Creamy Horseradish Sauce (Dairy Free, Vegan, Paleo)

This recipe only makes a small amount, but is easily doubled. I made this to have with raw oysters, but it would also be awesome with roast beef or roasted potatoes. If you're a vegan, try it with a Seitan Sauerkraut Sandwich.

1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
3-4 Tbsp fresh horseradish, grated
1 tsp dill
1/4 tsp dry mustard
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Peel and grate horseradish root. I used a microplane. If you don't have one, a fine grater will do. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Make at least 6 hours prior to serving to bring out the flavor.  Store in refrigerator.

Smokey Salted Caramel Pecan Cups

These are ridiculously delicious. Great for when you're craving just about anything. They're easy to make, but take a long time, so it's something fun to do on a lazy afternoon. The first time I made these, I did it with 100% dark chocolate.

9 oz dark chocolate. I used 100% mixed with 65%

1 cup coconut sugar
1 cup full fat coconut milk
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
pinch chipotle powder
1 cup chopped pecans

Optional:
Coarse Sea salt
Cinnamon
Chipotle

In a double boiler, melt chocolate and stir together.

In a heavy sauce pan, stir together coconut sugar, coconut milk, and sea salt. Turn heat on low, add smoked paprika, cinnamon and chipotle. Let boil for about 20 minutes, keep heat on low so it doesn't boil over and stir occasionally. When it is reduced and thickens, remove from heat and place in glass bowl. Stir in pecans and let cool.

Line a muffin tin with parchment cupcake liners. Spoon meltedchocolate into cups, coating the bottom. You only want to use enough to line the bottom with about 1/8 of an inch and save the rest of the chocolate for later. put in freezer for about 30 minutes or an hour in the fridge, or until chocolate hardens.

Remove cups from freezer and spoon the pecans caramel mixture into them. Spoon the rest of the melted chocolate over them and sprinkle the tops with coarse sea salt and a slight dusting of cinnamon and chipotle. Put back in freezer or refrigerator for 2 hours. Remove cups from muffin tin and enjoy. Keep refrigerated.

Indonesian Style Beef Liver (Sambal Goreng Hati)

I discovered this recipe while searching for liver recipes. I adapted this after reading several recipes. I found one recipe in English and had to use Google translate for the rest, which yeilded some entertaining results such as: "If necessary, add a little oil within blender to simplify the process of destruction". I can't get fresh galangal in my area, so I had to use galangal powder. I tweaked the recipe a bit and I've never had this traditionally prepared, so I don't know how authentic this recipe is. However, it is delicious. This is a great recipe if you're still trying to get used to the taste of liver because the sauce has a very strong flavor. You might want to add some cayenne to it if your red chillies aren't spicy enough. I used purple potatoes for this, but any small potato will do.

6-8 small potatoes
1 lbs Beef liver
1 cup chopped shallots
4 cloves of garlic
4 red chilies
1 inch of fresh ginger, chopped
1/2 tsp galangal
1/2 tsp corriander
1/4 tsp lemongrass
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp coconut oil (divided)
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp coconut aminos
1 Tbsp tamarind paste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roast potatoes for abut 30 minutes.

In a small food processor, combine shallots, ginger, garlic, cayenne, coriander, lemongrass and salt. Puree into a paste.

Cut liver into small chunks or strips. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in pan. brown liver, then set aside.

Add more oil to the pan and cook potatoes until brown. Add the paste and salt. and cook for 3-5 minutes until the spices become fragrant.

Add the coconut milk, aminos, and tamarind paste. Bring to a boil. Add the liver back to te pan and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes to reduce the sauce. Remove from heat and serve.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

People often ask me how to cook Brussels Sprouts. It's pretty simple. 

1 Brussels sprout stalk
1 cup shallots, finely chopped
1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp coconut oil or ghee
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Remove Brussels Sprouts from stalk and rinse. Cut stems, remove outer leaves and chop in half. Place in baking dish with shallots, garlic, salt,pepper and coconut oil. Roast for about 30 minutes.

Dog Dental Chews

Have you looked at the ingredient list on Greenies? Ew. Here is an inexpensive way to make dental chews for you dog that they will love. Also, the gelatin is great for joint and hip care so you don't have to waste your money on poor quality pet supplements. These will keep for a week or two in the fridge so if you have only one small dog, you might want to half the recipe. If you have a Great Dane, double or triple the recipe and get really large molds.

I use Great Lakes gelatin that I buy on amazon. This is the recipe i use to make broth: http://balancedbites.com/2011/04/easy-recipe-mineral-rich-bone-broth.html. If you want to make a batch specifically for pets, leave out the garlic. When I'm done making broth, I separate the bones from the garlic. I grind the bones that are falling apart or break easily and I save the ones that are still hard and reuse them in another batch of broth. I use a meat grinder attachment for the Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer to grind the bones. If you're not using the ground bones right away, you can freeze them. I separate some of the bones into half cup portions so I don't have to thaw the whole batch to make these.

1 cup broth
4 Tbsp Gelatin
2 Tbsp dried mint
1/2 cup ground bones (optional)

Heat broth in sauce pan on low to medium heat. Add gelatin and stir in until completely dissolved. When it starts to boil, turn flame down to low. Stir in the mint and let it steep for about 5-10 minutes, then add ground bone and mix completely. Continue to simmer on low for 15-30 minutes or more, depending on how gummy or how hard you want the chew to be.

Pour into silicon ice cube trays and chill. Keep refrigerated.

Blood Orange Lamb Chops

1 1/2 lbs Lamb Chops
1 blood orange, zested and juiced
1 meyer lemon, zested and juiced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 Tbsp minced ginger
1/2 Tbsp rosemary
1 Tbsp fresh mint leaves
5-6 sprigs fresh time
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp corriander

Combine all ingredients in a zip lock bag or some other seal able container. Marinate for 24-48 hours. Grill for about 5-10 minutes on each side depending on thickness and desired temperature. Makes 2 servings.

Butternut Squash and Fig Soup

6 cups chopped butternut squash
1 cup chopped carrots
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 Tbsp coconut oil (or other fat)
1/2 cup chopped figs
1/2 Tbsp minced garlic

Spice blend:
1/4 tsp cinn
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp sage
1/4 tsp ground fennel
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves

In a small bowl, combine spices.

Put butternut squash, carrots and broth in a slow cooker

Heat oil in a pan. Add onions. cook onions on low heat for about 20-30 minute. you want them to turn translucent, but not brown. Add figs and cook for about 5 minutes, then add garlic, cook for about a minute or two, add spices, cook for about 30 second, then remove from heat and add onion mixture to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. Add more salt if necessary. Puree with when finished cooking.

Braciole

 Braciole (pronounced bra-jole) is an Italian dish. It consists of steak that's pounded thin and stuffed. This version is gluten and dairy free, but it's typically made with breadcrumbs and cheese.


Ingredients:
1.5 lbs round or flank steak
7-9 slices of pancetta
Pesto
Marinara
salt and pepper
Some type of fat

Pound steak until 1/8 - 1/4" thin. Add salt and pepper. Spread pesto over steak then layer pancetta. Roll tightly and tie with kitchen twine. In a cast iron pan, add fat or oil and brown meat  Place in slowcooker the tomato sauce (make the sauce first). Set on low for 6-8 hours. Slice and serve over spaghetti squash or other pasta alternative.


For the Pesto:
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup arugula
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 oz walnuts or pine nuts
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp brewer's yeast (optional)
1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in mini food processor.



Marinara:
1-2 Tbsp olive oil or other fat
1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 28 oz can of tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp salt

Heat oil in large pan. add onions and saute until translucent. Add garlic saute for about a minute, then add fennel seeds and saute for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat and add to the crock pot along with canned tomatoes, tomato past and seasoning. 

Awesome Burgers

Yes, this recipe is for hamburgers. Something so simple yet complex. I like my meat well seasoned. I usually use 85% lean, but sometimes I'll mix 75% lean beef with 90% lean bison. I shape them into 1/3lb burgers. Sometimes 1/2 lb if I'm really hungry. Also notice, I don't waste my money on gluten free buns or waste my time on lettuce wraps. I eat it with a fork and knife. You can't fit all those awesome toppings in a lettuce wrap anyway and you would have to dislocate your jaw to eat that on a bun. Check out my recipe for paleo Worcestershire Sauce.

1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce (Optional)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp ground fennel
1/4 tsp salt
a pinch of ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Grill or pan fry. Top with whatever you like. I like mushrooms and onions.

Mashed Celery Root with Leeks

Celery root is a great alternative to potatoes. There are 42 calories and 9 grams of carbohydrates in 100g of celery root compared to 77 calories and 17g carbohydrates in 100g of potatoes. I like to use it in stews instead of potatoes and celery stalks.

1-2 Tbsp ghee or coconut oil
1 large celery root
1/2 cup leeks, finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup broth
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saute pan heat coconut oil or ghee. Peel and dice celery root. add celery root to the pan with a dash of salt and cook until slightly brown, about 15 minutes. Add leeks, mix together and cook for a couple of minutes, then add garlic, salt and pepper. After about a minute, add broth and simmer until celery rood is soft. Transfer to a bowl and mash or puree using a food processor or immersion blender.

Paleo Hush Puppies

This recipe is similar to my  Golden Beet Bread recipe. Golden or yellow beets have a flavor that reminds me of corn, so this is a great gluten free, grain free alternative to traditional hush puppies. These can be baked or fried.

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped Golden Beets
2 Eggs
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
black pepper, to taste
Coconut oil for frying (or if baking, add 1 Tbsp of melted coconut oil to the mix)

Roast beets at 350 degrees until soft for (45-60 minutes). This can be done a head of time.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add beets and puree using an immersion blender. This could also be done with a food processor. After beets are pureed, add almond flour, coconut flour, salt, onion powder and pepper.

For deep frying: Fill deep fryer with coconut oil. Don't heat about 350! Shape batter into balls and place in fryer basket. Fry until golden brown.

For baking: Preheat oven to 350. Shape batter into balls. Line cookie sheet with parchment. Bake for 20-30 minutes. The baked puppies come out a golden yellow and they shrink slightly compared to the fried ones.

Fig Barbecue Sauce

Figs are awesome. This recipe works well with chicken, ribs, burgers or anything else you want to put BBQ sauce on. I have a recipe for Paleo Worcestershire Sauce or you can search for one on the web.


1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup red onion finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp Balsamic
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp Mexican Oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 figs, chopped
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp Coconut Aminos
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

In a small bowl, mix spices.

In a sauce pan, heat coconut oil. Add onions and saute until translucent, then add garlic. Saute for about 30 seconds then add spices. After about another 30 seconds, add figs, vinegar, coconut aminos and Worcestershire  Stir together and bring to a low boil for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and puree using an immersion blender. Makes about a cup.

Cucumber, Crab and Avocado Salad

Great side dish for sushi or a great lunch or dinner for a hot summer say.

8 oz lump crab
1 avocado, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and jullienned into matchsticks
Juice from 1 lime
1 Tbsp Coconut aminos
2 tsp black sesame seeds
2 tsp white sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients, serve cold

Liverwurst Nori Rolls

This might be my strangest recipe yet. Even stranger than Bacon Crusted Pumpkin Pie. When I was a kid I loved liverwurst sandwiches. Is that weird? If you're looking for a way to enjoy the health benefits of liver, but you don't like the odd texture, this recipe is for you. If you need a good sauerkraut recipe, checkout this one from Balanced Bites. I usually just make mine with cabbage and salt, but if you can't imagine eating liverwurst without rye bread, you can add rye seeds to your kraut.

2 Nori sheets
3 oz of liverwurst (I get mine from U.S. Wellness Meats)
1/2 cup sauerkraut
1/2 an avocado
Spicy mustard (to dip the rolls in)

You'll also need a small bowl with water and a rolling mat. In my Sardine Nori Roll recipe, there are step by step instructions on how to roll sushi. Or you can check out this link.

Sardine Nori Rolls

Do you want to enjoy the health benefits of sardines, but don't want to just eat them right out of a can? Here's a fun way to enjoy them with colorful avocado and pro-biotic carrots. You can use regular shredded carrots of you don't have fermented ones.

2 Nori sheets
1 4 oz can of Sardines
1/2 cup shredded fermented carrots
1/2 an avocado

You'll also need a small bowl with a little water and a rolling mat.


Place Nori sheet on rolling mat.

Add carrots

Then Sardines

Then add avocado

Roll.

When you get to the last half inch of the roll, dip your fingers in the water bowl and moisten the top of the nori sheet. This will make it stick.

With a sharp slice rolls. The nori sheets I buy have perforated lines to guide here to cut. If your nori doesn't have those, cut them about an inch in length. Serve cold. I like to drizzle balsamic vinegar and olive oil on mine.

Cauliflower Skordalia (Greek Style Potato Dip)

Skordalia is a Greek potato dip, usually served cold, but you can eat it warm if you prefer. This is a low-carb version.

1 head of cauliflower
2 tsp minced garlic
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp red or white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
Juice from 1 lemon

Steam cauliflower until fork tender. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Garlic can be lightly sauteed in olive oil, or added raw. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil. If you used raw garlic, you might want to prepare this ahead of time to let the garlic mellow.

Greek Style Lamb Balls

Lamb is my favorite meat.

1 lbs Ground Lamb
1 lemon, zested
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp Balsamic or Red Wine Vinegar
2 tsp Penzey's Lamb Seasoning
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp dried mint
1/2 tsp rosemary (dried or fresh)
1/2 tsp salt
Olive oil

Place ground lamb in a bowl and add vinegar, garlic, salt, and herbs. Zest lemon into the bowl and set aside the rest of the lemon for later. Combine ingredients thoroughly shape into balls. Grill meatballs for about 10 minutes, preferable over charcoal or wood, but gas works too. When meat balls are done, squeeze lemon juice and drizzle olive oil and serve.

Baked Dog Cookies (Good for Cats Too)

This treat recipe is a little more involved than my other treat recipe, but probably better. The dehydrated cookies are very dry and hard for little Halle to swallow. These have a moist texture and are freezable so you can make a whole big batch and freeze what you don't use right away. 

3 cups ground bones
2 eggs
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1/4 cup sun butter (or any other nut butter)

Step one:
Make yourself some broth from bones. Any animal will do. I save bones from almost everything I eat in a bag in the freezer and when I have about 2 lbs, I make broth.

Step two:
Grind bones. I use a meat grinder attachment on my Kitchenaid stand mixer. For big bones, I'll use them for broth 2 or 3 times so that they're soft enough to put through the grinder.

Step three:
Make cookies! Preheat oven to 350. Beat egg. Add all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl and blend thoroughly. Line baking sheets with parchment and scoop cookies into the size you want. Press them into flat cookies. Bake for about 45 minutes or until edges start to brown. Let cool before serving.

Keep in mind the size of your dog when making these cookies. I use a small ice cream scoop that makes the cookies about 1 1/4" diameter. I give Jack (65 lbs) and Hazel (50 lbs) each one whole cookie and break one in half to give to Halle (17 lbs).

Banana Fudgesicles

It's freakin hot out. 115 degrees. It's a good thing I had these babies in the freezer. Dairy free, no added sugar, fruit sweetened and a good source of potassium, so it does double duty on a hot day!

I got this awesome stainless steel popsicle set from amazon. Some of the reviewers complain the the pops look phallic. It's a popsicle, you lick and suck it. What do you expect it to look like. It will not turn your son gay or make your daughter a porn star. Get over it and don't sexualize your food or your children. If you're concerned about plastic and want what's best for your family, no matter what it's shaped like, this pop mold is for you. I originally bought it to make deodorant sticks, but room temperature in the summer in Arizona is 80 degrees and the melting point of coconut oil is 76 degrees. You do the math. Needless to say, I keep my deodorant goo in a small mason jar. There will be a recipe for that eventually.


1 can full fat coconut milk
1 ripe banana
1/4 cup cocoa (or cacao) powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Pour into Popsicle molds and freeze. 

Rainbow Cake

My birthday is in June and what better way to celebrate June than with a rainbow cake. No artificial colors or flavors, just wholesome grain-free, gluten-free yummy goodness. I adapted this recipe from Saffron Girl's Paleo Beetroot Cake recipe, but made it even more awesome.

Yellow Layer:
1 1/2 cups golden beets, chopped and roasted
2 Eggs
2-4 Tbsp Honey (depending on how sweet you like it)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 Tbsp almond extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup almond flour

I didn't use any fat or oil when I roasted the beats. Puree beets. Beat eggs in a mixing bowl, then add pureed beets, coconut oil, honey and extract and beat together. Mix all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then combine all the ingredients together and mix thoroughly. Pour into a greased cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Red Layer:
1 1/2 cups red beets, chopped and roasted
2 Eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2-4 Tbsp Honey (depending on how sweet you like it)
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder flour

Follow the same instructions for the red layer as the yellow layer. If  you're really talented, you can bake them in separate cake pans and layer them. If you're lazy like me, you can just put one layer on top of the other in the same cake pan. If you're really creative, try swirling or marbling the 2 batters. It doesn't matter which layer is on the top and which one is on the bottom, either way it tastes awesome.

Bake for about 45-60 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean.

Frosting:
1 ripe banana
2 ripe avocados

Puree bananas and avocados together. When cake is cool, remove from pan and frost. Eat before the frosting oxidizes.