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Paleo Indulgences is now available in stores and online at Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com!  Filled with paleo/primal friendly recipes that are gluten free, grain free and refined sugar free, Paleo Indulgences allows you to satisfy your modern cravings with sensible, healthy choices!
Available Now! 

Word on the Street

“As a fellow paleo mom and paleo cookbook author, I am so glad to have this
resource! Paleo Indulgences has  come to the rescue! I love how the book is designed, the pictures are beautiful, and Tammy’s balanced, sensible approach to this lifestyle is refreshing. Also, the book includes several amazing recipes that are not just “treats” for special  occasions but that we’ll be happy to indulge in everyday! Thank you Tammy!” ~ Sarah Fragoso, Everyday Paleo 

“Paleo Indulgences just rocks. I can’t say enough good things about it. I love the writing, I love the ingredients, I love the super clever and creative recipes.“ ~Spunky Coconut

The Healthy Gluten Free Life is available now! Head to your favorite bookstore to buy, or order online at Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com.  The Healthy Gluten Free Life is filled with over 200 delicious, home-style recipes that are ALL free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, white rice flour and bean flours!

Word on the Street

“Not only is the book well-written and full of 200 recipes, but it is beautifully photographed…The book is the most well organized that I have come across…also has the fantastic addition of a pictorial index at the end also arranged by meal-type category…for what I believe is the very first time, Gluten Free Mike is actually going to recommend a cookbook. [The Healthy Gluten Free Life]“  from Gluten Free Mike

“… lots of well-balanced dishes filled with natural ingredients and flavors as well as tasty treats made from scratch to limit harmful ingredients.”  from The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness

Double Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies

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I frequently get asked questions regarding my use of eggs in paleo baking.  As many of you know from my first book, The Healthy Gluten Free Life, my hubby can’t have eggs.  So why do I use eggs in my second book, Paleo Indulgences?  Well, mostly because my husband doesn’t eat sweets all that often so most of the treats I make, he doesn’t partake in.  Another reason is that in paleo baking, all of the grains and gums are gone so binding of ingredients can be an issue for most recipes.  Finally, my kids and I can tolerate eggs and when eating a treat, even a Paleo version, I like to add as much protein as possible, via eggs, to help stabilize blood sugar metabolism.

But sometimes, every once in a great while, my entire family wants a treat.  With combined food allergies & intolerances of gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, and various others,
this can be a challenge.  So today I tried to merge my old world of GF, DF, EF with my new(er) paleo world of grain free and sugar free as well (oh, and throw in nut free too!) to make a tasty little cookie we could all enjoy.  I’ve been beating my kids out of the kitchen after two cookies each, so I think the recipe is a success!

*Note: We made half a batch without white chocolate chips for those that couldn’t have dairy.  There are some dairy free white chocolate chips available at health food stores and on the Internet.  This is a great option for dairy allergies, however, the compromise is usually nasty vegetable oils.  You can leave them out all-together and still have a great cookie!

*Note: While this recipe is traditionally nut free, newer rules say that coconut now counts as an allergen in the nut family.  My youngest daughter can’t do tree nuts but is fine with coconut.  You’ll have to decide what works best for you.

 

 

Double Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies
gluten free, grain free, dairy free*, egg free, nut free*, soy free, refined sugar free

 

Dry Ingredients:
1 C sunflower seed flour (must be finely ground – a high speed blender works best.)
2 TBSP coconut flour, sifted
3/4 C tapioca starch
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 C cocoa powder
1/4 tsp sea salt

Wet Ingredients:
1/4 C pure maple syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 TBSP applesauce
2 TBSP coconut oil, melted

Add In:
1/4 C dark chocolate chips
1/4 C white chocolate chips (optional – if omitting, add more chocolate chips)

1) Preheat oven to 350°.
2) In a medium bowl add dry ingredients.  Stir to combine.
3) Add wet ingredients to the dry.  Blend with a hand mixer until fully combined.  Stir in chocolate and white chips.
4) Scoop by rounded tablespoons of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten each dough ball slightly with the palm of your hand (they don’t spread while baking).
5) Bake 11-13 minutes or until edges are set and center is slightly firm to the touch.  Cool on trays on wire racks for 5 minutes.  Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze until needed.

 

Enjoy!

Prosciutto Olive & Sundried Tomato Turkey Burgers

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I’m currently wrapping up my next book, Make Ahead Paleo, which contains over 100 gluten, grain, dairy and soy free recipes!  I wanted this book to be a helpful tool in the typical family kitchen where time and money can be short, but the desire to feed the family great tasting, healthy food, is not.

In Make-Ahead Paleo, you’ll find:

• Recipes and tips for whipping up freezable meals.

• Inventory sheets to help you keep track of your frozen creations.

• Delicious time-saving recipes for your slow cooker.

• Handy one pan (electric skillet) meals you can prepare in your hotel room.

• A busy work week menu with full grocery list.

• Recipes to take on the road.

• Sweet indulgences that freeze and travel well.

I’m so excited for you all to see my new book, and I hope it saves you lots of time and frustration in your gluten free kitchen!  The release date is September 3, 2013 but you can pre-order now on Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com.

This delicious turkey burger recipe is one I planned on including in the book, but just ran out of time in the end.  So I decided to share it here with all of you!  My family devoured these burgers in nothing flat so I think it’s a keeper.  Make them for dinner tonight, or make a bunch and freeze them for your next camping trip, either way they’re fast, easy and super tasty!

 

Prosciutto Olive & Sundried Tomato Turkey Burgers
Serves 4

 

Ingredients: 

1 ½ lbs ground turkey

1/3 C chopped sundried tomatoes, not packed in oil

½ C chopped prosciutto (about 5 thin slices)

1/3 C chopped black olives

½ C chopped spinach

1 shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ C olive oil

¾ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp oregano

Prep Day:

1)  Mix all ingredients gently with your hands in a large mixing bowl until combined.

2)  Divide meat into 4 equal portions and shape into patties.  Proceed to Cooking Day instructions #2 if you’re making them now.

3)  To freezer for later, stack two patties together, with a small square of wax paper between each patty.  Do this for the other two patties.  Place the two stacks of patties on a plate or small baking sheet, with wax paper underneath the patties so they don’t stick to the tray.  Freeze until firm.  Place semi-frozen patties into an airtight container or freezer zip-top bag and freeze until needed.

Cooking Day:

1)  Thaw patties in the fridge overnight.

2)  Preheat your grill.  Grill burgers, 5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink in the middle.  Serve with your favorite toppings!

GFAF Expo – San Francisco 2013

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I can’t believe a few weeks have already gone by since my trip to the GFAF Expo in San Francisco!!  As you know, I was REALLY looking forward to getting out of town and into one of my favorite cities, San Francisco!!!

There was a teeny bit of traffic as we headed into town.

And you know what?  It was better than I’d hoped!  For one, the weather was AMAZING!

And “B” the expo was jam packed with wonderful vendors and even wonderful-er (just go with it) attendees!

The hotel was beautiful and provided pretty gorgeous views of the Bay, as well as the entertainment of watching ginormous planes land and take off.  For us small town folk, that’s pretty fun stuff!  Even better was the restaurant in the hotel, which received a full education on providing safe gluten free food to the public and even created a special gluten free menu just for the weekend. (I’m hoping they’ll keep it in place long after the expo though!)  I was even able to order a wonderful GF room service breakfast!  The GFAF team deserves major applause for thinking ahead and educating the restaurant and hotel staff so that all of us staying at the Marriott felt safe eating there.  Thank you!

The expo itself was stupendous!  The turnout exceeded my expectations.  I was able to talk to attendees from 10-4 each of the two days, without taking a break!  (So busy that I didn’t take very many photos.) But even with the big crowds, there was plenty of room to walk around, plenty of samples for the taking, and lots of smiles!  At one point I saw groups of people walking around with 3 and 4 shopping bags filled with purchases and samples.  It was like the best GF trick or treating experience EVER!  And with awesome vendors like So Delicious, Red Apple Lipstick and Hail Merry to name a few, you went home with some pretty wonderful goodies.

And if that wasn’t enough, for two days there were cooking classes and educational speakers as well!  Laura B. Russel gave a wonderful talk about gluten free Asian cooking, Nadine Grzeskowiak, The Gluten Free RN talked and answered questions about the Paleo diet and its benefits, and the lovely FrannyCakes provided an entertaining cooking demo.  And this is just the tip of the GF iceberg!

I got a t-shirt!

One of the best parts, for me, was meeting some of the most amazing people in the GF community around!  Folks like Cybele Pascal, Celiac and the Beast, Zest Bakery, A Girl-Defloured and the San Francisco GF Grocery store just to name a few.  It was almost overwhelming seeing the GF people we admire and follow online, live and in color in once place!

I was also blown away at the response I received for my latest cookbook, Paleo Indulgences.  Paleo was definitely the hot topic of the weekend, prompting hundreds of people to check out the event, listen to the paleo talk and find me in the expo to ask questions, get a free copy of Paleo Magazine and buy the book.  I walked away feeling extremely optimistic that changes are slowly happening in the GF community.  Folks are starting to realize that the standard GF isn’t good enough.  That nothing but white rice and sugar for each meal of the day isn’t healthy.  We are making a difference!

Thanks Gluten Free RN for the pic!

I truly can’t wait for the next GFAF expo that I can attend, which will be in Dallas in October.  Head over to the GFAF website and check out the expo locations for 2013 and mark your calendars.  You don’t want to miss it!

 

On the Road – To the GFAF Expo in San Francisco!!

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I haven’t been sick – reeeeally sick – in a very long time.  As a matter of fact, I haven’t had the flu since I was about 10 yrs old.  Well, imagine my surprise (and annoyance) when I came down with the flu a couple of weeks ago!  Not only did it hit me, it hit me fast, and only a few days before I was supposed to fly to Napa Valley, where I was meeting up with friends from high school (that I hadn’t seen in over 20 years) for a fun-filled girls weekend!!  Uggh!!  The  inhumanity of it all!

Our trip had been planned for months..tickets purchased, condo rented, private wine tour scheduled.  Yep.  Private.  Wine.  Tour.  Pardon me while I shed a little tear at the thought….

It was going to be an amazing weekend with long lost friends, but then, the achiness started.  Then the headache, and fever…you get the idea.  It was the worst possible timing.  I had no choice but to cancel my plans and wallow in my misery on the couch.  My 101 fever and I spent the next 6 days watching an entire DVR’d season of Vampire Diaries (can we please move on from the “Original Vampires” story line please? That was so 2 seasons ago!) while my girlfriends sipped wine and escaped their families – Uh – I mean -  bonded.  I found no comfort in the three stock-pots of chicken broth I consumed.

Needless to say, after a couch-bound week, followed by a week of feeling excruciatingly exhausted and coughing non-stop, my happy-meter was running a little low.  But then… I glanced at the calendar, and was reminded of an upcoming trip…a light at the end of the sickness tunnel…the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo in San Francisco!!!!  Among the coughing, aching, sneezing, foggy brained mess I’d been in, I almost forgot that the expo was coming up, and I was going!  Woot!

The Gluten & Allergen Free Expo is “the premier gluten and allergen free event in the US” and is chock-full of specialty products, cooking classes and informative speakers!  In addition to all that is offered, this event takes place in one of my favorite cities, San Francisco!!  But tickets are going fast and I’ve heard they’re close to selling out, so if you’re planning on going, buy them online – and do it now, before it’s too late!  With your Expo Ticket you get:

~Sampling and purchasing from over 100 specialty vendors
~Membership in the GFAF EXPO CLUB – with exclusive online offers and news
emailed to you every month
~Free lectures about gluten & allergen-free living and cooking
~The best cookbooks and the ability to meet the authors and get a signed copy of your
book (ahem…I will be there!!  I’ll have both of my cookbooks, so stop by and say hello!)
~A free gift bag to carry all of your loot
~All products are labeled by allergen
~Coupons for future purchases
~Take home samples of of your favorite and new products
~Purchase hard-to-find products
~Shop at the new Expo Store – featuring gift products that can only be found at the
Expo
~Kids area

While everything sounds wonderful, I’m most excited for the wonderful variety of speakers at the event, including Dr. Peter Green,   Nadine Grzeskowiak RN CEN and  Kyra Bussanich, the only GF winner of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars!  I’m also really looking forward to being a part of the event as a GFAF Expo Author Team member, which means I will be hanging out with some awesome GF authors, I’ll have signed copies of both The Healthy Gluten Free Life and Paleo Indulgences for sale, plus, I get to meet all of you!

So I’m off to pack my bags and research some great places to eat while I’m there.  Are you going?  What are you most excited to see?  What are your favorite gluten-free-friendly restaurants in the Bay Area?  I hope to see you there!

Paleo “Sugar” Cookies with Cinnamon Maple Frosting (plus options!)

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With Christmas fast approaching, I wanted to give my wonderful readers an early present…a sneak preview of not one, but TWO recipes from my latest book, Paleo Indulgences!! 

That first Christmas after switching to a Paleo lifestyle, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to make sugar cookies with my daughters, which had been a tradition for almost a decade.  (Started with my oldest, before my youngest was even around!)  So I went to work to find a suitable sugar cookie cut-out with no gluten, grains, dairy, soy or cane sugar.  After a few attempts, we were oh-so-happy with the results!  The final recipe created a cookie that was so versatile, I could make a simple drop cookie out of it, or roll it into a log and slice the cookies if we were lazy that year, but best of all, we could  roll it out and use our beloved cookie cutters!!  Not only that, the cookies stay together nicely and don’t fall apart while we decorate them!  Our tradition was saved!

Now, I must confess, that I also make a small batch of my original Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs (with modifications) for my youngest, because she can’t have nuts, and a full coconut flour cookie, or one with ground seeds, just hasn’t passed our taste tests yet.  For this small batch, I use maple syrup instead of sugar, and coconut oil and palm shortening instead of non-dairy butter.  It’s not Paleo because of the GF grains, but it’s the best choice for us since nuts leave her feeling awful, and missing out on the tradition would leave her feeling even worse.  Nope, not on this Mama’s watch!

What are your family’s Holiday traditions, and how have you adapted them to fit your gluten free and/or Paleo lifestyle?  Whatever they are, I hope you enjoy this recipe with your family and create some wonderful memories along the way!

 

Paleo “Sugar” Cookies
Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free*, Soy Free, Cane Sugar Free

Dry Ingredients:

1 C Almond flour
¼ C Coconut flour
2 TBSP Arrowroot starch
½ tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp sea salt

(~Option – for chocolate sugar cookies, add in 2 TBSP organic unsweetened cocoa powder~)

Wet ingredients:

1 egg (*for an egg free option, you can use 1 TBSP flax meal mixed with 3 TBSP hot water)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp pure almond extract
1/3 C pure maple syrup
2 TBSP coconut oil, melted

1)     Preheat oven to 350°.

2)     In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.

3)     Add wet ingredients to the dry, except for the coconut oil, and blend with a hand
mixer.

4)     With mixer on low, slowly add coconut oil to the bowl and mix well.

5)     For a soft cookie, you can scoop and bake now for 11-13 minutes

6)     For a crispier cookie, roll the dough in plastic wrap into a log.  Place in the freezer
for 2 hours (or more, until very firm).  Remove and slice into ¼” slices.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake 13-15 minutes.

7)     For cutouts, shape dough into a disc and refrigerate for 3 hours (or more).  The longer you keep them in the fridge, the easier they are to work with.

8)     Using a fine dusting of arrowroot powder to prevent sticking, dust two sheets of parchment paper and the dough.  Roll dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4″ thickness.

9)     Remove top piece of parchment and cut out cookies with cookie cutters. *Tip* – dip your cookie cutters in some arrowroot or cocoa powder (for chocolate cookies) to keep them from sticking to the dough.  Remove excess dough from around cutout shapes.  *Tip* -  If your dough is still soft and not easy to peel off the parchment, knead a small amount of arrowroot starch (or cocoa powder for the chocolate cookies) into the dough until it’s a little less sticky, then re-roll.

10)    Place bottom sheet of parchment with cookie shapes (no scraping cookies and transferring to another sheet!) onto a baking sheet and bake 13-15 minutes or until edges are browned and center is firm to the touch.

11)    Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

12)    Frost with your favorite icing or my Cinnamon Maple Frosting (below)!

 ~~~~~~~~~

 

Cinnamon Maple Frosting

½ C Palm Shortening

1/3 C pure maple syrup

Pinch sea salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 TBSP Arrowroot starch

2 tsp Coconut flour (sifted)

2 TBSP Coconut oil, melted

 

1)     In a medium bowl with a hand mixer, blend all ingredients except coconut oil until fully combined.

2)     With mixer on low, slowly add in coconut oil.  Blend well and there are no lumps.

3)     If frosting is a bit too soft, refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Candy Cane Sugar Cookies

For a Holiday party variation, I bake small circles of the sugar cookies, both chocolate and vanilla.  After the cookies cool completely, melt dark chocolate, unsweetened dark chocolate and a little peppermint extract together and stir until smooth.  (The unsweetened chocolate helps cut the sugar a bit since I use less of the dark chocolate this way.)  Then drizzle the minty chocolate over the cookies.  Next, crush organic (read: no artificial colors, flavors or corn syrup) gluten free candy canes and sprinkle them on top!  They’ll be a hit at your next Christmas Cookie Exchange Party!

~~~~~~~~~~

Oh, and one last suggestion…sometimes, when I’m in a Naughty List kinda mood, I like to dip half of a BIG sugar cookie in melted dark chocolate.  Yep.  I’ll just leave it at that.

Cranberry Vinaigrette – (Cranberry Sauce – Take 2)

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Apparently, it’s really difficult to make a small amount of cranberry sauce.  Have you ever noticed that?  Long after the leftover turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie have vanished, there’s still that bowl of cranberry sauce sitting in the fridge.  My family loves cranberry sauce, but no matter how much we use on the big T-Day, we always have lots leftover.  Always.

So what’s a thrifty mom to do?  Re-purpose and re-use, that’s what!  Today I’m making my Cranberry Vinaigrette – one of the 200+ recipes in my first book, The Healthy Gluten Free Life.  It’s my gift to you on this post Thanksgiving, what do we eat now, kind of weekends.  So cook up some chicken or steak, slice and make yourself a hearty spinach salad with this Cranberry Vinaigrette!  It’ll be the best thing you’ve done with cranberry sauce all week!

Cranberry Vinaigrette
(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Grain Free, Cane Sugar Free, Soy Free)

⅓    C (80 mL) balsamic vinegar

¾    C (180 mL) olive oil

¼    C (60 mL) Cranberry Sauce (I use my leftovers from pg. 252 in The Healthy Gluten Free Life.  But use what you’ve got!)

1     tsp organic Dijon mustard

1     clove garlic, minced

¼    tsp sea salt

¼    tsp pepper

1     Tbsp raw organic honey

Blend all ingredients in a blender or Bullet blender until fully
combined. Use immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the
fridge for up to a week.

Spiced Maple Pecans

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It’s almost Thanksgiving, and I just realized I have NO munchies for guests before dinner!  Uh-oh.  Hungry guests are a no-no in my family, so I’m whipping up some Spiced Maple Pecans, from my first book, The Healthy Gluten Free Life, to keep everyone busy while dinner is cooking.  Along with a variety of olives, munchies are taken care of.  Yay!  Sweet, salty and absolutely delicious, you and you’re guests will love them!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Spiced Maple Pecans

2 Cups Raw Pecans
3 TBSP Pure Maple Syrup
¼ tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Sea Salt
A pinch of freshly ground pepper

1) In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon, ginger, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

2) Place maple syrup in a medium bowl, set aside.

3) In a large skillet, toast the pecans over medium high heat, stirring almost constantly, until nuts are slightly toasted and hot.  (about 5 minutes)

4) Add nuts to the maple syrup bowl and toss to coat.

5) Sprinkle spice mixture over nuts and stir to evenly coat.

6) Spread nuts in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Cool completely and enjoy!!

Surviving the Treats of Halloween

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First and foremost, I must admit that I am not a Paleo Perfectionist by any means.  I do my best on a daily basis, but as you can tell from my current book, Paleo Indulgences, I like to bake, I like a sweet treat occasionally, and I don’t want my kids to ever feel left out because of something as simple as food.  However, when it comes to those occasional treats, I want them to be with quality ingredients, real foods and as healthy as I can make it, but still love the taste and texture.  Like I always say, it can be the healthiest thing possible, but if no one eats it because it tastes bad, then it really didn’t matter that it was good for you.

So when we originally became aware of our food allergies, that first Halloween I panicked.  How was I going to enjoy the holiday, let the kids trick-or-treat, and still not allow gluten, dairy & nuts for my youngest, and artificial colors and flavors into their little tummies?

My solution that year was to create a Halloween Store for the kids.  I stocked up on mom-approved treats and non-food treats, then after the trick-or-treating, we came home and commenced with the Halloween Store where the kids essentially “bought” the good stuff with the bad stuff.  We’ve been doing this for years now and I am surprised and thrilled that my girls talk more about, and are more excited about, the Store than they are about trick-or-treating! Who knew? And this year is shaping up to be the same. They’ve been talking about the Store for weeks and wondering what will be for sale this year!

Here’s how it works…I usually set up a table with some Fall decorations and then display all of the items “for sale.”  Then I act as the Halloween Witch (This is in direct contrast to my everyday personality so the kids get a kick out of it.  Really!)  and the kids “buy” the good treats with their nasty trick-or-treat candy.  I don’t have a set “price” but make it up as I go, to ensure all of their bad candy gets “spent.”  I charge maybe 2 pieces of candy for a good lollipop, and maybe 25 pieces for a large piece of dark chocolate or a puzzle.  The kids really get into it, picking out the things they want (I buy the same for both to keep it fair, but they enjoy selecting what they want as they go.)

This was our solution to a problem of wanting the kids to be a part of something our society celebrates, but still mainting our food values to a degree.  So far, it has been a win-win for this family!  Keep in mind your needs as far as food allergies and what you’re ok with as a once-a-year splurge for the kids.  We don’t do gluten, grains, artificial colors or flavors.  Those are our strict limits.  We will allow some dairy in the chocolate (except for our youngest who can’t do dairy) and some organic sugar.  Those we can compromise on for this one day.  I also try not to overdo the treats and balance them with non-food items so that they aren’t eating sugar for the next month.

Here’s what I’ve got on the table this year:

 

How do you survive this sugar coated holiday?  I’d love to hear if you try a Store and what you’re kids think of it!  And feel free to post your ideas for Halloween treats that won’t scare you to death!  Happy Halloween!

 

 

Sweet N Sour Meatballs – Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, Egg Free Option*

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I originally created this recipe for the wonderful US Wellness Meats when they were nice enough to have me as their featured chef in September 2012.  This dish quickly became a family favorite, especially for my kids, which is a success all on it’s own.  These delectable little meatballs explode with sweet, tangy, gingery flavor that will please young and old alike.  Best of all, this recipe comes with options!  Make them for tonight’s dinner, or make-ahead and freeze them for later, or pop them in your crock pot for an easy week-night dinner without much fuss.  Enjoy!


Sweet-N-Sour Meatballs
Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients:

Coconut oil for the pan

Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef (1 pkg. 75% lean)
1 lb. ground pork (1 pkg.)
1 small organic onion, finely diced
1 small organic red pepper, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBSP chopped fresh organic parsley
1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 farm fresh organic eggs (*or use 1 TBSP ground flax seeds or chia seeds mixed with 3 TBSP hot water.  Let it sit until it gels then use like an egg.)

Sauce:
1 C organic pineapple juice (you can also use the drained juice from a can of pineapple
chunks – save the pineapple for snacking later)
1 TBSP raw organic honey
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
2 TBSP coconut aminos
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 C organic tomato sauce
2 TBSP organic tomato paste

Directions:

1) Place all the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl and mix lightly with your hands to combine.  Roll into 1-1/2-inch balls.

2)  Heat some oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, spacing evenly around pan. Make sure not to touch them for a few minutes and really let them brown and caramelize on the bottoms. Turn meatballs to brown on all sides, lowering heat to medium if necessary.

3)  Meanwhile, make the sauce.  In a medium bowl, mix sauce ingredients until combined.  Set aside.

4)  When meatballs are browned on all sides, add the sauce to pan, making sure to stir up the yummy bits off the bottom as you pour it in.

5)  Bring sauce to a boil, then turn to medium and simmer until sauce thickens and meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes.  If sauce is too thin for your liking, remove meatballs to a bowl and keep warm.  Increase heat to medium high and simmer sauce until reduced and thickened.

 

Slow Cooker Option:

These are great in the slow-cooker!
Follow directions 1- 4.  Add browned meatballs and sauce to your slow-cooker.  Cook on low 4-5 hours or until meatballs are cooked through and sauce is bubbling.

Make Ahead:

To make these ahead of time for future meals, simply brown the meatballs by following steps 1-3 above.  Cool meatballs slightly and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Place in the freezer until frozen through.  Place the sauce in a mason jar and freeze.  Put frozen meatballs and the jar of sauce in a large, freezer safe zip-top bag and freeze until needed.  To use, simply thaw in the fridge overnight and proceed with steps 4 & 5.

School Lunch:

These delicious meatballs make a great school lunch, or work lunch.  Simply reheat the meatballs with some sauce and place in a heated Thermos. (Heat one up by filling it with hot water for a few minutes, then draining and filling with your food.) They’ll still be warm at lunchtime for a filling, tasty meal!

Paleo Indulgences Book Release Giveaway!!

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CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED! 

Congratulations to  Robyn G., Adriane M., Jackie, Amy S., Rachael, Sally Y., Lisa P. & Carl!!!  I have emailed all of you!! 

THANK YOU ALL FOR ENTERING!

 

I am gearing up for the official release of Paleo Indulgences on Tuesday, September 18th!!  And I want YOU to help me celebrate!  {Disclosure – I am REALLY excited so I will use a ridiculous amount of exclamation points in this post.  I apologize!  Really!}

I appreciate each and every one of you who has posted, commented, shared, ordered and supported this project of mine.  Without all of you, Paleo Indulgences would just be some scribbled notes in my kitchen notebook.  To thank you for helping spread the word, I want to do a BIG giveaway!!  Now let’s do some celebrating!!

Here are the prizes!!

1)  US Wellness Meats Prize Pack!!!

One amazingly lucky winner will receive all of the following delicious, grass fed meat from US Wellness Meats, selected from some of the recipes in Paleo Indulgences!  Oh, and while you’re checking out their site, head over to see who the featured chef is for September!  Hint:  IT’S ME!!  Thank you US Wellness Meats for this awesome prize package!!

        •  1 pkg Bacon (for the Bacon Guacamole pg. 122)
        •  1 lb Ground Pork (for the Rosemary Pork Burgers pg. 150)
        •  3 lbs Chicken Wings (for the Hot Wings pg. 142)
        •  1 Flank Steak (for the Broccoli Beef pg. 168)
Two lucky winners will receive a one year subscription to Paleo Magazine, the first, and only, print magazine dedicated to the Paleo lifestyle and ancestral health.  Each issue is packed with info on diet, exercise, daily living, recipes, reviews, the latest research, raising paleo kids and much, much more!
The best part?  The winners get to choose between either the digital or print subscription – your choice!
3)  Signed Copy of Paleo Indulgences!

Two lucky winners will receive a signed copy of Paleo Indulgences!!  Loaded with healthy, grain free, gluten free, sugar free, and mostly dairy free recipes, Paleo Indulgences will help you satisfy those occasional cravings without undoing all you’ve worked so hard for!

 4) Copy of Practical Paleo - A customized approach to health and a whole-foods lifestyle by Diane Sanfilippo, BS, NC

One very lucky winner will receive the book Practical Paleo!  The author Diane, of the popular website Balanced Bites, has created one of the most comprehensive, helpful books for clean eating and improving your health I’ve every seen.  Thoughtfully organized, full of meal plans and help for specific autoimmune conditions, there really isn’t anything like this book on store shelves today.  I’m really not sure which is my favorite, the recipes, tear out guides, or the 30-day meal plans!  

5) A copy of Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook, by Sarah Fragoso!!!

And finally, one lucky winner will receive a copy of Sarah Fragoso’s latest book, Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook!!  I love this book so much!  Sarah’s recipes are packed with flavor but super simple.  Pretty much what any mom asks for!  But my favorite part of the book has to be the front section where you get to know Sarah a little more personally and in the end you feel like your best friend has given you a pep-talk to do things just a little bit better.  Sarah is the ultimate mom role-model without being judgy or unrealistic.  You will be so happy to have this cookbook in your library!  And don’t forget to check out her super popular website www.everydaypaleo.com which is chock-full of information and recipes!

6) Nom Nom Paleo iPad App!!

One super-duper lucky winner will receive a free download of Nom Nom Paleo’s iPad app!  If you haven’t seen this thing – go.  Go now.  Bask in the glorious pictures.  Drool over tantalizing recipes.  Go on, we’ll wait ………………..Ok, did I tell you, or what?  It’s awesome!!!  And one winner will get a free download of this amazing virtual cookbook!  I know.  It’s too much.  But like I said, I’m EXCITED!!!!  Thank you to Michelle of Nom Nom Paleo for this great prize!!

{ How to Enter}

To enter to win any of the wonderful prizes (one winner will be drawn randomly each time) all you need to do is post in the comment section for this post that you did any (but more than one is always appreciated!) of the following things (No Purchase Necessary to Win!)

1) You pre-ordered Paleo Inulgences (Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!).

2) You’ve gotten Paleo Indulgences and have written a review on Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com (You can do this right now!  Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!).

3) You’ve liked US Wellness Meats (and signed up for their newsletter), Paleo Magazine, Balanced Bites, Everyday Paleo , Nom Nom Paleo & ME The Healthy GF Life, on Facebook and have followed them on Twitter (don’t miss out on some of the great information these folks provide!).

4) You’ve posted a link on your FB page, website, blog etc. to where everyone can buy Paleo Indulgences on Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com (Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!)

Giveaway entries will no longer be accepted after 9:00 am PST on Tuesday, September 18th.  Winners will be announced shortly after!  Have fun!!