Yields 12 muffins.

Recipe:

Muffins

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 bananas, very ripe
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1-2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten free 1 to 1 flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda

Topping

• 1/3 cup pistachios, smashed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
3. In large bowl, melt butter and honey, then add bananas and mash well.
4. Add sugar and pumpkin, mix well.
5. Stir in egg, vanilla and finally dry ingredients.
6. Make sure batter is mixed well, then spoon evenly into liners.
7. Mix smashed pistachios, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl or ziplock bag, then sprinkle on top of batter.
8. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees.
9. Continue baking for 16 more minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
10. Enjoy!

Since I eat this concoction almost daily, I had to come up with a recipe that was both healthy AND simple. Oh yeah, and delicious. After a bit of trial and error, I finally came up with the perfect recipe. Here it is!

Ingredients:

2 cooked skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup seedless grapes (halved or quartered)
1/4 slivered almonds
1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
Sea Salt & Hot Sauce to taste (yes, hot sauce is good in everything!)

Instructions: 

I start with about a pound of skinless, boneless chicken breasts. I typically buy my  organic, free range chicken which you can find at a reasonable price at Trader Joe’s. But whatever chicken floats your boat is fine. Boil the chicken until fully cooked. Allow it to cool, then shred or cube (depending on your preference). Throw into a medium size bowl.

From there, I grab the vegetables and start chopping (you can food process the veggies as well, which I do on days that I feel lazy). Once they’re chopped, toss them into the bowl with the chicken. Half or quarter the grapes, depending on their size. Add them to the bowl of awesomeness.

Sidenote: I’ve been getting some ginormous grapes lately, so I’ve had to quarter them. Regular size grapes can simply be halved.

Throw in the remaining ingredients and mix well! You can stop here and just start eating this stuff with a spoon (It’s THAT good). Or you can create the perfect sandwich by spreading this magical, chicken bliss onto a slice of toasted quinoa bread, then top it with romaine lettuce and a fresh slice of tomato! Want to keep this recipe Paleo or Gluten Free? Just grab some fresh greens and make lettuce wraps.

Enjoy!

Fritters. They’re what’s for dinner. So let’s get started.

I’m not a veggie lover. BUT, with fritters I figured the more the merrier. This recipe is jam-packed with veggies. You could always substitute, add or leave out some of the veggies based on what you have or any food aversions. But I pretty much threw the kitchen sink into these.

Ingredients:

About 3 cups broccoli, cauliflower & carrot mixture, chopped
2/3 cup fresh spinach, chopped (before cooked)
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or flour of choice)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
Salt & Pepper to taste
EVOO for frying
Water for boiling

Yields about 8 fritters.

Instructions:

I started out by boiling the carrots, broccoli & cauliflower for about 4-5 minutes to soften. DO NOT OVERCOOK or they will be hard to work with.

While you wait for those to soften, chop the onion, garlic & spinach and sauté in a tiny amount of EVOO until the spinach is cooked. If you use too much oil, the fritters will not stay together as well, so take it easy!

Place the broccoli, cauliflower & carrot mixture into a strainer and allow to drain thoroughly. Then gently pat dry to remove excess water. Chop the broccoli and cauliflower into small florets and place them in a bowl. Sidenote: I food-processed the carrots, only because my son has a weird thing about carrots and I didn’t have shredded since I used the organic veggie trio above. If you have shredded carrots, there’s no need to food-process them. Just chop along with the broccoli & cauliflower. Throw in the sautéd veggies as well.

At this point, all veggies should be in the bowl.

Next, add the Parmesan, flour and seasons.

Whisk the egg and toss that into the bowl. Mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat until it sputters when you flick some water into it (from a distance!!!) Once it’s hot, spoon approximately 1/4 cup of mixture into pan for each fritter. Press lightly to flatten to about 2-2.5 inch wide fritters and cook for about 4 minutes, then flip and cook another 4 minutes (or until golden brown). Then, just serve and enjoy the veggies of your labor!

Recommended Pairing: Grilled White Fish or Salmon, Grilled Chicken.

Right from the start, I had to find a way to satisfy those cravings and trick my mind into thinking it was eating grains. So I started to get creative with my veggies and I’ve found some great ways to get that “grain” sensation. For anyone who is considering making the transition to AIP, I wanted to share my list of go-to grain substitutes. I know how hard it can be to make this change and I want you to succeed with it. So check these out!

Cauliflower Mash: If you’re craving mashed potatoes, try mashed cauliflower! It’s a great side with any meat and very easy to make. Just steam until very soft, then food process! I make mine with ghee and fresh rosemary. If you like sweet potatoes, try this Roasted Sweet Potato & Cauliflower Mash

Cauliflower Rice: This is great for a side or with any dish that would normally call for rice. I use it with Asian dishes all the time! You can use fresh cauliflower and food process to rice-sized pieces or, a lot of grocery stores carry fresh or frozen riced cauliflower in a bag! Just sauté in coconut oil or EVOO. Flavor with ginger, lemon and fresh herbs or just a little salt and garlic! Perfect pairing for any Asian dish or as a side to pretty much anything!

Zucchini Noodles: These are a great substitute for pasta dishes! Use a veggetti or mandolin to slice the zucchini into noodles and sauté in EVOO. These go great with just some EVOO and fresh herbs if you aren’t able to eat nightshades! Or check out this delicious Butternut Squash & Rosemary Cream Sauce. You can also eat these uncooked in a cold “pasta” salad.

Spaghetti Squash: These are so easy to make! When they’re in season, I make them once a week. Just cut in half, bake and shred the flesh! It shreds easily with a fork!

Faux Mein: I buy bags of organic broccoli slaw at Trader Joe’s and they make the perfect Asian noodles. Just sauté in coconut oil until soft. Top with any AIP friendly Asian meat dish! Here’s one of my favorites, Ginger Orange Chicken

Gingerbread Cookies: Treats have to be kept to a minimum on AIP, but we all deserve a cookie once in awhile! These Gingerbread Cookies aren’t exactly AIP, but you can omit the vanilla & cloves and the flavor is still great!

For 25 days now, I have been adhering to a very strict diet known as the AutoImmune Protocol, which is a variation of the Paleo Diet. This diet, along with a number of supplements, has been prescribed to me for an indefinite period of time until my gut heals, my liver detoxes and my blood begins to accept nutrients again on it’s own. This diet excludes ALL grains, dairy (including eggs), nightshades, legumes, nuts, seeds, sugar and alcohol. And let me just say, the struggle has been real.

Once I made it past the initial shock and depression of such a drastic change to my lifestyle (not that I was an unhealthy eater), I started searching for ways to make my food more interesting. Watching other people consume delicious, poisonous foods with no repercussions whatsoever can get a bit overwhelming. I had to overcome my feelings of jealousy and loss somehow, and I knew that experimenting just HAD to lead to some food I could really enjoy.

When I began to plan my first AIP Thanksgiving menu, I was looking for some sides that wouldn’t leave me drooling over everyone else’s plates. I am not a huge fan of sweet potatoes, but in the spirit of tradition, I wanted to incorporate them into the meal. I’m also constantly seeking ways to get my full 9 cups of veggies in daily. And then the idea light bulb went off in my head! What if I added some sweet potato to my cauliflower mash???

I know I’m not the first person to realize this might be a good combination, but I was really excited about how it would turn out. Once it was finished, I was licking the spatula and scraping the sides of my food processor to make sure I got every last drop. It was THAT GOOD.

So, without further ado, here is my recipe!

Ingredients:

1 Head of Organic Cauliflower (Chopped & Steamed)
2 Medium-Sized Sweet Potatoes (Roasted, but microwaved is fine if you’re short on time)
2 Tablespoons Organic Ghee (Or Butter)
Fresh Rosemary & Basil to taste (I use it generously because the flavor is divine!)

Just food process all ingredients until you get the desired texture.
Note: This is a matter of personal preference. The flavor is great whether you prefer lumps or super creamy.

Place in serving bowl and warm in oven until ready to serve (If you can avoid eating it all!)

Enjoy!

Now that we’ve gotten that love fest out of the way, let’s talk cake. Not THAT kind of cake. I’m talking about the kind of cake that honors the perfect union between pig and fermented cabbage. Okay, that doesn’t sound very appetizing, but trust me, IT IS!! It’s like wedding cake, only better. Because these are AIP & Paleo friendly, and healthy enough that you can eat them all!! Or save some for later. Your choice.

Okay, I’m really done this time. On to the cakes.

I have to eat fermented foods daily as a part of my gut healing treatment. I haven’t always been the biggest fan of sauerkraut. But… it’s a superfood with super powers (that’s another story) so I eat it alot. And it really is growing on me. Now that I’ve created THESE, I might even say that I love it. (But not in the same way that pork loves it. I’m not a homewrecker.)

Okay, ok. I now pronounce….Sorry. Here’s the recipe.

Fried Pork & ‘Kraut Cakes
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 lb. High Quality Ground Pork
2 Cups Sauerkraut (drained and patted dry)
1/4 Onion, finely chopped
1 Small Sweet Potato, steamed and mashed
1 tsp Fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp Fresh Basic, finely chopped
1 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Coconut Oil for frying.

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients (except coconut oil) in large bowl until well-mixed.
2. Heat oil in skillet until it sizzles with a sprinkle of water.
3. Form 1 1/2 to 2 inch round balls and flatten.
4. Cook on medium heat for 7-10 minutes per side, or until fully cooked.

Once they’re cooked through, serve hot and crispy! I like to pair these with applesauce and some Roasted Sweet Potato & Cauliflower Mash.

So once I finally figured out how to create a worthwhile Paleo base for a gyro, I had to figure out the rest. Overall, this recipe is a bit involved because it has 3 parts; the wrap, the meat and the tzatziki sauce. But, each part is pretty simple and if you can spare a little time, these are totally worth it! I like to serve these with a side of homemade sweet potato fries for the full experience. I hope you love them!

The Meat.

Ingredients:

1 Lb Organic Ground Lamb
1 Small-Medium Onion, Finely Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped
2 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary, Finely Chopped
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper (if tolerated(

Instructions:

1. Brown meat, onion and garlic in skillet over medium heat.
2. Drain excess fat.
3. Add herbs and seasons.
4. Serve!

**If you prefer to make a loaf and bake, place raw mixture into oven and bake on 325 for 60-75 minutes.

The Tzatziki Sauce.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Shredded Cucumber
1/2 Cup Coconut Milk (Organic, Full Fat and Chilled in Refrigerator for 24 hours)
2 Cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Fresh Dill, Finely Chopped
Sea Salt to taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste (if tolerated)

Instructions:

1. Peel, seed and shred cucumber until you have roughly 1 cup.
2. Open chilled coconut milk and scoop out thick cream on top, it should be roughly 1/2 cup. (Keep remaining liquid to add later if sauce is too thick for your liking. Or pour remaining liquid into a mason jar for later use if you want.)
3. Combine all ingredients in medium-sized bowl and mix well until thoroughly combined.
4. Chill until ready to serve.

The Wrap.

I use this amazing Paleo Wrap Recipe for the wraps. Make sure to use 1/2 the mixture to make them a little thicker than a tortilla. They are a little spungier than a pita, but very light and delicious!

**If you’re AIP and have tolerance issues with Arrowroot, you’re gonna want to use a different wrap than what I used. I recommend Paleo Wraps Gluten Free Coconut Wraps. 

I have been able to reintroduce ghee and eggs successfully, which has broadened my baking horizons tremendously. So I started playing around in the kitchen in search of a tortilla/pita substitute. I wanted to be able to make tacos without using lettuce as the shell. And I wanted to eat a gyro. I figured the two would be possible with two separate recipes, but I ended up discovering the perfect solution to both with these wraps. And you will not believe how easy they are!

Sidenote: I have tried some other Paleo tortilla recipes, including those that use cauliflower or plantains as the base. But, in my experience, they are far more complicated and not nearly as good!

So, let’s get to it. There are gyros to be made!

Paleo Tortillas
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
2 Free Range Eggs
1 tsp Melted Ghee or Coconut Oil
1 tbsp Water
1/4 cup Arrowroot Powder
1 tsp Coconut Flour
a Pinch of Sea Salt

Instructions:
1. Heat 8″ skillet over medium heat.
2. Whisk eggs, ghee (or coconut oil) and water in medium-sized bowl.
3. Add in dry ingredients and mix well until fully combined.
4. Pour in batter and roll around until evenly coated. Tortilla will start to lift around edges.
5. Cook for one minute on each side.

Enjoy!

**Makes 2-3 tortillas, depending on thickness. Use 1/3 batter per tortilla or 1/2 batter for thicker wraps such as gyros.

Bacon, Egg & Veggie Wrap.

I’ve been making a ton of Zoodles lately, just because it’s so easy to grill some chicken or shrimp in the summer months and just toss it in with the zucchini noodles. But it’s a bit cold for grilling and I felt like switching things up, and since the only veggies I had on-hand were zucchini (of course), tomato and onion….I decided to toss them together in a casserole. The result was ahhh-mazing. So good, in fact, that my veggie-hating 2 year-old had 3 big helpings. Must’ve been all the butter. But butter is a clean food, my friends. Do NOT fear the butter!!

Okay, here’s the recipe.

Ingredients
Prep Time: 20 Minutes. Cook Time: 55 Minutes.
Serves 4.

2 Medium-Sized Zucchini, Sliced into rounds.
2 Large Tomatoes, Sliced (I just pulled some from the garden)
1/8 Cup Onion, Finely Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Teaspoon Fresh Oregano, Finely Chopped
1 Teaspoon Fresh Basil, Finely Chopped
1 1/2 Cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded or Grated
1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated
3/4 Cup Gluten Free Bread Crumbs (I used Gutino, which you can find at Whole Foods, Target or even Big Lots)
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter a 9×9-inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine Cheddar, Parmesan, oregano, basil, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
3. Arrange half of the zucchini slices in the pan. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cheese and herb mixture on top. Arrange half of the tomatoes, and top with another 1/4 of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers.
4. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in breadcrumbs; cook until they have absorbed the butter. Sprinkle on top of casserole.
5. Cover loosely with foil, and bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake until the top is crusty and the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

When I made the switch to a Paleo diet, the transition came with quite a bit of unexpected awkwardness. I began my wellness journey right before Thanksgiving and soon realized that the holiday season would bring the worst of it. Having to prepare all of my own food, declining the meals lovingly prepared by holiday hosts felt rude to me. I was sure that I was hurting feelings, and that my choices were coming across as pompous or fussy. I hated that, but it was a necessary part of my recovery.

Turning down cookies and pies  and handmade pierogie weren’t the only source of discomfort for me, though. The actual gifts I received my first Christmas since beginning this diet, however thoughtful, were a reminder of how dispiriting that holiday season was for me. My mom bought me some baking items; a rolling pin, measuring cups and spoons. They were beautiful, not your average baking items. The rolling pin was marble. The cups and spoons were a beautiful, hand-painted porcelain. They were a wonderful addition to any kitchen. Except, of course, a kitchen where there were no flours, no sugars, no eggs. The gifts were lovely, but they were a painful reminder of all I’d given up. It would be a long time, if ever, that I’d be able to use them.

It’s been three years since I began treating my Lupus with nutrition, but the holidays continue to be a challenge. I still have to make a lot of my own food, but I’ve been able to navigate some pretty amazing gluten-free/paleo alternatives to help me recreate the magic of the season. But the gift thing can still get tricky. I’ve received things like cookie mixes, pizza stones, etc that I can’t really use. I simply smile, say thank you and find a space in my tiny kitchen for these items to collect dust. Someone asked me last week if I’d like a toaster oven, to which I awkwardly responded “I can’t really eat any foods that could be toasted.” It inspired me to create this gift-giving guide for your gluten free friends and family members.

I don’t mean to come across as ungrateful. The truth is, I’d be happy with no gifts at all. Christmas, for me, has always been about spending time with loved ones and celebrating Christ. My siblings and I are rarely all together, and when we are, its gift enough. But people do feel compelled to buy presents for one another at Christmastime. And I hope that this will help to give you some ideas for the gluten free guys and gals in your circle.

Gifts to Avoid

1. Any food items that are not certified gluten free. Depending on the severity of the gluten allergy or intolerance, cross contamination can be a big deal. If you’re purchasing any food items, be sure to check the labels! If you want to make a gluten free treat for someone, please be extremely cautious of cross-contamination. Clean surfaces before preparing and be sure that no gluten-containing items are nearby.
2. Any kitchen item that a person with gluten-sensitivity will likely not be able to use. Examples: Toaster Oven, Pizza Stone, Waffle Iron, Bakeware, etc.
3. Gift Cards to restaurants that don’t offer gluten-free friendly options. If you’re unsure, call the restaurant to be safe!
4. Cookbooks that don’t include gluten-free recipes.
5. Beer, unless it’s gluten free!

Gifts to Get

1. Gluten Free Baked Goods from your local GF bakery or from Etsy! Try these!
2. Coffees, Teas or Gift Cards for either.
3. Meat & Cheese basket.
4. Fruit Arrangement.
5. Cookware.
6. Sangria Set.
7. Moscow Mule Mugs.
8. Wine.
9. Gluten Free Beer.
10. A CSA subscription! Find one close to you here.
11. A cute tee to support your gluten-free friend or family member. I love this!

A little thoughtfulness goes a long way. Be kind. Be merry.