Sweet Plantain Rolls (Paleo, Vegan)

Posted in Breads, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Bread needs to be in my life. It’s a non-negotiable…because bread and carbs make me happy…and for me, life’s too short to deprive myself of things of things that make me happy 🙂 Although I can’t consume the standard loaf or French bread, I am always looking for substitutes to satisfy my carb cravings and need for a biscuit, bun, wrap, or a slice of sandwich bread.

I love experimenting, such as when I used cooked rice as a flatbread or pizza crust, tinkered with variations of lentil bread, whipped up skillet bread with quinoa and buckwheat and mini flaxseed meal loafs, and now plantains. In the paleo and grain-free world, plantains are the perfect starch substitute and variations of plantain baked goods can be found all over on the web.

These rolls are slightly sweet but no added sugars are used since the hint of sweetness comes from the ripe plantains (which you can taste) plus these cute little bread balls are allergen-friendly. They are egg-free, nut-free, grain-free, soy-free, sugar-free, nightshade-free, vegan and paleo-friendly and can be prepared within 30 minutes — easy!
plantain-buns2 You can serve them for breakfast alongside a fried egg or slathered with some chia fruit jam or your favorite spread (pictured is Nutiva’s buttery coconut oil). Enjoy these buns for lunch too; slice in half and serve with your favorite slider recipe, sliced protein or spread with hummus and top with sliced veggies. They are also a perfect addition for dinner or to dip into a steamy stew. If you’re looking for a sweeter option, slather with homemade nutella or a drizzle of maple syrup and melted coconut butter. Mmm…you have options, so many options!

plantain-buns1

Sweet Plantain Buns (inspired by the Organic Dietitian’s recipe)
Gluten-free, Vegetarian, Egg-free, Nut-free, Grain-free, Soy-free, Sugar-free, Nightshade-free, Vegan, Paleo-friendly

Ingredients

1 medium-large ripe plantain, peeled and cut into several pieces (look for yellow with black spot)
1/2 cup tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
1/4 cup sunflower seed meal (or you could probably substitute 2 Tbsp coconut flour but I haven’t tried)
1 tbsp ground chia/chia meal
1/2 tsp baking powder (use corn-free for paleo)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil in solid state (not melted)
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

Directions
1. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse plantain until in small pieces and slightly puree.
2. Add in the remaining ingredients and combine until a thick dough forms.
3. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Break dough into four or five pieces and form into a ball and place on parchment paper (dough will be really sticky).
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Makes 4-5 small buns

plantain-buns

8Sep2016

No-Bake Oat Fudge Bites or Bars (vegan)

Posted in Dessert, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Oatmeal has become my thing – savory, sweet, baked, raw, overnight oats, energy bites – I mean really, ALL things oatmeal are my current jam. I can’t get enough!

These no-bake oat fudge bites are no exception…and it combines two of my all-time favorites — chocolate and peanut butter — along with my new oat obsession for an easy, quick and satisfying treat that’s healthy enough to eat for breakfast! Yes, chocolate for breakfast is way-ok in my book 🙂

You can make bars instead of the individual cups if you’d prefer to slice and serve. I tend to lean towards mini versions of everything – if you can’t tell from my Chunky Monkey Frozen “Cupcakes”, No Bake Mini Chocolate Pudding Tarts and Blackberry Banana Coconut Muffin Bites . The bar version is even quicker since you don’t have to divide up the crust/topping and chocolate layer into individual portions.
Funny story when I was making these…it was late…like real late at night. (Quick disclaimer: when it’s past midnight, I go on auto-pilot and I don’t always pay attention to little things.) I reached into the cabinet to get my vanilla bean sea salt flakes to crumble and sprinkle over these fudge bites…but I was only paying half attention to what I grabbed. It was a small bag, dark in color and I thought I read “vanilla bean salt” on the bag. Nope. it was Mexican dried oregano…hmmm, so a couple of these little dudes got a savory sprinkle, oopsi! I even tried to use my tweezers to remove the oregano, ha!

The sea salt isn’t required but it certainly adds that “wow factor” in my mind! Just don’t use oregano and I think you’ll love these filling and fudge oat treats! 🙂 If you can’t tolerate nuts, feel free to substitute coconut butter for an equally delicious option!

oat fudge bites bite

No-Bake Two-Bite Oat Fudge Bars
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Egg-free, No-Bake, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nut-free option, Refined sugar-free

Ingredients
For the “Crust and Topping”
1 1/4 cup pitted dates
2 cups + 1/2 cup gluten-free quick oats
1/8 tsp vanilla bean powder
3 Tbsp (or more) non-dairy milk (or coconut oil for richer option)

For the Fudge layer
3 1/2 oz allergen-friendly dark chocolate chips or chopped bar (Enjoy life chips, homemade chocolate, Lily’s for sugar-free etc)*
3 Tbsp chunky or creamy peanut butter, nut butter or seed butter (for nut free, use coconut butter)
1 tsp coconut oil
1/8 tsp sea salt (I used vanilla bean sea salt flakes)

Directions

In a food processor, add dates and process until a ball is formed.
Add in 2 cups of oats and vanilla and process until powdery and combined. It will look dry. Drizzle in milk or oil and process until mixture forms a dough.
Add in remaining 1/2 cup oats and pulse a few times (this will make the dough have a nice texture with the pulverized and whole rolled oats). Remove from food processor and refrigerate for atleast 30 minutes to firm up.
Remove from fridge and either press all but heaping 1/2 cup of dough into a parchment lined loaf pan OR press roughly 1 1/2 Tbsp (large spoon) of dough into silicone mini muffin pans until forms a little flattened disc or crust.
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine chocolate chips/chopped chocolate bar and coconut oil. Stir often until almost melted then add in peanut/nut/seed butter or coconut butter and stir until completely melted.
For loaf pan/bar preparation, pour chocolate over date mixture. For mini-muffin pan preparation, pour about 1 1/2 Tbsp of chocolate mixture over each crust.
Crumble the remaining 1/2 cup dough over the chocolate mixture evenly. Sprinkle with sea salt (if desired but I love how it brings out the chocolate flavor). Refrigerate until chocolate firms up, slice into bars (with loaf pan variation) or pop out the fudge bites and enjoy!!!

Makes 15-17 bites

If you cannot tolerate chocolate, carob chips or a chopped carob bar can be used as well! Just watch out for added dairy…so homemade carob bark is always a good allergen-friendly option (just omit the mint in my recipe)!

27Mar2016

Black Bean, Winter Squash and Greens Quesadilla (SRC)

Posted in Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Handheld eats are always a win in my book…they are versatile, they are portable and they are so satisfying! Whether it’s a wrap or a sandwich or a taco, you can pack all the food groups into one lovely bite. This veggie-friendly quesadilla is no exception!

I was assigned Terri’s blog Our Good Life for this month’s Secret Recipe Club reveal, and I enjoyed perusing through her posts of recipes to crafts and family . I wound up picking her Acorn, Black Bean and Spinach Quesadilla this month for two reasons: I had my mind set on Mexican food and I couldn’t wait to test out a quesadilla using Against the Grain’s new gluten-free pita bread (which doubles fabulously as a tortilla). Terri’s Radish Leaf Pesto will be perfect to whip up this spring, her Oat Congee with Fried Egg and Scallions definitely peaked my interest, and her Apple Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding has been bookmarked for the next stormy day when I’m craving comfort food!

Even though Spring is here (or almost here in Montana), I am still enjoying my fair share of sweet potatoes and winter squash. They are a staple in my kitchen and you can always find an uncooked kabocha squash or Japanese sweet potato on the counter ready to be incorporated enemy next recipe experiment! This recipe for a winter squash quesadilla was a huge hit and without a doubt satisfied my hankering for Mexican food!

black bean squash and greens quesadilla

Now this is an ideal flavor combo for me! The creamy texture of the winter squash and the velvety beans complimented the crisp edges on the tortilla and the salty, stringy melted cheese. The sautéed greens added a nice earthy dimension to the dish along with the brightness from the cilantro and fresh squeezed lime juice. I changed up a few things on this recipe based on what I had on hand — I substituted kabocha squash for the acorn squash, I used a gluten-free, grain-free tortilla and I added a bit of cilantro for a bit of brightness. I decided to smash up some of the black beans to help adhere the ingredients together since I stuffed the tortilla with the layers of filling 🙂 Mmmmmm!

Black Bean, Squash and Greens Quesadilla (recipe adapted from Our Good Life)
Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-free Option, Vegetarian, Vegan Option, Nut-free, Sugar-free, Soy-free, Egg-free

Ingredients

1 c small dice cooked acorn squash, kabocha squash or butternut squash
2 T olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp cumin, ground
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 can organic black beans, rinsed
1 small bunch spinach (or your favorite leafy greens), destemmed and chopped
4 gluten-free flour tortillas (I used grain-free Against the Grain pita bread)
6 oz monterey jack cheese or your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro OR 3 Tbsp chopped greens onions

For serving

lime wedges
your favorite salsa and/or guacamole

Instructions

1. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick foil or parchment. Preheat oven to broil.

2. Heat the olive oil and garlic in skillet over medium heat. Add spices and stir for 30 seconds.

3. Add the beans and 3 T water until hot. Mash them with a back of a large spoon if you prefer more a refried bean-ish result, then add chopped spinach or greens. Cook for about one minute, or until spinach wilts.

4. Place the tortillas on the cookie sheet. Place 1/4 c acorn squash, 1/4 of the bean mixture, and cheese. Remove from oven, sprinkle with fresh cilantro and fold over the tortilla to cover the filling.

5. Broil until the top is golden brown, about two minutes. Serve with salsa and/or guacamole and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Serves 4

black bean squash and greens quesadilla 2

For other recipes in this month’s reveal, click the link below!

21Feb2016

Allergy-Friendly Grain-free Waffles (SRC)

Posted in Breads, Breakfast, Dessert, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

As a child, my mom made these Mickey Mouse waffles that I still remember to this day. The waffle iron was in the shape of Mickey’s face and my favorite part was saving his waffle ears to eat last and filling them up with lots of maple syrup…mmm! A good hearty breakfast is right up with there with pizza and brownies on my “top comfort foods list” and waffles are always included.

Not to mention, the smell of waffles cooking is deliciously intoxicating…how can you go wrong with this bread-like goodness that’s fluffy yet crisp on the edges? Plus, you can pile them with toppings from fruit and chocolate chips to savory options like crumbled bacon, scrambled eggs and/or a smear non-dairy cashew cheese (or shredded cheese). YUM!

Allergy-friendly Waffles with eggs

I was assigned Traci’s blog Burnt Apple this month for the Secret Recipe Club, and wow what a fun collection of recipes to search through! Not only does her site contain a delicious repertoire, Traci has a knack for “taking any meal and giving it a healthy makeover.” Her Healthy Pixie Sticks have me intrigued, photos of her gluten-free Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls had me salivating and her Dark Chocolate Thin Mints had dreaming if my old favorite Girl Scout cookies with a fun twist.

I ultimately chose these allergy friendly waffles since I’ve been in a bit of a breakfast funk and I was in the mood for comfort food. The fact that you can roll the waffles with a rolling pin to make a “waffle wrap” also caught my attention! These grain-free beauties use half coconut flour and half tapioca starch which boosts the fiber content, making them chock-ful of healthy fats and balanced carbs.

AIP version of Allergy-friendly Waffles without eggs
I opted to make two batches of waffles: I wanted to test each of Traci’s options – trying both the vegan/AIP (auto-immune protocol recipe) version without eggs and the paleo-friendly version with eggs to see what the difference was in the final product. When struggling with my own health and food allergies, I’ve experimented with AIP recipes so I wanted to give them both a shot. I’m so glad I came across this recipe, it’s a winner! I used coconut milk for the non-dairy milk, coconut oil for the fat and I substituted a sprinkle of stevia (to taste) instead of sugar in both recipes but stuck to the original recipe.

The waffles with eggs were delightful! Crisp on the edges, light and fluffy and filling with a touch of sweet 🙂 When I made the AIP-version of the waffles, they took much longer to cook in the waffle iron than the batter made with eggs, while delicious the result was more gummy and not fluffy like typical waffles. My bananas has light brown specks on them so I think a greenish yellow banana might be better since it’s more starchy and/or increase the amount of coconut flour by 1-2 Tbsp. I will give these a go again! I might even experiment with plantains instead of bananas since they are more starchy in general. Each batch makes about 8 waffles, so feel free to freeze any extras and just pop them into a toaster oven when you want a quick breakfast!

AIP version of Allergy-friendly Waffles without eggs

Allergy Friendly Waffles (lightly adapted from Burnt Apple)
Gluten-free, Grain-free, Soy-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free, Seed-free, Sugar-free, Paleo-friendly, Nightshade-free, Vegetarian, Egg-free option, AIP-option, Yeast-free, Vegan Option

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup non-dairy milk of choice (cow’s milk can be used if you tolerate but won’t be dairy-free)
3 eggs (AIP use two bananas in place of the eggs)
1 tbsp coconut sugar or sugar or a pinch of stevia*
1 tsp alcohol-free pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp coconut oil or neutral oil (can use melted ghee or butter but will not be dairy-free or AIP)
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt

For serving (optional, ideas)

Sliced bananas or fresh berries
Carob chips or chocolate chips or cacao nibs (not AIP-friendly unless homemade)
Maple syrup, drizzle of honey or your favorite jam or jelly
Your favorite nut or seed butter (not AIP-friendly)
Shredded coconut or coconut flakes
Nitrate-free bacon (not vegetarian) or coconut “bacon”
Coconut whipped “cream”

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and butter or oil until smooth. Add in the coconut flour, tapioca or arrowroot flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir just until smooth.
Heat waffle iron according to manufacturers instructions. Brush waffle iron with oil or butter. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of batter onto each waffle iron. (You may need to adjust the amount of batter depending on the size of your waffles). Close and cook according to manufacturers instructions.
Remove waffles from iron (if AIP batter is used, you may need a fork to carefully peel the waffles off the iron), serve immediately or allow waffles to cool to room temperature before placing in an airtight container or Ziploc bag.
To make waffle rollups: While waffle is warm, roll with a rolling pin until flat. Fill with bacon, scrambled eggs, veggies, fresh fruit or any other combination you like. Place toppings in a thin strip along the waffle. Roll up and serve.

Yield: 8 waffles

For AIP-friendly version notes: If your bananas are sweet and speckled with brown, you might consider eliminating the sweetener altogether if you prefer more savory waffles. As I mentioned above, when I made the AIP-version of the waffles, they took MUCH longer to cook in the waffle iron than the batter made with eggs. My bananas has light brown specks on them so a more green banana might be better since it’s more starchy or increase the amount of coconut flour by 1-2 Tbsp.

Grain-free waffles 2 Allergy-friendly Waffles with eggs