April Primal/Paleo/Grain-free thread! - Page 2

[organicmidwestmama]

Originally Posted by FairyRae

Ds can't do nut or seed flours (of any kind) w/out reactions...at least not currently.

And coconut flour does not fry well IME so far...

i use arrowroot or tapioca flour. it is high carb but when used for lightly coating its no biggie to me.

[425lisamarie]

Originally Posted by FairyRae

Do you think this would hold together ok w/ no cheese? Thanks Lisa!

I don't use cheese. I forgot to add that I use an egg though, after i saute it and it cools a little. Can you do egg? I kind of eat mine with a knife and fork cause I pile it so high. If you make little ones like for kids they would be able to pick them up.

[celestialdreamer]

That zucchini pizza sounds awesome. I'm trying that tomorrow for lunch. We have been doing our own TF version of SCD/GAPS since the end of December and I feel really good. My gallbladder issues have resolved as long as I totally avoid all storebought meat and eggs and stick to pastured stuff. Any time I have the slightest hint of "fullness" like I did when I was having gallbladder issues, I take some ACV and its totally gone.

I took ds2 (who is turning 2 tomorrow!) to the pediatrician today and he's got double ear infections and sinusitis. Poor baby is just totally miserable so we are going to move his b-day party to this weekend. All the kids have been under the weather this past week so I am really worn out. I'm a bit nervous about ds2 having to take abx again but he is incredibly miserable and we've already tried home remedies. He's had ear infections since he was a tiny baby (his eardrums have ruptured in the past) and I know part of the reason he's got such a messed up gut is because of the frequent abx. He hasn't had one in over a year so I thought we were done with them but I guess not. I'm going to load him up on probiotics and bone broth and hope that we can make up for this later

In good news, I am SOOOO glad to see spring foods available. I can't tell you how sick I am of eating the same things over and over I got some garlic scapes, sprouting broccoli and kale from a local farm today along with tons of eggs Its amazing how much you appreciate the change in seasons when you eat locally and in season

[FairyRae]

Originally Posted by organicmidwestmama

i use arrowroot or tapioca flour. it is high carb but when used for lightly coating its no biggie to me.

OMG I totally didn't think of that! They fry ok? I'm totally using them! (I have some in my cupboard.) Thanks for the idea!!

[FairyRae]

Originally Posted by 425lisamarie

I don't use cheese. I forgot to add that I use an egg though, after i saute it and it cools a little. Can you do egg? I kind of eat mine with a knife and fork cause I pile it so high. If you make little ones like for kids they would be able to pick them up.

We can do eggs so I'm totally trying it! Sounds way yummy!

[Toolip]

Originally Posted by sarah_bella1050

I started slacking this past week and feel like crap, I need to be strong! My biggest thing is what can I eat pate on? Anyone have any grain free cracker recipes?

meeee too! i love pate but can't handle it on a spoon! It's my main grain indulgence to have sprouted toast with mustard and pate. I'd love another option!

[lil_earthmomma]

Originally Posted by Toolip

meeee too! i love pate but can't handle it on a spoon! It's my main grain indulgence to have sprouted toast with mustard and pate. I'd love another option!

Meat! I love dipping cold meat into stuff!

Cold chicken into pate, cold ham into dijon mustard, bacon into dijon mustard and garlic etc etc etc.

As for grain free but not worrying about the carbs, nut flours make awesome crackers, even nuts themselves are yummy dipped in stuff.

Homemade potato chips are AWESOME too. Sweet potato chips... kale chips...

[425lisamarie]

I have to stop eating so many cold raw salads, I end up feeling like bloated crap. Or at least reduce the size. I've been just eatin like a horse lately.

I seriously made THE yummiest mushroom alfredo sauce and I just ate it over stir fried chicken strips and broccoli. Same for kids/DH but a little pasta for them. I have to say they ate FAR more of the stuff in ratio to the noodles.

I can' t do dairy so i make two batches, they just love the cream/parmesan thing and I don't see why not so I made mine with a little coconut milk and nutritional yeast, and chickpeas blended in my vitamix. It was SO good

[zeiter]

Originally Posted by 425lisamarie

I can' t do dairy so i make two batches, they just love the cream/parmesan thing and I don't see why not so I made mine with a little coconut milk and nutritional yeast, and chickpeas blended in my vitamix. It was SO good

Would you please post both your alfredo recipes with some measurements? My alfredo sauces never turn out good. Thanks!!

[crunchy_mama]

I did "alfredo" last night as well- dairy free and it was soooooooo scrumptious. I think it would have been richer w/ some coco milk but I was out. I served mine over zuccini noodles added some dairy free pesto from the other day and some carmelized leeks and shitakes and roasted broccoli- yummy- yummy = yummy!!! Mine was made from soaked cashews made into cashew milk, sea salt, nut yeast and sauteed garlic- simple but yummy. As I said I think a bit of coco milk in place of the water to make the cashew milk would have been perfect.

[cristeen]

Hi ladies - I suppose I'm going to be rejoining you. I stepped on the scale last night for the first time in months, and was shocked to see I was up 10 pounds from my HIGHEST - that's more than I weighed 9 months pregnant. I've got to do something about that. So it starts today.

For the question of pate - I have 2 things I do with it. Endive leaves (belgian endive, not treviso raddichio which also goes by endive) make great dippers - they're slightly bitter, but it seems to work with pate. Or I use a mini ice cream scoop and scoop balls of it onto a salad. My fave is to take my duck liver flan, top a salad with sliced kumquats and make a light dijon vinaigrette. So yummy! In fact, I may have to do that, I have liver in the freezer.

The rest of the week is going to be fairly difficult to get through - I was not planning on going grain-free this week, so I'm lacking on snacks. I can walk down to WF if I have to, but I'd prefer to avoid that if at all possible. I have what I need to make nut crackers, I might be able to manage a few deviled eggs, and I have carrots (just got rid of all my celery)... maybe I'll cook up some chickpeas and make some hummus.

[425lisamarie]

Originally Posted by zeiter

Would you please post both your alfredo recipes with some measurements? My alfredo sauces never turn out good. Thanks!!

Well for a classic alfredo, this makes THE best:

1.5 cups cream
2 tblsp butter
1/2 tsp ea salt/pepper
pinch fresh grated nutmeg

heat 2 tblsp butter, 1 cup cream, simmer until reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 15 minutes. Stir in 1.5 ounces (bout 3/4 cup) parmesan and remaining 1/2 cup cream, salt pepper and nutmeg.

I don't even know why i call my version alfredo LOL.....i only call it that when eating with the kids/DH cause it looks like theirs. I don't know if i have an exact recipe but here's what I do:

I really only like using one pan, so first I saute a bunch of mushrooms in a little olive oil, then when brown add a splash of sherry, and cook until liquids gone, then add salt, pepper, dump in a big bowl, then saute some diced chicken, dump in same bowl. Saute an onion until starting to brown, add a few cloves of garlic (or like 50 if you're me LOL) and saute another minute. Then add a can of coconut milk, pinch salt and pepper, and boil until it reduces and gets thick, add a pinch of nutmeg. Then I dump it in my vitamix with some chickpeas or white beans and puree it, it gets very very smooth. you can skip the beans, but it makes it even thicker.

This sauce is actually REALLY good made in to a gratin. You know like a cauliflower/cheese gratin, or a potato gratin, but this sauce instead of the cheese/cream.

[organicmidwestmama]

Originally Posted by FairyRae

OMG I totally didn't think of that! They fry ok? I'm totally using them! (I have some in my cupboard.) Thanks for the idea!!

both these starches fry perfectly, actually they are cmmonly used as starch in asain cooking, the japanese also use potato starch.

[FairyRae]

*drooling* over here Lisa--so glad you shared the dairy free alfredo recipes!

And, I totally used tapioca starch to make some onions rings today (yeah, not liver yet--I'm waiting until my grass-fed/pastured guy has more--he's been out lately) and they were awesome!!! So grateful for the idea!!!

And, when I do get my liver, I'll have to try making pate as well--I'll totally dip potato chips in them! Love that idea LEM!! (I'm still soooo nervous about eating liver straight...But I *did* use some that I had frozen into ice cubes in my chili tonight, and didn't notice it at all. So I'm glad I've gotten at least a little in...I've certainly been slacking on organ meats!)

[crunchy_mama]

onion rings-mmmm- that sounds so good for some reason- haven't had those in forever!!!

today eats:
eggs
esmall bit of meatza- italian flavored sausage topped w/ black olives and marinara
brocolli and asparagus dipped in my leftover alfredo- YUM!
carrots and nat pb
supper will be chicken w/ the bbq sauce from garden of eatin' and some scalloped potatoes made w/ the rest of the leftover alfredo as I am on a total carb kick as of late.

[cristeen]

So far, so good today.

2 eggs, fried in butter
Half an artichoke with sesame dipping sauce (high fat)
3 crash hot potatoes
5 shrimp cakes made with almond flour
handful of roast nuts

And dinner will probably be lamb roast over salad.

[lil_earthmomma]

Originally Posted by FairyRae

*drooling* over here Lisa--so glad you shared the dairy free alfredo recipes!

And, I totally used tapioca starch to make some onions rings today (yeah, not liver yet--I'm waiting until my grass-fed/pastured guy has more--he's been out lately) and they were awesome!!! So grateful for the idea!!!

And, when I do get my liver, I'll have to try making pate as well--I'll totally dip potato chips in them! Love that idea LEM!! (I'm still soooo nervous about eating liver straight...But I *did* use some that I had frozen into ice cubes in my chili tonight, and didn't notice it at all. So I'm glad I've gotten at least a little in...I've certainly been slacking on organ meats!)

Ooh ooh, I've been dying for onion rings, HOW did you do them? I need details please!!!

Ya, really potato chips are such a wonderful treat, and make great pate vehicles!

[sarah_bella1050]

Tonights dinner took about 15 minutes to make. It was scallons and bacon end pieces (super cheap) sauted together with a little CO, rainbow swiss chard sauted in butter, pate spread on lettuce (pretty good dh and dd1 loved it), and some raw baby carrots. The rest of the day I had fried eggs, green smoothie, small bowl of bean soup and some pate on almond and brown rice crackers. Oh and a really yummy cup of Chai. Not to bad I think.

[FairyRae]

Originally Posted by lil_earthmomma

Ooh ooh, I've been dying for onion rings, HOW did you do them? I need details please!!!

SOOOOO easy.

Peel an onion, cut it into rings, pop out the middles (so they are all pretty separate--I'm giving details! )

Crack an egg in one bowl, whisk it up.

Pour some tapioca starch in a bowl. Add some salt and pepper and stir it up.

Heat lard, butter, oil etc in a pan on the stove. I used palm oil (spectrum's 'vegetable shortening'). I heated enough so that a/b half of the onion slice was immersed when in the pan.

I found it easiest to do in batches, so I dipped the onion rounds into the egg first, then into the tapioca starch, then I placed them on a plate so I could fry them all together. (I had one fork in the egg to transfer the onion rings to the next bowl, and one in the tapioca starch, which I think helped to keep it less messy and just simpler. I've had a real yucky mess when I've done this kind of batter method in the past using just one utensil...)

Once I had covered the plate, I sprinkled them all w/ an all purpose spice blend (think Mrs. Dash). You could use whatever spices you like a lot for this. (It made a difference in flavor, the first round I just used salt and pepper and they were slightly lacking.)

Then I placed them, one at a time, in the oil. (Make sure it is hot enough that they sizzle when put in.) By the time I had them all in the pan it was time to turn them, which I did using tongs. Then I just took them all out and placed them on a plate, then ate! YUM! Be careful not to leave them in the oil too long, they can burn. The tapioca starch doesn't turn the golden brown color of traditional onion rings, but it turns out totally crunchy and delicious!

So, there are the details! I made them during ds's nap and ate them ALL. SUCH a mean mommie! (I had meant to save some for him, but they were just sooooo goooooood....) I need to make some for him soon!

I'm excited though, I dreamed about making liver this way last night, which could only be a good sign for how it will turn out IMO!

[425lisamarie]

I'm just pasting this from another board but it's so yummy:


I REALLY love sweet potato crusted things. I bake sweet potatoes, then peel when cooled, and grate in the FP. Toss with a little salt/pepper and either garlic or seasoning powder or saute up some onion/garlic. scatter all over an oiled parchment lined baking sheet a quarter inch thick or so, and bake at 450 maybe 10 minutes, then broil a few minutes. My love them topped with cheese they are SOOO good! I think it works better to make little rounds rather than trying to make a big pan and cut them. Sometimes i'm just not in the mood to fry things LOL.