Crispy Apple Crisp

No (good) party or cooking class would be complete without a paleo dessert. I know some paleo followers stay away from paleo-ized versions of baked goods, but I personally like to indulge every once in a while. I created this apple crisp recipe, and you will see there is no honey, maple syrup, or sweetener. You can use those if you like, but I found that the sweetness of the baked apples was enough. Next time I will definitely need to make a little homemade paleo ice cream on the side for the full experience.

I did give the leftovers to my gracious hosts, but it is key to note that they could be eaten for breakfast without a single ounce of guilt. Check out the ingredients - you won't be disappointed!

Ingredients:

- 2 lbs. apples (about 6 small apples)

- 1 cup almond flour/meal

- 1/2 cup crushed pecans

- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

- 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. cinnamon 

- 2 tsp vanilla

- 1/3 cup coconut oil

- 1/2 lemon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Chop apples (I left the skin on) and put in a big ziploc bag. Add lemon and 1 tsp. of the cinnamon. 

3. Shake the bag, and when evenly coated, arrange the apples in a pie dish or 9x9 pan

4. In a mixing bowl, mix almond flour, pecans, walnuts, and 1 Tbsp. of cinnamon

5. Add vanilla and coconut oil

6. Use your hands to fully combine the ingredients - you are looking for a somewhat soft/crumbly mixture. If it is too try, you may need to add another dollop of coconut oil

7. Pour topping mixture evenly over the apples

8. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes

9. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes to make your apple crisp nice and crispy

10. Serve plain or with some paleo ice cream

   

   

Grass-fed Beef & Acorn Squash Autumn Casserole

It was time to move onto the main course after we stuffed our faces with salmon cakes and salsa. Thanks to Tim for his help scooping out all of the squash! I typically just stuff the squash with the beef/onion mixture, but I decided to do a casserole since I was cooking for so many people. It was definitely a lesson learned... it was quite a workout scooping squash, mashing all of it, mixing it with four pounds of beef, etc. Next time I will go back to the standard method of stuffed squash! I will be sure to post the recipe so you can see the difference.

Ingredients:

- 2 acorn squash, halved

- 1 lb. grass-fed ground beef

- 1 sweet onion, chopped

- 1 Tbsp. garlic, chopped

- 1 Tbsp coconut oil

- 2 tsp cinnamon

- Salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Scoop the seeds out of your squash (you can save these to roast later!) and brush with a little coconut oil

3. Put the squash on a baking pan cut side up, and add some water to the pan so the skin doesn't burn

4. Bake for 30-40 minutes until a fork can easily go through the squash

5. While squash is baking, heat coconut oil over medium heat and add onions and garlic

6. In a separate pan, cook grass-fed ground beef over medium heat until cooked thoroughly (about 10 min)

7. Add drained beef to the onion/garlic mixture, and set aside

8. When squash is done (and cool enough to handle), scoop the squash out of the skins and add to a pot

9. Mash the squash with a potato masher, and then add the beef/onion/garlic mixture

10. Add cinnamon, salt, and pepper to the pot. Mix throughly and then transfer the mixture to a casserole dish

11. Bake for 20 minutes and then serve hot!

   

 

Slammin' Salmon Cakes w/ Strawberry Avocado Salsa

Good morning from rainy Boston! Yesterday's cooking class was quite an experience. The turnout was lower than expected, but I still gained the experience of cooking food for 12 people for a solid 7 hours. Needless to say, my feet and back are tired, but it was great. I am separating the three courses into three different posts, and I hope you all enjoy the recipes. Before everyone came, I took out some interesting reading materials and also laid out some of my go-to paleo products so people could see some of the food I eat and ingredients I use. 

We started off the feast with salmon cakes/patties/burgers/whatever. I am going crazy over this canned wild salmon I found at Trader Joes, and I'm sure I will come up with some other salmon recipes over the next few weeks. Salmon cakes are incredibly easy to make, and they are perfect for leftovers. You can have one over scrambled eggs for breakfast, with a salad and sliced avocado for lunch, and with some roasted broccoli and a sweet potato for dinner! This is making me hungry...

Ingredients:

- 1 avocado, chopped

- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped

- 5-7 strawberries, chopped

- 1 lime

- Salt, pepper, & garlic powder

- Two 14.5 oz. cans of wild salmon

- 1 large onion, diced

- 3 eggs

- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. coconut flour

- 2 Tbsp. dill

- 1 lemon

- Salt, pepper, & garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Mix avocado, tomatoes, strawberries, and lime juice in a mixing bowl

3. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

4. Refrigerate so flavors meld while you prepare the salmon cakes

5. Add canned salmon to a large mixing bowl. Note that this wild salmon from Trader Joes (only $2.99!) has skin and bones. You can mash it all together to get the full health benefits.

6. Add onion, egg(s), coconut flour, dill, lemon, salt, pepper, and garlic powder

7. Mix well with a fork, and then dive in with your hands to solidify the mixture

8. Form into patties and arrange on a foil-lined baking sheet

9. Bake for 30 minutes and then remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes

10. Serve with a dollop (or two) of salsa