Chocolate Raspberry Chia Pudding

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Have you tried chia pudding? It’s delicious, full of healthy Omega 3 fatty acids, and it’s easy to make. You can make chia pudding raw and vegan without difficulty, and it’s got a benefit that most desserts lack: Eating chia pudding can actually slow down digestion and help you feel full, which makes it a great way to start your day. Yes, pudding for breakfast might actually be a good thing! A small bowl of chocolate raspberry chia pudding eaten at the right time can help you avoid giving in to cravings and overeating…for me, that’s late afternoon. The only thing more satisfying than rich, dark chocolate pudding full of sweet red raspberries is enjoying that pudding knowing that you’re getting protein, fiber and calcium instead of empty carbs and a sugar rush.

Chia pudding has a texture very similar to tapioca pudding, and is so easy to make! You don’t need eggs, starch or flour to thicken it…chia seeds naturally swell and cause liquid to thicken, so all you need for the base of chia pudding are chia seeds and milk. You can use coconut milk or dairy milk, both will make a delicious and creamy pudding. On the stovetop, it cooks up in five minutes! Or, make it raw by letting the pudding sit in the fridge for several  hours (or overnight). As far as convenience goes, it’s far easier to make a batch of healthy chia pudding than it is to make a box of store bought instant pudding!

All you need is milk, chia seed, raspberries and a bar of good quality, organic fair trade dark chocolate. You can also make it with cocoa powder and maple syrup, depending on what you have on hand! It couldn’t be more simple: Just stir together the seeds and milk over medium heat, until the mixture starts to thicken. Then, add an ounce of chopped dark chocolate and stir until it’s dissolved! Add the raspberries, and you’re ready to serve it. Less than ten minutes, start to finish! Or, mix together the milk and chia with some cocoa powder and syrup or honey, then stir in the berries and pop it in the fridge overnight. No heating needed…which is perfect for protecting the nutrients in raw milk. You’ll be hooked when you try this! My kids are already asking me to make it again, they love the tapioca texture and the combination of dark, smooth chocolate and flavorful ripe raspberries. Delicious!

Chocolate Raspberry Chia Pudding
Yields 4
This pudding is thick and rich, with the texture of tapioca. So easy to make, and so good for you! Easily make this recipe vegan and raw.
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Total Time
10 min
Total Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 cups milk (dairy, coconut, or almond all work well)
  2. 1/3 cup chia seeds
  3. 1 ounce chopped dark chocolate (or, 3 Tbs. maple syrup or honey and 2 Tbs. cocoa powder)
  4. 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
Instructions
  1. In a saucepan, combine the milk and chia seeds. Over medium heat, stir until the pudding begins to thicken.
  2. Add the chopped chocolate and continue to stir until the chocolate has melted and the pudding is thick.
  3. Add the raspberries and stir well to combine. Serve warm, or chill if you'd like.
  4. To make the pudding raw, just combine the milk and chia seeds. Instead of chopped dark chocolate, stir in the cocoa powder and honey or syrup. Add the berries, and let the pudding sit in the fridge several hours or overnight.
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Carrot and Seed Crackers

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Crackers are a great snack! Crisp, crunchy, and wonderful paired with dip or cheese, they’re also easy to take with you when you’re on a hike or at work. If you’re avoiding grain, however, crackers are a little hard to find. These tasty little carrot and seed crackers are a great alternative to wheat or rice crackers, and they’re so healthy! The great thing about this snack is, it’s a perfect way put the whole carrot to good use when you juice. Carrot pulp from your juicer works perfectly in this recipe!

To make the crackers, you’ll need a cup of carrot pulp. If you have a juicer, just run four or five carrots through and use what’s left over from that. If not, you can run some carrots through a food processor and then squeeze the extra juice out of the pulp. Just mix the carrot pulp together with ground flax seed, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. Add sea salt, fresh garlic, cracked black pepper, and a bit of parsley and stir it up to make a dough. You might need to add a tablespoon or two of carrot juice or water to soften it up a bit.

Press or roll the dough onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet, and then cut the crackers…I used a pizza wheel, which cut right through the seeds and left nice clean lines. Bake the crackers (or, if you’d like to make yours raw, dehydrate them instead).  When they’re crisp, snap them apart along the scored lines. Easy! These crackers have a nice, crunchy texture and and a light but savory flavor that goes well with many things. And, they’re full of healthy vitamins, fiber, and Omega 3. You can feel good about snacking on them, and they are surprisingly filling. A few of these crackers with a little raw milk cheese or cashew butter will keep you going until dinner!

Carrot and Seed Crackers
These carrot and seed crackers are delicious, grain free, and easy to make! A great way to use the pulp from your juicer. These savory treats are high in fiber, vitamins, and Omega 3.
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup firmly packed carrot pulp
  2. 1/2 cup ground flax seed
  3. 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
  4. 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
  5. 1-2 tablespoons carrot juice
  6. 1 clove crushed garlic
  7. 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  8. 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  9. cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. If you have a juicer, run 4 or 5 carrots through it and pack the carrot pulp into a measuring cup to make one cup of pulp. If not, pulse 3-4 large carrots in a food processor until you have very fine bits. Squeeze out the juice, reserving several tablespoons.
  3. In a bowl, combine the pulp, flax seed, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, crushed garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir well.
  4. If the dough is too dry, add carrot juice a tablespoon at a time to make it firm but not crumbly.
  5. Line a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Press or roll the dough onto the paper, to about 1/8 inch thick.
  6. Using a pizza wheel or knife, score the crackers into 2 inch squares.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 200 degrees, and continue to bake until the crackers are crisp. Baking time will vary, depending on how much moisture is in the carrots.
  8. If you'd like your crackers raw, dehydrate them according to your food dehydrator's directions instead of baking them (generally, expect 8-10 hours of drying time at 115 degrees).
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How Much Should You Workout

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When it comes to exercise the more you do the better, right? Not necessarily. So many people these days think that exercising every day for multiple hours a day  is gonna get you closer to those “gains” you are looking for. But when it comes to exercise, more doesn’t always mean better.

What Is the Right Amount of Exercise?

Is there a magic number when it comes to how often you should be working out? Probably not. After all we are all different and all after different results. With that said there are some basic ideas behind exercising frequency that most people can get behind. For example – we have already discussed the importance of a rest and recovery day – which means that there should be at least one day a week that you are taking off from working out. With this simple rule we now have a decent base line in knowing that at most we should be working out only 6 days a week. 

Beyond that simple rule of taking at least one rest and recovery day a week how do we know if we are working out too much? Or maybe not enough? That comes down to what you are looking to achieve with your exercise and workouts.

What Are Your Fitness Goals?

This is a question that everyone should be asking themselves, but they may not be. Do you have fitness goals or are you working out aimlessly? Everyone should have a fitness goal – even if that goal is a simple as wanting to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Once you decide on your fitness goals you will then have a better path to understanding how much you should workout. Just because contestants on the latest fitness show are working 6-7 hours a day every day, does not mean that is what you should do to lose that last 5 pounds. Whether you are into body building, weight loss, strength training, or just overall fitness/health as well as your current level of health and fitness all goes into factoring out how often you should workout. 

But if you are looking for a general rule of thumb to follow for now as you search for your true fitness goal then most sources will state that working out 3-5 times a week for 30-60 minutes at a time is a great place to start, and we a Primalhub will also add that you should also always listen to your body. If you are constantly hurt, injured, or tired you may want to tone it down a bit. If you feel like you could work out a bit longer, or maybe add in a day because you aren’t seeing the results you want to see, then by all means go for it. Just always remember our first rule of adding in a rest and recovery day as well.

If your fitness goals are more specific – you want to focus on building strength or maybe you have some type of fitness competition coming up then we have some great resources to look into so you can dial in just exactly how often you should be working out.

How Much to Workout

Men’s Fitness gives a great breakdown on how often you should be working out dependent on your goals. If you are looking for fat loss, training for size, or training for strength this article is a great tool to help you on your way.

Exercise Frequency

This article by A Workout Routine is a great place to start for those not sure what their exercise goals are or are simply looking to stay healthy and fit.

So go and figure out your fitness goals and get to it!

Paleo Chicken and Avocado Salad

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Something I’ve learned over the years is that, when it comes to cooking, simple is often better. When I first started cooking I was eager to try all sorts of things…new kitchen gadgets, a variety of conveniently packaged ingredients, and every spice in the spice rack. As the years have passed I’ve realized that a lot of handy “time saving” kitchen gadgets only end up complicating things (they take up space, require assembly and are often a pain to wash). Most conveniently prepared and packaged foods are full of additives that I’d rather not feed my family. I still love to play with spices, but I’ve learned that no matter how exotic the spices in the spice rack may be, you really can’t beat freshly snipped basil from the garden.

“Simple is better” is at the heart of this recipe for Paleo Chicken Avocado Salad. Start with fresh, healthy ingredients at the peak of ripeness…Roma tomatoes, ripe avocados, English cucumbers, flavorful Kalamata olives and fresh, cage-free chicken. The right ingredients make a world of difference, the flavor of a nice vine-ripened tomato is so wonderful that you don’t want to cover it up with much! The other great thing about a simple salad is that it’s so easy to make. Grill and cube the chicken, and cut the veggies into cubes about the same size. Toss everything together, and then make the dressing!

I love a nice balsamic vinaigrette, and this one goes wonderfully with the chicken and avocado. Just whisk together some organic balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and a touch of stone ground mustard. Add a clove of crushed garlic and whisk again until it’s creamy and emulsified, and then drizzle it over the salad. Fresh, delicious, and healthy! This is a great one-dish lunch or dinner option, and it’s  perfect for warm days when you don’t want to heat the kitchen up. The recipe below makes a generous main-course serving for two, double it if you’re feeding a family!

Paleo Chicken Avocado Salad
Serves 2
Simple is better with this fresh, easy salad. Chicken, avocado, English cucumber, Kalamata olives, and Roma tomatoes are paired with a savory balsamic vinaigrette. Fast and healthy!
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Ingredients
  1. One organic, cage-free chicken breast cooked or grilled
  2. One large avocado
  3. One large, ripe Roma tomato
  4. 1 1/2 cups cubed English cucumber
  5. 12 Kalamata olives
  6. 1/4 cup organic balsamic vinegar
  7. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  8. 2 teaspoons stone ground mustard
  9. 1 clove crushed garlic
Instructions
  1. Cube the chicken into 1/2 inch cubes, put them in a large bowl, and set aside.
  2. Wash, trim and cube the vegetables into 1/2 inch cubes, and toss them with the chicken.
  3. Cut the olives in half lengthwise and toss them with the vegetables and chicken.
  4. In a measuring cup, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard and garlic. Whisk until the dressing is emulsified and creamy.
  5. Serve the salad on plates with the dressing drizzled over.
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Creamy Coconut Milk Ice Cream

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I love ice cream! So cold, creamy and delicious on a hot day. I’ve always thought that to make ice cream at home you need a machine of some sort, and I have fond memories of hours spent cranking an ice cream maker out in the back yard when I was a kid. It seemed like a complex process, involving a lot of ice and rock salt. Recently a friend of mine assured me that it’s easy to make ice cream using what you probably already have on hand in the kitchen, no machine or rock salt needed! I couldn’t wait to try. This easy recipe is so healthy and simple, you’ll be able to whip up a batch of homemade ice cream any time you’d like.

You’ll need a can of coconut milk, fresh fruit, and a little sweetener. That’s it! I found a recipe for orange creamsicle ice cream at the Super Healthy Kids website, and did a little playing around with it. The recipe calls for just oranges, but I was in the mood for something tropical…so I added mango and banana to the mix. Yum! First you chop the fruit and freeze it, so you’ll need to plan ahead a bit. This is a job that kids love! Have them pick the type of fruit and help you wash and prepare it (most ripe fruit is easily cut with a butter knife). Then, freeze it on a plate for a couple of hours…why not make a variety of fruit combinations and keep them frozen to use later? You never know when you’ll be craving ice cream!

After the fruit is frozen, put half of it in a blender or food processor with the can of coconut milk and the sweetener (I used a little maple syrup). Blend until pureed, then add the rest of the fruit and blend again. This way, you have control over the fruit chunks in your ice cream…you can blend it very smooth, or leave some pieces if you’d like. Pour your ice cream into a freezer-safe container and then freeze it until it’s solid. Then, scoop it out and serve it! Smooth, delicious ice cream…without dairy, eggs, processed sugar or additives. Yum!

Fruity Coconut Milk Ice Cream
It's easy to make this delicious non-dairy ice cream! All you need is fruit, coconut milk, and a tiny bit of maple syrup. Cold, creamy, and so good!
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Ingredients
  1. 3 cups fruit, chopped and frozen (I used 2 small mangoes, a banana, and an orange)
  2. 1 can (1 3/4 cup) full-fat coconut milk
  3. 2 tablespoons maple syrup (to taste)
Instructions
  1. Peel and chop the fruit. place it on parchment paper and freeze for 2 hours, until solid (I learned the hard way that you'll want the parchment paper, as the fruit will freeze to the plate otherwise).
  2. Once the fruit is frozen, put 1/2 of the fruit chunks in a food processor. Pour in the can of coconut milk and add the maple syrup, and puree until the mixture is smooth.
  3. Add the rest of the fruit and pulse again. If you'd like your ice cream smooth, just blend until all the chunks are gone. Or, leave a few if you like a more chunky texture!
  4. Put the ice cream in a freezer-safe container, and freeze until solid...about 2 hours. Allow it to warm up a bit before scooping.
Notes
  1. If you like softer ice cream, just stir the ice cream every 20 minutes as it's freezing and then serve before it's solid! This makes a wonderful soft ice cream.
Adapted from Homemade Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream
Adapted from Homemade Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream
Primal Hub https://www.primalhub.com/

 

Paleo Icelandic Date Cake

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My friend from Iceland is an amazing cook! I look forward to parties at her house, where there’s sure to be a variety of exotic and delicious desserts. This recipe is a favorite, and comes from a holiday baking magazine that comes out once a year in Iceland. Happily, it happens to be naturally Paleo….and very delicious! The cake is made of egg whites, dates, almonds and dark chocolate. Topped with whipped coconut cream and fresh berries, it has a wonderful and unique texture that makes for the perfect light but satisfying dessert.

The recipe is written in Icelandic (a complicated language if every there was one) and needed to be translated both in terms of language and measurements. I played around a bit with it, and it’s flexible enough that fudging a little with the original didn’t make a big difference with the final product. You start by chopping dates, almonds, and dark chocolate. You can play around a bit with this, I chopped mine more coarsely than she usually chops hers…both ways are good, it’s really up to you as to how “chewy” you want your cake to be. Once you’ve got the chopping finished, whip three egg whites with a bit of coconut sugar until stiff peaks form. Then, just fold the chopped nuts, dates and chocolate into the egg whites. Bake the cake in a spring form pan for 40 minutes.

You can top the cake with whipped cream (if you’re OK with dairy) or whipped coconut cream. The cake itself is sweet enough that you really don’t need to add any sweetener to the topping! Slather on the cream, sprinkle some fresh berries on top, and it’s ready to serve. Elegant, unusual and delicious!

Paleo Icelandic Date Cake
A delightful meringue cake made with dates, almonds, and dark chocolate. Elegant and delicious!
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup chopped dates
  2. 1 cup chopped blanched almonds
  3. 1 cup chopped dark chocolate
  4. 3 egg whites
  5. 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  6. Whipped cream or whipped coconut cream (for the topping)
  7. Fresh berries
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 320 degrees.
  2. Chop the dates, almonds, and dark chocolate. You'll want to chop these finely, although you can adjust this depending on what you'd like the texture of the cake to be.
  3. Whip the egg whites with the coconut sugar until stiff peaks form.
  4. Fold the chopped dates, almonds and chocolate into the egg whites, stirring until they are evenly distributed.
  5. Grease the sides of a spring-form pan with coconut oil. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Spread the batter into the pan, and bake for 40 minutes.
  6. Let the cake cool completely. Use a knife to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan before removing the sides.
  7. Spread or pipe the whipped cream or coconut cream over the top of the cake, and sprinkle with fresh berries.
Adapted from a recipe by Nói and Siríus, in the 2002 holiday recipe magazine.
Adapted from a recipe by Nói and Siríus, in the 2002 holiday recipe magazine.
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Paleo Pesto

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Fresh, homemade pesto is such a wonderful and versatile thing! It may have gotten its starts in pasta, but it’s also amazing on grilled steak, lamb, chicken or fish. A little homemade pesto goes a long way in hummus, salad dressing, or in a dip. I like to have homemade pesto on hand, and I’ve found that if you freeze it in an ice cube tray you can pop out pesto-cubes any time you want to spice something up!

Most pesto contains a good deal of cheese, but I’ve found that with a bit of creativity it’s just fine to leave it out. Hard cheeses like Parmesan or Romano add a distinct umami flavor to food (umami is the “savory” flavor that we can taste in addition to sweet, sour, salty and bitter). To make up for the lack of cheese, we just need to add a little umami from a different source! I used a good, thick aged balsamic vinegar, but a balsamic vinegar reduction would work just as well (you can make this by letting a cup of vinegar simmer until it thickens). Just puree fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic and a little of the vinegar with a good quality oil…extra-virgin olive oil and avocado oil are both great.

Once the pesto is smooth (you may need a tiny bit of water to get the right consistency) you can either serve it, or put it in an ice cube tray to freeze. When the garden is going crazy with basil, I make several large batches and freeze it…I pop out the pesto cubes, put them all in an air-tight container, and then use them all year round. It’s amazing how much flavor one cube of pesto can add to a pan of sauteed vegetables!

Paleo Pesto
Fresh, delicious pesto to spice up your grilled meat, vegetables, hummus or salad dressings. Non dairy and easy to make!
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Ingredients
  1. Four cups fresh organic basil leaves, washed
  2. 1/3 cup pine nuts
  3. 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, or avocado oil
  4. 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  5. 2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar, or balsamic vinegar reduction
  6. 1 teaspoon sea salt
  7. 2-4 tablespoons water
Instructions
  1. In a food processor, combine the basil and pine nuts. Blend well.
  2. Using a rubber spatula, push the mixture down in the food processor and blend again. Add the oil as you continue to puree the pesto.
  3. Add the garlic cloves and balsamic vinegar and continue to puree.
  4. Add the salt, and the water a tablespoon at a time until the pesto reaches the desired consistency.
  5. If you'd like, you can put the pesto into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Pop the pesto cubes out and keep them in the freezer in an airtight container to use later.
Adapted from this recipe at Epicurious.com
Adapted from this recipe at Epicurious.com
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Grain Free Cinnamon Sponge Cake

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When you give up grain, it can feel like you’ve seen the last of light, fluffy cakes. But I’ve found two little secrets that bring your healthy cake to a whole new level! This grain free cinnamon sponge cake is as light and fluffy as a traditional cake, even though it’s grain and dairy free. Sweetened with a little coconut sugar and some honey, it’s satisfying but not overly sweet. Add some warm cinnamon and vanilla and you’ve got a dessert that bakes up beautifully and looks as good as it tastes! You can even cut it into two layers…perfect for adding a layer of vanilla custard or whipped coconut cream.

The first secret to this cake is banana flour. This flour is so fine and soft, it bakes very much like cake flour (but it’s full of nutrients rather than gluten). I’ve found that when texture is important, banana flour is a great thing to use! There isn’t a strong banana flavor, since the flour is made from green bananas. It’s also high in resistant starch, which is great for your digestion and helps balance blood sugar.

The other secret is to use a recipe for sponge cake rather than a regular cake recipe. Sponge cake doesn’t call for much flour, which is helpful both for texture and cost when you’re baking grain free. The trick to sponge cake is in separating the eggs. You beat the yolks with your flavorings (in this case, vanilla and cinnamon) and sweetener. Then, whip the whites until stiff peaks form. Don’t over beat the whites…I’ve learned that they won’t bake up as fluffy if you whip them until they’re dry. There’s a specific order to combining the ingredients that gives the cake its light and airy texture…you combine the yolk mixture with a bit of flour, fold half the whites into the yolks, add another bit of flour, fold in the rest of the whites, and finally add flour a third time. It’s a bit of extra work, but so worth it!

You can serve the cake as is, or cut it into layers and add something in the middle. Creamy vanilla custard is delicious, or a fluffy layer of whipped coconut cream. You could even make a compote of apples, raisins and nuts and spread it between the layers! Any way you serve it, your friends will have a hard time believing that this is a grain-free, non-dairy cake. It’s a must-try recipe!

Grain Free Cinnamon Sponge Cake
This delicious grain free cake bakes up unbelievable light, soft and fluffy! Wonderful with a layer of vanilla custard or whipped coconut cream in the center.
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Ingredients
  1. 6 organic, cage-free eggs, separated
  2. 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
  3. 1 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon
  4. 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  5. 1/4 cup raw organic honey
  6. 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons banana flour
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, vanilla, cinnamon, coconut sugar and honey. Whip until the mixture is creamy and a very pale yellow.
  3. Add 1/4 cup of the banana flour to the egg yolks and whip again.
  4. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Be sure to wash your beaters before whipping the whites, and don't whip them too much. The cake won't be as fluffy if the egg whites are too dry.
  5. Fold 1/2 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture by hand.
  6. Add 1/4 cup of the banana flour and fold this is by hand as well.
  7. Fold the remaining egg whites into the batter, then add the 2 tablespoons of banana flour and fold this in as well.
  8. Pour the batter into a greased springform pan and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. Allow the cake to cool, and serve...or, cut the cake horizontally into two layers and fill with vanilla custard, whipped coconut cream, etc.
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Paleo Lemon Drop Cookies

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I’d been seeing a recipe for raw, vegan lemon meltaways pop up on facebook here and there, and I thought they looked pretty good. I’ve found that it’s pretty hit-or-miss as far recipes on social media go, though…sometimes they’re just as good as they look in the photo, and other times they end up being a dissapointing waste of time and ingredients. I love lemon, though, so when I saw the recipe making the rounds again a few weeks later I decided to give it a try. I’m so glad that I did! These lemon drop cookies (I found that, while delicious, the way I made them they don’t really “meltaway”) are a wonderful burst of sweet-tart flavor. They have a great texture, and just taste so good…like lemon candy, but healthy. I’m totally hooked!

I made these in the food processor, and found that by doing so I could skip some steps. This made the prep work very easy, and also allowed me to make the cookies using whole raw almonds and flaked coconut…this might be why my cookie version of the recipe has a different texture, because the homemade flour is a little more coarse. But it’s  nice to make something entirely from scratch using basic, raw ingredients! I just popped the almonds and coconut into the food processor and ground them into flour. Then, I added lemon zest and juice followed by some organic raw honey. Finally, I mixed in a bit of melted coconut oil.

The biggest problem I had with this recipe was trying to avoid eating all the dough before I formed it into cookies. I’m a grown-up, and I know that it’s ill-advised to lick the blade of the food processor…but I was sure tempted! The creamy texture, the delicious flavor…I have to admit, I ate quite a few “sample bites” before putting the dough in the fridge to chill! Once it was cold, I was able to control myself long enough to roll it into balls and dehydrate the cookies a bit in the oven. Sweet yummy goodness! These cookies are full of nothing but healthy ingredients, bursting with flavor, and delightful in every way. I think I’ve found a new favorite dessert!

Paleo Lemon Drop Cookies
Delicious and easy to make lemon cookies...these cookies are bursting with flavor! Made with almond, coconut, lemon and honey. Yum!
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Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 cups almond flour (or, use whole raw almonds and grind them yourself)
  2. 1/2 cup coconut flour (or, use coconut flakes and grind them yourself)
  3. 1 tablespoon organic lemon zest
  4. 1/4 cup organic lemon juice
  5. 1/3 cup organic raw honey
  6. 1/4 cup organic coconut oil, melted
Instructions
  1. If you are using whole raw almonds and coconut, put them in a food processor and grind them into flour. Otherwise, just put the almond and coconut flour into the food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
  2. Add the lemon zest and juice and pulse again to blend.
  3. While the food processor is running, drizzle in the honey and continue to puree until a ball forms.
  4. Stop the food processor and scrape down the sides. Run it again, while pouring in the melted coconut oil.
  5. Once the dough is very well combined, put it in a bowl and chill it in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour.
  6. Roll the chilled dough into little balls. You can leave them in this shape or flatten them a bit.
  7. If you'd like, dehydrate the cookies for about an hour, or until the outside of the cookies becomes slightly hard.
  8. Store any leftover cookies in a covered container in the fridge, they will get soft if left out too long.
Adapted from this recipe at the Healthy Family and Home
Adapted from this recipe at the Healthy Family and Home
Primal Hub https://www.primalhub.com/

Oven Baked Zucchini Chips

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Looking for healthy snack? I love the crisp texture and salty flavor of these oven baked zucchini chips. Perfect for snacking, and really great with dip (like this paleo ranch dip). Unlike traditional fried chips, these little oven baked beauties are low in calories. They’re not greasy, either…just light, crispy veggie chips ready for guilt free snacking! What’s really great is that these chips are baked at a low temperature, which helps them keep more of their natural nutrients. It also concentrates the flavor, so they need very little salt but are still delicious!

It’s not hard to make oven baked zucchini chips, and the process will seem familiar if you’ve ever made kale chips. Zucchini chips are a little different, though, because a zucchini has a lot more moisture in it than a bunch of kale. You’ll have to cook them longer, rearrange them now and again, and be careful that you don’t add too much oil. The end result is so delicious, though, that you won’t mind the extra work!

You’ll want to start with a large zucchini. The chips will shrink quite a bit as they dry, so if you want a chip that will hold some dip don’t be afraid to go big! Wash the zucchini and slice it thinly, then press some of the moisture out of  the zucchini by pressing the slices between two paper towels.  Toss the slices in a bowl with just a bit of extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil and stir to coat. To bake them, line a couple of baking pans with parchment paper and then lay the slices on the paper, making sure they don’t overlap. Then, sprinkle the zucchini with just a touch of salt…remember that the slices will be shrinking a lot (I’d say that they’ll be reduced by at least half) so if you salt them more than just a touch it will end up being too much.

Dry the chips in the oven at 250 degrees, checking in 30 minutes. You’ll want to rearrange them, remove any chips that are already crispy, and then put them back in for another 15 minutes. Keep checking and rearranging until all the chips are crisp and nicely browned…if you’re having trouble getting the chips to dry out, try placing them on a wire cooling rack on the pan and cooking them that way. Let them cool, and then…enjoy!

Oven Baked Zucchini Chips
Crisp, flavorful veggie chips baked in the oven. A healthy and delicious snack!
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Ingredients
  1. 1 large organic zucchini
  2. 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, or melted coconut oil
  3. sea salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
  2. Wash and slice the zucchini into thin slices.
  3. To remove some of the moisture, press the slices between paper towels.
  4. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini slices with the olive or coconut oil to lightly coat them. Don't be tempted to use more oil, too much will make your chips soggy!
  5. Line a couple of baking pans with parchment paper. Lay the slices on the paper in a single layer, making sure that the slices don't overlap.
  6. Lightly sprinkle the zucchini with sea salt.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes, then check the chips. Flip and/or rearrange them as needed, removing any chips that are already crispy.
  8. Bake the chips for another 15 minutes, then repeat the flip/rearrange/remove process above.
  9. Continue this until all the chips are crisp and brown.
  10. Allow your zucchini chips to cool, and then enjoy! Store leftover chips in an airtight container.
Adapted from this recipe at Oh Snap! Let's Eat!
Adapted from this recipe at Oh Snap! Let's Eat!
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