Roasted Chickpeas - A New Addiction - Sweet and Savory - Ginger and Sesame!

Okay. Mama has a new addiction.

Back in the day when I was doing the Paleo diet I wasn't eating any legumes. 

But then I went on the Candida diet. And on the Candida diet you can't have fruit or lots of the starchy vegetables. And I can't eat dairy. So I relied very heavily on nuts for snacks.  I could get away with that because I was breastfeeding and training a ton. So I could use the calories. 

If you caught my Sunday post you might have read about how I'm starting to put weight back on. And thus I'm starting to realize maybe I won't be able to eat an unlimited amount of nuts on a daily basis. Darn are they convenient. Darn are they good. Darn are they high calorie. Darn is it easy to overdo it.

And my options for other snacks are pretty limited. 

So I have been starting to experiment with chickpeas. If you follow me you'll know that I have been on a bit of a chocolate chickpea cookie binge. Still loving those. 

I decided to multi-task during my last (double) batch of cookies and roast some chickpeas at the same time. So in 45 minutes I had two batches of chocolate macaroon chickpea cookies (about 35) and a batch of roasted chickpeas. Gotta stock the fridge with snacks if I'm going to stick with this clean eating thing. Which I am finding hard these days - my hand keeps finding itself in the Halloween treats. I'm not impressed with myself, or my hands. 

They were super easy to make and super yummy. I think they would be pretty spectacular on my Asian Paleo Raw Salad. Next time since they are already gone.

This is a pretty versatile recipe. The flavour combinations are endless. Just pick what you like and go for it. Next time I'm going to try cinnamon sugar(Truvia)!

Sweet Sesame Roasted Chickpeas - Candida Diet Snacks

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Keywords: bake snack candida-diet friendly low-carb vegan chickpeas

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Ingredients (1 1/2 cups or so)

• 1 can organic chickpeas (abour 400 or 500 ml), rinsed, drained and patted dry
• 1 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 4 drops of sesame oil
• 1/2 Tbsp coconut amino's (or gluten free soy in you are not doing Candida diet)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 Tbsp sweetener of choice (I used Xylitol)
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp Sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Drain and rinse chickpeas. To make sure they were fairly dry I put them out on a tea towel to dry and patted them a bit.

Put in a shallow roasting pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes being sure to turn/rotate every 10 minutes.

While the chickpeas are roasting combine dressing ingredients.

Remove chickpeas from the oven and toss with dressing. I took them out of the roasting pan, tossed them in a glass bowl and then put them back in the roasting pan.

Bake for an additional 10 - 15 minutes until slightly browned. Be careful you don't burn them.

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Candida Diet Friendly - Low Carb - Delicious - Chickpea Pizza Dip

I keep buying hummus at the store (when I can find one without vinegar) because it seems like it should be the answer to making it easier to eat more veggies at snack time. A candida diet friendly snack that is relatively low-carb and low-fat.

Problem is that usually after one serving I lose interest, as does the rest of the family, and I end up throwing it out when I find it at the back of the fridge two weeks later. 

I finally need to admit to myself. I DO NOT LIKE STORE BOUGHT HUMMUS. Just give up. The idea of it is there - healthy, convenient, veggie friendly  - but it just isn't something appealing to me. 

Not quite ready to give up on it I thought I would experiment a bit in making my own. I didn't add any Tahini because I didn't have any (that wasn't way past its best before) but you could if you so choose. It didn't need it. 

I doctored my version up to make it PIZZA inspired. Because everyone in my house loves pizza. Check out my Insanely Good Spaghetti Squash Pizza if you want an actual pizza that is insanely good and completely grain free. 

Everyone actually liked this hummus. I won't be throwing any of this away. I'm so excited! [Update: I went to make my lunch for work thinking I would take some hummus and it had dissappeared - all gone - I was kind of annoyed but kind of happy].

It was super simple to make. It would be even simpler if my food processor was working. But I was still able to make it in my blender with a bit of "on-off-scrape down the sides" action. 

I served this to the kids on gluten-free crackers with some chopped up gluten-free/nitrate-free pepperoni sticks. I think they would also love it on rice cakes. I will be sending it for lunch for my Grade one'r. 

And I ate mine with veggies of course. 

If you are like me and love the idea of hummus but not the taste then give this a try. You might find you LOVE it. 

Creamy Chickpea Pizza Dip

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 0

Keywords: blender appetizer candida-diet friendly low-carb tomato chickpeas

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Ingredients (2 cups)

• 1 - 16 oz chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in just enough chickpea liquid to cover for about 10 minutes
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• dash black pepper
• 1/4 cup marinara/tomato sauce (no sugar added)

Instructions

I just threw everything in my blender (Ninja) and pulsed for about 5 minutes. I had to stop it several times and use a spatula to clean off'/push down the sides. If you have a food processor that would work even better.

Once blended I would chill before serving. You can top with some drizzled extra virgin olive oil. If you aren't dairy free this would also be good with some Parmesan cheese.

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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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Fabulous Farmer's Market Finds and a Simple Sugar Free Rhubarb Salsa

I'm trying to think globally and shop locally when I can........and this is the time to do it. We don't get a lot of opportunity in Winnipeg to get local organic produce during the winter so we have to get to the garden or farmer's market when we can.

So I very excitedly headed to the St. Norbert farmer's market yesterday. What fun!

Since I started eating clean, shopping for vegetables has become somewhat of an adventure. In order to keep things interesting and keep myself satisfied I am constantly challenging myself to try something new, different and maybe even a little confusing. 

I don't always know what to do with things once I get home but that's part of the fun. So yesterday I came home with some basics and some fun new finds. And that means some fun new recipes coming your way.....

Like the rhubarb salsa I whipped up for lunch. It was nice and crisp - fresh and light. A great basic clean salsa recipe that you can easily modify for what's in your garden, shopping cart or farmer's market. 

I used mine as a topping for a grilled turkey burger....but it would be good on any protein. Or veggie. 

I'm still doing the Candida diet so I used Stevia as my sweetener. If you don't have Stevia and can handle it, a tablespoon of honey would probably do the trick. 

Hope you enjoy this recipe...............and I challenge you to think outside the box. Or the big box stores at least and try to get some fresh produce direct from a local farm. You'll be glad you did! 

Simple and Sugar Free Rhubarb Salsa

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: none

Keywords: raw dressing side candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb paleo sugar-free wheat belly tomato zucchini rhubarb

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Ingredients (Serves 2 - 3)

Salsa

• 1 cup blanched rhubarb, chopped
• 1/4 cup white sweet onion, finely minced
• 1/3 cup sweet pepper (yellow or red - grilled or raw)
• 1/3 cup zucchini (grilled or raw)
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup cherry tomato, chopped (I used yellow and red)

Dressing

• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 6 drops liquid Stevia (or 1 Tbsp honey)
• 1 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions

I first blanched the rhubarb by pouring boiling water over it (after they had been chopped) and letting it sit for about 1 minute. Then I drained and rinsed with cold water.

Drain rhubarb well before combining with remaining ingredients.

Add remaining vegetables to rhubarb. Mix.

Mix together dressing ingredients.

Add to vegetables and mix thoroughly.

Chill in fridge for at least 1/2 hour before serving. Longer if possible.

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Let's Get Down to Business with a Sugar-Free, Paleo, Candida Diet Friendly Barbecue Sauce

I've had a few comments that my posts have been long lately. I've just felt the need to share some background on my struggles with adrenal fatigue and food sensitivities. So anyone else out there that might be struggling can have hope that they can get better. I'm getting better and I'm a pretty severe case.

Anyway-  this one is going to be short and SWEET.

A quick recipe for a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce that is deliciously whole and clean. And sugar-free. So even us restricted Candida dieters can have it. Yay!

Its super simple to make and even my kids didn't mind it.

I've included a few modifications for those not on the Candida diet.

Hope you enjoy it and get out there grilling this weekend. I will be dancing and celebrating my brother's wedding. Temptation will be all around but I'm going to stay strong. And bring lots of snacks and pre-packed meals for the festivities. And I'm not eating one perogy. He actually put me in charge of the cupcake stand (refills) - I think he's trying to torture me. Cruel. This will be the ultimate test of my will. Wish me luck!

Tangy Sugar Free Barbeque Sauce - Paleo and Candida Diet Friendly

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 - 25 minutes

Keywords: saute side candida-diet friendly gluten-free low-carb nut-free paleo soy-free sugar-free wheat belly

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Ingredients (1 1/4 cup)

• 1 cup strained tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup onion, very finely minced or shredded
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 Tbsp coconut vinegar (or apple cider if you aren't on Candida diet)
• 1/2 Tbsp coconut amino's (or Bragg's liquid soy if you aren't on Candida diet)
• 1 tsp gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
• 6 drops liquid Stevia (without alcohol if you are on the Candida diet)
• 1/4 tsp guar gum (optional thickener)

Instructions

Fry onions and garlic over medium heat in butter until softened.

Add spices and let cook for a couple of minutes to let the spices "wake up".

Add strained tomatoes, vinegar, liquid amino's, Worcestershire and Stevia.

Bring to a low boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until all flavors are blended.

Add guar gum and mix thoroughly to thicken further - if desired.

Let cool and use to baste meat when grilling or use as a sauce on meatballs.

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Grilled Zucchini - A Recipe Idea if you are outside Grilling this weekend

Well folks, you were supposed to be getting a post on Asian Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs but my camera battery died before I could transfer the pictures. 

And I have four loads on laundry to fold and put away before bed. I hate that job. 

We had a CRAZY busy day. We are landscaping our front yard in between caring for three children. And we always give ourselves these crazy deadlines. For instance we have 4 yards of rock being delivered tomorrow at some unspecified time. For once we need them to be late - please be late.  We still have lots to do before it gets here.

So I need to get folding and I need to get to bed. Those little bricks are deceptively heavy and hard on the body. Hubby is limping and I'm just bloody exhausted.

And I need to fix my blackberry. It hasn't been working for the past three days. I feel like someone cut off my arm. 

So is that enough excuses for why you aren't getting a proper blog post with some kind of useful information?

Hope so because that's all I've got. But at least I've got a recipe from the archives that's a good one to share.

If you are grilling this weekend, why not make zucchini as your side dish instead of potatoes. They are so darn delicious. Everyone who tries these are surprised - they don't expect much from zucchini........but they are really good. 

Grilled Zucchini

3 small fresh zucchini
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Sprinkle of garlic powder, fine sea salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (optional - omit for Candida diet)

Wash well. remove ends. Cut each zucchini into 6 wedges lengthwise. Put into a glass loaf pan. Sprinkle with oil and spices. Mix thoroughly. Cook on grill until tender but still slightly firm. About 3 minutes each side on medium high heat. Remove from grill and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving hot. These are also good leftover on pizza, in omelets or on a salad.

Paleo Asian Inspired Raw Salad - with an awesome Candida Diet friendly dressing

I connected with an old friend today. No it wasn't sugar. We are still not speaking.

Someone who tries to follow a very alkaline diet. So lots of veggies and no processed foods. 

So I challenged myself to make us a "raw" lunch that was both Candida diet friendly, alkaline and tasty.

I have been struggling a bit on this Candida diet with making a salad dressing that tasted really good. Well I happened to find two ingredients at my local health food store that are Candida diet friendly - i.e. no sugar, vinegar or yeast - that made this happen.

Coconut vinegar and coconut amino's to the rescue. Yay. I had originally thought apple cider vinegar and Bragg's liquid amino's were the answer but upon further research they are not the best alternative for my Candida issue. 

So if you can get your hands on coconut vinegar and amino's - do it. A bit expensive at about $6 for a smallish bottle but when you mix it with EVOO you can stretch it a long way.

So here is a delicious recipe that was shared with a delightful friend. Make it for someone you care about - because we can all benefit from getting a little alkaline this weekend. We also sprinkled some hemp hearts on top to give it a protein boost - that's up to you.

Paleo Asian Salad (Serves 2)

4 cups Broccoli Slaw (precut/packaged and found near the coleslaw at all major grocery stores)

1 cup snow peas (ready to eat)

1/4 red pepper, thinly sliced

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup blanched sliced almonds

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Just toss all this together.

Candida Diet Friendly Asian Dressing

3 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp Coconut vinegar

2 Tbsp Coconut amino's

2 drops liquid Stevia (without alcohol)

2 drops sesame oil

1/8 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp ground ginger

pepper to taste

Combine all dressing ingredients together. Shake well and pour over Asian salad. Serve & Enjoy.

Low Carb & Paleo Oven Roasted Cabbage with Sundried Tomato

I am without a doubt on a "roasted" veggies kick. In an attempt to increase the balance of alkaline to acidic foods in our diet I am trying even harder to increase our consumption of veggies. But we get bored of raw and steamed.

After roasting Cauliflower for the first time last week and discovering that it was AMAZING I decided to keep going with broccoli, cabbage and asparagus. The broccoli was hideous, the asparagus was okay but the cabbage earned another AMAZING!

If you read my Sunday Week in Review you will notice that we eat a pot of Ham and Cabbage soup almost every week. So obviously we love cabbage. Must be the Ukrainian in us.

It gets a little bit sweet when roasted and gets tender but not soggy. Unlike when you fry it. Love it. And don't forget its cheap (always a plus in my book) and full of fiber(which I need to offset this iron pill business wreaking havoc on my stomach).  Some consider it a SUPER food. Why not. 

Oh yeah - and its alkaline. 

And it goes great with meatballs. Oh, and I bet Kobasa too! I feel like doing a polka.

Oven Roasted Cabbage with Sun-Dried Tomatoes (serves 2 -4)

1 head of cabbage, cored and sliced

1 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes

1 medium white sweet onion, sliced

2 Tbsp melted butter

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Pepper, parsley and celery seed (I didn't list amounts as I used less than 1/8 tsp for each). Just give it a light dusting.

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Liberally grease a 9 x 13 glass dish with olive oil (about 1 Tbsp). Layer half the onion and cabbage in the casserole. Top with sun-dried tomatoes. Sprinkle with half of the salt and garlic and lightly dust with pepper, parsley and celery seed. Layer with remaining onions and cabbage. Drizzle melted butter evenly over the cabbage. Repeat seasonings. Bake for 40 minutes. Gently stir approximately every 10 to 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Mama's Clean Apple Honey Garlic Grilling Sauce - Paleo and Low Carb!

I've had some people question how I could be so committed to eating clean. How am I sticking to it. Why am I even doing it.

I kind of wonder that myself.......8 months ago I would have never believed I went clean. NO WAY.

I was never a health nut and I had literally never been on a diet in my life (that's 36 years). I LOVE food. I especially love sweets - milk chocolate, ice cream, cake, cookies and any savory dish that is topped with sweet sauce - sweet and sour sauce, peanut sauce, honey, maple syrup. You get the picture - any excuse to eat sugar. So how am I managing to stay on the "clean and narrow" this long........

1) Journalling - This blog has allowed me to jot down my recipes so that I can use them again and make sure I remember them. It has also given me a sense of accountability. So if you are struggling with sticking with it why not start a food journal, a blog or even buy an app to keep track of things. Somehow putting things down on paper (computer screen?) makes it more real and makes it harder to forget the cheats. And I learn by writing so some of this is actually staying in my brain.

2) Feeling Incredible - I literally feel like a different person than I did 2 years ago. I have so much more energy that I can enjoy every day, every minute, every moment. I was SO TIRED for so long - I thought that stomach aches and insomnia were normal for me - something I couldn't change. I was so wrong. I could never stick with this if it was just about losing weight (which I'm not actually trying to do at this point but I was originally). Going clean was about losing weight, staying clean is about feeling great. Hey..............nice jingle material.

3) Dark Chocolate - Yep - if I wouldn't have been allowed dark chocolate (which I didn't really care for at the beginning of this) I don't think I would have lasted more than a month or two. Dark chocolate got me through the first craving filled couple months when my whole body was screaming for treats. I still crave sweets all the time but I can satisfy those cravings now in a health"ier" way and move on. And seriously, the fact that I can have something with the word "chocolate" in it just helped me emotionally......I've got it bad for chocolate and was not ready for a divorce. And by the way I still eat way too much dark chocolate.

4) Pick your battles - I'm an all or nothing kind of gal so I like to go "all in" when I do something. But doing a 100% overhaul of your shopping, cooking and eating at once, especially in a house with 3 kids that are five and under, is nearly impossible. Unless you have a live in chef, nanny and personal shopper. So I have done this clean eating thing gradually and I am still working on changing a few things over or I gave up that I am going to go 100% clean in all areas. Compared to where I was 9 months ago its incredible so I need to be happy with that. Don't be too hard on yourself (this is for me too). 

So if you think you can't do this clean eating thing - YOU CAN - stay the course, re-group, try-again - just don't give up. Your reasons for doing it might be different, but I am proof that a food-loving, sugar addict can change a life-time of eating habits

In the picking my battles department, I had kind of lost the bottled ketchup, bbq sauce, mayo and salad dressings war . I tried making home-made mayo - disaster. I tried making bbq sauce - too complicated and I didn't love it. I don't eat ketchup so I decided to just buy the girls organic ketchup instead of making it. Salad dressings - I dilute the bought stuff with vinegar/oil or plain yogurt and sometimes I make my own. But I still buy and use the bought stuff pretty regularly. I just don't have the time to make everything from scratch.

But grilling season is coming (please, please, please let this snow melt and let it come) and we grill a lot so I really wanted to come up with something to use as a "bbq sauce" over the summer. Something with ingredients I can pronounce, low-carb and not full of sugar and sodium. And something that won't take tons of time and energy to make. 

I think I found the solutions - organic apple butter. I love this stuff - two ingredients - organic apples and organic apple juice concentrate. I got mine at Super Store. Its awesome. So here is how I used it to make a quick and clean BBQ sauce for our grilled chicken breasts tonight. It would also be great as a sauce for Mama's ribs, Paleo Pork and Beef Burgers or a baked on a batch of meatballs. It's a great base recipe - feel free to spice it up more or add smoke flavor to change it up. The possibilities are endless. I might still cheat with a bottle of Bulls Eye every now and then but at least I have a doable option in my recipe box now. 

Mama's Clean Apple Honey Garlic Grilling Sauce (makes about 1 cup)

1 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup organic apple butter

1 Tbsp honey

2 tsp organic soy sauce - I use Bragg brand

1/4 tsp paprika

pepper to taste

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Saute onion and garlic until softened. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer on low for about 10 minutes to let flavors blend. Cool and store in fridge until ready to use.  Now that was easy. Yum.

Roasted Parmesan Garlic and Ranch Cauliflower - Subtly Sweet and Garlicky Delicious

OMG - this was so good. A bit sweet, a bit garlicky, a lot delicious!

Wow - roasting vegetables is awesome. First it was the roasted beets that blew me away. They have now become a regular rotation in our diet. Now its the cauliflower. Yum, yum, double yum. Who knew cauliflower was a bit sweet (okay - maybe I'm a bit deprived of sweets) when roasted.

If you have given up (or want to give up) white potatoes then you will probably start buying more cauliflower. It works awesome as a replacement for mashed potato's - such as in my twice baked mashed cauliflower recipe or cauliflower shepherd's pie. But we have been eating a LOT of cauliflower and I wanted to try something different - so I roasted it. Good call Mama, good call!

This recipe is so easy. And I think the left-overs would be great in a salad. If you have any leftovers. Good luck with that. I did have to cheat a bit and use some Hidden Valley Ranch - okay - not 100% clean but only 4 tablespoons for a whole head of cauliflower. And I was low on time - and we all have to pick our battles. So feel free to make a home-made batch of ranch if you have the time. I will probably try this again one day without the bottled stuff and will let you know how it turns out. In the mean-time you can rest assured this is a great low-carbohydrate, clean"ish" way to get your veggies.

And it smelled incredible baking - hubby thought I was making garlic bread. Ha, ha, ha. No such luck my friend!

Ranch Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic and Parmesan

1 head cauliflower
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup Ranch dressing
1 clove garlic
fine sea salt and pepper to taste
A light sprinkle of Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash cauliflower and cut into florets. Melt butter in microwave and add Ranch and garlic. Mix thoroughly. Put cleaned cauliflower florets in a mixing bowl. Pour Ranch mixture over top and combine thoroughly so the dressing is well distributed. Put cauliflower in a 9 x 13 greased glass dish (I used EVOO to grease) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes and turn. Increase heat to 425 degrees and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve. Yum. Yum.Yum.

I was baking something else at the same time hence the change in temperature. But it would likely work at whichever temperature - just adjust the length and keep an eye on it.

Easy Way to eat your veggies - Chopped Salad!

Wow, I feel really good today. My iron deficiency seems to be behind me for now. My stomach is a little bit off but I think it is slowly adjusting to the iron pills. I went to the gym this morning and felt incredible. I had so much energy - I felt almost high so was probably a bit annoying. Baby also slept in his own bed for the entire night for the first time ever (yes - he is 8 1/2 months old) and I only fed him 3 times (one was a dream feed so that doesn't really count as a wake up). Sounds pathetic but it was wonderful to me because he has been getting up every two hours for the past, well, since he's been born. Amazing what some B12 shots, iron pills and sleep can do for a person. I love feeling this energetic - I just want it to last - please let it last. If you don't feel good try to figure out why - don't just accept it. I wish I wouldn't have done that for so long. So I'm going to keep clean and eat my veggies...............and hope it sticks.

If you are like me and eat a lot of salads for lunch you might not want another "lettuce" salad for supper. But filling up a dinner plate (and a hungry belly) when you don't eat grains, white potato's or rice can be a challenge. So this is a great alternative salad you can easily make with whatever veggies you have in the fridge.  It can be made ahead of time or you can do all your chopping the night before so its a great recipe for all you busy ladies and gents that need to get dinner on the table quick. I still haven't learned to make mayo so I used bottled miracle whip - bad, I know but I have to pick my battles. I can't do everything from scratch. I had some jicama in the fridge and it went really well in this salad - the sweet crunch is awesome. If you don't have jicama you might want to try apple instead, or even grapes.



Easy Chopped Salad

Veggies - I used about 6 cups of veggies in total - use what you have in the fridge - anything goes
1 cup chopped brocolli
1 cup chopped jicama
1 celery rib, chopped
1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 carrot, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 Tbsp red onion, finely minced
3 cups chopped cauliflower

Dressing
1/3 cup plain unsweetened high protein Greek yogurt
1/3 cup miracle whip or mayo (I know not clean but I still can't make my own - pick your battles)
3 drops liquid Stevia
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp fresh/frozen dill
pepper to taste

Chop all your veggies and mix together in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix together all of the dressing ingredients. Combine veggies and dressing about 1/2 hour before serving. Voila - easy chopped salad.

Easy Sugar-Free GF Low Carb Strawberry Salad Dressing

Okay - I have an awesome Shepard's Pie recipe to share with you but I can't get the energy to type it up tonight so for sure its coming tomorrow. I feel a little bit better today but still had a dizzy spell from 11 to 2 and couldn't make it through the day without a nap. I have had a baby waking up 4 - 8 times a night for 8 months and haven't needed naps. I think I took about 5 naps in 8 months and now I've had a nap 5 days in a row. Apparently when your iron levels bottom out you hit rock bottom pretty fast. It really sucks but hopefully the iron pills kick in and I feel a little more normal by the weekend.

So I'm going to keep this short and SWEET. I got the inspiration for this dressing off a picture I saw on PINTEREST. I cleaned it up a bit and made it sugar-free. If you have been following my ramblings you will know that I have pretty much eliminated all processed foods except salad dressings - that was the one area I was having trouble kicking the bottled habit. So obviously I am so proud of myself for making this dressing. And it was really easy and really good so anyone can do it.

I served it on a salad of mixed greens/spinach, almond flakes, strawberries and goat cheese. Next time I think I might try it with a tablespoon of Plain Greek Yogurt and a teaspoon of poppy-seeds just to change things up. Hope you enjoy it!

I LOVE getting comments so please leave one if you have any musing/thoughts/recipe revisions/whatever that you want to share.  I heard from a couple of you today - and I appreciate you taking the time to let me know you are following along.

Easy Sugar-Free GF Low Carb Strawberry Salad Dressing

4 Large Strawberries - washed, trimmed and cut in half
3 Tbsp Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
4 drops Liquid Stevia (or sweetener of choice)
1 tsp dried parsley flakes (for fresh/frozen if you have it)
1/4 tsp salt

Bake the strawberries in the oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes at 375. Try to do this when you have something else cooking and adjust the temperature/time accordingly - they should be just starting to soften/bleed juice.

Once the strawberries are cooked, add all the remaining ingredients and blend thoroughly. I used my immersion blender but your blender or food processor would work too. Chill in fridge before serving. This stored really well and didn't separate in the fridge.

Clean and Low-Carb Twice Baked Mashed Cauliflower with bacon and cheese

The potato version of this recipe used to be one of our go-to's when we were having people over for dinner. I loved it because I could make the "mashed potatoes" the night before, assemble the casserole in the morning and then just have to bake it when guests arrived. And everyone loved it. So I decided to clean it up by replacing the white potatoes with mashed cauliflower. 

I made this yesterday- a day we hadn't eaten great - clean but not enough veggies and too many nuts and seeds. So I deliberately tried to keep the high fat ingredients to a minimum and it still tasted great. Feel free to replace the plain Greek yogurt with butter, sour cream or cream cheese. Also, you can add more cheese and bacon on top if you want to really impress someone. 

Hubby is still iffy on mashed cauliflower and he loved this so its a keeper!

Twice Baked Mashed Cauliflower with Bacon and Cheese

by MamaChanty

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes in oven

Keywords: bake side gluten-free low-carb paleo cauliflower

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Ingredients (Serves 3 - 4)

• 1 medium head cauliflower, washed and cut in florets
• 2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Tbsp plain unsweetened High Protein Greek Yogurt
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• Sprinkle of pepper, garlic powder and parsley
• 2 green onion spears, chopped
• 1/4 cup cheese, grated
• 1 Tbsp cooked crumbled bacon

Instructions

Place cauliflower in a large pot covered with water. Bring to boil.

Reduce to a gentle boil and cook with lid on for 8 - 10 minutes. Cauliflower should be tender but not mushy. Remove from heat. Drain well.

Put the cauliflower back in pot with lid on and let stand for 5 minutes. This ensures the cauliflower doesn't get watery. Don't skip this step.

Place cooked cauliflower in the food processor with Parmesan Cheese, Yogurt, salt, pepper, garlic powder and parsley. Pulse until it becomes whipped/consistency of mashed potatoes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place mashed cauliflower in a greased casserole dish. Top with onion, bacon and cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes until heated through and then broil for a couple of minutes to crisp up cheese.

If you make the mashed cauliflower ahead of time and it has been refrigerated bake for 30-35 minutes and then broil for a couple of minutes.

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Paleo & Wheat-free Double Apple Coleslaw

Yummy Apple coleslaw. Topped with cilantro and served with Hot Pork Sandwiches.

This coleslaw was thrown together right quick because baby was not a happy camper right before supper and I needed to fill up our plates with some veggies. I used a bag of pre-cut coleslaw mix which made it a super easy salad that all you busy ladies could manage on a work day.......or a fussy baby day. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did and check out the Hot Pork Sandwich we served it with. Hubby loved this salad so we will be having again - maybe with pulled pork next time.

And don't forget that cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable just like broccoli and cauliflower so its one of those great super-foods that fights cancer. And its cheap (I got a bag for $1), full of nutrients and stays well in the fridge so its handy to have around.

Double Apple Coleslaw - serves 2 - 4
3 or 4 cups of pre-cut cabbage mix (with carrot and purple cabbage)
1 apple - peeled, cored and diced
1 green onion, chopped

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp celery seed
4 or 5 drops liquid Stevia (honey will work if you don't have)
salt and pepper to taste

Fresh cilantro for topping (optional)

Mix cabbage, apple and onion in a large bowl. Mix oil, vinegar, celery, Stevia and salt and pepper thoroughly and then drizzle on cabbage mixture. Mix. Let stand for about 1/2 hour before serving. Top with fresh cilantro if desired.

Coconut Milk in Creamy Zucchini Gratin - Wheat Free

Coconut beverage (left) and Canned Coconut Milk (right)


I've had a couple of questions about coconut milk so thought I would do a quick post to clarify what  you should be looking for when shopping if you are trying a recipe with coconut milk. In the left hand side of the picture is coconut beverage (Coconut Dream) which comes in a carton. It is like milk - thinner consistency/less fat used more for drinking or where milk would normally be used in a recipe. So it would work good in smoothies. The coconut milk I would most likely be referring to in a recipe is full fat canned coconut milk - right hand side of picture. It is more like cream or sour cream.  It generally comes in a 400 ml can and can range in price from $2 to $4 per can. The only place I have seen "organic" coconut milk is the Native Forest Brand at Organza Market (here in Winnipeg). Its at the high end of the price range.  However, I think this is the only brand in North America to be organic and supposedly not have BPA in the can.

Did you know most canned goods  have BPA in the lining? Unfortunately all full fat cooking coconut milk available comes in cans so there is no way around it unless you get the organic Native Forest brand.  So you need to weigh the risks of using a non-organic brand with the many health benefits of coconut milk. These include, among other benefits: helps with weight management and appetite due to it being so high in fiber, is a good dairy-free alternative for those with lactose intolerance, helps control blood sugar and is easier to digest than cow's milk .

You can also get "light" canned coconut milk which has less fat, but we aren't scared of fat so no need to go light.

I posted twice today so make sure you also check out my other post on the "Week in Review".

Here's another recipe that uses canned coconut milk.

Creamy wheat-free zucchini gratin!

1 tbsp butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 small onion, finely chopped

4 small young zucchini sliced - I get mine at Costco

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

pepper to taste

ground nutmeg - just a couple pinches

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 tsp arrowroot powder as thickener

1 tbsp ground golden flax

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese - divided

Fry garlic and onion in butter over medium heat in a saucepan until softened. Add zucchini, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and fry until tender crisp - about 10 minutes. Turn occasionally.  Mix coconut milk and arrowroot powder together thoroughly before adding to saucepan.  If you don't have arrowroot you can also thicken with coconut flour. Add coconut milk and arrowroot mixture to zucchini and cook for about 5 minutes until thickened. Mix in half the Parmesan cheese. Transfer the zucchini to a small greased (with coconut oil, olive oil or butter) casserole and top with remaining Parmesan and flax. Put in the oven under broiler for a couple of minutes. Done. I think next time I might also top with a bit of Mozzarella cheese. 

Roasted Beets or Warm Beet Salad with Goat Cheese Anyone?

Why didn't anyone ever tell me roasted beets taste like CANDY? Yum. Okay - haven't had any candy for some time now so I'm getting a little more sensitive to sweet tastes. But seriously, they taste good.  Until recently I thought beets were only good for borscht. But, one of the first times I went out for lunch after "going clean and wheat-free" I quickly realized I was going to have to try some new menu items that I wouldn't normally give a second thought. There often aren't many wheat-free options on the lunch menu. So a warm beet and goat cheese salad with shrimp it was. And I loved it!

I tried replicating that salad at home a few weeks back by steaming them - wow - those are hard little bundles of nutrients that don't cook quickly. It was a failed attempt. So today I gave it another shot by roasting them. And I got it right - success!

Warm beet salad - spring mix with roasted beets, goat cheese, orange wedges, roasted pistachios and an orange vinaigrette. 

If you are trying to go clean its a good idea to try and expand your palette and try some new vegetables to keep things interesting. Beets are a good choice since they are a good source of iron and have shown to boost immunity and guard against cancer. Plus they are available year-round and have a good shelf life so you can have them on hand and use them when you run out of "fresh" stuff. And they taste like candy - oh yeah I already mentioned that!

A little distracted as I'm trying to "let baby learn the critical skill of falling asleep on his own". That's the politically correct term for "cry it out". He thinks I'm his very warm, very large human pacifier. Last night he was up for the second time by 10. I was really worried that something was seriously wrong since he appeared to be having some sort of seizure (planking and throwing back his head). Turns out he was just pissed I didn't immediately offer my breast. Yes - I've let it go too far. I hate sleep training. 

Anyway, back to the salad. This actually ended up as two recipes because the roasted beets were so good on their own I will be making these as a standalone side dish in the future. 

Paleo Roasted Beets

4 medium sized beets - peeled and slices into wedges 

1 tbsp coconut oil, melted (I'm sure EVOO would work too)

fine sea salt

garlic powder

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel beets with a potato peeler or knife and cut into wedges (I did them fairly thin - see pic). Spread them out on a 9 x 13 casserole. Drizzle with melted coconut oil and lightly season with sea salt and garlic powder. Garlic is optional - you'll notice I put it in everything. Bake for 30 minutes or until fork tender. I turned them once. Serve as is or use in warm beet salad. 

Beets roasted in coconut oil. Wheat-free veggie deliciousness!

Wheat Free Warm Beet salad (2 large salads)

4 cups organic spring mix (lettuce)

1/3 cup raw pistachios

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 orange, peeled and sliced into rings

1/3 cup goat cheese (I used soft unripened goat cheese - Blue Menu item from Super Store)

Put the pistachios in the oven (in a separate baking dish) with the beets for the last 5 minutes to roast them. Split all the ingredients, spring mix, pistachios, onion, orange sliced and goat cheese, between two large salad plates and drizzle with orange vinaigrette. You can serve with some grilled shrimp or chicken if you are eating as your main entree. Enjoy!

Orange Vinaigrette

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tbsp orange juice - I squeezed an orange as we don't have juice - juice would be fine though

1 tbsp dried parsley.

Whisk all ingredients together. Drizzle on your beet salad. Save the extra for another day - yay - you now have unprocessed salad dressing in your fridge.