Serving Just One Is Still Fun!

Blueberry Muffins for One

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp coconut flour
• 1 tbsp almond flour
• 1 tbsp oat flour (omit for paleo version)*
• 2 tbsp granulated sweetener of choice (we use coconut sugar, adjust to taste)
• 1/2 tsp aluminium free baking powder
• Pinch cinnamon
• 1 large egg (can sub for 1 large egg white or 1 flax egg)
• 1 tbsp mashed banana/pumpkin/mashed starchy vegetable e.g. sweet potato
• 1 tbsp + dairy free milk of choice**
• 2-3 tbsp fresh or frozen blueberries
  

Recipe:

Pour batter into an oven safe mug or cup and bake at 350F (180C) for 12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Notes
* If you omit the oat flour for almond, you'll need a dash more dairy free milk.
** Depending on the starch you use and the brand of coconut flour, you will most likely need more than 1 tablespoon - adjust accordingly.

Paleo Egg-In-The-Hole

PALEO EGG-IN-THE-HOLE

Yield: Yields 6 Egg-in-the-Holes

NF based on 1 of 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 acorn squash
• 6 whole eggs
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 5-6 pitted dates
• 8 walnut halves
• Fresh parsley to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Slice squashes crosswise in order to get at least 3 slices with complete holes per squash*. Your good slices should be about 3/4" inch thick.
3. Remove the seeds and place the slices on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
4. While the squash is in the oven, place walnuts and dates on a cutting board and chop them simultaneously until their texture resembles that of coarse sand.
5. Take the squash out of the oven and drizzle each slice with a little bit of olive oil.
6. Crack an egg directly in the center of each slice, sprinkle eggs with a little bit of salt and pepper and sprinkle date/walnut crumble over the entire surface of the squash slices and eggs
7. Return to the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the eggs are done to your liking
8. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
9. Drizzle with maple syrup if desired.

S

S

Spicy {Slow Cooker} Sweet Potato and Chicken Stew

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours, 10 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces

1 large sweet potato or yam, peeled and chunked

1 yellow onion, diced

1 red pepper, seeds removed and diced

1 large zucchini, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

5 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/2 tablespoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to your liking)

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons corn starch

1/2 cup fat free half & half or light coconut milk

salt to taste

Directions

1.            Pull out the slow cooker (duh).

2.            Throw all the vegetables (including garlic) and the chicken into the slow cooker.

3.            Sprinkle the spices over everything and toss with a wooden spoon to mix.

4.            Pour the chicken broth over everything.

5.            Set your slow cooker to high heat (for 4 hours) or low (8 hours).

6.            In the last half hour of cooking, mix the cornstarch with a few tablespoons of the broth from the crockpot in a small bowl and pour the mixture back into the stew. Let cook for another 20 minutes to half hour to thicken, on low heat.

7.            Right before serving, stir in the half and half or coconut milk. This will give the broth a velvety texture!

8.            Season with salt to taste and serve with a sprinkling of flat leaf parsley or cilantro.

It's Summer Party Time!!!

Piled High Squash

(Substitute for Potato Skins) Serves 6 (1 squash each or 2 halves)

Ingredients
6 small to medium summer squash or zucchini
Olive oil
1 small sweet onion
1 cup sweet cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters (any color you like)
½ cup fresh cubed mozzarella
6 chopped, canned artichoke hearts
1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut each squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Brush the squash with olive oil and bake(carved out side down) for 20 minutes, until golden around the edges.

While that is cooking, heat a small frying pan with tablespoon of olive or avocado oil and saute the onion for 10 minutes, until translucent. Remove from the heat.

In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, breadcrumbs, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt to taste, adding as much as you think the mixture needs to bring out the flavors of the tomatoes. Add the zucchini-onion mixture and stir together.

Press the filling into each of the zucchini boats. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted, the tomatoes have burst, and the tops of the boats are golden. Let them rest for a couple of minutes, then serve, topped with sour cream, bacon crumbles...well you take it from here and let your imagination take over. Let me know what you came up with so I can try it. Write it in the comment section below.

Butternut Squash Soup is the Nuts!!

Any Season Soup!

Served HOT or COLD it's delish!

Save the seeds that you carve out of the squash and let them dry on a paper plate for a few days, put them in a paper envelope until next years planting. Be sure to write what it is on the front, or get a surprise in your garden:) 

This can be frozen in small amounts and thawed quickly when that unexpected company is coming to town.

Ingredients: 

·         1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

·         1 carrot, diced

·         1 celery stalk, diced

·         1 onion, diced

·         4 cups cubed butternut squash, fresh or frozen

·         1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or crushed thyme

·         4 cups water (to cover squash)

·         low-sodium chicken broth( powder, cube or paste) to taste

·         1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

·         1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions: 

    Place in a large pot: all ingredients (because I love to do it quick and easy). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. You can use an immersion blender, blender, bullet, ninja to purée the squash for creamy smooth soup. Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and carefully purée in batches in an upright blender. 

Three Twists

Apple, Gorgonzola and Almond Butternut Soup
Stir 1 cup unsweetened applesauce into puréed soup. Garnish each serving with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, toasted almonds, a few slices of thinly sliced apple and a small sprig of fresh thyme. 

Thai-style Butternut Soup
Stir a tablespoon of red curry paste and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger into carrot, celery and onion mixture. Add 1/2 cup coconut milk with broth. Purée soup and garnish each serving with toasted coconut flakes and chopped fresh cilantro.

Southwestern-style Butternut Soup
Add a tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo sauce to carrot, celery and onion mixture. Garnish soup with crumbled queso fresco, toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped fresh cilantro.

Enjoy this winter squash any time of the year!!

Stay Healthy,

Simply Easy Group Breakfast or Brunch!

Casserole in the crock ! 

Ingredients:
1 bag 26 oz. frozen organic hash browns
12 organic eggs
1 cup organic milk
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 16 oz. turkey sausage
Sea Salt and pepper
16 oz. bag low fat shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Spray with organic cooking spray the crock pot and evenly spread hash browns at the bottom.
2. Crack eggs in a large bowl.
3. Mix well (and slowly) using a whisk.
4. Add the milk.
5. Go ahead and sprinkle in the ground mustard. This might sound like a weird ingredient, but I've come to love (and use) this in most of my recipes.
6. Add salt.......and lots of fresh pepper. Mix well and set aside.
7. Cook the sausage on high heat, drain and set aside.
8. Add sausage on top of hash browns.
9. Throw the whole big bag in there.
10. Mix it up well. 
11. Pour the egg mixture over everything in the crock pot. Using a wood spoon, even everything out so it's spread evenly.
12. Turn the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.

Some fun variations of this recipe. Before cooking (during prep) you can add:

diced chiles
salsa
diced green onions

Old Fashioned Chicken & Dumplings

Old Fashioned Chicken & Dumplings

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves cubed
2 small cans organic chicken broth
1 onion, finely diced

4 med cut carrots cut on a diagonal

2 stalks of cut celery

Directions

Place the chicken,broth, onion,carrots and celery in a pot on the stovetop, and cover.
Cook about 30 minutes, drain off the broth into another pan to thicken for gravy.

Mix up 1/3 cup flour and water in a shaker container until runny then wait until the broth
is boiling and pour in the flour and water mixture while whisking .
Return gravy back into the original pot and bring back to a slow bubble.

Mix up the Dumplings:  recipe makes 6 dumplings

1cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBS margarine

Directions

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in medium size bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly.

Stir in milk to make a soft dough. Drop by spoonfuls into boiling stew. Cover and simmer 

without lifting lid. Dumplings will look wet on the outside but will be dry on the inside when 

cooked. So test the insides for doneness. 

You will love these once you make them. 

So will everyone at the table.