Pumpkin pie coffee creamer...sugar free, dairy free, Paleo friendly

1 can full fat coconut cream
6 tablespoons canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons high-grade real maple syrup
Put in sauce pan, mix very well and heat on high until mixture becomes bubbly.

After mixture comes to a bubble, remove from heat and add
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Mix well and allow to cool. Store in refrigerator.

To serve put 2 to 4 tablespoons, or to taste, in a cup of hot coffee

Peaches, peaches, peaches

Western slope Colorado peaches are some of my favorite things of summer. So I thought I should post a couple of recipes using those delightful, yummy fruits.

Easy fruit cobbler

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon baking powder

Maxwell and put inside of a well greased 9 x 9 casserole dish. Sliced fresh fruit on the top, I would use about five peaches. Dot with 1/4 cup butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake it 350° for 40 to 50 minutes or until the cake

part of the cobbler is done.

You can also use frozen fruit

Try mixing fruits, for example peaches and blueberries. Cherries are good too.

Grilled peaches

One of my very favorite summer desserts of all time!

In a Ziploc combine 1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar, 2 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4-1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Mix well. Cut peaches in half and place into Ziploc covering really well with the liquid. Let marinate 15 to 30 minutes. When grill is hot, Place peaches cut side down and grill 3 to 5 minutes or until brown marks are formed. Turn upside down and grill about another two minutes. Eat warm, is really delicious with a nice cup of vanilla ice cream.

If you have leftovers, they are super delicious the next day sliced on top of a salad. 

Spicy shrimp and avocado salad with mango vinaigrette

This was absolutely delicious! It was perfect and light for a hot summer night. Would be really good in a clear glass as the fun appetizer. We had it as a meal.

1/4 Fresh lime juice, from about 1 to 2 limes
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh cilantro
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup diced mango, 1 to 2 mangoes
6 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 bunch thinly sliced green onions
1 pound peeled, cook shrimp
1-2 diced avocados

Combine the first eight ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in mango. Add lettuce, bell pepper, and green onions. Toss well. Add shrimp and avocado, toss gently.

This one is taken from a cooking light Paleo diet cookbook.

Chewy Cashew Apricot Cookies

These were easy to make and probably make about 12 to 15 cookies. I doubled the recipe. 

1 1/2 cups raw cashews
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/4 couple real maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 Cup unsulfured dried apricots, finally chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

What is the cashes in a large skillet over medium heat. Toast, shaking the pan OK Julie, until lightly browned and fragrant, 4–5 minutes. Thanks for the hot passes to a food processor with the steel blade. Add the coconut oil and process for 10 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl over the rubber spatula.

Have the maple syrup, cinnamon, baking soda and salt to the cashews. Process to perform a smooth, or oily dough. Transfer to a bowl and need or store in the dried apricots. Don't worry if the dough is very oily. Found it was easier to use my hands.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on the line baking sheet. I think the tines of a fork, flatten each cookie two 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until lightly golden brown. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Peach blueberry crisp, paleo

Waltraut's Sauerkraut Soup and Bauernbrot

Waltraut’s Sauerkraut Soup

 

This recipe came from my friend, Waltraut Gollasch, in Hamburg, Germany, the mom of our exchange student Hauke. When I first tried this I did not think I would like it as I’m not crazy about sauerkraut, but this was my favorite dish we had while in Germany! This has definitely become a favorite of all my family!

 

2 pounds smoked ham, about 2 cups diced

5 tsp. oil

1 c. chopped onion

3 medium potatoes, washed and cut into bite sized chunks

5 carrots, sliced

2 celery, sliced

3 red bell peppers, chopped

1 ½ pounds sauerkraut-I like the fresh, bagged kind the best, but any kind works

2 quarts vegetable broth

5-10 garlic cloves, minced

3 pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped or 2 large cans diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

7 ounces tomato paste

1 cup white wine

2+ cups cooked red beans

2 Cabanossi sausages, I use kielbasa because I haven’t been able to find the Cabanossi

Salt & pepper

1 tsp paprika

Sugar, optional

Sour cream (I have even used plain Greek yogurt and it is just as good!)

 

Heat oil, add ham and onions. Cook until onions are transparent. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and red bell peppers. Cook about 5 minutes. Add the sauerkraut and cook a few minutes longer. Add broth and simmer 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, wine, beans, and sausages. Season soup with salt, pepper, paprika, and a little sugar, if needed. Simmer on low 2-3 hours. Add more broth if needed.

 

To serve, place soup in bowl and add a large spoonful of sour cream.

 

 This freezes extremely well, so make a double batch each time you make it.

 

 

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I like to serve this with a good rye bread. I found an easy one for the bread machine. I actually use the dough cycle then bake in my own oven.

 

Bauernbrot (brown bread)

 

Place ingredients in order in your bread machine. This is for one large loaf.

 

1 1/2 c water

2 Tbsp molasses

1 tsp salt

3 cups bread flour

1 cup dark rye flour (original recipe calls for 1 cup of buckwheat flour instead)

4 Tbsp vital wheat gluten

2 tsp caraway seed

3 tsp yeast

 

Select Dough setting, and press start.

When done, take out and place in greased bread pan or 2 smaller bread pans.

Cover and let rise 45-60 minutes.

Bake at 350º for 45-60 minutes.

 

Remove from oven, cool and enjoy with your Sauerkraut Soup!

 

Mahlzeit! Enjoy!

Salsa Quemada or for you gringos, Fire Roasted Salsa

I'm a little late posting this, but last week I canned up a bunch of my favorite Salsa, Salsa Quemada or for you gringos, Fire Roasted Salsa. It gets its name Quemada (burned) by roasting all of the vegetables.

 

Salsa Quemada

 

makes about 7 quarts

 

• 7 pounds fresh tomatoes
• about 5 pounds fresh chili peppers, I like to use a mixture. This year I used Big Jim, Jalapeno, and Poblanos
• 4-6 large onions, peeled and cut in half
• 1/2-1 cup fresh garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 medium sized bunches of cilantro
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• salt, to taste

 

Wash tomatoes and peppers. Wash cilantro and allow to dry well. Fire up grill, when hot roast the peppers, onions and garlic until they are almost burned, like in the picture. When they are done roast the tomatoes. I do the tomatoes last because they make the biggest mess and I only have to clean the grill once. Allow vegetables to cool.

Remove tops off peppers and remove most of the seeds. You might want to use gloves, but I actually use 2 knives and don't actually touch the peppers.

Place the vegetable as well as the cilantro in a blender and blend until chopped evenly. Do this in batches, making sure you get a few tomatoes in all batches as the juice makes it blend better. Pour into a large kettle. Add vinegar and salt to taste. You can adjust flavors and peppers to your specific taste. Mix very well.

Bring salsa to a boil and put into hot, sterilized jars. Pressure Can at 15# for 15 minutes, for Colorado altitude.

 

This does not have to be canned. I make it fresh all the time, I just leave out the vinegar if I am not canning! I also adjust down all the amounts of ingredients, unless I need a large amount!

 

Seriously my favorite Salsa!!!!!