Paleo Pumpkin Spice Silver Dollar Pancakes with Cinnamon Fried Apples

I am still pretty obsessed with pumpkin flavors right now. Nothing screams fall to me like pumpkin! So, here is another pumpkin recipe for your cool and crisp fall mornings.

This time its a simple paleo pancake recipe. It has a slight pumpkin flavor and a really good texture. I whipped up a batch of these pancakes for J and I after I got home from the gym this morning. They are such a good breakfast because they are packed with protein, fiber, good fats, and lots of good things from the spices (cinnamon is so good for your body!) and the pumpkin.

I ate my pancakes with some pumpkin dip and these wonderful southern inspired cinnamon fried apples with pecans and coconut. J just wanted lots of butter on his pancakes and some fresh apples on the side.

The key to perfect paleo pancakes is to use a cast iron (or non-stick) skillet and let the pancakes cook longer than you would usually cook regular pancakes. They should cook about 4-6 minutes on the first side before flipping them.

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Paleo Pumpkin Spice Silver Dollar Pancakes
(original recipe here)

• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons almond meal
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup coconut or almond milk (if your batter is a little too thick)

Whisk together the dry ingredients (coconut flour, almond meal, baking soda, spices and salt) until well combined.

In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients (eggs, pumpkin puree, vinegar, and oil) until well combined. Add milk if needed. 

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and melt some coconut oil, bacon grease, or ghee in the bottom of the skillet. When the skillet is hot spoon small scoops (about a tablespoon) of the batter into the skillet. Leave these to cook about 4-6 minutes before flipping, do not flip too early or you will have broken and messy pancakes. When cooked on the first side flip over and cook on the other side until golden brown.

Cinnamon Fried Apples

• 2 apples, cut into chunks (Granny Smith apples are wonderful for this recipe)
• 2 tablespoons organic butter or ghee
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add apples and saute for about a minute. Add the rest of the ingredients and saute until caramelized. 

Crispy, Spicy, Cheesy, Raw Kale Chips

Let me introduce you to the most addictive healthy snacks you will ever eat. 

Everyone, meet the kale chip. 

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Kale is one if those trendy greens, and for good reason! It's packed with good stuff! Low calories, calcium,  vitamins, minerals, and is supper yummy! (The Truth About Kale by WebMD)  There are tons of recipes floating around for using kale: smoothies, salads, boiled, etc... Kale chips are by far my favorite way to enjoy this "Queen of the Greens".

The Hubby and I have seriously gotten in spats over who ate the last of the kale chips. We have to divide them evenly so as not to risk our marriage, okay maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point. These suckers are crazy mad good!

yumm!

There are a few kale chips on the market and they are pretty good but a) they are not as good as this recipe; and b) they are really expensive.

These kale chips are pretty easy to make, fast (if you don't count the overnight dehydrating), and really cheap.

My mom ended up buying a dehydrator after my dad became addicted to my kale chips. She now makes them even more often than I do. As is her style with everything she cooks, she changes the recipe every time she makes them. She has done a salt and vinegar, various spice combinations, and her most common is tossing them in Todd's Dirt Seasoning. 

before dehydrating

As for me, I am too in love to venture outside of my original recipe. It's just too good! It's a little spicy, a little salty,  a little garlicky, a little smoky, a little tangy, and a little cheesy. Just the perfect amount of everything delicious! 

Apparently you can make kale chips in the oven if you don't have a dehydrator, but the one time I tried (I had loaned out my dehydrator) I burned the heck out of my kale. I would suggest just getting a dehydrator. They aren't that expensive and you can do so much with them! Dried fruit, granola, fruit leather, jerky, dried spices, etc... I have only used my dehydrator once for something other than kale chips, but it was defiantly one if the best wedding gifts we got! 

after dehydrating

If you are looking to save time you can get packages of pre-washed kale that has been cut into strips or bite-sized pieces in the bagged salad section of the grocery store. You can also use any and all kinds of kale, rainbow kale included.

I hardly ever measure anything when I'm making kale chips, so the recipe below is an estimation of measurements. You will need to adjust according to your tastes and to the amount of kale that is in the bunch that you bought. 

omg! doesn't that look so good?!?

Crispy, Spicy, Cheesy, Raw Kale Chips

1 bunch kale

1 cup grated parmesan and remano cheese blend (or just parmesan)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup lemon juice (about)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (about)

Make sure your sink is clean and fill it with cold water. Rip the leaves of the kale off of the stems. Put the stems in the trash and the leaves in the skin full of water. Swish the leaves around in the water a little and then let them sit for about 30 minutes. This will wash the dirt off the leaves and the dirt will sink down to the bottom  of the sink while the leaves float.

While the leaves are soaking, mix the spices and grated cheese together and set aside.

After the leaves have sat for about 30 minutes scoop them out and lay on a towel to dry. Pat lightly with a towel to dry. This step is not entirely necessary, you could skip it if you don't have time. It does remove the excess water and allows the flavors to stick to the leaves.

Transfer some of the leaves to a big work bowl, doing this in batches is easier than trying to do them all at once. Drizzel some olive oil and lemon juice over the leaves. Sprinkle some of the cheese mixture over the leaves, don't skimp. Mix the leaves with the oil, juice and cheese mix, rubbing and massaging the leaves and mixing well. This is where the flavors get infused into the kale.

Transfer the kale to the dehydrator shelves, and spread out into one layer. Do this with the rest of the kale leaves.

Put the lid on your dehydrator and turn to 135F. Leave in the dehydrator 8-12 hours or overnight. The chips should be dry and crispy. Let cool and transfer to a air-tight container.

My Whole30 Journey - Cool Veggie-Packed Gazpacho

I am often asked where I am from, or where my family is from. Its a nice way of asking why I my coloring is as dark as it is. The truth is that I am fully American, like Mayflower American. Okay, maybe not that far back, but almost! I usually appease people with an answer that will give them the information they want: I have dark skin and hair because part of my dad's family is from Spain.

Spain is responsible for some pretty awesome contributions to this world. The language, the classical guitar, some awesome artists (Dali, Picasso, etc...), the siesta, and of course the food! Spanish tapas is one of the best culinary experiences available. 

Tapas is basically a smorgasbord of small portions of different appetizers or snacks. Usually you would order a few different items and share amongst the table. The idea is that you would have more opportunity for conversation because you aren't focused on eating an entire meal, and because you are sharing everything on the table. A little sangria doesn't hurt either!

One of the things I always order at a Spanish tapas resteraunt is gazpacho. Essencially cold soup. Gazpacho can really be anything from fruit soups (Tropical Fruit Gazpacho recipe) to salsa type soups. Everything in gazpacho is always fresh and flavorful. Its really so refreshing to sip down a cup of this chilled soup.

gazpacho served with stake and fried plantains (Whole30 approved!)

This particuallar recipe has been tweeked from Ina Garten's recipe. I added some extra veggies, and some fresh cilantro (love me some cilantro), and a little kick of jalapeno. I think my additions just kick up the recipe. 

I love a good bowl of this cool Spanish soup on a hot day. It has amazing flavors, spicy and fresh, it just makes your mouth sing! Its also packed with fresh veggies so its awesomely healthy.

heck yes! make your body happy!

Unless you are on a no-vegetables diet, this will be approved! Its paleo/primal/caveman, nut, grain, gluten, sugar, sweeteners, fat, soy, egg, and dairy free, its also vegan and raw. I mean come on! Talk about healthy! Its also pretty simple to make, just toss your veggies in a food processor or blender and then let it all chill so the flavors blend. Its a pretty impressive little soup for a dinner party or just keep it all to yourself and take it to work for lunch.

Cool Veggie-Packed Gazpacho
(adapted from Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, foodnetwork.com)

• 1 hothouse cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
• 1 zucchini 
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
• 4 plum tomatoes
• 1 red onion (optional)
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 23 ounces V8 tomato juice (3 cups)
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• Optional garnishes: fresh cilantro, lime wedges, avocado

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not over-process!After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop. Garnish as you like and serve with crusty bread, tortilla chips, or just on its own.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4-8 (depending on your portion sizes, I got about 8 servings)

My Whole 30 Journey - Tropical Fruit Gazpacho

When we were packing up our apartment to move I ended up with 3 good sized boxes full of cook books. I have a problem. I come by this problem honestly, my mom also has quite the collection. My bet is if they were to move she would have more than just 3 messily boxes.

Recently she has been adding to her paleo and primal cookbook collection. She has some great ones. I love to raid her bookshelves in search of the perfect recipes. 

Make it Paleo, by Bill Staley and Hayley Mason

This week she has been cooking out of Make it Paleo, by Bill Staley and Hayley Mason. I love this cookbook! Its full of beautiful full page, full color photos. Its like reading a recipe blog. Oh, and the recipes are great too :)

So far, I have made two recipes from Make it Paleo. Chocolate Pie (for my dad's birthday, post to come) and this Tropical Fruit Gazpacho or Summer Soup. 

Tropical Fruit Gazpacho from Make it Paleo

This soup is wonderful. Its has a cool, refreshing quality and its not too sweet. Its like a trip to the Bahamas! We ate it as a first course, but it would be perfect for breakfast or as a dessert or in shot glasses at a party.

Its important to use fresh ingredients, the soup isn't cooked and relies on the fresh fruity flavors of the fruit used. Make sure everything you are using is ripe and naturally delicious. I did use about a 1/2 of a cup of coconut flakes instead of a fresh coconut (didn't feel like hacking into a coconut), but that is the only substitution I have experimented with.

Tropical Fruit Gazpacho
(Original recipe from, Make it Paleo: Over 200 Grain Free Recipes for Any Occasion, by Bill Staley and Hayley Mason.)

• 1 pineapple, peeled and chopped
• 1 mango, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1/2 coconut, chopped (or 1/2 cup dried coconut flakes)
• 1 lime, juiced
• Optional garnish: lime wedges, chopped mango or pineapple, coconut flakes, cucumber slices

Peel and chop pineapple, mango and cumber. Reserve 1/2 cup of diced pineapple to add after blending.

Tap open coconut using blunt edge of a chef's knife, separate meat from shell. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the think inner skin. Shop coconut meat into chunks.

In a high-speed blender or food processor, blend coconut chunks on high until finely shredded. (I did this even with the dried coconut flakes.)

Add mango, pineapple, and cucumber, and puree.

Squeeze in lime juice, and continue to process until smooth.

Stir in diced pineapple. Garnish and serve.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6

Will impress: Everyone!

My mom's recipe notes.

I highly recommend buying this cookbook. Make it Paleo: Over 200 Grain Free Recipes for Any Occasion, by Bill Staley and Hayley Mason. Available on Amazon.com and on shelves at any major book store. Or visit their website at The Food Lovers Kitchen.

My Whole30 Journey - Peach Blueberry Nutty Crisp

Peaches are one of great things about summer! They are one of natures sweetest candies. Juicy and sweet, ripe peaches are always on my Farmer's Market list this time of year.

The other day my mom went to the Farmer's Market on my behalf (kids were napping) and brought me a wonderful bag of juicy aromatic peach seconds. Seconds are the fruit that is just a little over ripe and maybe isn't too pretty, but that means that the fruit is even more flavorful and juicy sweet. Usually farmers will have these off to the side, but all you have to do is ask for them. This is a great way to get cheaper fruit for pies, jams, muffins, cakes, cobblers and crisps!

What goes well with peaches? Blueberries! Blueberries is one of these super-foods. They are packed with antioxidants (combat free-radicals which can attack cells), vitamins K and C, fiber, and magnesium. Just look it up, blueberries are awesome food for your body!

Most cobbler, pie and crisp recipes use some form of sweetener. This one doesn't. I am convinced that if you use wonderful, naturally sweet fruit, you don't need any extra sweeteners. Now, if you are using less than ripe peaches, you might want to add some honey/agave/brown sugar/coconut sugar/etc...

Peach Blueberry Nutty Crisp

4 peaches, sliced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen wild blueberries (raspberries or blackberries would work too)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Combine peaches, blueberries, and cinnamon in a small baking dish. Sprinkle almond extract on top of this mix.

Toss coconut, pecans, and almonds with coconut oil, spread on top of peach and blueberry mix.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the nuts are lightly toasted. Serve warm with whipped coconut cream (see my post on coconut milks).