Almost Paleo Pizza With Grain-Free Pizza Crust

Pizza: probably one of the most craved foods for people following a Paleo diet. Today, I satisfied my craving, but the pizza was not completely Paleo friendly. I choose to follow the 80/20 rule, although for me its more like 90/10. I don't believe in dogmatism and I'm certainly not a hard liner. Getting to the Paleo diet has been a process of self-experimentation to relieve my severe pain and other symptoms. Chris Kresser, L.Ac speaks about this exact point in a great article  he wrote a couple of years ago about food fascism and the 80/20, and having had an eating disorder in the past, I try to make sure that I stay open and flexible with my food choices even when I am restricting various ingredients.

HUGE GIVEAWAY VALUED AT OVER $300!!

To celebrate reaching 300+ likes, I am giving away a prize package worth over $300!

I am grateful to Barlean's, Bright Earth Foods, CocoKefir, Kyle Dine, Selina Naturally and Wish Garden Herbs for sponsoring this giveaway.

What You Get if You Win:

Barlean's
1 Bottle Organic Greens
1 Bottle Flax Oil
1 Bag Chia Seeds
1 Bottle Olive Leaf Extract Capsules
1 Bottle Olive Leaf Extract
1 Box of Omega Swirl To-Go


Bright Earth Foods
1 Bag Chlorella
1 Jar Raw Choco
1 Bag Himalayan Salt
1 Jar Superfood Smoothie Mix

CocoKefir
1 Bottle CocoKefir
1 Jar CocoYo

Kyle Dine
Food Allergies Rock CD

Selina Naturally
1 Bag of Makai Pure Sea Salt
3 Jars of Seasoned Celtic Salt (Celery, Rosemary, Smoked)
1 Jar of Sesame Salt

Wish Garden Herbs
1 Bottle Sleepy Nights for Kids
1 Bottle Digestive Ease
1 Bottle Genius Juice
1 Bottle Emotional Ally
1 Bottle Kiss Ass Immune Activator


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Coconut Cashew Bread: Paleo, Grain-Free, & Refined Sugar Free!

Today, I just had to make bread, Coconut Cashew Bread! I haven't had bread for a couple of months, since I've been grain free. I don't normally have bread cravings, but there were a few posts on my Facebook feed today that made my mouth water. I just couldn't resist! I had to bake bread.

Hanukkah Recipe: Brisket & Tzimmes

Hanukkah is coming up and no Jewish holiday meal is complete without a brisket! Brisket is the most popular cut of meat cooked by Ashkenazim (Jews of Eastern Europe). According to an article in the JWeekly, "Brisket is a beef cut taken from the breast section beneath the first five ribs, behind the foreshank. It is an inexpensive boneless cut that requires long, slow cooking to break down the collagen in the connective muscle tissues and achieve tenderness. Poor Eastern European Jews favored this cut because it was low in cost and high in taste and volume." 

10 Things You Can Do to Treat Your Hemorrhoids At Home

Have you been searching for home treatment options for your hemorrhoids? I know it's not the most pleasant subject to talk about, but I'm here to talk to you about this annoying pain in the butt!

Image Credit

Vegan Persimmon & Cranberry "Cheesecake"

Ever bite into a persimmon and feel like ants are running in your mouth? And nothing you do makes it go away? I absolutely hate that feeling but I love persimmons.

Paleo Thanksgiving Stuffing: Grain-Free & Dairy-Free

Can't eat stuffing because you're gluten-free, grain-free, carb-free, or paleo? No problem! I have a delicious stuffing that is guaranteed to satisfy. Made with cauliflower "rice" & giblets, my Paleo Thanksgiving Stuffing is a delicious addition to any holiday table. It's also a great way to incorporate Turkey giblets into your meal.

Latvian Piparkukas (Gingerbread Cookies)

You are going to love my Latvian Piparkukas. I was a child when I left Latvia, but I have a distinct memory of my mother's love for Piparkukas. This thin gingerbread cookie is spiced with pepper, cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg and these spices have always been my favorite not just in desserts but in all foods. Since this Thanksgiving has become poem dedicated to my mother, I was driven to create her favorite dessert. But since this Holiday season, I am grain-free and dairy free, I wanted to challenge myself and create a raw "piparkukas." I have to say, I am quite impressed with how these turned out.

5 Delicious Guilt Free Sides for Your Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving doesn't have to be a binge-fest on unhealthy calorie laden foods. It can be an opportunity to enjoy delicious, healthy and fun dishes! Today I'm sharing with you 5 delicious sides that are gluten-free, dairy-free, & sugar-free that you enjoy guilt free.

5 Delicious Guilt Free Sides for Your Thanksgiving

1. Lemony Swiss Chard with Sesame-Garlic Salt
Ingredients:
1 bunch of Swiss Chard
1 tbsp duck fat or coconut oil
2 tsp of Selina Naturally Sesame Garlic Salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Process:
1. Chop Swiss Chard and rinse
2. Heat oil in pan and add wet chard      
3. Squeeze lemon juice and add salt
4. Saute for 8 minutes
5. Enjoy!

Cranberry Persimmon Relish

You are going to love my Cranberry Persimmon Relish. As you may recall, last week I had a Savory Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce recipe, made with onions, prunes, and raisins. This week's recipe is more simple, having only 7 ingredients and it's also sweet. I hope you enjoy making this as much as I did creating it!

Winner Announced for Practical Paleo Book Giveaway!

Click Below to Go Back To The Original Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilipo Post to See if You've Won! 

The Winner Please Email Me to Redeem!

Chinese Five Spice Turkey: An Ode to My Mother

This year's Chinese Five Spice Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe is an ode to my mother. When we immigrated to the United States from Latvia over 22 years ago, my mother was fascinated by the variety of cuisines that existed in America. We quickly assimilated to Sizzler and Chinese take-out. Over the years, my mother began attempting to create many of the dishes we ate at our favorite Chinese restaurants. Chow Mein, BBQ pork, Peking Duck, and Fried Rice became regulars at our dinner table. As a teenager with an eating disorder, I didn't appreciate the effort and creativity that was involved in creating such culturally foreign dishes. But now as a grown woman who also loves being creative in the kitchen, I do.

Photo Credit: Ayesamson via Flickr

Like most people, Thanksgiving is all about family for me. I love that as immigrants, we always come together and celebrate this quitessential American holiday. For my family, the dishes on the table are always a hybrid of the world we left behind and the world that accepted us with open arms.

My mother was never a fan of making the Thanksgiving turkey. The large bird was somehow too foreign to her and because she refuses to follow recipes, her Thanksgiving turkey was often dry and flavorless. On my first Thanksgiving with my husband, he took over making the turkey (which came out crispy and juicy) and my mother was happy to pass the reins on to him from then on.

This year, I've decided to take the torch  and create my own unique spin on Thanksgiving turkey while honoring my mother's creativity in the kitchen. And so Thanksgiving 2012's centerpiece will be a Chinese Five Spice Turkey.

Today I'm Guest Blogging At Gutsy

Today I'm guest blogging about Paleo over at Gutsy! Caroline is an amazing 18-year-old who is wise beyond her years. She's also an amazing blogger! I've been reading her site for a while now and have been so impressed with all of her GAPS recipes and articles. So when she agreed to have me guest blog, I was overjoyed!

I'm sharing my experience with the Paleo lifestyle, which I have adopted over the course of discovering what was causing my hip pain. I also share my recipe for Zucchini "Mac & Cheese."


Click on the picture below and go visit me at Gutsy!

Spaghetti Squash Pancakes: GAPs & Paleo & Kid Friendly Recipe

I love spaghetti squash and I love pancakes, so why not marry the two! Made with pastured eggs, this dish is a great for a quick breakfast because they are good cold or hot and the Japanese 7 Spice. It is GAPS & Paleo friendly and gluten and dairy free. You can makes these for breakfast on Saturday morning for the whole family or take them to work as part of a healthy lunch.

Why Pastured Eggs?

Pastured eggs come from hens that spend the majority of their time grazing on the pasture at the farm. They do not eat from feed lots, rather their feed consists of grass, worms, and other bugs that they find in the fields. This diet helps make their eggs extra nutritious. You can see it in the yolk, which has a much richer, deeper color yellow. Don't confuse pastured eggs with free range, free range only means that the hens spend some time outside. This could be 5 minutes! Pastured hens spend all of their time outside, and sleep in mobile coops. It is the most humane and sustainable way to raise hens. Happy Hens = Happy Eggs!

Paleo Sandwich Wrap Recipe: How to Use Leftover Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce

Leftovers: that's the key to a good Thanksgiving! No matter how small or large the turkey, I usually end up with plenty of it to share with my family. But Thanksgiving turkey isn't the only part of the holiday meal that can be used in dishes in the days following Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving cranberry sauce can also be used for dishes that don't have turkey. Yesterday, I shared a great recipe for savory cranberry sauce and today I want to show you how you can use that sauce to make a delicious post thanksgiving, cranberry sauce filled Paleo sandwich wrap.

You can of course make this wrap with leftover thanksgiving turkey or any uncured meat of your liking, but I'm using US Wellness Meats Liverwurst! I got to try this stuff at the Weston A. Price Foundation Conference last weekend in Santa Clara, CA. Made with grass fed beef organ meat, like liver, heart, and kidney, this Liverwurst is one of the most delicious uncured "meats" I've tried in a long time. Organ meats are very high in B12 and other B Vitamins, which I wrote about last week and are a great way to get these vitamins into your diet.

For the wrap, you can use any gluten-free wrap of your choosing, but I'm using Pure Wraps from Improveat. This is the most innovative wrap product I've seen on the market in a while. You can use it for spring rolls, paleo wraps, wontons, burritos and whatever else you can think of. They are raw, allergen free and a great way to get more brain powering coconut into your diet!

Leftover Cranberry Sauce & Liverwurst Paleo Wrap
1 Pure Wrap
2 tbsp Thanksgiving Savory Cranberry Sauce
3 oz Liverwurst
1/4 cup butternut squash puree
1 romaine or butter lettuce leaf


1. Place wraps on the dry surface

Thanksgiving Savory Cranberry Sauce: Sugar Free, Grain Free and Orange Free!

Thanksgiving cranberry sauce is on my mind this week. This year, now that I'm a full-fledged blogger, I will need to make two turkeys, one for you guys so you can have a delicious recipe for your Thanksgiving Dinner and one for my family on Thanksgiving to enjoy. The idea of having to brine and bake two birds is a bit overwhelming but I'm committed to providing you with a great Paleo friendly Real Food Thanksgiving Turkey. I've already ordered my practice bird from my butcher shop, Olivier's Butchery. I will be posting the recipe on Monday, November 19th. The plan right now is to make a Chinese Five Spice Turkey! I hope your mouth is watering.

In the meantime, I can concentrate on a savory thanksgiving cranberry sauce. When I develop recipes, I usually spend sometimes looking through all of my cookbooks to see if anything inspires me. Finding a savory thanksgiving cranberry sauce recipes without sugar and oranges was a hard task. I don't like oranges and am avoiding sugar, so all of the countless generic recipes I saw were not inspirational. But then I opened up my trusty, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. In the book, Sally has a Cranberry Onion Compote, which sounded like an absolutely delicious savory thanksgiving cranberry sauce! I adapted the recipe to be dairy free and made some other changes to make it my own. Now I'm sharing it with you all so you can make it for your family during this Holiday season!

Savory Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce
3/4 Thompson Raisins
1/2 Sliced Prunes
1 cup hot filtered water
4 medium onions (sliced)
2 tbsp red palm oil
3/4 raw coconut vinegar or raw apple cider vinegar
1 cup white wine
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp The Spice House Lemon Thyme
2 tsp sea salt
1 2/3 fresh cranberries


Process:
1. Melt 2 tbsp of red palm oil in a saucepan

Homemade Kale Chip Fail: Kale Salt Crusted Roast Chicken Legs

I'm not perfect and sometimes I really screw up recipes. Last week, I made Kale Chips and while testing a new recipe managed to add too much salt and make the Kale Chips completely inedible. I really hate wasting food. Having come to the United States as a refugee, I remember long food ration lines in the former USSR. Many of my friends, as well as my husband, who was born in the Ukraine, remember that food was hard to come by and when you had some you didn't let it go to waste. Often times when I ruin a recipe, like this Kale Chip recipe, I am heart broken and try to do everything to somehow revitalize it.

And so, this recipe came from the need to not waste food. I made a batch of kale chips and they were too salty. You can use my popular recipe: The Best Kale Chips Ever and double the salt content or you can use your own kale chip fail. I used my hands to crush the kale chips into small particles and created my very own, Kale Chip Salt! Using that salt, I made Kale Salt Crusted Roast Chicken Legs!

Kale Salt Crusted Roast Chicken Legs
Ingredients:
2 chicken legs
1/4 cup Crushed Kale Chips aka Kale Salt


Process:
1. Place chicken on unbleached parchment paper

2. Sprinkle with Kale Salt

3. Bake for 40-50 at 400 degrees

4. Enjoy with Buttery Celery Root Puree

Shared at: Simple Lives Thursday,   Whole Foods Friday, Fill Those Jars Friday, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Wicked Awesome Wednesdays

Guest Post: DIY Health Blog Shares About Foods That Heal the Gut

I was so busy this weekend attending the Weston Price Foundation Conference and the Green Festival, that I've decided to introduce a guest blogger to provide you with some valuable information. Angela Privin, is a health coach and blogger at DIY Health Blog. She cured her IBS and is helping others follow suit!


Foods that Heal the Gut


Ginger


Photo Credit: Office.com
Want some spice in your life? According to the journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, ginger stimulates digestion by speeding up the movement of food from the stomach into the upper small intestine. Low gastric motility is associated with digestive problems, particularly constipation. Include grated ginger in a recipe, tea, smoothie or veggies juice is a natural way to stimulate motility. Too much ginger can irritate the stomach, but a little can settle the stomach, calm nausea, and make you feel energized.



Magnesium Rich Foods


Photo Credit: Office.com
Without magnesium your body can’t properly digest food. Magnesium activates enzymes that help the body absorb fats, proteins and carbs and breaks down food into smaller particles for energy. It also regulates other minerals and vitamins such as zinc, potassium, calcium, vitamin D, and copper. Magnesium deficiency can lead to poor digestion, insomnia, confusion and a fast heartbeat. Magnesium also has a calming effect on tight, contracted muscles and is a natural laxative. Foods that deplete magnesium levels are caffeine, sugar, salt, alcohol and diuretics. Foods high in magnesium: Half a halibut fillet has 170 mg, 1 ounce of pumpkin seeds have 151 mg, 1 cup of cooked spinach has 157 mgs. Black beans are also high in magnesium but can be hard to digest, causing bloating and gas in some people.



Probiotic Rich Foods

Photo Credit: Office.com

Probiotics (fermented foods) have gotten lots of press lately because they contain beneficial bacteria that balance and protect the gut and promote good digestion. But there’s another reason probiotics are so easy on the gut. As foods ferment, the good bacteria eats their natural sugars and breaks down carbs, fats and proteins. Because the fermentation process predigests foods, the digestive has much less work to do. Eating probiotic foods is like sending your gut on vacation. Examples of fermented foods: Yogurt, Kefir, Miso, Sauerkraut, Umeboshi plums and Kombucha




Magnesium Rich Foods

Photo Credit: Office.com



Enzymes are proteins naturally made by our bodies to break food and assimilate foods. They break fats, carbs and proteins into smaller, absorbable nutrients that are easily digested by the small intestine. When the body doesn’t make enough enzymes to break down food, digestive symptoms like bloating, cramping, diarrhea, constipation and heartburn can occur as foods ferment in the intestines. Eating food rich in enzymes can help ease these symptoms. Foods rich in digestive enzymes are: Papain in papayas, which helps break down proteins. Bromelain in pineapples also helps break down proteins, as well as having anti-inflammatory properties. Sprouts (the seeds of different types of grain) are a concentrated source of enzymes when germinated (soaked in water). Kelp and sea veggies/seaweed are also a great source of enzymes and so are fruit, particularly bananas.




Gluten Free Grains: Quinoa

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Gluten, a plant protein found in wheat, barley and rye is notorious for causing mild to intense digestive issues. Going gluten-free can help alleviate digestive issues. A nutritious replacement for wheat is quinoa. Quinoa is not only gluten-free, but it’s also packed with minerals and is a complete protein. Quinoa can be made in a rice cooker and is delicious served hot or cold. Cook it in coconut milk and add in cinnamon, 

pumpkin seeds, fresh or stewed fruit for a comforting morning porridge. Use quinoa, millet or amaranth flour  to replace white flour in baked goods.

Liver Supporting Foods



Photo Credit: Beauty Sweet Spot


The liver is one of the most overlooked organs in the digestive system, but plays an important role in breaking down fats and regulating metabolism. When the liver is toxic and sluggish from a diet high in sugar and chemical-laden, processed foods, environmental toxins and a high-stress lifestyle it can cause the same type of digestive symptoms common to Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The liver can be cleansed and supported with the following foods: Lemon juice (squeeze into water and on salads). Green veggies help cleanse and support the liver, as do supplements like spirulina and chlorella. The liver loves dandelion greens but it can be too bitter to eat Drinking bitter-free dandelion tea can be a great alternative. Burdock root and daikon radish are also powerful liver cleansers.





 
Other Digestion Boosters
Taking a walk after you eat, especially after a large meal can aid in the digestive process and decrease heartburn symptoms. It is common to get “food coma” after eating, causing a desire to unbutton your pants and lay on the couch. However, moving your body can help aid digestion by increasing metabolism.







Angela Privin is a digestive health expert and coach. Visit her website for more free digestive health advice at www.diyhealthblog.com

Do It Yourself Health | Take Your Health In Your Hands

diyhealthblog.com

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, digestion, alternative health, healing chronic conditions, natural health,

Get Your B12: Spiced Braised Beef Cheeks With Kalamata Olives

Yesterday, I wrote about the importance of Vitamin B12 in your diet. Today, I would like to share a unique recipe with you that is a great way to make sure you are getting food based Vitamin B12. It's another one pot meal that will last you several days and allow you to "cook once, eat twice."

Beef is one of the best sources of Vitamin B12, with one 3oz serving providing 60-80% of your daily recommended value (depending on the cut). This recipe calls for beef cheeks, though you could probably use any stew cut.

Spiced Braised Beef Cheeks With Kalamata Olives
Ingredients:
2 lbs of Beef Cheeks
5 carrots
2 celery stalks
3 Cippolini onions
2 tbsp red palm oil
1 large sprig of thyme
5 green peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp of Trader Joe's South African Seasoning Grinder
1/4 piece of star anise
1 tsp The Spice House Choucroute Garni Spice Blend
2 large bay leaves
1 tbsp Celtic Salt
4 cups of Bone Broth
2 cups water
1/2 cup kalamata olives
1/4 cup olive juice

Proces:
1. In a dutch oven, heat red palm oil and add quartered onion

 2. In pestle, using a mortar crush all spices and salt. Add to pot.

3. Saute for 10 minutes


4. Add Beef Cheeks

5. Let Beef Cheeks brown

 6. Chop carrots and celery and add to pot

7. Add broth and water, bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes

8. Add olives and olive juice
 

9. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours


10. Enjoy with Spaghetti Squash!

Shared on: Melt in Your Mouth Mondays, Scratch Cookin' Tuesday

The Real Reason You Feel Sick & What You Can Do About It!

You wake up in the morning and you barely have enough energy to press the snooze button. You look at the alarm clock and get extremely annoyed at the thought of having to get up and get your day started. As you swing your legs out of bed, you notice that your toes feel funny. You don't fully feel your big toe on your left foot and your little toe on the right foot is tingling. You get up out of bed and have to quickly hold onto the nightstand because you need to catch your balance. You think to yourself: "Is today Tuesday or Wednesday?" You're not completely sure and your mind to too foggy to remember yesterday's events. You realize that you really have to go-I mean REALLY have to go and you barely make it to the bathroom in time. Relieved, you walk over to your sink and let out a loud belch. You look at yourself in the mirror and have a hard time recognizing the person staring back. Does any of this sound familiar?

Whether you are experiencing some of these symptoms or all of them, you are not alone. These are classic symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. B12 is essential for your brain, nervous system, and blood cells to all work properly. Vitamin B12 is abundant in high-quality animal protein, especially grass-fed/pastured beef liver. According to Paul Pitchford in Healing with Whole Foods, a large intestine  produces large amounts of vitamin B12, unfortunately it's the small intestine that absorbs it, so by the time it travels through your gut, it becomes compromised. According to Pitchford, since most people's digestive tracts are their weak spots, most people need to supplement B12.

Initially a B12 deficiency presents itself as a feeling of fatigue, upset stomach, indigestion. Other symptoms include pale skin, numbness in the fingers and toes, heart palpitations, anorexia, infertility, moodiness, paranoia, and other personality changes. Because the liver can store B12 for 3-6 years, a deficiency doesn't always present itself until the stores are depleted. Also, because folic acid and B12 have similar functions, sometimes it masks the true deficiency. Pitchford cautions that many people who eat a diet high in health whole grains, leafy greens, and vegetables are still often deficient in B12.

If you've taken birth control pills or antibiotics, consume alcohol, smoke, drink coffee, and have stress in your life, you are depleting your B12 stores. Vegans especially need to supplement B12 because of the lack of nutritional sources in their diet. In addition, if you suffer from leaky gut or any digestive issues, there is a big chance you aren't able to properly absorb the B12 in your food and even in your supplements. As part of my studies, I recently listened to a talk by Brenda Davis, author of Becoming Raw - the Essential Guide to Raw Vegan Diets (2010). She mentioned that we only absorb about .5%-1% of the B12 in our supplements and she recommends either taking 1,000 mcg twice a week or 29 mcg twice daily from supplements in addition to what you get from food. In comparison, the NIH recommends 2.4 mcg a day.

One of my favorite supplements of B12 is Chlorella and my favorite brand is Bright Earth Foods. 
Chlorella, an algae, has the highest concentration of chlorophyll of any plant, giving it a deep emerald-green color. Besides containing B12, Chlorella is high in protein, which makes it a great supplement for vegetarians and vegans. It also removed heavy metals, radiation, pesticides, herbicides and PCBs from body tissues. With all of the recent concern about GMO foods, Chlorella is a great supplement to help detox your body from the effects of non-organic food. In addition to supplying B12 and aiding detox, Chlorella has been known to reduce the symptoms of numerous types of cancers, diabetes, low blood sugar, arthritis, AIDS, candida, pancreatitis, liver cirrhosis, hepatitis, peptic ulcers, viral and bacterial infections, anemia, and multiple sclerosis. Bright Earth Foods Chlorella comes in chewable tablets that are sweet, salty, nutty and fun to eat because they make your tongue green. 3 grams of chlorella has 4mcg of B12.

I have been supplementing Chlorella for about 6 months and have noticed significant improvement in my digestive issues and mood. I was taking a different brand before Bright Earth Foods sent me their Chlorella. I like their Chlorella much more. It has a delicious earthy sea flavor reminiescnet of Sea Urchin to me. If you are interested in their product you can find it here: Bright Earth Food's Chlorella. 

Besides meats and fish, another source of B12 is nutritional yeast. This is not an ideal supplement for people with a tendency towards dampness and candida overgrowth. It's also important to make sure you are getting a high quality supplement that is naturally and not synthetically produced. If you are sensitive to MSG, like I am, pay attention to how nutritional yeast makes you feel. Personally, it make me very foggy and I can't consume it. If you are not sensitive, it's a great way to add cheesy flavor when you are dairy free.

 


In summary, if you are experiencing any other the symptoms I've mentioned, consider either testing your B12 levels or supplementing. You may hopefully start seeing improvement in 3-4 weeks. You deserve to feel your best everyday, what are you doing to make sure you do? Comment below, I want to hear from you!

Why I Won't Be Baking With Almond Flour for a While

About a month ago, I took the Biotek 96 General Panel Food Allergy Test and found out that I was no longer sensitive to almonds. I've been eating almonds sporadically but this test allowed me to jump into the world of grain-free baking, much of which is done using almond flour. I've been having so much fun experimenting with almond flour. So much fun that I think I've gone a bit overboard.

Eating too many nuts can be taxing on the digestive system. According to Paul Pritchford in Healing With Whole Foods, a person with a damp constitution like mine and who suffers from water retention and mucus build-up should avoid nuts all together, choosing flax seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and pistachios instead. Also, Ayurvedic medicine recommends not eating almond skin because it irritates the gut lining. After a month of eating almonds or almond flour daily, I've now found myself experiencing tummy troubles that I haven't had since going grain free in July. And so, this will most likely be my last almond flour post for a little while, as I recuperate from another bout of excess.

I don't feel bad or guilty for overdoing on the nuts. I think there is nothing wrong with experimenting with ingredients. I think of every experience as a necessary experiment, and plus I wasn't going to throw away the bag of almond flour and the delicious sprouted almonds I bought at Whole Foods. So I invite you to never beat yourself up when you go a little overboard with anything, celebrate your enthusiasm and zest. If your tendencies are anything like mine, you will surely find yourself in this place again with something new.

With that sentiment I was to share a Pear Crisp recipe that I made with some wonderful very ripe Comice pears that from my Full Circle CSA. The goal was to make something simple with very few ingredients that was not only grain-free but also sugar free. The natural sugar from the ripened pears was plenty to give this dish sweetness.

Pear Crisp
Ingredients:
Filling:
6 very ripe Comice Pears
2 tbsp arrowroot flour
1 tsp The Spice House Cake Spice

Topping:
1 cup almond flour
1/8 cup coconut flour (for dusting)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon

Process:

1. In a cake dish, mash pears using a potato masher

2. Add Cake Spice and flour and mix well

3. In a bowl, mix almond flour, coconut oil and cinnamon and mash with your hands to create crumble

4. Place crumble on top of pears and using a sieve or sifter dust coconut flour

5. Bake in oven at 350 for 35-45 minutes

6. Enjoy!