The more I learn about Keto and AIP diets the more I understand that I personally need to combine them to get the best results. With multiple food allergies and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, the keto recipes that are within my realm of safe foods are pretty limited, so I've been experimenting with recipes that fit into both AIP and Keto and I've been having good success. My current obsession is anything called a Fat Bomb! If you had told me even a year ago that I would be making delicious food loaded with healthy fats and calling it health food I would never have believed you. But here I am today making all types of fat bombs: chocolate, turmeric, sweet, savory... yummy!
One of my daily staples in this way of eating is Laird Superfood Creamers. I use them in my morning coffee, to flavor shakes, and now in my fat bomb recipes. Get your Laird Superfood Creamers and all of the other ingredients to make this recipe at Thrive Market (and get 25% off your first order and free shipping for orders over $49).
Ingredients:
1 cup Thrive Market Organic Coconut Chips
1/2 cup Nutiva Coconut Manna
1/4 cup Nutiva Virgin Coconut Oil
2 tbsp Laird Turmeric Superfood Creamer
1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Ground Black Pepper
a pinch of himalayan pink sea salt (or any sea salt)
Preheat oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the coconut chips and bake 5 minutes. Stir and bake another 3-5 minutes until evenly toasted.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. *if the coconut butter and oil are firm you can soften them up and make them easier to work with by gently heating - in a saucepan, a bowl of water, or microwave on low setting for 10 seconds at a time
Line a mini muffin pan with paper muffin cups and divide equally between 8 cups - you can also use an ice cube tray but it can sometimes be difficult to get them out of the tray.
Chill in the fridge or freezer until solid. Store them in the fridge or freezer - they will melt at room temp.
Showing posts with label paleo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paleo. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
5 No-Nighshade / AIP Game-Changers
It's been a while since I've written anything related to no-nightshade but with the Autoimmune Protocol Diet becoming more prevalent I've noticed that suddenly we have a lot more resources to work with. Ingredients labels are more specific when listing individual spices, Pinterest is full of no nightshade recipes (Autoimmune protocol is like Paleo with the additional elimination of nightshade, nuts, and eggs). Grocery stores are carrying a wider variety of allergy friendly foods and on-line markets are catering to specialty diets. This is a list of the things that have rocked my world in the last few months by making cooking & eating nightshade-free safe, easy, and inexpensive.
- Instant Pot: I had been hearing the buzz about Instant Pots for a while but I figured it was just another kitchen gadget that will, after a few months, end up collecting dust in the pantry. I got an Instant Pot for Christmas and already this thing is my go-to for just about everything. It now lives on the counter-top where the crock pot used to live. The crock pot is now collecting dust in the basement. I'm just starting to explore the possibilities but already I've made bone broth multiple times; roasted beef, pork, and a whole chicken, and cooked dried beans both soaked and unsoaked. From what I've read this is just scratching the surface of what this thing can do. It's a rice cooker, bread baker, & yogurt maker. It can cook fast or slow, steam, saute, and pressure cook. About the only thing it doesn't do is grill. I can live with that.
- Thrive Market: There are SO MANY online grocery options to choose from. Thrive Market is the one I stuck with. I use it for my specialty items - the things that are hard to find and usually cost more at the co-op or grocery store or the staples that I'm willing to pay a higher price for to have the best quality. You can't get anything fresh or needing refrigeration. I buy my cooking oils, bath products, home cleaners, Epic paleo snack bars, and Laird Superfood Creamers, and occasionally try or buy other things when they are on sale. The prices are legitimately lower than grocery store prices and just about every day there is a sale or freebie. I wait for a sale or freebie on something I want and stock up for additional savings. Your first order is 25% off if you click here and shipping is free for orders over $49. After the 30 day free trial, there is an annual fee of $59, which I more than made up for on my first order. In full disclosure: I will receive a $25 credit if you activate the annual membership but I would recommend it even if I didn't. You can earn credit too, if you love it and tell your friends about it and they sign up using your link!
- Laird Superfood Creamers: Most days I am out the door by 6 a.m. I fill up my coffee cup with my coffee and coconut milk creamer and hit the road. By the time I get to town an hour later I'm definitely ready for another cup but no-one serves Bullet Proof coffee in my town. The closest you'll get is coconut milk (the super processed milk replacement) which really just waters down the coffee. A few months ago Thrive Market had a great sale on Laird Superfood Creamers so, after reading the ingredients and a little bit about the product, I gave it a try. I ordered the regular, cacao, and turmeric. YUM! It is delicious, healthy, and ethically sourced. It's in a powder form and doesn't need refrigeration so I keep a bag in my purse. I use the cacao or turmeric flavor mixed with coconut milk for a night-time treat and the regular for my coffee. Next time I order I'm going to try the instant coffee with creamer. It's less expensive than buying my dark roast at the coffee shop. I'm always looking for ways to save a few bucks.
- Epic Bison Bacon Cranberry Bars: If you know me you know I always carry a little lunchbox with me, full of snacks. On work days I'm out of the house for 12 - 16 hours. If I'm not prepared I end up spending too much $ on too little nutrition at the most convenient restaurant, market, or gas station. Most paleo snack bars and jerky contain either nuts or spices that I can't have. Epic Bison Bacon Cranberry Bars have no nightshade spices and are pretty darn tasty. I've also noticed that my hair which, because of a thyroid disorder is normally dry, brittle, and thin, always looks and feels shinier and healthier when I am eating these bars on a regular basis. Bonus!
- I'm going to start this one with a disclaimer: I am not a fan of MLMs (Multi-Level Marketing). I avoided Isagenix for years despite seeing the results my friends got strictly because it is a MLM. After frustration at steady weight gain and declining health I finally reached out to a friend, who I trusted would not be pushy or try to sell me anything I didn't want or need and gave it a try. I had been using meal replacement shakes as a convenience meal for years anyway so why not try a different brand? The problems with meal replacement shakes for me have always been the same, regardless of the brand:
- They don't taste very good so you end up adding fruit, sunflower butter, and other ingredients to make them taste better which end up adding to the calorie count.
- They fill you up for about an hour. Then you are hungry again and end up eating so you are in essence, adding to your daily calories rather than reducing them.
- They are expensive.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Slow and Low: How to Cook Grass Fed Scottish Highland Beef
I remember the first time I grilled steaks from our cows. They were horrible. Really, truly horrible. I cooked them just the way I always did my grass fed steaks, on medium high heat for just a few minutes on each side, enough to sear the outside and leave the inside perfectly medium rare. Overcooking a good steak makes it tough, right? So I couldn't understand why these steaks were so tough! Someone suggested that grass fed meat is just going to be tough and I could marinade it in Coca Cola or Sprite to help break down the fibers. It seems this is a common practice to which I say, "UGH! Why bother with good quality meat in the first place?" I could also make my roasts in the crock pot in a plastic roasting bag for easy cleaning (along with BPA , phthalates, and other plasticizers) with a packet of meat marinade (aka chemical shit storm).
Hmmmm.....
No.
But, after gnawing away unsuccessfully for a few minutes I decided to throw them back on the grill for a while and after cooking the steaks to what I would have previously considered incredibly over- done, they were not great, but at least edible. The flavor was good and they were tender.
Since that time I have had quite a bit of practice and what I have discovered is that the meat from our cows is quite different from even the best quality grass fed beef I used to purchase at the co-op. It is denser, richer, and not as lean as what you would typically expect from grass-fed Most cooking sites will tell you that grass fed beef is leaner than conventional beef but this is a generalization. The amount of fat and the overall texture of the muscle will vary greatly from herd to herd, not only because of different food sources but also because of variance in breed, climate, and lifestyle of the animals. I guess our Scottish Highland cows have a pretty laid back life because their meat has some really nice marbling. The quality and flavor of the fat is different as well. Even though there is a nice amount of flavorful fat in our cuts, the fat does not render the same as beef from other sources I have used.
Here are my tips for a perfect steak or roast:
1) Thaw at room temp before you put it on the heat. After you have completely defrosted the meat overnight (or longer) in the refrigerator, set it out on the counter for 20 minutes to an hour. The amount of time you leave it out will depend on the size of your cut. You will need more time for a 5 lb. roast to come to room temp than a 1 inch steak.
2) Cast iron is best. Stainless steel is an acceptable second choice. Teflon coated or other non-stick pans?... Nope!
3) Bones add flavor. When I was pinching pennies I always bought boneless cuts. Who wants to pay for the weight of a bone? But a cut of meat with the bone attached will have more flavor than one without. When you can, cook meat on the bone. I save the bones, throw them in a crock pot with water, some cider vinegar , onions, carrots, celery, and a few seasonings and let it cook for at least a day - sometimes up to 3 days. Strain this into jars or just pick out the bones and you have made your own amazing and nutritious bone broth.
2) Always sear. For steaks, start with a med/high heat and just a few minutes on each side before reducing the heat. I like to put a layer of salt & pepper on the meat before searing but you could make up a seasoning rub with just about any dried spices or herbs that you like. For a roast, sear all sides before putting it in the roaster or crock pot, especially on the side with that nice layer of fat. Let it start to render. Add a little broth, wine or water to your pan to help scrape up the brown bits and pour that into the roaster.
3) I have had great luck with my steaks in the broiler. I like them even better than on the grill. I use a cast iron pan and sear one side on the stove top. Then I flip the steak and put the pan under the broiler. My broiler doesn't have a low setting but I can reduce the heat by putting it on the lowest rack, far away from the heating element. If you like it a little crustier you can always move it higher for the last few minutes of cooking time.
4) Cooking time varies by cut, thickness, starting meat temp, and other factors. Don't rely on a set amount of time. Never walk away from a steak. Pay attention, check in, and test for doneness by pressing on the steak. It's firmness will tell you how tender it is. This might take a little practice to learn how it feels when it's just right for you but, again, too many variables for a one size fits all description. Please, I beg you, do not check for doneness by cutting into the steak. Much of the juices will drain out and your steak will not be as good as it could have been.
5) Cook slow & low. This gives the fats time to break down and distribute their flavor into the meat. A higher heat can cause the fibers of the meat to contract, making it tough.
5) Let it rest. Give the meat a good 10-20 minutes, again this depends on the size of the cut you are working with. During this time the rendered fats and juices will be distributing and cooling in the fibers of the meat where they will impart their juiciness and delicious flavor. Don't worry, did you know that new science shows that fat from healthy, grass fed animal sources is good for you? It is! And it's delicious. So enjoy!
*Note: If you are following a favorite beef recipe you might try just dialing back the cooking temp and upping the cooking time a bit. This has worked for me with recipes from cookbooks and other blogs. For my first Prime Rib I used a recipe from the Complete America's Test Kitchen cookbook which is, by the way, the absolute best cookbook ever. Everything I've made from it has been the bomb. It turned out fantastic but I did cook it on 250 for almost 5 hours.
Hmmmm.....
No.
But, after gnawing away unsuccessfully for a few minutes I decided to throw them back on the grill for a while and after cooking the steaks to what I would have previously considered incredibly over- done, they were not great, but at least edible. The flavor was good and they were tender.
Since that time I have had quite a bit of practice and what I have discovered is that the meat from our cows is quite different from even the best quality grass fed beef I used to purchase at the co-op. It is denser, richer, and not as lean as what you would typically expect from grass-fed Most cooking sites will tell you that grass fed beef is leaner than conventional beef but this is a generalization. The amount of fat and the overall texture of the muscle will vary greatly from herd to herd, not only because of different food sources but also because of variance in breed, climate, and lifestyle of the animals. I guess our Scottish Highland cows have a pretty laid back life because their meat has some really nice marbling. The quality and flavor of the fat is different as well. Even though there is a nice amount of flavorful fat in our cuts, the fat does not render the same as beef from other sources I have used.
To get the most flavor and tenderness out of our Scottish Highland beef I have had to disregard everything I used to know about cooking beef. Slow and low is the way to go and I cook my steaks to more "doneness" than I used to. To get a really tender and tasty steak you really need to cook it slowly to medium well. Otherwise it's going to be tough and fatty. I know, I resisted too. Everyone I know who likes their steaks rare or medium rare has trouble with this point but you just have to trust me on this one.
 |
| Cast Iron on top of the wood burning stove - yum! |
Here are my tips for a perfect steak or roast:
1) Thaw at room temp before you put it on the heat. After you have completely defrosted the meat overnight (or longer) in the refrigerator, set it out on the counter for 20 minutes to an hour. The amount of time you leave it out will depend on the size of your cut. You will need more time for a 5 lb. roast to come to room temp than a 1 inch steak.
2) Cast iron is best. Stainless steel is an acceptable second choice. Teflon coated or other non-stick pans?... Nope!
3) Bones add flavor. When I was pinching pennies I always bought boneless cuts. Who wants to pay for the weight of a bone? But a cut of meat with the bone attached will have more flavor than one without. When you can, cook meat on the bone. I save the bones, throw them in a crock pot with water, some cider vinegar , onions, carrots, celery, and a few seasonings and let it cook for at least a day - sometimes up to 3 days. Strain this into jars or just pick out the bones and you have made your own amazing and nutritious bone broth.
2) Always sear. For steaks, start with a med/high heat and just a few minutes on each side before reducing the heat. I like to put a layer of salt & pepper on the meat before searing but you could make up a seasoning rub with just about any dried spices or herbs that you like. For a roast, sear all sides before putting it in the roaster or crock pot, especially on the side with that nice layer of fat. Let it start to render. Add a little broth, wine or water to your pan to help scrape up the brown bits and pour that into the roaster.
3) I have had great luck with my steaks in the broiler. I like them even better than on the grill. I use a cast iron pan and sear one side on the stove top. Then I flip the steak and put the pan under the broiler. My broiler doesn't have a low setting but I can reduce the heat by putting it on the lowest rack, far away from the heating element. If you like it a little crustier you can always move it higher for the last few minutes of cooking time.
4) Cooking time varies by cut, thickness, starting meat temp, and other factors. Don't rely on a set amount of time. Never walk away from a steak. Pay attention, check in, and test for doneness by pressing on the steak. It's firmness will tell you how tender it is. This might take a little practice to learn how it feels when it's just right for you but, again, too many variables for a one size fits all description. Please, I beg you, do not check for doneness by cutting into the steak. Much of the juices will drain out and your steak will not be as good as it could have been.
5) Cook slow & low. This gives the fats time to break down and distribute their flavor into the meat. A higher heat can cause the fibers of the meat to contract, making it tough.
5) Let it rest. Give the meat a good 10-20 minutes, again this depends on the size of the cut you are working with. During this time the rendered fats and juices will be distributing and cooling in the fibers of the meat where they will impart their juiciness and delicious flavor. Don't worry, did you know that new science shows that fat from healthy, grass fed animal sources is good for you? It is! And it's delicious. So enjoy!
*Note: If you are following a favorite beef recipe you might try just dialing back the cooking temp and upping the cooking time a bit. This has worked for me with recipes from cookbooks and other blogs. For my first Prime Rib I used a recipe from the Complete America's Test Kitchen cookbook which is, by the way, the absolute best cookbook ever. Everything I've made from it has been the bomb. It turned out fantastic but I did cook it on 250 for almost 5 hours.
 |
| This handsome fella is D3. |
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