Apple Crumble, Paleo Style

After physically suffering through a 12km trail run with my ridiculously talented friend. I was reminded by my body why I eat paleo...
Let's go back a few hours and oh there it is.  The pizza I talked myself into despite my dairy and gluten allergy!

So tonight after making a simple yet delicious lamb stew with the leftovers of a roast I thought it was about time to create a paleo dessert that can also double as breakfast from an all time kiwi favourite.

The smell coming out of my kitchen was enough for me to take the first attempt of this recipe and blog it.  Childhood smells of homemade muesli and hot honey!!

SCRIPT
1 bag of green apples - peeled, cored, sliced
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup almond flour - make it yourself by blending up your almonds
1/2t cinnamon
1/2t ground ginger
1/2t vanilla
2T local manuka or bush honey - pure maple syrup will probably work too
*optional 1T coconut oil or butter - your choice if you can't find any ghee

METHOD
 Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
 Add sliced apples to a saucepan with a tablespoon of water and boil until soft
 Blend the seeds until an even texture
 Melt honey till it pours easily
 Stir cinnamon, ginger, coconut, almond flour, seeds, vanilla and honey together until they form a slightly clumpy granola texture
 (this is where you would add your oil or butter if you need it)
 Put stewed apples into an oven proof dish and sprinkle the crumble mixture on top
 Cook for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

NOTES
Add a touch of honey to the apples while stewing if you are worried about them not being sweet enough.
All measurements are for a large pie/casserole dish


Enjoy responsibly with Coconut Ice Cream!!!
Try this awesome New Zealand dairy free coconut based ice cream brand
http://niceblocks.co.nz/nice-cream/

Amaze-balls! They taste naughty but they're not!

One of my best friends Pocahontas shared this awesome cheap to make and easy recipe with me yesterday and I knew instantly it would be a new regular appearance in my paleo lifestyle and a favourite with my friends.

Tasting like it's made out of naughty things it appears to be a sweet treat but it's not!  Well it is a sweet treat but it's got only seed fats and nothing naughty in it.

SCRIPT

* 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

* 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

* 3/4 cup desiccated coconut

* pinch of salt

* 8 fresh medjool dates

* 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

* 1/4 cup water

* 1/2 cup crushed nuts for rolling them in either pecans, walnuts, pistachio

*I crushed up a Whittakers dark, mint chocolate finger and rolled them in that also

METHOD

* add seeds, coconut, coca and salt to a blender/food processor and blend till very fine and even.  

* add chopped and seeded fresh dates and blend until combined and also fine 

* pour in water and blend until mixture comes together

* roll out the mixture into balls of your own size choosing 

* roll them in crushed nuts

* refrigerate

* store them in the freezer to keep them fresh

NOTES

* Play with changing the quantities to make more!  Try adding ground ginger, cinnamon, fresh mint, other ground up nuts, apricots or even dried berries!

source: slightly adapted from Dr Libby’s book The Real Food Chef. 

Homemade Almond Butter

Because my trainer 

(look for Lee Bennett Fitness on Facebook) 

suggested I change from peanut butter to almond butter in my snacks I started looking at this magical new spread.

I then decided to change my eating lifestyle and go Paleo and here is some info on why peanuts and beans are not recommended. 

http://paleodietlifestyle.com/beans-and-legumes/

It is easily available to buy at all supermarkets I've visited in America and in the organic or health food sections at most in New Zealand, but it is usually stupidly expensive!

and because I can't help myself I decided I wanted to make my own.

SCRIPT, METHOD and NOTES all in one 

-Use raw or roasted, salted whole almonds

-Choose how much you want to make and what size blender or food processor you have

-2 hand fulls of nuts makes just over a 1/4 cup of almond butter

-Put almonds into the blender/processor and go for it.!

-processor with S blade works best

-If you stop when the almonds resemble almond flour/meal you can use it for baking!

-Continue until it clumps together

-scrape down the sides regularly and keep blending 

-the longer you blend the more oil the almonds release naturally

-blend until your desired texture is realised 

-to get it really smooth with all the natural oils beaten out it'll take around 10-12 minutes

-I don't see the need to add any oils, salt or sugar but some people add those things and maple syrup, honey or cocoa nibs.  

-If you live in New Zealand look at ordering bulk nuts at www.nutsonline.co.nz

Paleo Dan Bars

A day after arriving in Colorado I felt inspired to get back in to my paleo cooking and training schedule and while planning a trip to climb some peaks in the Rockies I realised I was going to need my trusty go to bar.

This is my go to survivor food! I make a batch every week for on the go breakfast especially when hiking. It's great as a sugar craving snack or just snack in general.  I even sometimes break it all up and use it as granola/muesli.

For those of you on a clean eating challenge here is your paleo snack bar, non cheat food that tastes like cheat food.

It's gluten and dairy free and if you want to take out the eggs it's vegan too.
See notes bellow for endless variations.


SCRIPT

1C Almonds halved
1/2 C Pecans chopped
1/2 C Walnuts chopped
1/4 C pumpkin seeds
1/4 C sunflower seeds
1C Coconut flake, shredded or desiccated
1C Dried Cranberries
2 eggs
3T unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 C 72% Dark chocolate pieces or cocoa nibs
1/4t ground cinnamon
1/4t ground ginger

METHOD

-Preheat oven to 360f or 180c
-Put all ingredients into a large bowl and stir together until well combined
-line a slice tin or baking tray at least 1 inch in height with baking paper
-press mix firmly into chosen tray and place in the oven
-cook for 10-15 minutes or until desired texture
-slice up into squares and refrigerate in an air tight container

           

NOTES

This recipe has endless variations...

-add seeds such as chia and sesame seeds as an extra binding agent
-use other dried fruit such as dried apricots, blueberries etc
-for lower cholesterol and fat use egg whites instead of whole eggs
-make it vegan and blend up some almonds to make almond flour and add 1/2 C and a dash or two of water to help bind it
-Protein load it for pre/post workout with 1-2 scoops of chocolate or vanilla protein powder
-Try a Tablespoon of almond butter mixed in as a binding agent
-Play with quantities to make more or less bars

Play with your favourite nuts, fruit and seeds and see what you come up with.  I'm so curious to what people will do with this since every time I make it it's a whole new bar.


*For those of you with questions about Dark Chocolate and Cocoa nibs being Paleo check out what this guy has to say and decide for yourself.
http://paleodietlifestyle.com/chocolate-coffee-alcohol/