Category Archives: Snacks

Nutty Granola (Oat free)

Snacks, ,

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I am baaaaaack!!  I have taken quite a long sabbatical from this blog, that does not mean I have stopped cooking or experimenting in the kitchen.  We have had a marvelous spring and summer filled with adventure, travel and good times.  Now we are into my favorite time of year, fall, when the harvest is here and the hoarding for winter begins.

I like the occasional yogurt and granola breakfast and pretty much had given it up since most granola contains oats and trust me you don’t want to be in the same room with me when I eat oats…enough said.  I found this product Paleonola a couple of years ago on a family visit back east and truly enjoyed it, but found it to be a bit pricy and sweet for my taste.  I decided to try to make my own version and with the help of the recipe for vanilla-almond granola from the Against All Grain cookbook, I have made quite an addictive tasty treat with or without the yogurt.

Nutty Granola

1 Cup Almonds, Pecans, Walnuts

1/2 Cup Raw Pumpkin seeds

1 tsp. Salt

2 TBL Maple Syrup

2 TBL Honey

1 TBL Coconut Oil, melted

1 TBL Vanilla

1 TBL Cinnamon

3/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 Cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut

1/2 Cup Raisins

In a large bowl add the nuts, seeds and salt cover with water and let soak overnight.  (This helps to make the nuts and seeds more digestible).

After soaking rinse the nuts and seeds and place into a food processor.  Mix together the maple syrup, honey. coconut oil and vanilla, add to the nut mixture.  Add the cinnamon, salt and coconut and pulse a few times until combined and the nuts are the size of oats or to your desired size (I like mine more on the chunky side).

Transfer the mixture, spreading it evenly onto parchment lined trays in your dehydrator. With this amount of ingredients I use 3 of my dehydrator trays. (I have the nesco dehydrator).

Dehydrate the granola on the 120 degree setting for 24 hours I usually don’t flip it or mess with it while it is in the dehydrator.

When it is crisp remove it from the dehydrator and place into a large bowl, (it will crisp up even more once it hits the air).  Add the raisins at this time and gently mix them in with your hands.  Feel free to use any dried fruit you desire.  Store in an airtight glass container at room temp.

Enjoy!          Makes about 5 cups of granola!

 

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Paleo Gluten-Free Chocolate Date Balls

Desserts, Snacks, , , ,
Paleo Gluten-Free Date Chocolate Balls
Paleo Gluten-Free Date Chocolate Balls

A dear friend of mine stopped by to visit us this summer, and brought with her these addicting tasty treats.  I have made and eaten multiple batches since she has departed so, I felt it was my duty to share these with the rest of you.

I have found them to be the best hiking treats to throw in my pack or an after cross fit pick me up.  They are super easy and fast to make and they blow Lara bars out of the water.

Yet again I can not take credit for the invention of these and I found a recipe HERE at Chocolate-Covered Katie.  Check her out she has loads of scrumptious looking treats on her site.   The recipe my friend gave me was titled German Chocolate Fudge Balls, so I do believe there are many renditions of these online.

Of course I have altered the recipe to my own liking and you will too once you find what nuts you prefer and how much chocolate you want to add.  I like to keep them in the refrigerator as they get just the right firmness and the cool treat is preferred in the summer time heat.

 

Paleo Gluten-Free Chocolate Date Balls

8-9  Pitted Soft Medjool Dates

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla

2 Heaping TBL Shredded Unsweetened Coconut

2-3 TBL Pecans or Walnuts

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/2 Cup Bittersweet Chips or Dark chocolate Chunks

  1. Throw everything into a food processor and process until a big ball forms or it is all well incorporated.
  2. Roll into bite size balls then roll in some shredded coconut or cocoa powder.
  3. Store in a glass container in the fridge (the fridge is not mandatory).
  4. Makes about 12 Balls

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!)