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

Fresh Vegetable Basil Soup

3 Tablespoon Vegan Butter

1 Medium sized onion

1 large stalk celery

1 large carrot

1 large potato

2 large tomatoes

4 cups of veggie stock

1 tsp dry basil

1/2 small head of broccli or cauliflower

2 small zucchini

1/2 lb green peas

1-2 cloves of garlic

Instructions:

In a 5 quart pan over medium heat melt the butter. Then add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots and cook until the veggies are soft (approx 10 mins).  Meanwhile, peel the potato and cube. Dice the tomatoes (approx 2 cups). Add potato, tomatoes, veggie stock and basil to the pan and bring to boil.  Cover and simmer for 15 mins.  Add the cauliflower or broccoli and zucchini.  Simmer for 10 more minutes.  Add peas and cook for 5 more minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Comments:

I really like this soup.  It tastes great and easy to make.  

HAWAIIAN STIR FRY

1 LB. -  EXTRA FIRM TOFU, CUT INTO CUBES ( I MAKE THEM SMALL) AND SPRINKLE WITH 3-4 TABLESPOONS SOY SAUCE

FRY TOFU IN LARGE FRYING PAN WITH SOME OIL.  FRY TURNING OVER AND SPRINKLING WITH THE SOY SAUCE.

ADD:

1 GREEN PEPPER CUT UP  ( I OMITTED THIS)

1 RED PEPPER CUT UP

1 MED ONION CUT UP

1 TSP. GINGER ROOT MINCED

FRY IN THE FRYING PAN AND THEN ADD:

1 CAN UNSWEETENED PINEAPPLE CHUNKS-  SAVE JUICE

1 CAN WATER CHESTNUTS

( I THREW IN SOME PEANUTS WHICH I LOVED THE CRUNCH IT GAVE THIS)

SAUCE:

1/2 CUP VINEGAR

PINEAPPLE JUICE DRAINED FROM PINEAPPLE

1 CUP VEGETABLE BROTH

1/3 CUP BROWN SUGAR- OR HONEY  ( USING HONEY WILL NOT BE VEGAN)

4 TABLESPOONS OF CORN STARCH-- USE WIRE WISK TO BLEND IT INTO THE LIQUID SO IT IS NOT LUMPY

COOK OVER MEDIUM HEAT UNTIL CLEAR AND BUBBLY AND POUR OVER TOFU MIXTURE

SERVE OVER RICE

THIS WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE DISHES I HAVE MADE.  I LOVE IT.   IF YOU DO NOT LIKE VINEGARY ,SWEET AND SOUR TASTE YOU WILL PROBABLY NOT LIKE THIS. 

Vegan gluten free peanut butter ice cream

Ingredients:
1 14 oz can chilled coconut milk
3 Tablespoons of shredded dark chocolate (make sure it's vegan, Lindt has some vegan dark chocolate bars) Note: I would likely add at least 4 Tbl if I were to make it again.
1/2 cup of natural peanut butter (the ones that have sea salt added to them work better but they are more expensive).
3/4 cup of light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon coconut oil, liquid at room temp

Instructions:
Combine the chilled coconut milk, brown sugar, xantham gum, peanut butter, vanilla and coconut oil in a blender and blend until the sugar has dissolved and everything is well mixed. (To get the coconut oil at room temp and liquid I set it I. A small bowl and placed that bowl in a larger bowl full of hot water to melt it. The melting point is in the high 70's so unless its summer or somewhere tropic you will need to get it to liquid).
Then poor it into your ice cream maker canister. Then add the chocolate shavings.
Start up your ice cream maker and let it do the rest!

Comments:
It's is very rich and creamy. I would suggest serving small scoops. Nonetheless it turned out very good!
Recipe was taken from
Gluten free goddess

Kale Salad

This is simple and really good.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of kale (get the Dino kale or also known as lacinato black kale)
1 avocado
1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions:
Wash the kale and dry it. Then then tear the leaves into bite-size salad pieces. Try not to use the middle stem of the kale because it will add a more bitter taste, thus is why I would not recommend cutting the kale into pieces.
Cut the avocado and then with your hands squish and mix the avocado into the kale. The avocado should give the kale a creamy coating.
Then cut the lemon into wedges and I prefer letting each person decide how much of the lemon, salt and pepper to place on their salad.

Comments:
I really like this salad. Kale is great for you and if you haven't tried black kale/Dino kale then don't give up on kale just yet. It's actually really good!

Crock pot Vegan Minestrone soup

Ingredients:

4 cups of vegetable broth
4 cups of tomato juice
2 tablespoons of dried basil
1 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
2 carrots sliced
1 zucchini sliced
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 14oz cans of diced tomatoes undrained
1 can of kidney beans (or other kinds.  I used half red kidney and half white kidney)
1 1/2-2 cups of vegan pasta (rotini pasta works good) (remember, a lot of pasta has eggs in it so if you want it to be vegan check the ingredients).

Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients except the pasta in a 4-5 quart crock pot.
2.  Cover the crock pot on LOW for 7-8 hours. 
3. Stir in the pasta after the 7-8 hours and turn the crock pot on high and cover it for 15-25 minutes until the pasta is cooked.

Comments:
This actually turned out pretty good.  Makes a lot of soup so I have a lot of left-overs.  The original recipe called for mushrooms in the soup but since I hate those I decided to pass and put zucchini in instead.  So you can be creative and add other vegetables also. 

No Bake Vegan Cookies

This is a very easy and quick recipe...

2 cups of Oatmeal
1 cup of Peanut Butter
2 tablesppons of Vegan Margarine
1 cup of Sugar
1 cup of Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon of Vanilla
1/2 cup of Cocoa Powder
1-3 tablespoons of almond, soy or rice milk. 

Instructions:

In a large saucepan over low heat, place the margarine and peanut butter in the pan and heat until they can are soft enough to stir but NOT melted.

Remove from heat and stir in the oats, sugars, vanilla and cocoa.  The mixture will be very dry and this is when you add the milk. Just add a tablespoon at a time.  You do not want too much liquid or else they will not stick together and harden. 

Drop the dough by tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet or wax lined plates.  The cookies will harden over the next hour. 

Makes 2-3 dozen depending on how big you make them.

Comments:
These actually turned out pretty good. People really like them and they didn't taste different than non-vegan no bake cookies in my opinion. 

Chickpea Salad

1 Large can (16oz) of chickpeas, drained
1 Large celery stalk, chopped
1/2 cup of sunflower seed kernels
1/4-1/2 cup red onion, chopped
Vegan Mayo
Romaine or butter lettuce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:
Roughly mash the chickpeas (they should still have a chunky texture).  Add the celery, onion and sunflowers to the chickpeas and mix together.  Add as little or as much Mayo as you want (I probably only used 1 1/2-2 tablespoons) to bind it all together.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Vegan Bread (I use Dave's Killer Bread that I can get at my local Costco and it's Made in Oregon!) and place a leaf of lettuce on the top and one on the bottom to keep the bread from getting soggy.

Comments:
I got this recipe from my friend Morgan who made these for a baby shower.  This is simple to make and you can be really creative.  I left out the onions because I don't like raw onions.  But I thought about adding apples or even grapes so next time I will try one of those.

Vegan Lasagna

This recipe was taken from the Engine 2 diet.  I made a few changes but you can find the original recipe through the link.  I took the lasagna for dinner at my friend Meghan's house (check out here blog about going Vegan here) and we all really liked it (even her carnivorous husband).  Way more than we thought we would.  It does take awhile to get everything together so it's not a quick meal by any means, but it is delicious.

Ingredients:

1 onion chopped
1 small head of garlic, all cloves chopped or pressed
1 head of broccoli chopped
1 Zucchini sliced
2 carrots chopped
1 can of corn, rinsed and drained
1 package of Silken Lite tofu (It has to be Silken or soft or Japanese style tofu, not regular tofu)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (original recipe calls for 1/2 tsp but I'm a wimp with spices)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1-2 jars of pasta sauce (most all are Vegan, I used a Ragu, no sugar added and only used one jar since I do not like a lot of sauce).
2 boxes of whole grain lasagna noodles (make sure they are vegan, a lot of pasta--even whole wheat--have eggs in them.
20 ounces of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 sweet potatoes cooked and mashed
6 Roma tomatoes sliced thin
1 cup of raw cashews, ground

Preparation:
Saute the onion, broccoli, garlic, zucchini and carrots on high heat for 3-5 minutes in non-stick pan. then place them all along with the corn in a large bowl. (I'm not sure this is really needed and the original recipe does most of them separate but that took forever to do).

Drain the Silken Tofu by wrapping it in paper towels. Then break it into the large bowl and use hands to mix it all together.  (the tofu is taking place of the cheese in regular lasagna).

Add the spices to the bowl and mix in with hands.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cover the bottom of a 9x13" casserole dish with a layer of pasta sauce
Add a layer of noodles
Cover the noodles with sauce.
Spread the vegetable mixture over the sauced noodles.
Cover with a layer of noodles and another layer of sauce on top of the noodles.
Add the spinach on top of the sauced noodles.
Add a layer of mashed sweet potatoes.
Add another layer of sauce and a final layer of noodles and a final topping of sauce.  Cover the lasagna with thinly sliced roma tomatoes.
Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the dish and foil and sprinkle the finely ground cashews over the top (this takes place of the parmesan cheese) and return the dish to the oven uncovered for 15 minutes, then remove.


The original recipe added a few different vegetables (mushrooms, bell peppers) that I don't like so I put in some zucchini instead.  You can be creative and add different things to this.

WHOLE GRAIN CARROT MUFFINS

1 Cup Quick Oats

1 Cup flour

1/2 Cup whole wheat flour

1/2 Cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Combine all these dry ingredients in bowl.

1 1/4 Cups soy milk

1/4 Cup applesauce

3 Tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups shredded carrots

1/2 cup raisins

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

2.     Place oatmeal in blender and blend until finely ground into flour

3.     Put all wet ingredients into smaller bowl and whisk together.  Stir into bowl with all the dry ingredients in it.  Fold in carrots and raisins.

4.     Spoon batter into muffin cups so they are very full.  Bake 23-25 min or until toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean.  Let sit for a few minutes, then remove from muffin tin.

I made these and wanted extras to put in the freezer so I doubled the batch.  It made 29 muffins when doubled.  They are very filling and a nice treat.  My husband said they are heavy, but he did like them.  They are not very sweet even with the brown sugar in them, so don't expect your usual sweet muffin.  The raisins seem to give them the sweetness.  Next time I make them I think I will add nuts because I like nuts.  I also think a little bit of flax seed would be good in them.  They did not seem to take 25 minutes to bake so watch them.  

VEGAN SUBSTITUTES

Here are some great ideas for Vegan substitutes for baking (taken from www.peta.org)

EASY VEGAN CONDIMENTS

VEGAN MAYONNAISE

You don't have to give up mayo to go vegan.  I have not made this yet but I am going to give it a try to use on sandwiches, salads, dips etc.  

Makes 3/4 cup

1/2 cup silken tofu

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

1/4 t salt

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of canola oil

1.  Combine tofu, mustard, vinegar, and salt in blender.  Blend until completely smooth.

2.  Through hole in top of blender, slowly add oil, blending until completely combined.

Note:  Add 1 garlic clove crushed with a garlic press in step 1 for a garlic taste.  

ENERGIZING BREAKFAST DRINK

BANANA-PEANUT BUTTER SMOOTHIE

1 RIPE BANANA CUT IN HALF

1/2 CUP SOY MILK

1 TEASPOON CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER

3 ICE CUBES

In blender, combine banana, soy milk, peanut butter, and ice cubes; blend until mixture is smooth and frothy.  Pour into a tall glass.  

NOTE:  for a thicker, colder smoothie cut peeled banana into chunks and freeze in a zip-tight plastic bag.  

EACH SERVING:  165 Calories| 6 g protein| 28 g carbohydrate| 4 g total fat ( 2 g saturated)| 2 g fiber| 5 mg cholesterol| 85 mg sodium

SLOW COOKER VEGAN CHILI

1 14oz mild can diced tomatoes undrained and pureed

1 12oz can tomato paste

12oz of water

1 15oz can of kidney beans drained and rinsed

1 15oz can of black beans drained and rinsed

1 bell pepper and 1/2-1 fresh onion diced

2 cloves of garlic

sprinkling dried basil

sprinkling of salt

spinkling of black pepper

Little less than 2 Tablespoons of packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon of paprika

1-2 teaspoons of ground chipotle pepper (optional)

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

2 teaspoons of ground cumin

Instructions:

Combine everything in the slow cooker

Cook on low for 6-10 hours or on high for 3 1/2 hours.

Comments:

This was very easy to make.  I did not add the Chipotle pepper or bell peppers since I don't like either.  It tasted pretty well but a little too much tomato paste for my liking.  I ate mine with some Tostitos Simply Natural Yellow Corn Chips.  I only added 1/2 an onion and wish I would've added a whole onion.  I also wish I would've added at least 3 cloves of garlic rather than 2.  

RECIPES

This blog goes together with my other blog that you can find here.  We are going to post recipes that we have tried  according to what diet we are currently on and give you our feedback about the recipes.
We happily accept any recipe suggestions.