Green Bean Casserole (Paleo, AIP + Green Beans, Nut-free, Whole30)

Traditional green bean casserole, made with cream of mushroom soup and crispy onions, has been a favorite of mine at most holiday meals (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter…). However, when I went gluten free in 2012 and then AIP/Paleo in 2014, it became a side dish I could no longer safely eat. Even though there are always other great side dishes at holiday meals, but I still was missing green bean casserole…. 

Last year, I attempted several times to make an almost AIP green bean casserole with organic frozen green beans, but it always ended up too watery, even when I made the base mixture pretty thick. This year, I was determined to perfect the recipe I started last year. By switching from using frozen green beans to using organic canned green beans, I was finally successful!

I realize that the decision to use canned green beans may be a controversial one, but for me green bean casserole is a dish I only make a couple times a year for holiday gatherings. Plus, this recipe is already a bit more labor intensive for a side dish and I didn’t want to complicate the preparation any further by requiring a lot of extra steps (or time) for the beans. It might be possible to use roasted green beans or boiled/drained green beans in place of the canned, but those are two variations I haven’t tried.

Since next week is Thanksgiving, here are a few of my favorite AIP/Paleo Thanksgiving recipes. Many will be things that I’ll be making next week, along with green bean casserole :)

• Turkey: Dry-brined, Spatchcocked turkey (note: I mix the herbs with the salt and skip the butter, then I baste the bird with a mixture of bacon grease, sauvignon blanc white wine and homemade turkey stock)
• Gravy: Starch-free Gravy (AIP)
• Side: Sweet Potato Lefse (AIP) 
• Side: Sweet Potato Casserole (AIP & Vegan) 
• Appetizer or side dish component: Honey Roasted Pecans (Paleo; note: These are delicious on their own, or chopped and used as topping on mashed orange sweet potatoes)   
• Appetizer: Bacon & Prosciutto Wrapped Dates (AIP) 
• Condiment: Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce (AIP) 
• Condiment: Refrigerator Pickles (AIP) 
• Dessert: Pumpkin Panna Cotta Tart with Gingersnap Macaroon Crust (AIP)  
• Dessert: Lard & Cassava Pie Crust (Paleo, Nut-free)  
• Dessert: Sauteed Apples (AIP, Vegan, Whole30, 21DSD) 
• Dessert: Paleo Pecan Pie (Paleo/Primal; note: I use my own Lard Cassava crust and sub coconut oil for the butter in the filling)  

Green Bean Casserole (AIP + Green Beans, Paleo, Nut-free)
yields around 6 servings

1 tablespoon fat (bacon fat, lard, or duck fat work best)
1 cup (120 grams) red or yellow onion, finely chopped
1 cup (65 grams) baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fat (bacon fat, lard, or duck fat work best)
4 tablespoons (40 grams) cassava flour

1 cup broth
1 tsp onion granules
1 tsp garlic granules
2 tablespoons coconut aminos
2 tablespoons coconut milk
2 dashes fish sauce
1 tsp fine-grain sea salt 

2-14.5 oz cans of organic green beans, drained (make sure the ingredients are clean!)

2 to 3 medium Shallots, thinly sliced
Palm shortening, for frying
Fine sea salt, for sprinkling

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
2. Heat the first measure of fat in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and mushroom and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the veggies are softened. Stir occasionally.
3. Melt the additional tablespoon of fat and stir with the soften veggies. Sprinkle the cassava flour over and stir until everything is well coated and the flour begins to brown slightly, approximately 1 minute.
4. Slowly add the broth, stirring constantly. Cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until thickened. 
5. Add the onion granules, garlic granules, coconut aminos, coconut milk, and fish sauce. Cook an additional minute or two. 
6. Gently fold in the drained green and transfer the mixture to a baking dish (8x8 Pyrex or oval Le Creuset gratin dish). Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. 
7. Just before the casserole is done baking, make the crispy shallots for the topping. Thinly slice the shallots, and set aside. Melt the palm shortening in a large skillet over medium high heat—there should be 1/8” to 1/4” of oil in the bottom of the pan, depending on how thinly the shallots are sliced. 
8. Add the shallots to the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. Do in batches, if necessary. Add more palm shortening to the pan, as needed. Remove from the oil with a fork and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with a little fine sea salt while the fried shallots are still hot. 
9. Just before serving, evenly disperse the fried shallots over the top of the casserole. The casserole may be assembled a day or two in advance and baked the day of serving. Fry the shallots just before serving. Store any leftovers in the fridge. 

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June and July 2017 favorites

A couple months, I started a new series where at the end of each month I share some of my favorite things. Some may be things I’m reading or watching. Some may be body or beauty products. Some may be kitchen and food related. Some may be travel or adventure related. Today I’m sharing my June and July favorites (in no particular order).

Note: some of these items contain affiliate links, but nothing in this post is directly sponsored by any company... I'm just sharing what I like! 

Travel: Airbnb 
After not traveling for almost the first 6 months of 2017, I’ve made up for lost time! We traveled to NYC the end of June/beginning of July, to North Dakota/Minnesota the middle two weeks of July, unexpectedly to South Carolina (while in the middle of our ND/MN trip) for a funeral, and now I’m currently in Minneapolis on a quick trip. Whew!

For the NYC trip and the SC trip, we used Airbnb for our lodging. Both were great experiences and we especially loved having a full kitchen at our disposal. I don’t love to do a lot of cooking while on trips—I’d much rather bring a bunch of batch-cooked foods with me & reheat as necessary, but it was nice to have a full fridge and freezer for storing foods and to be able to make easy breakfasts for family. Also, for both of these trips, it was much more economical to book with Airbnb than to stay in hotels.

Make sure to vet your Airbnb listings well before booking them. If you’re especially keen on having a good kitchen, make sure to read whether it’s fully equipped or not, and pay attention to what’s in the photos. Even in a fully equipped kitchen (and even if i’m not planning on doing much actual cooking), I usually bring along some of my own kitchen tools, such as dish soap & a sponge, a dish towel (which also doubles as a hot pad), a mini cutting board, paring knife, spatula, kitchen shears, and ziplock bags.

For more information on how I travel while following AIP, check out these two posts here AND here. I myself was so out of practice with traveling that I referenced my own posts before recent trips ;)

Recipe: The German (White Sweet) Potato Salad from “Nourish: the Paleo Healing Cookbook”
I am ever so thankful to my friend Rachael from “Meatified” for developing this potato salad recipe. I’ve made it many many times (including two double batches in July alone), & it’s always a crowd pleaser, even for non-AIP/Paleo people. It’s also a salad that gets better with age, so don’t be afraid to make it a little in advance (or to make a double batch). A couple minor changes I make: I usually sub finely chopped scallions for the chives—I never have chives on hand, but I always have scallions. I also really like celery & will add a little more than the recipe calls for. And when in doubt, double the recipe. You’ll never regret the leftovers.

“Nourish” is full of delicious, all-AIP, restaurant-quality recipes. While this potato salad recipe can only be found in “Nourish,” I’d say the purchase price of the book is worth it even if you only make this potato salad!

Tool: Kitchen Shears
I have the Mercer Culinary Kitchen Shears (http://amzn.to/2vhlksW)
One kitchen tool I never like to be without is my kitchen shears. I only began using specific kitchen shears in earnest since culinary school, but they’re a tool I use so often that I have multiple pairs. They’re not only useful for opening packaging, but I also use them to cut bacon into pieces, snipping herbs, cutting scallions, butterflying poultry, and much more. I never realized how much I rely on my shears until traveling to other kitchens and NOT having them along!

I have the Mercer Culinary Kitchen Shears, but there are other good quality options out there. One feature I especially look for is that they come apart, which makes cleaning them (and drying them) much easier.

(Almost) AIP Product: Trader Joe’s Organic Grassfed Hot Dogs NIGHTSHADE FREE! 
It’s really ironic, given my former vegetarian ways, how much I really love hot dogs. But, I hadn’t eaten hot dogs in over 3 years since nearly all hot dogs contain “spices,” which generally means NIGHTSHADE ALERT. However, hot dogs are back in my diet, thanks to these organic grass fed hot dogs from Trader Joe’s. They do require AIP reintroductions of white pepper and nutmeg, but they are completely nightshade free (and delicious). I’ve also reintroduced mustard, so I enjoy dipping my hot dogs in Sir Kensington’s Dijon Mustard.

One tip: should you need to cook your hot dogs on a shared grill, such as at a friend’s house for a BBQ, wrap the hot dogs in foil & then grill. They won’t get grill marks, but there also won’t be cross-contamination.

My first POTG order from August 2016. Note: some of their packaging has changed since then! 

Convenience Food: Paleo On The Go
I’ve placed 4 large orders from Paleo On The Go’s AIP menu over the past year & have found it to be a great option, especially when traveling. For those not familiar with POTG, they’re a paleo (with AIP options) frozen meal company that delivers throughout the US. I’ve primarily used their meals as a replacement for eating out while traveling. Yes, they can be more expensive than traditional frozen meals, but POTG makes delicious products and they use high quality ingredients. It’s such a treat to eat good food that I’m confident won’t cause me to get sick (like eating out sometimes can) and that I didn’t have to make myself! My personal favorite has been the beef pot pies.

POTG also came in really handy earlier this month while we were in ND visiting my parents—I’d had a big order of POTG products shipped to their house ahead of our arrival—but suddenly found out we needed to go to SC for a funeral. I didn’t have enough time to do as much batch cooking as I normally would for a trip like that, but thankfully I could take some POTG things (like beef breakfast empanadas and bacon apple chicken burgers with maple cranberry sauce and chicken breakfast sausage) frozen in my checked luggage. I then used our Airbnb oven to re-heat some of them, & some items (like the breakfast sausage) I just ate cold!

Beauty: Beautycounter Sun Screen
As I’ve cleaned up my body products, finding good quality sunscreen that works and isn’t full of bad ingredients (and doesn’t leave me looking ghostly white) has been a challenge! Last summer, I won a tube of Beautycounter Protect All Over Sunscreen SPF 30 from a Beautycounter party and I’ve been hooked ever since. I love that it works well, it has good ratings from EWG, AND it doesn’t leave my skin all white.

I’ve also become a fan of their sunscreen sticks. Especially while we were traipsing around NYC, it was so handy to have the face-sized sunscreen stick in my purse for easy reapplication. I've also recently ordered a body-sized sunscreen stick, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet.

While I’m not a consultant with Beautycounter, you can order products through your favorite consultant (I’m sure you probably know *someone* who sells it, if you’re in the AIP/Paleo-sphere) or through the Beautycounter website.

So those are a few of my favorites from June and July. What are you loving lately?

Some of these items include affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased 

after a link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

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Berry Coconut Pie (AIP, Paleo, Coconut-free)

Continuing my pie-making-spree and just in time for the 4th of July holiday is this berry pomegranate pie. It’s a rift off my Patriotic Panna Cotta Pie from 2015, but this one can be made coconut-free, in case of coconut allergies or dislike of coconut.

Making the crust is probably the most challenging part of the dessert, but after that, it’s super easy! I tested this filling recipe last 4th of July, and brought a couple pies to a pool party with friends. There were ZERO leftovers —kids and non-AIP/Paleo people alike all gobbled it up :)

In these photos, I used leftover Lard Cassava Pie Crust (Paleo), but if you need an AIP pie crust that is also coconut-free, I’ve got an AIP Pâte Brisée recipe in my e-book Holiday Sweet Treats (though does use palm shortening)--I would recommend doubling that recipe to ensure enough dough for a 9" pie. You may be able to find other coconut-free AIP pie crust recipes online, but I haven't tried any of them.

 **As with most of my recipes, I’ve only tested this recipe using the grams measurements included. I’ve figured out volume measurements with math, but have not personally tested them. I HIGHLY recommend using a kitchen scale + grams measurements to ensure the most successful end product.**

Berry Pomegranate Pie (AIP, Paleo, Coconut-free) 
yield’s one 9-inch pie (approximately 8 servings) 

9-inch AIP/Paleo crust, baked (see instructions below)—I used my Lard Cassava Pie Crust (Paleo), but in the past I’ve also used Martine from Eat Heal Thrive’s Sweet and Savory Pie Crust (AIP, but not coconut free) 
383 grams (1 1/2 cup) organic pomegranate juice
24 grams (1 tablespoon) honey
11 g (1 tablespoon) gelatin
1/8 tsp vanilla bean powder (optional)
2 cups (250 to 275 grams) berries—I used a mix of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries & I cut most everything in half

Blind Baking Instructions for the Lard Cassava Pie Crust (Paleo):

1. Roll the dough between parchment paper until it is a circle approximately 12 to 13 inches in diameter. Use the parchment paper to help transfer the dough to a 9-inch glass pie pan. Gently press the dough into the pan. Crimp the edges as desired. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. 
2. Preheat the oven to 375 F. 
3. Line the chilled shell with parchment paper & place beans or rice on the parchment to act as weights (NOTE: the beans/rice are NOT eaten). Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. 
4. Then, carefully remove the parchment with the beans/rice & place the pie shell back in the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. 
5. Cool completely before using.  

Blind Baking Instructions for the Sweet and Savory Crust (AIP) from Eat Heal Thrive:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Make the crust as directed in the recipe. 
2. Press the dough into a 9-inch glass pan. Do NOT pierce the bottom with a fork. 
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden around the edges. 

To make the filling: 

1. Pour the pomegranate juice into a medium sauce pan. Drizzle in the honey. Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the juice. Allow the gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, prepare the berries by cutting them in half (or quarters for strawberries) & placing them in the baked & cooled pie shell. For ease of transport in and out of the refrigerator, place the pie pan onto a quarter sheet pan. 
3. After the gelatin has bloomed, add the vanilla powder. Heat the sauce pan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the gelatin melts.  
4. Carefully pour the pomegranate mixture in the berry-filled pie shell. Transfer to the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight. 
5. Cover any leftovers and store them in the refrigerator. The pie is best consumed within 24 to 36 hours, or else the crust begins to get soggy. 

This post contains affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased 

after an Amazon link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

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Lard Cassava Pie Crust (Paleo, Nut-Free, AIP Reintroduction)

I’ve been on a bit of a pie spree lately. I blame rhubarb season and the fact that I’ve been more successful with my egg consumption since finding really amazing local soy-free eggs.  My Grandma Vein is famous (at least in my family) for her rhubarb custard pie. I’ve been on a mission to perfect a version of her recipe that I can eat. Unfortunately, my rhubarb supply has run out for the season, so I’ll have to wait until next year to share my paleo rhubarb custard pie. But I did manage to perfect a paleo version of her crust recipe. PS, if you need an AIP pie crust recipe, I’ve got one in my e-book Holiday Sweet Treats.

Grandma has made a lot of pies in her nearly 90 years of life, and she’s also tinkered with different pie crust recipes. I can remember making pies with her (like this peach pie) and sometimes we used shortening (usually butter flavored Crisco), and sometimes we used lard, and sometimes we used a combination of shortening and lard.

While Grandma’s original crust recipe used all lard, I’ve adjusted my version to use half lard and half shortening for a couple of reasons…. First of all, I’m passionate about using well-sourced ingredients, and pastured leaf lard (a higher quality lard) is a more expensive ingredient than I usually use in my recipes. Secondly, while leaf lard isn’t quite as pork-y in flavor as traditional lard, I still find it tastes better when mixed with a more neutral fat, like palm shortening.

This recipe does make a lot of pie dough—enough for three 9-inch single crusts, but thankfully, the dough also freezes well. Stay tuned to my next post for a 4th of July-themed pie utilizing this crust!

 **As with most of my recipes, I’ve only tested this recipe using the grams measurements included. I’ve figured out volume measurements with math, but have not personally tested them. I HIGHLY recommend using a kitchen scale + grams measurements to ensure the most successful end product.**

Lard Cassava Pie Crust (Paleo, Nut-Free, AIP Reintroduction) 
adapted from my Grandma Vein’s recipe collection
yields 3 single regular 9-inch crusts or two deep dish crusts (with some leftover scraps)  

168 grams (3/4 cup) pastured leaf lard (I use Fatworks)
144 grams (3/4 cup) palm shortening (I use Spectrum Naturals)
384 grams (3 cups) cassava flour (I use Otto’s), plus extra for sprinkling, if needed
60 grams (1/2 c) tapioca starch
30 grams (1/4 c) arrowroot
1 tablespoon maple sugar (or other granulated Paleo sweetener)
1 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup cold water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 large egg (I use a soy-free pastured farm egg)

1. Scale the leaf lard and palm shortening and place into the freezer to chill for at least 20 minutes. I scale both onto individual pieces of plastic wrap, then wrap/flatten them into little packets before freezing. 
2. While the fats are chilling, scale the cassava flour, tapioca, arrow root, maple sugar, and sea salt into a large bowl. Stir to combine. 
3. Once the fats are solid, remove them from the freezer and cut them up into small pieces. Add the small pieces to the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender or two forks to work the cold fat into the dry ingredients. Continue mixing until the mixture looks like coarse sand. 
4. Measure the cold water into a liquid measuring cup. Add the apple cider vinegar and egg to the liquid measuring cup & whisk together using a small whisk or a fork. Add to the fat/flour mixture and mix, using a pastry blender and/or a wooden spoon, until the liquid is evenly distributed and a dough forms. Work as quickly as possible to ensure the fat doesn’t melt. The dough will be quite soft. 
5. For regular crusts, divide the dough into three equal pieces (approximately 322 grams each). For deep dish crusts, divide the dough into two equal pieces (approximately 483 grams each). Wrap individually in plastic wrap and flatten into a disc. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Dough also may be frozen for use later—I usually place individually wrapped dough discs into freezer ziplocks. 
6. When ready to use, roll the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper. Sprinkle with a little extra cassava flour if the dough sticks to the parchment. Use the parchment paper to help transfer the rolled out dough to a pie pan (I use 9-inch glass Pyrex pie pans).  Crimp or trim the edges as desired. Save the scraps for later! 
7. Bake as directed in a pie recipe (or see my notes below). This dough does not brown like a traditional pie crust, so be careful not to over-bake it in hopes of a golden crust. 

Notes:

• I’ve only tested this recipe using the grams measurements included. I’ve figured out volume measurements with math, but have not personally tested them. 
• I haven’t tried making this dough in the food processor, but suspect it could be done that way too. 
• I do not recommend using regular lard in place of leaf lard, as the pie crust flavor will be *very* pork-y.
• To make this recipe more cost effective, I chose to use half leaf lard and half shortening. I have not tested it using all lard because I ran out of leaf lard… 
• I have not tried any flours, other than Otto's cassava flour, tapioca, and arrowroot. If you try this recipe with other flours and it turns out well, please let me know in the comments. 
• The egg helps with plasticity of the dough & I have not yet tried an AIP version of this recipe without the egg. If you need an AIP pie crust recipe, I’ve got one in my e-book Holiday Sweet Treats.
• If you live in a very dry climate, you may need a little extra cold water, if the dough doesn’t come together easily. More cold water can be added a tablespoon at a time. 
• Any dough scraps can be saved and re-rolled (or frozen and used later). 
• Some baking direction for a 9-inch glass Pyrex pan, if your intended pie recipe doesn’t include them.  Reduce the baking times for a metal pie pan. 
• For a double crust pie (not deep dish), I usually begin baking at 400 F for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 F for 30 to 40 additional minutes. 
• For a single crust pie (not deep dish), I begin baking at 400 F for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 F for 20 to 30 additional minutes. 
• For blind baking (not deep dish), line the pie shell with parchment paper and fill with dry rice or dry beans (note: these act as weights and are NOT eaten); bake for 15 minutes in a 357 F oven, then remove the parchment/rice/beans and bake for an additional 15 to 25 minutes.
• This dough does not brown like a traditional pie crust so it will not be golden when finished. Brush an egg wash on top (straight egg or egg mixed with water) to give it a little extra color and/or shine, if desired.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased 

after an Amazon link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

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May 2017 Favorites

Last month, I started a new series where at the end of each month I share some of my favorite things. Some may be things I’m reading or watching. Some may be body or beauty products. Some may be kitchen and food related. Some may be travel or adventure related. Today I’m sharing my May favorites (in no particular order). 

Note: some of these items contain affiliate links, but nothing in this post is directly sponsored by any company... I'm just sharing what I like! 

Recipe: Easy Tigernut Granola (AIP) from Backcountry Paleo 

While guest-posting on the Autoimmune Paleo Instagram account earlier this month, I made a small batch of Susan’s granola to include in an AIP fruit-and-granola yogurt parfait. The granola was SO GOOD (and fit a cereal-shaped whole in my heart that’s been empty since I started AIP) that we ate it all the day I made it. Since then, I’ve made three more batches & don’t see myself stopping anytime soon ;) A couple changes I make…. I don’t add any citrus zest or dried fruit. I also reduce the maple syrup by a quarter, using 117 grams in a full batch. And I bake it around 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. It’s delicious eaten by the hand-full, on top of yogurt, in a bowl with a splash of coconut milk, etc.

Kitchen Tool: “If You Care” parchment paper sheets
This is a product I’ve been using for several years and really love. I started using unbleached parchment paper after beginning AIP and slowly transitioning to more eco-friendly (and health-friendly) products. And I became totally spoiled by this product that has the parchment paper pre-cut into half-sheet-pan-size sheets—no more fumbling with trying to cleanly tear it, or estimate how large of a piece I’ll need for my pans. I’ve especially enjoyed using it this month when making the Easy Tigernut Granola listed above. I use to buy it at my local Whole Foods in San Antonio, & I’ve also found it at Natural Grocers in North Dakota. Sadly, I haven’t been able to find it locally since moving to NH, and my stash is nearly out… So I’ll probably end up buying a case of 12 on Amazon. Goodness knows with all the recipe testing I do, all 12 boxes would eventually be used ;)

Convenience Food: Homemade trail mix (Paleo) 
I did a three week Whole30-style reset the last two weeks of April and the first week of May, and this homemade trail mix was a huge help as an easy, shelf-stable, on-the-go snack. I mixed together raw peeled almonds (I seem to have a mild reaction to the peel), raw pecans, and raw pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds), with raisins and apple-juice-sweetened dried cranberries. I try to include more nuts than dried fruit, but the ratios were dictated more by what amounts of the ingredients I had on hand. A small handful of this trail mix here and there, especially if I felt my blood sugar dip or started feeling hangry, was really helpful.

Beauty Product: W3ll People Bio Correct Multi-Action Concealer in light
I’ve been on the hunt for a good concealer for over 2 years, as I’ve transitioned all my makeup to be gluten free and less toxic. But I haven’t found one that I truly liked (and liked enough to recommend to other people) until I discovered this one. It has good coverage, the light version works well with my skin tone, and it’s pretty easy to apply with my fingers. I do find it needs a little powder over top, otherwise it attracts my mascara and I end up with worse raccoon eyes than if I’d skipped concealer… I bought mine at Target (though I’m not sure every Target is carrying W3ll People), but you can also find it at select Whole Foods, or through the W3ll People website.

Travel: Anniversary Vermont Trip 

My husband and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary this month and took a quick trip to Vermont. Even though I have some successful reintroductions under my belt, it still can be challenging to travel. We booked an Airbnb condo at Stowe Mountain Lodge (so that we’d have a tiny kitchen) for our lodging. I cooked most of our meals ahead of the trip & brought them in a cooler. And for our actual anniversary dinner, I found a restaurant, Michael’s on the Hill,  that could accommodate my needs & was in contact with them well before our reservation. It was a great, refreshing getaway. We thoroughly enjoyed the Stowe Mountain Lodge (even if it was a between-seasons time to visit). And we took detours on our drive back to visit the King Arthur Flour headquarters (something I’ve wanted to do since culinary school) in Norwich, VT; the Simon Pearce glass blowing studio in Quechee, VT, and Farmhouse Pottery shop + studio in Woodstock, VT.

If you’d like more of my tips about AIP travel, check out my posts here and here.

Photo by https://www.jennclara.com

In memory of Martine Partridge of Eat Heal Thrive (formerly The Paleo Partridge) 
I found out last week that my friend Martine had passed away (obituary here). She has been a pillar in the AIP community. We will miss her terribly, not just for the fantastic recipes she created, but for her witty way with words, and her encouraging, bright personality. I especially love her sweet and savory pie crust recipe, which I used in my berry panna cotta pie recipe, and her chicken liver pâté with mushrooms and bacon recipe, which was the first pâtâ recipe I made and ate.

If you’d like to contribute to a fund organized in Martine’s honor by the AIP blogging community, please visit https://www.gofundme.com/in-memory-of-martine-partridge.

So those are a few of my favorites from May. What are you loving lately?

Some of these items include affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased after a link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

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April 2017 Favorites

I’m starting a new series at the end of each month where I share some of my favorite things from the previous month. Some may be things I’m reading or watching. Some may be body or beauty products. Some may be kitchen, food, and recipe related.  Today I’m sharing my April favorites (in no particular order). 

Note: some of these items contain affiliate links, but nothing in this post is directly sponsored by any company... I'm just sharing what I like! 

Book: Hope Heals: A True Story of Overwhelming Loss and an Overcoming Love*
I haven’t done great on my “Goodreads” progress this month, but I did finish one of the most inspiring/convicting books I’ve ever read. “Hope Heals” chronicles Katherine & Jay Wolfe’s story following Katherine’s massive brain stem stroke in 2008 when she was 26 and a brand new mom. Their hope-filled, positive, joyful outlook despite living with the lasting physically disabling effects of a traumatic brain injury is incredibly inspiring and convicting. I actually had the pleasure of also hearing Katherine and Jay speak at a women’s event at my church the beginning of this month (and I met them after the event). I hope to write a longer reflection post about the book & hearing them speak, so stay tuned for that. In the mean time, pick up a copy of their book (it’s on SALE right now), check out their story on their website, and/or follow them on social media @hopeheals.

Body: Primally Pure Sensitive Deodorant in Lavender
Since going AIP three years ago, I’ve also made a conscious effort to clean up the products I use on my body. However, I’ve tried many, many, many deodorants with terrible results. Many did not work (i.e I smelled less-than-fresh, yikes!), but worse yet, others made my underarms break out so badly I honestly wondered if I possibly had developed the autoimmune condition "hidradenitis suppurativa" (HS). NOT GOOD!! I finally ordered this sensitive deodorant in lavender from Primally Pure, after seeing AIP friends post about it on Instagram.  After testing it out for a few weeks, I’m pleased that it both seems to work (note: it’s not an antiperspirant) AND I haven’t had one underarm break out.

Tool: Muji 0.38 mm Pens*
I’m a bit of a pen snob & I really prefer using very fine-tip pens for my journaling, writing, list-making etc. This month, I heard about Muji gel pens via an Instagram video from She Reads Truth. I immediately ordered a 3-pack of black Muji 0.38 mm gel pens on Amazon and now I wish I’d ordered more of them and possibly more colors. I love how fine the tip is, but yet it doesn’t wear down so quickly, like the Microns or LePens I’ve used in the past.

Kitchen Tool: Large Mesh Strainer/colander*
For the past few years, I’ve used a small mesh strainer that was probably made with less-than-ideal metal. I would have to strain or wash produce in it in batches, which often slowed down my productivity. Somehow, upgrading it to a larger, stainless option wasn’t a priority until the old strainer started becoming rusty. I ordered this one on Amazon and wow! why didn’t I make this upgrade sooner! It’s now SO much easier to wash leeks and chopped greens and to strain bone broth.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers from Unbound Wellness
I’ve had my eye on this recipe for a few months, but I was having trouble finding high quality ground chicken. We recently found a local pastured chicken farmer who sells ground chicken at a local farmers market. The first time I made the poppers, I made only a single batch. But I immediately regretted not making a larger batch. This week, I made a double batch and I think we ate them all in three days. A couple tips that I’ve found to be helpful when making these: 1)use the shredding blade in your food processor to shred the sweet potato (especially if making a double batch) and then pulse the shredded sweet potato with the S blade to break them up a little further; 2)use a medium (1.5 tablespoon) cookie scoop to scoop the popper mixture, which both makes the poppers uniform and helps the portioning to go faster; 3)bake the poppers on a baking sheet WITHOUT parchment paper—they get a much better crust that way; 4)make a bigger batch than you think you’ll need because they are SO TASTY ;)

Ingredient: Tessemae’s Creamy Ranch (AIP reintroductions required) 
As I’ve gotten some successful AIP reintroductions under my belt, I’ve been able to eat this Tessemae’s Creamy Ranch without any reactions. Ohmygoodness!! I had forgotten how much I use to love ranch dressing! This delicious product has been an especially nice addition to my diet the past couple weeks as I’ve been doing a Whole30 reset. As I exclaimed to my husband a couple days ago in a hangry episode, “Ranch is LIFE!!” haha! I buy this product at Whole Foods in the refrigerated section of the produce department. Use their store locator to see if you can find it locally

So those are a few of my random favorites from April. What are you loving lately? 

*These items include affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased after an Amazon link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

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Hot Cocoa Mix (Dairy-free, Paleo, Vegan, AIP Adaptation)

We’re getting ready to go on a winter vacation with my parents and siblings right before Christmas. While I don’t ski, I’m looking forward to doing lots of other winter-y activities, especially since winter isn’t really winter in Texas. With winter activities, like skiing and ice skating and tubing etc, comes a craving for hot cocoa (or hot carob, if you’re on the autoimmune protocol and haven’t yet reintroduced chocolate).

I’ve found plenty of recipes for paleo hot cocoa, and I myself even developed both a Paleo Fudge Sauce and AIP Carob Sauce last summer that would be excellent stirred into hot coconut milk. However, the downfalls to these recipes is that they either 1) require lots more preparation time and/or 2) they require liquid ingredients that are a challenge to transport, especially when one is traveling on an airplane with liquid restrictions.

Recently I saw a post on social media about powdered coconut milk that was free from non-paleo/non AIP ingredients. I went on Amazon and ordered it immediately. Having powdered coconut milk meant that I could make a dry hot cocoa mix that should not only travel easily but also could then be mixed into hot cocoa with only the addition of hot water! Hurray!

I’ve reintroduced chocolate and cacao successfully, but I do still remember those days when I first began AIP and again when I did my AIP reset this summer when chocolate products were off the table. While roasted carob doesn’t taste *quite* the same as chocolate, I do think it’s better than nothing at all :) Luckily, it substitutes just great in this recipe so you can make it with either cacao or carob, depending on where you are on your health journey.

I developed this mix specifically to be mixed with water, but if you really want to make it even more luxurious, use it with hot coconut milk. Another way to make it even more special would be to add an AIP marshmallow--I know both The Urban Poser and Eat Heal Thrive have marshmallow recipes. I’ll probably skip the marshmallows with the hot cocoa because that’s a bit too much sugar for me, even if the sugar is technically compliant. I’m just happy to sip my hot cocoa on it’s own :)

For ease of transport, I’ll probably store the hot cocoa mix in plastic ziplock bags, but transferring the mix in a pretty jar and adding a little ribbon would make a really great, easy Christmas gift for someone who is Paleo, vegan, or simply avoiding dairy.

Hot Cocoa Mix (Dairy-free, Paleo, Vegan, AIP Adaptation)
Yields 8 servings 

40 g (1/2 c) Cacao Powder
48 g (6 Tbl) Powdered Coconut Milk
85 g (1/3 c) Maple Sugar (or other granulated paleo sweetener, like sucanat, coconut sugar, evaporated cane juice etc.)
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Vanilla Bean Powder

1. Sift the cacao powder & coconut milk powder into a medium size bowl. (Yes, this is an occasion where sifting is necessary.)
2. Add the maple sugar, sea salt, and vanilla bean powder. Whisk to combine evenly. 
3. Transfer to an airtight container, such as a ziplock bag or small jars, for storage. 

AIP Adaptation

• Substitute 48 g (1/2 cup) Roasted Carob Powder for the Cacao Powder
• Increase the Vanilla Bean Powder to 1/2 tsp 

Hot Cocoa Assembly
Yields 1 serving

8 oz very hot water
20 g (scant 3 Tbl) Paleo (or AIP Adaptation) Hot Cocoa Mix

1. Heat the water in the microwave or on the stove until very hot. 
2. Mix in the hot cocoa mix & stir until very well combined. If the cocoa sits, it may begin to separate again, but simply stir it again to re-combine. 

Notes:

• For an even more luxurious beverage, use additive free coconut milk in lieu of water. 
• Mix with coffee (if successfully reintroduced) for a mocha. 
• Add in a dash of peppermint extract for a peppermint hot cocoa. 
• Add some cinnamon for a spiced hot cocoa. 

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Sweet Treats. 

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Announcing AIP & Paleo Holiday Sweet Treats e-book & a giveaway!

EDIT: The Giveaway has ended (11-18-2015). Congratulations to Anna for winning! 

I’m very excited to announce that I’ve published an e-book “AIP & Paleo Holiday Sweet Treats.” The e-book features 14 recipes for the holiday season, including cookies, cakes, custards,  pies, sauces, plus a couple savory options. Because AIP is not meant to last forever, three of the recipes feature reintroductions. I know first-hand how challenging it can be to stick with AIP during holidays when there are tempting foods everywhere you turn. Instead of feeling deprived, or risking temptation, I've re-created many of my favorite holiday treats to fit within AIP guidelines. I sincerely believe it is not healthy in the long run for a person (myself included) to indulge in dessert items every day. But I do also believe in balance, & I find myself relaxing a bit during the holiday season.  Check out this page for more e-book information & a full listing of the recipes. 

In the book’s introduction, I include 5 of my top tips for AIP baking success. My absolute number one tip for baking success is to weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale. I realize that not everyone may have a kitchen scale, but I absolutely could not survive without mine. So I’ve decided, in honor of “AIP & Paleo Holiday Sweet Treats” release, to give away not just a copy of the e-book, but also a kitchen scale! The giveaway will run until 12am on Tuesday, November 17th.  

Over the years, I’ve worked with many different brands of scales, but the Escali Primo Digital Kitchen Scale 11Lb/5Kg is my absolute favorite. I used that scale both as a culinary student & a culinary school instructor, as well as in various professional jobs & now in my adventures in recipe development. Anytime I travel, the scale flies with me. Please note: the brand Escali has no idea who I am & they are in no way sponsoring this giveaway. I just love their scale & can’t help but gush about it :) 

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter widget below. The winner gets a copy of my new e-book "AIP & Paleo Holiday Sweet Treats," as well as an Escali Primo Digital Kitchen Scale 11Lb/5Kg. 

May the odds be ever in your favor ;) 

Happy Baking & Happy Holidays! 

EDIT: The Giveaway has ended (11-18-2015). Congratulations to Anna for winning! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Sweet Treats. 

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