Cauliflower Pilaf

Using cauliflower as an alternative to rice is nothing new to some people but perhaps I can offer what I think is the best way to prepare it.  I have never liked cauliflower cooked or raw and have heard the same from many others, so why not mask the taste as much as possible?  This is a recipe inspired by my sister, who proved to be quite a primal chef while putting me up for the last couple weeks at her place in Encinitas, CA.  (Sidenote: Jimbo's is a great place to shop for most of your primal needs if you live in that area.)

Cauliflower Pilaf
1 head organic cauliflower
10 or more cloves of roasted garlic (I roast my own)
handful organic fresh parsley
4 tbs. bacon grease (or organic butter)
4 organic green onions
1 cup organic broth (doesn't matter what kind - I make my own stock)
sea salt and pepper to taste
organic no-salt seasoning

Directions
Grate the head of cauliflower or put it into a food-processor until it has the same consistency or size of rice.  Chop your green onions, roasted garlic and parsley and throw them into a skillet with the bacon grease.  Add the cauliflower rice and seasoning.  *I used a grill seasoning mix and a couple dashes of hot sauce for an extra kick.
After the pilaf is getting a little color (it won't turn yellow- this happens to be the color of the cauliflower we used) pour the broth in the pan and let it soak into the mix.  That's it!

You really can use any kind of veggies or seasoning you want.  The key to the recipe is really the butter or bacon grease giving it that meaty flavor.
The bar-b-que chicken thighs are a recipe passed down from my fiance's family, so I will let him post that one.

Tools: Silpat

This convenient silicone mat is an amazing tool for making sweet-potato fries, cookies, biscuits for eggs benedict or even just a steak.  You can buy them online through amazon.com or stop in to Bed Bath & Beyond and pick one up.   They even make round ones to fit in your cake pans!  I would advise anyone who is regularly using a baking sheet to get one.
Make sure that you are not putting it in the dishwasher when you are done because it will make your food taste like soap for ever after.  Because it absorbs a little of what you cook on it, I would also not recommend that you cook a piece of salmon and then bake cookies right away.  Why not just have two? ...one for sweets and one to use for savory items.  Silpat's specific cleaning instructions are on their website.

Homemade Bacon

Making bacon is not easy.  It takes a lot of time, patience and failed attempts to get it right.  But once you get it right, it is well worth it.  I have yet to see pastured bacon in the store.  Even the organic bacon with no nitrates still comes form grain fed pigs.  Sometimes we get bacon from our CSA, which raises pastured pork but it is cured with sodium nitrate and I'm not interested in that on a regular basis.  So, I make my own.
First, you will need a good source of pork belly; sometimes it is called pork side.  We get our pastured pork from our CSA.  They raise healthy, pastured pigs on their farm in Wellington, CO.  Once you find some quality meat, it's time to make bacon.


The Brine
Ice Water
Sea Salt
Black Pepper or any other spices

That's basically all that needs to be in the brine but you can add whatever spices you'd like to it.  Most traditional bacon brines have sugar in them, too.  I do not use sugar but you can add maple syrup or honey if you think it needs some sweetening.  The amount of salt is up to you.  For about 2 lbs of pork belly, I use about 1/4 C to 1/2 C of salt.  A little salt goes a long way.  But keep in mind you need that salt to prevent it from growing harmful bacteria. It takes some time and practice to get it right.
Add your salt and whatever other spices to some boiling water and let simmer until it is all dissolved.  Then add that to the ice water and submerge your pork belly in that mixture.  I put mine in a Pyrex container with a plastic lid but anything that will fit the belly and brine mixture will do.  The pork needs to be fully submerged, so putting a ceramic plate on top of it to weight it down is a good idea.
Put it in the fridge and let it brine for about a week.  Next you need to "freshen" it.

This means rinsing the pork off with cold water for about 20 minutes.  You are trying to wash off all the excess salt.  The brining process will get the salt and spice flavor into the meat but you don't need extra on the outside.  If you don't freshen, your bacon will be way too salty.
After freshening, pat dry with paper towels.  And now we smoke.

Bacon needs to be cold smoked.  I have a regular, old smoker.  So, what I do is get the wood chips smoking a whole lot, load the water tray with ice and smoke the pork belly for about 20 minutes.  This ice will keep the temperature down but you need to have a lot of smoke going before putting the pork in.  Otherwise you will overcook it.  Keep in mind, you're just adding smoke flavor to the belly, not cooking it.  Keep an eye on it because you can overdo it very easily.  This takes time and practice to get right.
Remove and let your pork belly cool.  Once it is cool, wrap it tightly in plastic and stick it in the fridge overnight.  Don't try to cut it, yet.  It needs to cool overnight.
Now, slice.  I use a deli style meat slicer to cut mine into strips but a knife will do.
Now, you have bacon.  Enjoy.

Tools: the Bullet

When I used to tell people that they needed to get a "magic bullet" they would look at me like I was a pervert.  You should have seen my mom's initial reaction when I told her I wanted one for Christmas.
Well, for those of you who don't know, it is not a sex toy.
The Magic Bullet is a blender, a whipper, a grinder, a smoothie-maker, an instant gratification machine.  You can make your breakfast, lunch and dinner in it and follow it all up with some chocolate mousse.
If you don't have one, get one.  I use it for almost every single recipe I put together.  We are already on our second one because after one year of 2-3 time a day use, the motor will begin to slow down.  But who cares, at no more than $50 for the whole getup, it is extremely worth it (Costco usually has the best deal).  We will probably be buying many more in our future.

Chocolate cookies

These are very rich and very simple.  I would definitely recommend adding walnuts and/or chocolate chips to make them truly decadent.  I didn't have any at the moment (part of the problem of not having the pantry fully stocked).

Chocolate Cookies
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp arrowroot, tapioca or a similar starch
1/2 tsp baking powder (grain-free)
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup xylitol
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp stevia extract
3 eggs
2 tbs strong brewed coffee
3 tbs lard, coconut oil or butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs almond butter 
1/2 cup whipped coconut milk


Directions
As always, combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl (except shredded coconut) and whisk until everything is evenly blended.  When I say whipped coconut milk, I am referring to what we did for the coffee-creamer recipe. That is, taking an entire can of coconut milk/cream and whipping it so that the solid and liquid are combined.  When done in the bullet or another whipping device, this creates a very thick and frothy cream.  Take 1/2 cup of this and whip it further with the 3 eggs and other wet ingredients. After all of the wet ingredients are combined, I add the shredded coconut and blend because it is extremely dry and I am trying to compensate.  Combine the wet with the dry mix and you have cookie-dough.
Bake at 375 degrees on a greased baking sheet or silpat until they don't jiggle (about 10 minutes).  Err on the underdone side, otherwise they might dry out. The recipe yields about 18 good-sized cookies.
Again, feel free to add any nuts or extras.  That can only make them more delicious!

Bacon

It's been said many times: bacon makes everything taste better.  I didn't always eat this much bacon.  But now when I have my breakfast without it, I feel gypped.
Besides enjoying it for breakfast it works wonders for sauteed veggies, adds depth of flavor to meatloafs, burgers, chilis and can even be incorporated into sweets. Always, ALWAYS save the grease!  It is definitely one of my secret ingredients for cooking.

The brands we buy when we are unable to make our own are Coleman, Beelers, and Applegate Farms.  You can find Beelers, Applegate Farms and Maverick at Natural Grocers.  Coleman and Applegate Farms can be found at most Kroger locations.  Whole Foods carries some of these and their own version of uncured bacon.  The bacon you want is the bacon that has as little processing as possible, no or minimal sugar, preferably organic and uncured.  The truth is, there is no such thing as "uncured" bacon.  If it wasn't cured, it wouldn't be bacon.  That's all marketing.  "Uncured" on a label of bacon simply means it was cured with natural sources of nitrates and nitrites.  Usually these companies use celery juice powder to cure the meat instead of sodium nitrate (1 -2 grams may be lethal.)  I am partial to the Coleman bacon because it is very thin and gets crispier faster but they come in all ranges of thickness.
Ideally you want to make your own bacon, which is not easy and takes some experimentation to get it just how you want it.  Right now we have some brining in our fridge that will get smoked today and sliced tomorrow.  After you get the basic recipe down you can start to play with the flavoring.  Then, once you've become a pro, you can experiment and even add some liquor to your brining process.  Enjoy!

Carrot Cake (grain-free)

I love this recipe!  We are literally fighting over bites of this cake as it rapidly disappears and we even eat it for breakfast.  This recipe was originally made using dates as the majority of the sweetener, however dates have too much sugar for my weight-loss plan.  If you don't mind the sugar, just substitute the xylitol with about 10 or more large pitted dates that you have ground into a paste (and taste the final mix for desired sweetness).  It is equally if not more amazing this way.  


Carrot Cake
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
3 tbs xylitol
1/2 tsp stevia
1 tsp arrowroot powder
1 tsp baking powder (Grain-Free)
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup coconut milk/cream
2 tbs brewed coffee
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbs lard/butter/coconut oil
2 cups peeled carrots chopped in a food processor
regular sized bag of pecans


*I have changed the amount of liquid to a lesser amount. Because I live in high-altitude, extra liquid is needed to keep my baking moist but this is not necessary at sea-level.


Directions
Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl with a whisk. (This is something I always do to ensure the flours and other ingredients are broken up and evenly mixed.)  Whip the wet ingredients together, except for the carrots, in a blender or bullet and then combine with the dry mix.  Lastly, add the processed carrots.  This can be poured into well greased cake rounds, cupcake molds or a brownie or loaf pan and baked at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Let it cool significantly before frosting and serving, otherwise it does not set up to a cake-like consistency. 
The pictures here are of a 3 layer cake with frosting in between the layers and poured on top (I think I doubled the recipe).  The final touch is toasting the pecans on a sheet in the oven until you can smell them, then crushing them and sprinkling liberally on top.


Frosting
1 can of previously refrigerated full fat coconut milk/cream (the thicker-the better)
a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg
1 tbs brewed coffee
sweetener of your choice: xylitol, stevia, etc... (or about 8 pitted dates processed into a paste)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whip the ingredients together in a bullet, food processor, blender or with your muscles and a whisk, sweetening to taste.

Coconut coffee creamer

The hardest part of making the transition to a primal diet is cutting out dairy. I still eat cheese but I am trying to cut dairy out entirely.  So, now I need to find a substitute for milk/cream in my coffee.  I drink a ton of coffee and I have tried many times using almond milk, hazelnut milk and coconut creamer.  Unfortunately, nothing sticks.  I just can't get the right creaminess with nut milk and though the coconut creamer at the store is very close to half'n'half, it has sugar in it and still has too strong of a coconut taste.
Well, I may have finally figured it out.  It is very simple but it gets the job done without added sugar or an overly strong coconut flavor.  I use about 3 spoonfuls to get the color above.

Coconut coffee creamer
1 can organic coconut milk/cream (never light)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
sweeten with stevia extract to taste


Empty the entire can of coconut milk/cream into a blender or bullet and whip it all together with your vanilla and stevia extract.  Store in a container (in the fridge) that you can spoon the creamer out of; otherwise it will solidify in a pourable container and you will not be able to pour it out.

Resources: Almond Flour

One of our readers has directed us to his source for almond flour: Nuts Online
It looks like they have blanched, unblanched and organic almond flour in a variety of bulk sizes for a much better price than offered at your local health-food store.
They also have chia seed, shredded coconut, dried fruit and every kind of nut and nut flour you could dream of.  I can see it now.... cashew flour cookies, or better yet- pistachio!
This is definitely a great one-stop pantry stocker.

Resources: Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's is a grocery store I became accustomed to when I lived in California.  So, when I was visiting these last couple weeks I stopped into many a location to stock up on food for my travels.  Luckily for us Trader Joe's is not just limited to SoCal anymore but unfortunately for myself, Colorado is not yet a future site for one.  For all of you fortunate primal eaters with a location near you, here is a mini-review of some of the products they have in stock that suit our needs.

These are just the items I saw at the Southern California location I was near.  There may be more available at the location near you.  Please share with us what you find!

*organic chicken
*Applegate Farms grass-fed beef hot dogs
*organic leafy greens, herbs, and various fruits/veggies
*wild salmon
*Kerrygold butters and cheeses
*raw milk cheese and/or grassfed milk cheese
*raw milk (yes, lucky Californians can buy it at the store)
*organic condiments
*nut and seed butters
*stevia (only the extract has no other added ingredients)
*raw nuts (the roasted have rice-bran oil or other undesirable ingredients)
*73% chocolate bars that contain no soy  (only $1.99! YAY!)

Beware the dried berries- I made the mistake of buying them before reading that they have added sugar...

I had a major sugar-crash after.  Yikes!  Always READ THE LABELS to make sure!

If you don't have a location near you send an email to the company or keep them in mind when you are traveling.  To download a list of all there locations click here.

Homemade Lard

Animal fats such as pork lard, beef/bison tallow and poultry fat are excellent forms of cooking oil.  They are great for baking and sauteing.  Generally, you can substitute them for butter in baking recipes.  Lard was once a common staple in most American homes. These days it is rare to find someone with a jar of lard in their pantry.  Well, take a look in my pantry.  I have two jars in there (in the fridge, actually).  

I don't use just any lard.  It is important, not only where your lard comes from, but how it was processed.  The next time you're in the grocery store, take a look at the lard on the shelf.  It's most likely hydrogenated and comes from factory farmed pigs.  I am not interested in cooking with oils like that.  So, I make my own lard.  I would also make tallow and poultry "lard" if I had a good source of fat from those animals but I do not.  So, we're sticking with lard for now.

The first step is sourcing your pig fat.  We get our pig fat from a local farm that raises organic, pastured pigs.  Their pigs are a Yorkshire cross breed that are pastured and have lots of room to roam.  They eat lots of farm fresh vegetables and fruit.   

It is important that your pig fat is pastured, as well as organic.  Organic pigs can still be fed a diet corn and soy.  That fat is not Omega 3 rich.  It is rich in Omega 6.  That's not what you're looking for in a cooking oil.  Look for pastured pork from a local farm. Pigs are omnivorous, like us. They need to be able to roam around and eat grubs, fruit, tubers, etc... The factory farmed pigs don't get this.

Once you have a good source of pig fat, you're ready to make lard.

Lard

Cut your pig fat into small pieces.  

Load the pieces into your slow cooker.  Turn it on low and let the slow cooker do its thing for a few hours.  It should take about 5 hours, give or take, to render your lard. It is a good idea to keep an eye on it after a few hours.  If you let it go too long it can burn, although it does take a while.  I have done that once before.  

Once there is mostly liquid in your pot and your fat pieces are starting to crisp up, it is time to jar your lard. You will need to strain the liquid.  

I store mine in mason jars but any jar will do.  

Pour the liquid through the strainer and close your jar.    

Let it cool for several hours until it is at room temperature.  The liquid will turn white and become solid at this point.

Store it in the refrigerator and you're all done.

What's left in the slow cooker are the crispy pieces of fat.  These can be stored and used as a sort of "pork crackling."  They can be salted and used as "bacon bits" for salads or a number of other things.  This is where you need to get creative.

Almond Flour

Almond flour is practically in everything primal and it doesn't come cheap in your local health food store.  I vaguely remember it being as much as $12 for a pound of Bob's Red Mill brand.  Well I am going to share with you an incredible money saver for almond flour.  I get mine through my workplace (a bakery/candy shop) that orders their candy from a candy/nut supplier.  Those of you who live in Denver might be completely unaware of Jerry's Nut House.  It is not listed on their website but they do have almond meal, blanched and un-blanched.  I made the mistake of getting un-blanched one time and got yelled at because it is a tiny bit more bitter with the skin on.  However, I still use it and the only difference is it's just more nutty in the recipes.  Since it is not necessarily a publicly available product, I can't predict what they will charge for their minimum order of 20 lbs.  If you are lucky, it could be as little as $100.  You do the math, that is dirt cheap and our 20 lbs lasts us about 4-6 months with frequent baking.
For those who do not live in Denver, do a little internet research and see if you can find a candy/nut supplier near you.  If they don't sell to the public, see what kind of arrangement you can come to.  Maybe if a couple people get together and want to buy a couple of boxes, they could be persuaded.  And don't forget, get the blanched!

Milk products

I love milk.  Like most children I was not allowed to leave the dinner table until I finished my milk.  I probably didn't love it as much then as I did later. When I became a little older and was outside terrorizing the neighborhood with my childhood friends I would often take a break and come inside the house to chug down some milk (if no one was looking, from the carton).  It was what I drank to quench my thirst.  I will say, to this day, that if anyone ever wanted to go head-to-head in a milk challenge I would win hands-down.  Even now, I can't force myself to put down a latte and pick up a glass of water.
As we grew up the milk began to get thinner and thinner until we were drinking what seemed like white water.  Everything became "skinny", non-fat, skim,... whatever.  I wish some of those women that order "skinny" anything could see me now.  I drink full-fat milk, half and half, heavy cream and milk so thick it has milk chunks and it tastes so good that I want to bathe in it (great for the skin, by the way).  Not only is the milk full fat but it is as minimally processed as possible.  If I could get it straight from the udder, I would.  Raw milk is truly the best kind of milk you can buy, if it is available.  Unfortunately, there are laws against selling raw dairy products in some states.  It is so illegal that a swat team will literally break into your store and destroy your establishment at gun-point (no joke).
A brand that I am lucky to have available to me is Kalona SuperNatural.  The dairy farmers (many of which are Amish and Mennonite) do not use chemicals, chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides.  Their milk products come from grass-fed cows, are totally organic with no added hormones and are non-homogenized (a process which mixes the milk and ruins the flavor and quality).  The products are also Grade A and have way more nutrients than what you generally get at the store probably because the milk is pasteurized (the legal requirement making it not raw) at the lowest heat allowed.  Industrial-scale milk producers heat their milk up to as much as 265-300 degrees in their pasteurization process while Kalona SuperNatural heats it to 145 degrees.  Read more about their processing methods on their site.
Hopefully the Natural Grocers near me will carry more of their products soon but as of now I drink the whole milk and use their buttermilk for making crème fraiche and adding to my baking. 

Mexican seasoning

Combine:

1 tbs chili powder

2 tbsp cumin

2 tbsp coriander

2 tbsp ground dry oregano leaves

1 tbsp ground dry thyme leaves

1 tbsp garlic powder 
3/4 tsp cayenne

*The majority of these spices are the Organic Spices available at our local health food store, Natural Grocers.

Chili-cheese fries

This is a great chili for fries, dogs, burgers, etc... because it is mild and rich. If you want a hardcore spicy chili, this is not the stuff. However, you can add to it to get whatever spice level you desire.

I have been obsessed with chili-cheese sweet potato fries ever since I took on the challenge. Since I am trying to limit my starch intake, this is a treat I make only once in a while.

Chili

1 tbs homemade lard (saved bacon grease is better for this recipe)

1/2 onion diced

8 cloves diced garlic

2 pounds of ground grass-fed beef, bison or both

2 tsp sea salt

1 tbs cocoa powder

1 tbs Mexican seasoning

1 tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp stevia extract

1/3 cup red wine

1/3 cup brewed coffee

1/3 cup diced jalapenos

2 15 oz. cans organic diced tomatoes

1 15 oz. can organic tomato sauce

2 cups homemade beef stock

Directions:

In a slow-cooker or stock-pot melt the lard and get the onions and garlic sauteing. While that is happening, combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix it together. When everything is hot and sizzling, add the meat to your pot and throw in the dry mix. As soon as the meat is thoroughly browned, add the coffee, jalapenos, wine and stock. The cans of diced tomatoes can be thrown in as-is, however I prefer to blend everything with the tomato sauce before adding to the mix. Let it simmer or cook on low in the slow-cooker until it looks like that disgusting chili they throw on your food at the fast-food restaurants. That's exactly what we're going for; disgustingly delicious!

Sweet-Potato Fries

Get yourself some organic sweet potatoes, peel them and then slice them however you like in a french fry fashion. If you soak them in water for about 10 minutes after you cut them, this is supposed to take some of the starch out. Get the oven heated to 400-415 degrees and move a rack to a low spot above the heating element. On a baking sheet (I also recommend a Silpat) melt a couple tablespoons of lard, bacon grease or butter and toss your fries around on it. I season mine with Old Bay or blackening seasoning or just plain sea salt. Make sure to move them around as they cook. It takes a while because they are so full of water, so expect at least 30 minutes of "frying" time. At some point, they will look ready but not really have a crispness to them. You may never achieve the crispiness you expect but put them on a high rack under the broiler for about 5-10 minutes to come close. Keep an eye on them because they can start to burn quickly.

Put a pile of fries on your plate, add chili and cheese. Need I say more?

Once you start making this, good luck. I promise you will become addicted.

Coffee

There are 3 coffee roasters that I am a huge fan of and I consider myself something of a coffee snob. Coffee is not only something I drink everyday but something I definitely think should be in the pantry for all kinds of cooking. It brings out the flavor of chocolate, deepens the flavors of chili and stews and is the perfect primal cooking substitute for Worcestershire. The brand of coffee I use only matters because I am drinking it and don't like the cheap stuff. If you are not drinking it and just cooking with it, you can use whatever kind you want. Brew up a pot, put it in a bottle with a stopper and save it for cooking in the fridge. I am particular to the espresso blends because I would rather brew espresso and judge my coffee from these. On a side note, for those of you who have never been a barista, you can brew the same beans for coffee, espresso, Turkish coffee, toddy, etc... The only difference is how the bean is ground and the coffee is extracted.

My favorite Colorado brand is the NOVO espresso blend.

My favorite California brand comes from a roaster whom I worked with, KEAN.

Of course, if you ever get to Portland you will be referred to Stumptown Roasters. It is well worth the hype. You can order their espresso blend online, called Hairbender. You can even sign up for a monthly subscription to their beans.

Blackening seasoning

This is definitely a staple in my pantry and runs out pretty quickly when it is out on the counter. Several of my recipes will use this because it is great on everything. I generally just eyeball the amounts of each spice, but here are the specifics:

Blackening Seasoning

1 tbs paprika

2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp ground oregano

*The majority of these are the organic spices offered at our local health food store, Natural Grocers.

Crème fraiche

I generally don't follow recipes exactly when I am experimenting in the kitchen which causes problems if I want to recreate something again later. It also makes it a little more difficult for me to get things written down to share with others. Then again, that is another purpose for this blog. Needless to say, I can't exactly remember where I read about making your own Crème fraiche. But between a magazine article and some different recipes found online I gathered that if I just put 4 tablespoons of high quality organic cultured buttermilk into a mason jar with a pint of organic heavy cream, let it sit covered (with a paper towel) on a countertop until the same time the next day, lo and behold... I have crème fraiche.
I told a friend of mine that I made my own hollandaise with my homemade crème fraiche and she asked "What is crème fraiche?" I said "fresh cream." This made her feel a little stupid because she thought it was something more elaborate and fancy than that. I told her that it is fancy and that's all there is to it because I don't really know what all the hubbub is about, except that it is expensive, hard to find and tastes amazingly fancy!

Eggs Benedict (Grain-Free)

Let me tell you, I did not eat this well before I was primal. But now, it's bacon every day and if not that, eggs benedict. Or better yet, both!

This hollandaise is a sauce made with crème fraiche, for lack of a better use of my experimental homemade batch of it.

Wow, what a lucky experiment! By the way, I put a spoonful in my butternut squash "home-fries" this morning and was blown away...

More on homemade crème fraiche later.

Hollandaise sauce

3 pastured egg yolks (save the whites for the biscuits)

2 1/2 tbs organic lemon juice

1 cup grass-fed organic butter

1 cup crème fraiche

a pinch of sea salt

-Whip the egg yolks and lemon in a food processor while you melt the butter

-Add the butter slowly to the lemon/egg mixture while processing

-Add the crème fraiche to that, a tablespoon at a time

-Salt to taste

-Use right away storing the remainder in a mason or glass jar (because you can stick the jar in a hot water bath later to reheat) It will definitely thicken as it cools.

The "buttermilk biscuit" recipe comes from Maria Emmerich- we definitely thank you!

This works out perfectly because you can make several biscuits and have eggs benedict every day until they and the sauce runs out.

Biscuits

1 1/2 tbs grass-fed organic butter (or homemade lard)

1 cup blanched almond flour

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tbs baking powder (Grain Free)

4 egg whites

* I also add parsley, garlic power and onion powder (about 1 tsp altogether)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a medium sized muffin pan. Whip egg whites until fluffy, but not stiff. In a separate bowl, sift the baking powder into the almond flour. Then add the butter and salt. Slowly fold in the almond mixture to the egg whites. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Serves 8.

Now for the final results!

I cooked a couple pieces of homemade bacon, sautéed some green onions and warmed up a couple slices of tomato in a pan. Then I layered this on top of the biscuit, set a poached egg on top and poured hollandaise until my heart's content. A little parsley for garnish and I ate like a queen.

You can use anything you like, obviously. I do also recommend a salmon burger with all the fixings on top for a heartier eggs benedict. You will have enough to experiment for a couple of days!

German Chocolate Frosting

I have always loved german chocolate cake frosting and it is surprising that it only just came to me that it could be a great primal recipe. This is an amazingly moist topping for the chocolate microwave cake, or you could just eat it with a spoon...

German Chocolate Frosting

6 oz bag of pecans, toasted

2 1/2 cups shredded coconut (unsweetened, of course)

2 tbs brewed coffee

3 tbs homemade lard or grass-fed organic butter

1/2 cup xylitol

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 can coconut milk/cream (full fat)

Brown the butter/lard in a sauce pan as best you can- we are just going for a little color here. Add the coffee, xylitol and vanilla extract very slowly with the butter/lard off the heat and whisk until it is all completely dissolved. In my coconut milk cans, the thick cream separates from the thinner liquid. Mix the thick half into the heated sauce until it is also completely blended.
Put the pecans on a baking sheet in the oven heated to about 375 or so. They will be done in about 7-10 minutes. The toasting process just brings out the oils and flavor in the nuts and makes them more brittle, but they don't really have to change color or crisp up. When the are done, use a food-processor to chop them until there are no large chunks.

In a mixing bowl combine the pecans and the shredded coconut. Pour the caramel-like concoction into the mixing bowl and stir everything until you have a sticky mess. That is your frosting! Tastes great on a warm micro-cake!

Chocolate Micro-Cake (Grain-Free)

It is a micro-cake because it is made in the microwave, but also because the mix can be made in bulk and portioned out to make individual servings. It is very often that I finish my dinner and decide that I need a little something sweet without wanting to take a great deal of time to make a fancy dessert. This is how this cake came about. The greatest part about it is that I can customize one for my fiancé by not using dairy, but still put buttermilk in my own.

Micro-cake Mix

2 cups almond flour

1 2/3 cups organic coconut flour

1 cup organic cocoa powder

1 cup xylitol

2 tbs baking powder (grain free)

1 tsp finely ground coffee

1 tsp pure stevia extract (pure stevia!  Not diluted versions of stevia - it makes a difference)

1 tsp sea salt

Individual Serving

-Melt 2 tbs of oil* in a microwave safe bowl or large mug

-Add 1 tsp of vanilla extract

-Add 1 egg

-Add 4 tbs of milk, buttermilk (my favorite), almond/coconut milk, brewed coffee or liquid of your choice

-Whisk all ingredients with 1/2 cup of the cake mix

-Place in microwave on power level 8 for a minute and a half, or until it sets

*I use a combo of lard and coconut oil, but you can use butter if you prefer

Some easy variations of this cake:

-Add a pinch of cinnamon and fresh ground nutmeg

-Use 1 tbs of a nut butter instead of 1 tbs of the oil

-Add organic, soy free chocolate chips

-Mix in your favorite berry

-A little splash of your favorite liqueur (keep in mind all liqueurs have sugar in them).

Simple Chocolate/Coconut Frosting

1 can of previously refrigerated full fat coconut milk/cream (the thicker-the better)

1 tbs cocoa powder

sweetener of choice: xylitol, stevia, etc...

1 tsp vanilla extract

Whip ingredients together in a bullet, food processor, blender or with your muscles and a whisk, sweetening to taste.

This must be reasonably cold to hold its thickness... but probably won't last that long. It can also be stored for a week's worth of micro-cakes.