Paleo Pumpkin Bread

When eating strict paleo I try to have a "bread" of some sort around at all times.  It helps with the cravings and makes you feel less like you're on a diet, and more so that you're just living this lifestyle.

This is so delicious that most people can't tell that it doesn't have flour or sugar!  Enjoy!

½ cup (generous scoop) Coconut Flour

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

½ tsp Ground Nutmeg

¼ tsp Ground Cloves

1/4 tsp Ground Ginger

½ tsp Baking Soda

¼ tsp Sea Salt

½ cup + a little more Organic Pureed Pumpkin

6 eggs

4 Tblsp Coconut Oil

1/4 cup Pure Grade B Organic Maple Syrup

1/4 cup Honey

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Organic unsweetened Raisins or Walnuts if desired (about ½ cup to taste)

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Wisk dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

In a mixer, beat eggs.  Add remaining ingredients except for pumpkin and mix well.  Add pumpkin and mix again.  Slowly mix in flour and beat until most of the flour lumps are gone.  Fold in raisins, etc.

Grease loaf pan VERY VERY well with cooking spray.  If you’re making muffins, use a bare pan well greased, or aluminum foil muffin liners.  Do not use paper as it will stick to the muffins.

Bake Bread for approx 30mins or until cooked through.  Start checking it at 25mins as some ovens cook differently.  

Bake Muffins for 18-20mins

Makes 12 muffins or 1 loaf of bread

Football Sunday, Paleo Style

Who says you still can't enjoy "Football foods" and be healthy paleo?  Well, make these for those nay-sayers and shut them up with a mouth full of BACON, BABY!


Sausage Stuffed, Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños 

Preheat oven to 365
You'll need:
- Jalapeños (divide the number of total pieces you want by 4 and that's how many peppers you need to buy.  Each pepper makes 4 pieces).
- Hot Sausage (I use our grocery stores organic brand)
- Bacon (divide the number of total pieces by 2. Each slice makes 2 pieces).

Simple:
Cut the tops off jalapeños.  Then, cut in half, lengthwise (hot dog style).
Destuff the jalapeño core and seeds. *Read warning below for this part
Cut each long piece in half width-wise (hamburger style).
Stuff each pepper piece with a ball of sausage
Cut each bacon piece in half and then wrap around the pepper/sausage.

Place wrapped pieces on a foil lined baking sheet.
Bake for 20-30mins depending on your oven and how crispy you want the bacon.
Turn each piece over and broil on high for 2-5mins to crisp up the bacon which was resting on the pan and needs a bit more of a crunch.

Let cool (duh), and enjoy!


*Warning- pull your shirt up over your mouth/nose during the jalapeño prep part of this recipe.  I was quickly resembling a chain smoking cougher before I realized what was happening.  The fumes from the jalapeño seeds will definitely get to ya'.  But, like childbirth, totally worth it.

** Ps- Thanks Steph for this recipe!

Paleo Banana Bread

Some people can eat paleo without ever craving "bread."  I'm not one of those.  So here's my solution- "bread" without all the bad stuff.  I make mini-muffins most of the time, that way I can just pop one in my mouth and feel like I'm part of America :)  Enjoy!

PALEO BANANA "BREAD"

½ cup (generous scoop) Coconut Flour

2 Tbs Ground Cinnamon

½ tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder

¼ tsp Sea Salt

1 cup Smashed Bananas (the more rotten, the better)- usually around 2-3 whole bananas

6 eggs

4 Tblsp Coconut Oil

1/4 cup Pure Grade B Organic Maple Syrup
1/4 cup Honey

1 Tbs Vanilla Extract

Organic unsweetened Raisins or Walnuts if desired (about ½ cup to taste)

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Wisk dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

In a mixer, beat eggs.  Add remaining ingredients except for banana and mix well.  Add banana and mix again.  Slowly mix in flour and beat until most of the flour lumps are gone.  Fold in raisins, etc. if desired.

Grease loaf pan VERY VERY well with cooking spray.  If you’re making muffins, use a bare pan well greased, or aluminum foil muffin liners.  Do not use paper as it will stick to the muffins.

Bake Bread for approx 30mins or until cooked through.  Start checking it at 25mins as some ovens cook differently.  

Bake Muffins for 18-20mins
Bake Mini Muffins for 12-14mins

* Makes 12 muffins/24 mini muffins or 1 loaf of bread

Paleo Trail Mix

This is a staple around our house! A great snack to grab and take with you for the day; it makes about 16 snack bags worth of Trail Mix!!

* 5 cups nuts and seeds (I always use slivered almonds, flax seeds, pecans, and sunflower seeds; you can use whatever you want- pumpkin seeds are great too- but make sure you use at least 2 – 3 cups slivered almonds, as these take the place of what is normally oats). MAKE SURE ALL NUTS ARE UNSALTED/ORGANIC.
* 1/4 cup honey 

* 1/4 cup organic grade B mayple syrup
* 1/3 cup coconut oil (if you've never used coconut oil; it comes in wax form. Remove lid, and heat in microwave for 1min to melt).
* 2 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 

* 1/4 tsp ground ginger
* 3/4 cup organic raisins 

* 1/2 cup organic unsweetened dried blueberries or other dried/unsweetened fruit

* 1/2 cup organic unsweetened dried cranberries or other dried/unsweetened fruit
* 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (if desired)

Mix honey, syrup, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a small saucepan and bring to a boil on the stove. Let it cool for a minute. Mix nuts in a big bowl and pour sauce over them. Mix well. Spread the nuts and seeds out on a greased baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 300 degrees. Allow the pan to cool slightly (no more than 3mins or it will start to form together) and then put the mixture into a bowl. Mix in dried/unsweetened fruit & enjoy!