Dutch Baby - A Paleo blast from the Past!

Hello Everyone! Hope all is well with you.

Sunday mornings I usually spend some time doing food prep for the week. Which I usually have to do again on Wednesdays...............5 people go through a lot of food. This morning one of the things I made was my Paleo Dutch baby. I made a full batch and I'll eat it for breakfast for a few days!!!

I started making this last spring. My mom used to make a similar "breakfast" when we were growing up and I had an overwhelming craving for this comfort food. Honestly, I didn't think it would work without the dairy and flour BUT I WAS WRONG. I was gladly wrong this time.

I've made this several times now and it works without fail.

It puffs up like crazy in the oven (its doesn't stay like that for long once you remove it except around the edges). Everyone enjoys watching it "grow". Not going to lie, its pretty cool.

Starting September 1st I have gone back to a full Paleo diet. Not an 80/20 Paleo diet. Full Paleo. No diary, no grains, no lentils. I've had very few cheats and only by accident or because I was stuck. I'll do an update post one of these days but I was getting frustrated with my mood issues, sluggish digestion, general energy and skin. It wasn't rock bottom but I knew I should be feeling much better than I was.

So far I can report that I am definitely feeling a lot better. My stomach is very happy with me (an almost immediate and remarkable change in my digestion - those damn grains do not agree with me) and my skin has started improving. I will have to go through a few cycles before I can conclude on my mood and energy but after one month I definitely have more bounce in my step.

I let myself slip into some bad habits. Taking bites of my kids food, having a piece of cake for special occasions (there are a lot of special occasions during summer), drinking decaf coffee (I actually started having some pretty severe bladder issues with that slip) and just generally being pretty loose with the food rules I know work for me. I know it will annoy some people - they will say.......just live a little, enjoy life, enjoy food. Use moderation.

But I really just don't feel good when I eat certain foods - mainly grains and dairy. My system can't handle it. I have moments when I feel frustrated and sad that I'm "weak".  But when I take care of myself I actually feel pretty darn fantastic. I'm fitter at 40 than I was at 20. I sleep better. I rarely have stomach aches. So I just have to accept it and keep working to stay on track.

Which means food prep on Sundays and lots of good food in the week ahead....................

PS - for the record, I haven't given up paleo sweets (mainly dark chocolate) which I know would probably really help my cause but I decided to ease back into things. But my cravings have improved even without trying.......................improved, not eliminated. Its a start.

Dutch Dutch Baby - Paleo

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Keywords: bake breakfast arrowroot powder canned coconut milk coconut flour egg

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Ingredients (serves 4 (large portion))

• 2 - 3 Tbs coconut oil (I actually think 2 is plenty but added a bit extra for kicks)
• 8 eggs (I use large, organic)
• 1 cup milk (I used 50% full fat coconut and 50% unsweetened cashew)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup arrowroot starch
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp Truvia or sweetener of choice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Once oven is preheated I put the coconut oil in a 9 x 13 glass pan and let it melt in the oven. Whiles its melting, I blend ALL the other ingredients together. Pour the batter into the glass pan.

Be sure to watch your dutch baby cook. Its fascinating to see how it PUFFS up like crazy. I cook for about 25 minutes.

I take it out and let it cool a bit before I cut into about 8 pieces.

I like it drizzled with a little bit of maple syrup. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Reheats very nicely for left-overs.

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Mama's Buckwheat Pancakes.......Yes Please!

Hey Folks, 

Its a new year and I'm actually feeling pretty good. Not going to lie........health-wise 2015 kinda sucked. But I worked my arse off for the second half of the year and my efforts have been worth it. I almost hate to put it in writing as it's a constant roller coaster and I never know if it's going to stick...........but I'm feeling pretty darn good this week. Not perfect. But good. Yay!  

And I'm pretty determined to keep it that way. So I have been doing a fair amount of cooking, baking and creating to try and keep my belly satisfied with clean foods so I don't start eating things I know that make me sick. I know that sounds simple for the average person but the list of foods I don't tolerate is very long so time constraints, availability and frankly hunger can make it hard to do.

I'm not going to lie, I have been eating a lot of sweets. I find it very hard to stay away from them (mainly chocolate and home-made Nanaimo bars) during the holidays and once I fire up that sweet tooth it takes a lot of work to get back on track. Instead of going cold turkey I'm trying to wean myself off............its really difficult. But I'm working on it. And by Lent I will be really to go cold turkey.

I have also been working on incorporating some buckwheat into my diet. Its actually not a grain and not related to wheat. They call it a pseudo-grain. And so far I seem to be tolerating it. Quinoa is also a pseudo-grain but I DO NOT tolerate it. No sir. Its all a matter of experimenting and paying attention.

I need some variety in my breakfasts. I love eggs..............but you can only eat so many. And I drink a ton of smoothies.........but they don't keep me full like "real food" does.

So I played with making some buckwheat pancakes and I was pretty happy with the result. Something to throw in the rotation to keep things interesting. I've been topping them with fruit and a tiny, tiny bit of maple syrup. Yum.

Here's to a very healthy and happy 2016! Happy New Year (I'm not that late - Ukrainian New Year was just yesterday).......................

Buckwheat Pancakes

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Keywords: fry breakfast dairy free grain free almond flour buckwheat flour coconut flour egg

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Ingredients (16 pancakes)

Dry Ingredients

• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Wet Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp grape seed oil or melted coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp sweetener of choice
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately and then mix together. I fry them over medium heat in grape seed oil. Ensure they are bubbling through before turning over.

I cool and then freeze my extra's. I reheat them in the toaster and they taste almost as good as fresh.

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Chocolate Zucchini Almond Protein Smoothie with Chia and Hemp - Yummy in my Tummy! And Candida diet Friendly!

Okay people. I sending out my smoothie recipe. I have received several requests that I share a recipe that is Candida diet friendly.

It gets tricky when you give up fruit to make a tasty smoothie.

But I think I have nailed it. A chocolate zucchini smoothie that tastes almost like ice cream.

I make a batch before bed each night. I put one in the freezer (in a thermos) and another one in a to-go mug in the fridge. Then I have a quick breakfast ready to go. I take the thermos out and by 3:00 (my afternoon snack time) it is perfectly frosty and ready to drink.

Since I have often mentioned that I use Vega One Sport Chocolate I thought I should let everyone know that Health Canada has recommended a recall on it (Chai and Chocolate flavours). I have attached a link to a couple sites discussing the issue. Vega One has not issued a recall or pulled the item from the shelves. They are standing by their product.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vega-one-nutritional-shakes-completely-safe-say-firm-1.2350596

http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2013/36585a-eng.php

Sigh. I just bought a new container on Friday. But my supplier actually left me a phone message and said they would exchange it. I will be taking them up on the offer. Now that is customer service. You can decide for yourself if you want to risk it, wait it out or try and get a refund.

Or feel free to leave out the protein powder entirely. In that case you might want to add some extra Stevia, cocoa and maybe a shot of vanilla...................

Chocolate Almond Zucchini Protein Smoothie - Low Carb

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: None

Keywords: freeze blender breakfast snack candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo vegan chia seeds canned coconut milk chocolate zucchini

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Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 2 cups chopped frozen zucchini (yellow or green, skin on)
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (about 25 grams of protein)
• 1/2 Tbsp organic cacao nibs
• 1 Tbsp hemp hearts
• 1 Tbsp ground Chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp raw almond butter
• 2 cups unsweetened milk (I use almond milk)
• 1/4 cup water (adjust to get the thickness you like)
• 2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk
• 2 drops liquid Stevia (I use hazelnut cream)
• 1/2 Tbsp 100% cocoa

Instructions

Throw everything in a the blender. I use a Ninja.

Pulse until fully blended. Should come out icey but smooth.

I make mine in the evening. I put one in a to-go mug in the fridge for my breakfast. I put the other half in a thermos and in the freezer. I take it out in the morning and by my afternoon snack it is perfectly frosty. Yummy!

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Raspberry Coconut Vanilla Vega One Protein Waffle - Paleo and Candida diet friendly

I haven't been as excited about blogging recipes lately. Sorry. I have to admit it.

It could be: 1) I have been really stressed about something else that is zapping my energy and time; 2) I'm back at work or 3) six keys are now missing off my laptop - the latest to be pucked off by my baby was the C key.  Makes it tricky to keep blogging..............I have to repeatedly stab the ccccc key to get it going. Annoying. Time to shop for a new laptop. But who has time.

But I still have lots of recipes to share. To record. And to make again.

So instead of taking the night off I'm sharing another one. Waffles. Grain-free. Dairy-free. Sugar-free. Portable. Convenient. Nutritious. A staple in our house and in my lunch kit.

And now I'm going to clean up. My baby trashed the house. I left him with my neighbor for 45 minutes this evening while I went to a PAC meeting and when I got home the neighbor was sweating profusely and quickly disappeared back to his orderly and quiet house. Sorry buddy - I should have warned you that baby is a bit "high maintenance" these days.............okay - maybe that's why I don't feel like blogging. That kid is mentally and physically demanding. Kute too. I might starting using the K key where I kan!!! ha, ha..........

Raspberry Coconut Vanilla Vega One Protein Waffle - Paleo and Candida diet friendly

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes per waffle

Keywords: bread breakfast low-carb paleo vega one raspberry protein powder coconut flour

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Ingredients (3 - 4 waffles)

Wet ingredients

• 2 large free run eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup mashed fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup unsweetened milk (I used almond)
• 1 tsp vanilla or maple extract
• 6 drops liquid Stevia (or I also did it with 1 Tbsp of Truvia and it also worked fine)
• 1 Tbsp grape seed oil or melted coconut oil

Dry ingredients

• 2 tbsp ground golden flax (I grind mine in a coffee grinder)
• 3 tbsp organic coconut flour
• 1 tbsp medium unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 tbsp ground chia
• 1 tbsp arrowroot
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• pinch fine sea salt
• 2 tbsp berry protein powder - optional (I used Vega One Sport Berry)

Instructions

Preheat waffle maker

Mix together wet ingredients and dry ingredients in separate mixing bowls.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.

Mix until just combined.

Let stand for 5 minutes.

When waffle maker is ready. Coat waffle maker with small amount of coconut oil. I used a paper towel to do this.

Put half the batter on each side of the waffle iron. Close and let cook until indicator light shows that it is ready. My waffles took about 2 minutes and 10 to 20 seconds to be ready.

Enjoy.

And why not make a double or triple batch. Cool completely. Freeze individually. Take them out and warm them directly in the toaster for a quick breakfast, lunch or snack on another day.

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Paleo and Candida diet Friendly MAPLE WALNUT Protein bites - with hemp and coconut oil

Just a little Candida cleanse update. 

I'm a cheater. 

Not this week. I have been FAITHFULLY following the strict phase of the Candida diet since Sunday. 

But I was a cheater. 

I thought I never went off the strict phase. Until I committed to doing it with a friend and I started having major die off symptoms (brain fog and tiredness). And I started noticing that I really do have a habit of popping my kids non-Candida diet friendly snacks in my mouth. A lot. I've had to spit out quite a few things once my brain caught up to my fast little sugar loving hands. 

I must say that the first 3 days were hard. Not because I'm hungry or its hard to eat this way. My hunger has significantly subsided in the past few weeks. THANKFULLY. And it is time consuming to eat this way but its not impossible. 

But the die off is hard to go through. 

Good news is that it didn't last long. It lasted 5 days the first time I did this in May. It seems to have lasted 3 days this time. 

I feel pretty fabulous now. My moods are awesome. My sugar cravings are pretty minimal (that's probably the best they will ever get for me). I feel very energetic.  My digestion is working. Even with the iron pills. 

This is where I've been trying to get to. Hurray for me! 

But now I have a Ukrainian family wedding to attend this weekend.........Now that will be a test!

So here is a little recipe that I loved that will help you (and me) stay on track on this Candida cleanse. Or even if you aren't doing the Candida diet and just want a nice clean and low carb snack. I'll be popping some of these in my purse to keep me out of the perogies!

Vega One Vanilla Sport - Raw Maple Walnut Protein Bars

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: None

Keywords: raw snack candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo wheat belly vegan canned coconut milk chia seeds hemp seeds vega one

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Ingredients (12 - 16 bites)

• 7 Tbsp Vega One Sport - Vanilla - Protein Powder
• 3 Tbsp hemp hearts
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup full fat canned coconut milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened milk (almond or coconut in carton)
• 1 Tbsp ground Chia
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut + 2 Tbsp extra for rolling
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts + 2 Tbsp extra for rolling
• 1 Tbsp maple extract

Instructions

Combine all ingredients except for extra coconut and walnuts.

Roll into balls. About 1 Tbsp of mixture for each ball.

Roll in extra coconut and walnuts.

Store in fridge and serve chilled. But these were okay when left out on counter so they are somewhat portable.

Snack away!

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Happy Birthday to me! Vega One Chocolate Protein Cookies - Raw, Grain-free, Sugar-free and Low Carb

Well - I'm 37 today! 

I was going to take the opportunity to take a day off from blogging.............but I decided you deserve more clean recipes. And I love sharing recipes if it will help someone else eat clean and feel better. 

Everyone was asking me what I was going to do for my birthday. Well, nothing out of the ordinary. Everyday that I am feeling better is a gift. I'm not feeling 100%. I'm still struggling along on some aspects but my adrenal fatigue is gone (for now) and my Candida is somewhat under control. So I'm just going to celebrate by doing what I have been doing all year. 

I'm going to the gym for a short and intense high intensity interval training session. And by the way - I did 10 one legged squats consecutively on each leg this month. NOT BAD FOR AN OLD DOLL - as my mom would say. Yes - I'm bragging. Its frigging awesome. And kind of unbelievable considering the shape I was in a year ago. Any suggestions on a new fitness goal?

Then I'm going to make lunch for a friend and her kids. Because who the hell can make us lunch - way to confusing and stressful with our list of restrictions.  And I don't see this friend often so its going to be a treat.

And then I'm going to hang out with my kids and hubby for the rest of the day. Enjoy some sunshine and probably bake myself a cake. And supper. Because what restaurant serves Candida-diet friendly food. None. 

Actually I tried baking myself a grain, egg and dairy free cake yesterday. It didn't work (at all) so we ate it as a pudding. Black bean and zucchini pudding. Yum. 

Another regular day in our house. And that's okay.  I don't need over-the-top birthday celebrations. What I need is to get myself healthy so EVERYDAY is worth celebrating. So I have the energy to enjoy each day. And I'm doing that by eating at home, eating clean and getting to bed by 10. Even on my birthday.

So here is a quick recipe from my archives..........................its quick and easy and will help fill you up when you are desperate for a low-carb, Candida-diet friendly snack. 

Have a great day! I know I will. 

Vega One Chocolate Sport - Hemp and Coconut Protein Bites

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: None

Keywords: raw snack candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo sugar-free vegan wheat belly chia seeds chocolate hemp seeds vega one

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Ingredients (12 - 16 bites)

• 7 Tbsp Vega One Sport - Chocolate - Protein Powder
• 3 Tbsp hemp hearts
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup unsweetened milk (almond or coconut in carton)
• 1 Tbsp ground Chia
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 Tbsp cacao nibs (optional)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients.

Roll into balls or roll out and then cut with cookie cutter into shapes. About 1 Tbsp of mixture for each ball.

Store in fridge and serve chilled. But these were okay when left out on counter so they are somewhat portable.

Snack away!

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What? No week in review? Sugar Free Apple Rhubarb Strawberry Fruit Spread with Chia Seeds

Hey Folks, if you caught my last post, you will know that I have a new obsession - canning and preserving fruits and vegetables. 

Yep - I'm in love. I can't describe the deep sense of satisfaction I'm getting from seeing the fresh fruit (right off the tree and straight to my kitchen) in those little mason jars lined up on my counter. 

So much satisfaction that peeling, chopping and simmering is all I did with my spare time for the last four evenings. In 4 days I did 7 batches of jam, two batches of applesauce and a batch of relish. Plus an apple loaf, apple muffins, apple scones, apple pancakes, apple strudel, blueberry thumbprint cookies and sweet potato muffins. Plus I've been freezing vegetables for the winter. 

I've been in a bit of a obsessive haze. I'm like a pioneer woman desperate to get the pantry filled up before winter. Ya - I know - there's a Giant Tiger, Target and Safeway just down the street. No need to get crazy - we won't starve when the snow flies! But I get in obsessive mode once in a while and I go into overdrive. My adrenals probably won't be happy about this little pet project. 

But it has been seriously fun. I am loving it. It is kind of embarrassing. However, my friend (the only one who also does canning and who will remain anonymous) did say she likes to just go visit her cupboard full of jam and beets and beam affectionately at them. So I'm not alone? Right? 

And because I have been obsessively canning fruit and baking (and eating of course) I have no time left to do my Sunday week in Review. 

But I ran a little poll and most people want RECIPES anyway. So a recipe is what you will get. A good one.

This fruit spread is SO EASY TO MAKE. Just because you haven't done anything like this before is no reason not to try it. I had no idea what I was doing 4 days ago. And last night I actually properly sealed my first batch of jam. And it had no sugar or chemicals in it. 

So you aren't getting a snapshot of all our clean meals this week...............but you are getting a snapshot of how I spent every spare second when I wasn't caring for my children. Why don't you try it. I think you might like it. Let me know if you catch the canning fire. And if anyone has fruit or vegetables coming off their garden and they need a good home I will gladly accept donations.................or maybe its run its course. We'll see................

Apple Rhubarb Strawberry Fruit Spread with Chia Seeds - Sugar Free

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 - 30 minutes

Keywords: simmer breakfast dressing gluten-free paleo sugar-free chia seeds rhubarb strawberry apple

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Ingredients (Approx. 6 cups)

• 2 lbs fresh ripe strawberries, sliced
• 2 stalks rhubarb, chopped
• 8 small apples, peeled, cored and chopped (about 3 cups)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp ground Chia
• 1 Tbsp Chia
• 1 Tbsp Truvia (or sweetener of choice)

Instructions

Place apples and rhubarb in a large sauce pan.

Add water and lemon juice. Mix to combine.

Cover with lid and once it reaches a low simmer cook over low/medium for about 8 minutes. Stirring frequently.

Add sliced strawberries. Cook for an additional 10 minutes (or until fruits are fully softened), continuing to stir frequently.

Add Truvia and Chia seeds and combine thoroughly. Remove from heat.

Mash mixture to a desired consistency. I only half mashed it so it would still have some chunks of fruit.

Place in glass jars. Keeps in fridge for about a week.

For freezer jam, leave about 1 inch of space at the top of jar for expansion. Should keep for 6 months at least.

I did a batch with sealed jars as well. I warmed the jars in the oven (about 20 minutes at 200 degrees). I boiled the lids for 5 minutes. I placed the HOT jam in the hot jars. I wiped the rim of the jar to ensure they were clear and then I put the hot lid on the jar and tightened. I then let them sit. They all sealed. Yay!

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Low Carb Raspberry Scones - Paleo & Candida diet friendly

If you read my Sunday week in review you might have noted that I am starting to get a little frustrated with my Candida diet. Don't get me wrong, it is working if I stick to the rules 99.9% of the time.......Which is darn near impossible if you want to ever leave your house. And its summer.  It was easier before school let out and we got off a regular routine and actually started wanting to do lots of different activities and adventures everyday.

We have packed LOTS of picnics this summer. I have been very diligent with baking and cooking and taking snacks and meals with us everywhere we go.

So I am loving this new recipe. It is completely portable. The first batch of these were intended to be chocolate cookies? Yep. But a few (lots) tweaks and 3 batches later we had these scones. They are so good! Even hubby loved them and most of my "Candida treats" he finds lacking.

I used Truvia as the sweetener. Feel free to replace with Xylitol, Stevia or any sweetener you can handle. Truvia is another controversial one, but I decided to test it out and I seem to be handling it okay.

Ideally I would just give up the sweets (not that these are all that sweet) but I just can't seem to live on meat, veggies and nuts exclusively.

So if you are like me and you are struggling with the Candida diet and need a tasty, portable snack to take on the go this recipe could be it.

Hope you enjoy!

Low Carb Raspberry Scones - Candida diet friendly

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Keywords: bake breakfast snack candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo sugar-free wheat belly vegetarian almond flour canned coconut milk coconut flour raspberry

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Ingredients (8 scones)

Wet Ingredients

• 2 free run eggs
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 full fat canned coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

Dry Ingredients

• 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
• 1/4 cup ground golden flax (I do mine in the coffee grinder)
• 1/4 cup organic coconut flour
• 2 Tbsp shredding unsweetened medium coconut
• 2 Tbsp Truvia (or sweetener of choice - Xylitol would work as well)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• pinch of fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries (or blueberries work too)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat eggs and then add remaining wet ingredients to egg mixture. Beat until full combined.

Combine dry ingredients in a separate mixing bowl.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Beat together until fully combined.

Gently fold in berries.

Drop spoonfuls of batter onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Serve with coconut oil, butter or unsweetened jam.

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Week of Waffles - This Time Cinnamon Buckwheat - Gluten, Egg & Dairy Free for my Daughter

Okay - still lovin' my new $4 waffle maker. It has given me such joy that I feel I need to share another waffle recipe with you...........

I shared my awesome Grain-free Paleo Protein Pumpkin Waffle recipe on Tuesday. Those were awesome. But those had egg in them so they were for me.

I came up with this recipe for my daughter. My wonderful daughter that turned 6 today. WHAT. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN. We had her "Monkey Bar Birthday Party" yesterday and it was a BLAST. [Come back Sunday for a recap of her party and all the monkey details - it will be replacing my regular Sunday week in review]. She was completely happy, confident and over the moon about everything. Especially the presents and the egg, gluten and dairy free Betty Crocker cupcakes. A great reminder and reinforcement that all the hard work we are doing with her diet, supplements and routine is paying off. That we need to keep sticking to it even though it can be so inconvenient and exhausting.

Last year's party was a disaster. She was not a happy little girl. But she is happy now. She is thriving. And that makes me happy.

So in honor of this milestone I'm posting the waffle recipe I came up with for her. Make a double batch, freeze some and reheat them in the toaster.

That's what I did with these ones. Then I topped them with banana's, strawberries and a light drizzle of melted chocolate. Banana Split Waffles............who says eating clean isn't fun and delicious!

Gluten, Egg and Dairy Free Buckwheat flour waffles with cinnamon

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 (total)

Keywords: breakfast snack gluten-free vegan chia

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Ingredients (4 waffles)

Dry Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/4 cup arrowroot
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp guar gum

Chia Gel (replaces egg)

• 1 Tbsp ground Chia seed
• 1/4 cup water

Wet Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unsweetened milk (I used almond)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 8 drops liquid Stevia (or 2 Tbsp organic cane palm coconut sugar)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Combine ground Chia and water. Let stand for 5 minutes for Chia to gel.

Combine dry ingredients.

Combine wet ingredients including Chia gel.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients until just combined.

Heat waffle iron. Spray with coconut or grape seed oil.

Pour 1/4 of the mixture into each half of your waffle maker. Note that the batter is very thick. You can thin it out by adding extra milk or just use a spatula to spread it out.

Close waffle iron and let cook until indicator light shows it is done. I cooked mine for about 2 minutes and 20 seconds and they were perfect. It will depend on your waffle iron.

Remove from waffle iron and serve with toppings of choice.

Modifications: I have also done this recipe with 1/4 cup pumpkin & 2 Tbsp apple sauce instead of 1/4 cup of applesauce. Also great.  

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Grain Free Paleo Pumpkin Spice Protein Waffles

These waffles are sugar and grain free. So they are Paleo, Candida diet-friendly and low-carb. And they are delicious. I'm SO excited about this recipe. 

If you read my Sunday week in review you know two things: 1) I promised more Candida diet friendly recipes soon and 2) I bought a new waffle maker at the thrift shop for $4.

So you here you go.  A new recipe. A good recipe. A great recipe.

I used some coconut flour, ground golden flax and arrowroot as my "flour". A little bit of pumpkin, egg and milk for my wet ingredients. The combination worked perfectly. I was impressed - Paleo style pancakes are not always the easiest to work with. But the heat distribution on the waffle maker seems to be the perfect way to cook non-flour pancakes/waffles.

If you aren't on a sugar detox this would be great topped with a bit of real maple syrup. If you are staying away from sugar, like me (sigh), then you might want to make some kind of glaze for it. There are lots of possibilities but I like to melt some nut butter, butter, Stevia and maple extract in the microwave as a topping for mine. And then sprinkle with unsweetened shredded coconut. Or you could make a Chia/coconut milk/butter/Vanilla/spice/Stevia blend. Whatever you are in the mood for.

And given how hard it is to find Candida diet friendly snacks. I went ahead and make a triple batch of these the second time I made them. I froze them individually in the freezer and now I have a quick snack I can make in minutes in the toaster. It works like a charm - they taste fresh and stay crisp. Unlike when you throw them in the microwave.

I made these a couple of ways. One time with Stevia and once with Xylitol - both worked fine. One time with protein powder and once without - both of those alterations also worked fine. So its a great base recipe and adjust it to your needs/pantry.

So I hope you enjoy the recipe..............and if you don't have a waffle maker why not head down to the thrift shop. You can find all kinds of great things................and let me know if you see some 12 pound weights.....its the only thing alluding me.

Grain Free Paleo Pumpkin Spice Protein Waffles

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes per batch

Keywords: bake breakfast bread candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo coconut flour egg protein powder pumpkin

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Ingredients (2 waffles)

Wet ingredients

• 2 large free run eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup unsweetened milk (I used almond)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 drops liquid Stevia (or I also did it with 1 Tbsp of Xylitol and it also worked fine)

Dry ingredients

• 2 tbsp ground golden flax (I grind mine in a coffee grinder)
• 2 tbsp organic coconut flour
• 1 tbsp arrowroot
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• pinch fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon or cinnamon with ginger and nutmeg)
• 2 tbsp vanilla protein powder - optional (I used Vega One Sport Vanilla)

Instructions

Preheat waffle maker

Mix together wet ingredients and dry ingredients in separate mixing bowls.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.

Mix until just combined.

Let stand for 5 minutes.

When waffle maker is ready. Coat waffle maker with small amount of coconut oil. I used a paper towel to do this.

Put half the batter on each side of the waffle iron. Close and let cook until indicator light shows that it is ready. My waffles took about 2 minutes and 10 to 20 seconds to be ready.

Enjoy.

And why not make a double or triple batch. Cool completely. Freeze individually. Take them out and warm them directly in the toaster for a quick breakfast, lunch or snack on another day.

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Pumpkin Muffins with chocolate chips - gluten, egg and dairy free

Everyone in the family LOVED these muffins. Well, except for me because I can't have grains.  Sorry if you come here for the low-carb & grain-free recipes - this one is for the kid-lets.

Seriously, there was a lot of oohing and aahing from the girls. And hubby said "I want to try to make this recipe". What. Can you repeat yourself. WHAT DID YOU SAY? You want to bake something.

I think he is realizing that when I go back to work I won't be a cooking and baking machine anymore. And his year long siesta from the kitchen is coming to an end. 

Funny thing is, he doesn't even know how to get my recipes. Sigh. I think he follows my blog. Kinda. Sorta. But he is going to start because the girls requested that HE make a second batch. Yay.

In my daughter's pre-food sensitivity days, I used to make her a wheat, egg and sugar version of this recipe. So I started from there and then adjusted to make it gluten free (replaced the wheat with all purpose Robin Hood GF blend), egg free (Chia gel to the rescue), sugar free (coconut sugar) and dairy free (coconut milk, coconut oil and Enjoy life dairy free chocolate chips). 

I am so happy with how this turned out. And the kids were REALLY happy. A little too happy. They disappeared real quick. 

So if you or your little ones have sensitivities you are avoiding but can handle some grains and carbs then this might be the recipe for you................

(UPDATE - These went so quick I made them again - hubby got out of it again. I doubled the recipe and accidentally left out the Chia gel. They were awesome again. So feel free to skip the Chia if you don't have it. But since it is such an awesome super food leave it in if you can).

Gluten, Egg and Dairy Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Keywords: bake breakfast snack gluten-free nut-free vegan pumpkin chocolate

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Ingredients (12 cupcakes)

Chia gel

• 1 Tbsp ground Chia seeds
• 1/4 cup water

Dry ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Robin Hood brand)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp guar gum
• pinch fine sea salt
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon if you don't have)

Wet ingredients

• 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3/4 cup organic palm coconut sugar (or sweetener of choice)
• 1/4 cup organic coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup Enjoy life chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine Chia gel and water. Let stand 5 minutes.

Combine wet and dry ingredients seperately.

Add Chia gel to wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Add wet ingredients and chocolate chips to dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.

Separate batter into 12 lined muffin tins.

Bake for 30 or until a knife in the center comes out clean.

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Candida Diet Friendly Black Bean Cakes with Hemp Hearts & Zucchini

I served these black bean cakes on a bed of lettuce topped with a basted egg sprinkled with oregano. So delicious!

As you may know I'm on the Candida diet. Have been for some time.

Prior to the Candida diet I followed a mostly Paleo, grain free diet that didn't generally include beans, except for green beans.

But this Candida diet is very restrictive and I'm hungry all the time.  And I'm allowed to eat a modest amount of black beans due to their low net carbohydrates and low glycemic index. So I first dabbled back into beans with my BLOW YOUR MIND BLACK BEAN BROWNIES.

Those are seriously amazing. And I seemed to handle them okay. Which I can't say for most grains I have tried to dabble back into.

So I decided to try another stab at a black bean dish. And it was really good.

These black bean patties are full of fiber and nutrients. They are dairy and wheat free. And they are vegan if you skip the egg on top.

A very clean and delicious lunch or breakfast. Or breakfast-supper as my girls like to call it when we have pancakes or smoothies for supper.

I really enjoyed these and will be making them again. And I really like that you can make them ahead of time and just fry them up quickly for a fast meal.

Black beans are pretty awesome. Who knew............well now I do. And hopefully you will too!

Candida Diet Friendly Black Bean Veggie Cakes with Zucchini and Hemp Hearts

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: fry breakfast entree candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb sugar-free vegetarian zucchini coconut flour Black beans

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Ingredients (8 - 10 cakes)

• 1 can (15 oz) organic Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups shredded yellow zucchini (or green)
• 1 Tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup finely minced sweet white onion
• 1 glove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup hemp hearts
• 2 Tbsp raw sunflower seeds
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp chipolte powder
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh Basil
• 1 Tbsp coconut flour

Instructions

Add all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl and then mash until the beans are about 50% mashed.

Add coconut flour and mix thoroughly

Let it sit for about 10 minutes until the coconut flour has a chance to absorb some of the liquid.

Fry over medium heat in a frying pan in a generous amount of organic extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil. Fry each side for about 3 - 4 minutes until crisp.

Serve with a fried egg, salsa or toppings of your choice.

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Fruity Oatmeal Muffins and Living with Food Sensitivities - IGG tests to the rescue - Part One

You might be wondering why I'm posting an oatmeal and fruit recipe made with agave. If I ate one of these I would be way off the rails on my Candida diet (fruit and agave), triggering one of my worst food sensitivities (banana's) and slowing my digestive system way down (oats).

But these were not for me. They were for my sometimes sweet, sometimes saucy, 5-year old. And they are very purposefully gluten, dairy and egg free. 

Yep. We finally got her IGG food senstivity panels back. 

Well, we actually got them back a week ago. I needed a few days to have a good cry, panic and then regroup, get shopping, get researching and get cooking.  It was not good news. 

If you want to read about my food sensitivities and some discussion on IGG tests go here.

But this is about my daughter. Let's backtrack a bit.

My 5 year old (first born) was a very colicky baby, a very serious and often cranky toddler that got sick often and had lots of ear infections, and an impossible to deal with 3 year old that was sick with high fevers for a good part of a year. We often said she was an old soul - one that has been here before and was not happy to be back.

The doctors just thought she was "in a daycare with lots of kids so kept picking up bugs". I went along with that for a long time. But finally after her behavior got so bad (a 3 year old that seems depressed, violent at times towards her mother, extreme temper tantrums, general discontent?) and we were all at our breaking point (I actually broke and my husband wasn't far behind) my intuition FINALLY kicked in.

This is not normal. This is not my child. I need to help her. 

So we took her to a Naturopath. And we bit the bullet and paid almost $500 dollars (including the first and follow up visit) to get her food sensitivity panels run. 

And we found out that very clearly this child has a severe leaky gut. And severe food sensitivities. She was reacting, quite highly, to numerous foods (more than 75% of the 90 foods tested). Like mother, like daughter. The worst offenders for her seemed to be eggs (yolk and white) and dairy. 

So we reluctantly switched her to soy milk - that girl LOVED her milk. Cut egg based meals out of her diet (scrambled eggs) - that girl LOVED scrambled eggs.  And put her on a course of Probiotics and multi-vitamins. 

You have to remember that I wasn't into this clean eating business back then. I was uneducated in nutrition and still didn't fully buy into the concept of you are what you eat. So that is all we did with the information. We didn't fully cut out egg products, milk products or keep up with our supplements. We never addressed the other 60 plus foods that might be bothering her. And we never went back for a follow up visit.

But it worked. Her behavior changed DRAMATICALLY. She is actually a very goofy kid. She laughs a lot and is actually quite easily amused. She's funny. She is very loving - especially towards her mother. She has an extremely nurturing nature. I finally got to meet my real kid. 

And she didn't get a flu or fever the WHOLE YEAR SHE WAS FOUR. 

I can not tell you what a miracle and blessing this was to our house and our life. I have regrets that I didn't figure this out sooner but I also feel so grateful that we ended up down the right path - at the Naturopath, $500 dollars less in our wallet but full of hope and laughter and giggles. 

Some of you might think: 1) IGG tests have no basis in science, 2) why didn't you just figure this out by yourself by watching her symptoms or 3) its a coincidence. 

Well, I'll address some of those things on Monday in PART 2 to this post. Its too much for me in one day. I need to make some egg free, gluten-free meatballs for supper and time is ticking.

So for now I will just leave you will a new recipe that I made for my giggly girl. One that she didn't love but her dad adored so its going in our family cookbook anyway.  And yes, I stole one bite (just to make sure they were edible) - they were fabulous!

Fruity Oatmeal Muffins - Gluten, Egg and Dairy Free

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Keywords: bake breakfast dessert snack candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo sugar-free wheat belly almond flour canned coconut milk coconut flour raspberry

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Ingredients (12 muffins)

• 1 cup gluten free quick oats
• 1/2 cup blanched almond flour (Almond meal would work too)
• 1/4 cup organic coconut flour
• 1/4 cup ground golden flax
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 ripe mashed banana
• 1 cup carton unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with 12 large muffin liners.

Combine dry ingredients.

Mash banana. Add milk, coconut oil, agave and applesauce to banana and mix thoroughly.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don't over-mix. Let stand 10 minutes to let coconut flour set.

Gently mix fresh fruit into batter.

Divide batter into 12 muffin liners and bake for 25 minutes or until knife in center comes out clean.

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