Creamy Feta Dip | Advanced SCD, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free

With the holidays right around the corner, I am starting to plan our meals and appetizers. This year, I am looking for simple and easy dishes that are packed with flavor and quality ingredients. Since this recipe includes feta, I do not recommend this for anyone who is experiencing symptoms of irritable bowel disease. Feta is an advanced food and should only be consumed after six strict months of following the SCD diet and it should only be consumed in small amounts and in moderation.

Health Benefits of Feta Cheese
+ Feta cheese is a good source of calcium, phosphorus and protein, all of which have been proven to promote bone health.
+ Feta cheese contains friendly bacteria that have been shown to promote immune and intestinal health, in addition to their anti-inflammatory effects.
+ Feta cheese contains good amounts of CLA (Conjugated linoleic acid ), which may improve body composition and help prevent diabetes and cancer.

CREAMY FETA DIP
Advanced SCD, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Sugar-Free
yield: about 2 cups

INGREDIENTS
12 ounces feta cheese
1 cup homemade yogurt
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
juice of 1 lemon
salt & pepper to taste
red pepper flakes
Sliced veggies

DIRECTIONS
1. Place the feta cheese, yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until creamy. This may take a few minutes.
2. Transfer dip to a serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes and the red pepper flakes. *Optional: you can drizzle olive oil on top too, a squeeze of lemon or add chopped mint.
3. Serve with vegetable slices or try these homemade SCD crackers!


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Heirloom Tomato Galette | SCD, Paleo, Gluten-Free

Have you ever wondered what exactly makes an heirloom tomato? Heirlooms often vary in color, shape, texture and size and, depending on the species, flavors can be full, rich, meaty and sweet. You can read my post from last summer on Summer Gazpacho with Heirloom Tomatoes to get more insight on these bountiful, beautifully rich tomatoes.

In the meantime, I am excited to share this simple, yet yummy recipe for an Heirloom Tomato Galette. A galette is one of the most beloved dishes in the French cuisine and consists of a delicate puff pastry dough with a deliously simple filling. These freeform tarts are typically baked on a baking sheet and the pastry dough is folded up around the edges to reveal a rustic looking crust. They are much easier to compose and create than a pie crust, which makes this dish an easy go-to for brunch or dinner, especially considering you are working with almond flour, which can be a bit more tricky than traditional flour. The wonderful thing about baking a galette is you have the freedom to choose your ingredients. Whether it's heirloom tomatoes, arugula and caramelized onions, peaches and feta or pears and prosciutto, this easy entree is quick to prepare and simple to bake.

Health Benefits of Tomatoes:
+ Tomatoes contain the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. Studies show that it can lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, and oxidative stress levels, as well as reduce your risk of suffering from a stroke.

+ Tomatoes are also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K.

+ Tomatoes are rich in calcium, which is essential for healthy, strong bones, and teeth, and vitamin K, which is known to prevent osteoporosis.

+ Tomatoes contain lots of vitamin A to benefit your hair, eyes, and heart

HEIRLOOM TOMATO GALETTE
SCD, Paleo, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free*
yield: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS
For the Crust
2 1/4 cups almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
3 tsp. ice water

For the Filling
3-4 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
1 cup shaved parmesan
1/4 cup mix of fresh basil and oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 small egg, whisked

DIRECTIONS
1. Make the crust. In a food processor, combine almond flour, coconut flour and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until it forms into crumbs. Add the ice water and pulse just until dough forms.
2. Place the dough on plastic wrap and form into a disc, wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
3. While the dough chills, prepare the filling. Slice the tomatoes, wash and roughly chop the basil and oregano.
4. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Using a rolling-pin, roll out the chilled dough into a 1/8″ thick round, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread a thin layer of parmesan and layer the tomatoes, leaving a 1 to 2 inch border.
6. Sprinkle the tomatoes with the basil, oregano mixture and sea salt. Drizzle olive oil on top and fold up the edges of the dough. Brush the edges with the beaten egg.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Serve warm and enjoy!

*To make dairy-free simply substitute palm shortening for butter. You can also use ghee.

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Easy Cinnamon Baked Apples | SCD, Paleo, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
L.M. Montgomery

And just like that, it is October. Autumn is in the air and there is a cool, spicy breeze that lingers in our home. While I have put keeping up with this space and social media on the back burner, the scents of cinnamon, baked apples, vanilla and spice motivates me to share our adventures in life, our journey in healthy and, of course, the ever mounting recipes that fill my notebooks. And yes, I indeed have notebooks filled with recipes and yet have only managed to share a handful here on my blog. Sometimes, life gets crazy and let gets messy. My intention is always to post weekly, but as you can see that rarely happens. One day, I will have more time, but for now family comes first.

This recipe for Easy Cinnamon Baked Apples is simple, and quick to make. We almost always have these ingredients on hand and the leftovers make a delicous breakfast! I paired these apples with a Caramel Glaze and Ginger Honey Yogurt. To make the yogurt, simply take 2 cups of homemade yogurt and add honey to taste and 2 teaspoons ginger.

EASY CINNAMON BAKED APPLES
SCD, Paleo, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Egg-Free
yield: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS
6 apples, cut in 1/2 and cored
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup honey
8 Tbs. butter (1/2 cup) cut into 1 inch pieces
1 Tbsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp ground ginger

DIRECTIONS
1. Place apple halves into a large baking dish, cored side up.
2. In a food processor, add the remaining ingredients and pulse until combined. Do not over mix.
3. Spoon the mixture into the apples.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Allow to cool. Serve warm with Caramel Sauce and honey ginger yogurt.

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes | SCD, Gluten-Free

I certainly never imagined my children enjoying the tart flavor of lemon curd, but this classic culinary delight has been a staple in our kitchen since we started the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) over four years ago. The very first Easter my son was diagnosed I wanted to make several options for desserts, and lemon curd filled pastries happened to be one of them. The wonderful thing about lemon curd is it is very versatile. You can serve it alone, with fresh berries, in a tart or pastry, or, in this case, as a filling for cupcakes. I took my basic vanilla cupcake recipe and added a hint of lemon zest for a summery flavor. Pair this with a lemon curd filling and a strawberry icing and you have the perfect summer treat!

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
yield: about 9 cupcakes

Cake Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch of sea salt
6 Tbs butter, melted
3 large eggs, seperated
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbs. lemon zest (optional for a burst of lemon flavor)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325°F and add cupcake liners to muffin tins.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, butter, honey, vanilla and lemon juice or ACV to combine. Add to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Stir in lemon zest if using.
4. Using your standing mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks are formed. Using a spatula, fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter. Then gently fold the remaining egg whites, careful not to over mix.
5. Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Lemon Curd Filling
In a medium saucepan, whisk together until light in color:
3 large eggs
1/4 cup honey
grated zest of 1 lemon
Add:
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Cook, whisking over medium high heat until the butter is melted. Then whisk constantly until the mixture is thickened and simmering gently for a few seconds. Using a spatula, scrape the filling into a medium sized mesh sieve set over a glass bowl. Stir in 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Let cool, cover and refrigerate to thicken.

Buttercream Frosting
1 cup palm shortening
1/2 cup butter
4 Tbs honey
4 Tbs freeze dried strawberries, ground to a powder

In your standing mixer, beat together the ingredients for the frosting until light and fluffy.

To assemble the cupcakes:
Use a small paring knife to cut a small cone out of the center of each cupcake, about 1 inch deep. Spoon a small amount of lemon curd into the hole and replace the cone. Gently press the cone into place and smooth away any crumbs. Frost the cupcakes as desired. For these I used a large round tip and the swirl method. Hold your piping bag perpendicular to the cupcake. Start at the outer edge of the cupcake and pipe a circle around the outer edge. As you complete a full circle, move the piping bag slightly inward to create the next circle rotation. Continue piping, moving inward for three full rotations, plus a small one on top. Release the pressure and pull the bag away. **Make sure cupcakes are completely cooled before icing**

*I originally created this post for Babiekins Magazine and you can see that post HERE. I adapted this recipe for my family so it is SCD compliant for my son's health and our lifestyle.

GINGER COOKIE & PEACH ICE CREAM SANDWICH | SCD, Paleo

And just like that, we are beyond midsummer.
The air is humid, and most days we linger around in our bathing suits until well past dinner. We are bare foot and skin kissed. And if you look close enough, you can see a sprinkle of freckles dance across my children's faces. We are in the heart of Ohio's summer and I am filled with joy. Our local produce stands are abundant with fresh peaches, vine-ripened tomatoes and endless ears of sweet corn. I want to savor these flavors of summer forever, I want to hold onto every moment, I want to live in an eternal bliss of summer. But for now, we embrace and appreciate each day we have. We avoid looking at the calendar and make every minute count.

These ginger cookie, peach ice cream sandwiches are a delicious summer treat! They are a blend of mild summer flavors and best enjoyed with friends and family! I also love this recipe because it's easy to make and once they are assembled you can hold them in the freezer for a couple days.

GINGER COOKIE & PEACH ICE CREAM SANDWICH
SCD, Paleo, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free
yield: about 6-8 servings, depending on size of cookies

Ingredients
For the cookies:
1.5 cups almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
2 eggs
⅓ cup raw honey
¼ cup coconut oil, melted

Directions for the Cookies:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl: almond flour, coconut flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients: eggs, honey, coconut oil, vanilla. Whisk until blended.
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop tablespoon sizes of dough spaced 2 inches apart.
6. Bake cookies for 10-14 minutes. I always check at 10 minutes and then let them go another minute or two if they need. For this recipe, I slightly undercooked the cookies for a softer texture.
7. Let cookies cool completely.
8. Take ice cream from freezer and add a scoop between two cookies. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and keep in freezer until ready to serve.
9. Enjoy!

Ingredients For the Peach Ice Cream:
1 can full fat coconut milk
2 cups fresh peaches, cut into pieces skins removed
1/3 cup of honey
pinch of salt

Make ice cream:
1. Mix the coconut milk, honey, peaches and a pinch of salt together in a blender or Vitamix until combined.
2. Transfer to your ice cream machine and mix until it reaches a thick consistency.
4. Transfer to a container and keep in freezer until the cookies are baked and cooled.

*TIPS:
I use this ice cream maker and we use it ALL the time! It's well worth the investment.
When assembling the cookies, I gently press them together to flatten the ice cream slightly.
Use parchment to separate the cookies when storing in an airtight container.
I use Native Forest Simple Organic Milk which you can find HERE.