Misc Archives - Holistically Engineered

5 Tips for A Whole30 Compliant 4th of July

Karen Sorenson — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 23:44:06 +0000

Summer is here and that means lots of summer barbecues, but it can be hard to navigate these gatherings to find healthy foods. If you’re not familiar with the Whole30 program, I definitely suggest checking it out here. It’s a free program I have done at least 4 times (I usually modify it for low carb/low sugar). It was the first thing I did to transition from strictly low carb to paleo/real food. Whole30 helped me ditch the low carb processed foods to a more real foods based approach, and if you’re a male, you can get supplements from these Testogen review which are great to improve the health and performance in males. We have a special guest today, Meg Marrs from Life Health HQ, sharing 5 Tips for a Whole30 Compliant 4th of July. The good news is that these tips are helpful for making healthy choices this summer whether you’re on Whole30 or not. Let’s welcome Meg!!

1. Load Up On Burgers, Steer Clear of Buns

Lucky for you, 4th of July is all about good ol’ fashioned American burgers. Sure, you’ll have to pass on the dogs, but go ahead and grab a few hamburgers (and if they’re made from grass-fed beef, even better)!

Buns are out (who really likes those boring white hamburger buns anyway?), but at most BBQs you’ll be able to find some lettuce leafs to serve as a bun substitute.

Naturally, make the most of the tomatoes, onions, and other tasty burger toppings. While you’ll have to pass on the ketchup, you can add some mustard for flavor (many brands are compliant, but double check to be safe). Also hit up the chips and salsa area to grab guac and/or salsa to top your burger with!

2. Fruit Salad For the 4th

Most BBQs will have at least one (maybe even two) fruit salad items available, so opt for that over cake or cookies. You can also bring your own red, white, and blue patriotic paleo fruit salad to serve and enjoy with other guests.

[Karen’s notes: Summer means it’s berry season so if you’re trying to limit your carbs, stick with strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and/or blueberries for a delicious summer treat. You can even top it with some unsweetened whipped coconut cream.]

3. Salute To The Seltzer

4th of July often goes hand in hand with drinking. If you’re concerned about any sans alcohol awkwardness, having some seltzer in hand goes a lot way.

Seltzer water is a Whole30 fan favorite, as its bubbly taste can give you something fun to drink around friends. As a bonus, mix seltzer water with various fruits for an irresistible Whole30 mocktail!

4. BYOD (Bring Your Own Dressing)

Prep ahead for your 4^th of July BBQ and bring your own compliant salad dressing.

While there will likely be plenty of salad dishes available to you, finding a compliant dressing by the picnic tables may prove to be more of a challenge. Play it safe and bring your own!

[Karen’s notes: I absolutely love to make my own salad dressing! My favorite is this Lemon Basil salad dressing (get the recipe here).]

5. Pack That Plate

Leaving a space on your plate where tortilla and potato chips once would have resided will only make things harder. Instead, fill your entire plate with fruit, salad, and burgers so that you won’t get the feeling you’re missing out.

Keep this tips in mind and you’ll have no problems staying Whole30 compliant during your 4^th of July gathering! Focus on the tasty meat, fruit, and salad you can enjoy, rather than what you can’t have.

Author Bio: Meg Marrs is the Senior Editor at Life Health HQ, a website dedicated to helping people lead healthier, happier lives! When not perusing farmers markets for the freshest fruit, Meg can be found lounging in her favorite hammock with a good book. You can also follow Life Health HQ on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

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Grain Free Trail Mix (Paleo and Low Carb)

Karen Sorenson — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 18:51:28 +0000

Today I’m sharing a paleo and low carb trail mix that makes a great portable snack. With the warmer weather it’s a great time to go hiking or spend some time outside. Recently, I took a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and whenever I travel I like to take healthy snacks with me. One of the snacks I decided to make was trail mix. Usually my low carb “trail mix” is just a mix of nuts without anything sweet, but every once in awhile I like to add a little bit of sweetness to the mix. I ended up making candied nuts so that there is a great balance of salty and sweet, also I would leave you this gluten free snack bar which is also a great option.

For paleo, you can use any mix of nuts that you prefer, but for low carb you’ll want to stick with lower carb nuts like pecans, walnuts, almond, brazil nuts, or hazelnuts. If you’re a fan of fruit, you can add some dehydrated fruit like strawberries (lower carb) or bananas (paleo). Be sure to check the ingredients to make sure there is no added sugar.

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Grain Free Trail Mix (Paleo and Low Carb)

Ingredients

For candied nuts

1 1/2 cups raw mixed nuts (like a mix of pecans, walnuts, and cashew pieces--use what you prefer)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (I like the fancy shreds)--click here to see what I use
1/3 cup coconut sugar (or Swerve sweetener for low carb)--get coconut sugar here and Swerve here)
1 egg white
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla

For Roasted Nuts

2 cups raw mixed nuts (like a mix of pecans, walnuts, and cashew pieces--use what you prefer)
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt

Other ingredients

1/2 cup roasted pistachios pieces (shelled)
1/2 cup roasted macadamia nuts, chopped

Instructions

For the candied nuts

Preheat oven to 300 F
Mix the coconut sugar (or sweetener), egg white, water, coconut oil, cinnamon, and vanilla in a large bowl.
Add the nuts (1 1/2 cups) and unsweetened coconut
Stir until the nuts are coated in the egg white mixture.
Spread into an even layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.

For the roasted nuts

Spread the remaining mixed nuts (2 cups of un-roasted nuts) into an even layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Cut the butter into pieces and arrange on top of the nuts.
Sprinkle with the salt and bake for 25 minutes (at 300 F), stirring halfway.
Allow all nuts to cool completely.
In a medium airtight container or plastic storage bag, add the pistachios, macadamia nuts, and all of the cooled mixed nuts/coconut.
If desired, you can add dehydrated fruit like strawberries (for lower carb) or bananas (for paleo)--check the ingredients for no added sugar.

https://holisticallyengineered.com/2016/06/paleo-trail-mix-low-carb.html

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Creamy Bacon Vinaigrette (Low Carb and Dairy Free Option)

Karen Sorenson — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 09:30:29 +0000

Having an easy, homemade salad dressing makes a great real food kitchen staple. Before I changed my diet the only salad dressing I would use was ranch. Typically ranch dressing in a bottle from the store (and when you make it yourself at home from the packet) contains a lot of non-real food/inflammatory ingredients. So I had to change my staple salad dressing and I ending up turning to a vinaigrette. What I love about vinaigrettes is that you can throw all of the ingredients in a mason jar, shake it up, and it ends up being very creamy. Sometimes it’s nice to make a dressing that’s extra creamy and to jazz it up a bit. For this Creamy Bacon Vinaigrette, I took a basic vinaigrette recipe and swapped out some of the olive oil for bacon fat to give it more flavor. I also add some mascarpone cheese and bacon pieces to make it extra creamy. I’ve been growing some summer vine spinach in my Tower Garden so I chopped it up, threw on some leftover grilled veggies, and topped it with the Creamy Bacon Vinaigrette. A perfect way to end the summer!

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Creamy Bacon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

4 strips of bacon
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp bacon fat
1 garlic clove
2 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice
2 Tbsp of mascarpone cheese, softened (or coconut cream for dairy free)

Instructions

Cook bacon until cooked through, reserving the bacon fat that renders. Once the bacon cools chop the strips into small pieces.
In a mason jar, add the olive oil and 3 Tbsp of the reserve bacon fat.
Using a microplan grater, grate the garlic clove into the jar.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add the vinegar or lemon juice to the jar.
Place the lid on the mason jar and shake the ingredient together until creamy and well combined.
In a medium bowl, add the mascarpone cheese and bacon pieces.
Add the vinaigrette base and whisk until the mascarpone cheese is well combined.

https://holisticallyengineered.com/2015/09/creamy-bacon-vinaigrette.html

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Goji Berry and Cream Popsicles (Low Carb and Dairy Free)

Karen Sorenson — Tue, 19 May 2015 09:30:59 +0000

How’s the weather in your area? It’s really starting to heat up here in South Carolina, so it’s nice to have a cold treat to enjoy on those hot Spring (or what feels like Summer already) days. You’ve probably heard of goji berries before…they were one of those superfood buzz words awhile back. But it’s true, goji berries (or Chinese Wolfberries) have some great benefits. I like to use NingXia Red drink, which is made from goji/Chinese wolfberries, to make popsicles. NingXia Red is naturally sweetened from the berries and stevia and has lots of flavor already built in.

NingXia Red is a powerful antioxidant drink that contains whole Ningxia wolfberry puree—a super blend of blueberry, aronia, cherry, pomegranate, and plum juices, natural stevia extract, grape seed extract, pure vanilla extract, and orange, yuzu, lemon, and tangerine essential oils. Its benefits include support from head to toe, via a whole body nutrient infusion. NingXia Wolfberries have been cherished for centuries for its health, energy, and longevity benefits. Whole Ningxia wolfberries and other nutrient-dense fruit juices make NingXia Red the perfect choice for optimizing wellness. I first tried NingXia Red when I got my essential oil starter kit (set started here). The starter kit came with two packets of NingXia Red to sample. Honestly, I tossed them to the side and had no idea what they were (I was mainly just interested in learning about essential oils themselves). After learning more about the benefits, I decided to give them a try in the form of popsicles. The first time I put the packets directly in the freezer and had easy popsicles, but now I like taking it a step further and adding the cream (or coconut cream) because it adds some healthy fats for satiety and also helps dilute the essential oils even further. NingXia Red is also great served over ice as a drink with some club soda or water.

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Goji Berry and Cream Popsicles (Low Carb and Dairy Free)

Ingredients

4 oz NingXia Red drink (get NingXia Red here)
1 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
2 Tbsp powdered coconut sugar* or equivalent liquid sweetener of choice (like stevia for low carb)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk the heavy cream/coconut milk, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract until combine.
Pour the NingXia Red evenly (about half way) into the popsicle molds.
Top with the cream/milk mixture until the mold is full.
Freeze for 15 minutes and then insert a popsicle stick into the middle of each mold.
Allow to freeze completely.
To unmold, running warm water along the outside of the molds and gentle remove the popsicle from the mold.

Notes

*To powder the coconut sugar, run it through a food processor or blender until finely ground.

Makes 3 popsicles

https://holisticallyengineered.com/2015/05/goji-berry-cream-popsicles.html

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Pesto Burgers (Paleo, Low Carb, and Low FODMAP)

Karen Sorenson — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 09:30:08 +0000

I have lettuce wrapped burgers pretty often since they make such an easy dinner. And although I’m a creature of habit and could eat the same thing for dinner over and over again, I do eventually get bored with the same ole thing. Pesto is usually reserved for zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash, but the other night I ended up topping my burger with it. It was sooooo delicious. The fresh flavors of the pesto paired perfectly with the ground beef of my burger. I ended up topping my burger, but you could easily mix the pesto into the burger meat before you cook it. It’s definitely a must try!

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Pesto Burgers (Paleo and Low FODMAP)

Ingredients

2 oz. basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted cashews or pine nuts
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup garlic infused olive oil
4 cooked burger patties

Instructions

Place the basil, cashews, salt, and lemon juice in a mini chopper or food processor.
Pulse until the ingredients are chopped and combined.
Add the olive oil and process until creamy.
Top the cooked burger patties with pesto and serve over lettuce.

https://holisticallyengineered.com/2015/02/paleo-pesto-burgers.html

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Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (Paleo and Low Carb)

Karen Sorenson — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 11:34:38 +0000

One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen is to make my own salad dressing. It’s so easy to throw the ingredients in a mason jar and shake it all together. Make the salad dressing fresh like that makes it easy to experiment with different flavors. I use this Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette for more than just salad. I like to serve it over pulled pork, grilled chicken, or even roasted vegetables. It’s a great way to add a ton of flavor to your meals!

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Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (Paleo and Low Carb)

Ingredients

Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 2 limes
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tsp chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

In a mason jar, add the lime zest, juice, garlic, cilantro, sea salt, black pepper, and olive oil.
Put the lid on the jar and shake until thoroughly combine.
Serve over salad, grilled chicken, etc.

https://holisticallyengineered.com/2014/09/cilantro-lime-vinaigrette.html

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Tuna Melt Bites (Primal and Low Carb)

Karen Sorenson — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 09:30:19 +0000

When I first changed my diet I quickly found my love for cooking and I usually don’t mind cooking most of my meals. Every once in awhile life gets too hectic and I love easy meals that are ready in minutes. These Tuna Melt Bites are just the thing! I quickly prepared some tuna salad like I normal would: wild tuna, homemade mayo, chopped celery, salt, pepper, and a touch of ketchup (just like my Mom always did, except I use homemade or paleo ketchup). I filled endive leaves with the prepared tuna salad, topped with some grassfed cheddar cheese, and popped them under the broiler to melt the cheese. So easy to make! I used endive leaves as my low carb and grain free veggies vehicle of choice, but you could use other veggies like cucumber.

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Tuna Melt Bites (Primal and Low Carb)

Ingredients

1 batch of prepared tuna salad (your favorite way to make it--1 1/2 cup yield)
10-15 endive leaves
1/2 cup grated grassfed cheddar cheese

Instructions

Fill the endive leaves with tuna salad and place on a baking sheet.
Top with cheddar cheese and place under the broiler for 1-2 minute or until the cheese has melted.
Garnish with chopped tomatoes and chives, if desired.

https://holisticallyengineered.com/2014/09/primal-tuna-melt-bites.html

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Basil and Sun-Dried Tomato Compound Butter

Karen Sorenson — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 09:30:03 +0000

I’ve been keeping my meals super simple because it’s summertime and the delicious vegetables and pastured meat this time of year are just so good on their own. Last week I wanted to add a little excitement to my usual butter (or ghee) topped meat and veggies by adding some flavoring. I found some sun-dried tomatoes that were just tomatoes and sea salt. Of course, you could make your own but tomato season isn’t here in S.C. yet so that’s on my list to try later in the season. Basil, on the other hand, is in season. It was so fresh and vibrant in my CSA box last week….I just had to add it to my meals. I ended up topping my grilled chicken and zucchini with the Basil and Sun-Dried Tomato Compound Butter. It was such a great flavor combo!

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Basil and Sun-Dried Tomato Compound Butter

Ingredients

8 Tbsp grassfed butter, softened (you could also try it with ghee for Paleo)
4 sun-dried tomatoes
8 basil leaves
1 clove garlic, grated

Instructions

Finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes and basil.
In a small bow, mix together the butter, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and garlic until throughly incorporated.
Place the mixture onto parchment paper (or plastic wrap) and form into a log.
Refrigerate until set .
Slice and serve topped on grilled chicken or steak.

https://holisticallyengineered.com/2014/08/basil-tomato-compound-butter.html

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Easy Homemade Ketchup (Paleo, Whole30, No Sweetener Added)

Karen Sorenson — Fri, 30 May 2014 12:18:44 +0000

Easy Homemade Paleo Ketchup Recipe

Summertime usually means lots of burgers on the grill. When you are eating a bun-less burger it’s important to have lots of flavoring and usually that’s through the use of condiments. Store bought ketchup is full of sugar and when going low carb the first reaction is to reach for a reduced sugar version. Unfortunately the reduced sugar versions are full of “natural flavoring” and “spice” which is at labeling technique that can hide a whole bunch of non-real food ingredients plus it uses artificial sweetener. Don’t get me wrong, when I started my low carb diet many years ago I often turned to the reduced sugar ketchup, but after knowing more about how important it is to stick with real food I now prefer to make my own ketchup. It’s so easy and I don’t have to add any kind of sweetener (but feel free to add a bit of natural sweetener if suites your preferences).

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Homemade Ketchup

Ingredients

1 7 oz jar organic tomato paste
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (add to taste--start with 1 Tbsp and add more if desired)
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1 teaspoon salt
7 Tbsp water

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth (Makes 1 cup--store excess ketchup in the fridge).

https://holisticallyengineered.com/2014/05/easy-homemade-ketchup.html

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Cheesy Grain Free Garlic Bread

Karen Sorenson — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 09:30:23 +0000

Did you know cauliflower is supposed to be a trendy food in 2014? Well that’s totally fine with me because I love cauliflower. It’s an awesome veggie that makes eating paleo and low carb easy. Cauliflower is so versatile! You can use it as a substitute for rice, potatoes, or even pizza. My latest adventure in cauliflower is Cheesy Grain Free Garlic Bread.

Ok, so I have to admit it…back in the day I used to grab an order of cheese bread from the pizza place down the street and have that for dinner…a couple of times a week (at least)….yikes! Obviously I don’t do that anymore, but the good news is that this Cheesy Grain Free Garlic Bread reminded me of the cheese bread from the pizza place. It’s so good dipped in some marinara sauce or some garlic butter.

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