Paleo slow cooker chicken with cauli-mash

Here is my ultimate comfort food recipe and really doesn't take much effort! All you need is your handy dandy slow cooker, your veggies and a whole chicken.

Ingredients:
Whole chicken
- oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- basil
- rosemary

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker when you wake up in the AM: put on low for at least 8 hours (ready when you come home from work!)


Cauli-mash:
 - 1/2 head of cauliflower
- 1/4 cup coconut milk (or less: depends on your preference. Add slowly until you get the right consistency)
- pepper and salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp crushed garlic (I use the bottled version)

Boil cauliflower for 10-15 minutes until cooked.Drain water, add garlic and spices and half of the coconut milk. Using a blender (or potato masher) mash and slowly add remaining milk until proper consistency.

Gravy:
Using drippings left in slow cooker- slowly add almond flour and mix until thickened. (approx. 3-4 tsp) Sift if necessary.

Side Salad:
- whatever salad you have in the fridge
(really I just take leftover veggies and top with almonds ^_^')

Paleo Banana Bread

Paleo Banana Bread

I whipped this up today when I got home from work- I had a bushel of over-ripped bananas that were asking to become delicious bread!

I had some leftover mixed nuts (almonds, pecans and walnuts) for store bought oatmeals (that I did not eat, mind you!)

This bread was very moist and delicious! a good way to start the weekend!






Paleo Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 3 ripe bananas mashed
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup coconut milk (I used Coconut Dream brand unsweetened- but any alternative milk will do!)
• 2 cups almond flour
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• dash of salt
• 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1 tblsp honey
• approx 1/3 cup of mixed nuts (your preference)

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350f
• mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add melted coconut oil to mixture and lightly mix (adding to dry will prevent the hot oil from scrabbling the eggs!)
• In a separate bowl: mash bananas. Add eggs and whisk in vanilla, coconut milk and honey.
• fold in half of the mixed nuts
• grease a loaf pan with coconut oil and add batter
• sprinkle rest of nut mixture
• bake at 350f for 45 min or until fully cooked

Paleo Pancakes- oh my!

 Paleo Pancakes

I've tried out a few renditions of paleo pancakes over the years- including almond flour, coconut flour concoctions which seemed to have many ingredients. Sometimes, they would turn out wonderfully- sometimes they flipped- then flopped.

I played around with ingredients and it didn't get very far- especially in the morning.

Instead I found a simplistic approach from a friend:
1 egg + 1 mashed up banana = pancake.
Glorious.

Except mine fell apart. It tastes like banana scrabbie eggs.

HOWEVER: do not fret! All we needed to do was modify it a touch- it certainly has less ingredients than the almond flour pancakes AND they flipped perfectly! YES!

Paleo Pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 mashed up banana
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• handful of fresh blueberries (if you only have frozen- do not despair! I made a sauce to top it off)

Optional Blueberry Topping

• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 tsp honey
• dash of cinnamon

Mix together and warm either in microwave or over low heat on stove. 

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict with lemon dill aioli Paleo

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

Let me start off by apologizing to you about my use of camera phones. It's bad, really bad. BUT- I promise next time to take an actual picture of this before I eat it all :)

Avocado, poached egg, paleo mayo with smoked salmon and dill? delish!

Very simple way to use up leftover smoked salmon and get your omegas!!!

This, my friends is easy. Don't have a poacher? no problem- use a small pot or a deep sauce pan with water. Boil the water, turn down to medium and crack your egg in that H20- easy peesy.


Ingredients

• 3 slices smoked salmon
• dash o' dill
• 1 avocado sliced
• 1 free run egg
• 1 tsp paleo mayo
• squirt of lemon

Preparation

Poach egg. Slice avocado and place a layer on plate. Layer smoked salmon. In a bowl, mix paleo mayo with some dill and lemon juice. Place poached egg on top of salmon and drizzle with aioli. YUM!

 

Chicken Curry Lettuce Wraps Paleo

Chicken Curry Lettuce Wraps!

I've seen a few paleo wraps out on the interwebs- but so many either take a lot of eggs to make (Which remind me of crepes instead) or fall apart easily. You know what I love? the crunchy lettuce wrap. Cheaper, made o' veggie lettuce wrap. Can't go wrong!

Here is a recipe I put together for a quick wrap fix :)
(the side is cucumber salad- another recipe to follow).

Chicken (with ginger, turmeric, coconut milk curry) 'hash brown' sweet potatoes, carrots and dilled cucumbers wrapped in lettuce wraps with cucumber salad :)




Ingredients

• leftover chicken breast
• 1/2 can coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 clove garlic minced
• leftover hash browned sweet potatoes
• carrots sliced into thin strips
• cucumbers sliced
• 1 head iceberg lettuce (take off as many leaves as needed)

Preparation

Mix the hash browns and coconut milk together in a skillet over medium heat. Add ginger, turmeric and garlic. Stir until warmed. Turn off skillet and place lettuce leaves on a work surface. Put in cold leftover chicken and veggies, spoon in some of hash brown mixture. Wrap and serve!

Paleo Sushi!

Paleo Sushi!

Packed lunch for work! Who says you can't have sushi? :)




Sushi happens to be one of my favourite things- being grain free make Kimbo a sad, sad lady- until now!

I had some leftover cauliflower 'rice' from a curry I made the night before: time to take out those nori wraps from when I could eat sushi!

The filling is smoked salmon, avocado, carrot, cucumbers and dill with cauliflower 'rice' :) next time- perhaps more cauliflower? i was using leftovers from last nights curry dish and thus had only a little to 'test' this out! delish!


Ingredients

• Nori/seaweed wrappers (I used 3- as many as you need!)
•  Cauliflower 'rice' see recipe here
• 1 avocado
• 1 carrot washed and sliced very thinly in stick form
• 1 cucumber sliced thinly etc
• a few slices of leftover smoked salmon
• spritz of lemon and a dash of dill (for garnishing the smoked salmon)

Preparation 

Using a sushi roller (or a piece of saran wrap if you are in a pinch!) place nori wrapper on roller. Place some of each ingredient on the wrapper, and start rollin'! (I will post a link to how to wrap sushi if you need it)

Breakfast Skillet SCD/Paleo!
(sorry about the camera picture being blurry- promise it does not do the recipe justice! I promise to take a better one next time- and there will be a next time for this delicious recipe!)

This was a recipe I created trying to use some leftovers.

Italian sausages, sweet potato, zucchini, coconut curry and topped with a few eggs made this a huge success! go leftovers!

I used a cast iron pan- could also be done in the oven perhaps?

 Let me know what you think!


Breakfast Skillet SCD/Paleo

Skillet

• Italian sausage sliced (find grain free/sugar free local meat)
• 1 sweet potato (hashbrown sized cubes)
• 1 zucchini (cubed)
• 1 tblsp leeks (sliced finely- or use green onions!)
• 3 free run eggs (for the top!)

 Sauce

• 1/2 can of coconut milk (shake well!)
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp tumeric
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 squirt dijon mustard
•  oregano, salt and pepper to garnish

  In cast iron skillet, saute leeks and italian sausage on medium heat until browned. Add sweet potato hash browns and zucchini. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk, tumeric, dijon mustard, ginger and garlic. Cook until hashbrowns are tender stirring often. Crack 3 eggs on top of mixture and reduce heat if necessary. Cook until eggs are to your liking (hard or runny yokes). Garnish with salt, pepper and oregano. Serve and enjoy! 

Living with UC in Social Gatherings

I grew up with many allergies- I'm talking about having a list of things I COULD eat, not what I couldn't. Nothing was worse than when I finally got it down to only having a few allergies to worry about (peanuts, crab and raw egg) I was told: "Hey guess what? now you can't have grains, starches or sugars!"
I know that eating out while on SCD can be difficult- going to BBQs or social gatherings without being prepared with a snack pack in your purse can make even the most faithful SCDer lean in the wrong direction (and believe me, you may pay for it later!)

For me, I have a hard time saying "NO" without feeling like I'm imposing or being rude. Sure, close friends and family will know about your allergies/dietary needs- but at a work/social event where you don't know them too well, it can get unnerving telling your story to every person trying to feed you. You never want to seem rude and picky while asking: "Sorry- what's in that?"

So- with that being said- it is best to prepare for these situations:

1) Always have a water bottle.I love my glass water bottle- this should be on everyone's going out list- but very important for allergy/SCDers. I take it with me everywhere and at group functions you will have less awkward conversations about why you are not having any of the wine or punch. (or worse yet- someone keeps handing you some!) Drinks can be the worst because we forget that there can be grains (beer) starches and sugars (coolers, punch, juice etc) because it isn't food. Water is always the safest and best option.

2) Bring a trail mix or snack in your purse/bag.
I don't know how many times I've been at an impromtu party/social event staring at the food in envious dismay. Sometimes you just sit by the food so you can live vicariously through the snackers around you. This can be dangerous- the "One little bite can't hurt me" fairy pops into your mind and poof! there you go cheating again!

Stop that fairy before its too late! bring a snack or better yet (at a dinner function) your own plate. Look for vegetable/fruit trays if you have to munch- be careful with fruit in case it is covered in sugars without your knowledge (fruit salads, etc.)

3) Inform Others
This is the hardest part for me. I always tell myself (incorrectly) that it's rude or imposing to bother your host about your allergies. Nobody wants someone to go out of their way to scramble in their kitchen for something you can eat. If you know this person (family, friend, co-worker) before the event- let them know about your diet. This doesn't mean they have to change the whole menu or even make anything specially for you: This gesture will be greatly appreciated and will stop unnecessary confusion during the social gathering. If a host knows you are bringing your own food or actual medical reasons, they will not be insulted you did not try their grandmother's pudding recipe (I can not speak for gramma though!)

If you do not know the host personally (ie: your mate's boss/co-worker etc.) Ask for them to speak to the host on your behalf. If you cannot discuss this with them prior to the function, you are going to have to politely tell them about your allergies/diet.

4) Don't be ashamed of your diet
This is the number one thing!

You are feeling healthier, livelier and eating healthy delicious foods- just because you may have to discuss your diet with others doesn't have to be a negative thing- in fact, they may know someone who would benefit from this diet! (including themselves!) Think about when you first learnt about SCD- how wonderful would it be to spread the word to others to help them? so walk tall and stand proud of your diet!

Baked Acorn Squash SCD/Paleo*

With SCD, you have to get creative with fibre and carbs- and one of the best ways is squash!

This is a recipe I've revised from Eat Well Feel Well by Kendall Conrad. This is an essential book for recipes for SCD diets- definitely check it out!






Roasted Acorn Squash

acorn squash (cut into 1/2s)
olive oil
2 cubes butter
dash nutmeg
dash cinnamon
honey to taste
dash basil
Parmesan cheese*
orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 350f.
2. Cut squash in 1/2. Place on baking tray.
3. rub flesh with olive oil. Place one cube of butter in each 1/2. Sprinkle spices, orange zest and cheese on top. Drizzle with honey.
4. Place in oven for 40-45 minutes until tender.

*NOTE: Use Parmesan cheese at your discretion. Only you know your body and what triggers your symptoms. Please refer to the legal/illegal list of foods on this diet.

Homemade Yogurt SCD

Hi everyone! I have had a few friends ask for my yogurt recipe- This is a revised version from the Breaking the Vicious Cycle Introductory Diet by Elaine Gottshal. I make my yogurt without a yogurt maker. All you need are the following:

Tools:
- Large stove pot
- Thermometer (I use a milk thermometer- candy works too)
- Slow cooker (i use this as an incubator)
- small container (for starter)

Ingredients:
- Whole milk (any type of milk works- almond, rice, soy, goats or cow- please see note* for information on alternative milks)
- Commercial yogurt (you need 1 scoop/litre of milk)

*NOTE: You can use any type of milk, just make sure your starter is the same (ie: soy milk with soy yogurt). If you do NOT have a starter available, you may use probiotics instead.
**NOTE: You can make as much yogurt as you need- I make two bags (3L) each batch.


Preparation:

1. Put milk into stove pot. Heat at LOW-MED until it reaches 180-200f. (NOTE: alternative milks must be stopped at 180f or else it may burn) check temp with thermometer. Stir to ensure milk does not burn to bottom.

2. Once milk reaches desired temp, place in sink filled with ice water. Let cool to 100f.

3. While milk cools, take 1-2 scoops of starter commercial yogurt (or probiotic) in small container. Let this reach room temperature.

4. Once milk cools, pour into slow cooker- take a scoop of milk and add to your starter- mix and then pour into milk. Place lid and thermometer to ensure temp stays between 90-110f*.

5. Let sit for at least 24 hours. This is required to ensure the proper amount of good bacteria.

NOTE: DO NOT TURN ON YOUR SLOW COOKER- I use it only for incubating and ensuring temp does not fall down- as the temperature reaches 95f, turn slow cooker on for 5-10 minutes on LOW- then turn it off. DO NOT LEAVE SLOW COOKER ON- yogurt will curdle and kill all of the essential good bacteria.

6. After 24 hours- place slow cooker pot into fridge and refrigerate for 5-6 hours.

and voila! delicious, homemade yogurt- this sounds time consuming- but it really isn't- and you save A TON of money from purchasing commercial yogurt.

Photos to come :)

Cheesecake SCD

Mmm cheesecake!

Who said you can't indulge on a special diet?

This recipe is adapted from the Intro Diet on the Breaking the Vicious Cycle website.

Ingredients

Bottom:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup melted butter

1. mix together in bottom of loaf pan or muffin trays. Pat down with fork, set aside.


Cheesecake filling:

- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup homemade cream cheese (strain homemade yogurt in cheesecloth or coffee filter for 4-6 hours- recipe found here.
- pinch cinnamon
- 1/4 cup honey
- splash of pure vanilla

1. Mix all ingredients in bowl. Pour overtop of bottom.
2. Preheat oven at 325F. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
3. Let cool. Refrigerate overnight for best results.

Topping:
- frozen raspberries (no sugars added)
- 1/4 cup honey

1. while cheesecake is baking, place frozen raspberries in a saucepan over med heat. Keep stirring until it almost reaches a boil. Add honey. Let cool overnight.
2. Pour over cheesecake and serve.

Herb and Garlic Crackers SCD

Herb and Garlic Crackers!

yum!

Sometimes you forget you can't have basic snacks before its too late.

Last week, I made some delicious brie with melted strawberries on top in the oven (superb!) HOWEVER- as I sat to dig in, I realized I was forgetting a crucial part: crackers! tortilla chips! toasted naan bread! oh no!

This certainly did not stop me from eating my brie (I toasted some leftover bread pieces) however it made me determined to find a recipe for SCD safe crackers.

This is an adapted version from Everyday Grain-Free Gourmet by Jodi Bager and Jenny Lass. I should also mention if you are looking for delicious snacks (granola and granola bars) AND a source of delicious PEANUT-FREE almond flour- check out Jodi Bager's website: jkgourmet
I just received my very first order from this wonderful website- results- delicious! more baking and taste testing tomorrow! :D

They are so ingenious- you use an empty paper towel roll to make the shape of the crackers- this is reminiscent to frozen/refrigerated pastry dough you get at supermarkets (where you cut slices from the log to cook cookies, etc).

TOOLS
- mixing bowl
- plastic wrap
- empty paper towel roll
- silicon baking sheet/baking sheet
* note: I baked on one silicon baking sheet and one regular metal baking sheet- the silicon ones popped right out- regular baking tray got crumbly for some of the crackers!

Herb and Garlic Crackers

Ingredients:
- 3 tblsp butter (room temp)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese grated (about 250g)
- 1 1/4 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup ground flax seed*
- 1/8 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- pinch of thyme, parsley, basil, italian seasoning and oregano

*note: if seeds bother you, omit the flax seeds and sunflower seeds.

Preparation
1. Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.
2. roll dough into a log approx 1 inch round (or to size of paper towel roll)
3. wrap dough in plastic wrap.
4. place dough inside paper towel roll. Put hands on both ends of paper towel roll and shake! (expands dough to size of paper towel roll )
5. freeze for 2 hours or overnight
6. Pre-heat oven at 325f. Take dough out of freezer and let dethaw for 10 minutes.
7. take a bit of the dough out of roll and remove plastic wrap.
8. With a sharp knife, slice crackers 3mm approx depending on how thick you'd like them.
9. Place on silicon baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

cool and serve- or store in airtight container! delicious with SCD cream cheese, cheese slices, veggies, BRIE and more! yum! :D

White Bread SCD

Do you love bread- but bread doesn't love you?

No worries! Try this delicious 'white style' bread made with almond flour!

This is the first baking I've done with jkgourmet Almond Flour- I have to say- delicious! the flour is finely ground- giving your baking a less coarse- more flour-like texture (unlike Bob's redmill almond meal) you won't miss wheat anymore!

I use a silicon loaf pan- this makes the bread pop right out!

"White" Bread SCD

Ingredients:

- 2 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- dash of vanilla
- 1 cup homemade yogurt
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 eggs (separated)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350f.

1. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together.
2. Add egg yolks, vanilla and yogurt- mix lightly.
3. In a separate bowl, mix egg whites until they make peaks.
4. add vinegar to egg whites.
5. Pour over batter- lightly fold until white streaks disappear.
6. place in silicon loaf pan. (If using a metal pan, grease first).
7. Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown. If the loaf gets too dark before it's finished, cover with foil and continue baking.


great for toasting, sandwiches and more! yum! :D

Spaghetti Squash Casserole SCD

I find that cooked tomatoes bother me (due to high acidity levels) so typical spaghetti squash recipes are missed for me on this diet (sometimes, all I want is some tomato sauce! c'est la vie! planning on trying a uncooked tomato sauce recipe soon)

Here is a meal I concocted last night while cleaning out the fridge- I hope you enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Casserole
SCD a'okay! to make paleo: omit dairy and use coconut milk!

Ingredients:

- One spaghetti squash
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¾ cup yogurt
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper
- Thyme, rosemary, basil and parsley
- Garlic and onion (fresh or powder)
- 1 Zucchini
- 1/2 cup spinach
- ¼ cup Dry Curd Cottage Cheese
- ¼ cup feta cheese
- Parmesan cheese to taste
- ¼ cup grated cheddar cheese
- Olive oil


Preparation :

1. Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove seeds. Place on baking tray and bake in oven for 30 minutes @ 350f.
2. In a saucepan, heat olive oil, spices and onion over medium heat.
3. Add veggies, DCCC, and feta. Saute until tender.
4. In a seperate bowl, mix yogurt and egg together. Pour over veggie mix and combine.
5. Remove squash from oven. Let cool 5 minutes and remove spaghetti from squash with a fork. Add to veggie mixture and combine.
6. Place in casserole dish.
7. Put almond flour, parmesan and cheddar cheese overtop of casserole.
8. Bake for 20 minutes @ 350f.

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to Kimbo's Kitchen!

This blog was created to pass on recipes I've tried using the SCD/Paleo diet. Two years ago I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (UC). My family (my mom and sister) have Crohn's disease, so it shouldn't have been such a shock when I was diagnosed with UC.

It was.

I grew up with a list of things I could eat. Allergies, asthma and a heart condition to boot (WPW). All of these things I was too young to understand what life would be without them, so I lived comfortably and accepted that I couldn't run or eat certain things like my other friends. As I got older, most of my allergies went away (except my anaphylaxis to peanuts). I grew up with supportive friends and family and knew where I could eat. I had heart surgery and could run (... if I would get off the couch, mind you...) I was content. I had issues with my GI but anytime I talked to my GP she said they were all 'hormonal' issues since they only seemed to happen around my period. I would get fissures every month since I was 16 and assumed they were normal. Anytime I ate spicy food, tomato sauce or alot of carbs I would look 6 months pregnant: I assumed I just ate too much.

When my sister got diagnosed with Crohn's-  I saw the suffering she was going through. The medication was killing her insides and causing her hair to fall out. She couldn't work or eat anything without getting sick. I also asked her some of her 'warning signs' or symptoms leading up to her diagnosis. I had the same early symptoms she described for years and just brushed them off thinking it was normal. Then I knew: I was on a one way train to digestive hell.

I decided I should start taking better care of myself- be proactive versus reactive in case I got sick as well. I set up an appointment with a GI. I started writing down my symptoms and talked to my mom about how she survives with Crohn's without medication. She told me she was tested for allergies by our family chiropractor and that she took out wheat and dairy and hasn't been on medication in 20 years. Enough so that last time she was in for a check up they said she had absolutely no sighs of Crohn's and that it must've been a 'misdiagnosis' by another doctor. If you met my mom 20 years ago, you'd know this wasn't the case. She was sick every single day I was growing up and took so many scary medications. I have no idea how she did this with 3 kids (and me being so sick too!)

The GI confirmed I had proctitis: a form of UC that was moderate to severe. I was given the same medication that made my sisters hair fall out and was told this was the mildest thing he could give me. We could also just remove everything and put a bag. I was not convinced this was the only way to live with UC. I explained my mom and sister had Crohn's and how my mom has been medication free by following a strict diet: He wasn't having any of that. I was told that if I wanted to follow 'that path' I was alone to do so. I left with a probiotic prescription and didn't return.

I researched different approaches to battling gastrointestinal diseases-my chiropractor let me borrow a book: Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottshall. This book changed my life and how I looked at food. She breaks down why certain foods trigger inflammation and overproduction of bad bacteria in your gut.

This Diet has no grains, no sugars or starches. This is really scary for anyone who loves potatoes and pasta (me). So after a month of pretending I felt better, I took the book for a spin- and haven't looked back.


I also follow Paleo recipes: I find that the two are very similar (minus the fermented dairy). Everyone has different trigger foods: for me, I've done elimination diets and found that wheat, sugar, grains, soy, nightshades and dairy (unless fermented) have been my triggers. Everyone is different! I found another book which helped out immensely: Meals that Heal Inflammation by Julie Daniluk.

The recipes out there will satisfy you and make you feel energized. Food does not have to be your enemy- in fact, once you take charge and responsibility of your diet- you will realize how much freedom you have with it. Your health is in your hands- and your gut!

There are many blogs, recipe books and friends on the internet in the same boat. Let's make sure we all have access to yummy recipes and the vital information we need.

I hope this information helps you as much as it has helped me!

Kim