Soy Free Asian Maranade

Most people don't know this but Soy Sauce has Wheat in it.  So it is not something I should have while on the Paleo diet.  But there is a nice alternative for marinades.  Coconut Aminos!  I've never heard of them before this diet. Most health food stores sell it and usually by the Asian food section. 

This recipe is enough for a couple steaks or a few chicken breasts. 

Ingredients:
3.5 Tblspn Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 Tblspn Raw Coconut Aminos
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
red pepper flakes to taste
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 tsp ground ginger
May need to add extra olive oil if you need more of the marinade. 

Should marinade for at least 2-3 hours, best to marinade overnight. 

This was pretty good.  I would decrease the black pepper and I didn't put in the red pepper flakes. I'm a wimp with black pepper and think it's way too spicy! my friend who had this with me really liked and she thought the pepper was perfect...

GRAIN FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

We all know that we have those times when we are on a diet when we need something sweet.  So for the 4th of July I had a friend over and made these cookies as our dessert.  I have to say they are one of my new favorite cookies ever! If you love almond joys you will love these cookies!!!!
Will make about 24-32 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups almond flour
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips.  These are soy free, dairy free, and nut free.  They taste great.  There are other brands that also make these kinds of chocolate chips. 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375℉.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Set aside.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs, honey, and vanilla extract with a hand mixer, or wire whisk.
5. Pour wet ingredients slowly into dry ingredients and beat with mixer or fork until combined.
6. Add the melted coconut oil and continue to blend until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Drop Tablespoon size balls of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake for approximately 7-10 minutes.  I bake mine for around 7-8 minutes so they are still pretty soft in the middle. 

If you do not like coconut then you would not like these cookies.  Almond flour is a little spendy and can be bought in bulk at most health food stores.  I get it for 7.99/lb and most places on the internet sell it for that much also.

Recipe taken from www.paleoplan.com

PALEO Banana Almond Pancakes

This recipe makes enough for 2 people. It takes about 30 minutes to put together.  It doesn't have a lot of protein like you should be getting on Paleo so you can add some bacon, sausage, chicken, etc. 

Ingredients:

• 2 bananas
• 2 egg
• 1 Tbs coconut flour
• 1-2 Tbs almond butter
• fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1/4 cup nuts of choice (walnuts, macadamia, almonds are good), chopped
• 1 tsp. coconut oil
• Dash of sea salt (optional)

Instructions:

1. Mash bananas in a bowl.
2. Add the eggs, coconut flour, almond butter, blueberries, and nuts (I used pecans and almonds) and salt, and whisk until well blended.
3. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat along with a small pat of coconut oil.
4. Pour small discs of batter onto the hot pan (around 3-4" around). They'll be easier to flip if you keep them from the edges of the pan. The batter was a little thick so I spread it out a little after I poured it.
5. Flip when batter loses its "tackiness" around the edges.
6. Cook other side slowly over medium heat until fully cooked.
7. Reapply oil to the pan after each round of pancakes. Very important or they will stick!!!!

I recommend using Coconut Nectar as a type of syrup.  It has a very low glycemic index and is great for the paleo diet. These were pretty good pancakes.  I definitely recommend adding the blueberries to the pancakes because they made them even better. 
Recipe taken from www.paleoplan.com

Banana Egg Pancakes

Bananas  have a lot of sugar so I have to be careful not to make this recipe too often. 

Ingredients
1 ripe banana
2 large eggs (or egg beater substitutes)

Instructions:
Mash the banana until it is smooth with minimal chunks.
Add egg and beat together.
Use this mixture as it pancake batter and cook how you would usually cook pancakes. 

This is simple and quick to put together.  I have found that these are very hard to turn in my pan so I have to use 2 spatulas to turn them and they still give me some issues.  I love anything banana so I think they are good.  You do get the egg taste but the banana sort of over power it.

Flaxseed Wrap

This is one of the recipes in the Wheat Belly book

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil
1 tablespoon of water
1 large egg (Or 1/4 cup of egg beaters)

Instructions:
Grease a glass or plastic pie dish.  I usually just used some of the coconut oil.
Mix all the above ingredients together and pour into the dish
Microwave for 2 1/2-3mins.
Let cool for 5 minutes and then remove (spatula may be needed).

Comments:
I really like these, takes about 5 mins to make and they taste good. Meghan didn't like the wrap because of the small amount of sweetness the coconut oil makes.  She is going to try it again with just plain oil and see if she likes it better.  I put a little pesto, some turkey, cheese and sprouts on it and love it.
You can put these in the fridge for a few days.  I warm them up for about 10 seconds because they won't break if I wrap them if they are a little warm vs. cold.

Wheat Belly Egg Muffins

Ingredients:
Eggs or Egg beaters (I used egg beaters since less cholesterol)
Veggies to mix in (anything you would want to make an omlette)
Shredded cheese if desired

Instructions:
Pour egg beaters (or beaten eggs) into a greased muffin pan.  Fill each slot  up 1/2 way
Add Toppings directly into the eggs
Bake for 375 degrees for 30 mins

Once they have cooled you can put them into ziploc bags and refrigerate them.  You can eat these either cold or warmed up on the microwave.

These are really easy to make and taste pretty good.  They are going to be my go to breakfast food that will make it easy for me.  Also nice that you can get creative and put lots of different things in them.

RED RED....Maybe my favorite thing EVER!

One of my most favorite things to eat! If you go to Ghana there are 3 foods you will have to eat. 1. Fried Plantains. 2. Fufu.  3.  RED RED! 
I tried to make Red Red a few years ago and it wasn't terrible but it wasn't great.  So I decided to find a recipe and try again...It turned out amazing!
I left out a few things because not only can I not have Shrimp Powder I hate seafood so I wouldn't put it in if I could. And I'm a wimp with spicy foods so no habernero peppers for me!
This is supposed to be a very spicy and salty dish. 

Ingredients:
1 cup red palm or canola oil
2 onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 tomatoes, vine ripened (not Roma or Hothouse)
2 cans black eyed peas, drained
1 TBSP salt (depending on how much your canned beans have in them already, I only put 1 tsp of salt in because the beans had a lot of salt and I'm not a huge salt fan)
¼ cup fresh, unpeeled ginger, grated (grate with smallest possible grating of cheese grater or Microplane; do not mince with knife!)
3 ounces tomato paste (1/2 small can)
Ground black pepper to taste
2-3 bananas or plantains. (I prefer plantains)

Note: The original recipe also calls for
1-3 habenero peppers, minced
2 tsp shrimp powder (optional)

Instructions:
Add oil to large sauce pan and heat on medium heat.  Add the onions and let them saute until they start to soften (about 5 minutes) and then add the garlic (and peppers if using). Let that cook for about 3-4 minutes then add the tomatoes (I cut them up into smaller pieces) and let them cook for about 1-2 minutes just until they start to soften.

Transfer that mixture into a food processor or blender and Puree into a sauce. 

Then put the mixture back into the saucepan and and place back on heat and allow to simmer.  Stir the mixture frequently.

Open the black eyed peas, drain them and then take about 1/3 of them and smash them and add all the black eyed peas (smashed and whole) to the mixture in the saucepan. Also add the salt, tomato paste, ginger and shrimp powder (if you're using) to the saucepan. (you may also add cayenne pepper for spice if you don't have the habernero peppers).  Add black pepper to taste.  You want to let it simmer for 20-25 minutes and it should start getting more thick. 

In a frying pan add a few tablespoons of oil and peel your plantain or banana.  I like to cut them into pieces about 1/4" thick. Some people do like thicker pieces.  Fry the plantain/banana on each side until brown, they can burn easy so be careful. 

I just eat this with the plantains but can serve with rice, tortillas, flatbread, etc. 

Adapted from The Spice Island