I’m so excited about growing a garden this spring/summer! Normally I don’t have a green thumb and end up killing everything I try and grow. This year I decided to get a Tower Garden and try it out. I like to think of the Tower Garden as “brown thumb” proof because it steps you through the whole…
Chocolate and Candied Orange Peel Ice Cream
In April I attended Paleo f(x) in Austin, TX. It was a great opportunity to listen to leading experts, doctors, and scientists in the paleo and low carb communities. Plus I got to meet and spend time with some amazing blogger friends. Austin is also a major foodie city and one of the things we…
Chocolate Cake Roll (Grain Free)
I just got back from the Paleo f(x) conference in Austin, TX. What a wonderful long weekend filled with lots of paleo information, friendly people, and delicious food. After going out to eat and having a lot of samples from the various vendors that were there I am officially tired of eating treats…back to my…
Lobster Fettuccine Alfredo from Make It Paleo II
When I received Make it Paleo II in mail, I immediately flipped through it to check out the gorgeous pictures. I ended up showing my Mom and she rattled off a list of recipes she wanted to make from the book (the list was rather long…lol). Some of the recipes on the list were Orange Chicken,…
Coconut Cinnamon Cereal from Paleo Eats Cookbook
My friend Kelly created her amazing cookbook, Paleo Eats to help share delicious recipes with those that are trying to make the transition to a grain free, real food diet. Kelly’s creativity in the kitchen shines through as she creates Paleo friendly versions of Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Southern Fried Chicken, Lamb Gyro Burgers, Cherry Toaster…
Chocolate Custard (Paleo or Low Carb)
After making the Crème Caramel from the Mediterranean Paleo Cooking cookbook I was inspired to make some more custard this time with chocolate. Yum! I find it’s so easy to make custard and it’s delicious. The good news is that the Chocolate Custard only has 5 ingredients! I love dessert recipes that aren’t overly complicated or have…
Crème Caramel and a Review of Mediterranean Paleo Cooking
My friend Caitlin Weeks, from Grass Fed Girl, has been working for years to bring her vision to life. Countless hours of recipe testing, photography, editing, etc. has led to the wonderful book, Mediterranean Paleo Cooking. Caitlin, a Nutrition Consultant, teamed up with her husband Nabil, who is a chef to create delicious, paleo versions…
Cranberry Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies (Paleo and Low Carb)
Last week we had a few days of cooler weather to usher in the Fall season. To celebrate, I wanted to savor the flavors of Fall with some cranberry and orange. I ended up making some Cranberry Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies. For the month of October, one of the freebie essential oils is Orange (also Cinnamon…
5 Ingredient Grain Free Desserts
I’m happy to announce my new eCookbook, 5 Ingredient Grain Free Desserts! If you’re anything like me you may be a reformed dessert-oholic and even though you’ve changed your diet you still like the occasional dessert made from natural ingredients and free of grains and refined sugar, since many people as me care about nutrition,…
Frozen Hot Chocolate (Paleo and Low Carb)
I’m so ready for cooler weather and flavors like pumpkin, cinnamon, and hot chocolate. There’s just no way for me to enjoy hot chocolate right now. The weather is hot and humid here in S.C. and there’s no sign of cooler weather for many months. I’m sure I’ll still be wearing shorts and a t-shirt…
Watermelon & Cream Popsicles (Paleo and Dairy Free)
The other week my CSA came with a deliciously ripe Watermelon. I don’t usually eat very much fruit, except for the occasional berry, but the watermelon was perfectly ripe and was just begging to be used. The good thing about in-season fruit is that you don’t have to add any sweetener to it…it’s already sweet…
Lemon Cheesecake Cupcakes (Grain Free and Low Carb)
For some reason there is something about summer that just makes me obsessed with lemon. The bright, citrus flavor is just great during the summer. I decided to make a lemon cheesecake frosting for cupcakes….the perfect summer dessert! The cupcakes act like the crust of the cheesecake so they make a great pairing. Not a…
Mojito & Cream Popsicles (Paleo and Low Carb)
When I made lime curd for the Raspberry and Lime Parfaits I knew it would make a great popsicle. Popsicles come in handy during these warm summer months! Since the curd are already had the lime flavor and I had just gotten my hands on some Spearmint Essential Oil, mojito instantly came to mind! Also, I…
Paleo Strawberry Shortcake Waffles (Low Carb)
I wanted to make an easy breakfast recipe using the fresh summer berries from my CSA so I decided to switch out the Pumpkin in my Pumpkin Waffles with strawberries. It worked great! The Strawberry Shortcake Waffles make a great breakfast or an easy, no bake summer dessert. I topped the waffles with whipped coconut…
Glazed Chocolate Zucchini Muffins (Paleo and Low Carb)
Zucchini is starting to show up in my CSA each week and although it’s one of my favorite vegetables I wanted to use it in a sweet recipe. As you may know, I’ve been trying to implement a low histamine diet (in addition to my usual low carb paleo diet). So what’s the hardest part…
Paleo Cantaloupe Custard
Last week I picked up my usual bag of veggies and as I was driving home I could smell the sweet scent of cantaloupe. In addition to my veggies, I had gotten a perfectly ripe cantaloupe in my CSA bag and I knew I had to use it right away. I had made cantaloupe sorbet…
Orange & Cream Ice Cream (Low Carb and Paleo)
So you’ve probably notice I’ve been into essential oils lately. I was chatting with the Holistically Engineered Essential Oils Facebook community about my reasons for getting into essential oils which was because of the gut healing and hormone balancing support and to also replace some of the toxic beauty and cleaning products I was using….
Red, White, and Blue Parfaits (Low Carb and Paleo Fourth of July Dessert)
Every year I like to celebrate Fourth of July with a fun red, white, and blue dessert. This year I wanted to keep it simple and I wanted it to be a no bake Fourth of July dessert. I’m definitely not turning on my oven in this heat! It’s a great way to enjoy the delicious…
Almond Joy Ice Cream Bites (Paleo and Low Carb)
It’s official…we totally skipped Spring here in South Carolina. I went out of town for a week and when I got back it was in the upper 90’s F with 100% humidity…in the beginning of June. Grrreat….if you need me I’ll be hibernating indoors or in the pool for the rest of the summer. So…
How To Use a Whole Coconut + $100 Gift Card to MightyNest Giveaway
I’ll admit it, the thought of handling a whole coconut is a little daunting. Where do you start? The good news is that it’s actually pretty easy and a great way to Savor the Summer! School’s out! It’s time to focus on enjoying the long days of summer with family and friends. Barefoot temps, fresh…
Lemon Vanilla Coconut Butter Cups
Homemade coconut butter is one of my favorite snacks to make. It’s an easy way to make homemade candy without needing to add extra sugar. You’ve probably seen my video on how to make Toasted Coconut Butter and my recipe for making Toasted Coconut Butter Cups. Those are usually my favorite ways to enjoy coconut butter,…
Cinnamon “Rice” Breakfast Pudding
Grain Free Cinnamon “Rice” Breakfast Pudding I’ve talked a lot about how I don’t eat eggs for breakfast and it’s not because I don’t think eggs are a superfood with lots of nutritional value. It’s simply because 1) I hate the taste of eggs…no matter how many different ways I’ve tried them 2) I think…
Dairy Free Coconut Pudding
I love making gelatin desserts! It’s so easy to throw together an easy dessert while getting all of the wonderful gut healing benefits of gelatin. I’ve talked for awhile about how I’m on a journey to help heal the lining of my gut after years of off and on antibiotics and my latest bout with…
Grain Free Buckeye Cookies
Wow, this week is flying by for me. I just got back on Sunday from Paleo f(x) in Austin, TX (there is a post coming on that soon) and this Saturday I leave for a work trip out of the country. What a whirlwind! Before I left for Paleo f(x) I decided to turn the…
Grain Free Almond Joy Cookies
Do you remember back a couple of weeks ago when I posted my recipe for Grain Free German Chocolate Cake Cookies? No? Well if not you should definitely go check out the recipe….good ahead….I’ll wait! (cue the Jeopardy theme music) Anyway, I have been obsessed with the chocolate cookie as a base for delicious toppings….
How to Make Coconut Flour
Have you ever wanted to learn how to make coconut flour? The other day I showed you how easy it is to make homemade coconut milk (check it out here if you missed it) without any guar gum or other added preservatives. After making the coconut milk, the coconut pulp is leftover and can be…
How To Make Coconut Milk
Today we are learning how to make coconut milk. Canned coconut milk is definitely convenient, but unfortunately canned coconut milk often contains guar gum in order to help thicken the milk. Guar gum can be hard to digest for some people since it is derived from legumes. Since I’m trying to heal my digestion it’s…
Flourless Banana Bread Cookies
I don’t often eat bananas because they are pretty starchy and my desk job doesn’t really make me need to replenish my glycogen stores…i.e. I’m not doing a lot of heavy exercise (a big topic at Primal Con Tulum). Recently I had some banana and noticed I didn’t get a huge blood sugar spike or…
Grain Free German Chocolate Cake Cookies
Back in a day I used to make a lot of cakes. Baking was one of my favorite things to do and I even got into cake decorating. These days I prefer to make portioned treats like cookies and cupcakes. This allows me to either freeze the extras or easily give them away to family…
How To Make Toasted Coconut Butter (Video)
On my post for Chocolate and Toasted Coconut Swirl Cups I’ve received several comments from people that tried making Toasted Coconut Butter and it did not work from them. People were reporting that it ended up as shredded coconut instead of coconut butter. I normally make toasted coconut butter in my Vitamix so I decided…
Top 10 Healthy Recipes of 2013
Below is a list of the top ten blog posts from last year. It’s been a great year, I finished a Whole30, released two eBooks (Awaken and Squeaky Clean Paleo), made delicious recipes, and grew as a Facebook community. I look forward to making great strides in my health journey in 2014 and I really hope…
Grain Free Mozzarella Sticks
With New Years and the end of football season parties it’s always nice to have a few healthy options available to munch on. I had been wanting to make my own Mozzerella Sticks for awhile, but I hadn’t gotten around to it since I usually like to stay away from dairy so I don’t have…
Five Ingredient Friday: Chocolate and Toasted Coconut Butter Swirl Cups
Today I have a quick treat for when you you want to make something easy. I first fell in love with Toasted Coconut Butter when I made it for a guest post a few month ago. Now I make it all the time because it’s so easy to make. I either eat by the spoonful…
Hot Chocolate Holiday Gift Jars
Making your own gifts to share with others on the holidays is nice way to show how much you care for and appreciate your family and friends. I think it’s so cute to fill a jar with ingredients so the other person can easily make the recipe and know that it’s from the heart. Hot…
No Bake Grain Free Chocolate Haystack Cookies
I recently had a request for a grain free version of the no bake haystack cookies that are usually made with oats. My first thought was that coconut would be a great substitute for the oats. I decided to use a combination of the shredded coconut and the flakes to give it more of the…
Five Ingredient Friday: Chocolate Pudding
Today I am sharing with you an easy Chocolate Pudding recipe. It only has four ingredients and just takes about 10 minutes to cook. Plus the pudding is divided out into portions so you don’t have to worry about overindulging. Let’s face it…we’re all busy. Making good decisions in regards to our diets can often…
Toasted Coconut Muddy Buddies
One of my all time favorite desserts around the holidays is Muddy Buddies or Puppy Chow. If you’re not familiar with Muddy Buddies/Puppy Chow it’s a recipe that covers Chex Cereal with cocolate and peanut butter and then coats it in powdered sugar. Of course I needed to lower the carbs on this holiday treat. …
Paleo Pumpkin Waffles
After awhile, every time I would make waffles in my previous waffle iron it would never bake evenly and would end up as a mushy mess. So for months I have been looking at all of these beautiful grain free waffle recipes on Pinterest and debating whether or not to buy a new Belgian Waffle…
Pecan Pie Frozen Yogurt (Dairy Free)
After making Dairy Free Yogurt, I was so excited to be eating yogurt again that I had to make lots of other recipes that featured it. I overheard some people talking about their favorite frozen yogurt shop and I instantly knew that would be a perfect way to use Dairy Free Yogurt. I polled the…
Five Ingredient Friday: Paleo Dairy Free Yogurt
This is my new favorite breakfast at the moment. I am in the process of healing my gut and part of that includes getting in lots of good probiotics. I’ve been meaning to try making dairy free yogurt for awhile, but was always afraid it would taste weird. I can’t believe I waited so long…
Paleo Green Bean Casserole
For most people the holidays wouldn’t be complete without Green Bean Casserole. I have say that I never really liked Green Bean Casserole, but ever since I discovered my love for onions this summer I decided to try my hand at a Paleo Green Bean Casserole. I ended up using fresh green beans from my…
Five Ingredient Friday: Magic Shell
When I made my Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream I thought that the creamy pumpkin would pair well with some dark chocolate. I thought back to the old days when I would top my ice cream with “magic shell,” but now that isn’t an option since it’s full of sugar and other unnecessary ingredients. The good…
Almond Butter Balls
One of my favorite recipes is No Bake Almond Butter Bars. This time I wanted to go closer to the original recipe that uses graham cracker crumbs and use some of my Homemade Grain-Free Graham Cracker Crumbs. If you make up the graham cracker crumbs ahead of time you can easily whip the Almond Butter…
Grain Free Graham Crackers and Graham Cracker Crumbs
I used to eat graham crackers all the time. I’d either slather them with peanut butter (hey I didn’t even know almond butter existed) or dip them in milk. It was always a nice treat! Well, since I cut out the grains I needed a subsitute that would hold up to the original and I…
Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Pumpkin is a very popular ingredient in November and makes an appearance at many Thanksgiving tables. For dessert, my family would always serve many different pies and would always have ice cream on the side. I figured serving Paleo Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream would make a great Thanksgiving dessert without needing the normal pies for…
Five Ingredient Friday: Cinnamon Toasted Coconut Cereal
This week I have a special treat for you…..Cinnamon Toasted Coconut Cereal. It’s an easy, five ingredient coconut dish that you can enjoy with some dairy free milk in the morning as a breakfast. It is definitely one of my new favorite breakfast recipes. Definitely a must try! I have to admit, the cereal didn’t…
Pumpkin Pancakes a Guest Post by Clean Eats in the Zoo
Over the next few months I will be busy working on my next eCookbook, which is scheduled to be out in December 2013. While I’m focused on the new cookbook I didn’t want to leaving you without your fix of low carb and paleo recipes, so I reached out to some of my favorite bloggers…
Five Ingredient Friday: Pumpkin Soup
This week’s recipe is my attempt to dive into pumpkin season, without going in the typical dessert arena. This Pumpkin Soup is easy to make and puts a unique spin on fullfilling your pumpkin quota this year. Let’s face it…we’re all busy. Making good decisions in regards to our diets can often be clouded by…
Sweet Potato Bread a Guest Post from Rethink Simple
Over the next few months I will be busy working on my next eCookbook, which is scheduled to be out in December 2013. While I’m focused on the new cookbook I didn’t want to leaving you without your fix of low carb and paleo recipes, so I reached out to some of my favorite bloggers…
Toasted Coconut Pancakes
So I told you last week that I was obsessed with the Toasted Coconut Butter I made, so naturally I had to make another recipe featuring my new favorite “nut” butter. I’ve been known to eat regular coconut butter by the spoonful, but it’s not my favorite. I prefer something a little sweeter since I…
Chicken Carbonara a Guest Post from Good Food Eating
Over the next few months I will be busy working on my next eCookbook, which is scheduled to be out in December 2013. While I’m focused on the new cookbook I didn’t want to leaving you without your fix of low carb and paleo recipes, so I reached out to some of my favorite bloggers…
Mixed Berry Smoothie
I often get asked about what I put in my smoothies and today I’m going to share my favorite smoothie recipe with you. I use frozen mixed berries because it helps me get the much needed boost in Vitamin C (which helps with Adrenal Fatigue) and I don’t have to worry about adding ice to…
Chocolate and Toasted Coconut Butter Pudding
After I made my first batch of Toasted Coconut Butter I was officially obsessed. I ended up making a few more batches so I could use the Toasted Coconut Butter in other recipes rather than just making the cups/candies. Since I love the combination of chocolate and coconut, I knew the coconut butter would be…
Paleo Chicken Curry a Guest Post by Hollywood Homestead
Over the next few months I will be busy working on my next eCookbook, which is scheduled to be out in December 2013. While I’m focused on the new cookbook I didn’t want to leaving you without your fix of low carb and paleo recipes, so I reached out to some of my favorite bloggers…
Toasted Coconut Butter Cups
Coconut butter is one of my favorite things and I love to eat it by the spoonful. Ever since I made Coconut Chips, I have been obsessed with toasted coconut. These Toasted Coconut Butter Cups are a great way to combine my love of coconut butter and toasted coconut. It is really easy to make…
Glazed Blueberry Biscuits
So I have to admit back five or six years ago I never cooked and relied on going to fast food establishments for every meal of the day. It was convenient, but putting on so much weight from eating so poorly left me feeling miserable. Often times people complain about eating real food because it’s…
Powdered Chocolate Donut Holes (Low Carb)
Most of the time my breakfasts consist of meat and veggies, but every once in awhile I like something a little different. These Powdered Chocolate Donut Holes really hit the spot! I wanted to make them using coconut flour because lately I have been going overboard with the nuts (almond flour, almond butter, macadamia nuts,…
Blueberry Cobbler Ice Cream
Today’s recipe is a guest post for the Paleo Parents. I am a big fan of their blog and love learn about their little Paleo family. Summertime means berries are in the peak of freshness and the local farms have a lot of berries available. Right now blueberries are overflowing my CSA each week and…
Ice Cream Sandwiches
So apparently this week I am into portable ice cream treats. Did you see the Strawberry Ice Cream Pie ? These Ice Cream Sandwiches are the perfect vehicle for either Vanilla Ice Cream or if you’re daring Frozen Chocolate Custard. I have a confession though…..these beauties were supposed to be Red Velvet Ice Cream Sandwiches. …
Dairy Free Vanilla Ice Cream
It’s always great to have a quick and easy ice cream recipe. This one goes back to the basics and combines coconut milk and vanilla extract with a little sweetener and in no time you have a delicious dairy free ice cream. I throw mine in my ice cream maker and it’s ready to enjoy…
Strawberry Ice Cream Pie
It’s so easy to make Strawberry Ice Cream with just a few cans of coconut milk and frozen strawberries. I posted this recipe last year when I first got my ice cream maker. This year, I wanted to make a more portable version that would be great for pot lucks and summer gatherings…so I turned…
Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Filling (Low Carb and Paleo Friendly)
Who doesn’t love a good chocolate cupcake? Since tomorrow is my birthday I wanted to make a very special paleo chocolate cupcake to celebrate. Chocolate is my absolute favorite and naturally I used it for my birthday treat. These Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes are also filled with a coconut cream filling, made from the cream that…
Coconut Chips Two Ways and Why You Should Add Coconut to Your Diet
I’m always on the go, so in order to be prepared I always have snacks with me in case I can’t get somewhere to have a decent real food meal. One of my favorite snacks is Coconut Chips! Now I know there are a lot of coconut haters out there and believe me I totally…
Grain Free Instant Cinnamon “Oatmeal” (Low Carb)
Grain Free Instant Cinnamon “Oatmeal” Recipe In the mornings I’m always dragging myself out of bed late so I don’t have much time to eat breakfast before I leave the house. I usually pack up a breakfast skillet or leftovers from the night before and enjoy that for breakfast at work. Lately I’ve noticed a…
Guest Post: Ambrosia Jello Mold (Low Carb and Paleo)
While I am away on the Low Carb Cruise I have reached out to some of my favorite low carb or Paleo bloggers to share some delicious recipes with you. Next up is my friend Caitlin Weeks from Grass Fed Girl, with a delicious dessert recipe that will be perfect for spring! Please welcome Caitlin…
Basil and Garlic Drop Biscuits (Low Carb and Dairy Free)
Every once in awhile I like to have a biscuit with dinner and I love to whip up these drop biscuits. They are so easy to throw together and you can flavor them with whatever spices you enjoy. It is also easy to make a sweet biscuit which is perfect for breakfast or dessert. The…
Glazed Coconut Cakes (Low Carb)
The Easter season is usually filled with chocolate, jelly beans, cakes, and other sweet treats. Being surrounded by all that temptation makes it really easy to “fall off the wagon.” I created some Glazed Coconut Cakes that will help satisfy your sweet tooth without derailing the progress you’ve made so far this year. Not only…
No Bake Almond Butter Bars (Low Carb and Gluten Free)
No Bake Almond Butter Bars One of the desserts I used to make all the time was Peanut Butter Bars. Last year I created a low carb version that was delicious, but still required baking to make the “graham cracker” crumbs. This year I wanted to create a no bake version and I also wanted…
World Diabetes Day and Low Carb German Chocolate Cake Bars
Today is World Diabetes Day. I first heard about diabetes when I was in middle school. I had spent about a week running up to the grocery store for my older brother who was very ill. He kept saying he was thirsty so my cousin and I would ride our bikes to the grocery store…
Coconut Lime Chicken (Low Carb and Paleo)
This Coconut Lime Chicken recipe is the perfect choice for a hot summer day, or when you miss summer a lot. The tart lime and salty coconut aminos combine to make this chicken recipe super tasty and brings a tropical taste to the dinner table. Growing up my family always called me the “Chicken Queen.” …
Strawberry Ice Cream (Low Carb, Dairy Free, and Gluten Free)
Last week I posted my version of Low Carb Moose Tracks Ice Cream. Well even though I’m late to the ice cream party, I couldn’t stop there! I had to make a low carb strawberry version as well. My ice cream maker has officially been broken in and I may squeeze out one more batch…
Moose Tracks Ice Cream (Low Carb, Gluten Free, and Dairy Free)
My birthday was right around the time I started the Whole30, so I wasn’t able to try out the awesome ice cream maker my fiance bought me. I didn’t jump right back into eating sweets after the Whole30, but after a long week of traveling and being away from my kitchen I just had to…
A Swerve Sweetener Giveaway, Low Carb Peanut Butter Bars, and Low Carb Macaroons
GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER!! I recently came across Swerve Sweetener and decided to give it a try. It can be difficult finding the right balance of sweetness with sugar substitutes. Often the final product is left with an aftertaste that makes most people run for the hills. Seeing things like “contains no artificial ingredients, preservatives, or…
