Mini "Corn" Dogs

Cooper's favorite food is mini corn dogs.  Bummer.  It's been a long time since I've made the kid corn dogs.  But thanks to Gluten Free Fix we can add it back into our "can haves".  Too bad Cooper didn't like them. :(

Carly and I did like them and I will make them again.  They are a perfect snack or you can make a few batches and serve them with a nice salad to make an quick and easy main dish.

If you're feeling ambitious, serve them with California Cavegirl Kindra's Spicy as @$%* Paleo Honey Mustard or her whole30 compliant Honey Mustard.

Photo: Gluten Free Fix

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup grass-fed butter, melted
• 3 eggs
• 1T honey, optional
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 2T coconut flour
• 1/4t baking soda
• 1/4t sea salt
• organic, grass-fed beef hot dogs, we use Applegate, 1 hot dog per 5 mini muffins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325˚F
2. Butter a mini muffin pan, set aside
3. Whisk together butter, eggs, honey
4. Stir in dry ingredients
5. Scoop about a tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup
6. Cut hot dog into 1/2" pieces, 5 per hot dog
7. Place one hot dog slice into each muffin cup
8. Bake for 17 minutes or until golden brown
9. Serve warm

Makes about 15 minis

Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

Thanks to PreppyPaleo for the inspiration for this delicious side dish.  We have officially added this accompaniment to our Thanksgiving lineup.  My husband loved it so much he had it again for lunch the next day.

Photo: Preppy Paleo

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. raw honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Salad:

6 cups mixed greens
4 cups chopped root vegetables - beet, parsnip, sweet potato, carrot
2 tablespoons unsweetened apple cider
1 tablespoon melted butter

salt to taste

4 slices of bacon
1/2 cup chopped raw almonds

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425˚F.
• Toss root vegetables with cider and butter. Season with salt and bake for 20 minutes or until just starting to brown.
• While vegetables are roasting combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
• Cook bacon until crispy and crumble.
• Toss mixed greens with dressing, top with root vegetables, bacon, and almonds.

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

My blogger friend at Write From The Farm inspired me to make donuts again.  Her recipe for bacon, butternut, pumpkin donuts looks awesome.  I will try it.  This time, though, I was working with limited time and wanted to make some donuts for the kids and my mom visiting from Texas.  Here's my variation on the recipe I found at Edible Harmony.

Ingredients:

½ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup of pitted dates (about 10 dates)
6 eggs
1/3 cup of softened coconut oil
1 tsp of vanilla extract
2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
½ cup of coconut flour
½ teaspoon baking soda

5 tablespoons coconut milk or raw whole milk

Glaze: (optional)

2 tablespoons softened coconut oil

2 tablespoons softened butter

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons raw honey

Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Using a food processor or blender, combine the pumpkin puree, dates, eggs, oil and spices until the dates are completely ground.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and run the food processor for a few more seconds

• Grease the donut pan and pour the batter into the molds

• Bake for about 25 minutes or until donuts are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry.

• Set on a cooling rack to cool then frost with the glaze.

Breakfast Cookies

My kids were super excited to have cookies for breakfast and you don't have to feel guilty. These are a great addition to your breakfast repertoire.  Don't let the name fool you, though.  They are a great after school snack, too!

Paleo Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies by The Girl Who Went Paleo 

Ingredients:

¼ C pureed pumpkin

½ C almond butter

½ C honey
1 t vanilla
1 C almond meal/flour
1 t cinnamon
¼ t baking soda
½ C walnuts or pecans, or whatever you'd like 

 ½ C dark chocolate chips or any dried fruit, optional

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350˚ F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
• Combine all wet ingredients together
• Add dry ingredients and combine thoroughly
• Scoop batter onto prepared cookie sheet
• Bake approximately 10-15 minutes, according to thickness
• Cool 2 minutes and transfer to cooling rack  

Cereal

...It's one of the things I miss about being grain free.  Carly was near tears a few days ago.  She begged me to get her a box of cereal.  She even offered to pay for it herself.  Tough love won and I scoured the internet for a paleo "cereal".  I found two great options that both kids like.

Cinnamon Apple Creamed Cereal by Paleo Parents is egg-free, grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free.

Paleo Cereal by The Paleo Project

• In a bowl combine chopped raw almonds, chopped raw cashews (or whatever nuts you like), blackberries, raspberries, and bananas (or whatever fruit you like).

• Pour coconut milk over nuts & fruit and top with honey.

I think they are great substitutes.  If you try them, please let me know what you think.

Brownies

Monday we celebrated our God-granddaughter, Hero's, 7th birthday.  She's such a blessing.  In honor of her birthday she got to sleep over at Grammy & Grampy's and we celebrated with a special treat.  My friend Kindra posted this recipe on my fb wall and I've been dying to try it.  I'm so glad I made it.  This is probably my most favorite thing I've made since going paleo.  It is so delicious!

Happy Birthday, Hero!

Raw Brownies - adapted from the Rawtarian:

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds
1 cup dates
5 tablespoons raw cacao (cocoa) powder
4 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes (or you can use shredded)
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
 
1. Place almonds in your food processor and process until they become small and crumbly.
2. Add dates and process until the mixture sticks together and the dates are well processed.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and process until the mixture turns a dark chocolatey brown.
4. Scoop into a brownie pan or small cake pan and press down firmly using your clean hands.
5. Refrigerate* for a couple of hours.
6. Store in the refrigerator if it lasts that long!

*You don't have to refrigerate it, but it is much easier to slice when chilled.