I am a sucker for Buffalo sauce but the idea of biting into greasy chicken skin makes me a little nauseous . These Buffalo chicken meatballs have all of the flavor of chicken wings without any greasy guilt. They are loaded with carrots and celery as well so you can even call them a health food! 

Ingredients:

1 pound ground cicken
1 egg
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten free crumbs for GF option)
1 carrot
1 stalk celery
2 green onions
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup Frank's Buffalo Sauce
blue cheese or blue cheese dressing, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Chop the celery, green onions and carrots into very fine pieces. A food processor works great. Add the remaining ingredients and shape into 1 inch balls. I use a cookie scoop and roll by hand. You can add some blue cheese crumbles also if desired or a couple T. of  blue cheese dressing to the mix. Line on a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes. This makes about 25 balls. 

Drizzle with additional Buffalo sauce and/or blue cheese dressing if desired.

I served this over brown rice that was cooked in bone broth and garlic roasted veggies. 

​**Recipe adapted from Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans. 

Ingredients:

6 eggs
2/3 c. pumpkin puree
2/3 c. coconut milk, full fat (can substitute other types of milk)
2 T. coconut oil or avocadoil oil
1/3 c. maple syrup
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1 c. cassava flour
1/4 c. coconut flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 T. pumpkin pie seasoning
1/4 tsp. sea salt


Directions:

Blend wet ingredients in the blender then add the dry ingredients. Blend till just smooth. Add more milk as needed. Bake on a hot griddle and serve with pecans and real maple syrup! **Recipe adapted from www.adventuresofasickchick.com
​

These little chimmies are a perfect bundle to wrap when you have left over mexican food ingredients. There aren't too many rules to follow but no cheese is needed or frying! These are wrapped and baked and perfectly yummy. 
​

Ingredients:

Taco Meat mixture:
3/4 pound or more grass fed hamburger (to make vegetarian, use more veggies)
1 small onion, chopped
Bell pepper, any variety, chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
Salsa
cumin, chili powder, chipotle season, salt and pepper to taste
1 c. sweet corn
2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed
1 zucchini, julienned or chopped finely

Directions:

Cook hamburger with onion, garlic and bell pepper till no longer pink. Add zucchini, black beans and corn and cook a little longer till tender. Add in the seasonings to desired taste. Generally I add about 1 tsp. cumin and then chili powders as desired. Add the salsa, just enough to moistened the mixture. Heat till warm and flavors absorbed. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Salsa Brown Rice:

Ingredients:

1 c. brown rice
1 1/2 c. water
1 cup smooth salsa
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Stove top directions:

Bring all the a boil, simmer with the lid on for 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Add more minutes if needed. 

Pressure Cooker:

Bring all ingredients to pressure on high pressure for 20 minutes, let natural release for 10 minutes. 

To make the chimmi:

I love to use the Costco organic, uncooked tortillas. Cook up about 18. Place 
some taco mixture and rice in each tortilla, Roll up folding ends in before you roll. Brush top and bottom with avocado oil or oil of choice. Place seam side down on a baking pan, lining them all up together. Bake at 350 until golden, about 25 minutes. To make this vegetarian, omit the beef and use sweet potatoes and more veggies. You can add cheese if desired. 

These waffles are proof that gluten free doesn't have to taste like cardboard. I am so thankful that there are new options now in gluten free cooking. Cassava flour has been a blessing to the GF world! These are super crispy and perfectly chewy. Make a bunch and freeze them up!

Ingredients:

1 C. cassava flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 ripe banana
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 T. coconut oil
1 1/2 cups milk of choice 

Directions:

Throw every single one of those ingredients in the blender, give it a whirl till
all mixed and cook it on a hot waffle iron. That's all!

**Recipe from Otto's Naturals

Soup is so very easy and filling, I don't care if it's fall or summer, soup is always good. This soup has very little ingredients but is very hearty, like a stew and perfectly seasoned. I make this in a pressure cooker to make it faster but I'll give you both directions. I haven't made a soup without a pressure cooker so I feel for you ladies who have to take the slow route!  INVEST. 

Ingredients:

3 T. oil of choice
1 onion, chopped
8 cups chicken broth (2 boxes of Costco's organic broth)
1 cups wild rice blend (I use the Trader Joe's Organic Wild Rice Blend)
2 cups chopped chicken, cooked and shredded
2 cups sliced carrots
4 celery stalks, chopped (works fine without also)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2- 1 tsp. Spice Hunter's Smokey Turmeric (optional but it is the BEST)

Stove top directions:

Heat oil in a large pot and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes. Add broth and rice to the onions and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for about 35 minutes. If you don't have cooked chicken at this point, cook chicken while the rice is cooking.  Add the cooked chicken, carrots and celery to the pot and bring back to a boil. Reduce to simmer and simmer about 15-30 minutes until veggies are tender and the soup is thick. Add more broth or water if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste and the smokey turmeric. 

Pressure Cooker Directions:

Sauté onions in the pressure cooker for a couple minutes. Add the broth and rice and bring to pressure for 20 minutes. Release pressure and add veggies and and chicken ( I had my frozen chicken in the George Forman cooking for 12 minutes while the rice was cooking). Bring back to pressure for only a minute. Let it natural release then add salt and pepper, turmeric and let simmer in the pot for 15 minutes or until thick and veggies are tender. If you are in a hurry, just pressure for 2 minutes after adding the veggies and natural release. The veggies should be tender and you can eat it at this point. I like to let mine simmer after a minute so that veggies don't get over cooked. You can let the soup sit on the warm setting for as long as you like! 

Crockpot Directions:

Place all ingredients, and frozen, raw chicken in a crock pot on low for about 7-8 hours. Remove chicken and shred when finished and place back into crock pot. 
​

These banana muffins are my new favorite because they are not so sweet but
oh, so moist and yummy! They are refined sugar and dairy free unless you want a little turbinado sugar on top for some crunch!

Ingredients:

1/3 c. coconut oil
1/2 c. honey
2 eggs
1 cup smashed, ripe bananas
1/4 c. milk of choice
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 3/4 c. whole grain flour (I used Kamut)
1/3 c. oats (  plus more for the top)
1 tsp turbinado sugar to sprinkle on top if desired

Directions:

Beat melted coconut oil and honey together. Add eggs, mashed bananas and milk. After combined, stir in the baking soda, vanilla, salt and cinnamon. Add the flour and oats and mix until just combined. Scoop into 12 muffin tins and sprinkle with a little oats and turbinado sugar if desired. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until done. 

**Recipe from cookieandkate,com!
​

This vegetarian taco filling is great in a good tortilla or even as a skillet meal topped with a fried egg. We did both. You can add extra veggies as well but the flavors are delicious!

Ingredients:

1  1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 c. avocado oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup diced onion
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 can black beans or pinto beans
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
3 T. honey
3 T. fresh lime juice
2 T. chopped cilantro

Corn tortillas, pico, avocado, lettuce, etc. for toppings

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix spices and toss with avocado oil on sweet potatoes. Spread them on a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast till golden, about 20 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, sauté onion and bell pepper in oil for about 5 minutes then add the garlic, corn and beans. Continue cooking until tender. Add in the honey, lime juice and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the sweet potatoes to the skillet mixture and simmer a few minutes to blend flavors. Serve bowl style or in tortillas with all the fixings. 

**Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy

These cookies are more like a flat cake with a mildly sweet, dark chocolate taste. They do the trick when you want a grain free choice! I keep these in the freezer to help them stay fresh. 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Coconut flour
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Melt coconut oil and cocoa powder together and mix till smooth. Let Cool. Whisk the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla and stir in the cocoa mixture. Whisk in the coconut flour until smooth. Let stand 5-10 minutes. Coconut flour thickens as it stands. Drop with a cookie scoop onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 10-14 minutes. Do not overtake. 

I have loved the banana and egg pancakes but without any flours at all, they are a bit harder to flip and cook. I decided to try adding some cassava flour today to see how it worked at they were perfect! They have the texture of regular pancakes without any grains at all. Cassava flour is a root so no grain to feed that yeast. 

Ingredients:

1 banana
2 eggs
1/4 c. cassava flour
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder

Directions:

Add everything to the blender and blend a quick second till smooth. Cook on griddle till golden on both sides. I also love to add blueberries to the pancakes on the griddle while cooking. This makes about 7-8 pancakes. They are great to eat cold later with some almond butter. 

Horrible picture, delicious cookies! These cookies are totally grain and dairy free. I use coconut sugar so other than the amount in the chocolate chips, they are refined sugar free. I use the Enjoy life brand chocolate chips for a healthier option. 

Ingredients:

1/4 c. coconut sugar or brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 T. coconut oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 cups fine ground, blanched almond flour
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Directions:

Blend the coconut sugar and almond flour in the blender real quick to make
the coconut sugar and flour a bit finer. Add in the sea salt and baking soda and stir till combined. Add in the egg, coconut oil and vanilla. Stir until all moist. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop tablespoon size balls on a greased or Silpat lined baking sheet and flatten them about 1/2 inch. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Let cool a couple minutes before removing from pan to a cooling rack. Store in the freezer. 

These moist and dense muffins are a hearty way to start your morning. They are great with apples or raisins and taste like a warm bowl of oatmeal! 

Ingredients:
​
1 cup whole grain flour (I love spelt or kamut but wheat works also)
1  1/2 cups oats
1/3 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1 egg
1/3 cup coconut oil or avocado oil
2/3 cup milk of choice
1/4 cup honey
1 cup chopped apples or 1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients then add in wet ingredients. Stir till moist and fold
in fruit. Bake at 350 for about 18 minutes or until golden. 

These muffins are made quickly in the blender with oats as the base. If you use
gluten free oats, they are totally gluten free. These are very mildly sweet and a great breakfast snack. You can add some chocolate chips for an even better taste! I love the Enjoy life mini chips. 

Ingredients:

1 cup pumpkin or sweet potato puree
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 eggs
1 T. vanilla 
1/4 cup almond butter/peanut butter or coconut oil
1/4 cup almond milk or coconut milk
2 1/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon or pumpkin pie seasoning
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Add all ingredients in the blender except for chocolate chips. Blend till mostly smooth. Stir in chocolate chips if desired. Spoon in muffin cups, 3/4 full and bake for 15-18 minutes until done. 
​

You can easily make these gluten free with a good GF flour blend. These are light yet hardy for a great breakfast. 

​

Ingredients:

1  1/2 cups whole grain flour or GF flour mix. (I use kamut or spelt)
2 T. honey
1  1/2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1  1/2 cups milk of choice
3 T. melted butter or coconut oil
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. dried ginger
1  1/2 cups. diced peaches. I leave the peels on. 

Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients together and stir in wet ingredients. Fold in peaches and cook on a griddle. I love to eat these plain!

Eggplants are one thing that grow in abundance in my garden. They aren't my favorite of veggies but I love them in this dish! Using almond flour instead of wheat flour leaves them crunchy and grain free! 

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 eggs
1 cup finely ground almond flour
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
coconut oil for frying

Directions:

Cut eggplant in 1/3 inch slices and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. of salt and let sit 15 minutes. Squeeze out the moisture in the eggplant. Mix almond flour, Parmesan, sea salt, garlic and pepper. Dip eggplant slices into whipped egg and then into almond flour mixture. Fry till golden on both sides and top with marinara sauce. 

**Recipe from www.alldayidreamaboutfood.com

This is a simple berry salad for those warm summer nights. You can change it 
up and add any type of fruit you have on hand. I love it with mangos, apples or pears as well!

Ingredients:

Any combination of baby greens, spinach or romaine, torn in pieces
Berries
Pecans or almonds, roasted, sugared or plain. I love maple roasted. 
Sliced baby cucumbers

Dressing:

1/3 C. raspberry vinegar
1 C. avocado oil
1/4 C. honey or more as desired
2 Strawberries
1/4 t. salt
1 t. minced onions
1 T. poppy seeds (optional)

Mixed salad ingredients together. In blender, add all the dressing ingredients except for the poppy seeds. Blend together then stir in the poppy seeds if desired. Toss as much dressing as desired with salad. Store remaining dressing in the refrigerator. 

This yummy little grain free recipe comes from the lovely Wellness Mama blog. She has all sorts of delicious, grain free recipes to try. These were perfect with a  little dab of butter and honey. They were great with a breakfast smoothie for a little taste of bread without the grains. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut flour
5 T. coconut oil, not melted
4 large eggs
2 T. honey, optional
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the flour, salt and baking powder then add in the coconut oil, eggs and honey. Mix by hand or with a blender until it is smooth. Shape by hand into balls. I made mini biscuits but make any size you desire. Flatten slightly to make them about 1/2 inch thick. Bake for about 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. 
Add coconut oil slowly the first time as each coconut flour brand is different and you may not need as much oil. I prefer the refined coconut oil for baking so it doesn't have the aftertaste. 

Whenever I make tortillas, I wonder why I don't make them more often. They are so easy, generally taking 20 minutes tops and you can't beat homemade tortillas. I love to use Spelt and Kamut flours with a little white. You can substitute some of the water for a veggie puree and add spices as well to make them what you want. Make extra and freeze them for later! 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole grain flour
1 cup white (or use all whole grain)
1 tsp. salt
1/3 c. coconut oil
1 cup hot water or hot water with veggie puree

Directions:

Mix the flour and salt together and any spices desired. Chili powder or cumin 
are great! Cut in coconut oil with a pastry knife or two knives. Stir in hot water or puree mixture till combined. To make a puree, put one cup hot water in the blender with 1/2 cup veggies of choice. I love red bell peppers and spinach or even some salsa! Use 1 cup of that mixture. Add more flour if needed. You want it pretty soft.
Roll into a thick snake and cut it into desired portions, keeping the balls covered. The recipe usually makes 12 medium or 15 small tortillas. Roll into circles on a floured surface. Cook till golden on both sides on a hot skillet. Put into a covered container or between a slightly moistened towel and stack them together. The steam helps to soften them. Store in a ziplock or air tight container in the fridge or freeze. 

When life gives you tomatoes, make lots and lots of salsa! I love summer gardens. Salsa is so variable and each batch is different so play around with the ingredients to get the right flavor for you. My batch today went a little something like this:

I roasted a good bowl of tomatoes till a bit soft and a little charred. I mostly skinned them, cut off the tops and in half. They went into the blender for a little pulsing. 

Those crushed tomatoes were added to the recipe as follows:

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes, fresh or roasted
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cumin
1 T. honey
1/4 t. dried chipotle pepper, more as desired
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1/2 lemon or 1 lime, juiced
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
3-4 T. chopped scallion or white onion
I love to add a good sprinkle of Tajin seasoning

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and pulse till just barely mixed, not soupy. Let chill. Add more seasoning as desired. 

This pasta is a summer gardners favorite because it uses up the plentiful tomatoes, zucchini and basil. I could eat this every day. It is so light and delicious and just smells like summer to me! Best part is that it takes 15 minutes tops!

Ingredients:

About 4 cups cooked pasta of choice. Usually half bag of spaghetti. 
 I love Tinkyada brown rice pasta and quinoa macaroni at Costco.
2 cups chopped zucchini
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 or more cups chopped roma tomatoes or halved Cherry tomatoes
1/2 c. or more chopped fresh basil
1/2 c. or more Fresh parmesan

Directions:
​
Cook pasta till al dente. 
Sauté zucchini and garlic in olive oil till barely tender. Add in tomatoes and basil
and heat until tomatoes are soft and juicy. Add in noodles and fresh parmesan. Let 
the cheese melt and add in salt and pepper to taste!

​

These hearty pancakes are such an easy, dairy free way to make breakfast happen. You can make them gluten free by using gluten free oats as well. 
​

Ingredients:

2 large or 3 medium bananas
2 T. coconut oil
1 T. maple syrup
2 eggs
1 cup oats
1/2 t. baking soda
1/s t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg

Directions:

Add all ingredients to the blender and blend till smooth. Cook on a griddle
and top with maple syrup and fresh fruit. Eat them plain or with nut butters as well for a great protein snack! 

If you are like me and are picking 3-4 zucchinis a day, you need to find every possible way to use them. This recipe turned out so good and was full of so many veggies, even my abundant white eggplants I can never seem to use up. I love to top baked sweet potatoes with chili. Even better on sweet potatoe fries! I would have loved adding some avocado on top but I was fresh out. You can really customize this recipe any way you want. 

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini or 1 zucchini/ 1 small eggplant
1 medium onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped red pepper
1 jalapeño pepper
3 cloves garlic
3 T. avocado oil
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
2 15 oz cans pinto beans
1 15 oz can black beans
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 T. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked chipotle pepper to taste or just additional chili powder
1 T. honey
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin

Directions:

Chop all veggies and herbs. Saute the zucchini, eggplant, peppers and onion in oil until tender. Add in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then let simmer, covered for about 30 minutes or until all veggies are tender. Add more salt or chili powder
as desired. 

To make sweet potatoes; scrub and prick potatoes, bake at 350 0ver foil till tender, about 30-45 minutes depending on the size. 

This little creation has to be my hands down, favorite taco, if not meal. It is light and refreshing and can go in a lettuce wrap to keep it grain free. The flavors of the mangos, chili and lime are the perfect combo! 

Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

3 ripe mangos, peeled and diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2-3 T. diced jalapeño or mild chilis
2 T. diced shallot or red onions
1-2 limes juiced
1-2 T. honey
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and let chill for 30 minutes to blend flavors. 

Honey Lime Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds cooked, shredded chicken
4 T. honey
3 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. avocado oil
2 tsp. chili powder, or more to taste
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4- 1/2 tsp. salt
corn tortillas or lettuce wraps

Mix the dressing ingredients and add the chicken. Toss to coat several times and then add additional salt, lime or chili powder as desired. Let heat together in 
a warm oven for 30 minutes to absorb the flavors. Serve with lightly fried corn
​tortillas or in a lettuce wrap. 

​

I first starting making these pancakes 10 years ago when my son was healing from severe candida. They are totally grain free but they taste like the real deal pancakes. I love to toast these later in the day also with some nut butter and fresh blueberries on top as a snack. Make sure to get the fine ground almond flour for the best taste. 

Ingredients:

1 C. finely ground, blanched almond flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
2 T. honey or maple syrup (optional)

Directions:

Whisk together all ingredients or blend in a blender and cook on a griddle
till golden. 

​

This is such an easy breakfast to throw together. Such simple, real food ingredients without any refined sugars or eggs! You can use any combination of whole grain flours or even gluten free. 

Ingredients:

2 C. kamut, spelt, wheat or other flours
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 t. baking powder
1 T. melted butter
​1 C. maple syrup
1 C. kefir, sour cream, greek yogurt or coconut milk

Topping:

1/2 - 3/4 c. coconut sugar
1 T. cinnamon
7 T. butter (remaining stick)

Directions:

Mix the dry ingredients and stir in the remaining ingredients. Spread into 
a greased 9 X 13 pan. Sprinkle with the coconut sugar and cinnamon. Slice up the remaining 7 T. of butter and press into the batter on top, evenly. Bake at 350 for
20-25 minutes. 

It has been decades since I have had a tuna casserole but I was craving this comfort dish last night. I decided to try my hand at making it as healthy as possible and it was a win! I used quinoa macaroni from Costco and Parmesan and hard, aged cheddar. Instead of heavy cream or cream of horrible toxins soup, I used 1% organic milk. You only need a cup of milk and 1 1/2 cup of cheese to feed the whole family. Not bad. You can make this completely gluten free or gluten it up. I used fresh peas but will add more veggies next time. For the tuna, I used the Wild Planet tuna. 

Ingredients:

8 oz. dry quinoa macaroni pasta or small pasta of choice
2 T. Kerry Gold grass-fed butter
3 T. flour or tapioca or arrowroot flour to thicken
1 onion, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 cup of milk
1 3/4 cups bone broth
2 cans Wild Planet tuna, drained and chopped
1 cup hard cheddar, more if desired
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook macaroni per directions till al dente. Drain and set aside. Cook chopped onion in butter until limp, about 5 minutes. Add in flour or tapioca or arrowroot flour for a couple minutes as a thickener. Add in the broth and stir and let boil a minute until it thickens. Stir in milk and boil, stirring continually for another minute. Add in peas, and tuna and cook another minute. Remove it from the heat and stir in the cheddar and noodles and salt and pepper to taste.Top with parmesan and additional cheddar if desired. I made this all in a cast iron pan but if you are not using an oven proof skillet, place noodle mixture in a greased casserole pan before cooking. Bake at 375 for 18-25 minutes until golden. The cast iron cooks faster so it only took mine about 18 minutes. Serve with a great salad and fresh fruit.