Paleo...So Easy A Caveman Could Do It

Knock Knock.

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana who?

It was a long holiday weekend of bright sunshine, bubbly company, and boisterous surroundings. To say we were exhausted yesterday would be a gross understatement. My dear husband, sun crisped back and all, spent the day on the golf course so naturally I was responsible for the clean up/organization of our house. Typical. However, it was worth the recipe that sparked when I began to put away our leftover food stash. Loads of bananas, walnuts, and honey crowded the counter, provoking my creating juices. Apparently my body was weak but not my cooking drive. Lucky for you and for me dear readers.


I wanted to bake something simple, healthy, with clean ingredients. Obviously gluten free muffins don’t fall into any of those categories for me usually (especially simple) but that is the first thing that came to my mind. A banana base, almond flour boost, and spiced burst of flavor.

For you dedicated cross fit friends of mine, these puppies are for you too! They are “paleo” and gluten free. Maybe I need to exhaust myself in the sun and lake waters more often if this is what comes of it.

Banana Nut Muffins
Adapted from With Style & Grace
These paleo and gluten free muffins are so easy a caveman could do it! They had a great texture and melted in my mouth. I didn't even think they needed any butter or other additions. I know what my new breakfast go to is going to be now! Makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 tbs ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons whole flaxseed
• 1 tsp of nutmeg
• 1 tsp of salt
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1-2 tablespoons organic honey
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
• 1/3 chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat your oven to 375 F.

Combine all dry ingredients, except walnuts, in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl mash your bananas well with a fork. Add in all wet ingredients to the bananas and mix well.

Add your wet ingredients to the dry ingredient bowl and combine well. Do not over mix!
Fold in your pecans. Spoon batter into a lined 12 cup muffin pan, about ¾ of the way full.

Bake for about 20-23 minutes. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes.

ENJOY!

It's A Big Dill

Sundays are a day of both catch up and preparations. The drifting smells of laundry detergent and dish soap fill the inside of my house while pungent pinion dominates my side patio during brief coffee break breathers. My mind is racing with plans for the week, checking my shortage of supplies and making endless lists.


After multiple circles around piled up clothing and stacked dishes I decided to take care of a more enjoyable task on my list: the fresh bundle of dill taking up large residence in my fruit bowl. Every time I passed the island I was filled with sweet ideas and desire.

Dill chicken, dill cheese, roasted dill vegetables…OR, Lemon Dill crackers.

An idea that sprung from the spread at Farmer's Market last Saturday. Between the booths of fresh cut flowers and grass fed meats were bundles of green, leafy dreams. Fresh Swiss chard, romaine, spinach, arugula and of course herbs provoked me from the wooden baskets and crates. One bouquet in particular seduced me in, its forest green, fluffy, skinny stems allowing me no chance of refusal. I snatched a bundle up and the delightful smell of dill pressed into my fingertips and nose. Daydreams of potential recipes skyrocketed until the sounds of the market throttled me back to reality. Back to my kitchen. Back to my oven. Back to my next recipe for you.

Lemony Dill Crackers
Based of Oh She Glows Vegan Crackers
These crackers are bursting with fresh flavors and are super easy to make. They pair beautifully with cheese but also make a pretty darn good snack by itself. Filled with nutrients and low in good fats, I know you will be making them over and over again. Feel free to sub different herbs!

Ingredients

• ½ cup brown rice flour

• ½ cup almond flour
• Half lemon, shaved peel and juice
• 3-4 tbs fresh dill, roughly chopped
• 1 tbs nutritional yeast (optional)
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 2 tbs whole flax seed
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ¼ cup water
• ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil


Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients. Add in wet ingredients and mix well. Knead the dough and form into a ball.

On a baking sheet, preferable lined with parchment paper which I will do next time, roll out dough to desired thickness. I like a little thicker of a cracker but whatever you prefer of course!

Slice the dough with a pizza cutter, and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Remove and let cool for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!!

100th Post Toast!

GF INDIE has reached 100 posts. WHEW! We made it!
I believe that with any landmark in one’s life comes an appropriate celebration. We could drink oodles of champagne or yell from the top of the mountain but…that one glass of champagne simply won’t cut it and unfortunately the only thing close to a mountain around Tulsa is “Turkey Mountain” which my friends is sadly a tall hill. However when someone asked me what I did over the weekend I CAN legitimately say I climbed/hiked/trail ran a mountain right? I trust you will keep my secret.


I have a better celebratory contender that beats the bubbles and the belt out though. Sprinkles! Oh yes, those colorful little slits of sugar that sit atop sundaes. But these won’t be adorning cupcakes or creamed desserts my friends. Oh no, that wouldn’t be enough for this Indie.

Enter, cake batter cookies. Moist, addicting, ooey gooey celebratory sprinkle bliss. Spread all over pinterest I knew this would be the perfect recipe for disaster on my diet celebrating 100 posts. A small fix here and there to the ingredient list to make it gluten free and these cookies were close to holy grail standard. I added an egg for binding, and upped the oil just a tad to keep them moist.

Ill keep the cork on the champagne, skip the hike, and instead toast you from the kitchen in a cake batter cookie salute.

Thank you all who have put up with me for 100 posts. Maybe I will sneak one more cookie to cheers to the next 100…

Gluten Free Cake Batter Cookies
I don’t know what else you could possibly ask for in a cookie. They are packed with fun sprinkles, easy and quick to make, require few ingredients, and even come out splendid with store bought gluten free cake mix! But I had you at sprinkles right? I made 2 batches of 12…some of the cookie dough may have not made it to the cookie sheet though!

Ingredients
• 1 package gluten free cake mix, I used Pamela’s Yellow Cake Mix

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 3 eggs

• ½-3/4 cup vegetable oil

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup sprinkles!

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Try not to eat too much of the dough.

The batter will be sticky so I suggest to light wet your hands for the next part.

Roll into small almost golf size balls, and lightly pat down onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

ENJOY!