Primal Salmon Patties

For the longest time I thought I just couldn't afford to eat as much fish as I'd like to. Personally, I think fish should be included in at least 2-3 meals per week. I consider my local health food store to be very reasonable (compared to franchises like Whole Foods, at least), but their salmon fillets were nearly $10 a piece. I don't know about you all, but I had no room in my budget for that. Then something wonderful happened- I stumbled upon this amazing article by my hero, Chris Kresser. Basically, he says that it's worse to not eat fish, than to eat fish that might be slightly contaminated with mercury or radiation. Omega 3 oils are critical for so many important functions in our body, that fish is just a necessity of a well rounded diet. Then after shopping around a bit, I realized that there we're a ton of wild-caught salmon and sardines on the market- for very reasonable prices. So far, this salmon by Bear and Wolf has been my favorite. I'm still struggling to get creative with the sardines, but I have had an absolute blast in the kitchen with the salmon. This is one of the first recipes I made with the bulk order of canned salmon I bought, and it's been a family favorite. My husband can eat a whole batch to himself, and my daughter begs for "fish cakes". It's super simple to prepare, and most of the ingredients are pantry staples that most of us always have on hand.

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Easiest Ever Primal Pizza {AIP}

I am so sorry to keep bombarding you all with plantain recipes, but I just can't help it. I just discovered plantains a few months ago, and it's versatility is still blowing my mind. So far I've made taco shells, cookies, pizza crust, and banana bread (recipe up soon!). The first recipe I experimented with was the taco shells. After posting the taco shell recipe, one of my readers asked if the mixture could be used to make pizza crusts. Oh boy. What an idea. 

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Kombucha for Beginners

Kombucha. Yes, it's a strange word. The name alone has turned some people I know off to drinking it. For others, it's the stringy goop floating around in the bottle. I didn't even know what kombucha was until I was about 17, and even though I was a "real-foodie" then- it still sounded and tasted strange. However, my taste buds quickly got acclimated to the fizzy-fermented flavor, and it soon became my favorite beverage. Brewing kombucha is fun for the whole family, and you get an end product that is chock full of health benefits.

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Maple & Bacon Toasted Coconut Butter (AIP)

There's no denying it. I miss nut/seed butter quite a lot. Not only were they great additions to many, many recipes- they make a great snack all by themselves. I was totally guilty of eating sunflower seed butter right out of the jar when I needed a quick snack. Then when I started following the autoimmune protocol, I thought I'd never be able to enjoy a nut butter again. And then, I stumbled upon this wonderful recipe for toasted coconut butter over at The Healthy Foodie. Yes! It was a miracle. With a little cinnamon and honey, I couldn't tell a difference between it and a nut or seed butter. It comes together in just a few minutes, and is a very versatile "condiment" to have in your pantry. 

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Easy "No-mato" Sauce (AIP)

I know that there a million variations of this recipe around the web, but I thought I'd share mine with you. A few weeks ago I decided to make meat loaf, and made this recipe up on a whim. So, I'm not exactly how similar it might be to others out there, This stuff is incredibly handy to have in the fridge, and I have been using it in just about everything; it's so yummy! Not to mention that it's packed with nutrients and antioxidants. No, it doesn't really taste like tomatoes, but it has an awesome texture and is really versatile! I've used it in meatloaf, on zucchini noodles, on tacos, and even as a pizza sauce.

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Coconut Tulsi Ice-Cream (AIP)

Summer is coming up, and cannot wait to make this for my family to enjoy on a hot day. This recipe is super simple, and so rich and creamy that you won't know it's dairy free! It also has Tulsi (Holy Basil), so it has added medicinal properties. Tulsi is great for supporting healthy adrenal and thyroid function. I contributed this recipe to Delicious Obsessions this month, so hop on over there and check it out! Recipe here.

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Tex-Mex Plantain Taco Bowls (AIP)

Last month I shared with you an autoimmune paleo recipe for plantain taco shells. They were a big hit with my family, and I hope that you've had the opportunity to try them out. If you've tried the recipe, you know that it might take a little finesse to get the shells draped just right on your oven rack. The dripping oil can also be quite messy. I greatly enjoyed the end product, but have been disappointed that I can't think of anything else to help mold the shell. However, while I was shopping at a local discount store a few weeks ago, I found these. Yep, they're coated in teflon, but they were only 1 dollar a piece- couldn't pass 'em up. I really do try to be well rounded in my health consciousness. I don't wear make-up, deodorant, or chemical-laden lotions and body products. I avoid GMOs at all cost, and only use essential oils to clean my home. We don't store our food in plastic, and usually only cook with ceramic. But yes, I own these teflon doo-dads. The shells only cook in the mold for about ten minutes, so I don't beat myself up about it. I've also seen this idea, and I think it would work just fine. I actually have a silicon cupcake mold, and I intend to try that idea next time.

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Primal Pot Pie With "Mashed Potato" Crust (AIP)

There is something so comforting about this dish. It's rustic, and simple, and most of our mom's probably prepared dishes like this when we were small. It reminds me of carefree times. Now when I think of pot pie, I'll remember this amazing Winter I spent cozied up with my lovely family.

I anticipate more tweaking of ingredient proportions with this recipe, but I thought that I'd go ahead and share it anyway. This recipe is AIP, Paleo, gluten free, GAPS/SCD, and 21DSD compliant. 

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Double Dark Chocolate Tart (Paleo)

Have you ever prepared a dessert or meal for someone that included an ingredient you had an aversion to? It ain't easy. I made this tart for my family last week, and it was almost impossible for me to not taste it. Which was frustrating, because I didn't know if it was sweet enough, or the right texture. However, I'm happy to say that it got my husband and toddler's seal of approval (it only lasted 1 day in the refrigerator). I also gave my father-in-law a slice for his birthday, and he compared it to Olive Garden's Black Tie Mousse Cake! I was happy to be able to treat my friends and family to something delicious, and it really is a breeze to make! 

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Cilantro and Ginger Spice Carrot Salad (AIP)

Sometimes the simplest things are the best. That is definitely the case for this darling little side dish. I got a julienne peeler last week, and this was the first thing I made with it. (Then I had this for lunch for the next 3 days after!) This peeler is definitely going to become a favorite kitchen utensil! It only takes a few minutes to whip this up, and only requires a few ingredients! It's light, crispy, tangy, and incredibly refreshing. What could be better?

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Simple Paleo Meatloaf With "No-mato" Sauce (AIP)

When I started working on this recipe last week, I suddenly realized that it had been about 8 years since I'd had meatloaf! Crazy, huh?! Traditional meatloaf has bread crumbs, eggs, and tomatoes- so I didn't think it was possible to make an Autoimmune protocol version. However, I'm delighted to say that this came out far better than I remember meat-loaf tasting back in the day. I was even able to sneak about 4 oz. of this pate into my loaf without it affecting the flavor much!

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