Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies

Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies

1 Cup of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 Cup of Almond Butter

1 Cup of Light Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

Simply mix all 5 ingredients in a bowl, form small round balls, and bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes.  They will be soft when you take them out and will harden a bit when they cool-- be careful not to over bake them. Let them sit for 10-15 minutes on the tray. 

Kelli Note: Cooked the above way for ME created cookies that were too puffy and soft to even pick up, so I flattened them and cooked them for 12 minutes (and let them sit on the tray for 10 minutes) and they were perfect.

jessicarey.com/blogs/news/71051077-almond-butter-cookies

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Ingredients

•  1 cup unsweetened almond milk
•  2 ripe avocados peeled and pitted
•  1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
•  1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
•  2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•  1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, I didn't use)
•  Pinch of sea salt
• Alternative ingredients: dates, frozen cherries, coconut milk
•  Raspberries for garnish

Instructions

1. Put the almond milk, avocados, cocoa, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt into your blender and puree on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until smooth and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula.
2. Transfer the pudding to glasses, ramekins, or jars and chill in the fridge.
3. To serve, top each pudding with fresh raspberries.
4. Note-the pudding works best with ripe avocados that don't have any brown discolorations. The pudding is best the day it's made, as the avocados will oxidize and the flavors will change over time.

I only had 1/4 cup of maple syrup so I added 3 dates (could do more), plus a handful of frozen cherries, and a bit more almond milk. Could also add coconut milk! 

Hashbrown Casserole {Without Soup}

Hashbrown Casserole {Without Soup}

CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP SUBSTITUTE INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 3 tablespoons flour (I used gluten free flour)

• 1/2 cup chicken broth

• 1/2 cup milk

• Dash of salt and pepper

CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS

• 30-32 ounces frozen shredded hash browns – thawed in fridge overnight

• 1 batch cream of chicken soup substitute

• 8 ounces sour cream

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 1/2 of a small onion – diced

• 2 cups cubed ham (optional, I did not use)

• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided (I used grass fed cheddar from TJ's)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP SUBSTITUTE DIRECTIONS

1. In a small sauce pan, melt butter. Whisk in flour and let cook for 1-2 minutes.
2. Slowly stir in chicken broth, then milk. Stir until it begins to thicken. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Season with a dash of salt and pepper.

CASSEROLE DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Saute onions
3. In a large bowl, stir together thawed hash brown potatoes and melted butter.
4. Stir in cream soup substitute, sour cream, onion, ham, and 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Stir well.
5. Season with salt and black pepper.
6. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese (or more if you’d like).
7. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

Freezer Instructions: Assemble casserole. Do not bake. Cover well and store in your freezer for up to 3 months. Allow casserole to thaw completely in your refrigerator before baking, following the instructions above.

https://www.centercutcook.com/hash-brown-casserole-without-cream-soup/

Cauliflower Shepherd's Pie

Hemp seed energy balls

Turmeric Cookies

Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Cookies Prep time: 10 minutes Total time: 20-25 minutes Serves: 10-12 cookies Ingredients: 1 cup almond butter 1 cup coconut sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 egg 1 tbsp turmeric 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger ½ tsp ground nutmeg ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp sea salt ¼ tsp black pepper ½ cup shredded coconut ½ cup crushed pecans ½ cup shredded or finely chopped carrots Equipment:  Large bowl Baking sheet Directions: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine almond butter and coconut sugar in a large bowl. Add vanilla and egg and combine further, then add turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and black pepper.  Now add in shredded coconut, pecans, and carrots and mix thoroughly. Scoop a tablespoon of dough onto the parchment paper and flatten with a spoon. Repeat until you have 10-12 cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops turn a rich golden brown. Let cool, then serve.

Got this in my email from Paleo Valley

Raspberry Chocolate Chia Protein Pudding

I got this in my email from paleovalley.com

Instant Pot Bone Broth

Instant Pot Bone Broth

Ingredients:
2 chicken carcases (or 4 lbs of bones)
2-4 stalks celery roughly chopped
2-4 large carrots roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 onion quartered (not peeled)
1-2 TBS apple cider vinegar
Fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage)
Salt
Some whole peppercorns
enough water to cover carcasses (around 12 cups)
2 bay leaves

Add everything to the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 2 hours (alternatively, you can add the bones, water, and vinegar and let sit for 30-60 minutes before adding all the other ingredients. It may help pull out some of the minerals and nutrients). May naturally release or not. Strain out solids and discard and store liquid in glass. Do not put hot broth in the fridge or freezer as it can increase the temperature of the fridge and make food unsafe. Cool down by adding ice cubes from filtered water until cool enough to refrigerate.

Freeze until ready to use. Good in fridge for 3-4 days.


If using beef bones roast in oven for 40-60 minutes at 400 degrees F. Turn half way through. Do not skip roasting.

Chicken feet are particularly good sources of collagen and nutrients. Only use feet from organic, pastured chickens.

My favorite way to eat this is to sauté 2-3 veggies (zucchini, squash, sweet potato, carrot, onions, celery, braising greens, etc) and then add the broth. Add another fat like butter or coconut milk and then the seasonings. I like adding turmeric, ginger, black pepper, salt, and garlic. Also good with noodles, spaghetti squash, or kelp noodles. SO good! 

Spaghetti Squash

This is my favorite way to make/prepare spaghetti squash so I don't want to forget it!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Cut off stem end of squash and then cut in half lengthwise
Scoop out seeds and stringy parts with ice cream scooper
Flip squash over face down on pan and poke some holes in the back with a fork
Flip back up and rub in a little avocado oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
Roast face up in the oven for 40 minutes
Let it cool a few minutes before you use a fork to scrape out "noodles"

Toppings I like to add next:
Bacon or sausage
Fresh tomatoes
Fresh basil
Olive oil
Spices - salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, etc
Pine nuts
Parmesan

Spaghetti Sauce

Pesto 

Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot

Ingredients

• 1-4 pound whole chicken, giblets removed
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
• ½ onion
• ½ cup chicken stock

Directions

1. Using a paper towel, dry off chicken.
2. In a small bowl mix together all of the spices. Place half of the spices in another small bowl and add 1 tablespoon avocado oil to create a paste.
3. Carefully rub the paste underneath the skin on the chicken breasts. Take care not to break the skin.
4. In a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot press the saute function.
5. Once hot add remaining oil and sear the whole chicken, breast side down about 3-4 minutes. Then flip and sear on the other side.
6. Remove chicken, and season the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper and place ½ an onion inside of the cavity. Rub the remainder of the dry spices all over the chicken breasts and thighs and set aside.
7. Place the trivet inside of the Instant Pot and pour in chicken stock.
8. Cook on manual for 24 minutes (or 6 minutes per pound)
9. Natural release for 15 minutes, then use the manual release function to release any remaining pressure.
10. Broil for 4-5 minutes for a crispy skin
11. Let chicken sit until it has cooled down slightly, about 10 minutes. Butcher the legs, wings and finally the breasts and serve along with your favorite sides!

Recipe Notes

1. If your chicken is a different size than 4 lbs. adjust the cooking time to be 6 minutes per pound.

lexiscleankitchen.com/how-to-cook-a-whole-chicken-in-the-instant-pot/

Hot Fudge Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 1 stick Salted Butter, Cut Into Pieces
• 3 teaspoons Vanilla

In a medium saucepan, gently whisk together the cocoa powder and sugar. Whisk in the cream, then turn the heat to medium and whisk it as it warms up. When the mixture starts to heat up, add the butter and stir it in to melt. Then when the mixture is nice and hot, add the vanilla and stir it to combine. Let the sauce cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it to a mason jar. Store it in the fridge (it will become solid as it cools).

To serve, scoop out the amount you need and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat it for 20 seconds, then stir and heat for another 10 or until the sauce is warm.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/hot-fudge-sauce/

Hashbrown Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

• 32 oz frozen shredded hash browns , defrosted
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 (10 1/4 ounce) can of cream of chicken soup 
• 1 pint of sour cream
• 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
• 2 cups grated colby and/or cheddar cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl reserving 1/2 cup of cheese for topping.
3. Place in a greased 9×13 casserole dish and top with reserved cheese.
4. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

https://www.spendwithpennies.com/cracker-barrel-hashbrown-casserole-recipe/

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well) (250g after draining)
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder (10g)
• 1/2 cup quick oats (40g) (See nutrition link below for substitutions)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave (75g)
• pinch uncut stevia OR 2 tbsp sugar (or omit and increase maple syrup to 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil (40g) (See nutrition link for substitution notes)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips (115-140g) (Not optional. Omit at your own risk.)
• optional: more chips, for presentation

Instructions

Black Bean Brownies Recipe: Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except chips in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Really blend well. (A blender can work if you absolutely must, but the texture—and even the taste—will be much better in a food processor.) Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8×8 pan. Optional: sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. Cook the black bean brownies 15-18 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to cut. If they still look a bit undercooked, you can place them in the fridge overnight and they will magically firm up! Makes 9-12 brownies. If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a review! The trick with these: serve them first, and then reveal the secret ingredient. In all the times I’ve served bean desserts, not one single person who didn’t know beforehand has ever guessed!

Read more at https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/09/06/no-flour-black-bean-brownies/#7j8z2DQjUgQZI5QA.99


https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/09/06/no-flour-black-bean-brownies/

Buttermilk pancakes

Ingredients

• 2eggs
• 2cups buttermilk
• 4tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1⁄2teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2cups all-purpose flour
• 2tablespoons sugar
• 2teaspoons baking powder
• 1teaspoon baking soda
• 1teaspoon salt
• 1 -2tablespoon vegetable oil or 1 -2 tablespoon cooking spray
• maple syrup, for serving

Directions

1. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs on medium speed until frothy.
2. Add the buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla and mix well.
3. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and beat on medium speed just until blended. (You may have a few lumps, but don't worry about it).
4. You can also mix this together using a wooden spoon or whatever you have.
5. Heat lightly greased griddle at 350 degrees.
6. Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter onto griddle for each pancake.
7. Cook until the tops of the pancakes are covered with tiny bubbles and the batter is set, about 4-6 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until the undersides are golden brown, about 4 minutes more.
8. Repeat with remaining batter.

These are Hyrum's favorite! Very fluffy

http://www.food.com/recipe/buttermilk-pancakes-66241

Moist Vanilla cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

VANILLA CUPCAKES

2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour
2 cups (414g) sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup (240ml) milk
1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup (240ml) hot water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with liners (can also bake in three 8 in rounds for 18-20 min).
2. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside.
3. Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.
5. Slowly add the hot water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
6. Fill the cupcake liners about half way and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
7. Remove the cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

http://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/2017/01/16/moist-vanilla-cupcakes/