Snacks Archives - Page 2 of 3 -

Cookie Dough Shots

on May 20, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 2 Comments

These Cookie Dough Shots are secretly healthy but taste like creamy and rich cookie dough flavored frosting! They are ridiculously easy to make, and too cute 🙂 A special combination of ingredients are used to create an exceptional cookie dough flavor, complete with mini dark chocolate chips. They make a great pick me up, providing energy with healthy fats and protein (optional)! {Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Paleo, Vegan, Pegan}

It’s no secret this gal loves cookies, especially chocolate chip cookies! And what’s better than chocolate chip cookies? Did I hear you say the cookie dough? Yes! I agree completely. Cookie dough is my ultimate weakness, what’s yours?

If you love cookie dough, you are going to LOVE these creamy Cookie Dough Shots. And best of all they are HEALTHY! Yes, you can let out a cheer- Yeah!
They are packed with healthy fat from coconut milk and you can even give them a dose of protein with your favorite vanilla or unflavored protein powder. Now you not only have an indulgent snack, you have a pre or post-workout energy boost and it tastes like cookie dough! The sweetness and cookie dough flavor comes from the combination of maple syrup, coconut sugar and vanilla. The coconut sugar is the perfect healthy substitution for brown sugar, which gives traditional cookie dough that sweet and rich flavor.

I have a hard time keeping these little shots around in my house. I made a batch and within the hour they are gone! And this time it wasn’t Cricket. Haha. Hubby? Busted!

So take 5 minutes today and whip these babies up. You will not be disappointed!

Cookie Dough Shots

2 cans coconut cream (Use only the cream from 2 cans of chilled coconut milk, discard or save coconut water for another use)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 scoop of unflavored collagen peptides or your favorite vanilla or unflavored protein powder) ** If your protein powder is sweetened then reduce the amount of maple syrup and coconut sugar according to your sweet tooth! (I use Vital Proteins)
3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips chocolate chips (or chop up regular-sized, I use Enjoy Life)

Combine the maple syrup and brown sugar in a small bowl and mix. It will form a wet sandy paste. Let that sit a few minutes so the sugar partially dissolves.
Combine the coconut cream, vanilla, maple syrup/coconut sugar mixture, and protein or collagen in a bowl and whip well using a hand blender.
Next add the chocolate chip and fold them in using a rubber spatula.
You can use a pipping bag to fill small plastic shot glasses with the frosting for a cute presentation or just eat it straight outta the bowl with a spoon!

Somoa Gooey Bars

on March 18, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley

These Somoa Gooey Bars are loaded with extra gooey caramel, toasted coconut, and dark chocolate, layered on a crumbly shortbread. They will surely satisfy your Girl Scout cookie cravings without the guilt! They are easy to make and taste amazingly delicious, rich, and decadent! Grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, pegan and paleo!

March is Girl Scout cookie time! I remember the years when I was a Brownie, and I would make my yearly trek around the neighborhood, knocking on doors, peddling arguably the BEST cookies of all time. NO ONE turned me down, and it wasn’t because I was a little kid with a big smile. It was because no one, I mean NO ONE, can turn down those dang cookies! They are addictive, and worst of all, they make you wait ALL year long until those sweet intoxicating cookies can meet your mouth again. Cruelty!

Well I am here to save the day. I not only have a Somoa cookie remake for you, but it’s grain-free, gluten-free and paleo! Plus I pumped it up a bit, wanting to improve upon the already phenomenal cookie, and added extra gooey caramel. You can never have too much of that, right!?

These gooey, chocolatey treats are also easy to whip up, and made in bar form for convenience. There is no need for the saucer-shaped cookie with the middle cut-out…. Why do they cut out the middle of the Somoas anyway!? No middles cut out here and you can cut them as BIG as you want:)

Somoa Gooey Bars

1 cup unsweetened coconut shreds (toasted)
1 ¼ cup coconut flour (you can sub almond flour but then reduce the amount of coconut oil]
1/4 cup + coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup coconut milk/cream (one can of full fat coconut milk, cream only, save liquid for another use)
½ cup coconut sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ cup chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a pan over medium heat, toast the coconut shreds, moving them around the pan to ensure they are evenly golden, then set aside.
Next in a bowl combine the coconut flour, salt, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla and mix well until you can form a ball of dough with your hands. Add more coconut oil if needed. Dough will be crumbly.
Push dough into a even compact layer in a parchment lined 8″x8″ pan.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until just golden brown.
In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the coconut cream, coconut sugar, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Let it come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the caramel has thickened to a honey consistency.
Pour the caramel on top of the shortbread, then sprinkle with the toasted coconut.
Melt the chocolate chips in a saucepan over medium-low heat and drizzle it on top of the coconut and then let the bars chill for 30 minutes in the fridge, then remove and cut into bars.

Maple Almond Butter and Chocolate Cups

on March 5, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 7 Comments

These tasty melt-in-your-mouth cups are for all you Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup lovers out there. The super creamy almond butter pairs perfectly with the rich dark chocolate shell making a flavor explosion that will satisfy your deepest chocolate desires. Best of all they are GOOD for YOU! Dairy-free, paleo, gluten-free and grain free. They are super easy to make with just 4 simple ingredients!

I know it’s not October, not even close, but I often find myself thinking about Halloween. I think about what costume Cricket should wear, that of course has to be compatible with mine. Like Shaggy and Scooby Doo or Bo Peep and her one black (and white) sheep. (The later actually would be a throw back to my younger years circa 6 years old when I was Bo Peep and my younger sisters served as my “flock” of sheep.lol.) Cricket often looks like a baby lamb when she’s sleeping all curled up in a ball. 🙂

If you guys have any other ideas I’d love for you to share them, please! I only have, well let’s see 9 months! Lol. So besides the costumes, what’s the next best part of Halloween? Yes, I think I heard you say “Peanut Butter Cups?” Yes! You’re right. The biggest goal of Halloween, besides finding an epic costume of you and your dog, is to hoard as many peanut butter cups as possible… and then eat every single last one.

I discovered a fantastic way to make my own almond butter cups, which upstage peanut butter cups, really! They are super simple and easy to make and they are actually good for you! The almond butter is creamy, nutty and has a hint of maple. The dark chocolate blankets the gooey middle perfectly and melts in your mouth upon contact.

There is a simple hack to get these cup-shaped chocolates…. a mini cupcake tin. It makes the perfectly sized Maple Almond Butter Cups! They pop right out and then POP them right into your mouth. Swoon!

If you love these, which I am sure you will, try these Peppermint Crunch Cups….

Maple Almond Butter and Chocolate Cups

1 1/4 cups chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)
2 tablespoon coconut oil plus 1 teaspoon for greasing muffin tin
3/4 cup almond butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Melt the chocolate chips plus 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat.
Grease the mini muffin tin with coconut oil.
Pour a teaspoon of melted chocolate into each compartment. Chill in the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes.
Melt the almond butter, maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat.
Spoon a heaping teaspoon of almond butter mixture into each compartment.
Spoon the remaining chocolate on top of the almond butter layer and chill in the fridge until set, about 1/2 hour in the fridge or 10-15 minutes in the freezer.
Carefully pop the cups out of the tray using a fork or butter knife.

Chocolate-Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookies {Video!}

on February 21, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 2 Comments

This is the my ALL TIME FAVORITE secretly healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe.These Chocolate-Dipped Chocolate Chip cookies taste like the real thing. In fact, they are so much better (and better for you)! They are soft and moist on the inside thanks to a combination of ingredients that allow them to stay plump and thick. They melt right in your mouth! The best part is that they are dipped in chocolate, because the only thing better than a chocolate chip cookie is a chocolate chip cookie with EXTRA Chocolate, right? {Grain-free, Gluten-free, Paleo, Pegan}

My love for cookies, chocolate chip cookies that is, goes way back. They have always been a long time favorite of mine and I have been testing up so many batches of cookies lately to find the perfect one. One that reminds me of my childhood. It has to be crisp on the outside, soft, moist and crumbly on the inside. It needs to be plump, as I am not a fan of the flat-as-a-pancake cookies. I like them to be fat and plump. And finally, this cookie is studded with dark chocolate chips and then DIPPED in rich dark chocolate.

It’s amazing. It’s pure joy at first bite. Heavenly.

Cricket has been right by my side baking up these cookies with me. She even got to sample the dough before I added the chocolate chips (no chocolate for dogs;)), and she has officially approved these cookies 🙂

The dough is actually good for you as it’s made with almonds, coconut, palm shortening and grass-fed butter. Not that they are low cal, but they are made with whole food ingredients that are dense with nutrients. When you eat these babies they leave you feeling full and satisfied. There is no sugar crash because there is little sugar in these beauties, just some coconut sugar and maple syrup. (You can read about why coconut sugar is a better sweetener option HERE.)

I used to be all about low cal foods, focusing on low fat specifically. I thought that if I ate low fat foods I would not gain fat, but now I know eating fat doesn’t equal a tire around my mid section. The days of low cal/low fat are over. There I said it. They are over. I am proof that you can increase the amount of healthy fats (think avocado, coconut, almonds, some grass-fed butter) in your diet and boost your metabolism. I must tell you it took me so long to jump onto this bandwagon. It really did. I had read other peoples stories about eating high fat and losing weight and I thought: “No way, how can that be?” and “Maybe that works for some, but it won’t for me…” But I was wrong. Eating more healthy fats has lead me to decrease my sugar intake, as my once out of control sugar cravings have now subsided to a healthier level. Healthy fats stoke my metabolism and leave me feeling energized and then I burn more calories throughout the day. I feel great, and that is what is most important above all!

Chocolate Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookies {Video!}

These Chocolate Dipped Chocolate Chip cookies taste like the real thing, in fact, they are so much better (and better for you)! They are soft and moist on the inside thanks to a combination of ingredients that allow them to stay plump and extra thick. They melt right in your mouth! The best part is that they are dipped in chocolate, because the only thing better than a chocolate chip cookie is a chocolate chip cookie with EXTRA Chocolate, right? {Grain-free, Gluten-free, Paleo, Pegan}

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 1/2 tablespoons of coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 pasture-raised egg (or flax egg)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons grass-fed butter (or sub for 2 T palm shortening, softened)
2 tablespoons palm shortening
1/3 cup of chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)
additional 1/2 cup chocolate chips for dipping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl: almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt.
Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture and add the egg, vanilla, coconut sugar, maple syrup, butter and shortening; mix well until the dough is uniform.
Add the 1/3 cup chocolate chips and mix.
Place a heaping tablespoon of dough per cookie spaced about 2″ apart on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees F or until just slightly golden.
Remove and let cool (or cool in the fridge for a few minutes).
Melt the 1/2 cup chocolate chips over low heat in a small saucepan.
Pour the melted chocolate into a small bowl and dip each chilled cookie into the chocolate and place onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Place back into the fridge until chocolate is hardened, about 10 minutes.
Enjoy!

Yuca Crisps

on February 17, 2016March 11, 2021 By Kelley 3 Comments

These Yuca Crisps have the perfect combination of crunchy and salty goodness. They make an excellent stand-in for potato or corn chips and you can make them easily in your own oven!

Have you not tried yuca yet? It’s becoming more and more popular and I see it now at most grocery stores in the produce section. Yes, it’s ugly! It’s a large tuberous root with a hard dark brown bark on the exterior, but inside the ugly exterior is a beautiful white slightly sweet and potato-like flesh.

A few week ago I stumbled upon a fellow food blogger’s post on Yuca Fries….Did she say FRIES!? OMG, just that word F.R.I.E.S. makes me want to run to the closest McDonalds and order up some of those salty and greasy sticks of awesomeness! So that was it. With one word she won me over and I was on a mission to find the YUCA.

I must admit I was overwhelmed when I found it in the grocery store! Yuca is also known as Cassava. This is what this thing looks like when you buy it:

Yikes! What am I suppose to do with that? Well, I am here to calm your fears. It’s not as bad as it looks, and it is so very worth it. Crisps, fries, mashed, whatever you want to make with it you will not be let down. And it’s gluten-free and an acceptable starch for paleo-ians.

So when you get your wonderful large and overwhelmingly tough-looking root home, break out your best pairing knife. Unless you have an industrial strength potato peeler you are not going to make much progress un-barking the exterior! They usually have a protective wax coating, so don’t freak out if you see that….. It’s ok!

Use you pairing knife to trim off the ends, then trim off the bark, leaving only the white interior. Please be careful with your knife wielding!

Next you want to cut it into “chips.” This is best accomplished with a mandolin, but you can use a knife as well. Just try to get them as thin as possible. Now you’re ready to cook!!

I have two recipes where I utilize this awesome root….The ULTIMATE Nachos….

And Smoked Salmon Bites that are on of crispy “smashed” yuca:

And Cricket wanted me to remind you not to forget your furry family members! One of her favorite crunchy snacks are these Chicken Jerky Treats. They are very easy to make. So when you make your Yuca Crisps, be sure to bake up some jerky for your pup! Hey, dogs like to snack too ya know!

Yuca Chips

These Yuca Crisps have the perfect combination of crunchy and salty goodness. They make an excellent stand-in for potato or corn chips and you can make them easily in your own oven!

1 yuca/ cassava root
2 tablespoons of oil of your choice (olive oil, ghee etc.)
1 + teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt (s)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Peel and cut the yuca according to the directions above in the post.
Place the yuca rounds in a bowl and coat evenly with oil or use a oil spray to coat both sides of the rounds and place them on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes, then flip the rounds and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. If they are browning too quickly, or not browning at all, adjust the temperature of your oven. I did end up turning my oven up the last 5 minutes to 425 degrees F to get the golden edges.

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

on January 24, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 2 Comments

These Peanut Butter Cup Brownies are so fudgey, rich, and decadent thanks to a SECRET ingredient, and they are actually good for you- no guilt here! As always they are grain-free, gluten free and paleo (sub almond butter for peanut butter) and they only have 6 simple ingredients and NO FLOUR!

Peanut butter and chocolate is a flavor match made in Heaven! Who’s with me? There is something about that combination of creamy, salty and nutty peanut butter and dark, rich, and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate that makes my tastebuds extra happy. These days I often use almond butter as a perfectly good stand-in for peanut butter, because it is a healthier choice. With this recipe you can use either one!

Cricket is also a huge peanut butter fan, especially after a energetic romp outside. Peanut butter and almond butter are a great protein-packed pick-me-up after a good workout for humans and dogs alike.

Yesterday we ventured out into the winter wonderland in the midst of the blizzard because Cricket loves to play in the snow. Every time it snows she is like a kid at Christmastime. Her eyes have that excited spark and twinkle, and her excitement is palpable. I mean she literally stands at the door and groans until we get to go outside. Every time you look her way or walk by her she, not-so-quietly, says “Errrrr….Mmmmm….Errrr.” So after 15 minutes of the grunts and goals I broke down, bundled up the family, and out the door we went.

We were greeted by a forcible wind that drove the snow sideways, the ice flakes settling on our eyelashes and making it difficult to see. Oh boy, this is going to be fun, I thought sarcastically. Upon opening the door, which took some effort with the opposing gusts, Cricket was out in a flash! She bounded into the white powder with as much exuberance as a young puppy with a new squeaky toy. The light and fluffy snow was up to her shoulders and she flew around the snow-covered field at top speeds, bounding into the air like a bunny. It made me so happy to see her have so much joy! You have got to watch this crazy dog in action:

So that fun lasted about 10 minutes, before our frozen fingers and toes ached so badly that we had to retreat to the warm indoors. I de-thawed and made these yummy and healthy Peanut Butter Cup Brownies and Peanut Butter and Bacon Biscuits for Cricket. Everybody had their snow fix and their peanut butter fix for the day!

And the SECRET ingredient that makes these brownies extra moist and fudge is…..butternut squash! No joke- it makes an amazing base, and you’ll never guess it’s hiding in these awesome brownies.

And if you like these Peanut Butter Cup Brownies you will also LOVE my BEST Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies too!!

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

These Peanut Butter Cup Brownies are so fudgey, rich, and decadent thanks to a secret ingredient, and they are actually good for you- no guilt here! As always they are grain-free, gluten free and paleo (sub almond butter for peanut butter) and they only have 6 simple ingredients and NO FLOUR!

BROWNIES:

¾ cup of pureed butternut squash or apple sauce
½ cup natural peanut butter (or almond butter, melted)
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
½ teaspoon baking soda
optional: 2 tablespoons coconut flour
for more cake-like brownies.

PEANUT BUTTER CREAM:

½ cup natural peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 tablespoon coconut oil

CHOCOLATE GANACHE:

½ cup chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)
1 tablespoon full fat coconut milk (or you can use coconut oil but it will be less creamy and more of a chocolate “shell” coating)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Place pureed butternut squash in the bowl along with the peanut butter, coconut sugar, cocoa and baking soda, mix well.
Grease a 8”x8” pan with coconut oil and spread the brownie batter evenly in the pan.
Bake for 25 minutes at 325 degrees F, or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove when done and chill in the fridge.
Meanwhile melt the ½ cup of peanut butter with the coconut oil in a small saucepan; once melted and smooth, pour on top of the chilled brownie, and spread with spatula.
Place it back into the fridge.
Next melt the chocolate chips and coconut milk in a sauce pan until smooth and then pour on top of the chilled peanut butter layer and spread.
Chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, then cut and serve!

The Ultimate Nachos {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo}

on January 20, 2016March 11, 2021 By Kelley 5 Comments

These Ultimate Nachos are loaded with spicy nacho cheese, flavorful and fresh tomatillo-avocado salsa, and tangy sour cream, on top of yuca crips. Sinfully delicious, these nachos are secretly healthy, paleo, grain free and dairy free!

I’ve always had a deep love for “junk” food. Crispy fried wings, fudgey brownies, salty french fries, rich and creamy ice cream, anything with chocolate, creamy dips, and nachos! What are some of your favorite junk foods??

These are some of my favorite things to indulge on, and if you frequent my blog, you know that most of my recipes are “junk” food that’s had a makeover. A healthy makeover! They don’t lack in taste and indulgence- they deliver! Most importantly of all they are made with clean healthy whole food ingredient, are gluten and grain-free, and most are dairy-free as well.

These nachos are everything you are looking for…. crispy salty chips that are piled high with nacho cheese, sour cream, and fresh tangy salsa. You can even add on some chili too if you are looking for a meal- see my Chipotle Bison Chili, it would make an awesome addition to these nachos.

And this nacho cheese is amazing (and happens to be dairy-free- No way?… YES WAY!) I experimented with so many dairy-free cheeses, and I actually do eat some pasture-raised dairy products- like butter and some cheese. (You can read more about the benefits of pasture-raised dairy HERE.)

I wanted to create a dairy-free alternative that is good for you, easy to make, and tastes like the REAL DEAL nacho cheese. This nacho cheese has a secret ingredient that makes it extra creamy- butternut squash! I didn’t want the cheese to be made of solely cashew cream so I lightened it up and added body, flavor and color with the butternut squash. I also added some chipotle chilis for a nice smokey spiciness.

The salsa provides a wonderful fresh tangy flavor, and it’s a bit different from the norm. Its made with tomatillos, avocado, lime juice and cilantro, and its simply amazing. You’ll want to put it on everything!

Is your mouth watering yet? You guys are going to love these I promise!

The Ultimate Nachos {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo}

These Ultimate Nachos are loaded with spicy nacho cheese, flavorful and fresh tomatillo avocado salsa, and tangy sour cream, on top of yuca crips. Deliciously sinful, these nachos are secretly healthy, paleo, grain free and dairy free!

YUCA CRISPS:

I yuca (cassava root)
2 tablespoons oil of choice (olive oil, ghee, coconut, etc)

NACHO CHEESE SAUCE:

¾ cup soaked raw cashews (soak for at least 4 hours and drain)
¾ cup cooked and mashed butternut squash
¾ cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion (about ½ cup, chopped)
2 garlic cloves (diced)
½ teaspoon Himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast

SALSA:

1 small red onion (or 1/2 of a large one, finely chopped)
1 habanero pepper (finely diced)
1 garlic clove (finely diced)
1 avocado (chopped into 1/2″ cubes)
6 tomatillos (peel off papery skin and wash coating off, leaving you will something that resembles a small green tomato., chopped)
1 red or orange sweet pepper (chopped)
1 teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt
1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon extra vigin olive oil

SOUR CREAM:

1/2 cup cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours and drained)
1/4-1/2 cup water
dash salt
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

To make the yuca crisps preheat oven to 325 degrees F
Peel the yuca, removing all the brown coating on the exterior.
Cut the yuca into 1/8″ rounds.
Coat the yuca rounds with oil/ghee and sprinkle with salt.
Place on a cookie sheet and roast for about 20 minutes or until slightly golden.
Remove, flip the rounds, and roast again until the other side is golden brown as well and crisps are crunchy.
The crisps are best when served immediately or shortly after they are prepared.
To make the nacho cheese soak the cashews in water for at least 2 hours and then drain.
In a sauce pan saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until slightly golden.
Place the soaked cashews, pureed butternut squash and water into a high speed blender, and blend on high until creamy.
Add the sauteed onion, garlic, salt, paprika, chili powder and nutritional yeast and blend until smooth.
To make the saslsa combine all the ingredients- red onion, habanero pepper, garlic, avocado, tomatillo, sweet pepper, salt, lime juice, orange juice and olive oil and mix.
Faxlor is best of you let it sit for a 1/2 hour.
To make the sour cream in a high speed blender combine the soaked cashews, 1/4 cup water, salt, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice and blend on high.
Slowly add remaining water, and stop to scrape down the sides, until desired consistency is reached.

Spicy Sriracha Party Meatballs {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

on January 18, 2016January 28, 2021 By Kelley 8 Comments

These saucy Spicy Sriracha Party Meatballs are so pop-able, you won’t be able to stop at just one! And, you guessed it, they happen to be grain-free, gluten-free and paleo so go ahead and pop away and add them to your football Sunday spread!

I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge football fan but I was happy the Patriots won last night! My family, originally hailing from Massachusetts, loves the Patriots. My dad rarely misses a game, and if they happen to be losing (which thankfully doesn’t happen often) you would think the world may be coming to an end. His passion for the Patriots runs deep, lol. He knows all the players by name and will talk to them through the TV (as if they can hear them) saying things like “Come on, Brandy, what the heck was that?,” which is then followed by an expanse of silence in which it appears Brady is expected to answer, or something….. haha….

My Grandfather was also a dedicated and life-long Patriots fan. He religiously watched every game from his favorite plush light blue recliner. I don’t doubt that he is still keeping track of their performance from above and helping them out occasionally….Miss you, XO!

So these cocktail meatballs are the perfect party food, and a great appetizer for all you football fans out there. I found a neat way to cook the meatballs, which gets them nice and golden brown without having to brown them first in a pan. My meatballs always got smooshed and flattened when I tried to roll them around to brown them in a pan. I wanted these beauties to be perfectly round and presentable so I used a mini cupcake tin which made browning these meatballs extra easy.

Voila-perfectly round and evenly browned meatballs!

Spicy Sriracha Party Meatballs {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

These saucy Spicy Sriracha Party Meatballs are so pop-able, you won’t be able to stop at just one! They also happen to be grain-free, gluten-free and paleo so go ahead and pop away and add them to your football Sunday spread!

MEATBALLS:

2 lbs grass fed ground beef
1 pasture-raised egg
1 garlic clove minced
2 tablespoons minced shallot (or sweet onion)
1 teaspoon coconut aminos or worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

SAUCE:

¼ cup shallot (or onion, finely minced)
4 garlic cloves (finely minced)
1 tablespoon of olive oil or oil of choice
1 teaspoon hot paprika
½ teaspoon of celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cup of canned tomato sauce
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup coconut sugar
3 tablespoons honey
2-3 tablespoons Sriracha (depending on how spicy you like it)
1 teaspoons coconut aminos (or Worcheshire sauce)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
If using lean meat you may want to grease the mini muffin tin with avocado oil or olive oil.
Combine the ground beef, egg, garlic, onion, coconut aminos, dijon, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well using your hands.
Form 1”-1.5” balls (depending on the size of your muffin tin) and drop them into the compartments.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes then flip the meatballs around in the compartments and cook for additional 5 minutes so they are evenly browned.
To make the sauce place the olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat.
Add the minced shallot, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper.
Cook until onions are soft, translucent and fragrant.
Add the cup of tomato sauce and ¼ cup water and stir.
Turn the heat down to medium and add the remaining ingredients: honey, coconut sugar, Sriracha, apple cider vinegar, and coconut aminos.
Let the sauce simmer over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, occasionally stirring.
Add the meatballs to the sauce and stir to coat them evenly, serve and enjoy!

Sweet & Salty Wings

on January 10, 2016March 11, 2021 By Kelley 2 Comments

These sweet and salty wings are super crispy- you’ll never know they are not fried! They have the perfect flavor combination of subtle sweetness and savory saltiness that will entice your taste buds!

There was a wings only restaurant in the town I grew up that served over 100 flavors of wings- can you believe that? Yes- it was pretty amazing! They even gave you free wings on your birthday, how many would depend on your age…This is possibly the ONLY GOOD thing about getting older! haha

I have tried many wing flavors, even some strange ones like Fire and Ice (which is ranch, horseradish and hot sauce!), but my all time favorite is salt and malt. As a kid I was addicted to salt and vinegar potato chips and would dip french fries in malt vinegar. I love pickles too! I guess I just really like the taste of vinegar.

Don’t worry these wings will not make your mouth pucker with overwhelming vinegar taste. They have a hint of vinegar, balanced with a blend of spices and a hint of sweetness. Just to convince you that everyone will love these, I did a taste test with Cricket. I offered her a plain chicken wing (don’t worry, I deboned it for her), as well as a piece of chicken with my sweet salt and malt seasoning. Cricket went to the sweet and salty one first and scarfed it down! Then she ate the plain one… I know what you’re thinking- maybe it’s not a fair test, and you are right if you are thinking she’d eat pretty much anything resembling and smelling like chicken!

Nagi, from RecipeTin Eats, has a great method of baking the wings to get them extra crispy, just like they had been deep fried. I used her method and they turned out great! Much of the fat cooks off the wings, so they are healthier, but you’ll never know!

Everyone going to LOVE these!

Sweet & Salty Wings

These sweet and salty wings (think kettle corn!) are super crispy- you’ll never know they are not fried!

4 lbs of all natural chicken wings
2 tablespoons of baking POWDER (not soda)
¾ teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons malt vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
Dry Spice Mix:
2 teaspoons onion powder
3 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons Himalayan or sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F and place one rack in the lower-middle portion of the oven, and another rack in the upper-middle position.
Line a cookie sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top (the kind you use to cool baked goods).
Pat the wings dry (make sure you cut them at the joint if they aren’t cut already).
Place the wings in a large ziploc, add the baking POWDER and ¾ teaspoon of salt and shake vigorously so they are evenly coated.
Line the wings up on the wire rack (which is on the cookie sheet) and place them in the oven at 250 degrees F on the bottom-middle rack.
Meanwhile mix the dry spices in a medium bowl, and mix the maple syrup and malt vinegar in a separate large bowl.
After the 30 minutes is up turn the oven temperature up to 425 degrees F, and move the wings to the upper-middle rack position.
Bake the wings for another 40 minutes, and flip them halfway through to make sure both sides get crispy.
Remove the wings from the oven, and toss them in the maple syrup-malt vinegar mixture, then toss in the spice mix.

Cracklin’ Bacon {Sweet, Spicy, Crispy Goodness}

on January 4, 2016April 2, 2021 By Kelley 1 Comment

This Cracklin’ Bacon is SO ADDICTIVE! It’s crispy, sweet and spicy. It’s super easy to make and contains no refined sugars and no bad-for-you ingredients, making it paleo- friendly!

Make this bacon for a brunch or weekend breakfast. Make it for football Sunday. Pair it with turkey and avocado, for a flavor-packed lunch. Eat it for dessert- haha, really! YES, it’s really that good.

Everybody in this house loves bacon, Cricket included! As she watched me make this crackling’ bacon, she kept pawing my leg and begging me to have a taste. The smell of bacon drives her crazy. My husband isn’t much better and repeatedly asked me when the bacon was going to be ready to eat?? “Is it ready YET??” Then as soon as I put the plate of cracklin’ bacon on the kitchen table it was gone.

Well, here you go… It may just change your life! You may never think of bacon the same way ever again 🙂

Cracklin’ Bacon {Sweet, Spicy, Crispy Goodness}

This Cracklin’ Bacon is SO ADDICTIVE! It’s crispy, sweet and spicy. It’s super easy to make and contains no refined sugars of bad-for-you-ingredients, making it paleo- friendly!

Make this bacon for a brunch or weekend breakfast. Make it for football Sunday. Pair it with turkey and avocado, for a flavor packed-lunch. Eat it for dessert- haha, really! YES, it’s really that good.

1 package of thick cut all-natural bacon
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 teaspoon espresso powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper
1/4 black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a cookie sheet with foil.
Mix the sugar and spices in a shallow bowl.
Coat both sides of each bacon strip with the sugar spice mix and lay onto the foil-lined cookie sheet.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until crisp.
Remove and place the bacon strips on a cooling rack and let them crisp up as they cool.