Showing posts with label paleo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paleo. Show all posts

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies And Why Im Not Using the Word Paleo Anymore

Earlier this week, I shared a recipe for "paleo" ravioli. I was so freaking excited to bestow it upon you because pasta is probably one of the things I miss most from my diet (and by diet, I mean, the way I eat, not like, "I want to lose 3 pounds" a la Regina George diet...although that would be totally fine too!) and I figure you guys--the Cupcult--and I are basically the same person, so you would probably be hella excited to find a new recipe that may not be exactly like pasta, but pretty much curbs the craving when you have it, know what I mean?

Naturally, it was a hit with a variety of people. However, despite what I thought was maybe one of my greatest achievements in the "paleo" recipe world, there were critics. Normally, Id embrace [constructive] criticism. Its something I have to do at work all the time, so if someone has pertinent feedback or me and initiates an intelligent conversation about something, I welcome it. But these critics were more, as one Tweeter put it, "Paleo" elitists. (I used the term Nazi, and Im still not sure its inappropriate, but whatever...) Specifically, they took issue with my use of cheese in the ravioli filling. The ravioli filling that I explained was entirely optional (I almost always explain that the cheese in my recipes is optional, btw). The ravioli filling that I ate and not anyone else who didnt want to eat cheese. The ravioli filling that never did anything to them!!!! But apparently, when you brand yourself a "Paleoid," youre suddenly equipped to make judgment calls about everyone elses version of "Paleo." Guess I missed that memo in the welcome kit.
Ive only gone into detail slightly here about what the "Paleo" diet entails because I figure if you dont know, youll find out somewhere else with far more accurate and serious information. I mean, shit, have you SEEN my "About" section?? Anyway, put very simply, the "Paleo" diet adheres to the way our Paleolithic ancestors ate. A lot of people believe dairy (i.e., cheese, milk, yogurt, etc.) is not a "paleo" approved food. A lot of people are also uninformed and willing to believe whatever theyre told at face value, so ya know, theres that. I dont mean to suggest dairy was part of a Paleolithic diet, but there is evidence that suggests dairy (in its raw, full-fat, grass-fed form) can 100% be incorporated into ones "Paleo" diet, assuming it sits well with that person, because it doesnt with everyone. Im sure even some of you can attest to some form of lactose intolerance. After all, we really dont need the help of milk in our diet after age four. But this isnt a discussion of science (you can find plenty of it elsewhere). Its a discussion of what I choose to eat. And I choose to eat cheese sometimes, because its fucking delicious and sometimes you want some goddamn cheese!
So, some people recently have been giving me shit about including dairy in foods labeled "paleo" or "Whole30," but the truth is the dairy subject is very grey territory in the broader discussion, which is why it pisses me off to no end that these "Paleo" elitists get all pedantic and self-righteous about people who do choose to include it in their diet. These people who are supposed to be more enlightened about what they eat and where it comes from, who, in the end, are no different than an oppressive group of bullies and judgers who would rather eradicate someone elses way of doing things than to simply live beside it in acceptance (hence where I got the "Paleo" Nazi thing from).

EDIT: Theres actually a name for the disordered eating of people who have a beyond healthy obsession with consuming what they perceive to be healthy foods. Its called Orthorexia, and I wouldnt be surprised if many "Paleo" Nazi types suffered from it. Its a good way to kill 20  minutes if youve never heard of it before.

And that, my friends, is why Im no longer associating myself or my recipes with the word "Paleo/Whole30." I dont have a lot of tolerance for people who dont have a lot of tolerance, and I really dont give two shits what anyone else chooses to eat. Unless, of course, its babies, and then I would feel obligated to have an opinion/intervene.

Dont be mistaken--Ill continue to eat the way Ive been eating for the past two or so years (long before any of these elitists probably even heard of the Paleo diet, Im sureeee, said the hipster), but Im removing the words "Paleo" and "Whole30" from my vocabulary. Id like to do something grandiose here and start a movement where you all commit to do the same, but Im not that influential. Yet.
I wish I had a great word to replace it with, like Dragnificent, or something, but Im still marinating on it. If youve got some Dragnificent suggestions, though, leave em in the comments! Until them, Im either going to refer to it as "clean," "gluten free," or simply whatever it is. Not entirely helpful, but you get the idea.
To that end, I made these, er...um..., CLEAN, GLUTEN FREE cookies! And just like the ravioli from Monday, I am super excited to share these with you for the following reasons:

1. They actually taste like real cookies.
2. They literally have no flour. Like, none...not even almond or coconut flour!
3. There are only a handful of ingredients, many of which you probably have lying around. Therefore, you should make them tonight.
You know what theyre made of? Almond butter! And some honey. And an egg. And a little baking soda and salt. And some Enjoy Life chocolate chips, duh. And thats it!! I love these because theyre a soft cookie, the way I like it, despite their dark amber color, which is attributable to the color of my almond butter. They also have just the right amount of sweet--but please hear me when I also say that you can control how much honey you want (read: feel free to use less or a different sweetener or NONE altogether if you want to), because you totally can. But I didnt, because thats how I roll. And Im good with that.

Served alongside a nice cold glass of Almond Milk (see, I actually DO have limits when it comes to dairy--not that I care if you dont!), these are all the cookie and judgment you need.

Better For You Chocolate Chip Cookies (grain free, gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free)
Makes about a dozen
Adapted from Detoxinista
  • 1 cup raw almond butter
  • 1/4 cup raw honey (you can use slightly more or less based on your preference)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup Enjoy Life chips (more/less if you like)
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees F. Line cookie sheet with non-stick foil.
2. In a bowl, whisk all ingredients (except the chips) together. When combined, gently fold in chips to incorporate.
3. Using a regular spoon, spoon about 2 TBSP worth of batter onto the cookie sheet, about 1.5 inches about. The batter is loose, but it actually doesnt spread a lot.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes (until just slightly firm). Remove from oven and let cool for another 10 minutes on the cookie sheet. This is important to make sure they "set up" right.
5. Remove cookies from sheet and allow to finish cooling on a cookie rack. Store in an airtight container.
Read More..

Friday, March 21, 2014

Cauliflower Pizza Crust A Paleo Pizza Story

After a week in Ireland eating potatoes (on the side of my potatoes) and two weeks of eating out to avoid creating more clutter in the midst of a move, Im ready to get back to my paleo meals. Like any addict though, Im gonna have to ween myself off crack flour and sugar slowly, lest I suffer from night sweats and bouts of withdrawal-induced shock. What better way to trick my body (and tastebuds) into thinking were not kicking these bad habits any time soon than with a paleo version of pizza??
Theres really nothing particularly unusual about this za. Its topped with marina (sugar and soy free, of course), pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, and lots of mozzarella (which isnt technically paleo, but Im weening myself, here!!). All the "paleo" in the pizza is coming from the crust, made entirely from cauliflower and mozzarella.
 See?? It even LOOKS like crust:
 Cus I like to keep it rull witchall, I will say it doesnt taste like the traditional pizza dough we all know, love, and curse our thighs about. But it is REALLY good! I mean, its cheesy, herbed cauliflower baked into a bread-like crust. You literally cant NOT like it. And if you dont, my guess is you dont have a soul.

I imagine Ill be making iterations of this non-stop over the next several weeks.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust For People Who Have Souls
Makes one pizza crust, roughly 8 large slices

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese
  • 1-2 eggs, beaten 
  • 1 tsp. oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. "Rice" the cauliflower by chopping it into small chunks and pulsing quickly in a food processor until it looks like short grains of rice. Dont overpulse or youll puree it and thats no good. Alternatively, you can grate the cauliflower on a cheese grater as well. 
3. Microwave cauliflower "rice" for 8 minutes. Dont add any water to this. Theres enough water in the cauliflower.
4. Mix cauliflower, cheese, egg, and seasoning with your hands. Start with one egg. If the mixture feels dry, add slightly more egg until it starts to bind or come together.
5. Pat the crust on to a WELL oiled/PAMd cookie sheet covered with foil. You can make it any shape or thickness you like. 
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Top with your choice of ingredients (must be cooked) and place under broiler until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
Read More..

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Apple Spice Cookies Paleo

I originally planned to go apple picking with my friend Leslie yesterday, but despite having one of the mildest best summers since Ive lived in D.C., mother nature decided to spice up October 6th by reaching 90 degrees, to which I was all "fuck that." So, weve decided to reschedule for a day that actually feels like fall. 
But since I already had my heart set on the idea of coming home with North Wests weight in apples, I decided I needed to bake something apple-y. Since I havent made any variations on this recipe (which, btw, is the my most popular recipe of all time), I thought Id do something special and put a new fall spin on it. Hence, apple spice cookies.
I know a lot of you are obsessedies with Fall, so Im pretty sure youll like these: youll get the sweetness from the apples and honey paired with spicey cinnamon and ginger. Itll kind of be like those Britney Spears perfume commercials where she place the nice AND naughty versions of herself. But for your mouth!!
These cookies have a slightly cakey texture compared to the classic version because I made it from memory and changed a few proportions of things, but theyre still amazing. I suppose you could even bake them in a muffin tin, but I prefer eating cookies to muffins. Feels more like a treat to me that way.
If for some reason you HATE apple, well, first of all, whats wrong with you? And second, you could probably sub the apple in this recipe for pumpkin puree. Not too much though, or it might change the texture. And if youre scared to give it a try, then just make these cookies exactly as I made them.

Apple Spice Cookies (Paleo)
Makes 9 large cookies
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond butter
  • 1/2 cup raw honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • half an apple, diced (use something sweet like Fuji or Gala)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated on a microplane
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degress F.
2. In a large bowl, combine almond butter, honey, egg, baking soda, and salt until well incorporated. Add apple, spices, and ginger and stir to combine.
3. Spoon batter onto a baking sheet (you may have to spread the batter a little to get it into a round shape) about 1-2 inches apart from each other--theyll spread a bit.
4. Bake about 10 minutes, or until slightly set.
5. Remove cookies and allow to cool on pan for about 5-10 minutes. Then finish cooling on a cooling rack.


Read More..