Lacto-Fermented foods...

It has been a long time since I posted. Pregnancy will do that to ya. Food no longer seems fun, more like something you *have* to get down you to survive. Anyway, hopefully I will be out of the woods soon with the nausea.

I had a brief respite the other day so I decided to make something I've never made before. I made Lacto-Fermented pickles and preserved lemons (those are cinnamon sticks in there. I like them by the spoon (maybe that is just the pregnancy) :-P but you can use them in recipes too. :-) I've made Lacto-Fermented sauerkraut and ginger carrots before and they were amazing... going to do that again next week. :-) The only downside is that I have to wait to eat them (2 days for the pickles and 2 weeks for the lemons). :-D It is worth the wait though! Lacto-Fermented food is SOOO good for your digestion and overall health. :-)

The cookbook "Nourishing Traditions" (by Sally Fallon) is a wealth of information. While I don't agree with every single thing she says, it is truly amazing. Check it out!

What is your favorite Lacto-Fermented food that you either made or tried?

Low carb and sugar free Coffee Cake Muffins...

These were extraordinarily tasty! They definitely don't taste "healthy"! My mom gave me the original recipe (she hadn't made them yet). I tweaked it a bunch and here is the final result. I used freshly ground cinnamon and nutmeg. It truly makes these delectable! The true test of any healthy recipe is when someone who does not have to watch what he eats (such as Michael) thinks these are delicious! :-D Enjoy!

Coffee Cake Muffins
* 1 cup flax meal
* 1 cup fine almond flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon fresh ground cinnamon
* 1 cup coconut sugar
* 1/2 cup ghee or coconut oil, melted
* 4 eggs, beaten
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 teaspoon vanilla

Makes 12 muffins. Oven at 350 degrees. Grease muffin cups well.
Mix dry ingredients well. Add beaten eggs, oil, water, and vanila. Mix well. Fill muffin cups a bit more than halfway. Cook 20 minutes until tops are golden brown. Allow muffins to cool in pan and then remove.

Sweet Topping
* 1/2 cup coconut sugar
* 2 tsp. cinnamon
* Dash of nutmeg

* 2 tblsp. ghee

Mix the coconut sugar and cinnamon together in one bowl. Pour the melted ghee into ANOTHER bowl. Dip top of muffin in ghee and then in sugar/cinnamon mixture. Serve and savor!

Warm Olive Salad with Mint...

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon coconut vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 large clove garlic, coarsely chopped (I used half of one elephant garlicclove)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup sliced celery (including the inner stalks with leaves)
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint

Put the garlic on a cutting board and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, then mix together well. Heat the olive oil and vinegar, the olives and garlic paste in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until bubbling, about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the tomatoes, celery and mint. Season with salt and toss to combine. Serve immediately! Enjoy!

Gluten Free Eggnog Cheesecake

Gluten Free Eggnog Cheesecake

* Two 8 oz. packages cream cheese (room temperature)

* 3/4 cup raw cane sugar or Xylitol

* 3 eggs

* 1 teaspoon rum flavoring

* 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

* 1 pint full fat sour cream

Cream the cheese until fluffy. Add sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Fold in sour cream. Grease 9" pie plate and pat down shortbread crust. Set in freezer for 2-3 minutes until firm. Pour cheesecake mixture over crust and bake in 375 oven for 30 minutes, turn oven off, and leave cheesecake in oven for 1 hour. Serve warm or cool.

Serve with fresh whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Enjoy!

Shortbread crust...

* 1 1/4 cup gluten free shortbread cookie crumbs (or regular shortbread crumbs if gluten isn't an issue)

* 2 tablespoons each of melted butter and sugar

Mix well.

Summer Watermelon Salad...

While I was in North Carolina with Hudson visiting my family (Michael was taking Summer Hebrew so it was a great time for me to go), I came up with this luscious and juicy salad. It sounds weird at first, but even my skeptical brother gave it 5 stars. :-D Enjoy!

~Summer Watermelon Salad~

• 1/4 cup Feta cheese, drained and crumbled
• 1 1/2 quarts seeded, cubed watermelon (bite size pieces)
  
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (gluten free)
  
• 1/4 cup seeded and diced cucumber
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey (or sugar)
  
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
  
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the watermelon cubes, cheese's, fresh herbs, and cucumber. Make a dressing out of remaining ingredients and drizzle over salad, and stir. Refrigerate for a half hour before serving. Serve with slotted spoon. Be ready for a incredibly surprising treat!

Gluten & Sugar Free Chocolate Covered Cherry cookies...

~Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies~

2 ½ cups blanched almond flour
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼-1/2 cup honey
½ cup Ghee, palm shortening, or coconut oil

1 teaspoon cherry flavoring or pure syrup (or any other flavor desired without sugar)
1 teaspoon natural vanilla flavoring 
1 cup dark or milk chocolate chips (make sure the chocolate is gluten free. I like Enjoy Life!)

In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour and salt. In a small bowl, combine oil, honey and extract. Stir wet ingredients into dry. Put dough in freezer for 30 minutes. Roll dough into several bite sized balls, lay on parchment lined cookie sheet, and slightly press cookie down. Bake at 350° for 5-7 minutes until brown around the edges. Cool for ½ hour

In a small saucepan, melt chocolate over very low heat, stirring continuously. Remove saucepan from heat and drizzle chocolate over each cookie. Allow cookies to cool on a parchment lined baking sheet. Serve and enjoy!

Blueberry Spice Cake with Peanut Butter frosting...

I was experimenting last night and made up this creation for my parents and Philip. My family said it didn't even taste gluten free and wholeheartedly gave their approval. I hope you enjoy this. It is wonderful that those of us with Celiac's or a gluten sensitivity can still enjoy dessert without having to suffer the consequences later. :-)



~Blueberry Spice Cake with Peanut Butter frosting~
2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 grapeseed oil (or melted butter)
3/4 cup honey
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon gluten free vanilla extract
1/2-3/4 cup fresh blueberries

Oven: 350

Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with the oil (or butter) and sprinkle with almond flour.

Take two bowls. In larger bowl, stir in all the dry ingredients in order given. In the second bowl, mix the oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk together well and pour into the wet ingredients. Stir together until it is well mixed. Add blueberries and stir. Pour into the baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool and then frost and serve.

~Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting~
1 cup creamy peanut butter (gluten free, no sugar added)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (McCormick spices are gluten free)

Stir all ingredients together and then put in freezer for 10 minutes until thickened. Frost cake and serve!