Monthly Archives: March 2015

Coconut Oil Coffee

Beverages, ,

 

Coconut Oil Coffee
Coconut Oil Coffee

 

The new thing I tried for March is coconut oil in my coffee, (if you are new to the site my new years resolution was to try something new each month).  I’m sure you all have heard of Bulletproof Coffee, if you haven’t HERE is the skinny on it.  I have heard and read about this some time ago, and never have gotten around to trying it.  I haven’t done the butter part of the recipe as I don’t have any salt free butter on hand.  But I can tell you, just with the coconut oil alone, it is DELICIOUS!  The trick is using really good organic coffee and a blender to make the magic happen.  It resembles a creamy foamy latte.

Why coconut oil in coffee you ask?  Well the premise is that instead of eating breakfast you drink your fat laden coffee and: one-you are not hungry, two-you are transforming your body into a fat burner ( medium chain fatty acid requires no conversion in the body it is just straight on energy), and three-it makes you super alert, energetic, and “bulletproof”.

I haven’t done it enough to see if the three things above are true for me, but it tastes so good, that I am planning on experimenting with it over the next month.  I love coconut oil, not only does it taste great, it has many health benefits.  Read more about it HERE.  I dare you to try it!

 

Coconut Oil Coffee (based on the Bulletproof Coffee Recipe)

1 Cup freshly brewed Espresso or French pressed or Pour over Organic Coffee (Go Organic-Coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed crops)

1 TBL Grass Fed Unsalted Butter (optional) (Grass fed butter has better fats in it)

1 TBL Coconut Oil

1 TBL Half and Half or Full Fat Cream (optional)

  1. Make your preferred method of freshly brewed coffee.
  2. Add the coconut oil and cream into a blender.
  3. Pour the coffee into the blender.
  4. Blend for 20-30 seconds at high speed.
  5. Pour your frothy goodness into your favorite mug and Enjoy the fat burning energy!
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To Be Dairy Free or (Not)…. Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream

Desserts, , ,

 

 

Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream
Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream

The first time I noticed I had an issue with dairy was through my consumption of ice cream.  Yes,  that much beloved creamy, delicious, frozen treat that almost all people in the world love.  I was in denial at first and kept right on consuming, but the same old reliable symptoms happened again and again, and I had to face the facts.  In fact it got to where I felt so terrible after consuming ice cream, that I gave it up all together.

Have you ever seen the episode of the Simpsons,  where for a science project Lisa is comparing Bart’s brain with that of a hamster?  She wires a cupcake with electricity so every time Bart reaches for it, he gets zapped.  It happens repeatedly and he just keeps saying ouch and reaches again and again.  You can liken that to my eating ice cream.

Fast forward to eating real whole foods and being on a paleo journey, and my discovery of coconut milk.  Have I mentioned I love all things coconut?  Coconut flakes, flour and milk, I love them all.  Coconut milk is a staple in my pantry,  it is so delicious,  full of good for you creamy fat, and makes a dang good ice cream to boot.  I found a great recipe for chocolate ice cream at the spunky coconut HERE.  I did purchase her cookbook  ‘Dairy Free Ice Cream’ , it is chock full of delicious recipes,  you can find it on Amazon.

We are part of a cow share, which means I can get my hands on some really good raw milk, which my daughter loves.  When I have some milk in the fridge, I sometimes make this ice cream with a combo of coconut milk and raw milk, (which I seem to tolerate better in small doses).  If you are good to go with dairy,  you could forgo the coconut milk and just use heavy cream, but I do prefer the straight coconut milk or the mixture personally.  Either way this is a delicious, easy, and fast ice cream with the added benefit of gelatin, and the very subtle sweetness provided by the dates.  Give it a try!

 

Paleo Vanilla Ice Cream (adapted from ‘Dairy Free Ice Cream’)

2 Cans (13 oz each) Full Fat coconut milk or cream  (I use Natural Value brand coconut milk or Trader Joes coconut cream)

or

1 Can Coconut milk  and 11/3 cups Heavy cream or full fat milk

1 TBL Vanilla

1 Vanilla bean (optional but nice if you have it)

8 Medjool Dates (soft if they are dried out soak them in warm water to soften)

1 TBL Gelatin (dissolve in 1/8 cup cold water then add 1/8 cup boiling water)

  1. Place all the ingredients in a high powered blender or food processor adding the gelatin last right before you mix.
  2. Mix until it is creamy (if it separates turn up the speed and keep mixing it will come together).
  3. Pour into your ice cream maker and proceed following your ice cream makers directions.
  4. Store the ice cream in the freezer or eat right away!

Paleo Plantain Chips

Snacks,
Paleo Plantain Chips
Paleo Plantain Chips

 

Happy March!   Spring is rolling in very quickly here in Montana, unlike some other places in the country,  we have had a mild winter, but spring is always a welcome sight.  On a hike today I saw my first wild flower, crazy but true.

When I started down the path of cleaner eating, I realized that my beloved potato chips would not be on the “okay to eat list”…. (well I’ve always known that potato chips or any chips really aren’t the most nutritious foods around, but they are so dang tasty).

I don’t know very many people who don’t love or at least like potato chips or corn chips or tortilla chips.  In my effort to mostly (I am human so partake sometimes) cut them out of my diet, I searched high and low for a crunchy salty satisfying replacement.  I was falling short of finding anything, until one day at a local natural foods store, I stumbled upon plantain chips.  I immediately bought them and was very pleased with the crunchy salty taste and finally felt I wasn’t missing out.

Fast forward a few years later,  I realized how easy it was to make these babies at home with better oil and at a fraction of the price!!  Sometimes I just want a vehicle for dips or guacamole that isn’t raw vegetables, something salty and crunchy without bad seed oils or GMO corn and I have found the answer.

I love plantains they are nutrient dense and so versatile,  I know this is blasphemous to some,  but if there was a plantain god or goddess I would worship them.

 

Paleo Plantain Chips

1 Large Green Plantain (yes the greener the better,  less sugar= more starch = more crunch)

1 1/2 TBL Coconut Oil Melted

Sea Salt

  1. Using a mandolin or a food processor slice the plantain into 1/16 inch rounds.
  2. Grease two cookie sheets with coconut oil and mix the rest in with the plantain chips so they are well coated with oil.
  3. Place each round in rows onto the cookie sheet with no overlap and sprinkle with sea salt.
  4. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until the chips are just starting to brown (test for crunchiness).
  5. Let cool and devour !!!   Makes approximately 85 chips (you may want to double the recipe they are soooo good!)