What's for Dessert? or, Another Pumpkin Bar Recipe!

Has anyone noticed that this blog has been suspiciously quiet? I didn't think so.

S and I have been eating by "The Plan" for several months now - more or less. We were pretty strict in the beginning, but once we started to "test" different foods, things got hard. Short story is that it is a great protocol for testing for food sensitivities or allergies — but not a lose-weight-fast plan. If you have a social life and eat outside of your own kitchen even occasionally, it can be a challenge. HOWEVER. I have learned a great deal about how my body works, what foods work better for me, and how to decrease inflammation in my body. And that has totally been worth it. I now avoid all corn and cow-dairy products as much as possible, and feel so much better for it. I drink more water, take my probiotics, and pay attention to how my body likes the foods I feed it. (It likes goat cheese.)

Now, for dessert. I wanted to come up with a quick fall dessert last night, and did a fast internet search for a "paleo pumpkin cake" since I had basic ingredients around and wanted to use up some almond butter. I found this one by Erica at the thevanityeffect.com, and it was a hit. I'm retyping it since I made some minor changes. I used a larger pan, and made Pumpkin Bars, and our brownie-loving friends devoured them.

Paleo Pumpkin Bars

1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup almond butter (I used creamy)
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
1/2 cup chocolate chips (organic are better)
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice blend (that's what I had; you could also use pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg or just use the cinnamon)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat eggs and honey together; beat in pumpkin puree and almond butter. Add remaining ingredients, and pour into a 9x13" pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, until they test done. Allow to cool and cut into squares. To be fancy, you could frost with some coconut cream or "cheat" with some real whipped cream, but they are excellent plain. 

Please note that these are quite different from Hilary's Pumpkin Bars, which are made with coconut flour. Those are yummy too! Try both and have a Pumpkin-Bar-Off. Sounds like a good party idea.

Finally Figured Out What's for Breakfast

Eating Paleo/primal/low-carb/gluten-free/whatever has been a revelation in many ways. I feel so much better, have lost a bit of weight and generally have more energy. But breakfast? You can only eat so many eggs, even with a bit of bacon or spinach or sriracha. Or all three. I save wheat and rice for special occasions, and usually only eat a small amount with no negative effects. Cornbread, on the other hand, generally means an instant headache.

I found a recipe for a "Skinny Muffin" in Jorge Cruise's book "The 100" and it looked interesting. Flax meal, eggs, healthy oil; all ingredients I regularly use. I tried it, once, as written, and then immediately took off and developed my own Breakfast Muffin. 

The real clincher for this recipe? Three small muffins, usually eaten with a bit of butter/olive oil spread, regularly keep me satisfied for three-five hours. And that's impressive.

First, the basic muffin recipe.

Cindy's Breakfast Muffins

5 eggs
2 tbsp melted coconut oil or mild olive oil
1/4 cup almond milk
3/4 cup flaxseed meal
2 tbsp coconut flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)
1 packet (or 1-2 teaspoons) stevia (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Beat eggs, oil and almond milk together; add dry ingredients and stir to blend. Lightly grease (I use Trader Joe's coconut oil spray) a muffin tin, and divide the batter for 12 muffins. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

These muffins are small, and not anything like those giant pieces of cake that Costco calls a muffin. Split, and enjoy with a bit of butter, yogurt, ricotta or cream cheese or whatever makes you happy.

Now for Weekend Muffins.

Do you have one of these in your cupboard?

I used the same batter and cooked the muffins in my old grilled-cheese-sandwich maker. I'm sure it made more than 12, but we ate them so fast I didn't have time to count.

Weekend Muffins!

Somehow the new shape made the difference. We split these, spread with greek yogurt and added fresh raspberries. My husband drizzled some maple syrup over his, and I found a jar of homemade plum jam in the refrigerator and added a tiny smidge. Delicious! Who needs waffles?

Well, I bet you could cook the batter in a waffle iron, or even as pancakes in a cast iron skillet. Enjoy!

What Would Hil Eat: Dinner + Mug Cake

After a weekend of not-much-cooking, I had a cooking marathon yesterday. I made Paleo Mayo, roasted some sweet potatoes, browned ground pork, made pumpkin bars, then made dinner. Sauteed kale, roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots, and chicken with leeks.

Starting with kale, wash the leaves and cut off the big stems, then roughly chop the leaves (not your fingers...I've learned the hard way).

In a large skillet on medium high, melt some coconut oil, then pile in your kale. It might look like it won't fit, but trust me, it will cook way down.

Here is where you can get creative: add some garlic, seasonings, a little balsamic (if that floats your boat), maybe a little chicken broth or water to help the kale soften. Don't add too much liquid or it will get soggy. My favorite lately has been a little garlic, some chicken broth and a splash of balsamic, salt and pepper, then some honey (good idea, Mel!) toward the end to make a bit of a glaze. Let it simmer for a while, using tongs to flip and stir occasionally. At this point, I usually test a piece of kale to see if it's cooked--I like it a little crunchy. Turn the heat off.

My mom has recently recommended leeks (who knew?) sauteed with chicken, so I decided to try it. I used chicken tenders (aka chicken breasts cut into smaller pieces, thank you Sprouts).

Leeks can be misleading. They're huge when you buy them, but you only end up using maybe half of the whole stalk. But fear not, there are so many layers in a leek, you'll still end up with plenty. I only used one medium/large leek for this and it was enough.

Cut off the root and the top (the thick green leaves won't be good to eat), leaving the white/lighter green part. Cut it in half lengthwise and slice pretty thin. It's easiest to wash them now because there are so many layers...rinse in a colander and let dry a bit.

We'll pretend I remembered to wash them...

In a large skillet over medium high, melt coconut oil, then toss in the leeks. I think I added a little bit of water here to help them cook. Let them simmer and soften for a while, then add your chicken. As the chicken is cooking, season the pieces, then flip and repeat. The leeks will keep cooking with the chicken, and the whole pan will brown, so have some oil/broth ready to keep it from burning or drying out. Cook time will depend on the size of your chicken, so use your best judgement and don't overcook it!

Peel and chop some whole carrots. Rinse and chop Brussels sprouts (halves or quarters depending on the size).  Toss in olive oil and salt/pepper/whatever you want.  Put in the oven at 425 for approximately 15-20 minutes, but keep an eye on it, they might cook faster, or might take longer than that.

The way I cook, nothing is ready at the same time, so I just plate it then microwave the whole thing.

MUG. CAKE.
2 eggs
1/2 ripe banana
1 tbsp warmed coconut oil
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp coconut flour
1 tbsp cocoa
dash of cinnamon
dash of salt
Get creative, add what you want!

Either in a bowl or the food processor, mix eggs and banana until combined, add coconut oil, then the dry ingredients and keep mixing. Pour into a mug and microwave for 2.5 to 3 minutes or until cooked through. I only ate half, topped with chocolate chips and a little almond butter.