel like you might be craving. I know I crave an epic breakfast sando, now and then. Beyond breakfast sandwiches, or a side to a comforting bowl of soup, these Low Carb Keto Biscuits are lovely toasted up and slathered with a little grass-fed butter or homemade ghee, maybe a drizzle or honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon, or just give them a spread with your favorite nut butter or maybe even coconut butter. For a sweeter treat, try my Keto Strawberry Shortcake, they are amazing, you can also top your Keto Biscuits with chia seed jam or honey sweetened marmalade. (obviously this won’t be quite as low carb) Shoot, guys, I feel like you could also smash a fabulous grass-fed burger into your face with one of these biscuits. Just sayin’.
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Grain-free Thai Beef Bowls {Paleo, Whole30, Keto}
Grain-free Thai Beef Bowls. This is an easy, one-pan meal, ready in just over 15 minutes, and it’s a weeknight staple in our house. Garnish all pretty-like to create colorful masterpiece, serve over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles or go with regular rice or noodles. This recipe is paleo, whole30 and keto friendly.
I know for many of you with families and busy schedules, though the summer is supposed to be about relaxing and chilling, somehow before you know it, the schedule fills up and you are going non-stop. Dinners are eaten on the run and you are quite literally setting up your digestion for a rough go. While it’s far easier said then done, to slow down, I think much of this action can take place with meal planning and preparing meals that can me made start to finish in under 30 minutes.
