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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October 2017 Favorites

Continuing my tradition of sharing some favorites monthly, here are my October 2017 favorites! 

Just a reminder, 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! 

Beef and Broccoli (AIP)
I’ve taken a couple trips this month, first going to Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, then to Georgia and South Carolina. As I often do when I travel, I packed some “safe” food to take along. Beef and Broccoli is one of my go-to meals all of the time, but even more so when traveling. It’s easy to prepare in large quantities before a trip, it travels well, and it tastes good cold if I don’t have access to reheating. When traveling, I package the cooled Beef and Broccoli into quart-sized freezer Ziplocks and freeze them solid before travel. Then, when I’m ready to eat it, I thaw one in the fridge overnight and transfer it to a small Pyrex container. I like to top mine with garlic dill pickle sauerkraut and truffle salt.

XL 7-day pill organizer
Under the supervision of my Integrative MD, I’m on a more rigorous supplement regiment, tailored specifically to my needs as revealed in some recent testing. Some supplements I’m taking multiple times a day, but am taking different amounts at different times of the day, whereas before, I took things once in the morning and maybe again before bed. To keep myself from getting confused and to ensure that I would actually take the things my doctor is recommending, I invested in this new enormous pill organizer. And side note: I’ve never gotten so many DMs on Instagram as when I shared this pill organizer in my IG stories a few weeks ago! 

I still take the most things in the morning, so I end up using both the AM and the Noon spots for my morning pills. I’ve repurposed the evening spot for my afternoon ones and kept the bedtime slot for my nightly supplements. So far this organizer has been very useful and I feel I’ve been much more successful with actually taking what I intend to take while using this system.

The one bone I have to pick with the company manufacturing this pill organizer is their name “Stuff Seniors Need.” Yes, I do not fit in their target demographic, but I wish they’d have thought of more than just an older population when developing their marketing materials. (ok, I'll step off my soapbox now...)

Kuhn Rikon 4-inch nonstick paring knife 
I’ve had two of these paring knifes since around 2009 and they’re still both going strong. Originally, I bought them to go in my culinary/pastry knife kit, but now I use them when traveling and occasionally in my day-to-day cooking adventures. They come in a wide variety of colors, but I happen to have a purple one and a light blue/periwinkle one. The knife sharpens easily, it fits really comfortably in my hand, and they’re very inexpensive (especially as knives go!) I also love that it comes with a matching cover, so I can throw it in my lunchbox to easily cut things (avocado, apples etc.) as needed.

Coconut + Argan Oil Cleansing Towelettes 
On a whim, I decided to try these as a good face cleansing option while traveling. I know myself well enough to know that I am much more lazy about my skincare when traveling! In the past, I’ve used a different company’s cleansing towelettes, but they started making my eyes burn… Yikes! Not good! I switched to these and have not felt that same burning.

The smell of these wipes took some getting use to—they smell a bit like Play-Doh—but they are effective and I no longer feel a burning like I did with the last brand I used. I’m sure they’re not perfect ingredient-wise, but they’ve been a great option while traveling or on the occasional night when I’m too tired to do a full face washing. I buy mine at Target, but they're also available on Amazon.

Photo by Rebekah Scadding

Sam Edelman Penny Riding Boots in Whiskey Leather (“Athletic Fit”)
I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not a fashion blogger. But I am a big fan of these boots and I’ve gotten some nice compliments on them too.

It’s taken me two years to find just the right tan tall riding boot because I’ve had a tough time finding ones with a wide calf shaft and with the right heel hight. Too short a heel and they feel weird when walking… Too tall and I can’t wear them long without my feet, back and legs hurting. These boots are wide enough in the shaft without being gap-y—I can wear them with jeans or leggings. They’re also very comfortable! I walked five miles in Boston in them over the weekend and didn’t get a single blister. My normal shoe size is a 9 1/2 (occasionally a 10) and these fit great as a 9 1/2.

I tried these boots on first in a department store, and while I really liked them and thought they fit well, the price didn’t work my limited budget. I checked on Amazon upon returning home, just in case, and they were less than half the price of the department store! To me, they're still a bit of an investment, but I know I’ll get lots of use out of them. Thanks to my friend Rebekah Scadding for taking the photo of me in these boots while we were in the Boston Public Garden this past weekend.

The Teal Pumpkin Project 
This year marks two years that we’ve participated in the Teal Pumpkin Project for Halloween. By putting a teal painted pumpkin outside our house (or you can buy one), we’re signaling to trick-or-treaters/parents-in-the-know that we’ll have allergy-friendly options. Since today is Halloween, it might be a little late for this year’s Teal Pumpkin Project, but maybe it will be something that can be utilized in future years. Since I grew up with food allergies, my heart really goes out to those kids who can't eat traditional treats.

painting my 2017 pumpkin while watching "Stranger Things 2"

We started a tradition last year of giving out glow stick bracelets instead of a food treat. I like that the glow stick bracelets are not only fun, but also help with visibility on a dark Halloween night.

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

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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. 

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Carrot Cake Macaroons—with video! (AIP, Paleo, Vegan)

It had been ages, and ages since I made coconut macaroons… I had forgotten what a fun, bit-sized treat they are, and how easy it is to make them!

With Easter coming up this weekend, I wanted to create a macaroon that mimicked the flavor of a classic Easter favorite: carrot cake. Adding grated carrot, spices, and raisins to the macaroon base recipe worked great! As a bonus, including vegetables in dessert ups the nutrient profile just a bit and helps me feel better about the occasional indulgence. I love creating treats that mimic “the real deal,” but are more healthful and won’t derail my diet and lifestyle choices.

Also, I’ve created another recipe video to show just how easily these macaroons can be made :)

A note about my recipes: I ALWAYS recommend baking by weighted measurements to ensure the most successful baked goods. I've included volume measures, but they have been determined by math and are not tested. 

Carrot Cake Macaroons
yields 20 macaroons

120 grams (1 1/2 cups) unsweetened finely shredded coconut flakes
7 grams (1 tablespoon) coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground mace (or sub nutmeg, if not AIP)
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
50 grams (1/2 cup) finely grated carrot
28 grams (2 tablespoons) melted coconut oil
78 grams (1/4 cup) Grade B maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
40 grams (1/2 cup) raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking pan (I used a half sheet) with parchment paper. 
2. In a food processor, pulse together the coconut flakes, coconut flour, cinnamon, mace, cloves and sea salt to combine everything. 
3. Add the grated carrot, and pulse just until the carrot is distributed throughout. 
4. Pour the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract over the coconut mixture. Pulse until combined. 
5. Transfer to a separate bowl and stir in the raisins.
6. Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, packed with dough, to portion the macaroons onto the parchment lined pan. 
7. Bake for 8 minutes in the preheated oven, rotate the pan, and bake for an additional 7 minutes. Remove from the oven & allow the macaroons to cool completely on the pan. 
8. Store leftovers in an airtight container. The macaroons may lose their crispness over time, depending on the humidity. 

Notes:

• You can substitute honey for the maple syrup, though they will not longer be vegan.  
• I do NOT recommend reducing the sweetener or swapping it for a non-liquid one, or else the macaroons will not hold together. 

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Irish Soda Bread (AIP & Paleo), with video

My husband loves to make (and eat) corned beef and cabbage, with carrots & potatoes for St. Patrick’s Day. Once we got married, I started making gluten-free Irish soda bread to contribute to the festivities—we quite often host friends for this epic meal :) Last year, I experimented last minute with making a paleo Irish soda bread that only needed eggs as an AIP reintroduction. It was OK, but not as tasty and I’d liked and it was really really crumbly… Plus, I really wanted to figure out a version that people still in the elimination phase of AIP could enjoy too. This year, I went completely back to the drawing board and came up with this recipe I’m sharing today.

Now, as with pretty much all AIP versions of baked goods, keep an open mind when trying this recipe… By keeping this recipe elimination phase compliant, I’ve worked with some pretty strict ingredient limitations, and to be honest, it has been a couple years since I’ve had “real” Irish soda bread to compare my version to. But I have come up with what I consider to be a pretty delicious, fairly close to the real deal option.

This AIP Irish soda bread tastes the best & has the best texture the day it’s baked. However, since I also don’t recommend eating an entire loaf in one day by yourself, it does make some pretty epic toast slathered in fruit-sweetened jam (like the St. Dalfour apricot in these photos) the following day…. Just make sure to toast it in a gluten-free toaster/toaster oven or under the broiler.

Also, since I know AIP baking can be more challenging than regular baking, I’ve created my first recipe-tutorial video detailing how I make this Irish Soda Bread. Check it out below, or on YouTube. Happy baking!

Irish Soda Bread (AIP & Paleo) 

8 fl oz (1 cup), plus 1-2 additional teaspoons coconut milk 

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar  

75 g (2/3 cup) coconut flour  

80 g (2/3 cup) tapioca starch  

85 g (2/3 cup) arrowroot  

1 tablespoon gelatin  

1 tablespoon coconut sugar 

1 teaspoon AIP baking powder (see recipe below) 

1 teaspoon baking soda  

1/2 teaspoon sea salt  

48 g (4 tablespoons) palm shortening  

80 g (1/2 c) zante currants

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper—I used a quarter sheet. 
2. Measure the coconut milk into a liquid measuring cup. Add the apple cider vinegar. Set aside to make faux “buttermilk.”  
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, tapioca starch, arrowroot, gelatin, coconut sugar, AIP baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. 
4. Add the palm shortening to the mixing bowl. Use a fork or pastry blender to work the shortening in to the dry ingredients. Continue until the ingredients resemble coarse meal. 
5. Pour in the coconut milk/vinegar. Stir with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Once mostly combined, switch to hand kneading until the dough can be squeezed together to form a ball. If needed, add additional coconut milk 1 tablespoon at a time (adding a maximum of 2 tablespoons). The finished bread will have the best texture with the least amount of coconut milk added, but the dough does need to be able to form into a ball that doesn’t completely break apart. 
6. Form the dough into a disc & place on the prepared baking sheet. Use a serrated knife (I have this one) to cut an X in the center of the dough—the X allows heat to better penetrate to the center of the bread as it bakes. 
7. Place the pan in the pre-heated oven & bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, rotate the pan and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the center X is dry & the bread is golden. 
8. Remove the finished bread from the oven & allow to cool completely before slicing. This bread has the best texture the day it is made, but it also makes excellent toast the following day. Store any leftovers, wrapped, at room temperature.

AIP/Paleo Baking Powder
81 grams (1/2 cup) cream of tartar 
55 grams (1/4 cup) baking soda
30 grams (1/4 cup) arrowroot or tapioca 

1. Sift together the cream of tartar, baking soda, and arrowroot/tapioca.
2. Store in an airtight jar. Use wherever baking powder is used.

 

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Spritz Cookies (AIP, Paleo, Gluten-free)

My Grandma Vein is a really fantastic baker. She makes wonderful treats for all holidays, but especially during the Christmas season. One of my favorite christmas cookies is her spritz cookies, a butter cookie dough pressed through a cookie press into different shapes. Some people flavor the cookie dough with vanilla and some with almond—Grandma’s spritz recipe uses vanilla. She would leaves some of the dough naturally colored and colors part of it red and green. She also would sprinkle the pressed cookie dough with various colored sanding sugars and sprinkles before baking.

My AIP variation might look and taste a little different, but the first test batch cookie I popped into my mouth was like tasting a memory of Christmases past. Despite using palm shortening in lieu of butter, they still have a "buttery" flavor; they also have some lovely notes of maple and just a hint of coconut.

Instead of pressing the dough through a cookie press, I chose to pipe it with a pastry bag fitted with a large start tip into rosettes and wreath shapes—I couldn’t justify buying (or storing) a new cookie press & I’m not sure if my vintage press has any gluten remnants.

I didn't have many ideas for natural ways to color the dough, but I did add matcha green tea powder to the dry ingredients of one batch & it worked really well, though it does make the cookies taste like green tea. I suspect a few drops of beet juice might work well to make a more red/pink dough; however, I have a sensitivity to beets so I have not tried it out. To make the wreaths look more like actual wreaths (and less like piped circles), I added some chopped dried cranberries (apple-juice-sweetened) and a tiny sprinkle of turbinado/raw sugar.

Because these cookies are so delicious, I’ve purposely made the batch really small—depending on how big they’re piped, you should be able to get around 16 cookies. If you’re one with lots of willpower, even around lots of delicious AIP cookies, make a double batch :)

Happy Baking! PS if you’d like to make the AIP gingersnaps pictured on the cookie platter, make sure you grab a copy of my e-book “Holiday Sweet Treats.”

Spritz Cookies (AIP, Paleo, Gluten Free) 
yields around 16 cookies

64 grams(1/4 cup) palm shortening
39 grams (2 tablespoons) Grade A dark maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
23 grams (3 tablespoons +1 teaspoon) coconut flour 
25 grams (3 tablespoons +1 teaspoon) tapioca starch
27 grams (3 tablespoons +1 teaspoon) arrowroot
3/4 teaspoon gelatin
1/8 teaspoon paleo baking powder (recipe follows) 
pinch of sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip (I used a Wilton bag fitted with an 824 Ateco tip). 
2. In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the palm shortening with the maple syrup and the vanilla extract with a silicone spatula until well combined. If the palm shortening is too solid to properly mix—mine typically is during the winter—allow the ingredients to warm up slightly on the preheating stove. A hand mixer may also be used. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, tapioca, arrowroot, gelatin, paleo baking powder, and sea salt. 
4. Add the dry ingredients to the shortening/maple/vanilla and mix until well combined. 
5. Transfer the dough to the prepared pastry bag. Pipe the dough into rosettes, starting from the center & swirling outward. Draw circles as guides on the bottom of the parchment paper, if needed. Leave a little space between the cookies to allow them to puff a little during the baking process. 
6. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 6 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cookies are just starting to turn golden on the edges. 
7. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the pan before serving. 
8. Store cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature or in the freezer. Leftover cookies may soften, so re-crisp in a warm oven, if needed, before serving. 

Matcha Wreath Variation
Same ingredients as above with the addition of:
A heaping 1/4 teaspoon of matcha green tea powder
Apple juice sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
Turbinado/raw sugar

• Make the same recipe as above, adding a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of matcha green tea powder to the dry ingredients. Mix the green tea variation dough with a hand mixer too, just to ensure there are no tiny lumps of matcha. 
• Pipe the dough into rings & press chopped dried cranberries into the rings. Sprinkle a little turbinado sugar over the wreaths. 
• Bake as instructed above, though the wreaths may bake more quickly depending on how they thick they are piped, so watch them carefully. 

Paleo Baking Powder
81 grams (1/2 cup) cream of tartar 
55 grams (1/4 cup) baking soda
30 grams (1/4 cup) arrowroot or tapioca 

1. Sift together the cream of tartar, baking soda, and arrowroot/tapioca.
2. Store in an airtight jar. Use wherever baking powder is used. 

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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

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Sweet Potato Casserole with Tigernuts (AIP, Paleo, Vegan)

Though I did not grow up eating many sweet potatoes, I’ve been a big fan ever since tasting sweet potato casserole for the first time while visiting my grandparents who wintered in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Traditional sweet potato casserole, with its delicious sweet filling & nutty topping doesn’t work well for my body anymore, but with Thanksgiving & other holiday gatherings on the horizon, I wanted to develop an AIP-compliant sweet potato casserole that I could still eat.

Today, I usually prefer white sweet potatoes (Hannah or Japanese varieties), because they’re a little less sweet and a little more reminiscent of regular white potatoes. However, since traditional sweet potato casserole is almost a dessert masquerading as a side dish, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are necessary. Orange sweet potatoes provide naturally sweet flavors, needing only minimal additions of real maple syrup (or other AIP-complaint sweetener).

Tingernuts work as a wonderful substitution for pecans when making the topping. If you haven’t worked with tigernuts before, know that they aren’t actually a nut, but a tuber. I’ve worked with them in several forms: whole, ground into flour, and most recently “sliced.” The tigernut flour is a bit gritty, but I think that texture works well in this case where it is replacing actual nuts. The whole tigernuts can be really hard on your jaw, unless they’re soaked ahead of time. Organic Gemini, my favorite tigernut company, has recently released sliced tigernuts, & I find they work just perfectly in this recipe. Sliced tigernuts keep some of the crunch of whole tigernuts, but they are not nearly as tough to chew.

Aside from this sweet potato casserole containing ingredients that are AIP-compliant, I also appreciate that it can be made ahead of time. AIP advocates not only dietary changes, but also stress reduction, and typically holidays can be stressful!! With this year being my second holiday season on AIP, I know from experience that often AIP holiday meals require much more preparation (and many fewer convenience foods) than my previous “standard” holiday meals. I like having AIP-variations of my traditional holiday favorites, but often that means I have to make them entirely from scratch myself.  Thankfully, both this sweet potato casserole and the green beans I posted last week can be prepared ahead of time & reheated just before serving. Also, this recipe is vegan, just in case you have any vegan guests.

I would encourage anyone thinking ahead to Thanksgiving and other holiday meal preparations to plan ahead as much as possible, & to make things a couple days in advance if you can. Turkey & gravy (here’s a link to my favorite AIP gravy from last year) are often best made the day of, but many side dishes can be prepared a couple days in advance.

If you’re looking for holiday dessert inspiration, stay tuned for my next post & a very exciting announcement! 

In the mean time, here are some other resources:

• My friend Bre’anna at “He Won’t Know It’s Paleo” has a new holiday e-book "AIP Holiday"  
• Holidays on the Autoimmune Protocol : compiled by "Autoimmune Paleo"
• The Paleo Mom has a new e-book available: Thanksgiving Feast
• Paleo Magazine's 2014 AIP Thanksgiving Meal Plan

Sweet Potato Casserole with Tigernuts

yields 6-8 servings as a side dish

For the Sweet Potato Filling

3 pounds orange sweet potatoes

1025 g (4 1/3 c) sweet potato flesh (from the 3# of sweet potatoes above), room temperature

42 g (3 Tbl) Coconut Oil, melted

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1 to 2 Tbl Real Maple Syrup (Grade A dark amber/Grade B preferred), depending on sweetness preferences 

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/4 tsp Vanilla Bean Powder

For the Tigernut Topping

60 g (1/2 c) Tigernut Flour

40 g (5 Tbl) Arrowroot Starch

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

39 g (2 Tbl) Real Maple Syrup (Grade A dark amber/Grade B preferred)

28 g (2 Tbl) Coconut Oil, melted

25 g (1/3 c) Sliced Tigernuts

1. Prepare the sweet potatoes for the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 F. the sweet potato filling: Wash the 3 pounds of sweet potatoes. Prick them with the tip of a sharp knife & place on a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake for 1-2 hours, or until very soft. Cool at room temperature & peel off the skin. Note: this roasting process can be done 1 to 2 days in advance of assembling the casserole. Store the baked/peeled sweet potatoes in the refrigerator
2. Make the filling by mashing the room temperature baked sweet potatoes with the remaining ingredients. Spread evenly in a baking dish. I used a 24 oz (2.3"x 9.8"x 6.3") Le Creuset Oval Gratin Dish but you could use another baking dish of comparable size. 
3. Make the tigernut topping by stirring together the tigernut flour, arrowroot, cinnamon and sea salt. Drizzle in the maple syrup and coconut oil. Mix until combined, but still a little clumpy. Stir in the slivered tigernuts. 
4. Sprinkle the tigernut topping evenly over the sweet potato filling. Bake in a 350 F oven for 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are warmed & the topping begins to brown. 
5. Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers. 

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