Tasty Taco Turkey Burgers - Grain & Egg free

Hello Everyone...........Mama's back.

Had a recipe to share. Darn these were good. Really good. 

I've been on a hiatus from blogging my recipes. Not from developing recipes. As soon as I said I wasn't going to post recipes for a while I couldn't keep myself out of the kitchen. So I have been having fun trying out lots of new recipes. But they aren't all making it to paper...........or Blogger as the case may be.

But hubby and I loved this one so much that I thought I better get out the camera and jot some notes. You'll notice my presentation is lacking.....................

That's how I roll these days. I'm trying to focus on playing with my kids.  We have had an awesome Spring Break. Crafts galore. Shopping. Swimming. Busy. Busy. Busy. Fun. Fun. Fun. Three happy kids. And I was "there" to enjoy it. Fully there. And that's what its all about. I am well enough (no Candida, no Adrenal fatigue, no digestive problems - YAY) right now to be in the moment so that's where I'm trying to stay!

Hope you enjoy this and hopefully I'm back soon with some of my new tofu recipes............I've become slightly obsessed with Silken Tofu..............can't stop experimenting. Its magical!

Turkey Burgers - Mexican

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes ish

Keywords: grill entree low-carb paleo turkey Mexican

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Ingredients (7 - 8 burgers)

• 1 lb lean ground turkey (I get mine at Costco)
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup red sweet pepper, chopped
• 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot flour
• 1/2 Tbsp ground Chia seed
• 1/4 cup corn
• 5 tsp Taco spice

I make a big batch of my taco spice using the following (I use it for various recipes):

• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp paprika
• 4 tsp cumin
• 4 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp chili powder

Instructions

I mixed all the ingredients together, except for the meat, first. I then added the ground turkey and gently mixed it up until it was fully combined. I try not to over-mix. I made the mixture into patties.

I found the mixed meat to be a bit sticky and was worried it would stick to the bbq, so hubby fried the patties first - about 2-3 minutes on each side- in some grapeseed oil on the frying pan. He then grilled them for about 7 minutes on each side on the BBQ (on low heat).

I served topped with home-made guacamole. So tasty!!!

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Gluten Free Low Carb Sundried Tomato & Hummus Chicken Bake - SO EXCITED!

Yep. I spelled Hummus wrong. Yep. I have no time to go back and fix it!

OMG. I'm so excited to share this recipe at #mamaeatsclean. Ha, ha - I'm trying to figure out what a hash tag is used for so had to throw that in??? LOL.

Anyway - back to business. 

I love making a baked chicken recipe. My old favorites used to be Baked Chicken Parmesan or my Lemon Garlic Parmesan Chicken. Both grain free and wicked good. 

But both wickedly full of dairy. And we don't eat dairy anymore. 

So I have been trying to figure out how to get that combination of savory breading with a creamy sauce. And I NAILED IT. 

HUMMUS. 

So simple. Why didn't I think of it sooner. 

I always buy hummus and half the time we don't end up finishing it. Probably because I don't eat grains and hummus is best as a dip. But now I have an new use for it. As a topping for my breaded chicken. 

I used EVOO instead of egg, a grain free breading and no cheese. So safe for all kinds of diets. 

Seriously. This was GOOD. Really good! New family favorite. And I think this will be a great dish to make for Company. To impress Company. Or at least convince them that eating clean isn't horrible:)

Grain, Egg and Dairy Free Sundried & Hummus Chicken Bake - SO GOOD!

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 - 55 minutes

Keywords: bake entree candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb wheat belly chicken chickpeas

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Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 4 Large Chicken Breasts
• 1 Tbsp EVOO

Breading

• 1/3 cup blanched almond flour
• 1/3 cup ground golden flax (I grind it in my coffee grinder)
• 2 Tbsp organic coconut flour
• 1 tsp each - garlic powder, onion powder and fine sea salt
• pepper to taste

Topping

• 1/2 cup prepared hummus (I used roasted red pepper)
• 1 Tbsp butter (or non-dairy alternative)
• 1 Tbsp EVOO
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 tsp Herbamare (or fine seas salt)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish.

Cut chicken breasts in half to make 8 pieces. Pat chicken breasts dry and then cover with 1 Tbsp EVOO.

Mix together breading ingredients. Dip each piece of chicken in breading mixture.

Place in baking dish.

Mix topping ingredients together. Cover each breaded chicken breast with topping mixture.

Bake for 45 - 55 minutes. Less if your chicken breasts are smaller. Mine were thick so I let them cook longer (and I was busy doing something else) and they were perfectly moist but could have come out sooner. Enjoy.

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Low Carb Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs

It feels good to share a new recipe. Its been a while. Well, at least its been a while since I shared a grain-free, low-carb, low-sugar recipe.

And this was a good one.

Yum. We enjoyed this with some roasted sweet potatoes, onions and sweet red peppers.

Hope you enjoy it too!!!

Low Carb Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Keywords: bake entree low-carb paleo chicken bacon

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Ingredients (6 chicken thighs)

• 6 chicken thighs
• 6 pieces of bacon
• 1 Tbsp coconut amino's (or soya sauce if you must)
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin puree (or more ketchup)
• 2 Tbsp organic ketchup
• 1 Tbsp organic apple cider vinegar (I used Braggs)
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together all marinade ingredients. Wrap each chicken thigh with a slice of bacon. Secure the bacon with a toothpick. Place the chicken thighs in a glass casserole dish with a lid. Pour marinade over top of bacon wrapped chicken thighs.

Bake for 35 minutes. Remove casserole from oven.

Pour off liquid into a sauce pan. Put chicken back into oven with no lid. Broil on low for 5 minutes (or longer - until bacon just starts getting crispy).

Meanwhile, heat the sauce to medium/high heat. Add 1 Tbsp of thickener (I used arrowroot). Mix thoroughly until sauce thickens. Remove casserole from oven and pour thickened sauce over top.

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Simple Slow Cooker Paleo Beef Stew

Today is the first day of my new career.................

A chance to SLOW down. 

Well, not really. Just redirect my energy to things that are important to me. A balance between work and life.

But a chance to use my SLOW cooker anyway.

This time for some beef stew. This was really good. And simple. 

The grass fed, hormone free beef (thanks Baba C) was super tender. And the "gravy" was nice and thick. 

The whole family enjoyed this. Well, almost. I'm sure yours will too!

Paleo Beef Stew - Slow Cooked to Perfection

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 6 - 7 hours on low

Keywords: slow-cooker entree candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo beef sweet potato

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Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 medium yellow cooking onion
• 3/4 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped red pepper
• 3 cups chopped sweet potato or yams
• 1 cup peas, frozen
• 1 1/4 lb grass fed organic stewing feef
• 1 tsp Herbamare or fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp minced garlic (1 large clove)
• 2 tsp GF Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp thyme (dried)
• 1/2 tbsp parsley (dried)
• 1 1/2 tbsp organic coconut flour
• 2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup water

Instructions

In a bowl combine cubed stewing beef with salt, pepper, garlic, Worcestershire, paprika, thyme and parsley. Sprinkle with coconut flour and toss until flour is distributed evenly over beef.

In a frying pan, heat olive oil to medium high heat. Brown coated beef in oil. Should take about 7 minutes.

Layer vegetables in slow cooker. Top with browned beef mixture. Add 1/3 cup of water. Cook on low for about 7 hours.

About 1/2 hour before stew is cooked, add peas, stir and let it continue to cook with lid on.

Serve and enjoy!

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Mexican Beef Stew - Low Carb and Candida Diet friendly

Hope everyone had a happy Halloween. And didn't dip into the candies too much. If you did then here is a nice clean and low carb recipe you can make to redeem yourself.

I, myself, haven't been cooking much this week. Too busy with Halloween baking, etc, etc.

Problem is that when I don't eat tasty, clean meals I start looking for treats to keep me satisfied.

So I gotta get organized and back in the kitchen this weekend. And make myself some hearty and healthy main dishes that will keep my hands out of the cookie jar!


Low Carb Mexican Beef Slow Cooker Stew

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: slow-cooker entree candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo wheat belly beef avocado black beans tomato

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Ingredients

• 1 - 2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb Stewing beef, cubed (organic/grass fed if possible)
• 2 Tbsp coconut flour
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• dash pepper
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 can diced green chili's
• 1/2 cup diced tomato
• 1 can (15 oz) organic black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/8 tsp chipolte powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
• 1 tbsp arrowroot

Instructions

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan.

Combine coconut flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a shallow pan.

Dredge beef cubes through coconut flour.

Fry beef in olive oil until browned on all side. About 5 minutes.

Place all other ingredients, except coconut milk and arrowroot, in slow cooker and mix thoroughly.

Place browned beef on top.

Cook on low heat for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.

Approximately 1/2 hour before serving, combine coconut milk and arrowroot, and then mix it into beef stew. Slow cook for an additional 1/2 hour on high.

Serve topped with fresh avocado, green onions and/or diced tomato.

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Taco Explosion - Low-Carb Corn Free Black Bean Taco Salad with Avocado Cilantro Green Chili Dressing! Ole!

Woo, hoo. A surprisingly delicious salad that is super low carb and full of clean and Candida diet friendly ingredients. 

I was heading to a potluck barbecue this weekend and needed to bring something that I could eat. Something that would have sufficient protein to fill me up in case I couldn't find any other Candida diet friendly foods to eat (which I did but you never know). 

And I was hoping it would taste delicious - given I'm a food blogger and all. I didn't want it to taste like a desperate attempt to make a sugar, grain, yeast, starch, corn & vinegar-free taco salad. Sometimes my experiments can be a bit "off". Didn't want to have an off night in front of my hubbies colleague. Colleagues I was meeting for the first time. 

But this one seemed to be a hit. I got one "it tastes like a taco exploded in my mouth". Need I say more. 

The base of the salad is zucchini. Super low calorie and low carb.

And black beans, that are well rinsed and drained, are relatively low carb and legal. 

And if you love Cilantro and Avocado then you will love this dressing. 

And sorry to Cathy about the red wine on the carpet and to Michelle for the red wine on her previously awesome yellow shirt. Damn baby...........I don't even get to drink these days and I'm still causing spills everywhere I go. 

Low-Carb Corn Free Black Bean Taco Salad with Avocado Cilantro Green Chili Dressing

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes plus chill time

Keywords: salad candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb avocado beef black beans zucchini

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Ingredients (Large family size salad/Potluc)

Veggies & Beans

• 4 cups chopped yellow or green zucchini
• 1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup peppers (I used red and yellow but use whatever you want)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh Cilantro (adjust to preference)
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes (I would add these just before serving)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (19 oz - organic if possible)

Taco meat

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 1/4 lbs organic ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp chili powder

Dressing

• 1 ripe Avocado
• 1 can green chili's
• 1/2 tsp Truvia (or sweetener of choice - optional)
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp coconut vinegar (or apple cider if not on Candida diet)
• 4 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

Cheese

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Wash and chop your vegetables and put them aside.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic. Fry for 1 minute before adding ground beef. Fry beef until browned and cooked through.

In a separate bowl, combine spices: onion, red pepper, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper and chili. Add spices to browned beef and continue cooking for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until most of the juice has evaporated. If your beef is really dry you might want to add 1 - 2 Tbsp of water just before adding the spices. Let beef cool completely before layering your salad.

While the beef is frying make your dressing. I just put all the ingredients in my magic bullet and pulsed until it was fully combined. Chill in fridge before serving.

I layered my salad with veggies, beef and then cheese. Just prior to serving I added the dressing and mixed the salad thoroughly. Enjoy!

We also ate this the next day after it had been sitting with the dressing over night and it was still delicious and held up well.

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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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Shake It Up with Cilantro and Lime Grilled Turkey Burgers - Gluten, Dairy and Egg Free

Holy Dinna. Our whole house was SHAKING from the thunder last night.

Its scared the crap out of me. I don't like thunder storms. Sorry if you think they are sexy and fun. I don't. It was followed by an hour and a half of tossing and turning (anxiety) and severe night sweats.

And my sugar cravings and hunger have been really bad for the past couple of days.

So what's up?

Too much baking going on in this house is resulting in a Candida flare up. Aghhhhh. I need to nip it in the bud fast. My brother's wedding is in a week and a half and I don't want to be walking around in brain fog or in a pissy mood.

I haven't been baking for myself. I've been baking for my kids trying to find gluten, egg and dairy free baking they will eat as we are in a constant need for snacks and portables. And I don't particularly eat it myself because it usually containers sweeteners (coconut palm, honey, maple, etc) that I'm not supposed to be having.

But........ Big But........... I do taste bites here and there to make sure it turned out okay. Or I finish the last bite they left on their plates. I guess it adds up.

And I have been so busy baking that our dinners have been pretty basic. And being the food lover that I am, a basic dinner, or lunch, usually leaves me rooting around the fridge half hour later for something to eat. Because I love GOOD TASTING FOOD. I need to feel like I had a "wow that was good" meal or I'm not satisfied. I hate those people that "eat to live". They are lucky. I "live to eat".

So I think the combination of me licking too many spoons and not cooking enough tasty and delicious dinners has resulted in my Candida taking the lead in our little battle.

So I am regrouping and made a KICK ASS dinner last night as my first line of defense. I made these burgers on the grill and served with lots of grilled veggies - peppers, onions, tomato and cauliflower. And poured the glaze over everything. Yummy.

Plus it was gluten, egg and dairy free. Win. Win, Win.

So now I guess I am going to have to  behave. No more licking the beaters. Sigh. It was fun while it lasted.

Egg Free & Gluten Free Grilled Cilantro Turkey Burgers

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: grill entree candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb nut-free paleo sugar-free wheat belly coconut flour chia seeds turkey

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Ingredients (5 patties)

Burgers

• 1 lb ground turkey (I buy mine at Costco)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp Sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp ground Chia seeds
• 4 Tbsp Water
• 1 Tbsp organic coconut flour

Cilantro Lime Glaze

• 2 Tbsp organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp full fat canned coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened milk (I used almond)
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp Cilantro, chopped
• 1 Tbsp lime juice

Instructions

Grilled Burgers

Heat the grill to medium high heat.

Mix Chia seeds and water. Let stand for 5 minutes to let Chia gel.

Gently combine all ingredients including Chia gel. Try not to overmix.

Let stand for 10 minutes before making into patties.

Make into patties - about 1/4 to 1/3 cup each.

Grill each side for about 7 minutes or until fully cooked.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

Mix all ingredients.

Pour over grilled burgers and side veggies.

Enjoy.

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Pick Me Up With Your hands - Egg Plant and Coconut Flour Pizza Crust

OH. YES. I. DID.

After the wild success of my Insanely Good Spaghetti Squash Pizza Crust, I decided to give it another go with egg plant instead of squash. 

Why you ask? When it was so good with spaghetti squash. Two reasons: 

One - Raw egg plant only has 2 grams of net carbohydrates per cup whereas cooked spaghetti squash has 8 grams of net carbohydrates. It might seem like I'm splitting hairs here - 8 grams of net carbohydrates is not something to get worried about. For a NORMAL person. But my Candida diet went down the drain and I had to restart based on eating some "normally" acceptable Candida diet foods like minuscule portions of gluten-free oats. I am in hyper-vigilantes mode. I cut carbs where I can.  

Two - You need to roast the spaghetti squash before making the pizza which makes it take longer and requires some pre-planning. This one can be whipped up at the last minute if need be. 

I have never eaten egg plant in my life and was eager to try something new. Gotta keep things interesting when you are on as restrictive of a diet as the Candida diet. 

In this recipe I just included the egg plant raw and adjusted the cooking time accordingly.  And it turned out awesome. The texture of the crust was sturdy - we could pick it up and eat it with our hands. Not always the case with gluten-free, vegetable based crusts. You can taste the egg plant slightly. If you love egg plant that will be a bonus. If you don't, you might not like it. 

Once again, my pizza obsessed hubby was impressed, amazed and shocked that he LOVED this pizza. 

This recipe does use a modest amount of mozzarella. Some Candida diets allow it, some don't. I wouldn't eat this everyday - but a small portion of mozza a couple times a week seems to be working out for me. I don't have a particularly high food sensitivity to dairy so I can handle it. Again - just listen to your own body. 

So we loved this pizza crust. We also love the spaghetti squash pizza crust. We also love the Wheat Belly Pizza Crust #1. But this one is the lowest calorie, lowest carb and lowest fat. So if that's what you are after then give it a try. And let me know if it turns out...............

Pick me up Egg Plant and Coconut Flour Pizza Crust

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes for crust

Keywords: bake entree candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb nut-free sugar-free wheat belly vegetarian coconut flour egg eggplant

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Ingredients (1 - 12 inch pizza)

• 1 3/4 cup peeled and grated eggplant, I used about half of one large eggplant
• 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup ground golden flax seed
• 2 Tbsp organic coconut flour
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 cup mozza cheese, shredded (loosely packed)
• 1/3 cup liquid free-run egg whites

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a pizza baking pan with parchment paper (don't skip this step or it will likely stick).

Peel and grate your eggplant using a cheese grater. Sprinkle with salt and let stand for 10 minutes. It will get some of the bitter taste and water out.

Add egg and mozza cheese. Combine.

Combine all the dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix thoroughly.

Let stand at least 15 minutes to let the coconut flour absorb some of the liquids.

Using the back of a spoon, spread the mixture on the parchment paper. Mine was about 1/4 inch thick and made a 12 inch pizza.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes at 350 degrees and then turn oven up to 400 degrees and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it to make sure the bottom is not browning to quickly. Adjust temperature and time as needed based on your oven and baking sheet. The center should seem "dry" when its cooked enough and the bottom will be browned.

Add pizza toppings and bake for another 10-15 minutes until toppings are cooked and cheese is melted. Broil for two minutes to crisp up cheese if necessary.

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Crispy and Tender Oven Baked Gluten Free Beef Schnitzel And the Elusiveness of Sleep

We are on day four of "sleep training" our 11 month old. I won't go into details but he has been a POOR sleeper. Really. You'd think a person would get better at certain things with experience (i.e. three kids) but apparently I'm not a quick learner because I actually got worse at this baby sleeping thing.

The weird thing is that barring some of my bad Candida flare up days and my bout of low iron I generally am not tired during the day. Weird for me...and wonderful. I've been tired my whole life. But I do get tired during the night. Its hard waking up 4 times a night to walk to baby's room to feed him. I feel like a zombie.

And I finally had enough of it last week. We were in between teeth and flu's so thought we better take action. And its working. For four nights I have only fed him once (at 2:00 am - I set my alarm). And he is starting to sleep better.

But my body is CONFUSED after 11 months of frequent wake ups. Guess what time I was up this morning (for the day).........4:30 am. I could not sleep anymore. I kind of felt rested. I'm so not used to having 3 or 4 hour stretches of sleep that my body thinks its done sleeping when I get one.

After tossing and turning for an hour I decided to get up at 5:30. Although it was very productive, I would have much rather been still cozy in bed. Sleeping. After 11 months of praying for sleep, I couldn't sleep. Joke's on me. Let's just hope this is not some sign of the insomnia I've kept at bay returning.

So we will see if I make it through the day without crashing at some point and feeling like crap. In an attempt to keep quiet I also broke my "eat within one hour of waking up" rule for my adrenal fatigue. Could be a tough day.

But the sun in shining and we are finally getting some great weather to be outside playing so it will be good either way.

UPDATE (8:45 pm CST) - I didn't get tired all day. I have been going and going and going. And I'm still ready to go. Its so weird. I restarted my Candida diet and I think its working again - so I just need to follow it to a T so I don't get back off track. Yay for energy.

This recipe was AMAZING. I will be making this AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN. The texture of the beef was just right. Although the breading process takes a few minutes and makes a bit of mess it is worth it. And its totally Candida Diet friendly. So enjoy. Have a great sunny day. 

Crispy and Tender Oven Baked Gluten Free Beef Shnitzel

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Keywords: bake entree candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo wheat belly sugar-free almond flour beef coconut flour egg

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Ingredients (Serves 3 - 4)

• 1 1/2 - 2 pounds beef minute steaks, pounded, about 8 pieces

Dusting - 1st Dredge

• 2 Tbsp Garbanzo bean flour (chick pea flour)
• 1 Tbsp organic coconut flour

Egg Wash - 2nd Dredge

• 2 free run eggs, well beaten

Breading - 3rd Dredge

• 1 cup blanched almond flour (almond meal should work too)
• 1/4 cup ground golden flax (I do mine in the coffee grinder)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

In three separate shallow bowls, prepare your dreading ingredients.

In the first bowl combine the garbanzo and coconut flour. Dip a piece of beef in this flour mixture (on both sides) until there is a light dusting of flour on the entire piece.

In the second bowl. Beat the eggs. Dip the lightly dusted piece of beef into the egg wash so both sides are covered.

In the third bowl. Mix all the breading ingredients together. Dredge the beef through the breading so it is well covered on all sides.

Place on wax or parchment paper lined container. Repeat with all pieces of beef. Place the breaded beef in the fridge for at least one hour to cool prior to cooking.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place beef in a single layer on a well greased (EVOO or coconut oil) glass baking dish - I used two 9 x 13 pans. Put a small pat of butter on top of each piece.

Bake for 10 minutes at high heat. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve immediately.

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My beef schnitzel assembly line. It takes a few minutes to prep with the triple dip, but it is so worth it. This breading turned out amazing. 

Insanely Good Spaghetti Squash Pizza Crust - Take Two

No. Your eyes aren't deceiving you.

I am posting the same recipe twice today. 

Because I am playing with my new RECIPAGE. See my new link on the right hand side of the site navigation bar (up top). 

It will take me some time to get all my old recipes populated. But hopefully this makes it easier to read my recipes and print them out.  And search for some of the oldies.

Technology can be great fun when it works. 

So here is my awesome new pizza crust recipe. Again. Its kind of fitting since we have had this for dinner two days in a row. Hubby loves it and its pretty simple so why not. Enjoy

Insanely Good Spaghetti Squash Pizza Crust with Coconut Flour

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes plus roasting squas

Cook Time: 35 minutes in oven

Keywords: bake entree candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb sugar-free paleo spaghetti squash coconut flour

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Ingredients (1 - 12 inch pizza)

• 2 cups previously roasted spaghetti squash, about half of a medium sized squash
• 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup ground golden flax seed
• 2 Tbsp organic coconut flour
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 cup mozza cheese, shredded (loosely packed)
• 1/3 cup liquid free-run egg whites

Instructions

To roast your squash. Cut it in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Place cut side down on a baking dish. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a pizza baking pan with parchment paper.

Strain your squash in a colander or sieve squeezing out as much of the water as you can. Place in a bowl and add egg and mozza cheese. Combine.

Combine all the dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix thoroughly.

Let stand at least 15 minutes to let the coconut flour absorb some of the liquids.

Using the back of a spoon, spread the mixture on the parchment paper. Mine was about 1/4 inch thick and made a 12 inch pizza.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it to make sure the bottom is not browning to quickly. Adjust temperature and time as needed based on your oven and baking sheet. The centre should seem "dry" when its cooked enough and the bottom will be browned.

Add pizza toppings and bake for another 15 minutes.

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Insanely Good Spaghetti Squash Pizza Crust - I still can't believe this actually worked

I am super excited about this recipe.

Can you believe it? I can only because I made it.

Like. Really. Plus I think this Candida diet is really starting to work. I am starting to feel very energetic again...........I woke up before all 3 kids and felt rested. At ten to 6. Rested enough to get out of bed when I didn't need to. God is answering my prayers. Its a great day. And it actually smells like spring for the first time. Hallelujah!

I didn't actually think this recipe would work - or not this well - I was just trying to use up some leftover roasted squash. But it was amazing. My husband wants it again for supper tonight.

He had no idea what it was made of. You can not tell the key ingredient is spaghetti squash. Seriously. And we could pick it up and eat it like a "normal" piece of pizza. This is momentous for this family. Pizza is sacred to my husband.

We also LOVE the Wheat Belly Cookbook Pizza Crust #1. But given its made from almond flour its not the most low calorie or low fat option out there. I'm lucky to not be watching calories right now because I'm breastfeeding but hubby doesn't really like that it is 200 calories a slice just for the crust.

Plus I like to save my nut intake for snacks.

So this is an awesome alternative that will be a new staple in our house. It is low-carb, wheat-free and even Candida friendly. Well, my version of the Candida diet allows 2 - 3 ounces of mozza 3 times a week so I am safe if I watch my intake.

I suggest you roast the squash in advance and let it cool completely. I used half a squash for one crust.

Insanely Good Spaghetti Squash Pizza Crust with Coconut Flour

2 cups previously roasted spaghetti squash, about half of a medium sized squash
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 cup ground golden flax seed
2 Tbsp organic coconut flour
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 cup mozza cheese, shredded (loosely packed)
1/3 cup liquid free-run egg whites

To roast your squash. Cut it in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Place cut side down on a baking dish. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a pizza baking pan with parchment paper.

Strain your squash in a colander or sieve squeezing out as much of the water as you can. Place in a bowl and add egg and mozza cheese. Combine.

Combine all the dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix thoroughly.

Let stand at least 15 minutes to let the coconut flour absorb some of the liquids.

Using the back of a spoon, spread the mixture on the parchment paper. Mine was about 1/4 inch thick.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it to make sure the bottom is not browning to quickly. Adjust temperature and time as needed based on your oven and baking sheet.

Add pizza toppings and bake for another 15 minutes.

I topped this with a tomato sauce made from mixing tomato paste with canned coconut milk and spice, some  grass fed nitrate and sugar free sausage, onions, cherry tomatoes and a little mozzarella cheese. 

Grilled Asian Marinated Chicken Thighs with Coconut Amino's and Ginger

This would also be fantastic sprinkled with some sesame seeds. Ooops I forgot.

If you are in "Candida-land" like me it can be isolating and lonely. No one wants to invite you for dinner (don't really blame them - my hubby doesn't even know what I can eat). You pretty much can't eat out anywhere. And you can't snack on any of the foods at a party. From a social perspective it kind of sucks. Most social occasions revolve around food. Well at least after the age that social occasions revolve around alcohol. You really notice it once you give up EVERYTHING.

But you can still go out. Just eat before you go. Take a smoothie for the road. Throw some nuts in your purse. And you will usually find some kind of vegetable to nibble on. And tell your friends not to worry about feeding you - you will bring a Candida diet friendly emergency pack as a back-up.

And if you are cooking for others it can be challenging. If you are having dinner guests you want them to enjoy the food. And you also want to be able to enjoy it with them. At least in your own house it would be nice to eat the same food as everyone else. And it seems a little weird (don't touch that chicken - its for me!!!!) and time consuming to prepare a separate meal for yourself.

So here is a Candida-diet friendly recipe that is simple and can be served to guests without them even knowing its made from a super restrictive list of ingredients. You could easily double the marinade - I am finding this clean eating a bit expensive so I made mine really sparse to try and cut back on waste. Yes - I am that frugal.

And this would be fantastic served with my Asian inspired Paleo salad or it would actually make an awesome lunch served on top of that salad. No one will even realize they are eating a Candida diet friendly meal.

If you are doing the Candida diet YOU NEED TO GO BUY SOME COCONUT AMINO'S and COCONUT VINEGAR. Seriously. It will really help you with sauces, dressings and marinades.  If you have those you can survive this diet. In Winnipeg you can get it at Vita Health. Or order it online. Just get some.

So here is a simple and quick recipe to help you enjoy a meal with your lucky non-Candida bearing friends.

Candida Diet Grilled Asian Chicken Thighs - With Coconut Amino's and Ginger

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: grill entree candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo soy-free sugar-free wheat belly chicken

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Ingredients (Serves 3 - 4)

• 8 chicken thighs (serves 3 or 4)
• Marinade
• 1 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp coconut amino's (marinade)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice, fresh or bottled
• 3 drops sesame oil (or to taste - a little goes a long way so be careful)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 nub of fresh ginger, or at least one Tbsp chopped
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• dash pepper

Instructions

Pour/rub marinade into chicken thighs.

Let marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Grill on bbq until cooked. I did it over low/medium heat for about 7 minutes on each side.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Serve and enjoy a meal with your friends. You could also grill some pineapple rings for your guests as an extra side dish - just don't eat them yourself if you are on the Candida diet.

Simple.

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Paleo Swiss Steak - Dusted with Coconut Flour

This is a gluten free spin on Baba M's famous Swiss Steak recipe. I used coconut flour instead of wheat in my batch and will have to switch out the mushrooms for peppers next time.

So today is a crazy day. I will be running all day so I am leaving you with a recipe from the archives I made a few weeks ago that I never had a chance to post. It was my pre-Candida diet days. It can easy be adapted to be Candida diet friendly so I will be making it again. 

I'm also trying to eat more beef since I can't have pork on my Candida diet and beef is basically the best food to try and combat my low iron problem. 

Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day. Mine was awesome. We spent 4 hours at the local fair, the sun was shining and the kids were happy. So I was happy.

Hubby even baked a turkey for dinner. For a former chef he does very little cooking these days. He's not sure what I can and can't eat so he's kind of thrown in the towel. But he stepped up for Mother's Day and it was nice to get a break. And we have LOTS of leftovers so I won't have to cook again today. Bonus since I have no time..........

Paleo Swiss Steak - switch out the mushrooms with some red, yellow or green peppers to make it Candida diet friendly

1 1/2 lbs Beef Minute Steaks, mine were organic/hormone-free/antibiotic-free/grass fed, thin and pounded
1 -2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Coating
3 Tbsp organic coconut flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
pepper

Sauce
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium white onion, sliced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/2 celery, chopped
28 oz can diced tomatoes (no sugar added)
5.5 oz can tomato paste
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp paprika

Heat a griddle or skilled to medium high heat. Drizzle with olive oil. Coat both side of each piece of steak with a light dusting of coating. Fry the beef until coating is browned. About 3 - 4 minutes per side.

In a separate sauce pan, fry garlic and onion in olive oil until softened over medium heat. About 2 minutes. Add celery, mushrooms and celery. Fry for about 5 minutes until vegetables are softened. Add tomato, Worcestershire and paprika. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Transfer half the tomato sauce to a casserole with a lid. Place browned beef on top and then cover with the remaining tomato sauce. Bake with lid on for appox. 1 hour and 20 minutes. Beef should be fork tender.