Plantain Cinnamon Paleo Microwave Mug Muffins

Posted on September 7, 2016

I am not a morning person. Never have been, and (in spite of forcing myself to wake up early), never will be. I may LOOK like I am awake, there is a 100% guarantee that I am basically sleep walking until my 3rd cup of coffee… or about 10am. Since my brain is typically off when I’m heading out the door, I like to keep my morning routine simple, and as idiot proof as possible. I am constantly working on recipes that are quick, easy, delicious, paleo, gluten free… and can travel (eggs are a bit difficult to eat on the subway).

For the past year my Pinterest feed has basically exploded with various types of mug muffin’s and cakes, but I could never find one that met my dietary restrictions.  So I set to work, and came up with these delicious plantain muffins – gluten free, paleo, and no coconut flour. The result is a very moist muffin, vaguely reminiscent of good banana bread, and very filling.

Plantains have always worked well for me in other baked goods, and they have the additional advantage of being FAR more affordable than some of the more exotic flours. Morning Tip: This batter can be refrigerated for up to two days, so I like to save half the batter in the fridge overnight, and nuke it up in the morning to make this recipe last for two days. Enjoy!

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Oven Baked Chicken Wings: Two Ways (Paleo, Gluten, Nut and Tree Nut Free)

Posted on September 5, 2016

Happy Labor Day Weekend! For most of America, Labor Day is celebrated around a grill, enjoying the last official weekend of summer. Unfortunately, for those of us who are city dwellers, finding a grill can be somewhat of a challenge – and normally requires finding friends in the suburbs willing to host you for the day. This year, for the first time in I don’t remember how long, we decided not to participate in the mass exodus from the city, and have a little “stay-cation”.

Staying in the city on a holiday weekend can actually be incredibly relaxing. The typical fast paced, frenetic energy of the city is muted, and fellow city dwellers share an unspoken agreement that, for this short time, we are all just going to relax. I was able to enjoy shorter lines at the grocery, smaller crowds at the gym, and even come across a horse while walking our dog along the bridal path. In short, this weekend was near perfect. The only thing missing, a BBQ.

As is typical for holiday weekends, our local grocery was having a promotion on “family packs” for popular labor day weekend fare – and I got a fantastic deal on a family pack of chicken wings and drumsticks. My husband’s go-to favorite way to bake chicken wings, normally involves a gallon of Italian Dressing, or a vat of Frank’s Hot Sauce… yeah, SUPER paleo, right? Instead of indulging in the sugar and sodium packed marinades, we both decided to try a healthier way to make our wings. I wanted to come up with one version, that would mimic the Italian Dressing in a sweet and tangy way, and another that would give a nice kick, like the Franks.

Here are the two marinades we whipped up for our wings. The first was a Sweet and Tangy marinade, and the other was a Spicy Cayenne Rub. After marinating for an hour, and roasting for about 30 minutes, these came out perfectly crispy, and oh so delicious. I was partial to the Sweet and Tangy wings myself, but my husband demolished the Spicy Cayenne. Together, these wings made the perfect Labor Day meal, served with some refreshing guacamole and veggies. Enjoy!

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Paleo Pumpkin Protein Biscuits

Posted on January 10, 2016

I love bread. I know you aren’t supposed to say that if you follow a paleo diet, but it is true. I love having bread in the morning, sandwiches in the afternoon, and a crusty roll with soup for dinner. When I lived in Paris (before finding out I was a celiac), I had bread for EVERY meal. I may never have been sicker, but I was oh so happy.

Sadly, by the time I was 24 it became apparent that as much as I loved bread, it did not love me back. I’ve tried since then to rekindle the romance with gluten free substitutes, but it is never the same. The imitation loaves lack the beautiful crunchy crust, the ability to soak up sauce, or feel complete accompanied by a healthy dollop of salty butter. Even after finding paleo, I still longed for a good french roll or buttermilk biscuit to bring me back to childhood, and a time when I had no idea what a carb or gluten was.

In a particular moment of weakness recently, I decided I had to try and create a paleo version of my favorite crusty roll. Most paleo and low-carb bread recipes use nut flours or coconut flour – both of which are off limits in our household due to our allergies. So, I started experimenting with some of the [amazon_textlink asin=’B00EQB55QI’ text=’Pumpkin Seed Meal’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’urbancavew-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’956c41e8-ca4a-11e7-bc46-25da2fe38582′] I had lying around, and combined it with some [amazon_textlink asin=’B00S5AZRYG’ text=’cassava flour’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’urbancavew-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’dd887eb4-ca4a-11e7-946b-8373991de56f’]. The result was amazing! The rolls were dense, and a bit crumbly, but oh so delicious. The pumpkin seed meal has a bit of a bitter flavor, so I compensated with some extra maple syrup. However, if you are pairing with a flavorful soup or stew, you can easily reduce the syrup by half and the bitterness of the pumpkin will not be noticed.

Now, these are not Whole30 compliant, and probably not going to be great for weight loss if incorporated as a regular part of your diet. But, if you just need a bread fix – they are the perfect treat to satisfy your craving.

 

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Paleo Fish and Chips

Posted on July 15, 2015

I’ve written before about comfort foods, and their importance in the success of sticking with any diet. One of the most popular comfort foods in our home is a good English fish and chips. I still remember the first time I had fish and chips. I was about 5, and we were visiting family in London. While I’d been to England several times before, this was the first time we were exploring the city. The first few days of our trip were focused on all of the typical sites you would want to see; changing of the guard, tower of London, Buckingham palace, Portobello road, all of it. I had had my fill of tea and scones and finger sandwiches – and was about to turn into a giant bowl of clotted cream with berries (delicious by the way). The one thing I had yet to enjoy was a classic fish and chips.

Determined to get the most out of our time in the city, and find the most authentic fish and chips we could, my mother hailed a cab. As soon as we got in, she asked the driver to take us to the best fish and chips in London. The cab started off down streets we had never seen, and shortly brought us down to the docks. The driver turned around and chatted with my mother for a minute, and then got out of the cab. A few minutes later, he returned with three news paper parcels dripping with grease. The smell was amazing. I unwrapped the greasy newsprint and tucked into one of the most fantastic culinary experiences of my life.

When I discovered I was a celiac, I mourned the loss of my battered fried fish. However, over the years, I’ve played around with various gluten free and paleo friendly ways of doing a breading, and have been very pleased with the results of breading in pork dust . Normally, I use pork dust  to bread chicken, but it also works very well with fish. Thankfully, after some experimenting, I have come up with a fail safe paleo fish and chips to satisfy my cravings.

They  key to preparing a breaded fish cutlet like this is to use the right type of fish. Some fish can be too delicate to handle the breading process (egg wash and then the “breading” in pork dust ). I have found tilapia stands up quite well during this process. You can either oven bake it, or fry lightly in oil on the stove top – either way it will be delicious.

Classic fish and chips have thick cut fries served with them. To be honest, I’ve never liked that style. Personally, I like the thinner crispier fries that the overly potato-ey version. However, to keep with the classics, I like to use Yucca to replicate the thick cut fries. Coat them in olive oil and salt, and bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes. Delicous.

The final piece to complete the meal is an area of some contention for many. There are purists out there who feel very strongly a good fish and chips should only be accompanied by malt vinegar.  While I love the malt vinegar style, it sadly isn’t paleo, so I serve my fish and chips with a delicious creamy tartar sauce. This tartar sauce is one of my favorite things; slightly tangy and briny, it is perfect with fish, as a dipping sauce for fries, or even as a topper on a burger. Try this sauce, and I promise you will be finding excuses to put it on everything.

 

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