Tag Archives: Low FodMap

Italian Bacon Popovers

The air is starting to cool here in preparation for Fall, and that makes me crave popovers! According to James Beard, although they resemble Yorkshire Pudding, they are purely an American creation. I have a lot of English heritage, and grew up eating recipes my Grandmother made from what she called “the old country” (England). So here is a version of a popover that I find to be Fall Comfort Food in my humble opinion. It is a little American, with an Italian Flair and a bit of English whimsy, but mostly they are plain delish! I added some good quality parmigiano reggiano, which is SCD Legal, but if you don’t tolerate dairy, they are equally delicious without it. They are so, so good hot from the oven! They are fun to eat, and I used leftover popovers to pack sandwiches for my daughters lunches the next day. Just split them and fill them for a mini sandwich. So, enjoy a little Fall comfort food and make some popovers!

Italian Bacon Popovers

You can use a popover pan like this, but a muffin pan works just fine! It makes a dozen puffy popovers!

Oven Ready Popovers

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil or Ghee, Melted

1/2 Cup Cooked, Sugar Free is Bacon (4 slices) cooked and chopped

8 Large Pastured Eggs

1 Cup Full Fat Coconut Milk

1/2 Cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano, optional Omit for Dairy Free

1/4 Cup Coconut Flour

1/4 Cup Scallions, green tops only, sliced

1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning

1 Teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Preheat your oven 400º degrees. Place a half teaspoon of melted coconut oil or ghee in each popover or muffin pan cup and brush it up the sides. Crack eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk together with the coconut milk, whisk in the coconut flour and keep whisking briskly until no lumps, stir in the remaining ingredients, then fill each popover or muffin cup 2/3 full with batter. Don’t overfill, leave room for them to pop up! Your batter will look like this.

Italian Bacon Popover Batter

Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake 30 – 35 minutes keeping an eye on them until they are golden brown. Don’t be tempted to open the oven door. Think Souffle! When they are done, remove them from the oven and take them out of the pan while still hot and cool. Eat them warm, or they make a very nice mini-sandwich!

Italian Bacon Popover

Italian Romenesko Fennel Salad

What is Romenesko? It is a gorgeous member of the Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprout family. It does look like an alien cousin to Broccoli! I love fun vegetables, don’t you?

It is bright grass green and very pretty. I love the texture of it, which is similar to cauliflower. So I thought, why not incorporate it in a salad cooked? Here is a veggie packed salad with Italian flair.

Italian Romenesko Fennel Salad with Italian Vinaigrette

Italian Romenesko and Fennel Salad with Italian Vinaigrette

Ingredients for Salad:

1 Head of Organic Iceburg Lettuce or Two Heads of Organic Romaine

One Head of Organic Romenesko

1 Large Fennel

1 Large Organic Tomato

1 small can of Black Olives (I use Field Day 3.8 oz.)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 tsp. Himalayan Pink Salt

1/4 tsp. Black Pepper

1 tsp. fresh Lemon Juice

Directions:

Finely shave your fennel after cleaning and cutting off top and clean and separate your Romenesko pieces. In a heavy skillet add olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add shaved fennel and romenesko and saute covered for ten minutes until just becoming tender. Remove lid, add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and continue to saute until starting to brown and any liquid has evaporated, about 5 to 10 more minutes.

Meanwhile place your lettuce, sliced tomato and black olives in a salad bowl.

While the Fennel Romenesko mixture cools, make your salad dressing.

Italian Vinaigrette:

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Garlic Infused Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar (check it is zero carbs, so not added sugar)

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1 Teaspoon Organic Italian Herbs

Combine all the ingredients and Shake it Up to emulsify.

Italian Vinaigrette

Add the Fennel and Romenesko to your salad and toss with the dressing. Serve! We had this for dinner with broiled fish. It is a light and satisfying meal.

Toasted Hazelnut-Vanilla Nut Milk & Lattes

Toasted Hazelnut Vanilla Nut Milk.jpg

Are you a hazelnut lover? I have this new recipe for Toasted Hazelnut-Vanilla Nut Milk that I adore with my cold brew iced coffee and matcha green tea. Nut milks are nutritious and easily made at home without the fillers and gums that can be difficult for your digestive system.

The nuts are plentiful in mono-unsaturated fatty acids and also essential fatty acid. Also, nutritionally, they contain Folate, B-Complex Vitamins, Copper, Magnesium, and Iron. They make delicious milk!

You can make the milk with raw hazelnuts, but toasting them boosts the flavor profile and makes the milk even more delicious. There is just three ingredients to make the milk. You do need a high speed blender and a nut milk bag. The nut milk bag is very inexpensive and handy to have around.

Homemade Nut Milk Tools. High Speed Blender & Nut Milk Bag

Ingredients:

4 Ounces Hazelnuts (Toasted & Skins Removed)

2 Tablespoons Pure Vanilla Extract (SCD Legal)

6 Cups of Filtered Water

1 Pinch Himalayan Pink Salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

On a parchment lined cookie sheet toast hazelnuts in one layer in middle of oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly colored and skins are blistered. Using a lint free kitchen towel, wrap the nuts hot from the oven and let them steam 1 minute. Briskly rub nuts in the towel to remove loose skins (don’t worry about skins that don’t come off) and cool completely.

Place the nuts, vanilla, water and salt in your high speed blender and blend for three minutes. Pour into the nut milk bag and drain the liquid squeezing gently at the end to extract all the liquid. Pour into a pitcher or storage container and refrigerate. It stays fresh for about a week, if it lasts that long.

Makes 6 cups

Here are some of the ways I love to use it. You can also use it as you would any milk in your recipes and baking where you want a hazelnut flavor.

Make a Matcha Green Tea Latte!

Directions: Whisk 1 teaspoons of Matcha Green Tea into 1/4 Cup of hot water. Stir in 1 cup of Toasted Hazelnut-Vanilla Nut Milk and pour over ice. It is so refreshing!

Iced Hazelnut Matcha Green Tea Latte

Use it in Coffee for a delicious Hazelnut Flavor without the Syrups. Iced or hot! Here I made iced coffee with a cold brew coffee, ice and toasted vanilla hazelnut milk. You can choose to add honey if you like your beverages sweet.

Toasted Hazelnut Milk Iced Coffee

Eat Your Nutrients!

Asian Pork Ribs

Oh my gosh, who doesn’t love succulent ribs! I made these last night for my family, and they were tender, juicy and flavorful! You can get them marinating the day before you make them. They are cooked in the oven low and slow, so are perfect for a weekend dinner. I served them with golden beets and Chinese eggplant.

Asian Pork Ribs

Ingredients:

3 to 3 1/2 pound rack of pork ribs

Marinade:

1/3 cup chopped fresh ginger

1/4 cup garlic infused olive oil (the brand I use)

3 Tablespoons Clear Honey

2 Teaspoons Pink Himalayan Salt

1 Tablespoon Black Pepper

3 Kaffir Lime Leaves (optional, provides a mild citrus flavor)

3 Tablespoons Coconut Aminos

1 Tablespoon Jarred Anchovy Fillets

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Asian Pork Ribs with Golden Beets, Chinese Eggplant and Salad

Directions: Blend together in a high speed blender all the ingredients for the marinade. Place the ribs on a foil lined, rimmed cookie sheet, and coat thoroughly with the marinade on both sides. Cover with wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. When ready to cook, remove from refrigerator and heat your broiler on high. Broil both sides of the ribs until browned and starting to caramelize. About 5 minutes a side. Remove from the oven, and set your oven on 250°. Cover the top of the ribs with foil and tightly seal. Bake in oven 4 to 4 1/2 hours until ribs are very tender.

Asian Pork Ribs

Eat Your Nutrients!

Lavender Sugar Cookies

There are so many ways to use lavender in cooking. Here I have used it in a “sugar” cookie. It is sweetened with SCD Legal honey and uses almond flour. I have rolled and cut them out. You could also make the recipe by scooping the cookies if you are short on time. They will be softer that way instead of crunchy as a rolled cut out cookie.

Lavender Sugar Cookie

Preheat Oven 350°. Place parchment paper on two cookie sheets.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 Cups Superfine Almond Flour

1/4 Cup Organic Palm Shortening, Melted

2 Tablespoons Honey

1 Teaspoon Dried Culinary Grade Lavender Buds, minced or placed in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle

1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest

1 1/2 Teaspoons SCD Legal Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Himalayan Pink Salt

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix together the wet ingredients and add to the bowl of dry ingredients stirring with a fork until a ball forms. Place the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll to about 1/4″ thickness. Refrigerate on a cookie sheet for fifteen minutes, then cut out using a cookie cutter and place on your parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes until starting to brown around the edges.

Makes approximately 12 cookies depending on the size of your cutter.

Lavender Sugar Cookies

Eat Your Nutrients!

Grilled Zesty Shrimp & Vegetables

Grilled Zesty Shrimp and Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 Cup Orange Vinaigrette (found here)

Zest of One Lemon

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil and Coconut Oil (melted)

2 Teaspoons Himalayan Pink Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

2 Medium Zucchini, Sliced

1 Green Bell Pepper, Sliced

1 Red Bell Pepper, Sliced

1 Serrano Chili Pepper, Sliced

1 Pound Shrimp

Grilled Vegetable & Shrimp Toss

Toss the vegetables together in a large bowl with the dressing and remaining ingredients, except Shrimp. Let marinate 30 minutes to an hour. Place the vegetables in a grill pan, and grill on medium heat 20 minutes or until desired doneness, tossing occasionally. Add the shrimp the last five minutes until pink and cooked through.

Eat Your Nutrients!

Fresh Basil Pesto

The local basil is gorgeous right now, and making pesto with it is like sunshine in a jar! I put it on everything….meat, veggies, paleo crackers. If you are eating Low FodMap, you can make amazing pesto with garlic infused olive oil. Basil has antibacterial properties, flavonoids, is high in Vitamin K and Magnesium.

Low FodMap Dairy Free Basil Pesto

Here’s how you do it:

Ingredients:

1 Cup Fresh Basil, packed tight to measure

2 Tablespoons Raw Walnuts

2 Tablespoons Pine Nuts

6 Tablespoons Garlic Infused Olive Oil

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1 Teaspoon Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon Fresh Oregano (optional)

Low FodMap Dairy Free Basil Pesto

Place all the ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until desired consistency. Spoon liberally onto everything! It is amazing, savory, deliciousness and so good for you!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Lavender Ice Cream with Candied Pecans

The Lavender is at it’s peak in Northern Michigan, and I took a trip to Lavender Hill Farms to stroll through the lavender fields and purchase some culinary lavender called Violet Intrigue. Culinary lavender is different than others. Lavender identified as “angustifolia’ is used in cooking and will not taste bitter. You can purchase it at some health food stores or directly from a grower.

Lavender Ice Cream with Honeyed Pecans

In this ice cream I infused full fat coconut milk with lavender buds for a delicate flavor paired with toasted, honeyed pecans.

Look at the beautiful lavender fields! There was a delicate scent of lavender in the air and the bees were working the flowers. The little gift shop sells lavender honey from their hives as well as homemade soaps and beauty products made from their other varieties of lavender.

Lavender Buds

Lavender Fields

Lavender Ice Cream with Candied Pecans

Preheat your oven 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

2 Cans (28 oz.) Full Fat Coconut Milk (Aroy-D is the best!)

1/4 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon of Clear Honey

1/2 Cup Raw Pecans

2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil

1 Tablespoon Dried Lavender Buds

1 Tablespoon SCD Legal Pure Vanilla Extract

1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Pinch of Himalayan Pink Salt

Toast the pecans in a 350 degree oven for five minutes, then remove, place in a small bowl with 1 Tablespoon of Honey and 1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon and toss to coat. Place back on a parchment lined cookie sheet and continue to toast tossing every five minutes until dried and candied. Set aside to cool. Then coarsely chop them.

Meanwhile, place 1/2 cup coconut milk in a small sauce pan with 1 Tablespoon Lavender Buds and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat just before it boils and let the buds infuse for 30 minutes, then strain and discard the buds. Stir in the remaining Coconut Milk, Vanilla, 1/4 Cup Honey, 2 Tablespoons melted Coconut Oil and a pinch of Himalayan Pink Salt. Chill for 4 to 6 hours in the refrigerator. Churn in an ice cream maker, stirring in the chopped, candied pecans the last five minutes. Serve this delicate, fancy, refreshing treat!

Lavender Ice Cream with Honeyed Pecans

Eat Your Nutrients!

Crock Pot Cream of Tomato Basil Soup

Cream of Tomato Basil Soup

Fall isn’t the only time to make good use of your crock pot! It allows you to get outside in the Summer and come home after a day of fun to a great meal. When we have a full house of company and are all heading out for a day of boating or beach fun, I can’t tell you how much stress it takes off the cook to have a few great recipes that can be done in advance “up your sleeve” – Where did that saying come from?

Here is a tomato soup recipe where I used fresh basil from the garden. You can add a salad and some almond crackers, or throw burgers on the grill to go with it for a quickly prepped meal after a day outside.

Ingredients:

2 – 28 oz. Jars Crushed Tomatoes (I Like Eden Organics They are SCD Legal)

1 Cup Full Fat Coconut Milk

2 Tablespoons Garlic Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Fresh Minced Basil, plus more for garnish

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Place all the ingredients in the crock pot on low for 6 to 8 hours. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or high speed blender. Serve with a garnish of fresh basil.

See how easy it is?

Eat Your Nutrients!

Banana Almond Swirl Cookies

Here is a moist drop cookie, that I am so excited to share! It is egg free, sugar free and dairy free. They are soft and cake-like. I am an ex-cake addict. They are tasty and moist!

Banana Almond Swirl Cookies

There are two batters that you swirl together and then scoop and drop.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

Batter One:

1 Ripe Banana with Black Spots (this makes them sweet with no sugar and SCD Legal)

1 1/4 Cups Superfine Almond Flour

2 Tablespoons Cinnamon

2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil (softened but not melted. (If it is a warm day it will be soft of a few seconds in the microwave)

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract (just vanilla and alcohol)

1/4 Teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Gluten Free Baking Soda

Puree the banana, then in a medium bowl with a hand mixer, mix in the remaining ingredients. Set aside.

Batter Two:

1 Ripe Banana with Black Spots (this makes them sweet with no sugar and SCD Legal)

1 1/4 Cups Superfine Almond Flour

2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil (softened but not melted. (If it is a warm day it will be soft of a few seconds in the microwave)

1/2 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract and 1/2 Teaspoon Pure Almond Extract (No additives, SCD Legal)

1/4 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

Puree the banana. With a hand mixer in a medium bowl, mix the remaining ingredients.

Add the Cinnamon Batter to the top of the almond batter and swirl with a knife until you get a nice marbled effect. Scoop onto two parchment lined baking sheets with a cookie scoop. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. If you have any left after the first day, store them in the refrigerator.