Paleo Coconut Power Bar Bites

Mmmm! A new recipe is here!

With a little time on my hands and some ripe bananas to use, I created a new bar recipe. This one is Paleo Coconut Power Bar Bites...and since it's Paleo, it's also gluten-free, dairy-free, with only naturally occurring sugars, (and accidentally vegan). These are a sweet treat, not unlike a cookie--so that's why I'm cutting mine into square inch bites.

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F.

In a large Pyrex baking dish, combine:

• 5 small/medium ripe bananas (mashed)
• 2 cups shredded UNSWEETENED coconut
• 1 cup hemp hearts
• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• 1/3 cup goji berries
• 1/2 cup pecans (chopped)

In a separate bowl combine:

• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
• 1 cup pitted dates (blended *I did mine with a hand blender along with the top two ingredients)

Mash the date blend into the Pyrex dish with the other mixed ingredients. Press evenly into the pan, and smooth edges.

Bake at 300 degrees for 50 minutes. Allow to cool. Cut into little bite size squares!

Enjoy :)

Dairy-Free Crock Pot Butternut Squash Soup

I've been on a bit of a roll with soup lately. My old crock pot unfortunately died, and we picked up a new one...so of course, I've been inspired to use it!

Overnight I made a delicious crock pot soup, and I'm happy to share the recipe here! It's gluten-free, and dairy-free. It's got a subtle hint of cinnamon and is absolutely belly and heartwarming.

Butternut Squash Soup

4 cups chicken broth
1 butternut squash: peeled, seeded, and diced (pieces don't have to be of equal size)
2 carrots, diced
1 large yam, peeled, and diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon cinnamon
salt and pepper, to taste

Simple ingredients! Just dump them all in a Crock Pot, stir, and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Once finished, blend up with a hand blender.

Enjoy!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

I love tacos. For a long time, I bought those "taco kits" by Old El Paso. They come with the taco shells, some mystery taco spice, and some extra mysterious "taco sauce" (what is that!?). I always threw out the taco sauce...why is it not refrigerated? Something freaky going on there.

In doing some research about the ingredients of taco spice, I learned:

1. One serving size (1/6 of the package), gives you 23% of your daily sodium intake. (woah)
2. Maltodexrin is the number one ingredient. (huh?!)
3. In addition to maltodexrin, there are some extra special ingredients such as: monosodium glutamate, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, silicon dioxide, ethoxyquin (developed by Monsanto, and labelled as 'moderately toxic'), and the ambiguous "natural flavour"

SCARY!

What's all that doing in my spice mix?!!?!

Now, catch your breath...I know that was horrifying. I have the solution

.

Homemade Taco Seasoning. It works the same, it looks the same, it smells the same, but it's MUCH BETTER FOR YOU! (and this version is garlic free)

This recipe will make a lot. Keep it stocked in a jar and add it to your beef, chicken, pork...whatever! It's multi-purpose!

In a large jar, mix together:
1/2 cup chili powder
6 tbsp paprika
1/8 cup onion powder
2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp red pepper flakes

Ta-da! Easy peasy.

Let's Eat Guilt Free Bakery

While I was in Nanaimo a few weekends ago, my Dad took me to a bakery that he had heard about called, Let's Eat Guilt Free. It's a tiny, hole-in-the-wall bakery, attached to a European deli. We were greeted by an incredibly enthusiastic saleswoman, who pushed on us a sample of nearly every product in the bakery...

and I'm glad she did.

Seen below is their "Dried Tomato and Herbs Bread", which is one of the many varieties of loafs they have!


We tried so many things...muffins, breads, cookies...all the delicious treats that someone who can't eat gluten isn't allowed to.

They offered sugar-free and dairy-free options, while everything was gluten-free. GLORIOUS! My Dad and I ended up leaving with 3 loafs of bread, and a half-dozen cookies...although I wish I had left with more.

They don't have a website, but they do have a Facebook page, so check them out- and if you're ever in Nanaimo, absolutely make a visit. I know now that my visits to Nanaimo won't be without a trip to this fabulous bakery.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lets-Eat-Guilt-free/368655409824935

My struggle to find a good gluten-free bakery in Vancouver continues. I have been searching for somewhere that makes their own gluten-free loafs...not just sells some other companies frozen ones.

Earlier this week I went to Quejo's Cheesebuns on Main St. I arrived just as they were pulling out the Soy (non-dairy) options right out of the oven. It smelled amazing, but I was sorely disappointed with the final product. I purchased 4 buns from them (traditional Brazilian cheese buns made with tapioca) in a variety of flavours, and carried them home to be consumed!

When I cut open the cheese bun, it looked like an uncooked, gooey mess. That's the tapioca. You know the "bubbles" in bubble tea? Well, It looked like a colourless, mashed up version of those in the middle of what was supposed to be my delicious lunch.

Taste-wise- not. good. I was hoping for bread- and what I got was jello bread. Nasty.

I don't necessarily blame the work of the bakery- but the product itself.


Anyways- the search continues for a gluten-free bakery in Vancouver that competes with what I had in Nanaimo.
I even tried making my own loaf of bread earlier this week---to have another fail. It just didnt rise. and no rise= a dense block. HOWEVER- I plan on trying again...and we'll see what happens!


Today I plan on making some Cinnamon buns- so there should be a post..unless they fail...which there will be no post.