Hawaiian Haystacks

Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, GAPS-Friendly, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Paleo, 

SCD-Friendly, Soy-Free, Sugar-Free 

One of my favorite meals growing up was my Mom's Hawaiian Haystacks, but it was made with cream of chicken (lots of dairy) and rice, so I wanted to make a more gut-friendly version.  I did make quinoa, so if you're strictly paleo, then you could use cauliflower rice or zoodles, or some other squash/veggie base.  The great thing about this meal is you can pull out all your leftovers in the fridge, or any produce that needs to be used up.  What makes this an amazing tasting meal is it's balance of sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, and pure deliciousness.  Traditionally, my mom would add in tomatoes and colored peppers, but since they flare up my autoimmune issues, I didn't add them here.

Instructions

For the Gravy/Sauce:

1 medium Onion (diced)

* 1/2 package Mushrooms

1 TBS Grass-fed butter or Oil (coconut, olive,

           or avocado oil)

Saute onions and garlic in butter/oil for 5 min. and Add:

1 can full fat coconut oil (or almond or other nut/seed milk)

1 C Chicken or Bone Broth

1-2 TBS tapioca starch (can use 1 TBS guar gum, 2-4 tsp xanthum gum, arrowroot powder, or almond flour to help thicken)
Season with Salt and Pepper and other favorite herbs and spices (I added about 2 tsp Herbs De Provence as well)

To serve, add the gravy on top of gluten-free grains or paleo zoodles, cauliflower rice, or sweet potato and dice up and top with any of the following mix-ins (feel free to get creative):

Green Onions (chopped)

Olives

Carrots

Celery

Cilantro (or Parsley, Dill, or other fresh herb)

Chives 

Coconut flakes

Dried Fruit (raisins, figs, apricots, cranberries, 

                                                                                    blueberries, etc.) 

                                                                                    * Tomatoes

                                                                                    * Peppers 

                                                                                    Apples 

 * If you're struggling with an autoimmune issue or gout, you can leave out the nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, and even leave out the mushrooms) to help alleviate symptoms.  

DIY Yoga Mat Spray

Whether your into Yoga, Pilates, Stretching, or some other exercise, I'm sure you've experienced grabbing the mat and having your nose overwhelmed by dried sweat and bacteria (sexy, don't you think?).  Just how you want to start your workout!

While I don't consider myself a huge germaphobe, I do like to know that things I use are relatively clean. This spray is something I use on my yoga mats, exercise equipment, (and I even use it on the mats at the gym).  The natural antibacterial properties of the oils leave the mats germ-free without destroying my natural healthy bacteria.  Plus, it leaves everything smelling so good while I hit the mat!

Ingredients

1 C Distilled Water (or Clean Filtered Water)
1/4 C Vinegar
15 Drops Melaleuca (Tea Tree) Essential Oil
10 Drops Lavendar and/or Lemon (or any Citrus) E.O.

Pour into a spray bottle and spray away the germs (and smell!)

Good for the Soul Chicken Zoodle Soup

Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, GAPS-Friendly, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, 

 SCD-Friendly, Soy-Free, Sugar-Free

Today has been a particularly busy day, so by the time I realized it was getting close to dinner, I needed something quick.  We had a whole chicken that we cooked the other day, so we had some leftover meat. My mom has been craving chicken noodle soup lately, so I made a chicken zoodle soup instead. It turned out so delicious and so good for the soul!

Ingredients:

4-5 Cups chicken broth + extra water to cover all the veggies 

1 medium onion, diced

1-3 cloves of garlic (depending on how much you love garlic. I love it, so I used 3), diced

Fennel, cut into lengthwise pieces 

3 medium carrots, chopped

Zucchini (spiralized into noodles- You can also chop them or cut into long strips, however you prefer them. I was re-creating the noodles, so I used a spiralizer. Some Cuisinart or KitchenAid attachments have one that makes veggies into tiny strip/noodle-like shapes)

3 Stalks of Celery, chopped

1 1/2 C Butternut squash (optional), cut into small squares

Leftover baked Chicken (cut into small pieces)

Optional: Add any other veggies that you desire. Peas, Rutabaga, Any other variety of Squash,

Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts, etc.

Directions:

Saute the diced onion, garlic, and fennel in some coconut or olive oil until translucent (about 5 min). 

Place the sauted veggies in with the rest of the ingredients and cook over medium heat until veggies are tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Ginger Spice Cake

Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Egg-free, Tomato-free,

Sugar-free, GAPS-Friendly, SCD-Friendly, Paleo

I was craving Ginger and Chocolate, so I decided to make a cake. I was super happy to find some eggs at the Health Food Store that I can eat that don't upset my tummy! They are pastured eggs by Vital Eggs. The insides are more orange (how eggs used to look years ago without all the grain-feed, antibiotics, pasteurization, bleaching, and who knows what else they do....). If you can't do eggs at all, then follow the substitutions below. I hope this hits the spot the same way it did for me!

Ingredients
1-1/2 C Almond Flour (you can also use 1 C protein powder with 1/2 C coconut flour instead of using nut flours)
1/4 C Cocao Powder (Omit if following the SCD. The cake still tastes amazing without cocoa).
3 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Ginger (I like a lot of ginger, so if you prefer it more light, then use 1 to 1-1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp Cloves
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Cardamom (optional)
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (Preferably ACV that still has the Mother in the bottom.)
1/2 C Apple Sauce (optional)
1/4 C Raw Unfilterd Honey or Maple Syrup (If you don't do sugar, then start by adding 7-10 drops of liquid stevia and add one drop at a time to taste, or 1/4 tsp of powdered stevia at a time until desired taste. It will sweeten a little with baking, so go light on the stevia. You can also use 1/4 C Lankanto instead of honey or stevia if you prefer. Lankanto Monk Fruit doesn't have the aftertaste that stevia does. My stomach doesn't do well with Monk Fruit, however most do just fine).
3 Eggs (Pastured preferred. If you can't do eggs, then substitute 1/4 C Arrowroot powder, or 1/4 C ground chia plus 1/4 C Ground flax seed soaked in 1/2 C water for 5min. If using the chia/flax blend, you may want to add in 1/4C protein powder to help the consistency so it doesn't fall apart too easily. I like the SunWarrior Pea or Fermented Rice Protein blend).

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine all the dry ingredients and mix together well. Set aside. Combine all the wet ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well. Then add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix well. Pour batter into an 8x8 greased pan. (If you're not using eggs, then line the pan with parchment paper so the cake won't stick to the pan). Bake at 325 degrees F for 25-30 min (or until a toothpick comes out clean).

Enjoy with a glass of coconut or nut milk, dollop of refrigerated coconut milk cream, or homemade ice-cream. It's also great all on it's own!

Clean Raw Chocolate Heart Melters

Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Egg-free, Sugar-free, 

Vegan, GAPS-Friendly, SCD-Friendly, Paleo, Raw

Left image has coconut flakes.  Right image has walnuts added.

Ingredients:

1 C Coconut Oil (softened)

1 C Raw Cacoa Powder

1/8-1/4 C Raw Honey (or liquid Stevia to taste-Start with 10 drops and add drop by drop until you get desired taste)

1 tsp Vanilla powder (or non-alcoholic liquid)

Dash of Salt

Optional Add ins:  

1/4 C Coconut flakes/shreds

1/4 C Walnuts, pecans, or other favorite nut

Fresh Berries

Fresh coconut cream on top (after they've cooled and hardened)

Goji berries

Edible Flowers 

Pumpkin, Sunflower, or Sesame Seeds

Essential Oils: Cinnamon, Clove, Lavender, Wild Orange, Cilantro and Lime, etc

Chilies or cayenne pepper to desired heat

Raw Cocoa Nibs for an extra chocolate kick

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl, add the cacoa, vanilla powder, and salt together.  Then, add the honey and any desired add-ins.  Mix well.  If you are using stevia, start by mixing 10 drops in with the coconut oil.  Then add to the chocolate mixture, stirring by hand.  Mix well.  (You may need to add 1/8-1/4 C more coconut oil if you are strickly sugar-free.  Mix just enough oil to get the chocolate mixed well and moist.)  Scoop the mixture into your choice of molds (or scoop into a small 8 x 8" baking dish lined with parchment paper and score into 24 pieces with a knife before cooling.)  Place in the freezer for about 15 min.  Pop out of the mold (or cut into cubes if using a dish) and store in an air-tight container in the fridge.  When you're ready to enjoy, let them sit out for 5-10 min and they are melt-in-your-mouth perfect!  This recipe makes just over 24 chocolate hearts in less than 20 min!