sweet potato waffles, nut free

someone i know… ok, myself… i love sweet potatoes so much. i eat them most mornings for breakfast with dippy eggs and bacon.

i love sweet potatoes in sweet applications, too. just ask my mom. between dad’s cranberries and mom’s buttery cinnamon sweet potatoes over thanksgiving, i was a happy, full-bellied eater.

this waffle recipe follows the same guidelines as my banana waffles recipe, swapping the pureed banana for half a cup of sweet potato puree. the same thing can happen with pumpkin puree. just follow the ratios!

i don’t like a soggy, rubbery waffle. i want my waffles super crisp on the outside, moist and stretchy on the inside. i want them to taste like real waffles. these waffles are exactly that, and have such a crisp, light crust on the outside, they almost seem yeasted. the tapioca flour is what is responsible for those textures. i like to use whey protein powder instead of coconut flour because i like extra protein in the morning, but coconut flour works the exact same in this recipe and produces a wonderful flavor. if you use coconut flour, think of adding a tablespoon of maple syrup to sweeten the deal.

schmear of warm cream cheese or neufchatel cheese, and drizzle of warmed, real maple syrup.. i insist. … -don’t skip it! melted coconut butter, toasted pecans, and whatever else you can dream up would be acceptable to have with these waffles. bacon on the side balances out the sweetness with salty protein., and a little sausage wouldn’t be a bad idea either!

just look at how orange the inside of these things are. such a yummy, healthy treat. one serving of sweet potato (1/4 cup) contains an entire day’s worth of vitamin A for your eyes and for your immune system. learn more about the magic of the sweet potato by clicking here.

this would make a wonderful addition to the holiday breakfast table.

whatever you do, don’t skip the cream cheese and syrup. i’m warning you..

sweet potato waffles

1/2 cup sweet potato puree (fresh or canned)

2 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp whey protein powder or coconut flour

4 tbsp tapioca flour

2 tbsp flax meal

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

method: plug your waffle maker in and coat the surface with oil. allow to heat up for at least 5 minutes, or according to the manufacture’s instructions.

combine all wet ingredients in a medium bowl.

separately, combine all dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

combine the 2 in a bowl or pyrex with a pouring spout, if you have it. stir well to form a runny batter. allow to set for 5 minutes to let all of the wet soak into the dry.

pour batter into waffle maker, close the lid, and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. i like to wait until the steam slows to check the waffles.

carefully remove waffles and serve with desired toppings.

*note* while the batter is setting up, i like to place a hunk of cream cheese or neufchatel cheese in the microwave on super low setting for a few seconds to soften it. additionally, i like to place my cold bottle of maple syrup in a bowl of hot water to warm the syrup. this takes 20 minutes or so, so start doing this before you prepare the batter.

banana waffles, nut free

i have been trying to rely less on nuts these days. don’t get me wrong, i think that almond cakes and walnut muffins are just about where it’s at, but it turns out that heating them up can make them inflammatory to the body when we consume them. i will still use them in many of my recipes, but it is time to venture out a little past the nut.

these banana waffles use tapioca and coconut flour as the base, which soak up lots of liquid and provide a light, crispy result. i have used both coconut flour or whey protein powder in this recipe, so feel free to swap them 1:1. the tapioca flour, however, can not be subbed out unless with another compatible starch, like arrowroot flour, or maybe even potato flour. flax meal provides a little more structure to these waffles, and gives them a wonderful texture without letting them feel wet.

if the finished batter seems a little thin, you can add an extra tsp or so of either flour. if it seems very thick, it can be thinned out with a little milk or yogurt. it should be similar to a slightly thin cake batter.

these have the perfect banana flavor, aroma, and sweetness. fluffy and light banana waffles like these deserve lots and lots of butter. i also piled on peanut butter and buckwheat honey. i know i have before professed my love for honey, but this is special honey. my dad gave me what might be a quarter gallon of buckwheat honey he bought on a vacation in michigan at a road side stand. i believe he may have purchased several gallons of it, because since said vacation, he has had a peanut butter and honey sandwich 5 days a week. really and truly, i’m not sure that this is exaggeration at all. when my sis and i were kiddos, if my dad didn’t have enough time to fry us a dippy egg in the morning, he would make us peanut butter and honey sandwiches for the road. we would climb into the car with our runny sandwiches and slop up the car upholstery with our clumsy, sticky fingers. really, pb & h is a flavor combination that will always remind me of dad. anyhow, thanks dad, for the honey. it was AMAZING with these waffles. let my days of pb & h sandwiches live on in memory through this grain free weekend treat!
banana waffles

serves 2

ingredients:

1 super ripe banana, worked over in the food processor or otherwise pureed

2 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 tbsp coconut flour or whey protein powder

4 tbsp tapioca starch

2 tbsp flax meal

method: plug  your waffle iron in and allow it to heat properly. generally, 5 minutes or so does the trick. it must be piping hot before you pour the batter in. brush it with oil.

combine all dry ingredients together.

separately, combine all wet ingredients together.

now combine wet with dry. whisk well. allow batter to rest for 5 minutes before using. this allows the flours to soak up the liquid, and the flax to expand and get spongy.

pour batter into hot waffle maker. cook for 2-3 minutes. no peeking. opening the waffle maker while the magic is happening makes for a sloppy mess. you can wait.

remove cooked waffles from waffle maker, serve while hot and crispy with melty butter, peanut butter, and buckwheat honey.. or whatever your pleasure!

these waffles are an awesome blank canvas to be topped with nuts, chocolate chips, almond butter, coconut butter.. whatever tickles your fancy!

Pumpkin Bread

we are all settled in at our new (temporary) home in cleveland! finally, i’ve made time to do a little baking, and started with something seasonal. i had been craving pumpkin bread since the chill in the air hit a few weeks ago, and it seemed that everyone around me was indulging. i have been unable to avoid the sights of people eating their pumpkin whoopie pies, pumpkin spice lattes, and all other goodies that are a major “no-no” for me.

i took my loaf pan out of the cardboard box it was packed in and got to work.

i was so excited to find a recipe using no nut flour. i am trying to cut down a little on baking with nuts, since they can be inflammatory when heated. coconut flour is so easy to digest, and is really a health-bomb all the way around. i found this beautiful recipe that the lovely coconut mama had conjured up. since i wasn’t about to dig for my smaller loaf pans, i doubled the recipe and made a few adjustments.

i am thrilled to say that this recipe was a total win. this bread is unlike other gluten-free or grain free quick breads. the texture is much more like a wheat based bread than an eggy or crumbly loaf that sometimes results from coconut flour or almond flour. it is simply perfect. i think the amount of sweetener used here is just right, so i would wait until you try it as-is before adjusting the levels of sugar added.

this is my little ramekin tester.

TIPS:

*just follow the instructions. the step using tin foil to cover the loaf is essential, don’t even think about skipping it. you would end up with a hard-as-a-rock top on your bread.

*since i doubled the recipe, i was able to pour a little extra into a medium-sized ramekin. it took 1 hour to bake. i immediately poured whole milk over it and ate the whole thing.

*use parchment paper to line the bottom of your loaf pan. trust me, your loaf will rip in half if you don’t line the pan. i don’t care how much oil you use. coconut flour sticks.

*you may wish to sweeten with something other than coconut sugar. in that case, i would just use cane or turbanado sugar. don’t attempt a liquid sweetener here. it could be fun, however, to experiment with using a few drops of stevia in place of 1/4 of the sugar.

*yes, 14 eggs.

*yes, 315f.

*as always, i would love to encourage comments regarding substitutions, adjustments, failures, and success! this is a give and take blog, so please let the readers know what this bread is really about!

pumpkin bread

(adapted from the coconut mama)

approx 12 servings

ingredients

1 cup coconut flour, sifted

1/4 cup tapioca flour (tapioca starch)

1/4 cup flaxseed meal

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 cup + 2 tbsp coconut sugar

3 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

14 eggs, separated

1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1 tbsp vanilla

method: grease up and line a standard loaf pan (8.5 x 3, roughly) with parchment to cover at least the bottom.

preheat oven to 315f.

begin with beating the egg whites in a large, dry bowl, until stiff peaks form. set aside while you complete the next steps.

combine the melted oil with the egg yolks, pumpkin, and vanilla. stir well.

mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

combine the dry with the wet. you will get a paste.

now fold in the egg whites.

pour into your loaf pan, then make a tent out of tinfoil to go over the loaf. this is where you may also wish to pour some batter into a ramekin, or a few muffin cups.

bake covered loaf (and other portion) for 45 minutes. remove ramekin portion, it is likely done.

remove tinfoil from loaf and continue to bake for 15 more minutes.

turn heat off after 15 minutes, and allow loaf to set up in oven, about 20 additional minutes.

loaf may now be cooled on countertop. allow a bit before removing from pan.

i love warm pumpkin bread served with cold milk poured over it. that, or a chunk of melty butter and sometimes a drizzle of maple syrup. this would be such a phenomenal treat with vanilla ice cream, also!

yes, this is a treat. enjoy a slice slowly and occasionally! the carbs, although high, are much less than most snacks are.. heck, lower than a large banana!

here are the facts per 1/12 of the loaf:

calories: 300g

carbs: 32g

protein: 9g

savory zucchini fritters

these grain-free fritters were an awesome way to start a really long day at our local amusement park. we knew we would be gone all day with nothing but junk food to rely on for filling our bellies, so i wanted to kick it off the right way. we had a zucchini lying around in the refrigerator from the farmer’s market, and didn’t want it to go to waste… viola! big, healthy, hearty breakfast for 4! we had a little sausage on the side and were fulled up all morning.

these fritters don’t need butter or gravy, they are quite moist and flavorful on their own. i really wanted a sweet zucchini bread type fritter with walnuts and maple syrup, but boy, am i glad brian talked me into savory. the cheese crisped up so nicely in the skillet, and the onions made great friends with the zucchini. trust me on this one, don’t differ from the recipe. just stick with it and modify it after you try it just once! i’d be willing, though, to say that these would probably be pretty great with mushrooms and sausage in the batter… oh yum!

garbanzo bean flour, chickpea flour, or besan is quite easy to find in most any grocery store. i use bob’s red mill brand. letting the batter sit for the initial 30 minutes or so is essential for keeping the beany flavor from overpowering the recipe and turning it into more of a savory, cheesy flavor. with a little preparation, you’ll find this to be a quick prep, easy breakfast to make. i really can’t wait to have it again next weekend! and no, these are not primal  due to the use of a bean flour, but they are very healthy, nonetheless, so i don’t feel guilty about gobbling them up every once in a while.

savory zucchini fritters

ingredients:

1 medium zucchini, shredded

1/2 small yellow or white onion, shredded

3 eggs

1/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded or shaved

2 tsp tapioca starch

1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

fresh cracked pepper

method: combine milk and garbanzo bean flour and let sit for 30 minutes, up to 3 hours at room temperature and covered.

combine all ingredients together with batter.

allow batter to sit for a few minutes to thicken slightly. batter is a little thin, so don’t be alarmed, but it should not be watery. if it is watery, add a tbsp or more garbanzo bean flour until you are satisfied.

get a skillet good and hot over medium heat. pour in a glug of olive oil and allow it to get hot. you want quite a bit of oil here so the fritters crisp up.

use a 1/3 measure cup to pour batter into prepared skillet. cook until bubbles come through the top and bottom is set and golden brown. edges should be crisp, but not burnt.

flip the fritter and cook for another few minutes. keep cooked fritters in warm oven until it is time to serve.

this was the perfect amount for 4 people to have 2 fritters each, with a side of sausage.

tropical tease yonanas

have you guys seen this thing yet?

it makes what this primal crowd of mine calls “bananas ice cream”. yes, it makes nearly the same product that we do in our blender, but with a superior result. also, i don’t like to waste the use of my blender (which is old, yucky, hard to clean, and limited on its final days) on frozen bananas. at times, it takes my blender 5 or so minutes just to make one serving of bananas ice cream, stopping the blender frequently to mash the bananas into the blade.

flash to yonanas. this thing is awesome. i’m not normally impressed with single item specific devices, but i love this. what a healthy way to push non-dairy treats into our ice cream heavy diets. let’s not forget how wonderful this could be with a waffle breakfast! -i’m just sayin!

it comes with a recipe book, though every “recipe” is flexible, and making your own up is totally legit.

blend cocoa sprinkled frozen bananas for chocolate yonanas.

blend it with any other favorite fruit that is frozen for a sorbet.

spread into the bottom of a pie tin lined with your favorite crust for ice cream pie.

between 2 grain free cookies or brownies for a sandwich.

throw in fresh mint for mint ice cream.

pour booze over it like grandma did for “kahlua ice cream”. (she has the good ideas!)

visit the website to learn more about this wonderful little gadget!

the recipe we enjoyed tonight was tropical tease. really simple, and super tasty. this was incredibly refreshing on a hot night, i think it would be a relief on a super hot afternoon playing out in the sun. oh, and don’t skip the coconut!

this recipe is taken directly from the yonanas recipe page. there is a wealth of simple, delicious, and incredibly nutritious recipes on that site. enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 frozen ripe bananas, 1⁄2 cup frozen pineapple chunks, 1⁄2 cup frozen mango chunks, 1⁄4 cup shredded coconut

Directions:
1. Insert one frozen banana
2. Add 1⁄2 cup frozen pineapple
3. Add 1⁄2 cup frozen mango
4. Insert second frozen banana
5. Stir pineapple mango Yonanas into bowl to combine
6. Sprinkle shredded coconut on top of Yonanas

if you’re feeling a little wacky, put your yonanas into your favorite gluten free/grain free cone!

Whole 30, day 18

we’ll be skipping a few days again as we go into the weekend. sorry, but things are getting super busy for us!

i find that, since mindless snacking is no longer an option, i have lost a few pounds. i’m still unable to really whittle-the-middle due to most of my issue being a little postpartum stretchy skin. but wherever it is coming from, i’m keeping an eye on things out of caution that my milk supply could go down.

cutting out the crazy amount of fruit that i was eating has all at once:

a) helped with my bathroom visits

b) trimmed back a little midsection bloating that i usually have that i though was inherent with being a female above the age of 20. like i said, still a little fluff around the flagpole, but what a nice surprise! cutting down on fruit is just like cutting down on any sugar!

c) gotten rid of more sugar cravings. one piece of fruit would ALWAYS lead directly to another, until finally i would give in and eat a small handful of cashews to “protein crush” all that sugar. feels good to have that under control.

tonight i had a “dinner oops”. i made a roast pork from marks daily apple. when i initially planned dinner, i thought since our butt was a pound short of his, it would require less cooking time. well it’s 9:40p, and dinner is still in the oven. we will be having it on sunday night since we will be getting in from out-of-town so late.

i had breakfast for dinner, instead!

breakfast: 2 eggs sunny side up, sweet potato hashies, 2 strips bacon. coffee and coconut cream.

lunch: turkey, tomato, avocado, baby greens, 2 soft boiled eggs. a few cashews.

snack: pepitas, a peach.

dinner: 2 egg mushroom omlette. sausages.

results: YAY! i ate half a dozen eggs today!
YUMZ!

2 egg omlette

2 eggs

slices shrooms

basil

S & P

ghee

method: beat the living sin out of the eggs. stir in pepper.

saute sliced mushrooms dry. this makes it so they don’t get rubbery!

get a big skillet nice and hot on medium heat. add ghee. turn heat down and promptly add egg, covering whole surface of skillet. quickly sprinkle salt over egg. it will not take long for this to overlook. while the egg is still mostly wet, add cooked mushrooms and basil. roll egg into omelette and slide onto a plate to serve.

no, we don’t flip an omelette.

this whole dance must happen fast, or the egg will harden and you will have a rubbery, stiff egg on your hands. instead, you want a soft, cheesy texture. believe me.

Whole 30, day 17

i totally forgot to celebrate a few days back that i was halfway through this challenge! hooray! i am so impressed with myself for sticking with it.

i’m already planning the foods i will be returning to my normal life with. first off, my last day at work is my first day OFF of whole 30. i will be baking a batch of coconut almond brownies to celebrate. second, i will be having pancake breakfast that following sunday. just cuz. i will likely have some really fancy cheese ready to devour. probably some brie i will bake up with some nuts, cinnamon, and maple syrup. i’ll serve it with tapioca flatbread. WHAT?! where did that all come from?

here are some serious goals and plans:

*i plan on retaining so many of these paleo foods i have fallen deeply for.

*i plan to continue with the restriction of fruits, nuts, and seeds. knowing that my body feels so great without dairy, i will strongly decrease my consumption of it. even though i love cheese. i mean so, so much i love cheese.

*i will continue to use ghee to fry my eggs in. i really love this flavor, and i’m so glad i’ve found it.

breakfast: sweet potato hashies, 2 strips bacon, 2 fried eggs. coffee with coconut cream.

lunch: turkey, 1/2 avocado, 1/2 tomato. mixed nuts and a peach.

snack: handful of pepitas.

dinner: burger with egg, avocado, bacon, mushrooms. roasted carrot fries.

results: omg it was so good. i can’t even stand it. not to brag, but brian and i make burgers that are better than any burger i have eaten in any restaurant. honestly. i know that there are a few tricks to great burgers. first is fat content. we always chose NIMAN RANCH chuck, with an 15% content. when you buy chuck, you’ll see “85/15”, which means 85% lean and 15% fat are what make up the beef. never grill lean beef, unless you are looking for more of a jerky taste…seasoning the beef is essential, in my opinion. i use the same spices most times we have burgers. i’ll share my secret below.

and the carrot fries were a sweet and fun change-up from our sweet potato fries. really, this came out of necessity, as we had carrots in the refrigerator that i had NO clue what we would do with. ta-da!

this recipe makes 2 large servings.

awesome burger

2/3 lb ground chuck, free range & organic is always best

1/2 tsp powdered garlic

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp salt

method: sprinkle spices over meat. break meat into small pieces with your hands to combine spice into the meat. once it is well combined, form into 2 patties. DO NOT MAKE THEM TOO FIRM. you want them slightly loose so they stay tender. press the center of the patty much flatter than the outside edges. the center of a burger will puff up quite a bit as it cooks. this is why so many times you end up with a meatball burger.

grill until desired doneness. i recommend medium rare.

carrot fries

4 large carrots cut into fry shapes

good sprinkle of garlic powder

S&P

oil

method: preheat oven to 425f.

combine all ingredients in large bowl. spread over cookie sheet.

bake for 20 minutes or so, tossing at 10 minutes.

they are done when edges and ends are brown.

Whole 30, day 16

things are simplifying now that i’ve come up with a few self-imposed limitations.

-only 1 serving of fruit, fresh or dried, per day. this should keep my apricot/dates/cherry addiction under control. really, i could eat about 2 servings of each daily. so when i journal that i had “dates” or “raisins” during the day, know that it was A LOT of those things. that’s a lot of fruit, and a lot of fermenting in my belly. not to mention possible weight gain issues.

-tomatoes don’t count as a fruit.

-only one serving of nuts per day.

-only one serving of seeds per day.

what do you think? i think it should keep me under control. i have lots of soft-boiled eggs in the fridge for snacking if i reach my limits on fruit, nuts, and seeds.

breakfast: 2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, tapioca flatbread. coconut cream coffee.

lunch: big ass salad-chicken, 1/2 avocado, 1/2 tomato, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds on baby greens with oil and vinegar. also had applesauce (unsweetened) with cinnamon. -today was the last day of my massive antibiotic treatment, so i needed the pectin.

dinner: sausage stuffed peppers. OMG.

results: i felt great all day. maybe it’s because i woke up around 8 since it was my day off, so juniper and i took a long walk after a lazy breakfast. or maybe it was because my eating was perfectly on track. i dunno. just a good day!

sausage stuffed peppers

2 bell peppers (red, green, whatever), halved and seeded

1 lb ground pork sausage, i like spicy italian*

1 can (14 oz or so) roasted, diced tomatoes -check the ingredients!

3 tbsp tomato paste

small handful of basil, chopped

sprinkle of crushed red peppers, and any other seasonings you may want
*ask your meat guy if he has any sausage without nitrates and other non-approved ingredients in it. if there is none prepackaged, they love to be accommodating and make fresh for you. i promise.

method: preheat oven to 450f. place peppers in a baking dish and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over them. bake them for 20 minutes or so, until they’re a little soft. prepare the rest of the ingredients while they bake.

brown pork over medium heat. throw crushed peppers in there to heat things up while you’re at it!

while pork browns, stir the remaining ingredients into a large bowl.

when pork is cooked, remove it from the heat. stir it into the bowl with the tomato sauce.

spoon into peppers, and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. i can imagine this would be delicious with some superb stanky italian cheese browned on top, but guess what….. it’s whole 30, and we don’t do that.

NOM!

i know, that’s not stuffed peppers!

Whole 30, day 9

we’ve been dealing with a few extra stresses lately (more on that later), which have been driving a few cravings for a G & T pretty fast through the turnstile… but i haven’t given in. in fact, we are going to a really nice wine & booze bar that specializes in fancy alcohols and tasty cheeses this saturday. if memory serves me right, they have killer duck wings and scallops. yes, they are tapas style, but i will order them and gobble them up myself. i’m not even going to mess with a salad. i know what will happen. cheese will be accidentally placed on top, and i will be pissed beyond all whatnot.

breakfast: 3 egg omelette with mushrooms, roasted red pepper, and bacon. coffee with coconut cream.

snack: banana with sunbutter.

lunch:  turkey, avocado, red peppers, sprouts, and dijon mustard. carrot sticks.

dinner: hamburger with fried egg, avocado, onions, mustard. sweet potato fries.

dessert: a scoop of coconut cream concentrate. i got a new jar in the mail today and couldn’t resist!

results: HERE IS YOUR T.M.I. WARNING!!!!

my stomach has never felt better. any intestinal problems i have had are now far gone. i noticed this change upon day 2, but was assuming it was a come’n’go fluke. no, my digestive system is working at full capability. i’ve had no bubbles cramps, irregularity, diarrhea, constipation, nothing. all is good. to anyone out there who suffers from unpleasant bowel issues, i highly recommend this diet. i’ve never felt better. honestly.

WHOLE 30: day 5

today i started craving alcohol. i’ve never battled a craving for such a silly thing in my life, even when i was pregnant. it isn’t a glass of wine or a beer i want. it is booze. liquor. i want a G&T, please. or a mojito. it is probably due to a few stresses i am going through right now, but it isn’t the drunkenness i crave, it is the flavors. -the crisp flavors of gin have great association with summertime for me. i love gin.. heck, i named my daughter juniper!

other than alcohol, i’ve only craved salty foods. no cravings for sweeties yet. this blows my mind, as i have always had a tremendous sweet tooth. right now i’ve been craving salty, fatty foods. i’m satiating it with salty nuts. it is, however, really difficult to find nuts that aren’t roasted in peanut oils or some other NO NO fats.

here is what my friday in food was like!

breakfast: 2 egg omelette with mushrooms and 2 strips of bacon.

snack: mixed nuts and an apricot.

lunch: turkey, sprouts, peppers, avocado on a tiny slice of tapioca flat bread. OH SO GOOD. also a side of pineapple.

snack: raw carrots with oil, salt, and pepper… i snacked on this while i prepared dinner.

dinner: pan-crisped chicken thighs with thyme & garlic pan gravy, roasted carrots. it was awesome.

results? this was a great food day! dinner was so tasty and excellent. carrots satisfy my sweet tooth and are fun to crunch on raw. i forgot how much i always loved eating raw carrots! other than the alcohol cravings, today was an easy day.

one note on something i’ve noticed since starting this challenge is that i wake up very hungry. there used to be mornings, heck, most mornings, where i would wake up feeling a sluggish tummy. it was almost the feeling that there was too much fluff for my body to digest at night, so i wasn’t hungry for breakfast (though i ate anyway because i love breakfast food). now, i wake up with an empty stomach, with strong signals telling me “ok, i’m ready to eat now!”. it is a sensation i much welcome, knowing that i am now digesting food more efficiently.

has anyone ever noticed such strong changes like this when doing whole 30?

i wanted to share my recipe for the dinner that filled me up and hit the spot! it is a forgotten regular in my home, and we are bringing it back, now that my diet calls for it and it is far too hot to grill (106f!?).

pan crisped chicken thighs with thyme & garlic pan gravy and carrots

5 or 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

bacon fat or other frying fat

a bunch of thyme

3 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

s & p to taste

1 1/2 cup good quality chicken stock

5 whole organic carrots, peeled

olive oil

s & p to taste

method: preheat oven to 350f. also, heat bacon fat in cast iron skillet on medium.

cut carrot into desired sizes. coat in olive oil, salt, and pepper. bake at 350f for 20-25 minutes while chicken cooks. be sure to give the sheet a good shake every 5-10 minutes for even browning.

place chicken “pretty side” down in hot skillet. sprinkle with salt and pepper. saute for 5-8 minutes, until browned on one side.

once brown, flip chicken. cook until brown. once both sides of chicken are brown, pour 1 cup of stock in. turn heat down just a click and place lid on pan and allow to cook through the chicken. stock will begin to reduce.

once stock is reduced to 1/4 inch or so at the bottom of your pan, place thyme and garlic in. allow to cook for a 2 minutes.

remove chicken from pan, but leave the liquids. pour remaining 1/2 stock into skillet and crank the heat back up. cook uncovered for 5 minutes or so, until liquids thicken into a gravy.

pour gravy over chicken and carrots. sprinkle a little more fresh thyme over and gobble it up!

good gravy!