Recipes
Recipes
Orange and Sweet Cream Gelatin Dessert
by Alex Wittenberg
on Jul 05 2014
*Paleo & Primal Approved
Prep time: 20 min • Cook time: 6 min • Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
For the orange gelatin layer
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons pasture-raised beef gelatin, i.e. Great Lakes Gelatin
½ cup cold water or cold orange juice, unsweetened (to soften the gelatin)
3 cups orange juice, unsweetened
1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 to 4 tablespoons honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar (Note: coconut sugar will significantly darken the orange juice)
½ teaspoon pure orange extract (optional; will enhance the orange flavor)
For the cream gelatin layer
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pasture-raised beef gelatin, i.e. Great Lakes Gelatin
½ cup cold water or cold full-fat coconut milk (to soften the gelatin)
1 ½ cups full-fat coconut milk
2 to 4 tablespoons maple syrup
Directions For the orange gelatin layer
Add the gelatin to the ½ cup cold water or orange juice to soften.
Bring 3 cups orange juice and lemon juice to a boil and pour over the gelatin. Optionally add orange extract.
Stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved.
Add honey/maple syrup/coconut sugar to taste.
Divide gelatin mixture into 6 to 8 dessert cups. Refrigerate until partially set.
For the cream gelatin layer
Add the gelatin to the ½ cup cold water or coconut milk to soften. Bring 1 ½ cups coconut milk to a boil and pour over the gelatin. Add vanilla extract.
Stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Add maple syrup to taste. Refrigerate for about 30 – 45 minutes until chilled but not fully set.
Remove orange cups from refrigerator and top with coconut cream mixture. Refrigerate until coconut mixture has fully gelled, 2 to 3 hours. Serve cold. You can also make this in a one-quart mold or in a serving bowl if you prefer.
If you want a pretty parfait, layer the orange and coconut cream when cooled but not fully set into parfait glasses, and refrigerate until fully chilled.
Recipes
Sweet Black Cherry Gelatin Dessert
by Alex Wittenberg
on Jun 27 2014
*Paleo & Primal Approved
Prep time: 10 min • Cook time: 3 min • Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons pasture-raised beef gelatin, i.e. Great Lakes Gelatin
½ cup cold water
3 cups black cherry juice, unsweetened
1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3 to 4 tablespoons honey
1 cup sweet black cherries, pitted
Directions
Add the gelatin to the cold water to soften. Bring juices to a boil and pour over the gelatin. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Add honey to taste.
Divide cherries among six dessert cups and pour gelatin mixture in the cups.
Refrigerate until gelled and serve cold. You can also make this in a one-quart mold or in a serving bowl if you prefer.
*Optionally top with whipped coconut cream.
Recipes
by Alex Wittenberg
on Jun 07 2014
* Paleo & Primal Approved
If you haven’t tried the two together you’re up for a wonderful surprise. The richness of dark chocolate coupled with the salty, smokiness of bacon creates a tantalizing combination. I adapted this torte recipe from a friend whose aunt taught her how to make a traditional torte caprese as a young girl. I exchanged a few items to keep it Paleolithic and added the chocolate-dipped bacon. It screams to be served on any special occasion, so Happy Father’s Day, Dad!
Prep time: 60 min • Cook time: 60 min • Yield: 9-inch cake (about 16 or more servings)
Equipment
9-inch cake pan or spring form pan
Ingredients
Cake
2 cups whole raw organic almonds
1 ¼ cups coconut sugar, divided and optionally sifted through a fine mesh sieve
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (about ¾ cup) 70% cacoa or darker
1 cup unsalted pasture-raised butter (2 sticks)
6 large eggs, at room temperature and separated
2 tablespoons espresso or very strong coffee
Coconut oil spray or butter for the pan
Bacon
8 – 16 slices depending on how many you are serving
Chocolate Glaze for cake and bacon: (enough to glaze cake and coat 8 – 10 strips of bacon)
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (about ¾ cup)
3 tablespoons unsalted pasture-raised butter
Directions
For the Cake
Preheat oven to 325ºF and place rack in center or oven. Butter pan or spray with coconut oil and line the bottom with parchment.
Grind almonds in food processor in two or three batches and add 1/3 cup coconut sugar in one of the batches. Combine all ground nuts in a large bowl.
Using a microwave-safe bowl (or a double boiler with simmering water) melt butter. When butter is melted, remove from microwave and stir in chocolate until it melts. If you need to put it back in the microwave, do so in 20 to 30 second intervals until all chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool.
In a stand mixer beat the egg yolks for about 5 minutes gradually adding 2/3 cups sugar. Beat until mixture is lemon colored and looks like creamy lemon pudding. Stir egg yolk mixture into chocolate in several batches. Add espresso and mix until fully combined. (I stirred the eggs yolks and chocolate mixture by hand. It is extremely dense.)
In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites with remaining ¼ sugar to firm peaks. Gently fold egg whites into the chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and level the top. Place cake pan on a sheet pan and bake for 55 minutes. Check by inserting a toothpick. When it comes out clean, the cake is ready. You may need to bake it for a few minutes more.
Let cake cool for 20 minutes before removing from pan. Allow to completely cool before glazing.
For the Bacon
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cook bacon for 15 – 20 minutes until crispy. Although optional, you can make bacon ribbons by placing raw bacon on a cooking rack and pushing it down between the metal strips of the rack (see photo). Let drain on paper towels and cool before dipping in chocolate.
For the Glaze
Using a microwave-safe bowl (or a double boiler with simmering water) melt butter. When butter is melted remove from microwave and stir in chocolate until melted. If you need to put it back in the microwave, do so in 20 second intervals until all chocolate is melted. Set aside to slightly cool before glazing cake and dipping bacon.
To glaze cake, spoon chocolate onto top of cake and use an offset spatula to smooth to about ¼ -inch from the edge of the cake. Let it drip down the sides.
To coat bacon, dip in bowl of chocolate and place on a wire rack over a piece of parchment to catch the drips. Let cool before decorating cake or serving.
Optionally, place bacon ribbons on top of cake just as you would if you were decorating with chocolate curls. Refrigerate finished cake until 30 minutes before serving. Best served at room temperature.
Notes
I suspect my friend’s aunt would roll over in her grave if she knew what I did to her recipe. Bacon! Really?
But it certainly makes for a fun Father’s Day cake. Traditionally the cake is dusted with powdered sugar, not glazed with chocolate. An Italian liqueur called Strega is used instead of espresso. Over 70 herbs and spices go into the making of Strega, including mint, cinnamon, Florentine iris, juniper, fennel, and saffron. The saffron gives Strega its signature yellow color and mint and juniper are the most prevalent flavors. I suspect you could substitute any liqueur for the espresso/Strega. Gran Mariner might be good.
The cake is very dense and rich and should be served in thin slices. To easily slice, wet knife under hot water, dry, and slice. I don’t have an espresso machine so I made mine with 2 tablespoons of water and a heaping tablespoon of Medaglia D’oro brand instant espresso. Dark coffee or your favorite liqueur is also fine.
I did not test the recipe with a “Paleo” chocolate such as Enjoy Life, but the results should be the same.
My instruction about sifting the coconut sugar through a fine mesh sieve, is optional. Because coconut sugar is grainier than white sugar, I usually sift it.
Recipes
Primal Sweet Potato Salad with Aromatic Spices
by Alex Wittenberg
on May 31 2014
*Paleo & Primal Approved Roasting spices enhances their flavor by releasing the oils in the spices. The sweet and savory spices in this recipe are one of my favorite spice blends because they produce a deep, complex flavor profile, an aromatic lift, a nice hit of heat, and a gentle sweetness.
It’s good on so many things i.e. sweet potatoes, winter squash, soups, chili, root veggies, and roasted nuts. This salad is a great accompaniment to pork and chicken, and best served at room temperature.
Prep time: 20 min • Cook time: 30 min • Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
4 large yams, peeled and cut into a 1-inch cubes (about 9 cups)
3 colored bell peppers, red, orange, yellow or any combination, cut into a 1 ½-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
2 small purple onions, cut into wedges (about 2 cups)
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and divided
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, whole or coarsely chopped
Salt to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 ºF.
Place sweet potatoes in a large bowl and pour in 2 tablespoons coconut oil and about ½ teaspoon salt. Toss to coat and place in one layer on a sheet pan. Place onions and peppers in a large bowl, add 1 tablespoon coconut oil, toss to coat, and place in one layer on a second sheet pan.
Put both pans in the hot oven. Check at 20 minutes. Check again at 25 minutes.
Remove from oven if done. If not, let roast for 3 to 5 more minutes. The sweet potatoes should be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the vegetables lightly charred. Let cool to room temperature. Place all vegetables in a large bowl.
While the vegetables are roasting make the spice blend by mixing ginger, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, sweet paprika, cinnamon, cayenne, and black pepper in a small sauté pan and heat over medium heat until the spices become fragrant and a fine wisp of smoke lifts from the pan. Let cool. Add maple syrup and olive oil to the spices and mix well.
Pour mixture over the vegetables and gently toss to coat. Adjust salt if necessary. Best served at room temperature.
Notes The sweet potatoes and vegetables shrink significantly when roasted. If you want to keep this spice blend on hand, mix all spices, up to and including black pepper, and store in a sealed container in a dark cool place. You can make this spice blend in any quantity; I usually double or triple it. Do not roast the spices until just before use.
Recipes
by Alex Wittenberg
on May 18 2014
I usually keep an easy-to-eat snack in my purse if I want something when I’m on the run or if I’m out with the kids and they get hungry. I’ve combined three of my tropical favorites: coconut, pineapple, and macadamia nuts, along with some dark chocolate and almonds for a sweet and salty treat full of the healthy benefits in coconut, dark chocolate, nuts, and fruit.
Prep time: 10 min • Cook time: 10 min • Yield: about 4 ½ cups
Ingredients
2 ½ cups coconut chips
1 cup dark chocolate chunks or chips
1 cup dried pineapple chunks
1 cup macadamia nuts
1 cup almonds
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º F. Spread coconut out evenly on a sheet pan and bake for 8 – 10 minutes until it begins to brown. Remove and let cool.
Mix together all ingredients except coconut. When coconut is cool, toss into the mix. Store in a sealed container.
Recipes
by Alex Wittenberg
on May 07 2014
Who would have guessed just non-processed full-fat cheese could make a crunchy good treat? These Parmesan crisps are the perfect primal substitute for crackers or even tortilla chips and perfect with dips, guacamole, and chicken salad.
PRIMAL PARMESAN CRISPS
Prep time: 10 min • Cook time: 5 - 7 min • Yield: 1 dozen PARMESAN CRISPS
Ingredients
1 cup unprocessed full fat parmesan cheese, shredded
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º F. Line a sheet pan with parchment.
Make twelve 3-inch circles of cheese (about 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon each) spaced evenly on parchment.
Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the edges are starting to turn golden.
Remove from oven and let cool.
Recipes
Julian Bakery's French Toast with Raspberries
by Alex Wittenberg
on May 07 2014
Today, we're excited to present our scrumptious Paleo, Primal, and low-carb approved French Toast recipe, perfect for those on the 80/20 plan. This delightful dish features Julian Bakery Paleo Coconut Bread, your choice of coconut milk, almond milk, or flax milk, and is beautifully complemented by the rich flavors of raspberries and cocoa powder. Indulge in this delectable breakfast treat without sacrificing your wellness goals, and enjoy a satisfying start to your day.
Prep time: 10 min • Cook time: 8 to 10 min • Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
4 slices Julian Bakery Paleo Coconut Bread
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons coconut milk, almond milk or flax milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Coconut oil spray
1 cup fresh raspberries
4 teaspoons cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
Directions
In a shallow dish with a flat bottom, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt.
Place bread, one slice at a time, into the egg mixture and fully saturate each side.
Spray bottom of medium skillet with coconut spray and place over medium high heat. When pan is hot, place egg-soaked bread in pan and reduce heat to medium. Let cook until the egg mixture is fully set and the toast begins to turn golden.
Flip and repeat on the other side.
Plate toast and top with raspberries. Put cocoa in a fine mesh sieve and lightly dust French toast. Serve immediately.
Recipes
Orange, Cranberry & Pecan Coffee Cake
by Alex Wittenberg
on May 03 2014
Prep time: 15 min • Cook time: 12 to 15 min • Yield: 8 servings Equipment
8- or 9-inch round cake pan
Ingredients
2 cups blanched almond flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
¼ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
1 tablespoon orange zest (do not use white pith)
1 egg
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon pure orange extract or ½ teaspoon orange oil (you can use vanilla if you don’t have the orange extract/oil)
Coconut oil pan spray or 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º F. Spray pan with coconut oil or brush with melted coconut oil.
In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, pecans, and cranberries. In a smaller bowl combine remaining wet ingredients: orange zest, egg, honey, and orange extract and mix well.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well. You may need to knead dough in the bowl a few times to insure all ingredients are thoroughly blended.
Turn dough out into prepared pan and spread evenly. Dough will be thick and sticky. Cut dough as you would a pie into 8 evenly-sized slices. This will make it easier to remove from pan when cool.
Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes. When edges and top are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out dry, it is done.
Let cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before removing from pan. Rescore the slices with a sharp knife, remove slices with a metal spatula, and serve.
Notes: If you choose, you can glaze the coffee cake. Mix 2 tablespoons powdered coconut sugar with 1 tablespoon orange juice and stir vigorously until smooth. When cool, drizzle over coffee cake in a zigzag pattern.
Recipes
by Alex Wittenberg
on Apr 12 2014
An egg-cellent Easter treat! Everyone’s favorite sugary, fluffy Easter treat can be made just as delicious with healthy ingredients. We skip the artificial chemical-drenched marshmallows of our youth and use gelatin. And since these are homemade, you can use real vanilla, not some imitation flavor. Adding toasted coconut makes it even tastier and cuts out the harmful trans fats in the marshmallows' hydrogenation process.
Prep time: 20 min active; 6 hours inactive • Cook time: 30 mins • Yield: One 9- x 13-inch pan or 10 large cutouts using 4-inch cookie cutters
Ingredients
1 cup water, divided into two ½ cups (use a liquid measuring cup)
2 ½ tablespoons grass fed beef powdered gelatin (you can use Knox brand gelatin if you can’t find the grass fed)
1 cup honey or maple syrup (use a liquid measuring cup)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or flavor of your choice, i.e. mint, lemon, orange, etc.
2 cups shredded coconut, toasted and sugar-free, divided
Directions
Line a 9- x 13-inch pan with parchment paper in both directions, leaving extra paper over the edges to use as handles. Evenly cover the bottom of the prepared pan with ¾ cup toasted coconut.
Pour ½ cup water into the bowl of your stand mixer, and add gelatin powder. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes to soften.
Pour the other ½ cup water into a medium saucepan, add honey/maple syrup, and salt. Insert candy thermometer into saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, and don’t move away from the stove. The mixture can quickly bubble up and foam, and you don’t want it to boil over.
Boil the mixture until it comes to 240º to 242º F. Be precise. This is the soft ball stage, when a drop of syrup dropped into ice water forms a pliable ball. (Unless you’re a seasoned candy maker, I wouldn’t make these without a candy thermometer.) Timing to reach 240º to 242º F can greatly vary based on the size of the pan and the burner. It will mostly likely be between 15 – 25 minutes, but it could take longer.
Using the whip attachment, set mixer to medium speed and slowly pour the syrup into the mixing bowl in a steady stream. When mixed thoroughly with the gelatin mixture, add vanilla or flavoring, and turn mixer to high. Continue to whip until the volume has tripled and you have a fluffy bowl of marshmallow cream. It’s ready when you lift the whip from the mixture and the marshmallow cream holds it shape.
Working quickly before the gelation sets, pour marshmallow cream into the prepared pan. Spread evenly with a rubber spatula or an offset spatula and top with ¾ cup toasted coconut.
Wait 4 to 6 hours until firmly set. Don’t try to rush the process; the marshmallows could turn out soggy or too wet on the inside.
Lift marshmallows out of pan using parchment paper, loosening the parchment from around edges with a sharp knife or scissors. Grease the sharp edge of the cookie cutter and press into the marshmallow through to the bottom. Lift out and place on a parchment lined surface. Continue cutting until you have used up the marshmallows. You will have all the edges left.
Lightly oil your hands, put a 1-to 2-teaspoon-size portion between your palms, and roll into little marshmallow eggs. Roll in toasted coconut to cover.
To cover the cut edges of the cutouts, lightly spray with a fine mist of coconut oil and pat on toasted coconut. Store for 3 to 5 days in a sealed plastic bag or container.
Notes:
Candy making is a practiced art (and never foolproof). If you are precise in the temperature and add the syrup slowly and evenly to the gelatin, you should have success. However, don’t make these on a humid day; they won’t set up properly and they’ll turn out soft and soggy.
The peeps can be made using a piping bag, but unless you have the steady hand and piping skills of a professional baker your peeps may look more like little marshmallow blobs.
Thanks to Jenni Hulet, author of the Urban Poser, for the original marshmallow recipe.
Recipes
All Natural Sports Drinks (I Call RocketFuel)
by Alex Wittenberg
on Apr 10 2014
Nothing could be easier than making your own sports drinks. Whether they are for you or your kids there is a simple basic recipe. From there, you can play with the amount of natural sweeteners and fruit juice(s) to develop the flavors you like. You can mix up the juices any way you choose and use honey or maple syrup. We prefer the maple syrup because its flavor is more subtle than honey. Here is a basic recipe, along with several of my favorites.
Basic Sports Drink Prep time: 10 min • Yield: a little over 4 cups (1 quart)
½ cup pure filtered water (to make a simple syrup)
¼ cup raw organic honey or organic Grade B maple syrup (you can use a little more if you want it sweeter, but ¼ cup seems to sweeten it perfectly to my liking)
¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
3 ½ cups pure filtered water or coconut water
¼ to ½ cup freshly squeezed juice or organic juice (You might want to add more juice for your kids. There are no rules. Just be sure to use an unsweetened juice.)
Instructions
Bring ½ cup water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in sweetener and salt. Let cool. Pour remaining ingredients into a pitcher or jar. When honey/syrup mixture is cool, add to pitcher, stir, and refrigerate.
My Three Favorites
Lemon Mint Sports Drink
Prep time: 10 min • Yield: a little over 4 cups (1 quart)
½ cup pure filtered water (to make a simple syrup)
¼ cup organic Grade B maple syrup
¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
3 ½ cups pure filtered water
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 2 lemons (I love Meyer’s lemons when I can get them)
2 or 3 sprigs fresh mint
Directions
Bring ½ cup water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup and salt. Let cool. Pour remaining ingredients into a pitcher or jar. When syrup mixture is cool, add to pitcher, stir, and refrigerate.
Dark Cherry Sports Drink
Prep time: 10 min • Yield: a little over 4 cups (1 quart)
½ cup pure filtered water (to make a simple syrup)
¼ cup organic Grade B maple syrup
¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
3 ½ cups pure filtered water
1/3 cup dark cherry juice (unsweetened)
Directions
Bring ½ cup water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup and salt. Let cool. Pour remaining ingredients into a pitcher or jar. When syrup mixture is cool, add to pitcher, stir, and refrigerate.
Cranberry Orange Sports Drink
Prep time: 10 min • Yield: a little over 4 cups (1 quart)
½ cup pure filtered water (to make a simple syrup)
¼ cup organic Grade B maple syrup
½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
3 ½ cups organic coconut water
¼ cup cranberry juice (unsweetened)
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 large orange)
Directions
Bring ½ cup water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup and salt. Let cool. Pour remaining ingredients into a pitcher or jar. When syrup mixture is cool, add to pitcher, stir, and refrigerate.
Recipes
by Alex Wittenberg
on Apr 05 2014
Never use any of those toxic food dyes in your baking again. You can use these natural dyes to add color to your frostings. Don’t worry about the spinach or cabbage adding flavor to your frosting. The berries and mango will add a bit of fruity sweetness depending on how much you use.
Ingredients:
To make red: ½ pint raspberries
To make purple: ½ pint blackberries
To make green: 1 cup spinach, tightly packed
To make blue: 1 small- medium head purple cabbage and ¼ - ½ teaspoon baking soda
To make yellow: ½ large mango
Directions Raspberries (red) and Blackberries (purple) The process for making food dye from raspberries and blackberries is the same. A half pint of berries will yield about 1 – 2 tablespoons colored concentrated paste.
Put berries in blender and blend on high until liquefied.
Press through a fine mesh sieve to remove all seeds.
Put in a small saucepan over medium heat and reduce until you have a thick paste.
Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.
Directions for Spinach (green)
Put spinach in blender and gradually add enough water, 1/3 to ½ cup, so leaves fully liquefy. (Use as little water as possible.) You can also use a juicer, and you will get a more concentrated color.
Press through a fine mesh sieve to remove any solids.
Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.
Directions for Cabbage (blue)
Cut cabbage into 1- to 2-inch pieces.
Place in a large pot and fill with water so all cabbage is submerged.
Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 20 to 30 minutes until water turns dark purple.
Remove cabbage from pot and retain all liquid in the pot.
Simmer liquid until reduced to ½ to ¾ cup.
Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon baking soda to achieve the blue color you like.
Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.
Directions for Mango (yellow)
Place ½ large mango in blender or food processor and blend/pulse until very smooth.
Because mangos have such stringy fibers process/blend for several minutes.
Press through a fine mesh sieve to remove as much fiber as possible.
Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.
Directions for Orange
Combine red and yellow.
You can also follow the instructions for spinach but use carrots in a juicer, but it’s more work.
Notes: Because you are working with fresh fruits and vegetables, these natural dyes will only stay fresh in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. You can freeze the dyes in individual cups of ice cube tray to use as needed. If frozen, they will last for up to 6 months.
When using these natural dyes to color Creamy Vanilla Frosting, place desired amount of frosting in a small bowl, add dye little by little, stirring with a fork, until desired color is reached. If you will be using for piping, refrigerate until ready for use. It’s much easier to pipe when cold.
To decorate, put frosting into a piping bag with desired tip, or use a plastic sandwich- or quart-size food storage bag and cut the tip of one of the corners. Start with a very small cut; you can always cut more. As you are decorating cookies, the warmth of your hands on the bag will warm the frosting. If you are doing a lot of decorating, you may need to refrigerate bags intermittently.
Recipes
by Alex Wittenberg
on Apr 05 2014
Prep Time: 10 min • Yield: about 1 ½ cups
Ingredients
One 13½ ounce can coconut cream
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 teaspoon arrowroot
Natural food dyes for coloring (optional)
Directions
Refrigerate coconut cream overnight, or open can and place in freezer until very firm but not frozen.
Scoop out coconut cream that has solidified at the top of the can and reserve coconut water for another use.
Place coconut cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, add honey and whip until smooth and creamy.
Refrigerate until ready to use. Frosting is easier to work with when cold or slightly cooled.
Notes: To frost cookies or cakes, use an offset spatula. To use frosting to decorate, put frosting into a piping bag with desired tip, or use a plastic sandwich- or quart-size food storage bag and cut the tip of one of the corners. Start with a very small cut; you can always cut more. As you are decorating, the warmth of your hands on the bag will warm the frosting. If you are doing a lot of decorating, you may need to refrigerate bags intermittently. Optionally, you can use natural food dyes to color your frosting.
Recipes
by Alex Wittenberg
on Apr 05 2014
This recipe is very versatile and can also be used for thumb print cookies or coconut covered gems. See notes for how to’s.
Prep time: 45 min • Cook time: 10 – 12 min • Yield: About 16 - 18 cookies, will vary based on the size of cookie cutter(s) Equipment
Stand mixer
Sheet pan(s)
Parchment paper or silicone baking mat(s)
Ingredients Cookies
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup coconut butter
½ cup raw honey
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut flour
Decorating Options
Natural food dyes (optional)
Creamy Vanilla Frosting (optional)
Unsweetened shredded coconut for decorating (optional)
Miniature Paleo chocolate chips i.e. Enjoy Life brand (optional)
Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer put melted coconut oil, coconut butter, and honey. Mix for about 2 to 3 minutes until well blended and coconut butter has fully blended into the liquid ingredients.
Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix well.
Add coconut flour and mix, stopping to scrape down bowl, until the flour is completely blended into liquid ingredients. Blend until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Gather dough into a ball and put in a covered container. Refrigerate for at least one hour or put in the freezer for 25 minutes before rolling out.
Line baking sheet(s) with parchment or silicone mat(s).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place racks in top and bottom thirds of the oven.
Remove about ¼ of the dough, leaving the rest in the refrigerator, and roll between two sheets of parchment or waxed paper to about ¼-inch thick. Using a cookie cutter cut out cookies and place on baking sheet. Continue rolling out dough in batches, always keeping remaining dough refrigerated.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not remove cookies from cookie sheet until they are cool or they may break.
Notes and tips: Facts about coconut flour: I’ve offered this note in other recipes using coconut flour, but it never hurts to restate it, especially to those new to baking with coconut flour. Cookies made with coconut flour are soft, not crispy. They tend to have more of a cake-like texture. There are many factors that are different between baking with coconut flour than with grain flours.
Coconut flour is essentially the fiber from the coconut meat after almost all the oil has been extracted to make coconut oil; thus it is very dry and needs about twice the hydration of wheat flour. Baking with coconut flour also requires more eggs and sticky binders such as honey, maple syrup, coconut nectar, etc. Why room temperature eggs you ask? The whites and yolks of room temperature eggs will combine easier when whisking. This means the eggs will disperse more evenly into the batter.
Because eggs trap air the result will be a lighter texture. When baking with coconut flour, room temperature eggs will make a difference in the final texture. Since coconut flour baked goods can sometimes come out too dense, room temperature eggs will make them lighter and fluffier. To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, soak them in a bowl of warm water for 10 to 15 minutes.
In cutting out the cookies, they may remain in the cookie cutter. Gently place them on the baking sheet, by holding the cookie cutter just above the parchment and use your fingertips to release them from the cookie cutter. After every few cookies, wipe the cookie cutter edge to keep it clean and easier to use. Don’t remove from the cookie sheet until they are fully cooled; they are apt to break if moved while still warm.
These cookies deserve to be frosted with Creamy Vanilla Frosting. You can add natural food dyes and pipe fanciful decorations or frost the entire cookie and optionally top with shredded coconut. If you’re using animal cutouts, miniature chocolate chips make great “eyes”, and shredded coconut makes great “fur” and “feathers”.
You can optionally use this dough for thumb prints or coconut gems:
For thumb print cookies: Roll about 1 ½ tablespoons dough (a bit smaller than a golf ball) between your hands to form a ball. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet and, using your thumb, press an indentation into the center of the cookie. Fill thumb print with miniature chocolate chips and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
For coconut gems: Place a sheet of parchment paper on the counter and pour out about ½ cup shredded coconut onto parchment. Roll about 1 ½ tablespoons dough (a bit smaller than a golf ball) between your hands to form a ball. Place cookie in coconut and flatten into a round with the palm of your hand, to cover cookie with shredded coconut. Turn cookie pressing other side into coconut to cover. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes.
Recipes
by Alex Wittenberg
on Mar 29 2014
Happy Sunday! Here’s a slice of sunshine. Every once in a while, we all need a pick-me-up. Do I ever get that!
It’s been an ultra-busy week! My business has been exploding in many arenas. I am this second considering and fielding many offers that are beyond my wildest dreams, have booked 18 upcoming television appearances and I’m just about ready to launch a new product for doctors on April 15.
This project for doctors is the most exciting project I’ve ever done because not only do I get to help Docs discover primal eating, but their patients will also discover the joys of primal living, too. This is very impactful — I’m honored to help make a difference in health and wellness. These Docs are really important to me, and so are their patients. So I have been burning the midnight oil to launch this product with total excellence.
With all this work, I sure could use a little breather — a breath of fresh air and a ray of golden sunshine! My sons — whom I lovingly call Niles and Frasier due to their competitive spirit — are a great source of inspiration to me. Always curious about what I’m up to, they often chime in like this “Mom, are you sure you want to write THAT?” or “Mom, are you saying that to any KIDS because they won’t like that!” or “Mom, are you really wearing THAT on TV – that does not look like you one bit!” and “Mom, it’s called INSTAGRAM … really Mom???”
But it’s not always like that … every day they tell me they love me, without fail. Every day they circle around me at night wanting to tell me about their day. Every day they look at me with such proud eyes, and I do the same.
So, I decided to make them this cake, and can’t wait to hear: “Wow, Mom! This is REALLY good.” Then of course the inevitable … “You’re going to post this on Instagram, right?”
Sigh … Yes boys; I’ll post this to Instagram.
This cake is surprisingly moist and really tasty. So, if you want to spread a little sunshine, my Paleo Lemon Cake is your ace in the hole … and kids love it too. Just in time for spring!
Prep time: 15 min • Cook Time: 35-40 min • Yield: One 8- to 9-inch cake round/6 to 8 servings
Equipment
Electric mixer
One 8- or 9-inch cake pan
Parchment paper
Ingredients
¼ cup (for the cake) plus 1 tablespoon (to grease the pan) coconut oil, melted and divided
6 eggs, at room temperature *
¼ cup full fat coconut milk
6 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ cup coconut flour
½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and move rack to middle of oven. Grease an 8- or 9-inch cake pan with 1 tablespoon coconut oil.
Combine ¼ cup coconut oil, eggs, coconut milk, honey, vanilla, lemon extract, and zest in the bowl of stand mixer (or use an electric hand mixer), and mix well for 2 to 3 minutes.
In a separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into greased pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top has browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out dry. Place cake on wire rack to cool. Do not cut the cake until it is completely cool.
Serve with sliced strawberries if desired.
Notes: Why room temperature eggs you ask? The whites and yolks of room temperature eggs will combine easier when whisking. This means the eggs will disperse more evenly into the batter. Because eggs trap air the result will be a lighter texture. When baking with coconut flour, room temperature eggs will make a difference in the final texture.
Since coconut flour baked goods can sometimes come out too dense, room temperature eggs will make them lighter and fluffier. To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, soak them in a bowl of warm water for 10 to 15 minutes. If you are new to baking with coconut flour, it helps if you understand how it differs from grain flour.
Coconut flour is essentially the fiber from the coconut meat after almost all the oil has been extracted to make coconut oil; thus it is very dry and needs about twice the hydration of wheat flour. Baking with coconut flour also requires more eggs and sticky binders such as honey, maple syrup, coconut nectar, etc. This explains why the recipe uses 6 eggs, ½ cup liquid, and 6 tablespoons of butter to a mere ½ cup of coconut flour.
Keep thinking big and living bold!
Recipes
by Alex Wittenberg
on Mar 15 2014
Prep time: 5 min • Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients
1 cup unrefined coconut sugar
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
Directions
Blend sugar and arrowroot powder in a blender or food processor. Blend for about 2-3 minutes until sugar is soft and powdery. Store dry in an airtight container. Use just as you would use confectioner’s or powdered sugar in your baking.
Notes: As you make the powdered sugar, it will look like a sandstorm in your blender. Optionally put through a fine wire sieve before using to obtain a smoother consistency. Arrowroot is a large perennial herb that grows in rainforests. It is cultivated for the starch obtained from its rhizome roots. It is a thickening agent that can be used as a one-for-one replacement for cornstarch. It is flavorless, so it perfect for a thickener in cooking and baking. It is also the easiest starch to digest. In gluten free baking it creates a lighter and softer texture to baked goods.
Recipes
by Alex Wittenberg
on Mar 15 2014
Prep time: 10 min • Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients
1 cup unrefined powdered sugar (click here for recipe)
4 teaspoons arrowroot powder
½ cup raw cacao or unsweetened cocoa
½ cup coconut cream*
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Put powdered sugar, arrowroot, and cacao or cocoa into the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add about half of coconut cream and mix well, scraping down sides of bowl. Add the remaining coconut cream and vanilla and blend for about 2 - 3 minutes until frosting has become glossy and stiff enough to spread
Notes and Tips: This is an outrageously delicious, thick, fudgy chocolate frosting to use on cookies, cakes, and brownies. Any leftover frosting keeps well in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
*An important note about coconut cream: coconut cream is not the same coconut milk; the label must read “Coconut Cream.” You can find it in any health oriented grocery or in the Asian section of many large supermarkets. The top of the can will contain the coconut cream. This is what you will use. The watery liquid in the bottom of the can is coconut water, and you can discard it.
Coconut cream is similar to coconut milk but contains less water. It has a thicker, more paste-like consistency, while coconut milk is generally a liquid. Coconut cream has a mild non-sweet taste and a very high fat content.
If you want to make a flavored frosting, such as chocolate mint, omit the vanilla and add ¼ teaspoon pure peppermint extract. For chocolate orange frosting, omit the vanilla and add ¼ to ½ teaspoon pure orange extract.
Recipes
Sunflower Sweeties (Paleo version of “Peanut Butter” Cookies)
by Alex Wittenberg
on Mar 01 2014
Prep time: 20 min • Cook time: 10 min • Yield: 30-32 cookies
Ingredients
⅓ cup unsalted butter made from pasture-raised cows
¼ cup raw honey
¼ cup coconut nectar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup sunflower seed butter (see notes)
4 large eggs
1 cup coconut flour
½ teaspoon salt (omit if you are using salted sunflower seeds)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds, raw or toasted
Equipment
Stand mixer
Sheet pans
Parchment paper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line sheet pan(s) with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat(s).
Combine butter, honey, coconut nectar, vanilla, and sunflower seed butter and mix well in a stand mixer.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
Add coconut flour by the ¼ cup, mixing after each addition.
Add salt unless you are adding sunflower seeds that are already salted.
Add sunflower seeds and gently mix.
Scoop by rounded tablespoon (see notes) and bake for 5 minutes. Using a fork, press cookie to flatten it and bake for 4-5 minutes more until the bottom of the cookie is golden brown.
Remove from oven, cool, and store in a covered container.
Notes: Keep in mind that cookies made with coconut flour are soft not crispy. They tend to have more of a cake-like texture. There are many factors that are different between baking with coconut flour than grain flours.
Coconut flour is essentially the fiber from the coconut meat after almost all the oil has been extracted to make coconut oil; thus it is very dry and needs about twice the hydration of wheat flour. Baking with coconut flour also requires more eggs and sticky binders such as honey, maple syrup, coconut nectar, etc.
Recipes
by Alex Wittenberg
on Feb 24 2014
Prep time: 20 min • Cook time: 10-12 min • Yield: Approximately 24-25 bars, 2- x 3-inch bars
Ingredients
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup raw pistachios
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 cup dried apricots
½ cup ground flax seed meal
2 cups large flake unsweetened coconut
1 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
1 cup dark chocolate chips (i.e. Enjoy Life brand)
2/3 cup butter made from pasture-raised cows or ghee
¾ cup raw honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons salt (see notes)
Equipment
Jelly roll pan 14 ¾-inch x 9 ¾ -inch
Parchment paper
Food processor
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and place rack in the center of the oven.
Line pan with parchment paper.
Into a large bowl, measure all 3 types of nuts and 2 seeds and mix well.
Measure out 2 ½ cups and roughly chop.
Put the remaining 2 ½ cups into the food processor and pulse into smaller pieces than those already chopped. You want to have varying sizes of nuts and seeds for the bars, thus half are hand chopped to produce bigger pieces, and half are processed in the food processor to create smaller pieces.
Recombine all nuts and seeds into bowl.
Add apricots to food processor and pulse to a rough chop. Add to bowl of nuts.
Add ground flax, coconut, cranberries and chocolate chips and mix well.
In a small saucepan mix butter and honey and bring to a boil on medium heat. Cook stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes. Add vanilla. If using salt, add to honey mixture.
Pour warm honey mixture into the bowl of ingredients and mix well.
Press evenly onto the parchment-lined pan. Cover with another piece parchment and press very firmly to flatten mixture.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. Watch carefully because nuts and coconut get toasty and brown very quickly.
Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight before cutting.
Tips and Notes If you can’t find all raw nuts and seeds, you can use some that are already roasted. If some are salted, omit the salt. If you prefer a different combination of nuts, use what you like. This combination happens to be my personal favorite. Here’s a good tip for pressing down the mixture into the pan. After you have evened out the mixture, covered it, and flattened it as well as you can with your hands, use a can as a rolling pin to compress the mixture even more.
Recipes
by Alex Wittenberg
on Feb 22 2014
Prep time: 40 min • Cook time: 15-20 min • Yield: About 1 ¼ pounds chocolate candy
Ingredients
1 naval orange, medium
3 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 teaspoon pure orange extract or 2 tablespoons orange liqueur optional
1 cup whole-roasted, salted cashews, very roughly chopped
16 ounces dark/bittersweet chocolate i.e. Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels or Equal Exchange Bittersweet Morsels
Equipment
Sheet pan
Parchment paper
Directions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a square about 10” x 10”. Flip paper over onto pan. This gives you a template for where you’ll spread the chocolate.
Very thinly slice orange into rounds. If you have a mandolin definitely use it. Cut rounds in half.
Place 1 cup of water in a saucepan on medium-high heat and add coconut sugar. Add liqueur or orange extract (optional). Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add orange slices and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and oranges are in thick syrup. Remove oranges from pan and set on waxed paper or parchment to cool.
Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
Pour chocolate onto parchment paper in the area you measured out. Top with orange slices and cashews.
Set aside for several hours until firm.
Slice into desired-size pieces and serve at room temperature.
Notes: Please remember: This is a Paleo treat and should be enjoyed in moderation. This also makes a fabulous gift! If you have extra orange slices or a bit of syrup, you can use it to garnish/baste chicken or pork.
Recipes
by Kellyann Petrucci
on Feb 08 2014
Prep time: 10 min • Yield: 10-12 truffles
Ingredients
½ cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder or cocoa
2 tablespoons coconut butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
1 scant tablespoon coffee or water
2 tablespoons nuts of your choice: walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachios, pecans or hazelnuts
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Coat with:
Raw cacao powder or cocoa, unsweetened shredded coconut, or melted dark chocolate
Directions
Pulse all ingredients in food processor until they form a sticky ball.
Roll into 10 to 12 individual balls and place on a sheet of waxed paper or parchment. If you intend on coating in dark chocolate, place truffles in freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. If you are coating in coconut or cacao, you can do so immediately.
To coat in cacao powder, gently sift cacao in a fine mesh sieve over truffles. To coat in coconut, place coconut on a flat plate and roll truffles in coconut. To coat in dark chocolate, melt about 3 to 4 ounces dark chocolate in 10-second intervals in a microwave or melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Dip truffles individually in chocolate. To remove truffles from the melted chocolate, use two toothpicks near bottom of the truffle to maintain a smooth surface.
Store in the refrigerator. Remove about 30 minutes before serving.
Here’s a fun food fact: Cacao has the scientific name Theobroma, which means “food of the gods” — no surprise to me or most other folks!
