Lip-Smackingly Good Lemon Ice Cream (AIP Friendly)

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Dairy Free, Dairy Free Ice Cream, Gluten Free, Healthy Dessert, Paleo

Forget art. Put your trust in ice cream. (Charles Baxter, ‘The Feast of Love’)

One of the very happy discoveries I have made on my Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) endeavour is that of coconut ice cream. That is, ice cream made from coconut milk. Not the store-bought coconut-flavoured ice cream full of trans fats, soy extracts, sweeteners and preservatives!

When you are in the strictest elimination phase of the protocol, finding special sweet treats can be something of a challenge. So, there is something quite liberating about having a little ice cream every now and then.

And, of course, I’m a bit of an ice cream tragic, so I’m REALLY in love with my homemade coconut ice cream. You won’t believe how easy it is to make, either.

Homemade Lemon Ice cream
Garnished with Honey Candied Citrus Peel from The Urban Poser
(Image by LM for TSL)

When I first started making my AIP-friendly ice cream, I tended towards an old fashioned sundae. You know the kind I mean – vanilla ice cream, whipped (coconut) cream and strawberry or raspberry coulis. I’d whip these up for casual dinner parties, with MUCH success. Ice cream sundaes seem to bring out the inner child in my dinner guests.

Who knew?

Of course, it must be said that while it is possible to make ice cream without an ice cream maker, it is so much easier if you have one.

I was lucky enough to have a gorgeous tangerine-coloured * KitchenAid bought for me a few years back (LM buys the best presents!). It was not too expensive to pick up the ice cream attachment. The frequency with which I now make ice cream has made it a very cheap addition to my kitchen gadget arsenal!

Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos. (Don Kardong)

This particular recipe was inspired by my almost-eight year old nephew, Blue. Lemon is his favourite flavour.

During his recent visit, Blue requested a lemon ice cream.

To be honest, I was a little dubious as to how it would turn out. I was also a little afraid the citrus would curdle the coconut milk.

But, I needn’t have worried. The resulting ice cream tasted fabulous and reminded me of a frozen version of a lemon mousse my Mum used to make for special occasions when I was growing up.

It’s a winner!
(Image by LM for TSL)

So, it was not only a big hit with Blue, but my Dad loved it, too!

And here’s the recipe. Just don’t tell anyone how simple it is!

Lemon Ice Cream (AIP-Friendly)

• Servings: 3-4
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

1 x 400 ml can full fat coconut milk
2 – 3 x Tablespoons Maple Syrup (according to taste)
Zest of one unwaxed, organic lemon
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Method:

1. Freeze the insulated bowl for your ice cream maker.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk all your ingredients together. Taste for sweetness.

3. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the appropriate directions for your machine.

4. Serve immediately for a ‘soft serve’ consistency, or freeze for an hour or so for a firmer ice cream.

E N J O Y !

*colour no longer in production

This recipe features in the Phoenix Helix Recipe Roundtable

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Easter Inspiration Recipe Round Up

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Chocolate Easter Treats, Easter, Easter Recipe Roundup, Easter Treats, Gluten Free EAster, Paleo Easter

Easter is just around the corner. How did that happen? So, this week I went looking for some Easter inspiration. And, it occurred to me that you might like to see just what wee gems I discovered…

I definitely lean more towards being a savoury cook than sweet (much to LM’s chagrin). And, that has only increased since I started this AIP caper. But, a bit like Christmas, Easter is a time of year when the treat or two seems fitting.

And, when you’ve been so restricted in what you can and can’t eat for so long, the opportunity to break free is pretty compelling!

My wee list is by no means the most comprehensive out there, but these are all recipes I’d like to try myself (and I slipped in one that I have already put my name to!)

While most of these are not strict AIP, they are all grain free, whole food numbers…

Do feel free to add any of your suggestions in the comments. I’d love to add to my repertoire!

No Nut Butter Easter Eggs
(Original Image from Canada Girl Eats Paleo)

No Nut Butter Easter Eggs – what can I say. These wee morsels look dangerously easy to over-indulge in! And so easy to make, too.

Raw Carrot Cake Balls
(Original image from The Urban Poser)

Raw Carrot Cake Balls – the only question I have is how am I only learning about the Urban Poser now? One of two recipes in my round-up to try from Jenni’s amazing site.

Healthy Hot Cross Buns!
(Original image from the Sydney Morning Herald)

Healthy Paleo Hot Cross Buns – This recipe is an extract from Lola Berry’s ‘The Happy Cookbook’. And, I will be making these. I have a MASSIVE hankering for hot cross buns this year!

Flourless Zucchini Brownies
(Original image from Delighted Momma)

Flourless Zucchini Brownies – OK, I know – brownies don’t really scream Easter. But 100% flourless. YUM!

Almond Flour Cinnamon Scroll
(Image from the Urban Poser)

The BEST Almond Flour Cinnamon Roll Biscuits (aka Cinnamon Scrolls) – The 2nd of my ‘wanna try’ recipes from Jenni. I am reasonably confident that the minute LM sees this post, he’s going to ask me when I’m going to make these. And, he’ll want them more than the hot cross buns.

Reece’s Peanut Buttercups (TSL Style)
No Peanut Butter!
(Image by TSL)

Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups (only without the peanut butter!) – these are my babies. Only, I haven’t made them in a while. May have to resurrect ’em!

Fudgy Chocolate Tarts
(Original image from Against All Grain)

Fudgy Chocolate Tarts – now before you tell me that this is the first of two recipes from Danielle over at Against All Grain, it’s a guest post! This baby is actually a recipe from Carrie of Deliciously Organic. And, they’re so gorgeous. Dinner-party worthy!

And, you could easily make these 100% AIP by subbing the cacao with carob.

Mandarin Chocolate Truffles
(Original image from Against All Grain)

Mandarin Chocolate Truffles – small confession, I’ve had this number of Danielle’s bookmarked to try for some time. I’m a fan of one-bite treats. And, if I don’t make these for Easter, they may make the table the following week (when my folks come to visit from New Zealand)

Coconut & Carob Truffles
(Original image from A Squirrel in the Kitchen)

Coconut & Carob Truffles – Sophie over at A Squirrel in the Kitchen always has such fabulous recipes. And, this one is no exception. And it’s 100% AIP compliant, too. I can’t actually eat carob, but I can always sub in cacao… Don’t they look gorgeous?

Chocolate Lava Cakes
(Original image from Grazed and Enthused)

Chocolate Lava Cakes – Alaena is another AIP blogging buddy who always has such fabulous recipes. And, if I was a betting woman, I’d say this one would be #2 on LM’s list in this selection. It’s another 100% AIP compliant number, too!

Well, what do you think? Are you inspired? Or, maybe you’ve got a recipe you think I should be trying…? If so, I’d love to know!

LUSCIOUS Lamington Cupcakes

Tags

AIP, Australia Day, Autoimmune Protocol, Dairy Free, Dog, Gluten Free, Healthy Lamington, Lamington Muffin, Paleo, Poodle

The TSL take on lamingtons in honour of Australia Day!
(Image by TSL)

There is no place in the world like Australia. Not even its beautiful neighbor New Zealand. (Henry Rollins)

It’s a drizzly and overcast old Australia Day as I write this. To be honest, it’s a wee bit of a welcome respite from the heat we’ve been having lately. For me, at least.

And here at Casa TSL, it has been a B I G day. Capital letters BIG. Today we met the newest addition to our extended family.

Fang, the black miniature poodle, has arrived at my sister’s. And she is meltingly cute.

Fang, the black miniature poodle pup
(Images by TSL)

We were invited to introduce Miss Bella, our 10-year-old pooch, to her sort of niece by way of a barbecue. It has to be said that Bella was singularly unimpressed with Fang. No matter. The rest of us fell head over heels in love… What a fluff-ball!

And, what else could I bring to an Australia Day barbie, but lamingtons? It would virtually be UN-Australian not to.

What is a lamington, you ask?

lamington

noun     AUSTRALIAN/NZ

a square of sponge cake dipped in melted chocolate and grated coconut.

(Image by TSL)

Of course, here at Casa TSL, a traditional lamington won’t cut it. After almost a year on the Autoimmune Protocol, we’re a 100% grain-free, mostly dairy-free household.

And, my sister and her partner are very similar, too.

And, then there was the small fact that I didn’t actually have a lamington tin in which to bake my sponge…

Time to improvise!

Adapting a recipe I found on the VERY talented Teresa Cutter’s site (The Healthy Chef), I bring you these remarkably lamington-like healthy-ish lamington cupcakes.

Completely free of any grains or dairy… they’re bloody good, mate!

Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia. (Charles M. Schulz)

• Servings: 10
• Time: 45 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

6 x happy eggs
1 x teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 x Tablespoons raw honey
1/4 cup macadamia nut oil
1/2 cup coconut flour
2 x teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
1/2 cup raspberry jam or preserve*
1 x cup desiccated coconut for rolling
100 g best quality dark chocolate, roughly broken up
1/4 cup coconut milk

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 160° C / 320° F. Line a muffin tray with 10 papers.

2. Throw your eggs, vanilla and honey into your mixing bowl. Mix on high for 10 minutes until light and creamy.

3. While the machine is still running, pour in the macadamia nut oil. Mix well.

4. Add the coconut flour and baking powder. Mix until thoroughly combined.

5. Using a 1/4 cup as a measure, pour lamington cake mix into your prepared muffin tray.

6. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes or until cooked through.

7. Fill a piping bag with raspberry jam. Stick the nozzle into the middle of each cupcake and fill with a healthy squeeze of raspberry jam.

8. While waiting for your cupcakes to cool, heat your coconut milk in a small pan until almost boiling. Turn off the heat and add your chocolate. Stir until you have a smooth silky ganache.

9. When your cupcakes are cool, spread a little chocolate ganache on the top of each.
Dip in coconut and pop onto a tray to set.

* check the labels for a preservative free, low sugar number

E N J O Y !

ROCKING Raw Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Chocolate, Dairy Free, Healthy Drink, Paleo, Primal, Shake, Smoothie, Summer Drink

(Image by TSL)

It’s a wee bit sticky in Sydney at the moment. The sort of heat that has edged just past fabulous and moved towards slightly uncomfortable. At least, that’s how it feels to this little Kiwi.

And, while we’re in the middle of summer down here, many of my fellow AIP bloggers are writing about winter warmers.

The ever so talented Samantha over at Sweet Potatoes and Social Change has just posted about a lip-smackingly gorgeous-looking AIP-friendly Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate recently. And, yes – I did say AIP-friendly.

If there’s no chocolate in Heaven, I’m not going.(Jane Seabrook, Furry Logic Laugh at Life)

And, while I love a hot chocolate just as much as the next girl, the current temperatures in this neck of the woods definitely lend themselves to something a little more cooling…

(Images by TSL)

This is a special treat kind of smoothie. Really, it probably falls more into the ‘shake’ kind of territory. But, on a scale of naughtiness where a big fat portion of chocolate mud cake with whipped cream, ice cream and chocolate sauce is the king, this baby barely even rates a blip on the monitor. And, it tastes REALLY good!

Before I go any further, I should mention that I make this number with raw cacao. Cacao is off the table on the elimination stage of AIP. In the early stages of my AIP caper I discovered that carob is not my friend. For the longest time, I was off all things chocolate. It was a dark period, indeed.

Fortunately, cacao is now back on the menu. Carob and cacao are interchangeable in this recipe.

ROCKING Raw Chocolate Babana Smoothie

• Servings: 2
• Time: 5 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

2 x frozen bananas
4 x medjool dates, pitted
3 x Tablespoons raw cacao powder or carob powder
2/3 cup coconut milk
1 x cup water
4 x brazil nuts (optional, and only after reintroduction)
2 x large handfuls of ice

Method:

1. Throw your frozen bananas, dates, cacao/carob, coconut milk, water, optional brazil nuts and ice into your blender. Blend until smooth.

E N J O Y !

SCRUMPTIOUS Loaded Banana Bread

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol Reintroduction, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Healthy Banana Bread, Paleo, Paleo Banana Bread

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here. This recipe contains nuts and eggs  – both ingredients that are part of the reintroduction phase of the protocol.

It’s been almost two years now, and – small confession – I still miss really good bread. You know the kind I mean – artisan-style sourdough made by bakers who take their bread-making very seriously. Here in Sydney, I mean bread like Iggy’s.

Don’t get me wrong, though. I may miss good bread, but I won’t be having any anytime soon. Probably never again. Gluten is not my friend. And, ‘gluten-free’ definitely does not cut it when it comes to bread.

Life is full of banana skins. You slip, you carry on. (Daphne Guinness)

But, this post is about banana bread. Not bread bread.

And, banana bread is not really bread in the true sense of the word. It’s not made with yeast, water and flour. Rather, its made with bananas. Doh! So, really it’s more like a cake or a loaf.

And, while banana bread can easily be made gluten-free, because it’s not bread (which requires kneading and proving to allow the lovely-yet-naughty gluten to work its magic), it still tastes AWESOME. Some might even say it tastes better…

Better still, (for me) the discovery that I have recently reintroduced eggs successfully back into my life after nine whole months without them.

So, I reckon I deserve a wee celebration!

Having eggs back in my cooking repertoire means the occasional baking treat is back on the table. As good as they are, a girl can only make so many Jaffa Balls!

I started thinking about banana bread at the markets last Saturday. The good peeps at  Kitchen Green, who offer the most delish’ gluten free banana bread, had me salivating. I would have bought some, too. Only, theirs features chia seeds. And I have recently discovered that chia seeds and me are ‘no bueno’. So, I resolved to make my own…

SCRUMPTIOUS Loaded Banana Bread
(Image by TSL)

Bananas lend themselves to healthy baking because they add a natural sweetness and they keep your baking moist.

The thing is, LM is not such a fan of bananas. So when I experimented with this wee number, I added some lemon zest to the batter. To offset the banana-ness of the loaf. And, I reckon it was a winner.

By now, you know that I’m not a particularly finicky cook. I like lots of flavour and not too much fuss. So, while I was playing with this wee baby, I threw in some of the activated (soaked) nuts I had in the pantry and, because I love it, some shredded coconut, too.

The end result is a beautifully moist and crumbly nutty loaf with a lovely citrus kick. YUM!

• Servings: 8 - 10-ish
• Time: 60 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 x cup shredded coconut
1 x teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
Pinch of salt
Zest of 2 lemons
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (I used activated mixed nuts because that’s what I had!)
3 x very ripe medium bananas, mashed well
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 x cup honey
4 x happy eggs

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 180° C (that’s 350° F). Grease a loaf tin with coconut oil and line with a piece of baking paper (I leave a little overhang of baking paper to aid in removing the cooked loaf from the tin).

2. Using a fork, mix your dry ingredients – almond meal, coconut flour, shredded coconut, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and chopped nuts – in a medium-sized bowl.

3. Pop your eggs and honey into a separate bowl. Whisk. Add your mashed bananas and whisk until very well combined.

4. Pour your egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir until combined. Add melted coconut oil and stir again until combined.

5. Pour batter into your loaf tin. Tap on the bench a couple of times to release any air bubbles. Cook for 40 – 45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

6. Once cooked, allow to cool for 5 minutes in the loaf tin before turning it out onto a wire rack.

This loaf really is best eaten on the day it is cooked but will keep in the fridge for a few days in an airtight container. It also freezes well.

E N J O Y !

SEXY-UGLY Prune and Orange Cookies

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Biscuits, Cookies, Dairy Free, Egg Free Baking, Healing Family Eats, Healthy Baking, Paleo

(Image by TSL)

sexy ugly
Someone not considered conventionally good-looking (or any kind of good-looking in some cases), but possesses an appealing personality, style, or talent, and is thus considered sexually attractive by many.

First coined by the movie, ‘Kissing Jessica Stein.’

Here’s the thing, I haven’t really done that much baking since I started this whole autoimmune protocol kick. When you’re off all grains, nuts, seeds AND eggs (among other things) – it does limit your options considerably when it comes to making sweet treats.

There is no education like adversity. (Benjamin Disraeli)

You have Healing Family Eats to thank for these wee babies. Earlier in the month she featured a gorgeous looking recipe for her Apricot N’Oatmeal Cookies. Frankly, I’ve been thinking about them on and off since I first saw the post.

I’ve become known as the ‘queen of balls’ in my neck of the woods, of late. Everybody asks for them.

And, just in case your wee mind is not on the same page as mine, I’m referring to those spherical objects commonly referred to as ‘Bliss Balls’. They’re a handy snack full of nuts and a bit of dried fruit, sometimes some flavouring like chocolate or coconut. Ever since I successfully reintroduced activated (soaked) nuts, I always have a few in the fridge. And, they’re both easy to make and seriously more-ish – when you get the ratios right. I think my most successful are my Jaffa Balls.

But sometimes a girl needs a change. And, I kept thinking about those cookies from over at Healing Family Eats…

Sexy Ugly Prune and Orange Cookies
(Image by TSL)

The thing is, when I went to my pantry to check for all the ingredients, I was missing the dried apricots. Sometimes delayed gratification just won’t cut it. And, necessity apparently being the mother of all invention, and all – this is what I came up with.

My wee sexy-ugly cookies certainly don’t look as pretty as the originals. But, they taste fab’! And, they can be whipped up in no time.

And – they were my very first attempt at egg-free baking. Moderately excited about that!

Try them and tell me what you think?

• Servings: 10
• Time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: SUPER easy.
• Print

Ingredients:

1 x cup desiccated coconut
2 x Tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup organic prunes
zest of an orange
1 x Tablespoon gelatine
1 x Tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 x Tablespoon very hot water

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 180° F/350° C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Pop your desiccated coconut, coconut oil, prunes and orange zest into your food processor. Blitz until thoroughly combined.

3. Pop the gelatine into a small bowl. Add your orange juice. Mix well until combined. Working quickly, add your hot water and whisk until the gelatine has completed melted.

4. Turn on your processor and pour the orange juice and gelatine mixture through the feeding tube. It will only take a couple of seconds to mix it through.

5. Using a tablespoon as a measure, take spoonfuls of the mixture and pop onto the baking sheet. Flatten carefully with a fork.

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool completely (they will firm up as they cool).

E N J O Y !

If you don’t eat all your cookies at once, they will keep for a couple of days in the fridge.

 

ROCKING Rhubarb and Strawberry Compote

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Breakfast, dessert, Healthy Dessert, Paleo, Rhubarb, Rhubarb and Strawberry, Stewed Rhubarb, Summer Dessert

(Image by TSL)

Well, Art is Art, isn’t it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now you tell me what you know. (Groucho Marx)

LM loves rhubarb. And, I mean really loves it. 

Rhubarb is fairly ubiquitous at our farmers market on Saturday mornings. But, for some reason, it has been a while since I bought some. Not sure why – it is so easy to cook.

…I guess the big thing about rhubarb is that it usually requires quite a bit of sugar to make it really sing. And, it is fair to say that this recipe is no exception. Just because I have used coconut syrup and strawberries doesn’t mean it isn’t still a pretty sugar-heavy choice. But, as with most things in life, it’s all relative!

We are pretty careful about our sugar intake here at Casa TSL.

Having said that, LM still has a seriously sweet tooth (I may have mentioned that once or twice before!) and I guess there are far worse options in the sugar stakes than my take on rhubarb and strawberry compote.

Take a few strawb’s…

Add some chopped rhubarb…

And together you have a magical combination!
(Images by TSL)

Compote is really just a fancy way of saying ‘stewed fruit’. And, when I say stewed fruit, I always think of custard (another of LM’s favourites!). Guess I better hurry up and reintroduce eggs – successfully! – so that I can whip up a dairy-free custard to go with LM’s rhubarb and strawberries…

As with almost all of my recipes, this one is a doddle to make, but big on flavour. We’re heading into summer down here, but I bet it would taste fabulous in the winter-time made with frozen strawberries and served over a grain free porridge option for breakfast…

• Servings: 6-ish
• Time: 30 minutes tops
• Difficulty: could not be more simple
• Print

Ingredients:

1 x bunch organic rhubarb (approx. 450g when washed, trimmed and chopped)
1 x pun net organic strawberries (approx. 250g when washed, topped and chopped)
2 – 3 x Tablespoons coconut syrup (or maple syrup or honey)*
1/2 x teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 x Tablespoons filtered water
Fresh mint for garnish (optional)

Method

1. Wash your rhubarb and then trim and chop into 3cm pieces. Wash your strawberries, and then top and quarter them. Throw into a sized medium pot. Add water, coconut syrup and cinnamon.

2. Bring to a simmer, stir, and then cook until the rhubarb softens (between 5 and 10 minutes).

3. That’s it! All done.

4. Serve your compote either warm or cold as a breakfast accompaniment to nutola and coconut yoghurt, or for dessert over vanilla ice cream (dairy free, of course!)

*I used 2 Tablespoons but you may prefer your compote sweeter

E N J O Y !

Zoe’s Choc-Orange Birthday Balls (a.k.a. ‘Jaffa Balls’)

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol Reintroduction, Bliss Balls, Choc-Orange Balls, Healthy Snack, Jaffa Balls, Paleo

(Image by TSL)

It’s my buddy, Zoe’s birthday today. It also happens to be my Mum’s birthday, too. But, because I’m lucky enough to have Mum here with me in Sydney to celebrate, I won’t be seeing Zoe on her big day.

So, these balls are dedicated to you, my crazy friend. I hope you have an AWESOME day.

Happy Birthday!

For the uninitiated (those of you not from Australia or New Zealand!), ‘Jaffa’ is a colloquial term that refers to small ball of goodness which consists of a soft chocolate centre with a hard covering of orange flavoured, red coloured confectionery. The name comes from the Jaffa orange. And, through association with this wee ball of goodness, Jaffa has now come to describe a chocolate-orange flavour.

Of course, jaffas are definitely off my menu.  I can’t imagine there’s much about them that are AIP-friendly with all the processed gunk (technical term!) that makes them taste so very good. But these wee ‘jaffa balls’ are a fantastic alternative.

The taste of childhood
We used to roll jaffas down the aisles at the movies
(Image from here)

And, in another bit of somewhat unrelated trivia, I originate from Auckland. In New Zealand, Aucklanders are often referred to as JAFAs. Not because we are full of chocolate and taste weirdly like an orange. Rather, because it is both a slang term and an acronym for Just Another F*&^ing Aucklander…

Now you know!

So, back to Zoe’s birthday balls.

These balls are a little more-ish. Actually, they are more than a little more-ish. And, while they are free of refined sugar and processed gunk, they do have a hefty amount of dried fruit added – so, best to eat in moderation. If you can hold yourself back, that is.

Zoe's Choc-Orange Birthday Balls

• Servings: 20
• Time: 45 minutes + activating and chilling
• Difficulty: ridiculously easy
• Print

Ingredients:

1 x cup almonds, preferably activated (sprouted)
1/2 x cup cashews, preferably activated (sprouted)
4 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1 x cup sultanas
Zest and juice of one organic orange
1/4 x cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup desiccated coconut + more for rolling

Method

1. Pop your almonds and cashews into your food processor. Blitz on high until they resemble fine bread crumbs.

2. Add your dates, sultanas, zest and juice of the orange, cacao powder and desiccated coconut to the nut mixture. Pulse until thoroughly mixed into a thick dough. Give it a pinch test between your fingers. If it’s a little dry, add a drop or two of water.

3. Pour about a 1/4 cup of desiccated coconut into a bowl. Using a tablespoon as your measure, roll balls of the mixture between your hands, and then roll in coconut to cover.

4. Pop into the fridge for at least an hour to chill before devouring.

E N J O Y !

I’m at the reintroduction stage of my autoimmune protocol adventure. That means I can start reintroducing foods that have previously been excluded. This is managed in a very systematic way – one food at a time, starting with things that are least likely to cause a problem (or that I miss the most!). I’m keeping a food journal and recording any unusual symptoms or changes in mood. It’s actually proving to be more work that strict AIP!

Sugar-free Cinnamon and Coconut Fat Bombs (AIP Compliant)

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Coconut, Coconut Ball, Fat Bomb, Healthy Snack, Paleo, Sugar free, Sugar Free Snack

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here. And, if you want to know why I’m on the sugar-free version of the Autoimmune Protocol, you can read about that here.

As I write this post, it is day 1 of my new sugar-free autoimmune protocol regime. I know – it’s been a whole week since my post when I told you all about it, but I’ve been waiting for all my medication and supplements to arrive (not to mention getting my head around the fact that my poor wee gut is so unhealthy despite all my hard work).

And then, all of a sudden it was Friday and almost the weekend, so when LM said “Why not start the sugar-free bit on Monday”, it was an easy yes…

So here I am. And, let me tell you…

This sugar-free Autoimmune Protocol gig ain’t easy!

And I’m only on the first day!

According to the ‘standard’ AIP guidelines, any sugar consumption should be limited to less than 20g of fructose per day. That works out at about a couple of pieces of fruit.

I don’t think I realised just how much sugar I was having every day – and, I was already on a pretty restrictive diet! But when you have to cut all fruit out of your diet, on top of any honey and dates and maple syrup and any other sweet something you may have been sneaking in, and your health is on the line if you cheat, well – it soon becomes clear that life just got a whole lot less fun in the eating department.

No more dairy-free ice cream. My pulled pork recipe is back to the drawing board now that I can no longer use a little maple syrup for flavour. No Orange Macaroon Balls in this girl’s immediate future. And, no more dark chocolate which had so successfully been reintroduced…

Given – on day 1, mind you – I was already wondering how to cope with a strict month of living on what amounts to meat, fish, bone broth, fat and vegetables, it will hardly come as a surprise that I got into the kitchen for some experimenting.

Desperation is a great motivator!

(Image by TSL)

And, what I came up with won’t change the world. It possibly won’t even appeal to the many, many sugar-eating peeps out there in the real world. But – when sugar-eaten-in-moderation LM happily troughs a couple down after walking in the door, you know its not a bad first experiment…

So, without further ado, I give you my first 100% guaranteed sugar-free snack recipe. The secret here is the spices. They are pretty good at tricking your wee brain into thinking it’s having sugar.

I made two versions of these – cinnamon and ginger. Cinnamon trumped ginger. So that’s what you’re getting.

Sugar-Free Cinnamon & Coconut Fat Bombs

• Servings: about 20
• Time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: pretty easy
• Print

Ingredients

1 x cup coconut butter* (I used this brand)
1 x cup desiccated coconut
1 x teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 – 2 x teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 x Tablespoon water

Method

1. Heat your oven to 180°C /360°F. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Mix all the ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.

3. Form balls of the mixture and place onto your baking tray. I use my Tablespoon as a measure.

4. Pop in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes (until they start to turn golden). The smell will be incredible!

*It’s winter here in Sydney. My coconut butter was reasonably easy to work with. If your butter is rock hard, let it sit in a bowl of hot water until it softens. If your butter is too soft, place the fat bomb mixture into the fridge for 20 minutes to thicken up.

E N J O Y !

The GREAT RAW CHOCOLATE Ice Cream Experiment…

Tags

AIP, AIP Reintroduction, Autoimmune Protocol, Chocolate Ice Cream, Dairy Free Ice Cream, Ice Cream, Paleo

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here. 

Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos. (Don Kardong)

Today is LM’s birthday.

Happy Birthday, LM!

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you just how difficult it is to find just the right birthday present for that special man in your life. Well, any male over the age of 15, really. And LM is considerably older than 15. So, because I was having zero joy finding just the right gift for my beloved, I bought myself an ice cream maker for his birthday. More specifically, I bought myself the ice cream maker attachment to my gorgeous tangerine Kitchen Aid mixer, which I had been eye-ing off for a g e s , and needed a good excuse to acquire…

Photographic evidence…
(Image by TSL)

Here’s my self-talk logic behind that decision: “I can’t find ANYTHING for LM’s birthday… I can’t even take him out to dinner because of this $?@# restrictive AIP caper that I’m on…  Bugger… I know! I’ll make him an extra special meal… He’d really love a special treat and he hasn’t been able to enjoy ice cream since we discovered his allergy to dairy… What if I made him some dairy-free ice cream..? I guess I’ll need to buy that Kitchen Aid ice cream maker attachment-thingy, then. It’s for LM, after all… “

See, it was LM’s birthday present – sort of!

So, I bought the ice cream maker on Tuesday. And then, just like magic, I seemed to come across all these helpful instructions for how to make dairy free ice cream. First, there was the fabulous Beth from Tasty Yummies with her tutorial on ‘How to Make Dairy-Free Ice Cream‘. She was the first one to suggest the addition of gelatin as a binder. Inspired. But, her bestest-looking vanilla ice cream contains nut milks. A no go for me at this stage.

(Image from Beth at Tasty Yummies)

…and then, the über talented Jen’ from Predominantly Paleo posted about her latest collaboration with Vivian from The Real Food Guide. An e-book on ice cream for followers of the Autoimmune Protocol. That is – free of all the potentially inflammatory ingredients that traditionally make up ice cream that we ‘AIP-ers’ have to steer clear of – think eggs and cream! Of course I had to get me a copy of that book!

Ice Cream for AIP Peeps!

Armed with my trusty tutorial from Beth AND helpful e-book care of Jen’ and Vivian, of course it would only be sensible to make a practice ice cream before we actually get to the special birthday dinner, yes?

Also, if I’m being honest, I couldn’t decide which ice cream to make. Mint Choc-Chip sounds like heaven to me, but I know it’s not really LM’s bag. Neapolitan Stacks sound a m a z i n g, but perhaps a tad fiddly for a practice round. I was leaning towards a tried-and-true chocolate ice cream…

…and, since I’ve now been on the second round of the AIP for over a month and am free of my symptoms AND I seem to have a reaction to carob (which means no Carob Ice Cream) AND chocolate is one of LM’s favourite flavours (also mine!), I decided to amalgamate the tutorial base recipe for vanilla ice cream and the carob ice cream recipe from the e-book to make my own version of raw chocolate ice cream.

If it worked, LM would be happy AND I could count cacao as my first reintroduction test*…

And, you know what?

It only 1/2 worked…

I subbed in raw cacao for carob and it tasted pretty good in its pre-churned state. Once the ice cream machine had worked its magic, I was excited. The taste was good – perhaps not Italian chocolate gelato amazing – but a solid ‘good’. The texture was impressive, too.

And, I think, if we had eaten it right then and there, I would have been happy. Instead – since it was 3 o’clock in the afternoon – I popped it into the freezer so we could have it as dessert.

After dinner, I removed it from the freezer and it was OBSIDIAN rock hard! No leaving it on the bench for 15 minutes to come to temperature for this baby. It took a solid 45 minutes AND even then we were chipping away at it. So – not entirely successful.

BUT! I am not giving up! Tonight I will follow an actual recipe to the letter and make trusty vanilla ice cream. I think we’ll make dairy-free ice cream sundaes – with whipped coconut cream and raspberry sauce. Watch this space for an update!

…stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot oftener, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. (Robert J. Hastings, Tinyburg Tales)

*On the upside – no reaction to last night’s chocolate indulgence (yet). YAHOOO!