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!

Good Eats for a Lunar New Year Celebration!

Gung Hay Fat Choy! It is the first day of the Lunar New Year Celebration, and I have put together a collection of recipes that you can make for a fun party! It is also known as the Spring Festival, and spring is just around the corner! Believe it, it is coming! This year is the year of the sheep. It is my daughter, Skyli’s year. The date and animal changes every year, because it is based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar, you can see a calendar here and read fun facts! You have probably seen this calendar on a paper place mat at a Chinese restaurant.

Two of my daughters were born in China, so we celebrate every year, but you don’t have to be born there to celebrate! I have included here the Asian Fusion Shrimp Egg Custard with Scallion Oil Drizzle as a starter, Chinese Five Spice Chicken Bites, Asian Pork Ribs, Savory Carrot Scallion Pancakes and Matcha Green Tea Cookies. Serve it with some warm Jasmine Tea, Sliced Oranges (which signify good luck and prosperity in the coming year) and Cauliflower Rice or White Rice, and you have a party!

The Lunar New Year celebration lasts for two weeks, there are dragon dance parades, fireworks, good food and community culminating with the lantern festival. You will see a lion in the collage above. It is different from the dragon which comes at the end of the dragon dance parade. You can read more about Chinese New Year in China here. The decor is extraordinary during this time in Asia. Google Chinese New Year Photos to see real pictures of the parade.

Here is a photo of my family in China several years back in the spring in Tiananmen Square.

Our Family in Tiananmen Square While Traveling in China

There is nothing like traveling to the country of origin and eating the authentic food. It changed my entire view of Chinese food.

I hope you enjoy these recipes! For more delicious additions to your party, check out these Grain Free Chinese Almond Cookies on Tasty Yummies by Texarin Baking, or PaleoLeap’s Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry.

Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Note: White Rice is not Specific Carb Diet approved so go with cauliflower rice if you are on it.

Ming Hibernates

I know dogs technically don’t hibernate, and people don’t either, but sometimes we kinda do. With the shorter days of winter and colder weather here on the East Coast, Ming sleeps a lot more. She likes to find a patch of sunlight coming in through a window and camp out in the sunshine. Maybe she innately knows she needs her Vitamin D. She has a favorite blanket also. It is this red one. It came with her as a puppy. Did I mention she was a Christmas gift from my husband Doug? She is the first pet gift I had ever received. I can’t imagine not having Ming Ming, she has become such an important part of our family.

Ming does quite a few tricks now, but never if you don’t have a treat in your hand. She will sit, shake, lie down, roll over and dance! Often, this is in succession in a wild frenetic attempt to obtain her treat. You have to see her dance! I have tried to fool her into thinking I have a treat in my hand and get her to do tricks, but she is too smart, I can’t fool her. You see, the way to Ming’s heart is through food, although she also enjoys a good scratch and a warm lap to sit in. That is not the way with all dogs, or pugs, even though they are known to be gluts. Our black pug, Lily, responds to praise and body contact. She will press against you tightly and close her eyes in ecstasy, no food involved. But for Ming, it is food. That is her love language.

So Ming continues to enjoy a relaxing winter, with a daily walk outside, good food to eat, good company, a patch of sunshine, and her blanket. Spring will be here soon. We will Spring ahead in a few weeks, and she will come out of her hibernation mode.

Cheesy Kale Chips

Are you a kale lover? Yeah, yeah, you have heard about all the benefits of eating kale, but you just don’t like it that much? Well, have you tried kale chips? It is the best way to initiate anyone into eating kale. Kale chips made in a food dehydrator are addicting! Just like a potato chip, but hey they are good for you! Here is a second variation of kale chips if you like variety, like I do! The Pizza Kale Chip recipe can be found here. Although my daughter’s like them both, they each have a favorite. Skyli’s favorite is the Cheesy Kale Chips and Jessica’s the Pizza Kale Chips. Try them both, they are so good!

Kale has many health benefits, including fiber, B vitamins, vitamin A, K, C, Calcium, Copper, Potassium and Magnesium. I have been getting a lot of leafy greens in my diet lately and feel amazing! Fat helps digest and access the nutrients in greens, and the pine nuts and pumpkin seeds that give these chips a cheesy flavor, also add fat to the chips, as well as the walnuts, so you can absorb the nutrients!

Here’s the recipe!

Cheesy Kale Chips

Ingredients:

2 Large Bunches of Curly Kale

1 Cup Pine Nuts

1/2 Cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds (I used sprouted)

1/2 Cup Raw Walnuts

2 Red Bell Peppers, Seeded

1/2 Cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

2 Tablespoons Honey

2 Scallions, green parts only

1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

Directions:

Taking your thumb and index finger along the spine of the kale leaves, strip the leaves in one swipe from it’s rib or stalk. Thoroughly wash the kale leaves under cool water. Lay out on paper towel in one layer to dry completely, 30 minutes to an hour. I like to use a salad spinner first to get most of the moisture off. It is important the kale is thoroughly dry if you want crunchy chips!

Meanwhile, make the “cheesy” seasoning. In a high speed blender, like a Vitamix, blend all the remaining ingredients to make the pizza sauce. In a very large bowl, place your dried kale and pour the sauce on top. Get your hands in there and thoroughly mix and coat the kale leaves.

Place on six teflon lined dehydrator trays and place in your food dehydrator at 118º degrees for 10 to 16 hours until very crisp.

In the dehydrator, they get crunchy like potato chips and stay that way! If you don’t have a dehydrator, and would like to own one, I highly recommend this one! I have two of them, and they come in handy for a lot of food, including fruit rollups……see the recipe for delicious Banana Coconut Leather here.

Enjoy getting your nutrients!

8 Servings

Eat Your Nutrients!

Apple Pie “Oatmeal” Cookies

These cookies are my latest obsession! They are grain free, but have the texture of a soft oatmeal cookie and the flavor of apple pie! They are also egg free, dairy free, have no added sugar, and are packed with nutrition from apples, walnuts, dates, currants and healthy fat! I also think these cookies rock because, if your child wakes up and asks, “Mom, can I have a cookie for breakfast?”, like mine have done, you can say “Yes” to these cookies. There is something about putting wholesome ingredients together in cookie form that makes kids really love to eat them………….me too!

Let’s bake some cookies!

Apple Pie “Oatmeal” Cookies

Ingredients:

3 Cups Diced Granny Smith Apples, cored peel left on

8 Medjool Dates, pitted

1/2 Cup Very Warm Water

1 Cup Raw Walnut Halves

1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut, Unsweetened like this

1/2 Cup Dried Currants

1/4 Cup Coconut Oil

1 1/2 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1 Tablespoon Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract, no additives like this

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

Directions:

Preheat your oven 350º degrees. Set out two cookie sheets covered in parchment paper.

Place your pitted dates in the 1/2 cup of very warm water and soak for ten minutes to soften. Meanwhile, in a food processor, place your chopped apples and lemon juice. Pulse until they are finely chopped. Drain your soaked dates, and add to the food processor along with the vanilla extract and coconut oil. Continue to pulse. When mostly smooth, add the remaining ingredients except the currants and walnuts. Puree until smooth, about one minute. Finally, add your currants and walnuts and pulse until the walnuts are coarsely chopped, about six pulses should do it.

Using a tablespoon cookie scoop, make rounded mounds of cookie dough on the parchment lined cookie sheets, twelve cookies per sheet. Using a fork, flatten cookie dough mounds to about 3/4″ inch thick.

Apple Pie “Oatmeal” Cookie Dough Ready to Flatten

Bake in your preheated oven for 28 to 30 minutes. They will be soft and golden brown when you remove them from the oven. They will firm up when they are completely cooled.

Makes 2 dozen nutritious, delicious cookies

Eat Your Nutrients!

New England Clam Chowder

This week was “Eat the Pantry Week” at our house, and I made this amazingly delicious New England Clam Chowder from items I had on hand. Have you ever done that? You don’t go shopping unless it is an emergency item, and you cook from your pantry for a set amount of time. I have been making some really delicious food, it is a great mind exercise and creative outlet, plus I think I have saved about $500 bucks just by using what I already had on hand!

Whether you are eating from the pantry or not, this is a dairy free, low fodmap, Paleo clam chowder recipe that will warm your insides and nourish your body!

New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients:

3 – 10 Oz. Cans of Clams, drained and juice reserved (I used Crown Prince)

8 Oz. of Sugar Free Bacon, chopped (you can get it at U.S. Wellness Meats or Pete’s Paleo)

3 Cups Diced Celeriac Root (this will naturally thicken your soup without starch)

1 1/2 Cups Chicken or Bone Broth

1 Can Full Fat Coconut Milk no additives (like this)

3 1/2 Cups Diced Carrots

1 Bunch Scallions, sliced (green parts only)

4 Tablespoons Garlic Infused Olive Oil (I use this brand)

2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions:

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, add 2 tablespoons of garlic infused olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add your diced celeriac root and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Sautee for 8 minutes covered, stirring occassionally. After 8 minutes, add 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth or bone broth. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 12 minutes until tender. Meanwhile in a small skillet, cook the chopped bacon. After the bacon is crisp, drain the fat and set aside.

Place your cooked celeriac root with broth into a food processor with a blade attachment and puree until very smooth, adding a little more broth if necessary.

In the same pan you cooked your celeriac root, add the remaining two tablespoons of garlic infused olive oil. Heat over medium high heat and then add your diced carrots, and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Cook until tender, about ten minutes. When the carrots are tender, stir in the green scallions, bacon and reserved clam juice. Then, incorporate the pureed celeriac root, stir in the coconut milk, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and bring to a medium high simmer. Continue to simmer for ten minutes. Finally, stir in the clams and warm through.

Serve!

6 servings

For a delicious grain free bread to go with your clam chowder, check out this Grain Free Sandwich Bread recipe from Danielle Walker of Against All Grain or this Simple Bread recipe from Elana’s Pantry.

If you have an experience with eating from the pantry you would like to share, please tell us about it in the comment section!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Strawberry Nut Bites

Valentine’s Day is a fun time to eat these delicious little pop ins. They are rolled in crushed, organic, freeze dried strawberries that burst with flavor in your mouth and have the health benefits of Raw Almonds and Walnuts! I recently finished reading The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from The People Who Lived the Longest by Dan Buettner, and eating nuts is one of the things the octogenarians in all the blue zone regions had in common. They are simple to make and portable. I have been packing them in lunches, (include an ice pack), and they are great when you want a little something sweet. February is a busy month at my house. Three of my daughters have birthdays this month….the 21, 22nd and 23rd, and also my youngest daughter’s adoption day is on the 22nd. For Valentines Day this year my husband is taking me out to our favorite Spanish Tapas restaurant. The food is excellent, and they are very aware and careful about food allergens. It is a Paleo friendly restaurant as well. The recipe for Strawberry Nut Bites is below.

Strawberry Nut Bites

Ingredients:

1 Cup Freeze Dried Organic Strawberries, Like These

1 Cup Raw Walnuts

1 Cup Raw Almonds

1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut, unsweetened

1/4 Cup Clear Honey

2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/8 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

Directions:

Place the strawberries in a food processor with a blade attachment and finely grind the strawberries. Remove them from the food processor and put in a medium bowl for rolling the formed nut bites in.

In the same food processor, place your nuts and coconut and pulse until finely chopped. Add the honey, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Continue to pulse until the mixture forms a ball. Pinch off enough of the nut filling to form 1 1/2 inch balls with your hands, and roll the balls in the strawberries. Store them in the freezer or refrigerator. I like them frozen. They are berry delicious! Sorry, I couldn’t resist!

Whether you have a significant other or not at this time in your life, I hope you have a Happy Valentines Day, spread a little love, and enjoy these nutritious treats!

*Note: 1 Strawberry Nut Bite is a serving if you are very Low FodMap.

Eat Your Nutrients!

Banana Pineapple Coconut Leather

Are you ready for a portable treat that is oh so satisfyingly chewy and good for you? Was that a yea? Then these scrumptious snacks are going to make your day! I promised you some fruit roll ups, and this is the first one with more to come. The first time I made these, they were devoured right away, and I had to guard the last one for myself. They aren’t difficult, but you do have to wait for the dehydrator to do it’s job, so it requires patience……I am working on that in many areas of my life. I love the way they make the room smell like I am baking banana bread while they are dehydrating. It is like natural potpourri, but better because you get to eat it!

Banana Coconut Leather

Directions:

Turn your food dehydrator to 135º degrees. Line six dehydrator trays with parchment or teflon inserts.

Ingredients:

6 Ripe Bananas

1 Cup Chopped Fresh Pineapple

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

2 Tablespoons Honey

2 Teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

Add Bananas, Pineapple, Himalayan Pink Salt, Honey, Cinnamon and Lemon Juice to a high speed blender, like this one, and blend until smooth. Add the coconut and blend for 30 seconds. You still want small bits of coconut in it. Pour the batter onto the six trays evenly dispersing.

Banana Coconut Leather Ready To Go In Dehydrator

Now, pick up the tray and tip and swirl in a circular motion to spread the batter evenly. Dehydrate for seven hours, flipping them after six hours. They can go a little longer and be fine too. I have left them for ten hours, they will just be more crunchy instead of chewy. Remove from the dehydrator, cool and roll up with strips of parchment, or you can store them flat. These are a wonderful, yummy, healthy snack! My children’s friends are so envious when they bring them in their lunches! If you like these, stay tuned for more roll up recipes!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Banana Walnut Muffins

Looking for an easy, no added sugar, healthy, grain free muffin? These Banana Walnut Muffins are sure to please! All you need is a food processor and a few ingredients. They are moist and have the perfect crumb. The sweetness comes from whole food – dates and banana. I like to make a double batch and freeze half for a quick and easy school day breakfast for the kids. Just thaw in the microwave.

Banana Walnut Muffins (Grain Free, Paleo)

Banana Walnut Muffins

To Begin:

Preheat your oven 350º degrees.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Cubed Zucchini (about 2 medium or 1 large)

1 Ripe Banana (with black spots)

1/2 Cup Coconut Flour

4 Medjool Dates, pitted

1/2 Cup Hot Water

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract (no additives)

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/3 Cup Raw Walnuts

To Make The Muffins:

Line a 12 cup muffin pan with muffin liners.

Soak the pitted dates in the 1/2 cup of hot water for ten minutes. Meanwhile cube your zucchini and assemble the rest of the ingredients. Place the dates and soaking water in the food processor and puree together. Add the zucchini and banana and thoroughly puree. Add the eggs, coconut flour, vanilla and baking soda and puree until thoroughly blended and coconut flour has absorbed some of the liquid and it is the consistency of cake batter.

Using a muffin scoop or a 1/4 cup measuring cup, fill the muffin liners with the muffin batter. Top with walnuts, dispersing evenly. Bake in a 350º degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for ten minutes before placing on a wire cooling rack.

Enjoy these delicious muffins! They are less than 100 calories each and full of healthy ingredients you can feel good about.

Makes 10 Muffins

Eat Your Nutrients!

Pizza Kale Chips

If you are looking for a way to get in more greens, want to avoid dairy or just don’t tolerate it but love pizza (and who doesn’t), want to crowd out the junk without pain and cravings, may I suggest these crunchy, Pizza Kale Chips? Warning, they are addictive!

Pizza Kale Chips

Ingredients:

2 Bunches of Organic Curly Kale

1/2 Cup Pumpkin Seeds

1/2 Cup Pine Nuts

1/2 Cup Organic Sundried Tomatoes (Plain no Oil, soaked for 30 minutes in warm water)

1 Organic Red Bell Pepper

1/4 Cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1/4 Cup Sliced Green Scallions (green parts only)

1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1 Teaspoon Ground Fennel Powder

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Dried Basil

1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 Cup of Water

Directions:

Meanwhile, make the seasoning. In a high speed blender, like a Vitamix, blend all the remaining ingredients to make the pizza sauce. In a very large bowl, place your dried kale and pour the sauce on top. Get your hands in there and thoroughly mix and coat the kale leaves.

Place on six teflon lined dehydrator trays and place in your food dehydrator at 118º degrees for 10 to 16 hours until very crisp.

You can also make them in the oven, but I have never been as happy with the results using the oven. You will have to eat them the day they are made that way, and the texture just isn’t the same. If you don’t have a dehydrator, and would like to make them in the oven, Preheat Oven 300º, using parchment lined baking sheets, lay the kale in a single layer and bake 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip with a spatula, and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes watching carefully so they don’t burn. Cool Completely.

Kale has a lot of roughage. This recipe make 8 servings. Listen to your body and don’t overdo it which is easy to do when they are so good!

Enjoy!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Lime Pork Shoulder with Blueberry Pomegranate Reduction Sauce

Hello lovely people! I hope you are enjoying January wherever you may be in the hemosphere! I have to say, I would like to see a teeny tiny bit more sun here on the East Coast. However, January seems to be speeding by, and what better way to enjoy it than a warm, hearty, nutritious meal with fast and easy to cook pork shoulder roast (aka pork butt) cut into cubes, and drizzled with a blueberry pomegranate reduction sauce!

Lime Pork Butt with Blueberry Pomegranate Reduction Sauce

It is pretty, delectable and much faster than roasting a whole pork roast, but with the same delicious juicy flavor, because it is broiled! As an added bonus, cubing it allows more square inch for the lime zest to cover the pork! Serve it with carrots, brussels sprouts and mashed celeriac root, or your favorite sides, to balance out the meal with lots of important veggies. Sound appealing? Well, stick with me, and you will have it on the table in no time! You choose the sides! You can do this dish in advance up to the broiling! The meat is marinated from 4 to 24 hours, and the reduction can be made in advance as well.

Lime Pork Shoulder with Blueberry Pomegranate Reduction Sauce

Ingredients for the Pork:

1 3.5 Lb. Pork Shoulder, I get mine from U.S. Wellness Meats

3 Fresh Limes, zest and juice

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/4 Cup Sliced Green Onion, Green Parts Only

Ingredients for Blueberry Pomegranate Reduction Sauce:

2 Cups Wild Blueberries, Thawed

1/2 Cup POM Wonderful 100% Juice (I called POM Wonderful direct and was told that their juice contains only 100% pomegranate so it is SCD Safe)

2 Teaspoons Garlic Olive Oil

1/2 Teaspoon Chipotle Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt of Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions:

Cube the pork shoulder into 2 inch cubes and place it in a gallon ziplock bag. Whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and green onion. Pour over the cubes and make sure the pork is evenly coated. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

To make the reduction sauce, blend all the sauce ingredients in a blender until completely smooth. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat when boiling to a simmer, and continue to simmer until it has reduced by half. This will take approximately 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it, and when it is half its original amount and thickening, it is ready.

When ready to cook your pork, preheat your broiler to high heat. Remove the pork cubes from the marinade, discard the marinade, and place the pork on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil for easier cleanup. Broil the pork for seven minutes, then remove from the oven, turn the cubes over, and broil 5 – 7 more minutes or until the pork has reached 145º degrees in the center.

Serve with warm Blueberry Pomegranate Reduction Sauce on top.

Serves 8