Turkey & Veggie Scramble (paleo, aip-friendly, egg-free)

We all know that breakfast is our most important meal of the day.  I personally do best when I eat a protein-rich, nutrient-dense dish in the morning, but my dietary restrictions and major egg allergy can make that a challenging task.  I have been trying to branch out with the types of animal protein that I eat lately, and I recently discovered that ground turkey is tasty, despite my dislike of the roasted version at Thanksgiving.  Yesterday evening I came up with this yummy Turkey & Veggie Scramble while Ben and the boys were riding bikes and scooters at the park, and although it was last night's dinner, this colorful dish has become my new favorite breakfast option.

The mild turkey took on the earthy flavors of the turmeric and coriander beautifully, and the sauteed onion, celery and carrots provided both sweet and savory notes that are pleasing to even the pickiest of palates. The boys enjoyed their scrambles without any added condiments, but Ben and I garnished our bowls with zesty scallions, hot sauce, and a squeeze of lemon, and it was really delicious.  As an added bonus, it actually looks just like scrambled eggs, thanks to the deep golden hue of the turmeric.  I happily ate the leftovers for breakfast this morning, with all the toppings, alongside a mug of rich black tea.

I used carrots in this dish to appease my little ones, but any mix of vegetables would be great.  I think next time I might use a dark leafy green like kale or collards, and chopped broccoli or cauliflower florets in place of the carrots.  Like eggs, ground turkey provides the perfect backdrop for getting creative with whatever you might have in your kitchen.  If you are looking for some new breakfast inspiration, I hope you'll try this out!

INGREDIENTS:

3 tbsp ghee or virgin coconut oil

1/2 medium yellow or white onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

3 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 1/4 pounds ground turkey (I use ground turkey breast, but any type is fine)

3/4 tsp ground turmeric

3/4 tsp ground coriander (omit for AIP)

1 1/4 tsp granulated garlic (or 2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced)

1 1/4 tsp Hawaiian red salt or pink Himalayan salt (use more or less depending on your personal preference)

Zest of one lemon

Juice of one lemon

1-2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil (optional)

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Chopped scallions (for garnish)

Lemon wedges

Sriracha*, or your favorite hot sauce for garnish (omit for AIP)

*I found a natural brand of Sriracha at my neighborhood grocery store that doesn't contain any nasty preservatives or MSG. It's always good to read labels to know exactly what you are putting in your body!  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat ghee or oil in a large skillet over medium low heat.

2. Add diced onion, celery, carrots, and a pinch of salt, and saute until the veggies are tender and just starting to brown.  If you are using fresh garlic, add it here.

3. Add ground turkey, break it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until the turkey is halfway cooked through, crumbling the meat as you go.

4. Sprinkle the turmeric, coriander, granulated garlic, and lemon zest over the meat and veggies, and continue to cook the mix until the turkey is no longer pink.

5. Stir in the salt and lemon juice, turn the heat down to low, cover the skillet and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.

6. Stir in the chopped cilantro, and do a taste test.  This is where you may want to add another tablespoon or two of ghee or coconut oil.  Ground turkey breast is almost completely fat free, so I needed to add a couple of tablespoons of ghee to the dish to make it flavorful and satisfying.  Don't be afraid of cooking with healthy fats!  They do a body good.

7. Spoon your Turkey & Veggie Scramble into bowls, and garnish with the fresh scallions, a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce, and a squeeze of lemon, if you wish.

Enjoy!

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: