Pecan Bark

PECAN BARK MADE WITH CACOA BUTTER AND NUT BUTTER

I’ve been looking through my books and blog posts to see which recipes are already low in vitamin A and which can be easily altered. This one is a winner. It is highly adaptable for everyone with dietary restrictions so we can all have candy for the holidays! You can substitute any nut or seed butter for the coconut manna in the original recipe, just be sure you get one that is not too thin. Almond butter, pecan butter, macadamia butter, etc. are good choices.…

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AFTER POTATOES

AFTER POTATOES  Close your eyes and tell me what you see when I say comfort food. Did you see potatoes? Chances are they were mashed with a pool of butter or gravy on top. Or perhaps the spuds in your mind’s eye were deep-fried, crispy and brown, and cozied up to a little paper cup of ketchup. The USDA reported that potatoes are the most commonly eaten vegetable in America. (http://time.com/2818849/these-are-the-most-popular-foods-in-america/) Tomatoes, another member of the nightshade family, came in a distant second. Our rocky…

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CAULIFLOWER FAUX MASHED POTATOES

I often hear, “now, why didn’t I think of that?’ when someone sees my substitute for mashed potatoes. Adding eggs makes them creamier and thicker and mellows the taste for those of us who find cauliflower a bit too turnip-y. (This is the basic recipe used for Faux Mashed Potatoes, Faux Duchess Potatoes, and Cottage Pie in Nourished; a Cookbook for Health, Weight Loss, and Metabolic Balance.) BASIC CAULIFLOWER FAUX POTATOES Ingredients:1 head cauliflower (about 1 pound 15 ounces as purchased, or 1 pound 8 ounces, trimmed)4…

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ALMOST APPLE TORTE

After the hottest summer ever recorded here in the Pacific Northwest, we are suddenly back in the 60s. What can we do with all those tomatoes that don’t have enough summer left to ripen? Did you know that anything you can do with tart apples, you can do with green tomatoes? Surprisingly, green tomatoes are higher in carbs than ripe ones, but still much lower than apples. They make wonderful desserts, like tarts, mincemeat pies, and that old Southern specialty, green tomato cake! ALMOST APPLE…

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CHOCOLATE CHIPS AND CANDY

I had a request for a recipe for chocolate chips and I realized that I didn’t have one on the blog. This one is adapted from Nourished; a Cookbook for Health, Weight Loss, and Metabolic Balance. You can pour it out in a sheet and chop it up to make chips or you can make candy cups, bars, or fruit and nut clusters. CHOCOLATE CHIPSAdding liquid to melted chocolate is a big no-no. After years of making my chocolate chips with powdered, dry sweetener, I hit on…

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BARBECUE SAUCE REINVENTED

Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce

“Home grown tomatoes,  Home grown tomatoes, What would life be like without homegrown tomatoes? Only two things that money can’t buy, That’s true love and home grown tomatoes.”   ~~from the song, Home Grown Tomatoes by Guy Clark. Like it or not, life without tomatoes is a reality for many of us for a number of reasons. First, allergies to tomatoes and other members of the nightshade family are quite common. Second, Dr. Richard Bernstein says tomatoes are too high in glucose for those with…

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SEARCHING FOR A GOOD EGG AND QUAIL EGGS IN A NEST

You don’t know how much you love something until you lose it! Those of you who follow my blog, probably know that I’ve been dealing with a lot of sudden-onset allergies. You can read about it here. I continue to make progress in reversing the allergies, but I have also found some work-around solutions that let me enjoy many things that I initially had to eliminate from my diet. By trial and error, I’ve discovered that I can eat Parmesan cheese, clarified butter, and butter and cheese…

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RASPBERRY MARSHMALLOW SQUARES

These reminds me of the coating on one of my old junk food favorites, Hostess Snowballs, those marshmallow and coconut-coated chocolate cakes with a “cream” center (actually a trans fat and sugar center).  Recipe adapted from Nourished; a Cookbook for Health, Weight Loss, and Metabolic Balance.  Ingredients:  2 ounces frozen or fresh raspberries or strawberries or ¼ ounce dried2 packets (7 grams each) powdered gelatin½ cup cold water ½ cup boiling water High-intensity sugar substitute, such as stevia, monk fruit, or sucralose, equal to 1 cup sugar 4 teaspoons…

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BEYOND HAMBURGERS: 15 LOW CARB GROUND BEEF RECIPES

Grass-fed ground beef is available at some of my local stores now, but grass-fed roasts, chops, and steaks are harder to find. One butcher told me he quit ordering the more expensive cuts because they didn’t sell fast enough and he always had to mark them down. I have to admit, the prices are a deterrent for me too. As a result, ground beef has become a staple in my diet and I’m always looking for new ways to cook it. Here are some of…

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YELLOW CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM FROSTING

A rich, moist, basic cake that can be varied by using different flavorings, frostings, and toppings. It is sugar-free, grain-free, gluten-free, and delicious. ¾ cup (3 ounces or 85 grams) almond flour ¾ cup (3 ounces or 85 grams) coconut flour ¼ cup (2 ounces or 56 grams) granular erythritol or other bulk sweetener* 1 teaspoon baking powder A pinch of salt ½ cup (4 ounces or 1 stick) butter, softened to room temperature 4 ounces whipped or regular cream cheese, softened to room temperature…

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