Gluten-Free

I am an avid hummus eater. I love it paired with raw vegetables or crackers, on a charcuterie board, or even dolloped on a salmon salad. I went through a period of time where beans really sent my digestive system on ride. Thankfully, I can now enjoy them with no discomfort! I learned I had some gut bacteria issues that causing my trouble with beans. I would get very uncomfortable gas and pain for hours upon hours after eating garbanzo beans. Now that I’ve healed my gut from the bacteria, I can eat beans without a problem. Boy do I wish I would have known about this recipe then!

I found this idea on Pinterest first, but then learned my girl Kelly Leveque had her very own recipe in her book, Body Love Everyday! It was so simple and quick to whip up. Sunflower seeds are loaded with nutrients like magnesium, vitamin E, and protein. They are also a good source of healthy fats. This nutrient powerhouse of recipe was delicious with raw carrots and cauliflower, or Siete Chips, but the options are endless. Pair it with whatever your heart desires.

You can use store bought Tahini or whip up your own with my super simple Tahini recipe. Use a high quality extra virgin olive oil for maximum benefits too. I sprouted my sunflower seeds as per Kelly’s original recipe. See recipe notes for more info on that. Spice it up however you want. Its a very easy recipe to customize.

Sunflower Seed Hummus

A bean-free version of a classic recipe. Loaded with healthy fats to keep you fuller longer especially when paired with veggies!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup sunflower seeds *see notes
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1-2 cloves garlic *see notes
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ lemon juiced
• salt and pepper to taste
• paprika for garnish, optional

Instructions

 

• Mince garlic in a food processor and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. (See notes)
• When garlic is ready, add sunflower seeds, tahini, and lemon juice, and a dash of salt and pepper to the food processor. Slowly add in olive oil if your food processor has a chute. Otherwise, just add in with all other ingredients. Mix until smooth and pale in color. If you prefer, add a little cold water to give the hummus a lighter texture.
• Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and enjoy!

Notes

This recipe is originally from Kelly Leveque’s Book, Body Love Everyday, page 289.

*Minced Garlic fact: I have read from multiple wellness gurus such as Kelly Leveque herself and Dr. Mark Hyman that allowing garlic to sit for awhile after being minced releases a phytochemical called allicin that has been shown to have anti-cancer and immune boosting properties. 

*Sunflower seed note: Kelly originally calls for sprouting the sunflower seeds first to maximize their nutrient content. If you choose to do so, soak your sunflower seeds overnight  in a sprouting jar. The next day, drain then rinse the seeds until the water runs clear with no sign of sunflower “juices.” Leave on the counter to sprout. After about 8-12 hours, your seeds should have sprouted. Once they have sprouted, you can use them in the hummus. If no sprouting has occurred, let them sit overnight again and repeat the rinsing step.  This is a recommended step, but not required. 

References:

Body Love Everyday by Kelly Leveque page 286

Dr. Mark Hyman Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/drmarkhyman/photos/a.163412217022869/3659972074033515/?type=3

Keyword bean-free, dip, garlic, gluten free, hummus, lemon, olive oil, paleo, paprika, salt and pepper, snack, sunflower seeds, tahini, vegan

These crackers are my version of Simple Mills Almond flour crackers. If any of you haven’t had these, they are addicting. Probably my favorite cracker on the grocery store shelf. Crispy and salty goodness made with better ingredients, but I wanted to try and make my own to make them even better for me.

These crackers were so easy I made two batches right away! Only 3 ingredients unless you make a variation of the recipe (see recipe notes for ideas). Almond flour, salt, and egg white. That’s it! Roll out super thin, bake for 25 minutes, done!

I actually didn’t have eggs when I made these so I used Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer and they turned out fantastic. I might even use it first before real egg white next time I make these. The egg replacer makes them vegan too! It super important you have a rolling bin and parchment paper in order to make them as thin and uniform as possible.

These would be perfect for a charcuterie board, with hummus and veggies, or paired with a bowl of soup. You could also eat them eat them plain by the handfuls — hypothetically speaking. Try them out and let me know what you think!

Easy Almond Flour Crackers

A delicious, guilt free snack made with only a few ingredients!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Snacks

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• ¾ cup blanched almond flour
• ½ tsp course sea salt
• 1½ tsp egg replacer, or one egg white
• ¼-½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼-½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Savory variations – add any of the following to the base recipe to create you favorite flavor!

• ½ tsp rosemary, thyme, parsley, dried
• ¼` cup grated parmesan
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp flax seeds
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

For a sweet cracker, omit the salt and spices in the base recipe before adding.

• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1-2 tsp. coconut sugar

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Combine egg replacer with 2 tbsp water. Let sit for about a minute to thicken.
• Measure out almond flour and stir in spices of choice, and salt. Mix with hands or wooden spoon to form a small dough ball.
• Place dough ball between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll out about an ⅛ in thick. Peel off top layer of parchment. Using a pizza cutter, score the dough into bite sized squares.
• Transfer to baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Gently rub olive oil all over crackers or use a basting brush to evenly coat. Sprinkle with additional salt if desired.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Let sit for a minute before breaking apart. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

Notes

Recipe adapted from https://healthylivinghowto.com/polly-want-a-cracker/ 

Keyword egg white, gluten free, grain free, keto, paleo, salt and pepper, spices, vegan

I love this time of year in the kitchen. Fall flavors are taking over my kitchen. Coming in 2nd place to Christmas time, it is my favorite time of year. I’ve been trying new recipes lately like pumpkin pie smoothies, deliciously creamy pumpkin coconut mousse, pumpkin spice chia pudding, spaghetti squash casseroles, and good ol’ PSL (pumpkin spice latte) with a healthier twist. These apple bars were, by far, the best recipe find so far.

These bars are completely paleo, gluten free, and vegan. Not a ton of added sweetener, which is always a plus. This recipe is from one of my favorite recipe creators, Michelle of paleorunningmomma.com Go check her out. You won’t be disappointed! The original recipe uses almond butter, but pecan butter would be good too. I wouldn’t recommend peanut or cashew butter. You could definitely play around with the spice ratios too. A chai twist, maybe a little clove would be really good too!

The perfect amount of apple, nuttiness, and sweet. I will definitely be making these again. Please let me know what you think in the comments!

Paleo Apple Pie Bars

Vegan, gluten free, and paleo twist on a classic seasoning dessert.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 1

Ingredients

  

For the crust:

• ¾ cup almond butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 cup almond flour
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

For the filling:

• 3 apples pink lady or another tart variety
• ⅓ cup water
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp coconut sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp arrowroot powder tapioca powder also works

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350° and line a 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper.

For the filling:

• In a medium sauce pan combine apples, water, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil to soften. Combine dry ingredients for the filling and add to the apple mixture. Stir the mixture to dissolve dry ingredients. Once the mixture starts to thicken, set aside to cool.

For the crust:

• Combine all crust ingredients until a crumbly dough forms. This can be done in a stand mixer or by hand. I used my hands! Press ¾ of the mixture into the 8×8 pan and bake for 7-9 minutes.
• Spread the apple filling over the half-baked crust. Sprinkle with remaining crust crumbles and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
• Cool completely before cutting. Top with a dollop of whipped coconut cream or ice cream (if not paleo) and enjoy!

Keyword almond butter, almond flour, apple, cinnamon, coconut sugar, gluten free, maple syrup, paleo, vegan

You know that feeling when you find a gem of recipe? When you take that first bite and for a moment you’re swallowed up by the goodness in your mouth? Yeah. These did that for me. Made with oats, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and stevia-sweetened chocolate chips theses beauties are gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free. Yep. You read that right.

Starts out by making your own oat flour, which is super easy so don’t be intimidated. I used my coffee grinder to get a more flour-like consistency, but a food processor would work well too.

I adapted the recipe just a hair from Basic with Bails recipe.

This recipe is a good all around filling side-dish that can be customized to your liking. Add chickpeas for added protein and fiber, omit the cheese for dairy free. I like to pair this dish with roasted chicken, grilled fish, or even a good grass-fed steak. I love this one because it is so quick, healthy, and delicious! 

Beets can be tricky and time consuming, so I secretly bought a box of pre-cooked beets from Costco. Total time and headache saver! If you have time, by all means, you can boil raw beets too! Whatever you prefer. 

I love smoothies for breakfast, a travel snack, or even a night time treat. I’ve been experimenting with all kinds of flavors, but everyone needs a quick basic for those on-the-go mornings. This one is from Kelly Leveque, my health and wellness soul sister.

According to Kelly, every meal should consist of the “Fab Four.” Protein, fat, fiber, greens. These four nutrients provide the body with nourishing and blood sugar balancing ingredients the body needs to stay full until the next meal.

For fat, I used avocado (also a fiber source!) For fiber, I used chia seeds. For greens-spinach, and my favorite vanilla protein powder for protein. Grass-fed whey works better for my body, but plant-based protein works well too. If you don’t like vanilla, try chocolate. It’ll produce a slightly different flavor, but still great! I’d recommend a nut butter in place of the avocado for the chocolate version.

This smoothie is creamy, naturally sweet, and so filling. No need for a mid–morning snack when you start your day with this nutrient dense option! Give it a try today and let me know how much you love it.

Stay tuned for more smoothie recipes!

Fab Four Green Smoothie

Delicous and filling. A perfect start to your morning!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Servings 1

Ingredients

  

• 1-2 handfuls spinach
• 1/4 avocado 1-2 tbsp almond butter work well too.
• 1-2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1½-2 cups almond milk
• 1 serving vanilla protein powder aim for 20-30 grams of protein
• hemp seeds for garnish

Instructions

 

• Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
• Garnish with extra chia seeds, coconut flakes, or hemp hearts if desired.

Keyword almond milk, avocado, chia seeds, protein powder, spinach

The other day it was so nice outside. Sun was shining, not terribly windy like it often is where I live, and zero bugs. When the weather is like this, it reminds of those awesome summer night memories on the patio grilling with your favorite people enjoying everything life in the summer has to offer.

Coleslaw is something I always had available growing up, but never really ate because mayo grossed me out. Then, I didn’t know the hidden oils and other junk that lurks around common condiments like mayo, I just didn’t like it. I’ve grown to really like it, especially in a good aoili with sweet potato fries.

I paired my coleslaw with shredded BBQ chicken and sweet potatoes. Slow cooked chicken smothered in Primal Kitchen’s golden BBQ sauce hit the spot. Homemade sweet potato fries are always a good idea in my house. Air-fried or baked, find that recipe here!

Lets circle back to that high quality mayo by Primal Kitchen. It is a staple for my husband and I. Like I said before, it makes an awesome aoili, lettuce wrap or sandwich spread. Primal Kitchen is awesome for so many reasons. First, it’s made with avocado oil, not soybean or canola, which can be highly inflammatory. Second, it’s made with cage free eggs. Finally, it’s finished with ingredients like garlic, salt, vinegar, lemon oil. Whole food ingredients you can pronounce.

I encourage you to swap out the conventional mayo for a high quality version like this one. Your body with thank you for it.

Paleo Classic Coleslaw

That backyard BBQ staple, without the inflammatory oils and loads of sugar. This recipe is a crowd pleaser!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 3 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
• 1 small carrot shredded
• 3 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup Primal Kitchen Mayo
• 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp coconut sugar or raw honey
• 2-3 tbsp fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro optional
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Shred the cabbage and carrots if not pre-shredded. Add to a mixing bowl.
• Chop herbs and add to cabbage mix. Set aside.
• Combine mayo, vinegar, coconut sugar, and salt and pepper.
• Fold in mayo mixture into the coleslaw mix until evenly coated. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and mix a few more times.
• Add more salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up 4 days.

Keyword Cabbage, coconut sugar, Coleslaw, mayo