Gluten Free Banana Maca Pancakes with Berry Compote

These slightly nutty-sweet silver dollars are super fluffy, yet very nourishing. Maca is a Peruvian root that is packed full of nutrients to regulate our body’s hormones, restore adrenal function, and it is naturally energizing. Not a bad way to start your morning!

Yield: 3-4 servings       Allergens: nuts, grains

Ingredients:

Dry:

1 ½ cup brown rice flour

¼ tsp aluminum-free baking soda

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

2 tsp maca powder, which you can buy here

Wet:

¾ cup coconut or almond milk

1 large ripe banana, or 2 small

3 eggs, beaten

1 heaping Tbs creamy almond butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Compote:

3 cups frozen berries

1-2 Tbs honey

1/2 tsp lemon zest, more for garnish

2 Tbs coconut oil or butter for cooking

Directions:

1.  In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Set aside
2. In a blender or food processor, mix together wet ingredients.  Once completely blended, whisk wet ingredients into dry to combine batter.  Set aside.
3. Heat a saucepan over medium heat.  Add berries and cover, stirring occasionally.  After 10 minutes, add lemon zest and honey.  Continue to lightly simmer over low heat, so berries are totally soft and gooey.
4. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium high heat.  Add enough oil to coat pan.  Pour 2-3 Tbs batter into pan for each pancake.  Let sizzle for 2-3 minutes per side.  If it smells like the oil is burning, turn down the heat and wipe out rancid oil remaining in pan.   
5. Place one pancake on plate and dollop with one spoonful of berry compote.  Place another pancake over that and repeat, coating each pancake with compote so that every bite is gooey and sweet. 
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Creamed Butternut Squash Pasta with Sage Butter

What a cozy winter meal! I originally made a version of this super satisfying dish for 20 retreat-goers a couple weeks ago in the peaceful Santa Cruz mountains.  With just a few ingredients, this easy dish is nutrient-dense, slightly sweet and makes an awesome creamy substitute for you mac & cheese lovers.

Make this recipe dairy free by using ghee or refined coconut oil instead of butter.  To make this AIP friendly, swap brown rice pasta out for zucchini noodles and use 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1/4 tsp mace instead of coriander.  

Creamed Butternut Squash Pasta with Sage Butter

Yield: 4 servings

Allergens: dairy. 

Ingredients  

3-4 medium garlic cloves
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
2 medium butternut squashes, peeled, seeds removed, and cut into medium chunks
2 cups fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 bag brown-rice pasta; I like the spiral pasta, rotini
1 bunch of fresh sage, finely diced
6 Tbs organic butter (ghee or coconut oil work too)
1-2 cups of bone broth (you can also use chicken or vegetable broth)
1 tsp coriander
1/2 a bag of arugula (you can subsitute spinach)
salt and pepper to taste
optional: meatballs or other protein

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.  In a sheet of parchment, wrap peeled garlic cloves with a touch of oil and roast for 30 minutes.  Toss squash with 1 Tbs oil, salt, pepper and place in large baking dish in oven for 30 minutes, checking halfway. Once cubes are soft all the way through and slightly browned, remove from oven to cool slightly. Remove garlic and set aside.
2. In medium saucepan, heat 1 Tbs olive oil.  Sauté mushrooms for 5 or so minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.
3. Using an immersion blender or stand blender, combine squash, roasted garlic, coriander, salt and pepper to taste.  Start by adding 1 cup of broth. If the mixture is not blending, add a quarter cup extra at a time until a thick consistency is reached, but not watery.
4. In a large pasta pot, boil water with a few pinches of salt and a couple dashes of olive oil. Cook pasta according to directions on packaging.
5. While pasta is cooking, over low heat, brown the butter and infuse with sage, stirring occasionally.
6. Once pasta is cooked through, drain it and pour back into pasta pot.  Add sage butter and combine with pasta thoroughly.  Mix in the arugula and mushrooms.  Finally, stir in the creamed squash.  Feel free to add a protein, like meatballs or shredded chicken. Garnish with sage.

If you don't know, now you know…how to make easy zucchini noodles

Raw zucchini noodles with herbed avocado pesto

I know it's not right to love or need an object, but when it comes to some things in my kitchen, there are a few items that I would really not like to live without :) Right after my first two children: my chef knife and Vitamix, I have a new baby that I am so so glad my friend Laura turned me onto last year: the Spirooli™or Spiralizer™.  These bad ass slicers can turn vegetables into tasty noodles in seconds.  Let's be honest, slurping your vegetables in noodle form is probably the most fun way to eat vegetables.  Yes turning zucchini, squash, beets, and sweet potatoes into noodles is fun for me.

You can get these popular tools at any kitchen supply store.  I bought the Spirooli™for less than $20 at Bed Bath & Beyond.  

Even if you don't like zucchini, I would highly recommend trying them out on one of these great kitchen tools.  Once the zucchini turns into noodles, it has a mild taste and slightly crunchy consistency.    It does a seriously great job of absorbing liquids you choose to add to it.  I will usually cook my noodles by lightly sautéing them in olive oil or unrefined coconut oil for just a minute or two. I'll season them with salt and pepper to taste.  The cooked noodles shrink down quite a bit, so say you are cooking zucchini pasta for four people, you would probably want to buy five or six zucchini.  

Autoimmune-friendly Thai shrimp with zucchini noodles

Yield: 2 servings 

Ingredients:

12-16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 Tbs coconut oil

2 large zucchini or squash, peeled

1/4 cup coconut aminos

3 drops fish sauce

1 large clove of garlic, minced or grated

1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced or grated

juice of 1/2 a lime

optional: green onion, thinly sliced, for garnish

(If you do not have an autoimmune condition and your body tolerates seeds and nightshades well, sprinkle 1/4 tsp red chili flakes and 1/2 tsp Eden Shake or white sesame seeds over finished product. Mix to combine.)

Procedure:

1. In a medium sauté pan, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Once oil starts bubbling, add shrimp and cook for two minutes per side.  Immediately remove from heat and set aside.
2. Make noodles using Spirooli™or Spiralizer™.  Cut them using kitchen shears so you do not wind up with foot-long noodles dangling from your mouth (unless you want to get adventurous re-inacting that Lady and the Tramp scene).  Set aside.
3. In small mixing bowl, combine coconut aminos, fish sauce, garlic, ginger and lime.  Mix to combine.
4. In a medium sauté pan over medium high heat, combine noodles and sauce.  Once noodles have softened and absorbed most liquid, approximately two minutes, toss in cooked shrimp.  Top with green onion and a lime wedge. Serve. 

Adapted from Diane Sanfilippo, "shrimp pad thai"

Grain free rosemary crackers with mission fig and caramelized onion tapenade

Crackers adapted from Chef Christine Ruch.  Tapenade is an original recipe by Katie Ring

Scaled for 10 people 

Ingredients:

Crackers

1 ¾      cup almond meal

½         cup sunflower seeds, coarsely ground

1 ½      Tbsp ground chia seeds

2 ½      Tbsp rosemary, finely chopped

1.5       Tbsp chives, chopped (extra for garnish)

1          tsp salt

4          Tbsp water

Tapenade

½         cup fresh mission figs (or reconstituted figs)

½         cup dates

¾         medium onion, thinly sliced half moons

1          Tbsp balsamic

½         cup olives

2          tsp olive oil, plus more for sautéing

1 ½      tsp thyme, finely chopped

½         cup water

½         cup crème fraiche (optional)

Procedure

For Crackers

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Add all ingredients to food processor, keeping out water.
3. Add water a tablespoon at a time, or until a slightly wet ball of dough forms.
4. Roll ball between two sheets of parchment until dough is ¼ in thick.
5. Remove top layer of parchment. Using a ruler, measure dough into 1 1/2 in squares.  Cut away any excess dough to roll out after.
6. Once all the dough has been used, bake for 20-25 minutes, checking every 7-10 minutes.  Remove from oven once crackers have hardened and are crisp.

For Tapenade

1. In a medium saute pan, caramelize onion over medium low heat in 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Saute onions until golden brown and soft, about 20 minutes. Stir frequently.  Then remove from heat and set aside.
2. Place figs and dates in food processor, pulse for 30 seconds until well chopped and paste forms.
3. Add remaining ingredients, including onions.
4. Spoon onto crackers.  Top each with crème fraiche (an alternative would be cashew cream if you can't have dairy) and a piece of chive.