Allergy-Friendly

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

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Gnocchi is my absolute favorite pasta dish and when I went Paleo it was something that seemed totally off-limits. Thankfully as I became more accustomed to cooking Paleo I started to venture out and try my hand at making what I thought to be more complicated dishes. This led to me discovering how to make sweet potato gnocchi. It’s Paleo. It’s delicious, and I’m sure you’re going to love it. Did I mention it’s easy to make? You do not need to be an expert chef to whip this up.

INGREDIENTS

4 – 5 medium sweet potatoes (once mashed it will be about 2 cups)
1/4 cup coconut flour
3/4 – 1 cup tapioca flour (+ about 1/4 cup for dusting)
1 tsp salt
water (as needed)

RECIPE

Wash sweet potatoes and puncture with fork multiple times.
Place in microwave and cook on “potato” setting, you should be able to easily insert a fork in them when they are done.
Cut sweet potatoes in half and scoop flesh of potatoes into a bowl, mash together.
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Add coconut flour and salt to potatoes and combine.
Add 1/4 cup of tapioca flour to mixture and combine. Continue to add 1/4 cup of tapioca flour to mixture until you are able to form a ball of dough.
At this point the dough should not be very sticky but should also not be too dry as it could crack. If your dough is too sticky add more tapioca flour, if it is too dry add a little bit of water.
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After your dough has formed, take small handfuls and roll out into a rope, cut into 1/2″ pieces. (If desired you can press lightly with a fork, to get a more traditional looking gnocchi. Or you can leave them as they are.)
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Let dry for roughly 6 – 8 hours.
After drying you can cook your sweet potato gnocchi or store them.
To Cook: Bring a pot of water to a boil, add gnocchi and boil for 60 – 90 seconds or until gnocchi start to float. Remove and serve.
To Store: Gnocchi can be stored in the fridge for 2 – 3 days or frozen.

Combine your gnocchi with your favorite sauce and toppings…the recipe is really that simple. The best part is that your family and friends will think you’re a master chef.

Enjoy!

Melissa Van Dover

@melissavandover | melissavandover.com

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5 Box Lunch Ideas For Back To School

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It’s time for back to school and you might be wondering what to pack for lunch, or maybe what to pack your kids for lunch! Not to worry, we’re here to help.

Here’s 5 ideas for box lunches that everyone can enjoy! Not to mention that they’re easy to make and travel well.

Our 5 Box Lunch Ideas:

  1. Mediterranean Gnocchi – The best part about this dish is that it reheats well and can be easily packed into a container, making a complete meal that will fill you up. Try switching up sauces and adding protein for an endless variety of lunch options that everyone will enjoy.
  2. Paleo Smoked Salmon & Bacon Salad– This salad is hearty and delicious. The best part though…it doesn’t have to be re-heated! For a protein and veggie packed lunch, this is your go-to! Again it can easily be packed in a container for on-the-go convenience.
  3. Simple Tuna Wrap– These wraps are delicious and have all the makings for a full rounded meal. Mix your tuna up before hand and bring your wraps on the side, you’ll be all ready to go when it’s meal time.
  4. Paleo Lamb Gyro– While we recommend re-heating this you could absolutely eat it cold as well, we promise it’s just as delicious. Paleo Lamb Gyros are the way to go if you’re looking for a hearty and filling wrap to get you through the day. An added benefit…no utensils needed.
  5. Quick & Fantastic Paleo Cookies– Nothing compliments the perfect lunch like a yummy, delicious cookie. Download a copy of our Quick & Fantastic Paleo Cookies cookbook to find the perfect cookie for you!

You’ve got your school supplies and ready-to-learn attitude! Now you’ve got your go-to Paleo lunch box recipes.

Happy Cooking,

Melissa Van Dover

@melissavandover | melissavandover.com

2. PALEO Cleanse Cover ImagePALEO Cleanse made the Amazon Best Seller list!

Order Your Copy Here

Find Out More About PALEO Cleanse Here

Paleo Citrus Summer Slaw

Property of ThePaleoPact.com
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Coleslaw is a traditional side dish for most summer parties. Unfortunately, coleslaw is often made with ingredients that may not fit your ideal definition of healthy and if you have an egg allergy it’s a big no-no. Here is a great alternative to the traditional coleslaw.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
juice of 2 oranges
5 oz pre-cut cabbage (this is often packaged as a coleslaw mix)
1 apple, sliced into thin strips
1 pear, sliced into thin strips
1/4 cup dried cranberries, sweetened with apple juice
1 package raspberries

RECIPE

In a large bowl whisk honey, balsamic and orange juice until throughly incorporated.
Add the remainder of the ingredients and mix together.
Let sit for 30 minutes, then serve at room temperature or chilled.

I hope you enjoy this fantastic summer side dish!

Melissa Van Dover

@mvandover | melissavandover.com 

NEW AND IMPROVED PALEO TERIYAKI LETTUCE WRAPS

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A while ago I posted a recipe for Paleo Teriyaki Lettuce Wraps. I’ve made a few changes since then and I wanted to take the time to share my updated recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon garlic coconut oil (you can substitute this with other Paleo oils if needed)
5 tablespoons Coconut Aminos
4 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
3 tablespoons hot chili or Sriracha sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup sliced and chopped carrots
1/2 red onion, diced
1 handful green onions, diced
2 pounds organic, grass-fed ground beef
1 head iceberg lettuce

RECIPE

Heat coconut oil, 2 tablespoons Coconut Amions, water and coconut palm sugar in a large frying pan on low, medium heat until you start to see steam rise.
Add carrots, red and green onion, black pepper and salt to pan.
Cover and let cook about 10 minutes until the carrots and onion start to become soft, stir occasionally.
Increase heat to medium and add ground beef, 3 tablespoons of Coconut Aminos and Sriracha to mixture, stir to mix everything together.
Uncover and let cook until meat has browned, stir occasionally.
Reduce heat to low, medium and let reduce until liquid has been absorbed by meat.

Slice the bottom off of the iceberg lettuce remove outside lettuce leafs and discard. Begin to peel off leafs and place on plate to use as lettuce cups. note: when you get towards the end, you can shred the remainder of the lettuce and make a salad.

Scoop the mixture into lettuce cups and serve.

I hope you enjoy this updated recipe!

Melissa Van Dover

@mvandover | melissavandover.com 

Paleo Rice Pudding

Property of ThePaleoPact.com
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I love rice pudding. However, an egg allergy and being Paleo tends to get in the way of me enjoying this treat. The following is an egg-free, Paleo version of this classic dessert.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons Chia seeds
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

RECIPE

Add coconut milk, Chia seeds, honey and cinnamon to a bowl.
Mix thoroughly.
Place in the fridge for 1 hour, then serve.

Yes it’s really that simple!  It’s also that delicious.

I hope you enjoy this delicious treat!

 

Melissa Van Dover

@mvandover | melissavandover.com 

PALEO CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Property of ThePaleoPact.com
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Property of ThePaleoPact.com

Finally a dessert you don’t need to feel bad about eating! You’ll have a hard time believing that this chocolate pudding is Paleo when you taste it but I promise it is very much Paleo. It’s packed with healthy fats and Omega 3. This is perfect as a dessert or even a snack during the day.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup coconut milk
3 tbsp honey or agave
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp chia seeds
1 ripe avocado

RECIPE

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
Scoop into a bowl or container, place in the refrigerator for 1 hour for chia seeds to grow.
Enjoy!

Yes it really is that easy!

I hope you enjoy this nutrient packed dessert!

Melissa Van Dover

@mvandover | melissavandover.com 

 

Sweet Potato Brownies

Source: http://www.bigcitydreamer.com/2013/08/healthy-vegan-chocolate-mousse-cups.html
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Who doesn’t love brownies…seriously I have yet to meet a single person. One of the biggest challenges I had when I started cutting out my allergens and becoming Paleo was finding anything to eat as a desert. This recipe was what I needed, and for those of you wondering it did pass “my husband test”.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups shredded sweet potato, about 1 medium sweet potato (I prefer the orange sweet potato for this recipe)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (make sure you get real vanilla extract)
1/2 cup agave
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder (you want this heaping so don’t make it exact)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons coconut flour
coconut oil

RECIPE

Heat oven to 365°F. Mix sweet potato, eggs, agave, olive oil and vanilla in a bowl making sure they are combined well. Add baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powered and coconut flour to wet mixture, incorporate throughly. Grease a 9×9 baking pan with coconut oil and add mixture so that it is roughly 3/4″-1″ thick. Bake for roughly 30 minutes or until you can insert a pick tooth and it comes out clean.

For anyone new to gluten-free baking, I’ve learned that you should try to keep the oven door closed as much as possible. If you open it regularly, you tend to get baked goods that fall flat.

Happy Baking!

Melissa Van Dover

@mvandover | melissavandover.com 

How To Replace An Egg In A Recipe

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As many of you know Camilla and I have been working on The Paleo Pact for the last few weeks now. One of the main challenges I have encountered has been baking everything from scratch. The issue I’m facing is that I’m allergic to eggs, so I needed a quick and good replacement for egg(s). Below is an option for replacing egg(s) and yes I have actually tested this for a few different recipes.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp. ground flax seed
  • 3 tbsp. warm water

Directions:

  1. Mix water and ground flaxseed together.
  2. Let sit for 10 minutes.
  3. You’re done 🙂 Mix into recipe as directed.

This recipe is for one egg, so make additional according to the number of eggs you need. As a note, this is good for baking breads or cakes- essentially recipes that have 3-4 eggs at a max. If you are trying to recreate a recipe with more eggs than this or make a recipe where it is not cooked, it may not work as you need.

Happy Baking!

Melissa

@mvandover