Creme Brûlée

Ingredients
2 1/2 c heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
2 tsp tapioca flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
6 Tbsp raw sugar

Directions
*You must start this recipe at least one day ahead so the custards have time to chill.

1. First make the custard by placing the cream in a pan over low heat and bring to just below simmering, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
2. While the cream is heating, use a balloon whisk to whisk the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and tapioca starch.
3. While whisking the egg mixture the whole time, gradually pour the hot cream into the bowl with the other hand.
4. Once its all in, immediately return to the saucepan using a rubber spatula.  Return to the low gentle heat as you continue whisking until the custard is thick and smooth. This will happen as soon as it reaches simmer icing. Do not overheat, or it will look grainy. If this occurs, remove from heat and whisk until smooth again.
5. Divide the custard into the ramekins and leave to cool. Cover each dish with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.
6. To caramelize the tops, preheat the broiler. Uncover the ramekins and sprinkle tops evenly with one Tbsp of sugar. Place all on a baking tray under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes until the sugar has melted and starts to go very dark brown in some places. Leave the caramel to harden before serving.

There is another, more common, method of preparing the custard in a steam bath in the oven.

Strawberry Pavlova

Ingredients

For the meringue
3 large egg whites
3/4 c sugar
1 c fresh ripe strawberries, hulled
1 tsp sugar

Filling
1 250 g tub mascarpone, chilled
1 tsp vanilla
1 tub low fat cream cheese
1 tsp sugar
icing sugar to dust

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 250. For the meringue: Place the egg whites in a large clean bowl and whisk until they form stiff peaks. It is very important not to over whisk, as it will start to collapse.
2. Now whisk in the 3/4 c sugar, 1Tbsp at a time, whisking after each addition until all the sugar is in.
3. Using a metal tablespoon, spoon about 1/3 of the meringue onto a prepared baking sheet covered in parchment paper, forming a circle about 8 inches in diameter.
4. Next spoon rounded blobs next to each other, so that they join to form a circle all around the edges. Using the tip of a skewer, make little swirls in the meringue. Put into oven, then immediate turn the heat down to 225. Leave for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 min.
5. Turn the heat off but leave the Pavlova inside the oven with the door cracked until it's completely cooled.
6. When ready to serve, or up to 1 hour ahead, whisk the filling ingredients together. Put 1/3 of the strawberries into a food processor along with 1 tsp sugar. Halve the remaining strawberries, leaving small ones whole.
7. Lift the Pavlova from the liner and place on the serving dish. Spook the vanilla cream into the center, arrange the strawberries on top. Dust with icing sugar and pour the puree just before serving. Cut into wedges.

* This recipe is adapted from delia online. You can see a video of this recipe at deliaonline.com

Florentines (Italian cookie classic)

Ingredients

1/2 stick butter
1/4 c raw sugar
1/4 c honey
1/4 c flour (plain or rice)
1 Tbsp dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 Tbsp dried apricots, finely chopped
1 Tbsp zest of orange (about zest of 1/2 to 1 orange)
1 Tbsp almonds, finely chopped
1 Tbsp walnuts, finely chopped
200g plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 3 trays with parchment paper.
2. Place butter, sugar, and honey in a small pan, heating gently until butter is melted.
3. Remove from heat, add flour, cranberries, apricots, orange zest, nuts to the pan. Stir well to mix.
4. Make 18 florentines by spooning 6 tsp of the mixture onto each of the trays. Be sure to leave enough room for spreading during the bake.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Leave to partially cool on tray and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. (If the florentines become too hard to remove, pop them back into the oven for a few minutes to soften again.)
6. Set a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Temper the chocolate by breaking half of the chocolate into the bowl.  Stir until it reaches melting temperature at 127 degrees. Meanwhile, finely chop or grate the remaining chocoate.
7. Carefully remove the bowl from the pan, add the remaining chocolate, and stir gently until cooled at 79 deg.  (There are great tutorials online as to how to temper chocolate without a thermometer).
8. Spread the melted chocolate over the flat base back side of each florentine and leave to cool slightly before marking a zip zag in the chocolate with a fork. Leave to set, chocolate side up on the cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

AIP/Paleo Stir Fry

Ingredients
4-6 chicken thighs
EVOO
3 cloves garlic, minced
sea salt
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 cup broccoli florets
2 peeled and sliced carrots


Directions
1. Add oil to pan and lightly season chicken with salt to taste, add to pan over medium heat until cooked through.
2. Add garlic, ginger, and onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes
3. Add broccoli, carrots, and cook until tender.

*this recipe is easily made vegetarian or vegan by eliminating the chicken and using 2 cups of broccoli
**You could also add snap peas

Grapefruit Salad

Yet another favorite of mine from the Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook and Action Plan. My husband would like to eat this every night!!

Ingredients

FOR THE DRESSING:

1/2 c EVOO

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp local organic honey

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon

Pinch sea salt

FOR THE SALAD:

3 cups spinach

2 red grapefruits, peeled, sectioned, and chopped

1/4 c dried cranberries

Directions

1. Whisk all dressing ingredients together until well combined and set aside.

2. Mix salad ingredients in large bowl.

3 Add dressing and toss. Eat it up!!

Cauliflower-Bacon Soup

Oh yummy. This was dream-a-vicious. Thanks again to the Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook and Action Plan.

Ingredients

6 strips organic bacon, chopped

2 leeks, whites only, chopped

1 tsp minced fresh garlic

2 heads cauliflower, cut into small florets

6 cups Chicken bone broth

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. Fry bacon in saucepan, stirring frequently, until cooked and crispy, about 5 min. Transfer to a towel-lined plate and set aside.

2. Place saucepan back on heat without wiping, add leeks and garlic and sauce.

3. Add cauliflower and broth to saucepan and add water to cover if cauliflower is not covered by liquid by at least 1 "

4. Bring to boil, then reduce to low, simmering until cauliflower tender, about 20 minutes.

5. Transfer to a food processor and use and immersion blender and process. Pour soup back into pot and add bacon. Serve warm with fresh parsley.

Honey-Thyme Beef Jerky

Who doesn't love good beef jerky? And who wants the extra chemicals? Thanks to Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook and Action Plan, I can have my jerky and eat it too!

Ingredients

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp local organic honey

2 Tbsp water

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried thyme

2 lbs beef, such as London broil

Directions

1. Mix vinegar, honey, water, salt, garlic powder, and thyme in bowl. Set aside.

2. Slice beef very thinly across the grain, about 1/8 inch thick. 

3. Transfer meat slices to marinade. Toss to coat and place in fridge for 2 hours to a day.

4. Remove meat and lay strips on paper-towel- lined plate and pat dry. Line a large baking tray with foil and place on bottom rack of oven. Move top rack to highest position.

5. Thread beef pieces about 1" apart on wooden skewers, so that each skewer has about 7 pieces dangling from it.

6. Set skewers on top rack in oven so beef strips dangle between the bars. Repeat until all beef strips in oven.

7. Turn oven on to between 180-200 degrees. Prop door open about 2" and cook until turnkey is dry, about 8 hours.

8. Remove from skewers and let cool completely. Store in sealed container for up to 1 month in fridge.

Roasted Zucchini Salad

Ingredients
6 zucchini, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
2 Tbsp balsalmic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c shredded fresh basil

Directions
1. Place zucchini and onion on parchment paper covered baking pan
2. Preheat oven to 450. Roast, turning once, until lightly browned and tender, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for about 30 minutes. Then add balsalmic vinegar, salt, and basil. Toss to combine before serving.

Chicken Nuggets the Paleo Way

After years of adventuring with diet, exercise, and more, I FINALLY have an answer. I have an auto-immune disease called Hashimoto's, which affects your thyroid. So, this was the first of the recipes I attempted on AIP (Auto-immune paleo) and it was delicious!



Ingredients
4 Tbsp Arrowroot powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 c organic coconut milk
2 cups shredded, unsweetened coconut
About 3 lbs of boneless, skinless organic chicken (I used a mix of breasts and thighs), cut into strips
EVOO

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
2. Mix arrowroot and seasonings into a small bowl. Pour coconut milk into a separate small bowl. Place the coconut on a plate.
3. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
4. Dredge a chicken strip in arrowroot mixture, dip it into the coconut milk, then dredge it in the shredded coconut.
5. Place the coated strips on the baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken is breaded.
6. Lightly brush with olive oil, then baked until chicken is cooked through and coconut is golden, turning once, about 25 minutes

Granny's Banana Nut Bread (Made Vegan!)

Ingredients
1/2 c non-dairy butter and/or coconut oil unrefined
1 tsp baking soda
1 c organic sugar (I like to mix brown, raw, stevia, etc)
1 c non-bleached organic flour (makes well with gluten free flour)
2 flax eggs
3 ripe bananas (mashed)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 c pecans (chopped- optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Grease and flour loaf pan.
3. Mix all ingredients and pour into loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour or until center is done.

Granny's tip: *place a pan of water on the shelf below the loaf pan to prevent over-browning)

Southern Potato Salad

From my Grandmother's kitchen to yours :)

Ingredients
7 Russet potatoes
5 organic, free range eggs
1 1/2 c healthy mayonnaise
2 Tbsp mustard
1 Tbsp dry paprika
1/2 Tbsp dill, chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste
Cajun season to taste (optional)

Directions
1. Place russet potatoes in water and boil for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, boil eggs for 8 minutes and peel.
2. Once potatoes are boiled, peel. Place in bowl with peeled, boiled eggs. Chop and blend coarsely with fork. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Some prefer it chilled in fridge before serving, others eat it warm.

Tastes great with gumbo and / or bbq. That's how we do it Louisiana style...

Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Ingredients
1 lb strawberries, diced
1 lb pineapple, diced
12 oz blueberries
12 oz red grapes
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
15 oz mandarin oranges, drained well

Dressing:
1/4 c honey
2 tsp lime zest (or zest of 2 limes)
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 drops Citrus Fresh essential oil (optional)

Directions
1. Combine all fruit in large mixing bowl.
2. In separate bowl, whisk together honey, lime zest, lime juice and Citrus Fresh. Pour over fruit just before serving and toss evenly to coat.

Pumpkin Fudge

Ingredients
2/3 c coconut butter
1/4 c + 2 Tbsp pumpkin puree
1/2 c brown, coconut, or raw sugar (or equivalent maple syrup)
1 Tbsp creamy almond butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
approx 2 Tbsp non-dairy milk
tiny pinch of fine grain sea salt

Directions
1. Add all ingredients to a medium sauce pan over low heat. Whisk constantly for about 5 minutes or until all ingredients have melted together
2. Grease a small 3x5 or 4x6 container (or line with parchment paper). Pour in mixture and smooth out surface.
3. Freeze for about 1 hour to set. Slice and serve. Keep refrigerated.

Red Bean Soup

Ingredients
1 Tbsp EVOO or coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 bay leaves
3 cans/ 3 cups kidney beans (soaked overnight if using dry beans)
32 oz vegetable stock
water as needed
2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp paprika
1/2 Tbsp oregano
1/2 Tbsp thyme
2 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp chopped parsley
cooked brown rice, warm
green onions to garnish

Directions
1. Heat oil in large pot. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes
2. Add beans, seasoning, stock and amount of water for desired consistency. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook until beans are tender (about 1 1/2 hrs for dry beans, 30 minutes for canned)
3. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, add salt to taste and parsley. Discard bay leaves and remove 1 cup of beans from pot. Puree this 1 cup of beans and return to pot, stirring well.
4. To servie, ladle into soup bowls over rice with green onions to garnish if desired.

Chicken "Tortilla" Soup the Paleo Way

Ingredients
4 organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste for chicken seasoning
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 jalepeno, seeded and finely dashed
1 can diced green chiles
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes (or equivalent of home roasted tomatoes)
2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp cilantro
40 or so oz chicken stock/broth
crushed plantain chips, or organic corn tortilla chips if not paleo

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375. Place chicken on parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
2. Bake 20 minutes or so (depending on thickness of breasts). Once cook, cut or shred.
3. While chicken is baking, heat oil in large stock pot over med-high and add garlic to sauté.
4. Add onions, bell pepper, jalepeno, mix to coat in oil. Once onions translucent, add green chiles and tomatoes, plus remaining spices. Mix well.
5. Add chicken and stock. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
6. To serve, garnish with avocado, chips, etc

Protein Smoothie (Without the Powder!)

Version 1: with fruit so slightly higher in carbs (about 53g protein)
1/2 c frozen wild blueberries
1/4 lemon with rind
1 1/2 c kefir or 1 c milk and 1/2 c plain greek yogurt
1/4 c dried cranberries
1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 walnuts
1 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp flax seeds
2 Tbsp almond butter
1/2 Tbsp coconut butter
1/4 avocado (optional)
3 Tbsp rolled oats
optional stevia and/or honey to sweeten

Version 2:  no fruit, but still pretty high in carbs (about 52g protein)
1 1/2 c kefir or 1 c milk and 1/2 c plain greek yogurt
1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 walnuts
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp flax seeds
2 Tbsp almond butter
1/2 Tbsp coconut butter
3 Tbsp rolled oats
dash of cinnamon and vanilla
optional 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder and/or stevia and/or honey to sweeten
*confession: sometimes I add a little coffee to mine in the morning ;)

Dr. Hyman's 10 Day Detox to Burn Fat and Lose Weight: My Review

My goals: WEIGHT LOSS! I have 20 lbs to lose, hoping to shed a few in this 10 day stretch. And to reboot the system, so to speak. As per this video...http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/detox-diet-burn-fat-and-lose-weight-fast

Caveats and things I learned:
*These are descriptions of things about the diet and the ways I changed or substituted things, etc. I am not recommending that you necessarily change or leave out what I changed or omitted. I am just giving an honest overview of my experience so that you can gauge my success or lack thereof ;)*
1. Per the diet, fiber powder should be taken before each meal. Not just any brand is recommended. The one highlighted has Konjac root and seaweed. The brand is Well BetX PGx--they have pills or power. Use 2.5 to 5 g 30-60 min before each meal. Overall, the goal of any fiber is to cut cravings and help balance blood sugar, also helping you feel fuller longer. Soluble fiber is most effective in aiding weight loss, though most sources recommend a mix of a higher amount of soluble fiber and a smaller amount of insoluble fiber. I did not use the brand they recommended. Looks amazing, but I thought I would try what I had first in an attempt to cut costs a bit. Additionally, I only took fiber before lunch. I am not good at remembering to take vitamins and such outside of my routine. 
2. Drink breakfast- don't eat it! Smoothie recipe is given for you on list above. There are more smoothie recipes (and meal recipes) in the book. I could not find hemp seed, so I replaced it with flax seed. I could not find frozen cranberries, so I used 1/4 c dried.
3. Make sure you have a multivitamin.  I like to take half in the morning and half at lunch. They also recommend Chromium, 2000 U Vit D3 and 2 g fish oil. I added a probiotic and alternated salmon oil and flax oil for omega 3s rather than fish oil. I did not take Vit D3 on a regular basis.
4. Info page on Dr Oz recommends deep breathing, journaling, exercise. The only deep breathing I did was in my sleep. 3 kids under 5 so this blog is about the extent of my journaling. But my faith is very important and I feel that connecting with God in prayer is more important in my life than journaling. I exercised regularly.
5. Dr Oz also recommends a detox bath each night: 2 c epsom salt, 1/2 c baking soda, 10 drops lavender oil. I did not do this every night, but tried.
6. I also sporadically drank green tea and dandelion root tea. There are so many health benefits to it, I could not give it up. I drink it straight or with lemon, no sweeteners, etc. And I always try to drink 60 ounces of water per day


What I Ate:
Day 1
Breakfast: Green Tea with Lemon and a Smoothie
Lunch: Spinach salad with 1/4 avocado, tuna, no dressing
Snack: dandelion root tea, lara bar
Supper: Dijon pork and kale

Day 2
Breakfast: Green Tea with Lemon and a Smoothie
Lunch: Spinach salad with green bell pepper, grilled chicken, olive oil and rosemary
Snack: Lara bar, celery and sun butter
Supper: Organic grass-fed beef roast and leftover kale

Day 3
*I have lost 1 lb
Breakfast: Green Tea, Smoothie
Lunch: Spinach salad with orange bell pepper, cucumber, rosemary chicken, olive oil, lemon juice
Snack: Lara bar, green smoothie
Dinner: Lemon Steamed Salmon, kale chips, steamed asparagus

Day 4
Breakfast: Smoothie
Lunch: Salmon with asparagus
Snack: Lara bar
Dinner: Smoothie
*I cheated today

Day 5
Breakfast: Smoothie
Lunch: Mixed salad with nuts, fruit, apple cider vinaigrette
Snack: Lara bar
Dinner: Coconut shrimp and sauteed spinach with tomatoes and onion

Day 6
Breakfast: Smoothie
Lunch: Salad with spinach, shrimp, coconut milk
Snack: Lara bar, green smoothie
Dinner: Lemon chicken, steamed chopped broccoli

Day 7
Breakfast: Green tea, smoothie
Lunch: Mixed salad with fruit and nuts
Snack: Green smoothie
Dinner: Rosemary garlic chicken, roasted veggies, salad

Day 8
*I cheated today
Breakfast: Smoothie
Lunch: Spinach with mushrooms, chicken
Snack: Lara bar, green smoothie
Dinner: Taco soup

Day 9
Breakfast: Smoothie
Lunch: Spinach with fruit and nuts
Snack: Lara bar
Dinner: Salmon, asparagus

Day 10
*I have not lost any more weight
Breakfast: Smoothie
Lunch: Spinach withs salmon, asparagus
Snack: Lara bar
Dinner: Taco soup

Results: 1 lb weight loss. Perhaps my cravings are slightly curbed? I am definitely off caffeine completely, although all I used to drink was 1 cup of black coffee in the morning. I still long for sugar and chocolate. I guess that won't likely change :) Overall, feel good. The diet wasn't all that hard, except that realizing I would not lose weight mentally made me think it was ok to cheat :) Would I do this again? Perhaps. What I was allowed to eat was not that big of a challenge. I think I would like to try this again when I feel more committed and am willing to pay the cost for all the supplements and ideas they specify, including the specific brand of fiber. I would recommend this to others despite my lack of weight loss because, as I am finding, I am quite the unique case. For some reason, it is nearly impossible for me to lose weight. I feel confident that most people who followed this diet would.

Moving on from here: Definitely going to keep that breakfast smoothie! It was DELICIOUS!! In hopes of losing weight, I was recommended carb cycling aka cyclic ketogenic diet. Since thus far, not much is working for my weight loss, I guess it's worth a try!

Coconut Shrimp

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 can coconut milk
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp ginger root, peeled, minced
1 Tbsp lime juice
basil, sea salt and pepper to taste



Directions
1. Place shrimp into saucepan with coconut milk, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper
2. Bring to boil, stirring frequently.
3. Reduce heat to simmer, cook uncovered 15 min, stirring frequently.
4. Stir in lime juice and basil to taste (I used about 1/4 Tbsp dry basil)

Avocado Salad Dressing

Ingredients
1/2 avocado
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp EVOO

Directions
1. Mash avocado in a bowl. Mix in other ingredients. Stir to combine. Serve over any salad.

Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 Tbsp coconut oil

Directions
1. Prep head of cauliflower and chop coarsely. Place in food processor and chop to the consistency of rice.
2. Place in pot on stove with cauliflower. DO NOT ADD WATER. Mix in oil and seasonings. Heat over med low for about 10 minutes to a desired rice-like softness. Enjoy guiltlessly in place of rice.