Tag: gluten free

Posted on

Grain-Free Stuffed Peppers

I’ve been making a version of stuffed peppers for many years now. I’ve played with the recipe and finally found one where, Jim and I both say, “Nailed it!”. Stuffed peppers just say fall and winter comfort to me, know what I mean? This batch will also feed a small army, so have some friends over or plan for leftovers!

If you prefer not to eat dairy, it can easily be made without cheese. You can also use whichever type of ground meat that you have on hand.

Grain-Free Stuffed Peppers

cleaneatingwithkatie
There's something about stuffed peppers that just says warm comfort fall food to me. This recipe is great for family Sunday Night Dinners or just a weeknight meal, but beware – there'll be leftovers!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course casserole, Main Course
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 5 bell peppers halved, seeds & stem removed
  • 2 tbsp cooking fat
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large carrots, diced
  • 4 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 package cauliflower rice fresh or frozen
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 32 oz Otamot Foods Tomato sauce
  • 2 lbs ground bison or any ground meat
  • 2 tbsp Italian spice blend
  • 8 oz mozzarella cheese, grated

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350° F. Add the bell peppers to a 13 x 9 in. baking dish, facing up. When the oven has preheated, add the baking dish to the oven for 20 minutes. 
  • You may need to cook the meat in one pan and the veggies in another pan, unless you have a very large saute pan. Add 1 tbsp. of the cooking fat to a large saute pan over med.-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Add in celery, carrots, and cauliflower rice. Stir and continue to cooking over med.-high heat. Add sea salt and pepper. Add in one jar of Otamot Tomato Sauce. Stir and cook for 20 minutes until veggies are cooked through. 
  • While the veggies are cooking, add the remaining cooking fat to a separate skillet on med.-high heat. Add in the ground bison and season with Italian seasoning. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes. Add in the second jar of Otamot tomato sauce, stir, and cook until meat is done.   
  • Combine the ingredients from both pans in the larger skillet or in a large bowl. Stir to combine. 
  • Remove the par-baked bell peppers from the oven. Using caution with the hot peppers. Add stuffing to each pepper – they will likely be overflowing – that's ok. Top with grated mozzarella cheese. 
  • Place the baking dish in the oven and cook for 15 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy!  
Keyword casserole, gluten-free, gluten-free dinner, grain-free, grain-free dinner, main dish, stuffed peppers
Posted on

Paleo Spaghetti Casserole

Who doesn’t love spaghetti? And casserole? I’m in. When going paleo, grain free, or just avoiding processed foods, sometimes spaghetti and casseroles are off limits, but not this one! There are plenty of options for the base – zoodles (zucchini noodles), sweet potato “noodles”, mashed sweet potatoes, or as the recipe calls for, mashed potatoes. Choose your own adventure here friends!

Paleo Spaghetti Casserole

cleaneatingwithkatie
Spaghetti and Casserole is comfort food times two! We substitute noodles for either sweet potatoes or white potatoes in this recipe.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course casserole, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs grass-fed ground beef or other ground meat
  • 2 large yukon gold potatoes cut into 1-in. half moons
  • 32 oz tomato sauce Rao's or Otamot are my favorite
  • 1½ tbsp Italian spice blend
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 med. onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp basil chiffonade
  • 1 tbsp grass-fed butter
  • 2 tbsp cooking fat ghee, butter, etc.
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • shaved parmesan cheese optional garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F.
  • Add the potatoes to a large pot and add enough water to cover the potatoes. Add a pinch of sea salt and bring to a boil. The potatoes are done when easily pierced with a knife, about 15-20 minutes.
  • While the potatoes are cooking, add 1 tbsp. of the cooking fat to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once the fat is hot, add the ground meat. Sprinkle with a small pinch of sea salt and the Italian spice blend. Use a spatula to stir and break up meat while browning.
  • In a medium skillet, add the remaining 1 tbsp. of cooking fat to the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until translucent. Turn the heat down to medium and add the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat.
  • When the meat is cooked through, add the jar of tomato sauce and mix to combine.
  • When the potatoes are done, drain and mash with a potato masher. Add a pinch of sea salt and a tbsp. of butter.
  • In a large casserole pan, layer the mashed potatoes, the spinach/onion/garlic mix, and then meat sauce mixture. Put in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
  • Before serving, garnish with basil and parmesan cheese and serve.
Keyword casserole, gluten-free, grain-free, main dish, paleo, spaghetti casserole
Posted on

Blistered Shishito Peppers

Shishito peppers (not hot) and Padron peppers (a few a hot) are one of my favorite summer veggies. I’ve only recently started to see them in grocery stores, before that I could only get them at the farmers market or at restaurants. One of the reasons that I love them is that you can only get them for a couple of months (so don’t wait!) and the other reason I love them is that they a quick to prep and quick to cook.

Blistered Shishito Peppers

cleaneatingwithkatie
You can use either Shishitos or Padrons depending if you can handle the heat! These make a great side dish, but also like making these as an appetizer.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 tbsp grass-fed ghee
  • 3 pints shishito peppers
  • pinch sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Rise, dry, and remove dried flower from shishitos (if any).
  • Add ghee to large skillet over med-high heat. Add shishitos and stir pan frequently to evenly blister the peppers. Add a pinch of sea salt.
  • Remove from pan and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve. Best eaten immediately.
Keyword appetizer, paleo side dish, shishito peppers, side dish
Posted on

Strawberry Banana Popsicles

These are a perfect treat for warm summer nights. Best of all, they only have THREE ingredients and are free of refined sugars! I imagine that you could also swap out the strawberries for other berries, for peaches, or pineapple as well.

Strawberry Banana Popsicles

cleaneatingwithkatie
These Strawberry Banana pops are quick, tasty, have only three ingredients, and use no refined sugar!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • popsicle molds

Ingredients
  

  • 3 bananas very ripe
  • 3 cups strawberries stems trimmed
  • ½ can full-fat coconut milk
  • 5-6 strawberries thinly sliced, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • When measuring out the full-fat coconut milk, be sure to get about half of the liquid coconut milk and half the solid coconut fat.
  • Add bananas, strawberries, and coconut milk to high speed blender and blend on high until smooth. 
  • Before pouring liquid into popsicle molds, stick 2-3 strawberries onto the sides of the molds and then add the liquid. 
  • Freeze for 2-3 hours until frozen. Enjoy!
Keyword dairy free, dessert, gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, popsicles, strawberry banana popsicles
Posted on

Seasonal Charcuterie Platter

Cheese board, charcuterie platter, meat and cheese plate, whatever you call it, they are all the rage. This seasonal charcuterie platter made its debut at our Thanksgiving table in 2017 and a similar one appeared at Christmas that year as well. If you’ve already committed to a different dish – don’t fret, bring this to any upcoming gathering. Needless to say, this is more inspiration than a recipe – I encourage you to use your favorite cheeses and whatever fruits are in season!

Thanksgiving Seasonal Charcuterie Board
Christmas Seasonal Charcuterie Board

How to Build a Seasonal Charcuterie Platter:

  • Select 2-4 types of cured meats.
    • Salami, smoked chorizo, and prosciutto are pictured here and just some examples of smoked and aged meats. Pate would be another good option.
  • Select a mixture 3-5 of cheeses.
    • Pictured here are Goat milk chèvre, mozzarella, and burrata (Thanksgiving) and I added manchego and Brie. I recently took a cheese making class where we learned how to make these three cheeses, hence why these are included in the cheese board. I do suggest a mixture of hard and soft cheeses. For the chèvre, I added bacon, figs, and a drizzle of honey (in the center of the Thanksgiving picture) and pomegranate seeds on the Christmas picture)
  • Add crackers and/or bread. 
    • Here I have Jilz crackers and Simple Mills crackers
    • For the Christmas board I added homemade paleo bread
  • Add Seasonal Fruits and/or preserved fruits. 
    • We have pears, pomegranates, and figs pictured here. For Christmas I included pears, mandarin oranges, pomegranates, and some quince paste.
  • Lastly, add some veggies and olives. 
    • For Thanksgiving, we had olives and Sonoma Brinery pickles. For Christmas, I will also inlcude pickled green beans and cornichons. 

As we are now in the winter months, my goal for this charcuterie platter is to include only preserved foods and in-season foods.

I hope you try out a Seasonal Charcuterie Platter in the coming months! 

Here is a link to Farmcurious, where I took the cheesemaking class. She also sells kits for those that aren’t local. The kits include the recipes for how to make the cheeses :). 

Posted on

Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

For me, Brussel sprouts are literally THE most exciting seasonal vegetable in the fall and winter (well, tied for first with butternut squash). I remember the first time I had Brussels sprouts was in 2009. It was part of a veggie medley at a wedding and it was a WHOLE Brussel sprout. It was terrible. Who cooks them whole? About a year and a half later, I bought them at the farmers market and found a recipe that called for them to be halved and roasted with butter and bacon. Much better. Over the years I have tried many recipes and pretty much try to eat them as much as possible in the fall and winter. Here is current favorite Brussels Sprouts recipe.

I’m convinced that there are two keys to Brussels Sprouts, 1) bacon (I’m sorry if you don’t eat bacon) and 2) thinly sliced or shaved. I can handle quartered, but not even halved. They are so densely packed, THIS is the key to loving them. I like using my food processor and using the slicer attachment.    

Warm Brussels Sprout Salad

cleaneatingwithkatie
This Brussels Sprouts Salad will be a crowd pleaser at your dinner table or at your next event — even if for Brussels Sprouts haters! The key is to thinly slice or grate them for even cooking, otherwise they are a mix of overdone and underdone. Blech.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • Cuisinart Food Processor (with a slicer attachment)

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tbsp cooking fat bacon fat, ghee, butter, etc.
  • 1 med. onion diced
  • 8 slices pasture-raised bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 3 eggs pasture-raised
  • 2-3 lbs. brussels sprouts trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 1 avocado cubed
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp fresh ground pepper

Instructions
 

  • Melt 1 tbsp of cooking fat in large skillet, sauté onions until almost translucent. Remove and set aside.
  • Crack three eggs into a bowl and whisk. Melt 1 tbsp of cooking fat in the skillet and add the eggs. Stir the eggs until scrambled. Remove and set aside. 
  • Add 2 tbsp butter and thinly sliced Brussels sprouts to the skillet. Season with sea salt and pepper and sauté. Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes, mixing regularly.
  • Add the onions, Brussels sprouts, eggs, and bacon to a large bowl and mix. Add the cubed avocado on top of the Brussels sprouts mixture. Drizzle balsamic vinegar on top, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Keyword brussels sprouts, gluten-free, grain-free, grain-free side dish, paleo, paleo side dish, salad, warm brussels sprouts salad
Posted on

Grain-Free Sugar Cookie with Candy Cap Frosting

In October 2017, the Miller-Hooshiar Bunch went on a West Marin Food and Farm tour. We had the most amazing food! Seriously, I need to go back and take another tour. They had us sample some local ice creams, one of which had a secret ingredient which tasted a lot like maple. The secret ingredient was Candy Cap Mushrooms!!!! I know! Mind blown. I’ve been determined to incorporate these candy cap mushrooms into a dish, and I succeeded. WINNING!  

Grain-Free Sugar Cookie with Candy Cap Frosting

cleaneatingwithkatie
This recipe is a fun twist on a classic sugar cookie recipe. Candy Cap mushrooms do not taste like mushrooms. As the name suggests, they are sweet and taste like maple.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 36 minutes
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10 people

Ingredients
  

Cookie Ingredients

  • ½ cup grass-fed butter room temperature
  • 1 egg pasture-raised
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 cup Otto's Cassava Flour
  • ¾ cup tapioca starch
  • ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients

  • ½ cup grass-fed butter softened
  • 3 tbsp Kite-Hill Cream Cheese or dairy based cream cheese
  • 2 cups confectioner's sugar sifted
  • 1 tsp candy cap mushrooms ground to a fine powder
  • 1-2 tsp water as needed for consistency

Instructions
 

Cookie Directions

  • In a medium bowl, add the dry ingredients and set aside.  
  • Combine the butter and coconut sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until well combined. Add the egg, vanilla, and coconut milk and mix until well combined.
  • On a low speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until well combined. 
  • Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper. Wrap up and chill dough for at least an hour. 
  • Dust a rolling pin and work surface with tapioca flour or cassava flour for rolling. Once dough has chilled, roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to form cookies.
  • Bake at 350° F for 10-12 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire baking rack.

Frosting Recipe

  • Mix the butter and cream-cheese using a hand mixer until well-combined.
  • Add the candy cap mushrooms and slowly add in the powdered sugar. 
  • If the frosting is too thick, add a little water and mix. If needed add additional water. 
  • Frost cookies and enjoy!
Keyword candy cap frosting, grain-free cookies, grain-free desert, sugar cookies
Posted on

Kale and Sausage Frittata

Is it just me or are FRITTATAS all the rage? I always felt like they looked too complicated, but honestly it’s quite easy AND now I have a few days worth of breakfasts for the week. If you don’t already have one, I would invest in a cast iron skillet – I do think that is key. You can get a medium size Lodge brand cast iron skillet for under $50. It’s a great cookware investment.  

Kale & Sausage Frittata

cleaneatingwithkatie
Frittatas are an easy way to have a nutrient dense breakfast prepared for several days. I don't know about you, but a quick and easy protein-rich breakfast gets me started on the right foot each day.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp cooking fat
  • 1 med. onion diced
  • 4 kale leaves destemmed & coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup loosely packed basil chiffonade
  • 8 eggs pasture-raised
  • ¾ cup bulk pork sausage
  • 2 tbsp mizithra cheese grated
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
  • ½ tsp granulated garlic
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp sage
  • ½ tsp dried parsley

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  • Melt the cooking fat in a cast iron skillet on medium-high. Rotate to coat the pan.
  • Add the onions and sauté until just translucent. Add the sausage and cook through using a spatula to break apart the meat. 
  • In a medium bowl, crack the eggs, whisk, and add six seasonings. Stir to combine. 
  • Once the sausage has cooked through, add the kale to the pan and begin to wilt. Then add the eggs. Stir just enough to disperse eggs throughout the pan. 
  • Top with basil and mizithra cheese. 
  • Bake at 350° F for 15-20 minutes or until the eggs have puffed up and solidified. Serve warm – Enjoy!

Note:

  • The frittata tends to stick if stored in the cast iron skillet. Take any leftovers out of the pan before refrigerating.
Keyword breakfast, brunch, frittata, gluten-free, grain free breakfast
Posted on

Bell Pepper Tuna Salad Boats

I love a good tuna salad. Reminds me of being a kid, but it’s also just easy and delicious. Perfect for quick meals or hot summer days because there’s no need to heat the oven! I like this served in a bell pepper, but you could also serve it in half an avocado, on a salad, with crackers, or in a sandwich. The options are endless!

I opt for safer tuna options like Safe Catch Foods or Wild Planet Foods or Vital Choice whenever I buy tuna. It does cost more, but I believe my health (and the health of the planet) is my greatest wealth.

Bell Pepper Tuna Salad Boats

cleaneatingwithkatie
I love a good tuna salad. Reminds me of being a kid, but it’s also just easy and delicious. Perfect for quick meals or hot summer days because there’s no need to heat the oven!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cans tuna
  • 4 celery stalks halved and diced
  • ½ onion diced
  • 1 med. avocado
  • 2 bell peppers stem removed, cut into thirds to create boats
  • 4 tbsp Primal Kitchen Mayo
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1 tsp garlic sea salt Simply Organic is my favorite
  • 1 tsp lemon pepper Simply Organic is my favorite
  • cilantro optional garnish
  • flake salt optional garnish

Instructions
 

  • Add all of the ingredients except bell pepper, avocado, cilantro, and flake salt to a medium bowl and mix well. 
  • Fold the avocado into the tuna salad mixture and mix just enough to combine.
  • Serve tuna salad in bell pepper boats and garnish with cilantro and coarse salt.
Keyword bell pepper tuna salad boats, gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, tuna salad
Posted on

Late-Summer Stuffed Squash

There is a recipe for stuffed bell peppers that I have been using quite often lately, but when I can find Globe squash, basil, carrots, and tomatoes in season, it seems like perfect timing to use globe squash instead of bell peppers. If you have bell peppers on hand, use those instead.

Late-Summer Stuffed Squash

cleaneatingwithkatie
This recipe is a perfect melding of late summer food flavors — all in one dish. It's one of those dishes that looks real fancy, but isn't. Serve this when you want to impress your book club or in-laws ;-).
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

Ingredients

  • 12 globe squash choose larger ones for stuffing
  • 3 lbs fresh tomatoes, stemmed and diced or 24oz canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 med yellow onion diced
  • 3 med carrots diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small bunch of basil
  • 2 lbs pasture raised ground pork or other ground meat of choice

Spice Blend

  • t tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp dried parsley
  • ½ tsp granulated garlic
  • ½ tsp granulated onion
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Add the olive oil to a large sauté pan and heat over medium. Add the onions, garlic, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and stir frequently. The goal is to reduce the liquid, so continue cooking over medium heat.
  • Add the carrots and the salt, pepper, and spice blend. Cook for about 20 minutes, continuing to stir the mixture to prevent burning.
  • Add the ground meat and break apart with a spatula and continue to cook until the meat is cooked through. Turn down the heat. 
  • Chiffonade 10-12 leaves of basil, set aside. Add the basil to the meat and veggie mixture before spooning into squash. 
  • While the meat is cooking, slice the stems off of the squash. Use a spoon to score a circle about 1 cm from the edge. I suggest using a cookie dough scooper (basically a small ice cream scoop) to scoop out the innards of each squash, being careful to keep the outter flesh intact.
  • Set the squash in a 9 x 13 in baking dish.
  • Spoon the meat and veggie mixture into the squash and overfill. 
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife easily pierces the squash. Top with a sprig of basil and serve. 
Keyword gluten-free, grain-free, late summer stuffed squash, paleo, stuffed squash, summer squash