Grainless Granola

Advanced & Core Plan

Granola is a favorite breakfast food and topping but most store bought granola is full of carbohydrates like oats and sugars like honey, agave, and cane sugar.  This recipe is fun to make and easily storable.

6-10 servings (depending on size of the serving)

photo2 cups nuts (any combination of walnuts, pecans, and almonds – slivered work best)
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup large coconut flakes, unsweetened
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup erythritol (like Swerve) or spoonable stevia to taste (about 1-1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 organic egg white, whisked until frothy

Core Plan Option:  1 cup dried fruit (unsweetened cranberries, raisins, dates)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Melt coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Take off heat and stir in ginger, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Combine nuts in a food processor and pulse several times to chop the nuts roughly. Transfer nuts to a large bowl. Pull out any large chunks and re-process.  Add pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes and dried fruit, if using to the nuts. Toss to combine then pour the oil mixture into the nut mixture and mix well.  Whisk egg white and pour over mixture and combine with a spoon or your hands making sure everything is coated well.
Transfer granola onto baking sheet, spreading it out into one even layer.
Bake granola for 20-25 minutes until dry and golden (watch it closely so it doesn’t burn). Don’t stir but you may need to rotate the pan if it is growing unevenly.  Remove the parchment from the hot pan and let the granola cool completely (it will get even crispier as it cools).
When the granola is  cool, break it up into chunks. This can be stored for up to two weeks in an airtight container.

Serving suggestions:
As a snack on it’s own
As a cereal served with almond milk, coconut milk, or raw milk
Parfait style with organic yogurt and berries

Core Plan Carrot Cake

This is a classic recipe that has been updated to be a healthy version.  It has no refined flour and no sugar or artificial sweeteners.  This recipe can also be made into cupcakes or mini cupcakes.

Makes 1 cake, 12 cupcakes, or 24 mini cupcakes

photo3 cups almond flour
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/2 cup erythritol (like Swerve) or spoonable stevia to taste
5 large organic eggs
1/4 cup melted coconut oil or grape seed oil
3 cups shredded carrots
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two 9 inch cake pans with butter and dust with almond flour.  In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix well.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil and eggs.  Stir the wet ingredients int o the dry ingredients.  Fold in the carrots, raisins, and walnuts if desired.  Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.  The batter will be a bit thick so try to even it carefully by pushing the batter down rather than spreading it.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let the cakes cool for 1 hour before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 – 8 ounce packages of organic cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup plain Amasai or organic heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup erythritol (like Swerve) or spoonable stevia to taste

Mix all ingredients together with a hand mixer until well combined.  For a thinner consistency, add more Amasai or whipping cream.

Chocolate Raspberry Terrine

This is a great recipe for a hot summer day and for impressing guests.  It makes for a beautiful presentation looks lovely when sliced.
Advanced & Core Plan
Serves 6

2 containers raspberries (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 cups stevia or erythritol sweetened vanilla ice cream (like So Delicious brand), softened

Mash the raspberries in a bowl and mix with softened coconut milk ice cream.  In a separate bowl, mix softened coconut milk ice cream with the cocoa powder.

Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap.  Pour in chocolate mixture and spread it flat then top with the raspberry mixture.  Freeze until set and serve.

Cranberry Chocolate Biscotti

Core Plan

Makes about 24 biscotti

This recipe has super simple ingredients and rival their less healthy counterparts.  These are great served with hot green tea and work great for breakfast or for a snack.

photo1/4 cup melted coconut oil
2 large organic eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups almond flour
1/2 cup erythritol (like Swerve) or xylitol or pure stevia to taste
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries, unsweetened (these are harder to find)
1 bar stevia sweetened chocolate bar (like Lydia’s or Coco Polo)
1/2 cup sliced almonds or chopped pecans, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, combine the oil, eggs and vanilla with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes.  In a separate bowl, mix the almond flour, sweetener, salt, and baking soda.  Stir the wet mixture into the dry until well combined.  Fold in the cranberries, chocolate, and nuts if desired.  Split the dough in two and form into two logs (about 9 inches by 2 inches).

Bake for about 18 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.  Let the logs cool for at least 1 hour then cut into slices (about 1/2 inch thick – too thin and they will fall apart) with a sharp serrated knife.  Return the sliced biscotti to the baking sheets laying on their sides and bake for an additional 15 minutes, turning halfway through.  Let cool and serve.

Grainless Rolls

photo1 1/2 cups almond flour
5 tablespoons psyllium husk powder
2 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 organic eggs or 3 organic egg whites
1 cup boiling water

Mix all of the dry ingredients together.  Add the eggs and apple cider vinegar and mix well.  Add the boiling water and continue to mix until well combined.  It will turn into a very sticky dough.  Split the mixture into 5 rolls.  You will want to “form” them into nicely shaped rolls and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

These can be used for sandwiches, grass fed burgers, or own their own.

Recipe modified from Maria Emmerich