"Magical" Chicken & Vegetable soup + Freezer Cooking for the Paleo AIP e-book

Freezer Cooking for the Paleo AIP

I’ve been keeping another secret from y’all! I’m very excited to announce the release another great e-book project: Freezer Cooking for the Paleo AIP.

Compiled by my friend Jaime Lubich Hartman from Gutsy By Nature, this e-book features over 120 recipes (100% elimination-stage AIP-compliant) developed by 30 contributors AND includes specific freezer adaptations (packaging, freezing, storing, and serving) for every recipe. All the recipe categories are covered from breakfast to appetizers/snacks to soups/stews to casseroles to main dishes to side dishes to desserts! We’ve also dedicated this project to our friend Martine Partridge (eathealthrive.ca) who passed away in May.

Download your copy for $18.90

I myself contributed 6 recipes to Freezer Cooking for the Paleo AIP AND designed the cover. These are seriously some of the best recipes I’ve ever developed! These are my recipes below 

Crispy Belgian Waffles 

These waffles stay extra crispy due to a special ingredient. 

“Magical” Chicken & Vegetable Soup

Cover recipe! Sneak peak of an Instant Pot® variation of the recipe below. 

Garlic Balsamic Beef

This is a recipe I’ve teased quite a bit on Instagram and it might be one of my husband’s favorite dishes I’ve ever made. He calls it “meat candy.” This recipe includes both stovetop AND Instant Pot® instructions in the e-book! 

Roasted Broccoli

An absolute staple recipe I make at least once a week. 

Berry Fruit Crisp

An easy dessert that can be assembled in minutes. Bake in a large baking dish OR in individual mason jars. 

Slice-and-Bake Icebox Cookies

Really 4 recipes in one, as there is a plain vanilla version, cranberry orange, raspberry swirl, and “chocolate” mint. 

Giveaway! 

To celebrate the launch of Freezer Cooking for the Paleo AIP, some of my favorite AIP businesses and resources have joined together to giveaway over $900 in prizes, which will be awarded to 14 randomly selected individuals.

Here are the prizes:

• A $250 gift certificate to fill your freezer with gourmet frozen meals from Paleo On the Go
• A Hot Logic Mini Deluxe with Pyrex and Car Adapter ($70 value) to heat your frozen meals anywhere
• Curated bundles of AIP-compliant food products from ShopAIP: The Starter Kit ($63 value); Baker’s Dream ($61 value); Snack Attack ($68 value); and Savor the Flavor ($61 value)
• A full free year subscription to Autoimmune Strong ($180 value)
• One free month of Individualized Wellness Coaching by Alissa M. Frazier ($125 value)
• Free membership to AIP Batch Cook ($67 value)
• The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook by Mickey Trescott ($35 value)
• The Phoenix Helix ebook collection by Eileen Laird ($45 value)
• The Autoimmune Healing n=1 Workbook from Biohack U ($25 value)
• Healing Eats by Kate Jay ($9 value)
• AIP Safari by Bethany Darwin ($6 value)

*Due to shipping restrictions, the prizes from Paleo On the Go, Hot Logic, and ShopAIP are only open to winners with delivery addresses within the United States. Winner of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook will receive a signed print copy if a United States delivery address is provided, otherwise will receive a PDF copy. All other prizes are open to winners anywhere in the world, unless giveaway is otherwise prohibited by local law. 

This giveaway will run through October 9, 2017, and no purchase is necessary to win! Enter via the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this page and mention that Laura from “Sweet Treats” sent you!

Instant Pot® “Magical” Chicken & Vegetable Soup

Because we were pressed for space in this book, the Instant Pot® instructions for my “Magical” Chicken & Vegetable Soup had to be cut, so I’ve decided to share that version here instead. This soup has been a staple recipe for me, made at least twice a month for the past couple of years. Originally, I made the soup on the stove top in my beloved LeCreuset oval dutch oven (which was a wedding gift from my late grandparents) and you can find those stovetop instructions in the e-book, but once I got my Instant Pot® and adapted the recipe, I haven’t looked back…

At the risk of seeming corny and cliche, I call this soup “magical” because it’s not only delicious and nutrient-dense, but also heartwarming and good for the soul. I love to eat it for breakfast or lunch and it’s my go-to recipe to make for friends or family when they’re sick or recovering from surgery.

If you don't yet have an Instant Pot® (what are you waiting for?!?), make sure to check out the the e-book for stovetop instructions.

“Magical” Chicken & Vegetable Soup 
 by Laura Vein of Sweet Treats
yields 8 servings

This one-pot, self-brothing soup is one of my secret weapons—I’ve made a batch at least twice a month for the past two years. Don’t stress about the exact ingredient amounts… I rarely measure when making a batch! It’s great for any meal (especially breakfast) or when sick. Keep it interesting by switching up the garnishes when serving. 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
6 to 8 cups filtered water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 bay leaves
3 cups (approximately 250 grams) sliced leeks
2 cups (approximately 350 grams) chopped carrots
2 cups (approximately 230 grams) chopped celery
2 heaping cups (approximately 375 grams) diced white sweet potato
4 heaping cups (approximately 110 grams) chopped greens (such as kale or chard)
1 tablespoon kosher sea salt
Chopped herbs, optional for serving
Lemon, optional for serving
Finish salt, like smoked salt or truffle salt, optional for serving

Instant Pot® Instructions

1. Add the chicken thighs, filtered water, apple cider vinegar, and bay leaf to the stainless steel insert of the Instant Pot®. Close and lock the lid, ensuring the vent is closed. Press the MANUAL button and decrease the time to 25 minutes. Once time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally. While the chicken is cooking/pressure is releasing, prepare the veggies. 
2. Add the sliced leek, chopped carrots, chopped celery, diced white sweet potato, greens, and sea salt to the Instant Pot®  Close and lock the lid, ensuring the vent is closed. Press the MANUAL button and decrease the time to 25 minutes. Once time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally.
3. Transfer the chicken thighs carefully to a cutting board—caution, they will be very hot and may have a tendency to fall apart! Shred the chicken and the skin with two forks. Save the bones for future batches of bone broth. Add the shredded chicken back into the soup and stir to combine. Discard the bay leaf.

Freezing Instructions  

• Let the soup cool completely. Ladle the cooled soup into freezer-safe wide-mouth mason jars (1 quart jar is approximately 1 serving)—leave about an inch of headspace in the jars. Screw on lids and refrigerate overnight before transferring to the freezer. Alternately, especially for travel, use quart sized freezer Ziplock bags. Freeze flat. Store frozen quart bags in gallon bags, if traveling. 

Serving Instructions 

• If desired, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then gently heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. 
• Alternately, thaw and reheat at the sometime in the microwave or stovetop.
• Serve with chopped herbs, lemon, and/or a finish salt, if desired.

This post includes 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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Avocado “Toast” + a Yucan Crunch giveaway (AIP & Paleo)

I went AIP before the big “avocado toast” craze began; however, thanks to Mission Heirloom’s Yucan Crunch crackers, I’ve been able to enjoy my own allergen-friendly version.

In December 2015, I had the pleasure of visiting Mission Heirloom in Berkeley, CA. Various AIP friends had highly recommended the paleo restaurant with many AIP options, but they also raved about Yucan Crunch crackers. I made it a point to try the Yucan Crunch and absolutely loved it—they really remind me of triscuits. I bought a bag on the spot & used it for breakfasts and snacks throughout the rest of our trip.

Fast forward to now and I’m still a huge Yucan Crunch fan. After my initial stash ran out, I ordered it several more times from the Mission Heirloom website, but luckily, procuring some is even easier these days because Yucan Crunch is now available on Amazon! And they're even Amazon Prime eligible!

To celebrate the Amazon debut of Yucan Crunch, I’m sharing my super easy avocado “toast” recipe. This is another recipe that almost isn’t a recipe due to how simple it is. But goodness, it is so tasty & really feels like a treat when I make it. Most often I’ll have the avocado toast plain, but it’s also delicious topped with smoked salmon or prosciutto.

Mission Heirloom has graciously agreed to give one of my readers FREE 4-pack of Yucan Crunch. Leave a commend on this post sharing how you'd most like to use Yucan Crunch crackers. This giveaway is only open to US residents and will run until Monday April 10, 2017.

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Disclosure: I did receive a complimentary 4-pack of Yucan Crunch; however, this is a product I have happily purchased in the past & will continue to purchase in the future. I would never recommend a product I didn’t stand behind 100%. 

Avocado “Toast" 
yields 1 serving

1 avocado
juice from 1/4 lemon
Yucan Crunch, broken into large (or small) pieces
truffle salt, as needed (or other finishing salt of your choice.

1. In a small bowl, mash the avocado with the lemon juice. 
2. Spread the avocado/lemon mixture onto pieces of Yucan Crunch. 
3. Sprinkle with truffle salt. Eat immediately :) 

Note: some people prefer to toast their Yucan Crunch in a skillet or under the broiler, but I most often prefer it un-toasted. Feel free to do either, depending on your own preferences. Please DO NOT toast it in an actual toaster, as it could cause a fire if pieces break off into the toaster. 

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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The Paleo AIP Instant Pot® Cookbook e-book + IP “Chocolate” Cake (AIP)

In addition to the the big move I announced in my last post, I’ve been working on a couple secret projects. I’m so thrilled to FINALLY share about them today!

My good friend Eileen from Phoenix Helix had the brilliant idea to compile a community e-book of Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Instant Pot® recipes called The Paleo AIP Instant Pot® Cookbook. I was thrilled to contribute recipes for applesauce, low FODMAP beef stew, pomegranate poached pears, and coconut yogurt to the e-book.

I also had the privilege to photograph a few of the recipes & design the interior pages (the amazing Chelsey Luther designed the gorgeous cover). Having early access to the recipes (because I was working on the interior design) means that I’ve been making many of the recipes for months already. I’ve even teased a few of them in Instagram posts (#sorrynotsorry). This e-book is a total game changer. Everything I’ve made is not only incredibly delicious, but it’s all crazy easy and very diverse! The BBQ Pulled Chicken alone might be worth the purchase of the book. I loved my Instant Pot® before, but I love it even more now.

top: BBQ Pulled Chicken, Smothered Okra, Caribbean Plantain Lamb Stew

middle: Pomegranate Poached Pears, Coconut Yogurt, Applesauce

bottom: Kalua Pig, Peach Cobbler, Cranberry Apple Chicken with Cabbage

Download your copy for $17.95! 

The book features recipes ranging from broths to sauces & condiments to vegetables to poultry to meat to seafood to offal to desserts and more! No major food group is left behind. 137 of the 140 recipes (excluding three recipes in the “Extras” section) are compliant with the elimination phase of the Autoimmune Protocol. And, there are charts in the back of the book for ways to modify recipes to fit additional special diet modifications, like low-FODMAP, GAPS/SCD and Coconut-free.

As if The Paleo AIP Instant Pot® Cookbook isn’t a big enough project, I also have created a 4-recipe mini e-book of additional AIP Instant Pot® dessert recipes called AIP Instant Pot® Sweet Treats. It includes AIP-friendly dessert recipes for blueberry cobbler cakes, pumpkin tapioca pudding, “roasted” pineapple, and zucchini cakes with lemon cream. I’ll be sending AIP Instant Pot® Sweet Treats as a FREE gift to everyone who purchases The Paleo AIP Instant Pot® Cookbook through me. (NOTE: Because I’m literally in the middle of moving across the United States right now, my e-book won’t be emailed until mid-October 2016). This giveaway is open to international entries.

But wait! There’s more! (insert informercial-speak, haha!) Purchasing The Paleo AIP Instant Pot® Cookbook through me during the month of October 2016 also enters you in a giveaway to win some sweet Instant Pot® accessories: 1) a stainless steel inner pot (having a second insert comes in *really* handy when making back-to-back recipes), 2) a silicone lid/cover for the stainless steel insert (to easily store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator), and 3) an extra sealing ring (always a good thing to have on hand in case your old ring breaks, or in case it smells too “savory” for making desserts). I’ll randomly choose a winner at the beginning of November 2016. Sorry, due to postage constraints, the accessory giveaway is open only to those in the United States.

If you’re *still* on the fence about purchasing this amazing e-book, head over to Eileen’s site to enter a giveaway to win a copy. Simply answer the rafflecopter question & 10 winners will be chosen October 8, 2016.

One recipe from The Paleo AIP Instant Pot® Cookbook that I’m excited to try once we get settled in our new home is this “Chocolate” Cake from my friend Samantha at Sweet Potatoes and Social Change. It might seem unusual to make cake in the Instant Pot®, but the Instant Pot® is a great way to “steam” a cake. And you don't even have to heat up the oven!

“Chocolate" Cake (AIP) 
from Samantha at Sweet Potatoes and Social Change
Yields 3 servings

1 green plantain
½ ripe banana
¼ cup mashed avocado
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, plus additional for greasing pans
2 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons carob powder
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup water
Optional garnishes: coconut cream, coconut flakes or fruit

1. Add the plantain, banana, avocado, coconut oil, honey, carob, vinegar, baking soda, and cream of tartar to a food processor and blend until smooth. 
2. Lightly grease three mini fluted pans or ramekins with additional coconut oil. Pour the batter into prepared pans until they are about ¾ of the way full. 
3. Pour the water into the Instant Pot® and add the steaming rack. Place the pans onto the steaming rack. 
4. Close and lock the lid. Press “Manual” for high pressure. Set cooking time to 18 minutes. Once time is up, quick release the pressure (there are further instructions for pressure release on page 7 of the e-book. 
5. Garnish with coconut cream, coconut flakes, or fruit and serve warm. 

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

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

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AIP Red Sangria & "The Healing Kitchen" review + giveaway

It is my pleasure to not only gush about my love of the newest autoimmune protocol (AIP) cookbook The Healing Kitchen and share a recipe for Red Sangria (AIP, Paleo, alcohol-free), but also to be able to giveaway a SIGNED COPY of the book to one of my readers! Full details can be found towards the end of the post.

In January, I spent over a week cooking almost exclusively from the newest AIP cookbook The Healing Kitchen by Alaena Haber (from Grazed and Enthused) and Sarah Ballantyne (from The Paleo Mom). Even though I’m a pretty good cook & enjoy creating my own recipes, there is something really wonderful about making other peoples’ recipes. It is specially when those other people are your friends & you know the recipes will not only be delicious, but nutrient dense & completely autoimmune protocol (AIP) compliant. Whenever I get a new cookbook, I usually sit down & add tags or sticky notes to the recipes I’d like to eventually make. With The Healing Kitchen, I found myself wanting to tag nearly all the recipes! I narrowed my initial “to-make” list down to what I could manage in a week-and-a-half, but I have no doubt that I’ll be making many many more recipes from this amazing cookbook in the future.

Before I show the recipes I personally tried, here are a few general observations about The Healing Kitchen:

• The recipes are delicious! We loved every recipe I made. Everything was bursting with flavor & nothing was remotely bland, like many people may first believe AIP will be. Pizza. Tacos. Barbecue. Asian cuisine. Alaena & Sarah replicated flavors of traditional favorites into fully AIP compliant variations that I would feel confident serving to even non-AIP/Paleo friends and family. 
• The recipes are easy. None of the recipes I tried were overly complicated, nor do they require terribly complicated ingredients.  
• This book is great for people new to AIP and to seasoned veterans who’d like to spice up (haha!) their meals and get out of a food rut.

Dinners from The Healing Kitchen 

Taco Night! (Toasted Lime Cilantro Cauli-Rice, Taco Beef, Easy Guacamole) | Date Night Pizza! (Thin Crust Pizzas made into ham & pineapple Pizza & BBQ pizza with slaw, salad greens with Greek Dressing & Red Sangria) | BBQ Feast (pressure cooked BBQ pulled pork, Tangy Carolina BBQ Sauce, Fennel Mandarin Slaw Garlic Roasted Broccoli) | Meat Loaf (Caramelized Onion & Herb Meatloaf, Carrot Pilaf with lemon & Parsley, Roasted Brussels with Bacon & Cinnamon) | Salmon (Bacon-Date Crusted Salmon, Sweet Potato & Kale “Rice” Salad) 

Lunches from The Healing Kitchen 

Speedy Shanghai Stir Fry | Raisin & Spice Meatballs with Sweet Potato & kale “Rice” Salad | Pumpkin Chili 

Breakfasts from The Healing Kitchen

Crispy Salmon Hash | Bacon Herb Biscuit sandwiches with American Breakfast Sausage | Baked Carrot-Banana Bread N’oatmeal | Ollie’s DIY Sunrise Hash 

Treats & Snacks from The Healing Kitchen

Apple Crumble | Pumpkin Roll with Clementine Cream | Lemon Ginger Energy Balls 

Drinks 

Red Sangria 

Alaena & Sarah have graciously allowed me to share the recipe for the Red Sangria with you. I’ve made this recipe more than 3 times so far & I foresee making it many more times in the future too. Since I usually drink water (or tea or occasionally green juice), having a mocktail like this one was really a treat, especially in social settings where everyone else is indulging in wine or cocktails or soda.

This “sangria” tastes like the real deal, only it isn’t made with wine that can perpetuate leaky gut. It’s great not just for people avoiding alcohol on AIP, but also for pregnant ladies & those who abstain from alcohol in general. I mixed my sangria mixture with blood orange kombucha. So delicious!

Red Sangria

reprinted, with permission, from The Healing Kitchen by Alaena Haber & Sarah Ballantyne 

1 1/2 c pomegranate juice

1 pear, diced

3 strips fresh orange peel

1/2 lemon, sliced thinly

5 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 (16-oz) bottle unflavored kombucha, chilled

ice, for serving (optional)

1. Combine all the ingredients except kombucha in a large glass jar or pitcher. Place in the refrigerator to steep for at least 8 hours or overnight. 
2. Just before serving, remove the cloves & cinnamon stick and stir in the kombucha. Serve over ice, if desired. 

Note from Laura:

• I substituted blood orange kombucha for the unflavored kombucha because I love blood orange kombucha. 
• I also added a few orange slices for fun. 

GIVEAWAY! 

In January, I was fortunate to attend a book signing at Book People in Austin, TX for "The Healing Kitchen." Alaena and Sarah graciously gave me a signed giveaway copy of their amazing cookbook to pass along to one of my readers! 

Thanks to Charissa (No Cook Paleo) for taking this photo of Alaena, me, & Sarah

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter widget below. This contest is open to both US and international entries, though the winner may receive an unsigned copy if a non-US resident is chosen. The contest will run through Tuesday March 15, 2016. May the odds be ever in your favor! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Additional reviews of "The Healing Kitchen"

• Alex at “Don’t Eat the Spatula:” Review + Crispy Salmon Hash preview recipe 
• Ali at “Freethought Farm:” Review + Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders with Pineapple Dipping Sauce preview recipe  
• Bethany at "Adventures in Partaking: Review
• Eileen at “Phoenix Helix:” Review + Coconut-Crusted Chicken Tenders with Pineapple Dipping Sauce preview recipe
• Gabriella at “Beyond the Bite:” Review  
• Joanna at “Joanna Frankham Coaching:” Review + Bacon-Wrapped Apple & Cinnamon Sausage review recipe 
• Kat at “The Primordial Table:” Review + Spicy African Kale preview recipe  
• Kate at “Healing Family Eats:” Q&A with Alaena Haber + Chicken Pesto Pizza preview recipe 
• Rory at “The Paleo PI:” Review + INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY (runs through Friday March 11th) 
• Sophie at “A Squirrel in the Kitchen:’ Review + Toasted Coconut Cream Pops preview recipe 

Full disclosure: I did receive a complementary review copy of this cookbook, as well as a giveaway copy. However, I loved the recipes SO much that I purchased a copy for my parents :) I would never recommend any resource that I didn't stand behind 100%. 

This recipe is included in the Phoenix Helix Paleo AIP Recipe Roundtable #111

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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! 

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

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Bacon Maple Salmon & "He Won't Know It's Paleo" review + Giveaway (AIP & Paleo)

Full disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in e-book format, but I liked it so much that I’ve already purchased a print copy for my mom to use in her AIP journey. This post may also contain affiliate links, meaning I will receive a small amount of compensation for any items purchased via those links. All opinions are my own & I wouldn’t recommend a book or product I didn’t personally use or love. 

I’ve also been given an extra copy of the e-book to give to one of my readers! 

Check the bottom of the post for additional details. 

UPDATE: the giveaway is now CLOSED! Thanks to all who entered :)

The past week, I’ve felt a bit like Julie from Julie & Julia, the woman who cooked her way through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Now, I didn’t cook my way through an entire cookbook, but I did spend nearly a week making most all of our meals from the newest AIP Cookbook He Won't Know It's Paleo by Bre’anna Emmitt. I don’t normally cook as much from cookbooks or recipes anymore. I often am developing my own recipes & just winging it & hopping for the best (note: this winging it technique really does *not* work for AIP baked goods.... Trust me, I’ve tried...). But it was very refreshing to have all the recipes done for me. 

I “know” Bre’anna through social media interactions & I’ve been excitedly awaiting this cookbook. It absolutely did not disappoint! The e-book itself is beautiful. As I sat down with my iPad and a notebook to mark which recipes I wanted to make & develop a meal plan/grocery list, I had a really hard time narrowing down what to recipes to make because everything looked so tasty! I appreciate how approachable all of the recipes are. They use a variety of ingredients that are both very tasty & good for you, but they aren’t too fussy or complex. And there’s enough diversity that a person isn’t constantly relying on the same proteins or veggies. One note, we did find the portion sizes/recipe yields on a few of the recipes to be a bit small, but that could also be because we tend to eat a pretty high volume of food these days.

As a whole, I definitely believe this book lives up to its name. All the recipes we tried could definitely be served to non-AIP/Paleo people and I don’t think they would feel deprived at all! We certainly weren’t.  Here’s what we ate: 

Dinner 1

Nightshade free red salsa

Queso

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas Verdes 

I’ve been sorely missing salsa & Mexican foods. I really didn’t think I’d ever be able to eat salsa again (nightshades and I are really, really not friends...) While we enjoyed both the queso & the salsa, the salsa was the big star! I was almost immediately lamenting the fact that I didn’t have ingredients to make a second batch, since we, you know, ate almost the entire batch in one sitting (oops!).   We also liked the enchiladas with the salsa on top. I thought there was very little chance I would ever be able to eat anything remotely resembling Mexican food, so I’m greatly thankful to Bre’anna for developing these genius recipes.

Dinner 2

Stuffed Mushrooms

Bacon sautéed Asparagus

Peach braised short ribs/beef shanks

I was not prepared for how wonderful the mushrooms were! Delicious! They’d be a great item to take to a party. Asparagus is one of my favorite veggies & paring it with bacon is a terrific match. Loved the peach braising liquid too--such a nice break from the braises I’ve done with either wine or broth. Peach added a nice tang. I did have to make a couple substitutions in this recipe: I used beef shanks in place of the short ribs because I couldn’t find grass-fed short ribs. I also don’t have a working crock pot at the moment, so I used a Le Creuset dutch oven & baked the entire mixture at 300 for 4 hours, which may have been a bit much as they all fell a part. At least that meant they were very tender. Next time, I’ll bake them for a little less time. Also, the leftovers were fantastic! 

Lunch 1

Chicken Salad using Egg-free Mayo

While the book does include a chicken salad recipe, I didn’t have all the necessary ingredients on hand. Instead, I made my own version, still inspired by Bre’anna’s recipe, using her egg-free mayo recipe, plus diced apple, celery, scallions, and apple juice sweetened craisins. Mayo is a hard condiment to replicate, especially when eggs are not allowed, but I think her egg-free recipe comes as close as one can get while still remaining fully AIP compliant. 

Dinner 3

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Cranberries

Maple Bacon Salmon

The salmon was fantastic! Technically, it comes from the “breakfast” category of the book, but we loved it for dinner too. I usually roast brussels & was a bit skeptical about sautéing them, but they turned out great too. I found apple juice sweetened cranberries at Whole Foods last fall & used them in the recipe. I tried using three different varieties of sweet potatoes in the scalloped sweet, but may just stick to white ones in the future. My husband saw the spread of all the food when I was photographing it and he was like “oh wow! Do we get to eat this for dinner tonight?” We also enjoyed eating the leftovers for future meals. 

Brunch 

Tropical Green Smoothie

Breakfast Sausage

Sweet Potato Hash Browns (we used Hannah variety white sweet potatoes) 

My husband and I prepared this brunch feast together on a Saturday morning. It was nice to mix it up from our normal routine of breakfast hash. Ironically, I’d never made sausage before, but it was so easy (and tasty) that I foresee making it often in the future. To ensure we got some veggies & fruit with our meat and carbs, we split some of the tropical green smoothie. It was a well balanced, satisfying, tasty brunch that fueled us through until much later in the day. 

Dinner 4

Red Wine & Shallot Bison Burgers

On Saturday nights, we’ve developed a tradition of cooking dinner together & renting a movie to watch as a sort of pseudo “date-night.” These bison burgers were perfect date-night food. Their hint of red wine flavor made them feel more special than a regular burger. I toped them with shallots that I fried in palm oil & a simple arugula salad. We ate dinner off our fine china, just for fun :) Husband indulged in a glass of red wine with his meal (hey, the bottle was already open from making the burgers), and I chose a glass of blood orange kombucha. 

Treats

While we loved all the meals from this book, we also really, really loved the treats! My will power around treats has vastly improved since going AIP last spring, but I do know that I shouldn’t make so many treats in such a short amount of time because I am very likely going to eat more of them than I ought to :) But that is also a testament to their deliciousness.

Blackberry Cobbler

The cobbler was a great not-too-sweet dessert that still really satisfied.  I did use frozen berries, so it was perhaps a bit juicier, but still fantastic. I even ate some leftover cobbler for breakfast the following day.... Would love to use the cobbler topping with a variety of other in-season fruits too? Especially peaches.

Snickerdoodles

I loooove snickerdoodles & all my self-control leaves around them (especially since they are bite sized). They were a little soft the first day, but were much more firm the following morning. Definitely a keeper recipe.

 Banana Bread Bars with Dairy-Free Butter: 

Loved the concept of baking in the 9x13 pan & cutting into “slices.” Genius! Also, this recipe does not rely on gelatin eggs, making it also a good vegan recipe too. The only draw back to the 9x13 pan is that there are not as many servings. Oh well, next time, I’ll make a double batch! I grew up eating banana bread spread with margarine, so I couldn’t resist spreading a little dairy-free butter on top of one slice, though honestly, I probably prefer the bread on it’s own.

Coconut Cream Pie with Graham Pie Crust

This is probably my favorite AIP dessert recipe of anything that I’ve tried! It tasted so NORMAL--very similar to regular coconut cream pie. The filling was positively AMAZING!! I had some leftover that didn’t fit in my pie shell & I kept sneaking bites of it out of the refrigerator. I topped ours with my coconut whipped cream & a sprinkle of toasted coconut. I fully intend to make this pie again for our anniversary in May, where in remembrance of our coconut wedding cake, we always eat coconut desserts :) 

Bre’anna has graciously allowed me to share the Bacon Maple Salmon recipe & she’s also given me a copy of the e-book for one my readers. To enter the giveaway, simply like Sweet Treats on Facebook and my Instagram feed & leave a comment on this post. The winner will be announced on Monday, March 30th! May the odds be ever in your favor! 

Bacon Maple Salmon

recipe by Bre’anna Emmitt 

re-published, with permission, from He Won't Know It's Paleo

Yield: 4 servings

4 salmon filets

2 Tbl Maple Syrup

2 Tbl Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 tsp Dried Rubbed Sage 

4 slices bacon, each torn into two pieces 

1. The night before serving, place salmon filets, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar in a sealed container in the refrigerator to marinate. Gently shake to mix liquid and coat salmon.  
2. In the morning, preheat the oven to 425 F. Grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
3. Arrange the salmon filets on a baking sheet. if not marinated, Mix the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup in a small dish. Brush or drizzle onto the salmon filets. 
4. Lay two halves of bacon slices lengthwise on top of each fillet. Sprinkle all the filets evenly with the sage. 
5. Place the baking sheet in the third of the oven closest to the heat sources and bake for 15 minutes until the center of the salmon is flaky and opaque. Serve hot. 

Notes from Laura:

• Use wild-caught salmon whenever possible
• Use Grade B, real maple syrup, NOT pancake syrup
• I substituted fresh sage because I didn’t have dried
• Because I made the salmon for dinner instead of breakfast, I started the marinating the process mid-morning. 

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