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!

Homemade Grain Free Garlicky Croutons

So how’s your winter going so far? The kids started back to school this week after winter break, and my Health Coaching classes started up again as well. I always get so pumped when I start a new unit. This week we are going more depth on how things can go wrong with our digestion and cause Candida, SIBO, Gut Dysbiosis and other ailments and how to correct it. Our digestion is so important for overall health!

Ming has been lazing around the house more than usual due to the colder weather. She likes to find a sunny spot and bask in it. Ironically, the cold weather invigorates her, and she would much rather walk outside in the cold than in the heat. She collapses if she walks too far when it is above 65º, but in cool weather, she is like the energizer bunny. Remember him?

I am eating a lot of salad lately and wanted a crunchy crouton to go with it. This garlicky, crunchy crouton goes well with salad and is also wonderful on a bowl of Crock Pot Cream of Tomato Basil Soup. They are twice baked and then tossed in garlic olive oil and some coarse flaky sea salt. They stay fresh for up to three weeks when stored in the refrigerator, so you can add them to soup or salad whenever you feel like it!

Homemade Grain Free Garlicky Croutons

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Superfine Almond Flour

2 Pastured Eggs

2 Tablespoons Garlic Infused Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Paprika

1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley

1 Teaspoon Dried Basil

1 Teaspoon Clear Honey

1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

—————————-

For Tossing Hot Croutons:

2 Tablespoons Garlic Infused Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Teaspoons Flaky Coarse Salt, I used Fleur De Sel

Directions: Preheat Oven 325º degrees. Whisk together in a medium bowl the two eggs, 2 Tablespoons Garlic Infused Olive Oil, salt, pepper, herbs and honey. Add the almond flour and baking soda and stir with a fork, using a rubber spatula to finish, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Dump the dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and spread into a uniform 7 to 8 inch square. Just approximate it as best you can. The dough should be about a half inch thick. It will rise when you bake it.

Place the crouton dough into the preheated oven, and bake for 28 minutes. It will be golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, maintaining the heat of your oven.

With a serrated knife, cut the croutons into 1 inch cubes, and place back onto the cookie sheet in a single layer and back into the oven for 25 more minutes, stirring once.

Get a medium sized bowl ready, and when you remove the croutons from the oven place them in the bowl immediately and drizzle them with 2 Tablespoons of Garlic Infused Olive Oil, 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil and toss to coat thoroughly. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of coarse salt and toss. I used Fleur De Sel. Cool completely in a single layer before refrigerating in a sealed container, or serve them hot on top of salad or soup! Mmmmm! Good!

Homemade Grain Free Garlicky Croutons

Makes approximately 60 croutons.

Serving Size for very Low FodMap is 5 Croutons.

Go Here for a link to the SIBO Low FodMap Specific Carb Food Guide.

Eat Your Nutrients!

Blackberry Phyto Blast Salad with Blueberry Berrylicious Dressing

Are you ready for a delicious, phytonutrient loaded salad? This one has fruits, nuts, pomegranate seeds and living butter lettuce to give you a blast of them! It also is candy for the eyes, and it is well know we eat with all of our senses! Phytonutrients are so unbelievably important for our bodies, our cells, and for cancer prevention. A variety in the diet boosts their effectiveness and creates nutrient synergy. They give our bodies the tools it needs to enable it to heal and maintain vitality. Greens, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, green tea…….there are plenty to choose from, and variety is possible no matter if you are eating Paleo, SCD, Vegetarian, Mediterranean, or just seeking nutrients, you get the idea. Here is a handy chart of some of the most common foods containing phytonutrients to get you started, but there are thousands and more being discovered. If you would like additional information about phytonutrients, here is an article from Gaiam Life and one from Dr. Fuhrman entitled Nutrient Density and Phytochemical-rich foods.

Phyto Blast Salad with Blueberry Dressing

Blackberry Phyto Blast Salad with Blueberry Berrylicious Dressing

The Blueberry Berrylicious Salad Dressing gets its fat from nuts and seeds.

Berrylicious Salad Dressing

Blackberry Phyto Blast Salad with Blueberry Berrylicious Dressing

Ingredients for Salad:

2 Heads of Living Butter Lettuce

1 Cup of Fresh Orange Segments, halved or 1 can of Native Forest Mandarin Oranges in their own juice

1 Pint Fresh Organic Blackberries

1/4 Cup Pomagranite Seeds

1/2 Cup Raw Pecans

1/2 Cup Raw Walnut Halves

Directions: Tear the butter lettuce into bite sized pieces and scatter berries, fruit, pomegranate seeds and nuts on top.

Blueberry Berrylicious Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Blueberries (if frozen defrost them in the microwave)

1/4 Cup Pine Nuts

2 Tablespoons Tahini (pure no sugar added)

1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice (2 lemons)

2 Tablespoons Dried Currants

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions: Place all the dressing ingredients in a high speed blender, and blend until smooth. This dressing thickens when refrigerated, so when using for a second day, zap for a few seconds in the microwave or let it come to room temperature for looser consistency. It is rich in nutrients and good fat.

*If you are beginning a Low FodMap diet, I recommend you substitute the blackberries for raspberries, strawberries or blueberries. You still get your phyto blast of berries!

Chesapeake Crab Cakes

crab cake

I haven’t met many people who don’t love crab cakes, unless they are allergic to seafood. Here on the East Coast they are famous because of the Maryland blue crab. When my Aunt and Uncle were visiting from Arizona last May they did a lot of sightseeing, and my Aunt tried a lot of crab cakes at various restaurants. This is a favorite family recipe for crab cakes that I have reinvented to be grain free and low fodmap. They have completely delicious, wholesome ingredients. I serve them with sriracha sauce. They are exquisite without any sauce also! The sauce pictured in the photo is PaleoChef Sriracha Sauce I picked up at Whole Foods. My all time favorite homemade mayonnaise recipe is from the cookbook The Paleo Kitchen by Juli Bauer and George Bryant. It is 30-second mayonnaise and it is literally No Fail! You can find the recipe here. I had tried many homemade mayonnaise recipes before, and sometimes they worked and sometimes they failed. Plus, I just don’t have the patience to sit and drizzle! Sorry Julie Child. I still love you! This recipe uses an immersion blender, and is so fast! There is an SCD legal mayonnaise that is sweetened with honey that you can purchase as well if you don’t want to make your own, here. So let’s make some Chesapeake Crab Cakes!

Chesapeake Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

1 Pound Crabmeat (can use refrigerated pasteurized crab)

1 Tablespoon Garlic Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Scallions, chopped (green parts only)

1/2 Cup Finely diced Fennel

2/3 Cup of Mayonnaise (I use Primal Kitchen Mayo)

1 Teaspoon Djon Mustard

1/2 Teaspoon Paprika

1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1 1/3 Cup Superfine Blanched Almond Flour plus 1/3 Cup for dredging

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Directions:

Preheat your oven 300º degrees.

In a large frying pan, heat the garlic olive oil over medium heat, add the fennel and saute’ for 3 minutes, then stir in the green onion and continue to cook two more minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large bowl combine the mayonnaise with the spices, salt and pepper. Add the crab stirring lightly then the 1 1/3 cup of almond flour and fennel scallion mixture, again stirring just until combined. In a shallow dish place the remaining 1/3 cup of almond flour for dredging. With a half cup scoop, scoop the crab cake mixture into the palm of your hand, and form into crab cakes. Dredge lightly in the almond flour and set aside on a parchment lined baking sheet. Use more almond flour for dredging if needed.

In a non-stick frying pan, heat 1 1/2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until ready to sizzle when cakes are added. Add half of the crab cakes to the pan and fry about four minutes per side until golden brown. Remove them from the pan, and place on the cookie sheet and pop them in the oven to stay warm. Repeat with the second half of the crab cakes. They are ready!

Makes approximately 8

chesapeak-crab-cakes

Eat Your Nutrients!

Eggnog Toasted Almond Ice Cream

Confession! I love to eat eggnog anything during the holidays. Me and Eggnog Toasted Almond Ice Cream had an appointment yesterday with one of my favorite seasonal movies, The Holiday, with Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jack Black, and the very hot and English Jude Law. I love that movie! The English Cottage, Rosehill Cottage in England, is the home of Iris in the movie. It is ultra charming and such a contrast to the swanky Los Angles home of Amanda (Diaz). I love the thought of home exchange to travel, and am considering trying it myself. I can watch this movie every year during the holidays! It is a feel good movie, and the Eggnog Toasted Almond Ice Cream is perfect with a favorite holiday movie. Hmmmmm, might have to have some while I watch Prancer! It is a great way to unwind with a healthier version of ice cream, during this sometimes stressful time of year, a movie and a seasonal favorite flavor!

This recipe is a very authentic eggless eggnog recipe. So, if you are sensitive to eggs, or are looking for a dairy free, egg free recipe, this one is a keeper!

Eggnog Toasted Almond Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 Cans of Full Fat Coconut Milk (no Additives)

1 Cup Toasted Sliced Raw Almonds

1/2 Cup Clear Honey

1/4 Cup of Great Lakes Gelatin (Green Label optional adds nutrition)

1 Teaspoon of Freshly Grated Nutmeg

1/8 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink or Sea Salt

2 Tablespoons of White Rum

Preheat your Oven 350º degrees. Lay the almonds on a cookie sheet in a single layer and toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes until just golden brown. Set aside for when you churn the ice cream. Mix together the remaining ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk.

Refrigerate the ice cream base for 2 to 4 hours until very chilled. You can make it a day ahead too. Churn in your ice cream maker. It takes about 30 minutes. Add the toasted almonds the last five minutes of churning. Sprinkle servings with additional freshly grated nutmeg if desired.

Makes 12 scoops!

Now for a movie and ice cream to get those feel good endorphins maximized!

(Santa Plate Painted by Sam Shields)

Chocolate Peppermint Syrup

chocolate peppermint syrup healthier

This recipe is for the Peppermint Mocha and Chocolate Pepperming lovers in my life! My husband, Doug, uses it in his coffee, and my daughters like to add some to steamed almond milk for a Peppermint Hot Cocoa. They also put it on top of coconut milk ice cream! I put it out after a birthday dinner I had recently for my sister-in-law when I served the coffee, and it created a buzz! I sent a jar home with Jenni tied with red and white ribbon. It makes a very nice homemade gift or a hostess gift! It is so delicious! It is sweetened with honey, and I use raw cocoa powder for added nutritional benefits. So, if you are going to have a treat, no need to feel guilty. For my SCD friends, the cocoa powder is not allowed on the SCD Diet. It is good also if the cocoa powder is omitted if you are a peppermint lover and would like a Peppermint Syrup. There are health benefits to raw cocoa such as flavonoid antioxidants. This is super easy to make!

Chocolate Peppermint Syrup

1/2 Cup Honey

1 Cup Full Fat Coconut Milk (I use Thrive Brand)

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

1/2 Cup Raw Cocoa Powder

Pinch of Himalayan Pink or Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract (I use Flavorganics)

Blend all the ingredients in a blender. Store in a pretty glass container. That’s it! Super easy and delicious!

Chocolate Peppermint Syrup Yum!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Lamb and Pine Nut Meatballs with Swiss Chard

This is a hearty meatball, and a delicious way to get in your greens! The meatballs are baked on top of the swiss chard (1 cup has 18 milligrams of calcium). Fats help with the digestion and absorption of vitamins and minerals in greens, plus it makes them taste so good! The pine nuts give the meatballs texture and personality. The mint, fennel, leeks and orange zest pair very well together with the lamb. This meatball recipe is an easy, one dish, main dish. Grass fed lamb is a good source of zinc, vitamin B12 and selenium. I also served this dish with roasted carrots, beets and a side salad. You can add any vegetables you like to your meal. Meatballs are so versatile! It is one of the things I love about them! Plus, since I have been really busy with my health coaching classes, this dish gets me out of the kitchen fast! I am sure many of you busy people out there will appreciate this easy, delicious recipe as much as I do!

Lamb Meatballs with Pine Nuts ans Swiss Chard

Lamb Meatballs with Pine Nuts and Swiss Chard

Lamb Meatballs with Pine Nuts and Swiss Chard

Ingredients:

2 Pounds of Grass Fed Ground Lamb

1/2 Cup Pine Nuts

1/2 Cup Superfine Almond Flour

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Leek

1 Egg

2 Tablespoons plus 2 Teaspoons Garlic Infused Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Dried Mint

1 Tablespoon Ground Fennel

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

Zest of One Organic Orange

1 Bunch of Swiss Chard, stems removed and coarsely chopped.

Directions:

Set your oven to broil.

Toast the pine nuts in a pan over medium high heat on the stove top for five minutes or until golden brown.

Mix together the ground lamb, pine nuts, and remaining ingredients except the chopped swiss chard. Form into golf ball sized meatballs. Place the chopped swiss chard in a large non-stick, oven-proof pan or large dutch oven. Toss with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle lightly with additional salt and pepper to taste. Place the meatballs on top of the swiss chard, leaving space between the meatballs for even cooking.

Place meatballs and swiss chard under the broiler, and broil for five minutes. Turn oven to bake at 375º degrees, and bake an additional ten minutes until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165º degrees. At this point your chard will be nicely cooked, with the lamb juices incorporated into them, and the meatballs soft and tender. In a pinch, you can also use frozen chard with great results! Approximately 18 Meatballs.

Eat Your Nutrients!

Delicata Sun Dried Tomato Galette

This rustic Galette is sure to please! It is a meatless main course, and is nice paired with a salad on the side. Delicata Squash are smaller than other winter squash and are tender with orange flesh. Four ounces of Delicata Squash has 3 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein, in addition to vitamins A and C. I used two medium Delicata in the Galette. You can also substitute butternut squash for the Delicata if you can’t find it. I love the ease of making the rustic crust (no perfectionism here!) and it is fun to hear the oooo’s and aaaaa’s when you pull it from the oven! The sun dried tomatoes add delicious concentrated flavor, and the scallions and black olives add a finishing gourmet touch!

Delicata Sun Dried Tomato Galette

Directions: Preheat your oven 375º degrees.

Ingredients for the Crust:

2 1/4 Cups Superfine Almond Flour

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Egg

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink or Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Mix the crust ingredients in a large bowl until it holds together. Place the crust ball onto a parchment lined baking sheet and pat out with your fingers into approximately a twelve inch round, like you would a pizza dough.

Ingredients for the Filling:

4 Cups of Peeled and Cubed Delicata Squash

3 Sun Dried Tomatoes, Soaked in Hot Water for 1 hour to soften

1/2 Cup of Pitted Black Olives

1 Tablespoon plus 2 Teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 Green Scallions, sliced, green parts only

1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning

1/4 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Delicata Sun Dried Tomato Galette

For the filling, place your peeled and cubed squash onto a parchment lined, rimmed baking pan and toss with 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil, the Italian Seasoning, Salt and Pepper. Roast in the oven in a single layer for 20 minutes, stirring once. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Drain the soaking water off your sun dried tomatoes and finely chop. Mound your squash into the center of the patted out galette crust and spread to within an inch and a half of the edges of the crust. Sprinkle with the sun dried tomatoes and olives. Gently fold the crust edges up and around the filling pressing a bit to keep it in place, a spatula can help here. Drizzle the filling with two teaspoons of olive oil. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes in the oven. Remove and sprinkle with green scallions. Serve and enjoy!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Rum Print Cookies

Instead of visions of sugarplums dancing through my head, I have rum prints on my mind. What in the world is a rumprint? I found a recipe quite a few years ago in a holiday magazine. The cookies were very unique and memorable. I have never found another quite like them. Unfortunately, I lost the magazine at some point in a move I made. So, here is a replication from my memory of what they were like. These have been Paleo-ized, and I have to say, they are as good as I remember. The cookie base uses finely ground walnuts, and the frosting uses cocoa butter for creaminess and stability.

Rum Print Cookies

Ingredients for Cookie:

1 Cup of Walnuts (finely ground) I used a mini Ninja to do this (see Kitchen Equipment I Love)

1/4 Cup Coconut Flour

1/4 Cup Organic Palm Shortening

1/4 Cup Clear Clover Honey

1 Egg

1/4 Teaspoon Pink Himalayan or Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract (SCD Legal)

Directions: Preheat oven 350º degrees. With an electric hand held mixer, cream together the shortening and honey. Add the egg and continue to beat for one minute. Add the vanilla extract and incorporate. In a small bowl whisk together the finely ground walnuts, coconut flour, salt, nutmeg and baking soda. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed until blended. With a tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 11 minutes.

When the cookies come out of the oven, using your thumb, make an indentation in the top of each cookie for the thumprint. Cool completely.

Frosting Ingredients:

1 Cup Raw Cocoa Butter, Chopped (See In My Pantry for Resources)

1/4 Cup Clover Honey

2 Tablespoons Organic Palm Shortening

4 Teaspoons White Rum

1/8 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink or Sea Salt

Nutmeg for Sprinkling

Directions: In a double broiler, melt the cocoa butter. Remove from heat and add into a bowl. With an electric hand held mixer, beat the honey, salt and shortening into the cocoa butter. Add the rum and continue beating until the frosting is solidifying. The cocoa butter will start out clear when hot and become a white consistency as it cools. When it is a good texture for piping, place the frosting in a piping bag with a large star tip and pipe into the center of the cooled cookies. It sets up quickly, so pipe right away. Alternatively, you can scoop the frosting into the middle of the cookies by hand if you don’t feel like piping. Sprinkle each cookie with a dash of nutmeg.

Makes 15 Cookies

Rum Prints

Quick Zesty Chicken and Carrots

Here come the holidays! I don’t know about you, but there are plenty of days when I am rushing around at dinner time to get something on the table that is nourishing, delicious and fast! This is a very moist and flavorful chicken dish that will have you out of the kitchen in no time. Serve it with a salad on the side.

Quick and Zesty Chicken and Carrots

Ingredients:

8 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs

12 Carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

1/4 Cup Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice

Zest of one Lime

1/4 Cup Garlic Olive Oil, divided

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink or Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Chipotle Pepper

1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper

Preheat Oven 350º degrees. Cut the chicken thighs into quarters. Mix together Salt, Pepper, Chipotle & Cayenne. Heat 2 Tablespoons of Garlic Olive Oil in a large nonstick oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Add the carrots and sautee for 5 minutes until starting to brown. Remove the carrots from the pan and set aside. Add the other two tablespoons of Garlic Olive Oil to the pan maintaining the heat. Sprinkle the chicken with the seasoning and add to the pan. Cook the chicken four minutes without touching it, then flip it over and cook another four minutes. Zest the lime over the chicken, add the carrots back in to the chicken and pour over the lime juice. Toss to coat with the juice and zest and place the pan in the oven for ten minutes until chicken is cooked through. Serve!

4 Servings

Zesty Chicken and Carrots

(See In My Pantry For Ingredient Links)

Eat Your Nutrients!

Classic Anise Biscotti with Pignolis

Anise Biscotti with Pignolis (Pine Nuts) is a classic! Hazelnut Biscotti is another classic cult favorite of biscotti lovers. There are a multitude of variations of biscotti today. But sometimes I really want a pure, unadulterated, classic biscotti. In this recipe the Pignolis give the biscotti great texture and a buttery flavor, and the anise seed is, well, just classic! They are a beautiful cookie!

Classic Anise Biscotti with Pignolis

Classic Anise Biscotti with Pignolis

Preheat your oven 350º degrees. Lay out a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups Superfine Blanched Almond Flour

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Clear Honey

2 Tablespoons Coconut Flour

1/2 Cup Pignolis (Pine Nuts)

1 Teaspoon Ground Anise

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract (SCD Legal)

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

In a medium bowl, beat your eggs. Stir in the clear honey and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl with a wire whisk, blend your dry ingredients (Almond Flour, Coconut Flour, Ground Anise, Baking Soda and Salt). Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine with a rubber spatula. Fold in 1/4 Cup of Pignolis. Turn out on the parchment lined cookie sheet and form into a 12×6″ rectangle. Press the remaining 1/4 cup of Pignolis into the top of the dough. Bake in the 350º oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely. With a serrated knife, slice the cooled biscotti starting on the short end into 1/2 inch wide diagonal slices. Lay back on the parchment lined cookie sheet, one cut side down and bake for 7 minutes, turn the biscotti over to the other cut side and bake another 7 minutes until golden brown.