Paleo Sweet Potato Cranberry Stuffing

Paleo Sweet Potato Cranberry Stuffing

yield: 12

 

total time: ~2 HOURS

 

 

I made this Stuffing for our grain free Thanksgiving last year and loved it. 

I will often make up a batch and use it as a casarole for my breaksfast.

I will just add and egg and half and avocado.

 

Ingredients:

• 6 lb. sweet potatoes, cut into ½“ cubes
• 8 oz. {2 sticks} grass-fed butter or extra virgin coconut oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 lb. mild Italian sausage
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 head of celery, diced
• 1 Tbl Italian seasoning
• 12 oz. fresh cranberries
• curly parsley for garnish {optional}

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Melt half the butter and pour over the cubed sweet potatoes. Lay the sweet potato cubes on the baking sheets in a single layer. Dust with half the kosher salt. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes, stir, then bake for an additional 25 minutes. Add or subtract baking time in order to get slightly crisped, but not burnt sweet potato croutons.
2. In a large frying pan, break up and brown the Italian sausage. When it’s brown and crispy, drain in a colander and then set aside.
3. Add the other half of the butter {4 oz.} to a large sauce pan over low/medium heat. Add the cloves of garlic and let it simmer and infuse for about 5 minutes. When the garlic starts to brown, remove and discard. Add the diced onions and stir. Add the diced celery, ½ tsp of the kosher salt, and the Italian seasoning. Stir and let simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
4. Pour the finished sweet potato croutons, Italian sausage, and cooked onion, celery, and garlic mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the raw cranberries and fold until evenly combined.
5. Pour the mixture into a large baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil then bake for an additional 10 minutes uncovered.
6. Remove from oven, serve, and enjoy!

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GF Cranberry Bliss Bars

Each holiday season Starbucks brings out one of its most beloved dessert recipes: a soft triangle of white chocolate and cranberry cake covered with delicious creamy lemon frosting and dried cranberries. But when the holidays are over, the Bliss Bars go back into hiding until next season. that's when we bust out our home clone.
The cake is flavored with bits of crystallized ginger that you can find in most markets near the herbs and spices. Be sure to finely mince the chunks of ginger before adding them, since ginger has a strong flavor, and you don't want anyone biting into whole chunk. For the white chocolate, one 4­ounce bar of Ghirardelli white chocolate will give you the perfect amount of chunks after you chop it up. If you can't find that brand, any brand of white chocolate will do, or you can use 4 ounces of white chocolate chips. This clone recipe will make a total of 16 cake bars, at a fraction of the cost of the original.

 

 

 

 

Cake
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups ( Baking Mix )
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup chopped sweetened dried cranberries
4 ounces white chocolate, cut into chunks

Frosting
4­ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped sweetened dried cranberries

Drizzled Icing
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon Almond Milk
2 teaspoons Coconut oil

 

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Make cake by beating the butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs, ginger, vanilla, and salt and beat well. Gradually mix in the flour and baking powder until smooth. Mix the chopped dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks into the batter by hand. Pour the batter into a buttered 9 x 13­inch baking pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake is lightly browned on top. Allow the cake to cool.

 

3. Make the frosting by combining the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. When the cake has cooled, use a spatula to spread the frosting over the top of the cake.
4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of chopped dried cranberries over the frosting on the cake.

5. Make the drizzled icing by whisking together powdered sugar, milk, and shortening. Drizzle this icing over the cranberries in a sweeping motion with a squirt bottle or fill a small plastic storage bag with the icing and cut off the tip of one corner.

6. Cover the cake and let it chill out in the fridge for a couple hours, then slice the cake lengthwise (the long way) through the middle. Slice the cake across the width three times, making a total of eight rectangular slices. Slice each of those rectangles diagonally creating 16 triangular slices.

 

( Tip Best if refrigerated overnight, This allows the frosting to set up )

Makes 16 bars

 

 

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Orange Ginger Scones

These Orange Ginger scones have been a family tradition for Thanksgiving and Christmas since I was a child.  There is something special about waking up the holiday morning with Scone and Sausage waiting.

 

 

( Photos to be posted Christmas )

 

Preheat oven 425

 

4 cups of flour ( Baking Mix )

2 ts fresh ginger

2 oragne peel grated

1/2 cup sugar

1 TB + 1ts of baking powder

1tsp baking soda

1ts salt

 

1 cup butter ( Grassfed )

 

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups of buttermilk

 

 

Mix all dry ingrediants in a bowl with the orange peel

( You can pre-mix dry ingredients the night before)

 

Cut in the butter

Whisk all wet ingrediants in a bowl and slowly mix into dry mixture

 

Flour the counter

Lay out scone mix

Cut into 4s

Make a round patty with each section

 

Cut the round into 8 with a floured knife

 

Lay on cookie sheet

Sprinkle the top with sugar

 

Bake for 14 minutes at 425

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Primal Red Sauce

Primal Red Sauce

1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed (mild or hot)
1.5 lbs of hamburger
1 small onion, chopped (optional)3 -4 garlic cloves, minced1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes No Sugar Added2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste No Sugar Added
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce No Sugar Added
1 cups water (for a long period of simmering for flavors to meld. If you don't want to simmer it as long, add less)3 teaspoons basil2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes1/4 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper1/4 cup red wine (a good Cabernet!)1 lb thin spaghetti GF / or Zoodlesparmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:
In large, heavy stockpot, brown Italian sausage, breaking up as you stir.Add onions and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until onions are softened.Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and water.Add basil, parsley, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper.Stir well and barely bring to a boil.Stir in red wine.Simmer on low, stirring frequently for at least an hour. A longer simmer makes for a better sauce, just be careful not to let it burn!Cook spaghetti according to package directions.Spoon sauce over drained spaghetti noodles and sprinkle with parmesan cheese

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Paleo Jalapeño Chicken Burgers

Paleo Jalapeño Chicken Burgers

Author/Source:

Christine @ onceamonthmeals.com (adapted from What’s Gabby Cooking)

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds ground chicken
• 1 1/4 cups white onion, diced
• 1/2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, diced
• 2 teaspoon dried cumin
• 2 teaspoon dried paprika
• 2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• guacamole

Directions:

Using clean hands, mix together ground chicken, onion, cilanntro, garlic, jalapeno, ground cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Divide mixture and form into 8 patties. Grill over medium-high heat until burger is cooked through.  Flip when bottom side of burger no longer sticks to the grill grates. Top with guacamole if desired.

Freezing Directions:

Using clean hands, mix together ground chicken, onion, cilanntro, garlic, jalapeno, ground cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Divide mixture and form into 8 patties. Alternate patties with squares of parchment/wax paper. Place in a freezer bag, label and freeze. To serve: Thaw. Grill over medium-high heat until burger is cooked through. Flip when bottom side of burger no longer sticks to the grill grates. Top with guacamole if desired.

Servings: 8

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Clean Eats "Lara Bars" ****UPDATED******

Last year I was using Cliff Bars, and Kind Bars as my main fuel source, but after going Whole30, I am realizing the grains and sugar are not going to work for me.  The recipes I made tonight are from  Chocolate Covered Katie.  The two that I made are both delicious.

Cookie Dough

• 20 dates (I highly recommend Sunmaid dates, found in regular grocery stores near the raisins. They’re softer and easier to blend.) 
• handful of chocolate chips or Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips - I used allergy free ( no dairy no soy )
• 1/2 cup cashews (30g) (or another nut, like almonds.)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• tiny pinch of salt (can be omitted)

Blend the dates, cashews, salt, and vanilla in a food processor. (You can use a blender, but they’re much harder to blend and they can get very sticky.) You can either blend the chocolate with the other ingredients or chop it separately, then mix the pieces into the dough. Make bars, balls, or shapes of whatever size you want.

Hot Fudge Brownie Larabars

Based on the recipe for Fudge Babies.

• 1 cup pecans
• 20 large dates
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3-4 tbsp cocoa powder (or even Dutch cocoa)
• optional:
• 1/8 plus 1/16 tsp salt (I always add it)
• optional:
• chocolate chips or even a piece of a chocolate bar or baking chocolate

Blend all the ingredients, using a food processor or Magic Bullet. No need to blend the dates first; I just blend everything all at once in my MB. If you use drier dates than SunMaid, you might have to add up to 1 tbsp water. Form into bars. It might help to put dough in a plastic bag and close the bag, then shape into a bar. (Feel free to experiment with different nut combinations. I often sub almonds or cashews for some of the walnuts.

"Oatmeal " raisin cookie  Larabars

Updated 2/11/2014 - Last night I made an "Oatmeal Cookie" version and it is SOOOO good.

• 1 cup of cashews
• 1/2 cup of walnuts
• 20 dates
• 1/2 cup of coconut ( no sugar added )
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup of GOLDEN RAISINS ( no sugar added )
• Spice to taste ( I used pumpkin pie spice)
• ( you may need to add a little almond milk or water to make this one a dough texture it was pretty dry)

*SEE NOTES*
Ingredients

• 4 cups pitted dates
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 1 small lemon – reserve juice and approx. 1 teaspoon of grated rind
• 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine dates, almonds, cashews, juice of one lemon and grated rind; pulse until you get a sticky paste. You will need to stir in between pulsing to get the mixture evenly processed.
2. Remove sticky date mixture from food processor and place into a medium sized bowl, add pure lemon extract. Spray hands or heavy duty spoon with a little non stick cooking spray. Use hands or heavy duty spoon to mix in lemon extract. Line a 2.2 qt. baking dish with plastic wrap. Press mixture evenly into dish.
3.  Refrigerate over night. Cut into bars or see notes.
4. Keep bars refrigerated. Wrap bars individually in plastic wrap for an easy take and go snack or store bars in a covered Pyrex baking dish.

*NOTES*

• The date mixture will be very sticky, this is normal.
• I went a head and added pure lemon extract to give these bars the extra lemon flavor that was missing using only the rind and juice. For me, it was perfect. If you’re a lemon lover and not afraid that the extract will be overpowering (I promise, it’s not.) go a head and add it to the mixture when you add the lemon juice. However, if you only like lemony tasting snacks, I suggest tasting your mixture before adding the extract. If it’s not enough lemon love for you, add the lemon extract 1 teaspoon at a time and taste before adding the next.
• Also, just want to let you know that it’s harder to add the lemon extract after it’s been processed in the food processor. The mixture is too thick & sticky. This is why I pulled the mixture out of the food processor and had to stir it in the bowl.
• If you find that the bar is too sticky for your taste, chop finely, some extra almonds. Remove uncut bars from baking dish, peel off plastic wrap and sprinkle evenly with finely chopped almonds on both sides of the bar, pressing gently, before cutting into bars. Store bars in the refrigerator.  

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Almond Meal Trail Mix Bars

Almond Meal Trail Mix Bars

I have been making almond milk for a few months now, and constantly looking for new ways to use up some of the almond meal.  I can only use so much almond flour.  Now that training season is in full swing I need CLEAN versions of the FUEL I used last season.  I feel this recipe needs a little more tweaking, but It is a hearty little snack.  Would be a great companion with some almond butter.

 

Trail Mix Rounds

Ingredients

• 2 cup almond meal
• 1/2cup flaxseed meal
• 1 cut unsweetened coconut
• 1/3 cup unsweetened craisins
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or other nuts) I used pecans
• 1/2cup cashew pieces
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey - optional ( I left this out for whole30)
       

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Add all ingredients to a bowl, and mix well (hands work best) making sure all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Form into either round "discs" and press into the bottom of cupcake tins to bake, or grease a baking sheet, and mold into a big bar to bake, and then cut after baking, Bake for about 25-30 minutes, let cool, and enjoy :) These keep pretty well even outside of the fridge.

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Natural Sport Drink

*Thank you to Katie of  Wellness Mama for another great post!  Remember you can also find Katie here at her own amazing blog.  Now read and enjoy!

 

For a Paleo athlete (or any athlete) drinks like Gatorade, Powerade, etc are not a good option. Sure, they restore glycogen, but most are high carb or filled with questionable chemicals, or both!

Most of the time, plain water is all we need for good hydration, but those who compete in endurance sports or high intensity competitions (or have labors as long as mine!) occasionally need an electrolyte boost.

 

Even at these times, there are better options than conventional sports drinks. Gatorade, for instance, contains: Water, sucrose syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, citric acid, natural grape flavor with other natural flavors, salt, sodium citrate, monopotassium phosphate, red 40, Blue 1. (This is from a picture of the grape flavored Gatorade label.

If you ever compete in high intensity or endurance activities that sometimes require an some additional electrolytes, but want to avoid things like “sucrose syrup,” a homemade sports drink is easier, cheaper, and much, much, healthier.

This is also a good alternative to give your kids occasionally, as it has a lot of natural vitamins and minerals.

 

 Natural Sports Drink Ingredients:

• One Quart (32 ounces) of  liquid: herbal tea, coconut water or plain water. (I use nutrient dense Red Raspberry Leaf Tea brewed with Stevia for the natural vitamin boost)
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of Himalayan sea salt (regular salt will work, but doesn’t have the added trace minerals)
• 1/4-1/2 tsp calcium magnesium powder or crushed tablets
• 1/4 cup of juice (lemon, lime, grape, apple, etc)- optional - I used apple, It is what I had.
• 1 tsp sweetener (honey, stevia, etc) – optional – If you are Whole30, then you would want to leave out the sweetener.

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Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

nomnompaleo.com

• 5 medium Portobello mushrooms
• Avocado oil (or your favorite fat)
• 1 pound uncooked sausage, removed from casing (I used bratwurst)
• ½ pound of frozen spinach, defrosted in the microwave and squeezed dry
• ½ small onion, minced
• Sunny Paris seasoning
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• Kosher salt
• Ghee (or your favorite fat)
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 ½ cup of Rao’s marinara sauce, heated

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F (with the rack in the center of the oven) and place a foil-lined baking sheet onto the rack.

2. Wipe the tops of the mushrooms with a damp cloth and remove the stems and the gills. (The gills are easily scraped out with a spoon.)

3. Use a sharp paring knife to cut an “X” on the top of each mushroom.

4. Brush the mushrooms with avocado oil and season all over with salt and pepper.

5. Place the mushrooms on the preheated baking sheet in the oven, gill side up, and bake them for 10 minutes.  Then, flip each mushroom and bake them gill side down for an additional 10 minutes.

6. Remove the tray from the oven and let the mushrooms cool to room temperature. Increase the oven temperature to broil.

7. While the mushrooms are baking, start preparing the stuffing.

8. Heat a couple tablespoons of ghee in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the minced onion  (with salt and pepper) until they are soft and translucent.

9. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and a few dashes of Sunny Paris seasoning.  Cook the meat until it is no longer pink. Remove the filling to a medium bowl and let it cool to room temperature.

10. Once the filling is cool, add the egg, spinach, coconut flour, salt and pepper. Mix to combine.

11. Transfer the roasted mushrooms onto another baking sheet lined with foil (the original baking sheet may have lots of mushroom liquid on it) and pile the stuffing onto each cap. Press down on the stuffing to make it compact.

12. Place the tray under the broiler (center rack) for about 5 minutes, rotating halfway during the cooking time. The stuffing should be evenly browned (but not burned) when the mushrooms are finished.

13. Top the baked mushrooms with Rao’s marinara sauce and serve!

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