Strawberry Lime “Jello” (AIP, paleo)
Ruby red and perfectly tangy, these fruit-filled jewels are a healthy upgrade from the sugar-filled, artificially flavored and colored jello that we all grew up with. I have been playing around lately with different fruits and flavor profiles, but I have to say that this combination of strawberries and fresh lime is my favorite, and it's just heavenly. If the thought of jello makes you want to run the other way, I dare you to try these! The texture is kind of like sorbet in a square, and the mix of strawberries and lime reminds me so much of the fruity daquiris that my parents used to make in the summertime when I was little, minus the rum of course (my dad would always make a non-alcoholic batch for us kids).
In addition to the strawberries, lime, and a touch of honey, my fruit snacks are made with wholesome grass fed gelatin. Gelatin is a superfood that is loved for its anti-inflammatory, immune boosting, gut healing, joint rebuilding, and beautifying properties. It's also incredibly protein-rich, in that each tablespoon delivers 6 grams of protein, so it really is a staple for those of us who don't eat nuts, legumes, or dairy, but want a protein-rich source other than meat or fish. I try to consume a little bit of gelatin a few times per week, whether its in the form of homemade jello, via bone broth, or through a couple of tablespoons of collagen in my smoothie (collagen is the precursor to gelatin, and unlike gelatin, it dissolves in cold water). Gelatin is also said to be a sleep aid, so I find these squares to be a perfect bedtime snack, and I have personally found that it does help deliver sound sleep! You can read more about the health benefits of gelatin here.
Health benefits aside, my taste testers all agree that this Strawberry Lime “Jello” is just plain yummy. We never tire of eating it in my house, and it’s even become our favorite snack to take to the beach- I just nestle the squares into a plastic storage container, and then sandwich the container between two ice packs in the cooler or insulated bag. The cubes hold up really well until we are ready to feast.
INGREDIENTS:
4 heaping cups frozen organic strawberries, thawed *
1/3-1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (use more or less depending on your taste)
1/4 cup grass fed gelatin (I use the Great Lakes brand, the red can)
2 tbsp honey
*feel free to use fresh strawberries if you wish, just be sure to hull them before putting them in the blender
DIRECTIONS
1. Place the strawberries in a large, shallow baking dish, and allow them to defrost either at room temperature, or by placing them in a warm oven until defrosted. Once the berries are soft, puree them in a high speed blender or food processor, along with the lime juice. You should end up with about 3 cups of puree.
2. Pour the pureed fruit back into the shallow baking dish, then sprinkle the gelatin over the top, to allow it to "bloom" for about 10 minutes. This important step softens the gelatin, preventing it from sticking together in hard clumps when it is heated. Once the 10 minutes have passed, stir the pureed fruit and gelatin well to combine.
3. Pour your mixture into a medium saucepan, and heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until the gelatin has completely melted and everything is smooth. You should not have any white, gelatinous clumps.
4. Remove the fruit and gelatin mixture from the heat, and stir in the honey until everything is well incorporated. Do a taste test to see if you would like to add more lime juice or more honey. Remember that the outcome will taste less sweet once it is cold.
5. Pour the mixture into an 8x8 ceramic or Pyrex baking dish, then place the dish in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, until it has set completely.
6. Cut your jello into squares, and enjoy! I like to store my cut jello in a plastic or Pyrex storage container in the fridge, where it will stay fresh for a week, although ours never lasts that long.
Blackstrap Molasses Spiced Cookies (paleo, nut-free, egg-free, AIP)
I've been suffering from major cookie cravings lately, and I finally did something about it after a fun morning at the Bishop Museum last week. I wanted to create something that is healthy, relatively low sugar, and AIP (autoimmune protocol) compliant, while still satisfying my inner cookie monster. This was the first batch that I tried, and I'm happy to report that the recipe turned out perfectly. I love it when that happens! Dense and chewy with the right balance of sweetness and spice, these molasses cookies are exactly what I was hoping for. They get their dark color from mineral-rich blackstrap molasses, a rich source of iron, potassium, and calcium, and it has less sugar cup for cup than other sweeteners like cane sugar, coconut sugar, honey, and maple syrup. To achieve a chewy texture, I added grass fed gelatin to the mix. Besides helping the cookies hold their shape, gelatin has a multitude of health promoting qualities that you can read about here, and I love it for its ability to heal the gut, boost immunity, and nourish hair, skin, and nails. If you like ginger cookies, I hope you'll try these out. They are warming, comforting, and thanks to their dense texture, they go perfectly with a glass of your favorite milk!
Makes about one dozen cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp coconut flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour (aka tapioca starch)
1 1/2 tbsp gelatin (I use Great Lakes brand, the red can)
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (alcohol-free for those following AIP)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients, making sure there are no lumps. Make a well in the center of the bowl, then add the coconut oil and the blackstrap molasses. For easiest measuring of the molasses, first measure out the coconut oil, then use the same measuring cup to measure the molasses. The molasses will slide right out of the cup instead of sticking to the sides. Mix everything together well- the dough will thicken as you continue to mix for 30-60 seconds. Use a tablespoon measure to scoop the dough, and drop it onto the lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Use your fingers to gently flatten the cookies, then bake for 8-9 minutes until the edges are slightly brown and crisp (it'll be hard to see because the dough itself is so dark, but if you trust your nose, you'll be able to smell that the cookies are done).
Before baking:
After baking:
Allow your cookies to cool on the pan before snacking. They store well in an airtight container at room temperature, if you have any leftover. I made a batch yesterday afternoon, and my boys just enjoyed a few as an after school snack with mugs of rice milk for dunking.
I hope you like them too!
~ Fauzia
My monkies eating cookies before bed last weekend:
The Easiest Pulled Pork Ever (paleo, slow cooker)
Happy New Year, friends! I hope you all had a fun and relaxing end to 2014. We enjoyed a fabulous staycation here with my sister who came to visit us from Seattle, and we've been slowly getting back into the swing of normal life. This last week I spent a good chunk of time making some changes to my website that I hope will make for easier navigation, and a more streamlined experience. It's still a work in progress, so if you have any requests or comments, I would love to hear from you. As always, I have been experimenting with creating recipes in the kitchen, and here is one of my new favorites: The Easiest Pulled Pork Ever.
This has got to be one of the easiest and most delicious meat dishes that I've ever made. It takes just 5 minutes of prep time, and then it cooks all night while you are sleeping. I started this slow cooker pulled pork for the first time one evening last week, and the house smelled amazing when I woke up the next morning. The meat was so tender and juicy that it completely fell apart when I barely nudged it with my fork. Yum! Felix and I were so into it that we shared a big bowl of pulled pork for breakfast alongside some steamed broccoli and roasted sweet potatoes. Unconventional, I know, but it was delicious! This succulent meat would also be the perfect filling for tacos or burritos, or served alongside some rice and sauteed greens. I bet it would also be great under some melted cheese on a yummy sandwich with pickled veggies, or for a lighter meal, on top of a mixed salad with chopped apples and a gingery apple cider vinaigrette. Whichever way you decide to enjoy your slow cooker pulled pork, I hope you make some soon, and please let me know how it turns out!
INGREDIENTS:
One 2 1/2 -3 pound boneless pork shoulder
1 cup sliced yellow or white onion
5 cloves fresh garlic, roughly chopped
2 inch chunk of fresh ginger, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
4 whole cardamom pods (omit for Autoimmune Protocol)
1/4 cup water
1-2 tsp red Hawaiian salt, pink Himalayan salt, or any sea salt. The amount will depend on the size of your pork shoulder as well as your preference. I used 2 tsp coarse red Hawaiian salt for a 3 pound piece of meat and it was perfect.
15 turns of the pepper mill (omit for AIP)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Variation: If you are able to tolerate tomatoes, a tasty alternative to this simple recipe is to add a tablespoon of tomato paste and 2 teaspoons of ground cumin. Mix well, and turn the pork shoulder a few times to coat before cooking.
DIRECTIONS:
Place the onions, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, apple cider vinegar, and water in the bottom of your slow cooker pot and give it all a stir. Lay the pork shoulder on top of the onion and spices, then sprinkle with the sea salt and freshly ground pepper and turn the pork shoulder a few times to coat. Cover, and let it cook on low for 8-10 hours. Use a fork to gently pull the meat apart, and remove the whole spices before serving.
Slow Cooker Chicken Curry (paleo)
It's almost Thanksgiving!
I love this time of year. The weather in my neighborhood cools down to a perfect 78 degrees, and everyone starts to get super festive with get togethers, holiday activities, and lots of yummy food. I had my girlfriends over on Saturday evening for a potluck and jewelry party (you can check out my friend Chun's dainty pieces here), and my contribution to the dinner table was this Slow Cooker Chicken Curry that turned out to be a hit. I make this dish probably 2-3 times a month, and I almost always put it on the menu if we are entertaining guests. Aside from being a crowd pleaser (it's even kid-approved), it's an easy, fool-proof recipe that requires little prep time, and then the slow cooker does the majority of the work for you.
I used to make my curry with a can of organic diced tomatoes and a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste, but last week I started on a modified version of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet, which sadly does not include tomatoes or any of the nightshade vegetables. It may sound like an extreme way of eating, especially since I don't actually have autoimmune disease, but this anti-inflammatory diet has already improved my digestion and lessened my fatigue symptoms in just 6 days, so it's 100% worth it to me to stick with this eating plan for now.
To make my Slow Cooker Chicken Curry nightshade free, I used puréed pumpkin in place of the tomato, and it turned out wonderfully! I thought that the pumpkin would be a perfect substitute for the tomato because of it's slightly tart flavor, and because it goes so well with spices such as cinnamon, clove, and cardamom. You can't taste the pumpkin in the curry, but it gives the dish a beautiful color, a boost of fiber and nutrients such as beta carotene, and it blends with the coconut milk and spices to create a deeply flavorful sauce. If anyone in your family is finicky about eating their vegetables, this is a fantastic way to sneak some veggies into their diets. I'm sharing a batch of this at Nikhil's Thanksgiving celebration tomorrow at school, and I am curious to see how the parents and kids like it!
Whether you are looking for a seasonal alternative to the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, or wanting to add a hearty slow cooker meal into your weekly rotation, I hope you try this out and enjoy it as much as we do!
Prep time: about 25 minutes Cook time: 5-6 hours Servings: 10-12 (you'll have leftovers for sure)
INGREDIENTS:
4-5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup pure pumpkin purée (canned or homemade)
1 14 oz can full fat coconut milk
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
5 cloves garlic, peeled
2 inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1.5 tsp ground turmeric
6 whole cardamom pods
6 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
15 turns of the pepper mill
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Note: If you would like to try my original recipe that calls for tomato, simply replace the pumpkin purée with one 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, plus 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, and omit the cinnamon stick. Add the diced tomatoes to the blender with the coconut milk, ginger, garlic, and onion, and purée until smooth, then add this sauce to the chicken and dry spices. The rest of the recipe remains the same. If you'd like to make the pumpkin recipe, but can tolerate tomatoes, I highly recommend adding a tablespoon or two of tomato paste to your curry. It gives the dish a beautiful depth and really brings everything together. If you are sticking to the pumpkin recipe, be sure to add lots of lemon juice to taste, as it will brighten the curry and tie the flavors together.
DIRECTIONS:
Rinse your chicken under cold water, and shake off as much water as possible. Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs, and cut the meat into large chunks. Place the chicken in the pot of your slow cooker, and get started on the sauce. Place the coconut milk, onion, garlic, and ginger into a high speed blender or food processor, and blend on high until smooth. Pour this mixture over the chicken, then add the pumpkin, and all of the spices- cinnamon, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, salt, and pepper- and give it a good stir. Cover the pot, and turn your slow cooker to the low setting. Let it do its job for 4 or 5 hours, then turn the setting to high, and crack the lid so that the steam can escape and the sauce can reduce, stirring occasionally. I usually do this in the last hour or 2. Alternatively, you can leave it on low for 8 hours overnight, or while you're gone during the day, and you most likely won't need to let the sauce reduce. When you are ready to serve, stir in the lemon and cilantro, and do a taste test. Add more salt and/or lemon if necessary, to taste. Serve with rice, quinoa, or chapati. I like to eat mine drizzled with virgin coconut oil and a squeeze of lemon, with a side of roasted sweet potatoes and a dollop of green chutney. For a little kick, I suggest adding some Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce.
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with love, gratitude, and good food. I am certainly grateful for all of you.
With Aloha,
Fauzia