Apple Cake

This is another sweet dessert that can be eaten any time of day. Made with healthy nut flour and loaded with apples and a bit of citrus and dried fruit. After it cools, I like to slice it and freeze for later eating.

2 lb apples (about 5 medium-sized)
2 cups almond flour
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp of allspice
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
4 large eggs
3/4 cup honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Optional: I like to add about 3/4 cups of nuts and 1/2 cup of raisins when folding in the apples.

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease a 10-inch springform pan.
2. Peel and grate the apples, and then add the lemon juice.
3. Combine the almond flour, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.
4. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs; then mix in the honey and vanilla.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix thoroughly. Quickly fold in the apples. You should try and move through this step quickly to take advantage of this chemical reaction, which will help to create a really high and light cake.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.
7. After 30 minutes, cover with aluminum foil which has been sprayed with oil. Bake until the cake is firm on the sides but softer in the middle, about 45 more minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool before releasing it from the springform pan.

Beef Roast With Dried Fruit

 Roast, there is nothing so simple when one is prepared in a slow-cooker and nothing so delicious!

1 onion
2-4 pound pot roast, preferably grass fed
11 ounces dried fruit (apricots, prunes, apples), sulfur free
3/4 cup of Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup water
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme

In a small bowl mix together the salt, pepper and thyme and sprinkle onto the roast all over. Heat a pan with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil with medium heat. Brown the roast on all sides. Slice the onion and place in a Crock-Pot with dried fruit, Cabernet, water, garlic, honey, cinnamon, and any leftover salt, pepper and thyme. Mix well. Place roast on top and cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Serve with white rice (if not on an SCD diet) and vegetables.

Trail Mix Granola Bars

I just bought the new cookbook: Against All Grain by Danielle Walker at Costco the other day. This cookbook did not disappoint. Though I haven't tried many of the recipes, her other book: Against the Grain, had many tasty grain-free recipes and ideas how to keep one's appetite satisfied.

A caution for those still suffering from symptoms, try to keep away from as much honey as possible. So, eat this bar with caution. Eat only one at a time and see how your body responds.

They are delicious and can give you much energy, but know your body and how it responds to foods. Some people are sensitive to honey, some to nuts and some to dried fruit, and if you are fortunate your body can handle all three. But I say again, know your own body.


Trail Mix Granola Bars

1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup of almond butter, or nut butter of choice (not peanut butter)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3/4 cup pecan halves
3/4 cup of cashews
1/2 cup of almonds
5 large pitted dates, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes
1/4 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup of raisins
2 tablespoons of unsweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup of dark chocolate pieces (optional, not allowed for SCD diets)

1.  Line a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Place the honey, almond butter, oil and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to avoid burning, then lower heat to simmer for 10 minutes continuing to stir.
3. Meanwhile, place the pecans, cashews, almonds, and dates in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles course sand. Add the coconut, raisins, cranberries and chocolate if desired. Pulse a few times to combine and chop up ingredients.
4. Remove the honey mixture from the stove and stir in the nut mixture.
5. Spoon the mixture  into the baking dish, spreading it out with the back of the spoon.
6. Place a piece of parchment paper on top and use your palms to press the mixture evenly into the pan. Pack it down as tightly as possible to allow the mixture to cohere.
7. Remove the top piece of parchment and place the dish in the freezer for 2 hours.
8. Remove from the freezer and lift the mixture out of the pan using edges of the parchment paper. Cut into even rectangle-shaped bars with a knife. Store in the refrigerator.

Turkey Butternut Hash

Several weeks ago, a young mother shared a similar recipe for a quick-one skillet meal. I thought it a wonderful and quick idea, but needed to tweak the recipe a little to make it SCD complaint.

First, the bacon needs to be nitrate, preservative, and sugar free. The one company I found that makes a wonderful bacon is Pederson's Natural Farm. I found this bacon at Whole Foods. If you cannot find this bacon or one like it, just leave it out. Yes, everything tastes better with bacon, but your health will thank you if you keep away from the chemical ridden and sugar filled version we have our grocery shelves.  Instead of using the sweet potatoes I substituted butternut squash, and to compliment this sweet vegetable, I added one teaspoon of Garam Masala; this is an interesting Indian spice blend.

So here is a quick and easy meal and oh, so good for you! And yes, it freezes really well. So make a large batch and freeze in glass, single, serving dishes.

Turkey Butternut Hash

1/2 pound of bacon, diced
3 garlic cloves, minces
1 onion, diced
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 pounds of ground turkey
4 handfuls of spinach, stems removed

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until soft, not crisp.  Add the onion and cook 2-3 minutes and then add the ground turkey and garlic.  Cook the meat fully, stirring and breaking it up. Right before meat is done, add the cubed butternut, garam masala and stir and cover. Turn heat down too medium-low and cook until squash is barely tender. You don't want to cook the squash so long that it becomes mushy.
2.  Add the spinach and cover again, cooking for 2 minutes more, just until wilted. Then salt and pepper to taste.

Experiment with this recipe. It is forgiving and flexible. Change up the spices and add the ones that are your favorites. Serve with some SCD legal crackers for a one bowl-wonder meal.