Chocoholics Anonymous (Part I)

Hello, my name is Rachel and I am a chocoholic.  That's right, you heard me... I'm finally confessing.  I have a problem, and that problem is chocolate.  Or desserts.  Or bread.  Hmmmm... well for the sake of this post let's say my problem lies in the dessert field with a special concentration in chocolate.  Sounds like a good major, no?

So here's the deal; as I mentioned before I have been on diets similar to the primal lifestyle.  Therefore I have grown accustomed to little to no grains and carbs, eating burgers without the bun, and pasta without the pasta.  I can deal with it.  Sure you might catch me cheating here or there but no biggie.  However, when it comes to dessert?  Real honest-to-goodness dessert?  As in homemade frosting and cake, fresh baked pie with apples from the orchard, or Duncan Hines Funfetti?  Well, the truth is I don't care as long as it's fresh and made with love.  Did someone say Ho-Ho's?  Alright I have a problem.

For 5 years I have struggled and it always came down to me choosing the lesser evils, such as those sweets processed with cane sugar or molasses, but never did I meet complete success.  You have no idea how hard it is to find a dessert that contains no sugar (including splenda, xylitol, etc), is minimally processed (can you say all the words?), holds no hidden wheat, and doesn't look and taste like cat vomit.  Seriously.  Go out there and look, I dare ya.

(maybe I should have eaten before this post)

Well today marks the day when I can proudly say... we have dessert!  That's right, not one but TWO delicious delicacies that make me (and therefore you and Eric) happy.  Not only that but they are easy to make.  Okay, one is technically a shake, but I count it as a dessert because 1) I am excited to share it and 2) it tastes like one.  Don't judge, just read.

I stumbled upon both of these in a rebellious effort to use up leftovers.  As a general rule of thumb I try to make sure nothing goes to waste.  This can result in some epic moments of failure, but also brings out some of my greater culinary discoveries.  So, since I had ricotta cheese left from a recent attempt at gnocchi (so not ready to share yet), butternut squash from pancakes (ditto), and enough laziness to not cook or open anything new I decided to make two things... a shake and "ice cream."

Here they are...

Chocolate CocoButter Shake

• 1/2 cup coconut milk (from can)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 1/4 cup pre-cooked/mashed butternut squash (trust me on this)
• 1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• if you are a wimp add agave or honey to taste

It's pretty straightforward; put all ingredients in a blender, hit blend, stop, blend, stop (or pulse if you have that fancy technology) and once shake-like, pour it in a glass, and enjoy!

(Sorry there's no picture it was just too delicious.)

Chocolate Cannoli Ice Cream

• 1 lb Ricotta cheese (don't panic it's small)
• 8 Trader Joe's freeze dried mango slices (soaked in water)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• again, if you are a wimp...

Put the mangoes minus the water in the food processor and puree.  This means it should be smooth with no chunks.  Once smooth, add rest of ingredients and blend blend blend! It's done when it is creamy and delicious (see below).

You can eat it straight up or put it in the freezer for a few hours for a more ice cream like state.  It will lose some of it's sweetness and all of it's mousse-ness in the freezer, but Eric and I still liked it just fine.  If you are feeling really ambitious, add some fruit or whipped cream, or both to the top!

I plan to go eat mine now...

* These have both been R&E original creations*

"No Grapefruit for Me?" - a (gulp) Valentine's post

Eric is not really a fruit guy, so of course I am always trying to force them on him.  That's why I was surprised this morning as I was putting the final touches on our "Valentine's" meal when he turned to me and asked, "Is there no grapefruit for me?"  I had to laugh, because in fact there was only grapefruit for him.  I had eaten mine earlier in a different fashion to ward off a cold (to be shared at a later time).  The laugh was not because he had asked a silly question, but because that's how our relationship works... daily little surprises that are always pleasant and heart-warming.  The fact that I had turned him around in the fruit department (at least partially) and that he was eying the meal enviously was my daily reminder of why we work so well together.

Now that you have rolled your eyes or gotten slightly sick to your stomach, let me assure you that I have never been a fan of Valentine's Day.  In my opinion it is Hallmark's way of discrediting President's Day (who gets cards for that?) and making anyone without a "significant other" want to vomit every time they see a post about how AMAZINGLY romantic their boyfriend/girlfriend is.  Call me what you will, but chances are I am not alone on this one.  I honestly believe that you should be sharing your love and devotion for your spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, family, co-workers, and friends every.single.day.  Why do we need one day in the midst of a cold, snowy winter as an excuse to celebrate our love for each other?

That being said, I will get to the point.  I could go on for hours about this "holiday" and how much it irks me.  But for the sake of my followers (heh, all two of you) I can put my differences with Valentine's Day aside and use it as an excuse to give you one heck of a breakfast.  In this post you will find the recipe for CocoBan Muffins (aka coconut and banana).  I couldn't bring myself to add pineapple to them and call them pina colada muffins, it just seemed wrong.  These are the first primal muffins I have created that really made Eric and myself happy enough where I felt that I could share them with you.  They were fluffy, tasty, and sooooo easy to make.

For those of you who are about to call me out on my whole primal lifestyle beliefs and say, "Hey you can't make muffins, they have flour in them!"... you would be correct except for one small thing.  Coconut flour.  For as long as I could go on about my hatred for Valentine's Day, I could go on even longer about my new-found love for coconuts.  The primal lifestyle has given me many things, but everything coconut would definitely be at the top of my list.  Oil, milk, flour... the list is long and all very delicious, but for the sake of time I will spare you the details (for now).  Let's just leave it at coconut = amazing.

The recipe for these muffins really can be found below (I am getting there, I promise).  But I wanted to point out that the rest of our suggested "Valentine's Meal" which is pictured at the end of this post can be found in a different recipe titled Feta and Avocado Scramble.  As you can see from the picture at the end of this post, the combination of these two treats makes for a visually pleasing, delicious, and very healthy meal (as long as you only eat one muffin!)  Whether you are cooking for family, friends, or the infamous significant other, we hope you enjoy!

CocoBan Muffins

(makes 6 muffins)

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 can  full fat coconut milk (7 fl. oz)
• 2 tbsp butter or coconut oil (measure then melt)
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• one ripe banana (mashed)
• coconut flakes for tops of muffins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease your favorite muffin tin.  In small bowl mash banana with a fork and set aside.  In large bowl, melt butter or oil and using a whisk beat in one egg at a time.  When well mixed, add the rest of the liquid ingredients (coco milk, honey, lemon juice) one at a time, whisking in between.  Slowly add coconut flour to liquid, beating frequently. 

Coconut flour is very absorptive so don't panic like I did the first time I baked with it and it suddenly changes consistency.  If it still looks watery, add a bit more flour but not too much!  When it looks like the picture to the left, fold in the mashed banana (few quick stirs) and you are ready to muffinize them!

For most tins, you want to fill a little more than halfway.  If you have a snazzy one like mine, fill almost to the top.  Sprinkle coconut flakes on top (the more the better) and put in oven for 20-25 minutes.  The tops will be a medium brown, not burned but not golden.  Let cool for about 5 minutes, then remove and enjoy with butter, cream cheese, or the rest of your meal!

I am not going to lie, Eric and I both had two muffins and enjoyed every bite.  It is our hope that you enjoy them just as much as us, even if they aren't heart-shaped.

CocoBan recipe was modified from Reader-Created Coconut Recipe eBook provided by http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Feta and Avocado Scramble

A good breakfast is what gets me through the day.  Or the morning.  Or both.  I never tire of coming up with new spins on traditional breakfast, mostly because it is my favorite meal.  It's something about that combination of eggs, spices, veggies, and more often than not cheese that I find satisfying enough to start my day on the right foot.

I am going to get right to the point on this post.  There's no story behind this one, it's just quick, easy, and very, very good (not to toot my own horn).  It's one of our favorites, we have it at least once a week, and as usual, this recipe calls for cheese.  Are you beginning to see a pattern yet?  I want to remind you that if you are strict primal, the cheese can easily be cut out with the same satisfying results.

Feta and Avocado Scramble

(for 2 hungry adults)

• 5 eggs
• 1/4 cup feta
• 1 avocado (sliced in half, then diced)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tbsp bacon grease or olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Crack all 5 eggs into a bowl and add the dry spices (paprika, powders, salt and pepper).  Mix well.  Slice the avocado in half the "hot dog" way and remove the pit.  I then use a knife to add horizontal and vertical slices so I can easily scoop the flesh out later with a spoon.

Heat the pan on medium and add the grease/oil of your choice.  Saute the garlic for 1-2 minutes, then add the egg mixture.  If you like the feta melted throughout, add it now too.  If not, then wait.

When you can scrape the cooking eggs into a "pile" but while they are still quite moist, add the feta and avocado.  Continue to scramble the eggs by mixing and breaking apart with a wooden spoon.

We like our eggs not runny at all, so stop cooking when the eggs are finished to the consistency of your liking.  Sometimes I add a grapefruit and bacon to fill out the meal, or maybe a muffin!  Eric recommends putting hot sauce on top for an extra kick.  Any way you eat this meal, it is sure to become one of your favorites!

  

This is an R&E original... copyright is proudly all ours!

Vegetarian Hash and Eggs

Yes, I went there.  Vegetarian.  I don't do it often, but when I do, you can be sure it will be delicious.  Okay, maybe a bit dramatic, but honestly, this dish is fantastic.  Not only is this dish vegetarian AND primal-friendly, but it is made with healthy roots as well.

Some of you may have just stuck up your nose at that last statement, who eats roots for breakfast you say?  Or who eats roots at all?  Well, I guess we do!  It was a long, hard struggle but we are finally coming around to the idea of roots in our meals.  It's not something we added to our repertoire by choice, in fact they were kind of forced on us by chance.

This past summer Eric joined a food share through his company.  We split with a co-worker, and joyously spent the summer consuming fresh, organic greens and veggies each week.  But as the days became shorter the dreaded roots began to appear.  Parsnips, rutabaga, unidentified turnips, even the alien kohlrabi.  At least the beets were nice to look at. Let's just say my first attempts at cooking these tough and often mysterious dirt-dwelling friends resulted in many frustrating nights.  It got to the point where we started to avoid the roots in our fridge in the hopes that a month or two alone would turn them into something gross enough to warrant throwing out.

Turns out roots are hardier than even I imagined, so this past weekend I finally rolled up my sleeves and gave those tubers one last try, only this time they weren't for dinner.  I reasoned if there was one way to do them right it would be smothered in delicious egg yolk.  Long had my eggs over easy been wasted, never to see buttered bread again.  Finally (I reasoned with myself) I would have something to soak up my favorite part of the meal... it couldn't be that bad, right?

And alas!  From much turmoil and suffering a savior was born;

Vegetarian Hash and Eggs

• 1 medium beet (3/4 cup)
• 1 or 2 small turnips (3/4 cup)
• 1 small sweet yellow onion (1/2 cup)
• 2 tsp rosemary, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (we like a lot)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup feta
• 4 eggs (or 5 if you have a hungry Eric)

Preheat oven to 400.  Remove skin from beets and turnips, peel carefully!  Chop beets, turnips, and onion into smaller than bite-sized pieces and place in mixing bowl.  Add olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper to bowl and mix all ingredients by hand (or with a spoon).  Spread out on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes mix with a spoon and evenly spread the garlic on top.  Roast for another 10-15 minutes depending on how crispy you like the roots.  At this point you should turn your skillet on medium heat, spray with some olive oil, and add the eggs.  Cook to your liking, flipping them halfway through.

When the roots are done (about the same time as the eggs), portion out finished hash onto plates, sprinkle feta on top, and carefully top with your eggs.   If you want to be true primal just don't add the feta. Remember to break the yolk and eat everything together!

Okay, getting hungry just looking at it...

modified from http://www.primal-palate.com

Shrimp "Scampi" with Primal Spaghetti

I have never bothered to look up the meaning of "scampi"... but I can safely say that I love it.  With a few exceptions, every year my mother has made me her version of shrimp scampi for my birthday, and I have never tired of it.  That being said, my largest issue with this meal was always the pasta.  Don't get me wrong, I love pasta, especially if it happens to be filled with cheese or pesto.  However, when you have a triple layer carrot cake with cream cheese frosting waiting for you, chances are you want to skip the pasta and head right for the dessert.  Enter the perfect solution, spaghetti squash (aka primal spaghetti).

The first time I tried to feed Eric spaghetti squash he was not impressed.  The yellow, skinny threads of flesh that have to be scraped from the rind and fluffed into a spaghetti-like state are admittedly none too attractive.  However, when pasta is not an option, either because you plan on consuming large volumes of cake or because you are living the primal lifestyle, this rotund squash fills out a dish quite nicely.

Now for the recipe... this one is quite simple.  With a base of spaghetti squash you combine shrimp, parsley, garlic, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and white wine for a simple yet delicious meal.  For those of you who are straight up primal, you can easily cut out the wine and cheese for the same scrumptious result.  If you are a more confident chef you might consider adding artichokes and scallops.  Additionally, if you choose to make this in the summer I recommend serving the shrimp over a bed of arugula tossed with plum tomatoes and a little balsamic (an idea stolen from a friend) for a fresh salad twist on this meal.  Not matter how many time you make this, or how many variations, it never gets old, I promise.

Shrimp "Scampi" with Primal Spaghetti
(These measurements serve two hungry adults.)

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 bunch of flat parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1 lb wild, uncooked jumbo shrimp
• 4 cloves of garlic (or more), finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/8 cup parmesan cheese
• anything else you might want to add

Prep the shrimp by running cold water over them until no longer frozen.  Combine shrimp, parsley, garlic, olive oil, and white wine (everything except the cheese and squash) in a large ziploc bag or tupperware container and let marinate in the fridge for between 20 minutes to 3 hours.

While this is marinating carefully cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Place the halves open side down in a glass dish and fill with an inch of water.  Put in microwave for 20 - 30 minutes.  You know it is done when you squeeze the rind and it is soft to the touch.  Using a potholder, remove from the water and let them sit until you can touch them without burning yourself.

As soon as you take out the squash you should fire up your skillet.  Empty contents of bag into the pan and cook until shrimp are pink (about 5 minutes).  Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon when they look like the below picture.

Add parmesan cheese to the leftover liquid, turn heat to low and simmer for 3-5 minutes.

As the sauce is simmering and when you can safely touch the rind, scrape the inside of each squash with a fork.  The flesh should "peel" out in long strands.  Scrape each side into a large bowl and put aside.

Portion out spaghetti squash into bowls (Eric and I split this meal) and spoon the finished shrimp and sauce over the top.  Pour a nice glass of wine (or not) and enjoy!

(A special thank you to my friend Lindsay and my mother for inspiring this meal.)