Coconut Cream Cheese

I love cream cheese, unfortunately it doesn’t exactly align with the paleo diet. That love has led me to try and find a recipe for coconut cream cheese. I had no luck until I made it on accident in an attempt to make coconut yogurt more easily.

So here it is… how to make no hassle, coconut cream cheese.

INGREDIENTS

1 can of coconut milk (the fuller fat the better)
2 probiotic tablets (mine were rated at 10 billion), you’ll need to break these open as you’ll just be using the powder and be discarding the casings.
3 teaspoons of honey
1 teaspoon of gelatin
*you’ll also need 1 mason jar.

RECIPE

Turn your oven light on, just the light you do not need to turn on the oven. The heat from the light will be enough to incubate the mixture and give it the slightly sour taste that is similar to cream cheese.
Open the can of coconut milk and scoop out the thick coconut cream that has formed at the top of the can and place in a clean mason jar.
After you have scooped out the thick coconut cream, add roughly 3 tablespoons of the remaining liquid to the mason jar with the cream. (The remaining liquid can be saved and added to smoothies or other recipes.!)
Add the probiotic powder, honey and gelatin the mason jar and stir to combine.
Stick in the over with the oven light on for 24 hours (do not cover).
After 24 hours remove from the oven.
You’ll notice that the mixture has separated, a milky color liquid on the top and a clear liquid on the bottom
Spoon the milky top layer into a blender and blend(the clear liquid can be used for other recipes).
Place the mixture in a new mason jar and cover.
Place in the fridge and wait a couple days, the mixture will solidify.
After the mixture has solidified it is ready to eat.

This cream cheese is the perfect addition to many paleo recipes, it will give you the creaminess you’ve been missing. You may notice a similar recipe coming up soon on the blog as we learn how to make coconut yogurt with no hassle.

Enjoy!

Melissa Van Dover

@melissavandover | melissavandover.com

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Coconut Fudge Bars

Sometimes mistakes are gifts waiting to show up! In this case it couldn’t be truer. I was playing around with making a coconut cream pie and ended up making fudge bars! These bars are rich and will conquer your sweet tooth and coconut cravings.

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups shredded coconut (the all natural, unsweetened kind)
1 3/4 cans coconut milk
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons coconut sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons tapioca flour
2 tablespoons gelatin

coconut pie crust base (Instead of pressing into a pie you will press into the bottom of a rectangular pyrex or glass dish and bake, no need to make it come up the sides you are simple making a base for the fudge)

RECIPE

Prepare crust bottom for fudge, see notes above and link to recipe.
Toast shredded coconut in a frying pan over medium heat, this will take a few minutes and it is best to keep stirring the coconut and keep your eye on it.
After coconut is golden brown remove from heat and set aside.
In a pot combine coconut milk, honey, coconut sugar, vanilla and salt; simmer for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes turn off heat.
Then add 6 tablespoons of the heated milk mixture to a small bowl and whisk in gelatin.
Add gelatin mixture, tapioca flour and toasted coconut to pot; combine everything thoroughly.
Pour combined mixture over coconut crust base and place in the fridge.
Let set for 2 hours.

This is just what you need when you’re craving something sweet!

Enjoy!

Melissa Van Dover

@melissavandover | melissavandover.com

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Coconut Pie Crust

For anyone who’s made pie crust you know that it is a “specific” kind of task. You have to use the right ingredients; the right steps and you need to end up with the correct consistency at the end. Furthermore, when you think of making the traditional pie crust recipe into it’s paleo equivalent you may not know where to start because you literally need to replace all the ingredients with something different.

The following is an easy recipe for a paleo pie crust. What’s even better is you most likely already have the ingredients you’ll need. It requires a little more attention but even if you don’t have a ton of baking experience you’ll be able to handle it.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups of shredded coconut (just coconut, it should not be sweetened)
4 tablespoons coconut oil
4 tablespoons cashew butter (you can replace this if you’d prefer almond instead)
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt

RECIPE

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place coconut in food processor and process for a few minutes until shredded coconut looks almost like it has been grated.
Place processed coconut into a bowl and set aside.
In a small microwave safe bowl add coconut oil and cashew butter, place in the microwave for 30 seconds or until coconut oil has melted.
Add coconut oil and cashew mixture to the processed coconut; also add the honey and salt.
Mix together until thoroughly combined.

Press coconut mixture into pie dish forming a pie crust.

Place in oven and bake for roughly 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove and let cool before adding filling.

Note that sometimes the pie crust may fall down towards the bottom of the pie dish slightly during baking. If this happens it’s not a problem at all, simple use the back of a spoon to push the crust back into position. As the crust cools it will harden and maintain its intended shape.

Enjoy!

Melissa Van Dover
@melissavandover | melissavandover.com

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The Soy Scare

The soy phenomenon came in a whirlwind, died out due to mass-fear and has resurfaced again in recent years with the rise of the vegan movement. It’s a hot topic of concern in the Paleo community and there’s good reason for that.

Let’s take a moment to put soy in the spotlight.

The Infamous Legume

Soy is part of the legume family, a food group eliminated on the Paleo Diet because of the inability for our human digestive system to effectively digest and gain nutrients from the food.

Soy, like most seeds and other beans, were cleverly designed by mother-nature to propagate themselves. Thus, the bean is naturally coated with proteins that keep the bean intact, enabling it to pass through the body and grow into another bean-producing plant. Those proteins are, unfortunately, toxic to humans and result in intestinal irritation in the majority of our species. Internal irritation causes inflammation, triggered by the body having to attack itself to rid our cells of the unwanted food particles. This not only causes side effects such as bloating, cramping, headaches and sleepiness, it also distracts the body from its ability to stay youthful and from keeping disease at bay.

The Giant GMO

Soy is one of the largest genetically modified foods in the industry and is the second largest crop (after corn) in the United States, at the time of writing this post. Monsanto, the leading producer of genetically modified seed, currently grows genetically modified soy on 91% of the United States soy fields. That doesn’t leave much room for other soy options (of which less than 1% is organically grown). The US Department of Agriculture confirmed that over 90% of soybeans produced in the United States each year have been genetically modified to withstand herbicides. So not only are we left with an unnatural product, we are faced with one that’s been infused with chemicals.

A Leading Cause of Deforestation

Soy, along with corn, has become feed for most animals farmed to butcher in the United States. It’s cheaper than grass lots and it fattens up the animals quickly because, just like us, they are not able to digest legumes properly. As a result of the demand for soy feed, companies like Monsanto are planting growing numbers of genetically modified soy fields, which is having an increasing effect on deforestation, along with the displacement of indigenous people and smaller farms worldwide. Take Brazil for example, home to the world’s largest rainforest with incredible species of fauna and flora, including superfoods like acai berries. Each year, more of the Brazilian rainforest is destroyed and, in it’s place, soy fields are planted (as shown in this post’s featured image). Brazil has become the second largest global supplier of soy, after the United States, and supplies large food chains, such as McDonalds. This change has also affected the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the region and is subsequently affecting the people and Brazil’s climate.

Here Comes the Coconut

With all of the above concerns in mind, the coconut–as a substitute for soy products–is becoming more and more popular. Coconut milk is a great substitute for soy milk and coconut aminos work well in replace of soy sauce. But, even more significant is how one’s body benefits from leaving soy behind and turning to the superfood, coconut, instead:

Coconut is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and fiber that is easily digestible, metabolizes quickly, provides a natural source of energy, supports heart and brain health and nourishes skin and hair.

Sorry soy,

Camilla Carboni

@camillacarboni | camillacarboni.com

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The Ultimate Superfood List

Superfoods are more than super nutritious. They are antioxidant rich, jam-packed with vitamins and minerals and believed to slow down the aging process. Superfoods are foods that have an extremely high nutrient content in proportion to the amount of calories they provide. Miraculous foods is what we really ought to call them!

At a recent Cooking Demonstration we were asked for a list of superfoods, so we thought what better way to support that request than with a thorough list of the best known superfoods around. Here goes!

Acai Berries

Purple berries from the acai palm boast higher antioxidant levels than all other common berries. Purchase the berries dried, frozen or in a powder form and add them to smoothies, dessert and fruit salads.

Beets

The taproot portion of the beet plant is an often forgotten superfood. The rich purple color should serve as a great reminder–richly colored foods tend to have higher contents of antioxidants. Beets are also an excellent source of folate, manganese and have been used since the Middle Ages as a treatment for indigestion.

Blueberries

Grown in clusters on a shrub, these blackish-purple berries are antioxidant rich, high in vitamin C and are known to neutralize free radicals and promote urinary tract health. They are one of the most common superfoods available and are a tasty addition to smoothies, salads and desserts.

Cacao

From the cacao bean, raw cacao is the healthy equivalent to the better known cocoa powder, found in the baking section of grocery stores. Raw cacao is extremely rich in antioxidants and aids in the destruction of free radicals in your cells, which cause aging. The best part is cacao tastes like chocolate, so I’m sure we don’t have to convince you to eat up!

Chia Seeds

From the mint family, chia seeds were a staple food source for the Aztecs and Mayans. Chia seeds are known for their ability to provide natural energy and have become increasingly popular in the running world. Chia seeds also have very high contents of omegas, necessary to human brain function. They are most easily absorbed by the body when in liquid form.

Cinnamon

Derived from the brown bark of the cinnamon tree, cinnamon is common on our grocery store shelves both in it’s powdered and bark (cinnamon stick) form. Just one teaspoon of cinnamon equates to 22% of the daily need for manganese. Cinnamon also offers calcium and fiber and is believed to have antimicrobial benefits. Get your daily dose by adding cinnamon to tea or sprinkling it over fruit and vegetables.

Coconut

The fruit of the coconut palm, coconuts are a staple in the Paleo Diet in oil, fruit, flour, water and dried forms. Coconut is high in fiber, healthy fats and contains the highest natural amount of medium chain triglycerides found in food. Unlike most fatty acids, which are long chain triglycerides, the coconut metabolizes more easily. This means the coconut acts as a good source of quick energy and is great for your skin, hair, heart and brain.

Goji Berries

A member of the nightshade family, goji berries are considered the most nutritionally dense fruit on earth. They have been used medicinally in Tibet for thousands of years as they contain all the essential amino acids, vitamin C, fiber, iron, calcium, zinc and protein. They are most commonly found in their dried form and make a great substitute to the traditional raisin snack.

Kale

The ultimate supergreen, kale is a leafy green, just like lettuce and cabbage, but a whole lot more nutritious. Not only is kale high in fiber, iron, vitamin K, A, C and calcium, it is filled with antioxidants and acts as a natural anti-inflammatory. Make the switch the kale salads!

Maca Powder

From the root of a radish, maca is known as the Peruvian ginseng. Maca is rich in vitamin B, C and E and provides a great source of natural energy and acts as a mood enhancer. You can find maca powder at most health stores. Get your daily dose by adding it to protein bars and smoothies.

Matcha Green Tea

A premium green tea powder that has been served at Japanese tea ceremonies for centuries, matcha has made it’s way to the Western world and is often served both hot and cold in teas and smoothies. Matcha has high antioxidant, amino acid and fiber contents and one single cup of matcha green tea is claimed to deliver the equivalent nutrients as 10 cups of regular green tea.

Noni

A fruit native to Southeast Asia and Australasia, noni is a lesser known superfood that comes in various forms: powder, tea, juice and fruit. Noni is believed to be one of the healthiest fruits on earth and has been used to treat headaches, depression and hypertension. Rich in macronutrients, noni also boasts antibacterial properties and is thought to support the immune system and improve memory.

Seaweed

A plant from our ocean, seaweed is most commonly spotted in sushi dishes and is often underestimated for its nutrient dense dose of essential vitamins and minerals. Seaweed delivers digestive benefits, detoxifies the body and purifies the blood.

Tumeric

A common herb used in spicy dishes across the globe, tumeric has antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, along with high contents of protein, fiber, iron and zinc. Tumeric aids the immune system and provides natural relief for arthritis. Sprinkle tumeric over sweet potatoes, add it to baked dishes or use it as a topical antiseptic.

Stay tuned for tons of recipes that contain superfoods from this list!

Camilla Carboni

@camillacarboni | camillacarboni.com

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The Paleo Pact

Choose Well. Eat Well. Live Well.

Coconut

Coconut Cream Cheese

INGREDIENTS

RECIPE

Coconut Fudge Bars

INGREDIENTS

RECIPE

Coconut Pie Crust

INGREDIENTS

RECIPE

The Soy Scare

Let’s take a moment to put soy in the spotlight.

The Infamous Legume

The Giant GMO

A Leading Cause of Deforestation

Here Comes the Coconut

The Ultimate Superfood List

Acai Berries

Beets

Blueberries

Cacao

Chia Seeds

Cinnamon

Coconut

Goji Berries

Kale

Maca Powder

Matcha Green Tea

Noni

Seaweed

Tumeric