Speculaas

These can be used for cookie butter or just cookies.  I love the flavor.

1/2 c butter
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp milk
1 1/3 c flour
3 tbsp finely chopped blanched almonds (optional)

Beat the butter in a mixing bowl on med or high for 30 seconds.  Add brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, cloves and salt.  Beat until combined.  Beat in egg yolk and milk.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon.  Divide dough in half , cover and chill about 1 hour or until it’s easy to handle.

Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8″ thickness.  Cut into desired shapes.  Cook on lightly greased (or parchment covered) cookie sheet 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Paleo Pizza Crust

This is actually adapted from a recipe I found at The Unrefined Kitchen.

1 c almond flour
1/2 c arrowroot
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp pepper
2 eggs
1/4 c almond milk

Preheat oven to 425.  Put parchment paper on your pizza tray (or baking sheet).

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl with a whisk.  Add eggs and milk and stir.  Batter will be slightly lumpy.   Pour onto parchment covered sheet and spread to edges.  Bake for 8-10 minutes (mine usually cracks just a bit; that’s when I pull it out).

Spread with pizza sauce and top with cheese and your choice of pizza toppings (we like red sauce and pepperoni;ranch and garlic powder mixed for a white sauce, topped with zucchini and bacon).

Bake for another 10-15 minutes.

This makes one 12″ pizza.

The original recipe covered a standard baking sheet and was quite thick.  We prefer a thinner crust and this works perfect.

Cookie Butter

2 tbsp Almond Butter (creamy is probably better)
1/4-1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4-1/2 tsp ground cinnnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp nutmeg
dash of salt
dash of cloves
oil

Combine all ingredients, except oil, in a bowl.  Add oil as needed.  Serve with fruit.

Zucchini & Ground Beef

1 Tbs coconut oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 lb lean ground beef
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs dried oregano
2 medium (6″-8″) zucchini, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add coconut oil when hot.
Add onions to skillet and sauté until slightly translucent.
Add ground beef to the pan next, along with the garlic and oregano. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add zucchini and tomatoes and cook until tender.
Season with sea salt if desired.

http://www.paleoplan.com/2009/11-22/zucchini-and-ground-beef/

No Oat “Oatmeal”

1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pecans
2 Tbs ground flax seed
1/2–1 tsp ground cinnamon
dash of freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbs almond butter
1 banana, mashed
3 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (add more if desired)
2 tsp pumpkin seeds
1 handful of fresh berries (optional)

Add walnuts, pecans, flax seed and spices to a food processor and pulse mixture to a course grain (make sure to stop before it is ground into a powder). Set aside.
Whisk together eggs and almond milk until the consistency thickens and becomes a loose custard.
Thoroughly blend the mashed banana and almond butter together and add it to the custard, mixing well.
Stir in the course nut mixture.
In a medium saucepan, warm the mixture on the stove until the “no-oatmeal” reaches the desired consistency; this should only take a few minutes. Stir frequently.
Sprinkle pumpkin seeds and berries on top. Add more almond milk if desired.

Green Smoothie

1 apple
1 pear
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 Tbs flax seeds
6 large kale leaves (take out woody stems), or 2 handfuls of spinach
juice of 1 small lemon
1 cup water

Quarter apple and pear, remove stems and seeds and put in blender.
Add remaining ingredients to blender and puree. Add more water if needed.
Add fresh fruit, cucumbers, slivered almonds, coconut, fresh herbs or different dark leafy greens for tasty variations on this recipe.

Berries & Almond Butter

1/2 cup fruit or berries

2 tbsp Almond butter

Combine in bowl and serve.

Paleo Pizza

1 cup almond flour
3 Tbs almond butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 tsp olive oil, divided
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
4 mushrooms, sliced
1 large Italian sausage, cut in 1/2″ slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 cup marinara or tomato sauce, with no sugar added
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half

Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Mix almond flour, almond butter, eggs and sea salt in a small bowl.
Cover a baking sheet with 2 tsp olive oil, then spread the mixture over it, making a 1/4″ thick crust. Bake for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the remaining olive oil, onions, mushrooms, and sliced sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat until the sausage is browned and the onions are slightly translucent. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Add garlic and red pepper to the skillet. Sauté the vegetables for a few minutes, or until slightly tender. Note: do not cook the vegetables entirely in the skillet or they will be too soft when cooked on the pizza.
Remove the crust from the oven and cover with marinara sauce. Add the sausage and sautéed vegetables. Sprinkle with oregano and fennel seed, then bake for 20-30 minutes.
Remove from oven when fully cooked and top with sliced tomatoes.
Carefully lift the slices out of the pan as the dough will still be soft.

Lime-Cilantro Tacos

2 tsp coconut oil
1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/4″ – 1/2″ strips
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 red onion, diced
1 small jalapeno, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 medium tomatoes, diced
3 Tbs lime juice
3 Tbs cilantro, chopped
8 butter lettuce leaves (about 1 large head)
2 avocados, sliced

Wash and chop onion, jalapeno, cilantro and tomatoes.
Season both sides of pork with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  When hot, add coconut oil to pan.
Sauté pork  until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.  Remove pork from pan and place in a bowl.
Add onion and jalapeno to hot pan, and sauté until tender.
Add broth and tomatoes, and reduce heat to low. Simmer two more minutes, scraping pan sides and bottom to loosen any browned bits.
Return pork and juices to pan.  Stir in lime juice and simmer until pork is fully cooked.
Top with fresh cilantro and avocado, and wrap with butter lettuce leaves to serve.

http://www.paleoplan.com/2011/02-07/lime-cilantro-pork-tacos/

Toothpaste

Trying a new recipe:

1 tbsp baking soda

1.5 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp peroxide

1 tsp Xylitol

6 drops peppermint essential oil