Grain-Free Pizza

February 20, 2016February 20, 2016Coconut, Gluten Free, kids nutrition, Meals and snacks, Recipes, recipes your kids will love, Updating the Classicsgrain free, happy, healthy, healthy fats, kids, lunch box, nourishing, nutrients, pizza, proteinLeave a comment

Grain Free Pizza Base

I have played with several grain free pizza bases over the years. We have been using this recipe for a year now and I am ready to share it with you all.

In my experience grain free bases are a faff to make and never taste like pizza most of the time! Traditional pizza base is very simple; flour (gluten and grain rich!), olive oil, yeast, water, sugar and salt. To recreate this without gluten and adding nutrients (which I always have to do!) is a tough thing.

I have really enjoyed my cauliflower crust however it was not nice cold and that is a must for lunchboxes! So I have been searching and playing for the right combination. I tried simply replacing the flour with a gluten free mix, but my need for nutrients was not being met! Then I decided that I actually wanted it grain free for the kids and my digestive needs. Thats when I turned to tapioca flour (see here for a great one to buy). Learning to use tapioca flour is an experience!!

The best starting point I found was in this book, Paleo Eats by Kelley Bejelly; (its a really great book)

I then went about filling it with nutrition, namely making sure it contained the amount of protein in it necessary to nourish and fill up my kids. Here is the result;

Grain Free, Nutrient Rich, Pizza Base

2016-02-20 05:57:47

Serves 5

A delicious grain free crust which is great for kids and works well for leftovers in their lunchboxes

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Prep Time

20 min

Prep Time

20 min

Ingredients

1 cup of water
2/3 cup of olive oil (I have also used coconut oil)
1tsp of dried herbs (I like an italian mix- you can use what you like or sun-dried tomato flakes)
2 tsp garlic or dried onion powder
2 tsp salt
3 cups of tapioca flour
1tbsp collagen hydrolysate (gelatin)
2 beaten eggs
1tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
3tbsp coconut flour
2 tbsp almond flour (optional)
dash of kefir (water or milk) (optional, you can also add a dash of apple cider vinegar)

Instructions

Add the water, oil, herbs and garlic powder to a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Add the tapioca flour and it will instantly become a sticky mess (I mean dough)
Ensure it is all mixed in and allow to cool for 10-15 mins
Heat your oven to 200 centigrade.
Add in remaining ingredients until it is a dough that can be kneaded. You may need to adjust the dry ingredients. Coconut flour expands so be careful if you add more. The gelatin helps to make it more doughy.
I roll the dough out in between two pieces of baking paper. It is then easier to get really thin and then move to a baking sheet or pizza stone.
Roll your dough out to a couple of mm. It is a nice thin and crispy pizza, any thicker and it is a bit too chewy.
I have frozen the bases at this point
Put pizza in the oven to 20-30 mins to pre cook (longer if you have cooked from frozen)
Add toppings. I add passata, and whatever I fancy (the kids eat ham, pineapple and olives!) we like bacon, artichokes, olives and peppers!
Add cheese if you like and put back in the oven for another 10-15 mins.
Enjoy

Notes

The gelatin, almond flour and eggs add a good nutrient content to the pizza base so it is not so starch heavy. The oil adds a good fat content. We always serve with a nice crisp and colourful salad and it is very filling.

By Louise Kane Buckley

Adapted from Paleo Eats, Kelley Bejelly

Loula Natural https://loulanatural.com/

How to ferment; Beetroot and Ginger Sauerkraut

November 17, 2015January 17, 2016Fermented, Fermented Foods, Meals and snacks, Natural Alternatives, Nutrition, Raw, Recipes, side dishes, Uncategorizedanti-inflammatory, beetroot, easy, fermented, ginger, gluten free, grain free, healing, Health, healthy, homemade, immune system, kraut, lunch box, natural, natural health, nutrition, paleo, raw, real food, recipe, sauerkraut, simpleLeave a comment

Basic Sauerkraut is so delicious (see my how to here). I have it with eggs, add it so my coleslaw (kraut slaw here) and try to have it with any meat dish as a side. The sour flavour works well to stimulate gastric acids too so it a great primer for any fat, protein rich foods.

Since cabbage has so many health giving properties (read here), combining it with beetroot and ginger makes so much sense. The rich, sweetness and earthiness of the beetroot goes so well with the heat of the ginger and the sourness of the kraut. It hits all of the senses on the palate and really satisfy the taste buds.

Of course the rich myriad of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and blood boosting qualities of the beetroot with the anti-inflammatory, warming and nourishing properties of ginger are made even more available to the body with the fermentation process. The presence of a well balanced symbiosis of bacteria allows the body access to these nutrients, to absorb and use them to help promote wellbeing and healing.

Start in the same way as you would with the basic sauerkraut. When the cabbage and salt have been massaged together, combine the beetroot and ginger (I have used raw and powdered ginger and both work well) before packing it all into your jar.

Beetroot and Ginger Sauerkraut

2015-11-17 15:06:31

A rich nutritious flavouring of sauerkraut. Great to assist in the body's wellbeing and healing process. Really good to help digestion of fat or protein rich foods in a meal.

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Ingredients

1 whole green cabbage thinly sliced
1 whole red cabbage thinly sliced
1.5% Salt
1 raw beetroot grated
1 inch of fresh ginger grated or 1tbsp of dried ginger

Instructions

Retain 1/2 of the outside cabbage leaves for later.
Make sauerkraut by mixing the cabbage with the salt. Massage the cabbage until it starts to wilt and release water.
Add and combine the grated beetroot and ginger.
Press the mixture into a fido (airtight sealable jar) jar and keep pressing down to release liquid.
When the mixture is all in the jar and there is liquid covering the top, press down the outside cabbage leaves to keep any stray bits of cabbage from floating to the surface of the liquid.
Seal and leave to ferment on the counter for a week-28 days. Keep tasting the kraut every few days.
Put in the fridge for an additional week.
Enjoy!

Notes

You can flavour your kraut in this way with anything you choose! be creative!

By Louise Buckley

Loula Natural https://loulanatural.com/

If you like fermented recipes come and checkout my dedicated board on pinterest:

Coconut and Turmeric Popcorn Chicken

March 30, 2015January 22, 2016Coconut, Gluten Free, i love making things, kids nutrition, Meals and snacks, Recipes, recipes your kids will love, Uncategorizedchicken, Coconut, egg free, gluten free, grain free, healthy, kids food, lunch box, paleo, party food, primal, recipe, simple, sugar free, travel snackLeave a comment

Coconut and Turmeric Popcorn Chicken

My son is not a fan of meat- AT ALL. It doesn’t bother me too much as he has lots of stock (bone broth) on a daily basis. He also has a broad spectrum of healthy fats over the day. Animal protein is important and if he ate eggs then I would relax, but he doesn’t. If I am not careful he would just eat carbs all day (like most kids) but then I would pay the price with his behaviour (moaning, anger, weepy and destructive!).

My quest for lunchbox foods also continues- this one really fits the bill too as they are bite size and nice hot or cold. They will be perfect party food, picnic foods and travel snacks. The fact that they are easy to make is also a huge bonus!

There are just 3 steps;

Cut and soak; Soaking the chicken keeps it really moist and tender

Shake; shaking it in coconut flour and almond flour/coconut gives it a good crust

and bake (or shallow fry in butter);

He loves them and calls them popcorn! I love that they are packed full of goodness and healthy fats! Bonus is my daughter also loves them and asks for them for lunch. Wining all round! You can add a variety of spices to the chicken, personally I like curry powder in mine, it is delicious with the coconut milk.

Tumeric and Coconut Popcorn Chicken

2015-03-30 16:37:11

This is a great chicken recipe, full of healthy fats and packed with flavour. Coconut and turmeric make this grain free, paleo friendly recipe delicious and nutritious.

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Ingredients

250g Chicken thigh meat
1/2 can of coconut milk
1-2 tsp Turmeric powder or grated fresh turmeric
salt and pepper
3tbsp Desiccated coconut/almond flour
2tbsp Coconut flour

Instructions

Cut chicken meat into small bite size pieces and place in a glass container (with a lid). Pour over coconut milk and add turmeric, salt and pepper. Replace lid and shake. Leave to marinade in the fridge overnight
Put coconut/almond and flour into a ziplock bag. Pour in chicken and shake bag until all the pieces are covered. Pour contents out onto baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake at 200 degree C for 20-25 mins until chicken is fully cooked.
Chicken can be frozen at this time if desired. To reheat, thaw completely and heat some ghee/butter in a pan and reheat chicken until hot through.
Chicken can also be fried in butter or olive oil or in an airfryer

Notes

these are great cold or hot. Serve with some fermented ketchup or mayo, sweet potato chips or a big colourful salad.

By Louise Buckley

Loula Natural https://loulanatural.com/

Eggs on the go; Egg Muffins

March 17, 2015Gluten Free, Holistic health, i love making things, kids nutrition, Meals and snacks, Recipes, recipes your kids will lovebreakfast, east, easy, eggs, fats, gluten free, grain free, healthy, kids food, lunch box, muffins, natural, real food, recipes, simpleLeave a comment

Egg Muffins; Eggs on the go

I love 2 fried eggs cooked in ghee and sprinkled with ghee for breakfast. I serve it with some sauerkraut or kimchee for a yummy balanced breakfast. Recently I have wanted more and fancied trying egg muffins or crustless quiche as they are also known. I love these recipes for eggs on the go. They can be made and then frozen or are egg-cellent in lunch boxes (sorry I couldn’t resist!)

The Earthy Mama; Pepper Quiche Cups

Don’t Mess With Mama; Crustless Artichoke and Cheese Quiche

Real Time Mama; Omelette on the Go

The Rising Spoon; Bacon, Egg, Cheddar and Kale Breakfast Muffins

Enjoy! Breakfast has never been so easy!

Healthy Snacks; Grain free and full of healthy fats

October 30, 2014October 30, 2014Gluten Free, i love making things, kids nutrition, Meals and snacks, Nutrition, Recipes, recipes your kids will love, Uncategorizedfat bombs, grain free, lunch box, smoothies, snacks, sugar balanceLeave a comment

Healthy Snacks

Lunch boxes, after school, before dinner, pre/post work outs, 11’s, with a cup of tea/coffee, sugar slump at 3/4, friends over, picnics, or just because- snacks are in our lives. I used to snack badly. I would generally get so hungry I would be grabbing for something, normally high in carbs and low in fat.

Over the last few years I have completely reversed my attitude to fats (see my posts here and here) and grains. My body has had a huge amount of healing and shape changing to go through to compensate for the years of bad choices and bad information I have been subjecting it to.

My metabolism and blood sugar levels were the pits and my moods and disproportionate stomach size completely proved it. Now I am more balanced and am finally becoming the shape I have always wanted. It has taken time, ups and downs and lows and highs, but one thing has helped me through it- snacking wisely!

I have also really helped my daughter to try and achieve balance by helping her to snack wisely too. Her days are better at school when she has eaten her fats, less good when she hasn’t (see here for why schools need to do more for our kids nutrition). Her energy is calmer and her mood swings much more moderate. Score for us all!!! She is also super lean and strong. She just got chosen to be her house female representative in running (proud mum moment!).

So, to lose weight, reduce inflammation, balance hormones, heal your digestive system, moderate your immune system, get some energy, build strong muscles, increase memory and brain function, balance mood swings, reduce joint pain and so many other benefits- INCREASE FATS and REDUCE GRAINS.

Snacking is great when done right…..

Savoury snacks; Not all of us have a sweet tooth apparently! One of my favourite snacks whilst cooking dinner is to throw my sweet potato or carrot peelings in an oven proof dish, cover with coconut oil and salt and in the oven for 10-15 mins to turn into crisps (or chips for you over the pond!)

Try some of these savoury snacks- great for lunch boxes too…

Cauliflower Cheesy Nuggets Loula Natural

Pesto Pea Hummus Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Simple and Best Liver Pate Almost Banana’s

Cheese Walnut Stuffed Dates Oh The Things We’ll Make

Avocado Fig Fertility Salsa Mix Wellness

Gluten Free Cheez it Crackers Real Food RN

Chia Flax Crackers Healthy Living How To

For those with more of a sweet tooth- try some of these.

Bounty Balls Loula Natural

Black Cherry Frozen Yogurt My Cultured Palate

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Our Small Hours

Coconut Milk, Flour and Butter Oh The Things We’ll Make

Strawberry Coconut Bites This is So Good

Almond Butter Pumpkin Bars Nearly Natural Mama

Grain free Graham Crackers Homemade Mommy

Easy Maple Chocolate Fudge Our Small Hours

Coconut and Avocado Grasshopper Bars Raia’s Recipes

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Raia’s Recipes

Sweet Butter Treat Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Homemade Raw Chocolate using coconut oil Loula Natural

Apricot Kernel Chocolate Butter Loula Natural

Blueberry Or Cherry-Yogurt Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Low-Carb-Keto-Paleo-Fat-Bombs-Grass Fed Girl

coconut and lemon curd cookies Loula Natural

chocolate-coconut-oil-treats Cultured Palate

Cinnamon Salty Sweet Popcorn Loula Natural

Here are some energy balls. I find these so easy to make up and to add to boxes as travel snacks. Great on the go for all ages and are brilliant to keep the moaning at bay! Pretty much anything can be thrown into them so they can easily cater to all nutritional needs. Also the kids love to make them with you- a sure fire way that they will eat them!