Pizza Crust (Primal/Paleo)
Well, here it is. After trying coconut flour pizza crusts (we were not huge fans) and multiple tries at other types of pizza crusts, this is what has emerged from my kitchen. This is one of our favorite recipes, yet I feel like there may still be some revisions coming with temperatures and baking times. I realize the picture has cheese on it (we eat our pizza with cheese), but if you are dairy-free, you can certainly make it without! This is just a recipe for a basic crust. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Note: This makes one, large pizza. If you would like to make a smaller pizza, I will include a condensed recipe below.
Pizza Crust (Grain-free)
Ingredients:
2 cups almond flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1 cup arrowroot powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 eggs
1/2 cup homemade almond milk (or store-bought)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a round pizza pan (no holes) or cookie sheet. (I use a baking stone.)
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk to blend together.
3. Add eggs and almond milk to the dry ingredients. Mix well. (The batter will be runny–not like typical pizza dough.)
4. Use a spatula to spread batter onto greased pan.
5. Bake crust in preheated oven 8-12 minutes.
6. Remove crust from oven and top with sauce and desired toppings.
7. Bake for another 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!
*Note: the thicker you spread your crust, the longer you will need to bake it the first time. I have occasionally made it thicker and the middle was still slightly gooey. I recommend spreading it thin or baking it long enough so that the middle is well done.
Let me know what you tried and if you experiment with times/temps!
Here is the smaller version of the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup almond flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
3/4 cup arrowroot
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 eggs
1/3 cup almond milk
Directions: Same as above, but cooking times will probably be shorter unless you make it thick.
Shared at Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Pennywise Platter and Fight Back Friday!
Pineapple Chicken Kabobs
I love grilled food…but am FAR from being a grilling expert…I tried doing kabobs for the first time the other day and totally charbroiled them. I attempted a second try last night with some fantastic suggestions from my mother-in-law and husband and their advice proved to be great!
I will try to explain what I did the first time [wrong], so you can try to avoid the same mistakes. I cooked the kabobs on medium-high heat for 12 minutes and had laid them on the grate vertically (parallel to the grate). They stuck to the grate horribly (food was left on the grate after I picked up the kabob) and they were black on the side that was down. Now, if you can cook kabobs on medium-high heat and they turn out for you, that is fantastic–do it the way that works for you. I, on the other hand, can’t avoid charbroiling anything I cook with direct heat. My husband suggested I use my grill basket to set them in and my mother-in-law (who grills AMAZING steaks) suggested cooking them with indirect heat. Result? Success! And now I am excited to share this recipe with you and hope that you enjoy it!
Pineapple Chicken Kabobs
Kabob Ingredients:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 – 1 pound bacon
1 can of pineapple chunks
Veggies (I think mushrooms, onions and peppers would be good, but didn’t have any on hand so skipped doing veggies)
Marinade Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. coconut aminos (this is a soy-free substitute for soy sauce–I use Coconut Secret brand)
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. raw honey
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
Directions:
1. Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes.
2. Combine coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, honey, oil and garlic in a small bowl and blend well.
3. Put chicken (and veggies, if marinating) into dish and pour marinade over top of the chicken. Stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. Cut bacon strips in half so you have shorter lengths to work with.
5. Wrap chicken chunks in bacon and put skewer through both bacon and chicken so bacon is secure. Alternate with pineapple chunks and veggies, as desired.
6. Preheat grill burners over high heat (my grill has 3 burners). Clean off grill, turn off middle burner, and turn down front and back burners to medium or medium-high heat.
7. Place kabobs perpendicular to the grate over the middle burner (which is off). (This is where I had them in a grill basket.)
8. Cook for 10 minutes. Use tongs to turn kabobs over and cook another 10-15 minutes or until chicken juices are clear and bacon is crispy. Enjoy!!
*Note: The amount of bacon and pineapple is not clearly defined in the ingredients because it just depends on how much you want to use. I alternated this way: chicken wrapped in bacon, pineapple, chicken, pineapple, chicken wrapped in bacon, etc., but get creative and tell me what other foods you tried with yours!
This recipe was shared on Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Proverbs 31 Thursday Link-Up, Pennywise Platter and Superfood Sundays!
Tacos with “Paleo Tortillas”
This is a recipe I found on Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations facebook page. It makes eating tacos a bit more exciting than just eating a taco salad…My “tortillas” don’t look nearly as delicate or round as his do, but they still taste good! My tortillas are maybe a bit thin, as they don’t hold up too well when you try to pick it up and eat it like a tostada. It usually ends up being crunched up like chips and eaten with a fork! Either way, it tastes good and we think it adds a nice touch to “tacos”. You can find the original recipe here. Thanks Civilized Caveman for a great recipe!
Tacos with “Paleo Tortillas”
Ingredients:
2 cups almond flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
2 large eggs
1 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp. salt
taco toppings of choice (ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning, lettuce, tomatoes, taco sauce or salsa, avocado, olives, onions, etc.)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine flour, eggs, oil and salt in a bowl and mix until well blended.
3. Roll out balls of dough between two pieces of parchment paper to desired thickness (1/8″ thick or so). Remove top layer of parchment paper and place bottom layer with dough onto a baking sheet. (I put 3 tortillas on a sheet at a time.)
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-10 minutes or until desired “crispness” is achieved.
5. Enjoy!
Hungarian Hortobagy Pancakes (thin pancakes with meat filling and sauce)
I made these one night after I had a pregnancy craving for them. I haven’t had them since I was in Hungary nine years ago, but I never forgot their delicious taste! I have fond memories of the family I ate these with and the sweet lady who made them for my team and I. Unfortunately for me, the original recipe contains flour, sour cream and milk…but I was able to come up with substitutions and I will be making them again! I hope you enjoy this main dish!
Hungarian Hortobagy Pancakes (thin pancakes with meat filling and sauce)
Pancake Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. coconut flour
1/4 cup arrowroot
1 1/3 cup almond milk
8 eggs
2 tsp. coconut oil or butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
(extra oil or butter for greasing pan)
Pancake Directions:
1. Combine above ingredients in a blender and blend until just combined.
2. Preheat a 10″ skillet on medium heat.
3. Lightly grease pan with coconut oil or butter.
4. Put 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup batter in skillet.
5. Once pancake is set, use a square turner to flip pancake and cook briefly on the other side.
6. Set pancakes aside.
*Makes 11 pancakes.
Filling Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts, cubed (I’ve heard pork is a great filling as well!)
1/2 onion
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 Tbsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Filling Directions:
1. Finely chop onion. Cook in a skillet with oil until transparent.
2. Add chicken, paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Cook until tender and chicken is cooked through.
4. Remove chicken and onions from heat (I use a mesh strainer to separate juices).
5. Put juices back into pan.
6. Shred the chicken.
Sauce Ingredients:
Juices from cooking chicken/onion
1 cup coconut milk (canned)
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. arrowroot
Sauce Directions:
1. Combine coconut milk and lemon juice in a small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes. (This is our sour cream substitute.)
2. Thicken the juices in the pan with arrowroot and 2 Tbsp. of the coconut milk/lemon juice mixture.
3. Bring juice to boil and then add the rest of the coconut cream/lemon juice mixture to it. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes or until sauce is heated through.
Assembly of Pancakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put 2 Tbsp. of the sauce into the chicken/onion mixture.
3. Spread chicken mixture on pancakes. Fold up.
4. Put (8) rolled up pancakes in a 9×9 baking dish and pour sauce over the top of the pancakes. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until sauce is bubbling. (You will have 3 leftover pancakes…save these for fruit and coconut whipped cream for dessert later!)
*To roll-up the filled pancakes, I just folded in two opposite sides and then folded the other two sides in and laid them in the pan, folds down.
Salmon (or Tuna) Conglomeration
Well…as you can probably tell from the name of this recipe, I really had no idea what to call it, but we’ve had it once with tuna and once with salmon and loved it both ways. Even my two-year old gobbled it up! And it is very forgiving, so feel free to change up amounts and ingredients!
Salmon (or Tuna) Conglomeration
Ingredients:
10-15 oz. of salmon or tuna
1-2 sweet potatoes (I used the “sweet potatoes” that are lighter in color and have a yellowish flesh)
1-2 cups frozen peas
3 eggs
3-4 Tbsp. butter
Directions:
1. If your salmon or tuna is not pre-baked, bake it and chop it.
2. Hard boil the eggs (I bring water with eggs in it to a boil and boil for 10 minutes). Chop or slice eggs into desired sizes.
3. Cut up sweet potato(es) into small, bite-sized pieces (1/2″ to 1″).
4. Fry potatoes in butter in large skillet, stirring frequently.
5. Meanwhile, heat up peas in a bit of water in a medium saucepan.
6. Once the potatoes are cooked to desired tenderness, add boiled eggs, salmon or tuna, and peas. Cover and cook one minute or until everything is warm! Serve!
Lemon Chicken Bake
Lemon Chicken Bake
Ingredients:
2 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 tsp. salt
3-4 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 cup oil (I used melted butter)
4 chicken breasts (I used frozen)
1 onion
2-3 carrots
1 large sweet potato
(other veggies of choice!)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine lemon juice, pepper, salt, garlic, and oil or butter in a bowl.
3. Cut up onion, carrots and sweet potato into wedges or chunks.
4. Baste chicken with a bit of the lemon mixture then pour the rest of the lemon mixture over the veggies and stir to coat.
5. Place chicken and veggies in a large pan and bake at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender.
*I think peppers, lemon wedges or zucchini would be great add-ins as well! I just used what I had in my kitchen and we were happy with the results!
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped (optional)
2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste (about 2/3 cup)
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. oil
Directions:
1. Fry ground beef in saucepan. Add onions if using and cook until tender.
2. Chop tomatoes to desired consistency.
3. Add tomatoes, paste, seasonings, and oil to the saucepan.
4. Cook over medium-low heat until heated through.
*Serve over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash, with a slice of Grain-Free Sandwich Bread sprinkled with garlic salt and your favorite veggie. (The photo is zucchini–cut into noodles with a julienne peeler.)
*I’ve even tried this with cherry tomatoes–it worked and had good flavor but was a bit more “watery” than typical sauce.
Swedish Pancakes (Thin Pancakes)
Swedish pancakes was one of my absolute favorite breakfasts growing up. I know I requested it multiple times for my “birthday breakfast”. It was another one of those food items I had missed since going grain-free. I say had missed because now I can enjoy them again! My dad always made swedish pancakes for us on a lefse griddle. I also make swedish pancakes on a lefse griddle, but you should be able to make them in a skillet on the stove.
Swedish Pancakes
Ingredients:
8 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
3 Tbsp. coconut flour
1/4 cup arrowroot
1/4 tsp. salt
butter or oil
Directions:
1. Preheat griddle or skillet. (I set my lefse griddle to 325 degrees.)
2. Combine all the ingredients in a blender.
3. Blend until just combined.
4. Butter or grease skillet. (I take a stick of butter and rub the end of it around the griddle.)
5. Pour a thin layer of batter on griddle or skillet. Tip griddle or skillet in a circular motion to spread it out. Cook until the bottom is lightly browned. Flip over and cook briefly until that side is lightly browned. Enjoy!
*Serve with fresh fruit, maple syrup or just eat it plain!
Coconut Flour Waffles
We love waffles. And these waffles make us pretty happy, especially considering they are paleo!
Coconut Flour Waffles
Makes: 5-6 four-inch waffles
Ingredients:
4 eggs, separated
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted (or other oil)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup almond milk or coconut milk
1/4 cup sifted coconut flour
1/2 Tbsp. honey
Directions:
1. Put all the egg whites in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a second mixing bowl, combine egg yolks and all the rest of the ingredients.
3. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter mixture and gently mix until egg whites are incorporated.
4. Pour appropriate amount unto your waffle iron and cook. (On my waffle iron, I put 1 – 1 1/2 cups of batter on it and cook for 2 1/2 -3 1/2 minutes.)
5. Serve with fruit, pure maple syrup, and/or coconut whipped cream!
*This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled and the leftovers saved for later!
Shared on Pennywise Platter on 3/29/12!
Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches
I usually buy meat when it is on sale and I stock up. When I buy pork ribs, for example, I divide them into freezer bags and freeze them in portions we will use (for our family, 3-4 ribs per bag). I used to make pork ribs in the oven…they were fine, but not great. Then I discovered I could put my frozen pork ribs in a crock-pot in the morning and by supper-time, they would be moist and tender and would pull-apart really easily! That was an exciting discovery for me!
Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients:
3 boneless pork ribs (mine are frozen)
3 oz. can tomato paste
1/3 cup water
1/2 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic salt
Directions:
1. Put frozen pork ribs in a crock-pot on low for 6-8 hours. (If they are not frozen, less time will be needed.) Shred with a fork and leave the pork in the pot.
2. Combine all the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook for a few minutes on medium-low. Taste and adjust spices according to taste. You may also want to add more water to make the sauce thinner, if desired.
3. Pour sauce into crock-pot and stir to coat.
*Serve over Grain-Free Sandwich Bread or by itself! Enjoy!
*The sauce was good by itself, but when mixed with the juices of the pork and the pork itself, it became more mild in taste. Feel free to add more spices to your liking!