Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Healthier Mocha Frappuccino

It’s hot out there! We are back from Northern Michigan for the Summer, and plopped right into the dog days of August on the East Coast!

Cold blended coffee beverages really cool me down, and who doesn’t love an ice cold creamy drink when it is so hot? I sure do!

Check out my new Rooster! He was a find during my time up north this Summer! I think he is perky! Well he perks me up when I see him. 🙂

Healthier and Delicious Mocha Frappuccino

This recipe for a Healthier Mocha Frappuccino is much easier on the pocket book, you can make it at home, not to mention keeping yourself on track with healthier food choices. It has no refined sugars in it and is sweetened with 3 medjool dates that are softened. They really compliment the raw cacao and coffee to make a creamy, cold, delicious coffee frappuccino. There are just about 300 calories in it (this can vary a bit with the size of your dates) and it is a large, which is about half the calories of what would be in a commercial drink, with better-for-you ingredients. Head on over to Natural Society to read Over Seven Reasons to Eat Dates and why they are good for you. I used organic, fair trade instant coffee, so you don’t have to have a cold pot hanging around the house to make this. It is much more convenient and fresh! This is a reputable brand that I used, and you can get it in caffeinated or decaffeinated.

Healthier Mocha Frappuccino

Ingredients:

3 Softened Medjool Dates (I soak them for 5 minutes in warm water and then remove the pits)

1/4 Cup Full Fat Coconut Milk

1 Tablespoon of Raw Cacao

2 Teaspoons of Organic Instant Coffee Crystals

1 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract

1 Cup of Crushed Ice

1 Cup of Cold Pure Water

Directions: In a blender (I have made this with my Ninja and also my Vitamix. Any blender will do. Blend the Water and Dates until pureed. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until creamy.

Pour into a large glass and it’s ready to drink! Yummy! Sit down and relax, put your feet up, and savor the moment!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Delighting in the Journey

Are you delighting in the journey? Even when life gets tough, keeping your focus on the positive by writing in a Gratitude Journal daily can make a big difference! Keep pressing forward, and you will see change.

Make it Happen

20 Savory Paleo Sauces You Will Want to Make!

What’s the secret to eating something that’s good as opposed to amazingly delicious and fun? It’s all in the sauce! There is no law that you have to eat a certain sauce with a certain food, although there are plenty of traditional ways to eat sauce, such as tartar sauce with fish, salsa with chips, pizza sauce on pizza.

I have talked many times about my love of sauces and their ability to elevate food to all new levels and make something gourmet.

So dish it out! Mix it up too! Being the foodie that I am, I like to keep it interesting. You won’t get bored with a little imagination and some sauce! Explore these winners. Try them all! They are delicious!

Fire Roasted Salsa from Paleo Leap

Enchilada Sauce by Jan’s Sushi Bar

Mayonnaise (30 Second Immersion Blender Recipe) at Real Food with Dana

Better than Peanut Sauce: Paleo Almond Satay Sauce by Rubies and Radishes

Fresh Basil Pesto by Sam 🙂

Buffalo Hot Sauce by Pete’s Paleo

Salsa Roja – Mexican Red Table Sauce by Chili Pepper Madness

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce by leelaLicious

Tomato Basil Jam by Sam

Homemade Ketchup with Honey from An Oregon Cottage

Quick and Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce by Bowl of Delicious

Low FodMap Honey Orange Barbecue Sauce by Sam

3-Ingredient Bacon Jam by Real Food Liz

Chimichurri Sauce by Gimme Some Oven

Simple Tartar Sauce by Sam

Paleo Honey Mustard Sauce by Paleo Newbie

Ranch Dressing (SCD Low FodMap)

Taco Sauce (Low FodMap)

Won’t Miss a Thing Ranch Dressing

SCD Low FodMap BBQ Sauce

Paleo Worcestershire Sauce by Paleo Table

Enjoy!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Courage

Low FodMap Taco Sauce

Attention taco lovers! Skip the bottled taco sauce and make this easy, low fodmap, classic taco sauce at home!

I like it drizzled on top of a taco salad, a taco bowl, or my Weeknight Taco Recipe here. 🙂

Delicious Low FodMap Taco Sauce

Low FodMap Taco Sauce

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Tomato Sauce

1/4 Cup of Sliced Scallions (green part only)

2 Tablespoons of Champagne Vinegar or White Wine Vinegar

1 Tablespoon of Garlic Infused Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon of Ground Cumin

1/2 Teaspoon of Ancho Chili Powder

1/8 Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon of Honey

Directions: Whisk together all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a low boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes. Pour the sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. Now, for silky smooth sauce, pour it through a fine mesh metal strainer. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

Please, if you do not eat honey on the Low FodMap diet you are folllowing, do not bash the creator of the recipe. I write my recipes using the protocol I personally used and thousands of others have and do as well with success. It is available as a PDF for free at the top of my website. Dr. Allison Siebecker’s SIBO Specific Low FodMap food guide which allows for honey under 2 tablespoons. All rude comments will not be tolerated and removed. As a recipe writer, I work hard to write recipes for myself and others who have dietary restrictions and digestive challenges.

Eat Your Nutrients!

Oven Roasted Carrots with Cumin, Lime and Pumpkin Seeds

Oven Roasted Carrots with Cumin and Pumpkin Seeds

Oven Roasted Carrots with Cumin, Lime and Pumpkin Seeds

I find this time of year with fresh produce in abundance so inspirational!

The vegetables on display by local growers who take such pride in their offerings is sheer art!

Cumin and pumpkins seeds (also know as pepitas), are a very delicious combination and enhance the sweetness of the carrots. Did you know cumin also has the ability to aid digestion as well as help insomnia and respiratory ailments? It was used by the Egyptians 5,000 years ago, and is popular today in many cuisines.

Pumpkin seeds are a great alternative to nuts in cooking, and have excellent nutritional benefits like containing zinc for immune support, magnesium, fiber and plant based Omega 3’s.

Oven Roasted Carrots with Cumin, Lime and Pumpkin Seeds

Oven Roasted Carrots with Cumin and Pumpkin Seeds

Preheat your oven to 400º degrees.

Ingredients:

4 Cups of Young Carrots

1/4 Cup of Good Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon of Ground Cumin

Juice of 1 Lime

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink (My favorite :-))

1/2 Teaspoon of Pepper

1/3 Cup of Pumpkin Seeds

Directions: Toss the washed carrots with the olive oil in a large bowl. Add the Cumin, Salt and Pepper and squeeze the juice of one lime over it. Toss thoroughly to spread the seasoning evenly. Pour the Carrots onto a large parchment lined cookie sheet in a single layer.

Oven roast for 40 to 50 minutes until the carrots are starting to caramelize. Toss them once or twice during roasting to re-coat with the oil and seasonings.

Remove them from the oven, and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds (pepitas).

Serve them hot!

Oven Roasted Carrots with Cumin and Pepitas

Oven Roasted Carrots with Cumin, Lime and Pepitas

Eat Your Nutrients!

Chocolate Blueberry Ripple Ice Cream Sandwiches (Grain Free)

No ice cream freezer? No problem! This old fashioned Ripple Ice Cream is made in a loaf pan! Then it is pressed between two Grain Free Chocolate Graham Crackers (recipe here!) for a spectacular ice cream sandwich!

The dairy free vanilla ice cream uses a handful of ingredients, and while it has it’s initial freeze, you can whip up the Blueberry Spoon Fruit (recipe here!) for the Ripple!

Chocolate Blueberry Ripple Ice Cream Sandwiches

Chocolate Blueberry Ripple Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 Batch of Blueberry Ripple Ice Cream

1 Batch of Grain Free Chocolate Grahams (get the recipe here!) 🙂

Directions:

To make the Blueberry Ripple Ice Cream you need:

1 Cup of Full Fat Coconut Milk

3 Tablespoons of Good Honey, warmed

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil, melted

1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

Whisk the ice cream ingredients together, and pour into a loaf pan. Freeze for 30 minutes. Then remove from the freezer and marble in the Blueberry Spoon Fruit by placing dollops onto the top of the vanilla ice cream and running a knife in swirling motions throughout.

Marbling Blueberry Ripple Ice Cream

Place back in the freezer until frozen solid. This will take 2 to 4 hours.

Soften the ice cream, by letting it set at room temperature for approximately ten minutes, until it is scoop-able!

Assembling Chocolate Blueberry Ripple Ice Cream Sandwiches

Take two grahams per ice cream sandwich, and scoop a ice cream scoop size ball of Blueberry Ripple Ice Cream onto one graham. Place the other graham atop the ice cream, and press gently to squish!

Melty, Cruchy, Gooey!

Eat right away, or they can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen to enjoy straight from the freezer. You can stock pile these by making a double batch!

Yield: 5 Ice Cream Sandwiches

Grain Free Chocolate Graham Crackers

Looking for a chocolate graham cracker that is grain free and starch free? I have tested and developed this recipe for you, and after several attempts, I do believe it is perfect! 🙂

They can be used however you like, but my favorite is sandwich style! Look here for my Chocolate Blueberry Ripple Ice Cream Sandwiches! They will wow you! The flavor is amazing! What a lovely ending to a warm Summer’s day!

Grain Free Chocolate Graham Crackers

Grain Free Chocolate Graham Crackers

Preheat your oven to 325º degrees.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups of Superfine Almond Flour

1/4 Cup Raw Cacao Powder

4 Teaspoons of Gelatin like (Thrive Market Brand)

1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/4 Cup of Coconut Oil, melted

1/4 Cup Good Honey

1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract

Directions: Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir vigorously with a fork until completely blended and a ball of dough has formed.

Place the dough onto a large cookie sheet sized piece of parchment paper. Flatten slightly.

Grain Free Graham Cracker Dough Ready to Roll

Place a second piece of parchment on top of the dough, and roll out evenly to almost fill the parchment, or the size of your cookie sheet. The dough should be about a half inch thick.

With a pizza cutter, make squares as shown below. Pierce the grahams with a fork’s tines.

Ready to Bake Grain Free Chocolate Graham Crackers

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool completely. Using a large kitchen knife, cut apart the graham crackers at the scored marks.

Enjoy!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Blueberry Spoon Fruit (Date Sweetened)

Making Spoon fruit is a delicious way to use Summer’s fruit bounty! It is a technique that purees and reduces the fruit on the stove top, without added thickeners or refined sugar, to a jammy consistency.

For this luscious Blueberry Spoon Fruit, I used dates and a bit of fresh lemon juice, along with wild blueberries.

I use this spoon fruit in my Chocolate Blueberry Ripple Ice Cream Sandwiches.

Simple is often the best!

Blueberry Spoon Fruit

Blueberry Spoon Fruit

Ingredients:

1 Cup Blueberries

1/4 Cup of Pitted Dates (Roughly Chopped)

2 Tablespoons of Fresh Lemon Juice

Directions: In a small saucepan, bring the berry mixture to a boil, and simmer for ten minutes on low, stirring occasionally. Add mixture to a blender (I used a small Ninja) and puree.

Making Blueberry Spoon Fruit

Yield: approximately 3/4 cup

Date Sweetened Blueberry Spoon Fruit

Eat Your Nutrients!

20 Paleo Salads to Make This Summer!

Looking to shake up your salads? I have you covered with 20 delicious recipes that I rounded up for you so you don’t have to! Lighter Fare is very appealing in the warmer months of Summer. The Farm Markets are bursting with peak-season produce chocked full of abundant nutrients.

Enjoy these 20 Paleo Summer Salad recipes by some wonderful bloggers. Mix it up! The fleeting availability of Summer fruit and vegetables make it an exciting time for salads. Make the most of the season!

Bacon Date Fennel Salad with Grilled Peaches from Savory Lotus

Low FodMap Seven Layer Salad from A Girl Worth Saving

Broccoli Salad with Crispy Bacon from Paleo Grubs

Paleo Steak Salad with Coconut Pan Fried-Peaches by Paleo Magazine

Tangled Thai Salad by Danielle Walker

Summer Peach and Berry Fruit Salad by Me 🙂

Paleo Detox Salad from Fed & Fit

Hot Cranberry Spinach Salad from The Paleo Mom

Warm Taco Style Salad from The Healthy Foodie

Bistro Lemon Chicken Dinner Salad by Me 🙂

Tarragon Chicken Salad with Asparagus, Strawberries and Djon Vinaigrette from The Thin Twin

Easy Turkey and Bacon Club Salad from Diane Sanfilippo of Balanced Bites