Author Archives for Sandra Shields, Healthy Food and Wellness Blogger, Health Coach, Balanced Living, Clean Beauty Consultant

About Sandra Shields, Healthy Food and Wellness Blogger, Health Coach, Balanced Living, Clean Beauty Consultant

Hello! I am Sam. I am a foodie, baker and a Health Coach who likes being in the kitchen making food. My recipes are all gluten free and there are recipes for different food intolerances as well. If you are looking to incorporate healthier eating habits and live a more balanced life, I hope to inspire you. I have had an obsession with baking since I was ten! I started this blog to share recipes I was making for myself after finding out I had gluten sensitivity and other food intolerances which I have mostly healed, but will always be sensitive to gluten. I went to school for Health Coaching as a second career at Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Nutrient dense food gives the body the best fuel and building blocks to be vibrant, healthy, prevent disease, and maintain great energy as well as heal. I am excited to share delicious food recipes, tips, baking and treats too!

Rum Raisin Ice Cream (Dairy Free)

For all those of you who have been missing Rum Raisin Ice Cream, here is a clean ingredient recipe! Rum Raisin Ice Cream was one of my favorites when I was a teenager. It is a classic flavor and perfect anytime of year, but I really like it in the Autumn. The rum flavor and raisins remind me of my Grandmother’s Plum Pudding with Hard Sauce she always made for the holidays with her recipe from “the old country”, as she used to say. She meant England. She had a very old recipe from my Great, Great, Great Grandmother that I want to try and revamp into a gluten free version. But for now, ice cream!

Rum Raisin Bowl of Dairy Free Ice Cream

This is a simple and delicious recipe of this classic that is dairy and egg free! If you are low fodmap, you can substitute currants for the raisins, and it will be simply delicious!

Rum Raisin Ice Cream (Dairy Free)

Now for the recipe!

Rum Raisin Ice Cream (Dairy Free)

Ingredients:

2 Cans of Coconut Milk (Full Fat)

1/2 Cup of Honey (use Clover Honey if Low FodMap)

1/2 Cup of Raisins (substitute currants if making Low FodMap)

1/4 Cup of Gelatin (Collagen not the Thickening Kind Here great for your hair, skin, nails and tummy)

2 Tablespoons of White Rum

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1/8 Teaspoon of Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

Whisk all the ingredients together except the raisins. Stir in the raisins. Refrigerate for 4 hours to let the raisins plump and absorb some of the flavors and get the mixture chilled. Churn in an ice cream maker. Serve!

One of the things I like about adding rum to a non-dairy ice cream is, if you have leftovers and freeze them, the ice cream is easy to scoop right from the freezer.

8 Servings

Eat Your Nutrients!

Blueberry Frozen Yogurt (Made with Sheep’s Milk Yogurt)

I feel like I just won a prize! I recently found plain Sheep’s Milk yogurt at my local food co-op. Sheep’s Milk Yogurt is easily digestible, similar to goat’s milk, and many who don’t tolerate dairy in the form of cow’s milk or goat’s milk, can tolerate sheep’s milk, as it is very close to human breast milk. Sheep’s milk has a very high fat content naturally, so it is super creamy and requires no thickner’s or stabilizers. Another bonus if you are not a goat’s dairy fan because of the stronger flavor, sheep’s milk is very mild tasting. There are a lot of nutritional benefits to sheep’s milk and it has been consumed by humans for thousands of years. Read more about it here!

blueberry-frozen-yogurt-paleo-friendly

I am so thrilled about finding this yogurt that I actually tolerate very well, and tastes amazing! I want to eat it every day. I like to have it with a touch of honey and fruit, and even plain. Plus, it works great in savory dips and sauces.

black-sheep-yogurt

But today, I am using it to make a frozen yogurt with only 4 ingredients, and it is super delicious! Before I forget, here is the brand I found that is made in New York State. It is called Black Sheep Yogurt by Old Chatham Sheep Herding Creamery. If you can’t find a good Sheep’s Milk Yogurt where you are, you can buy this brand online and have it shipped directly to you.

blueberry-frozen-yogurt-recipe-honey-sweetened-sheeps-milk-yogurt

Blueberry Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients:

1 16 oz. container of Plain Yogurt (I used Sheep’s Milk)

1/2 Cup of Frozen Blueberries

1/4 Cup of Honey

2 Teaspoons of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

Directions:

Place everything but the yogurt in a small saucepan, and warm together stirring constantly over medium heat to just warm. The honey should be dissolved and the blueberries warmed.

Put the yogurt into a medium bowl. Pour the berries over the top and whisk together.

Making Blueberry Frozen Yogurt with Sheep’s Milk Yogurt

Put directly into an ice cream maker, and churn until done. This takes approximately 30 minutes depending on your machine.

That’s it! So super easy and sooooooo good!

Enjoy the day!!!!!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Frosted Jackolantern Pumpkin Cookies

What kids doesn’t like a cute jackolantern pumpkin cookie this time of year! Especially if it is frosted! This honey of a cookie is thick and soft with just the right amount of pumpkin flavor.

Gluten Free/Grain Free Frosted Jackolantern Pumpkin Cookies

You will need a handmixer and a cookie scoop for this easy recipe……no rolling involved.

Frosted Jackolantern Pumpkin Cookies

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350º degrees F.

Lay out a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 Cups Superfine Almond Flour

2 Tablespoons Coconut Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/3 Cup Pumpkin Puree, SCD Legal

1 Egg

3 Tablespoons Clear Honey

1 Teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract

Directions: In a medium bowl, whisk together the first five dry ingredients. In a separate small bowl, with a hand held electric mixer, mix the wet ingredients together….the pumpkin puree, egg, honey and vanilla extract.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix until fully incorporated. With a 1/2 cup ice cream or cookie scoop, scoop the cookies onto your prepared cookie sheet. There should be six even sized scoops. Now, flatten into 3/4 inch thick circles with your hand, and then pinch the tops, patting and pinching to make the stem.

Bake in your preheated oven for 16 – 20 minutes, rotating the pan end to end after ten minutes. Keep an eye on them the last five minutes. The edges should be starting to brown, but not the centers.

Remove from the oven and cool completely while you make the frosting.

For the frosting:

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons of Organic Shortening

3 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Tablespoon of Cacao Powder

In a small bowl with a hand held electric mixer, blend the shortening and honey together until it is whipped nicely.

Take a plastic sandwich bag and snip off one end. Insert a metal round piping tip into the snipped end. Scoop out two tablespoons of the white frosting from your bowl, and place it in the snipped bag. Twist the top moving the icing toward the piping tip. Set aside.

To the remaining frosting still in the bowl, add one tablespoon of cocao powder. Blend with your electric mixer.

Spread the chocolate frosting onto each cookie evenly, except the stems. Pipe the frosting on for the eyes and mouth.

It makes six large cookies. Yes, I know the picture shows five cookies. That’s because I ate one! 🙂

Happy Halloween! Boo!

Frosted Jackolantern Pumpkin Cookie – Grain Free

Ming Turns Five!

Happy Birthday Ming Ming! Your pug face bring me joy every day!

Happy Birthday Ming!

Ming Turns Five

Birthday Girl!

Hearty Baked Chicken and Sausage with Mushrooms

hearty-chicken-and-sausage

A Hearty Chicken and Sausage bake is a real crowd pleaser! We recently had the family doing some hard work here around the house, and they have been coming in at dinnertime ravenous! I have been calling them “a bunch of cavemen” 🙂 because they have been devouring the protein part of the meal. Have you every had cravings for protein?

chicken-and-sausages

Well, I’m a firm believer in listening to your body, so I made this Hearty Chicken and Sausage Bake for dinner, because all that use of muscle was creating a serious craving around here.

hearty-chicken-and-sasage-dinner

Hearty Chicken and Sausage with Mushrooms

Preheat the oven to 375º degrees.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Pounds of Bone In ChickenThighs

12 oz. of Fully Cooked Sausage Cut in Half on a Diagonal (I used gluten free Applegate Chicken and Apple)

1 Can of White Button Mushrooms

1 Large Yellow Onion, quartered and sliced

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced (or substitute 1 Garlic Olive Oil for the Olive Oil above)

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Sauce:

1 1/2 Teaspoons Dried Basil

1 Teaspoon Dried Tarragon

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Thyme

1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Rosemary

1/4 Teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes

2 Tablespoon of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Whisk the Sauce ingredients together and set aside.

In a large dutch oven, or an oven safe saute pan that you can cover with foil, pour the olive oil and garlic if using. Season the chicken with salt and pepper while warming the oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, and brown on both sides for about 5 minutes each side. Add the sausages, tucking them in around the chicken. Sprinkle the mushrooms and onion on top.

Drizzle with the previously prepared sauce. Cover and bake in your preheated oven for 40 minutes.

This can be served with hot jasmine white rice and vegetables.

Eat Your Nutrients!

SIBO – What Causes It and Why It’s So Hard to Treat

Anyone suffering from IBS-C or SIBO needs to know this new information. I am so happy that research is ongoing, and this new treatment is exciting and easily accessible. I subscribe to Chris Kresser’s newsletter, here is the latest article written by guest Dr. Amy Nett, MD on Kresser Institute for Functional and Evolutionary Medicine.

Here is the link! https://kresserinstitute.com/sibo-causes-hard-treat/

Have a wonderful day!

Sweet and Salty Spiced Nuts

Crunchy, Salty, Sweet and Healthy. Those words don’t go together very often when you are talking snacks. But these Sweet and Salty Spiced Nuts do!

They are fun to make, and a great choice for a snack. A serving size of nuts is smaller, but they are totally satisfying!……..AND they can be eaten with other things. They are really good sprinkled on salad, over yogurt if you tolerate it, and used as a muffin or quick bread topping. They are really pretty to put out in a bowl for pre-dinner or party munchies for guests too. I like to throw a bag of them in my purse for when I get hungry when away from home.

Sweet and Salty Spiced Nuts

Spiced nuts are so easy to make, and they fill the house with a warm spice smell that is better than potpourri! I used Walnuts, Pecans, Cashews and Pumpkin Seeds in this recipe.

Honey Sweetened Sweet and Salty Spiced Nuts

Sweet and Salty Spiced Nuts

Preheat your oven to 350º degrees. Lay out two parchment lined cookie sheets.

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Raw Pecans

2 Cups of Raw Walnuts

1 Cup of Raw Cashews

1 Cup Pumpkin Seeds

2 Egg Whites

2 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Crushed Rosemary

1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Cardamom

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Nutmeg

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Ginger

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Allspice

1/8 Teaspoon of Ground Cloves

In a large bowl, add the Walnuts, Pecans, Cashews and Pumpkin Seeds. Mix your spices, rosemary and salt In a small bowl, and set aside. Whisk together the egg whites and honey until frothy. Pour over the nuts and toss thoroughly. Sprinkle half of the spice mixture over the nuts and seeds, and toss well! Do it again with the remaining spice mixture, coating the mixture evenly.

Spread onto your two prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes in your preheated oven. Toss them with a spatula, and bake another 7 to ten minutes until dry and golden brown. Watch them carefully, so they don’t get too dark at the end of the baking time!

Cool Completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for everyone to enjoy. I put them on the counter in a petty jar so the kids and hubby grab them as a snack! The power of visual suggestion! 🙂

Delicious Spiced Nuts

Baked Spiced Nuts – Paleo

Enjoy your day!!!

Eat Your Nutrients!

20 Warming Paleo Soups for Autumn!

20-paleo-soups-to-make-for-autumn

School is in full swing! It’s going to be October this weekend………….what? The sniffles are already going around at school. So, I am giving you a roundup of delicious, nourishing soups full of broth and vegetables that you can enjoy all winter! Grandma was right about soup! Not only is it comforting, but it is healthy, warming and nourishing! Eat up! 🙂

Beef and Cabbage Soup from My Big Fat Grain Free Life

Beef Shank Vegetable Soup from Eat Heal Thrive

Chicken “Zoodle” Soup from The Tasty Alternative

Chinese Meatball Soup from Paleo Flourish Magazine

Cioppino Redux from Rem Cooks

Crock Pot Chicken and Vegetable Soup from Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Crock Pot Cream of Tomato Basil Soup (Dairy Free) from Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Curried Cream of Broccoli Soup from Nom Nom Paleo

Delicata Squash Soup from A Girl Worth Saving

Fennel and Spinach Soup from Healing Family Eats

Hearty and Nourishing Vegetable Bison Soup from Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Jalapeno and Bacon Cream of Mushroom Soup from Naked Cuisine

Moroccan Spiced Carrot Soup with Pomegranate and Curried Kale Chips from Reclaiming Yesterday

New England Clam Chowder (Dairy Free) from Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Paleo Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo from Foraged Dish

Paleo Cream of Pumpkin Soup from Oh Snap! Let’s Eat!

Paleo Egg Drop Soup for One from Wicked Spatula

Roasted Pumpkin Soup from Against All Grain

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup from Paleo Grubs

Spicy Asian Chicken, Veggie and “Noodle” Soup from Every Last Bite

Enjoy your day!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Grain Free Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake

Today is the first day of Autumn, and to celebrate I am baking this Grain Free Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake! Enjoy this cake after a beautiful afternoon of raking leaves with someone you love! Or, sit outside on a cool sweatshirt morning with a piece of this cake and a warm cup of coffee! It is pure heaven!!!

grain-free-pumpkin-coffee-cake-for-autumn

When you hear coffee cake, don’t just think of breakfast. This is a great snack cake. I have drizzled the top while it is still warm with a glaze that soaks in and makes the cake super moist! So grab your Bundt pan!

pumpkin-coffee-cake-grain-free

Grain Free Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake

Preheat your oven to 350º degrees. Now, lets get our ingredients out.

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Canned Pumpkin (I use this brand)

3 Eggs

1/4 Cup of Honey

1/4 Cup of Coconut Oil

1 1/2 Cups of Superfine Almond Flour (I like this brand)

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Flour (I use this brand)

1 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon of Allspice

1/4 Teaspoon of Nutmeg

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Ginger

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar

1/3 Cup of Coarsely Chopped Raw Pecans

Glaze:

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil (melted)

2 Teaspoons of Honey

1/8 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

a pinch of sea salt

Directions: Grease a Bundt pan with organic shortening or coconut oil and set it aside. In a large bowl with a hand held mixer, blend the pumpkin, eggs, honey, and coconut oil for two minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, spices, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix with your hand held mixer until thoroughly incorporated. Add the teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and blend again for 30 seconds.

Spoon the batter into the Bundt pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the top with your coarsely chopped pecans. Place in the preheated oven for 40 minutes to bake. The top should spring back slightly when ready. Remove the pan from the oven, and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. While it is cooling, prepare the glaze above.

After five minutes, turn the Bundt pan over with a wire rack on top of it to catch the cake. When it is out of the pan it will be upside down. Turn the cake right side up by using another wire rack sandwiching the cake between the two, or carefully use your hands to turn the cake right side up with the pecans on top. Drizzle the glaze onto the cake and cool.

pumpkin-coffee-cake

Happy Autumn! Although it’s still hotter than average for September, there are signs of Fall outside. The pumpkins are ripening for one, and before you know it, it will be time for cozy sweatshirts and jeans, and leaf raking!

Grain Free Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake

Eat Your Nutrients!

Grain Free No Bake Healthy Energy Bars

This recipe came about because my daughter, Danielle, asked me to try and replicate her beloved bar she orders online. She recently had a baby, and needed some handy, nutritious, energy-rich snacks on hand.

Make Your Own Bronco Energy Bars

She is breastfeeding, and her baby boy has a voracious appetite. He is adorable and growing fast at one month old. She regularly orders these bars to have on hand for her and her husband for packing in their work lunches and for snacks. She is a nurse, and he is a teacher. She is home on an extended maternity leave and is pinching pennies to stay home as long as possible, so she wondered if it was doable to make them herself at home. So I said I would give it a whirl.

I am happy to report that she thought they were “Amazing”! 🙂

These bars are chocked full of goodness! They have almond butter, healthy coconut oil, unsweetened coconut, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins, honey, almond flour, sea salt and vanilla. They are a symphony in your mouth. There is no baking involved! Make Your Own Mustang Bars on a Tray.JPG

Bronco Energy Bars

Lay out a small cookie sheet and cut parchment paper to fit the pan. Set aside.

You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Almond Butter

1/2 Cup of Coconut Oil

1/2 Cup of Raw Honey

1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Mix all the above ingredients together with a mixer until well blended.

Add in:

1 Cup of Roughly Chopped Raw Walnuts

1 Cup of Sliced Almonds

1 Cup of Almond Flour

1/2 Cup of Raisins

1/2 Cup of Pumpkin Seeds

1/2 Cup of Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

Pour the nuts, raisins, almond flour, pumpkin seeds and coconut into the bowl of the mixed ingredients. Blend in all with your mixer, or hand stir with a wooden spoon. Pour onto the cookie sheet and pat out with some coconut oil on your fingertips to keep them from sticking to your hands. Pat them to your desired thickness. You don’t have to fill up the whole cookie sheet if you have a larger one. Just pat an edge. Freeze for 30 minutes before cutting them into bars.

Store them in the refrigerator or freezer. If you will be packing them in a lunch, make sure you have an ice pack in your bag as they get soft a room temperature. 🙂

Paleo Energy Bars