Tiger Nut Lemon Cheesecake Bars are rich & creamy with a hint of tartness and tiger nut crunch. The perfect cheesecake recipe if you’re following an AIP, plant-based, nut or dairy free diet.
DID YOU KNOW? Tiger nuts are recommended for healthy skin, weight management, and fertility—all because of vitamin E!
One serving of tiger nuts provides you with 278% of the daily recommended value–that’s 3mg of vitamin E!
Vitamin E is important to our health due to its powerful antioxidant properties that may help reduce free radical damage and slow the aging process of your cells.
Free radicals not only weaken and break down healthy cells, but these molecules may also contribute to heart disease and cancer.
It’s important to have a diet rich in antioxidants to protect yourself from oxidative damage over time, and tiger nuts are a great source of antioxidants.
If you’re looking for tasty ways to add more tiger nuts to your diet, check out some of my tiger nut recipes (including the yummy cheesecake below!).
What you need for Tiger Nut Lemon Cheesecake Bars:
Tiger Nut Lemon Cheesecake Bars are rich & creamy with a hint of tartness and tiger nut crunch. The perfect cheesecake recipe if you're following an AIP, plant-based, nut or dairy free diet.
2tbspcrushed tiger nuts, use a food processor for this
Fresh berries, raspberries, strawberries or blackberries
Instructions
Put tiger nuts in a jar, fill with water and let soak in fridge for 12+ hours. Drain well.
Process all filling ingredients in a high-powered blender until completely smooth. Note: Tiger nuts are not easy to breakdown, so you may need to blend for a while, scraping the sides of the blender along the way.
Transfer cheesecake filling into small glass container (~5"x 5") lined with parchment paper and smooth out.
Freeze for at least 5 hours. Remove cheesecake from container and slice into bars. Thaw out briefly, decorate with toppings and serve. Keep remaining bars refrigerated for up to a week or in the freezer for longer.
Paleo “Spaghetti” alla Vodka is a spin on a classic Italian penne alla vodka dish. Spaghetti squash is the perfect gluten free & low-carb base for this dish– and coconut milk, tomato, bacon & vodka come together to make a delicious dairy free sauce to go with it!
Penne alla vodka is traditionally made with penne pasta, vodka, heavy cream, crushed tomatoes, onions, and bacon or pancetta.
This dish became very popular in Italy and in the US around the 1980s, but the origin of the Penne alla Vodka recipe has been disputed between Italy and the United States: both claim the creation of this recipe.
According to The Ultimate Pasta Cookbook, penne alla vodka was invented in the 70s at Dante, a restaurant in Bologna, Italy.
The Williams Sonoma Essentials of Italian cookbook states that it was invented in the 1980s by a Roman chef for a vodka company that wanted to popularize its product in Italy.
To support the creation of this dish in the United States, we have two tales: Luigi Franzese, the Italian American chef of Orsini Restaurant in New York and James Doty, a graduate of Columbia University.
As you can see, it’s not clear whether or not Penne alla Vodka is an authentic Italian recipe. BUT based on the ingredients, the technique, and the mark it left on Italian cuisine, the answer should be yes!
Since this dish is liked by many (including me), I decided to put a gluten & dairy free spin on it so those with dietary restrictions can enjoy these amazing flavours of Italy (or the US).
This recipe is also great for those following a low-carb, keto or paleo diet.
"Spaghetti" alla Vodka is a spin on a classic Italian penne alla vodka dish. Spaghetti squash is the perfect gluten free & low-carb base for this dish-- and coconut milk, tomato, bacon & vodka come together to make a delicious dairy free sauce to go with it!
Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise and remove seeds with spoon.
Bake at 400F for 30-40 min (first 10-min bake with flesh down, then turn so skin is down for remaining time). Fork should pierce skin easily when squash is cooked.
Use a fork to scrape out the strands of squash.
For the vodka sauce:
Finely slice the shallot or onion and place in large frying pan with olive oil. Sauté for 2-minutes over medium heat.
Slice bacon into small chunks and add it to the pan. Cook over low heat until the bacon becomes slightly crispy.
Raise the heat to medium-high and pour in vodka. Let the alcohol evaporate. This may take a few minutes.
When alcohol is completely evaporated, add tomato passata. Season with salt, stir and cook for 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat without a lid, stirring occasionally.
When the sauce is cooked, add the coconut milk and cook until you get a fairly thick and creamy vodka sauce. Turn off the heat and let it rest.
You can add spaghetti squash strands into the pan with vodka sauce and coat OR place spaghetti squash strands into a bowl and top with vodka sauce.
Notes
Time your spaghetti squash so that it’s done cooking around the same time as your sauce, so your noodles don’t cool.
Cooking time varies depending on the size of the squash. Check regularly to avoid overcooking the squash. You want the noodles to be ‘al dente’.
Chang’s Spicy Chicken is crispy tender pan-fried chicken coated in a delicious & spicy sauce. This gluten & soy free Chang’s Chicken recipe is a healthier take on the classic takeout dish. It uses whole food, high-quality ingredients, PLUS heat stable oil for frying. A true guilt-free pleasure for those living a healthy lifestyle!
This recipe is not only super yummy, but it’s also fun to create! So, gather your family or significant other and plan a date night in the kitchen where you can have some fun creating the most delicious Asian-inspired recipe you’ll ever taste!
Enjoy on its own, with a side of steamed veggies or on top of cauliflower “rice”.
When making Asian-inspired dishes (like this one), I coat my chicken in arrowroot powder and then fry in heat stable avocado oil. This creates a crispy coating on the chicken that absorbs sauce and tastes delicious!
Want more healthy Asian-inspired recipes? You’re going to love these …
Chang's Spicy Chicken is crispy tender pan-fried chicken coated in a delicious & spicy sauce. This gluten & soy free Chang's Chicken recipe is a healthier take on the classic takeout dish. It uses whole food, high-quality ingredients, PLUS heat stable oil for frying. A true guilt-free pleasure for those living a healthy lifestyle!
Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes and place in a large bowl with arrowroot flour, salt & pepper. Toss until chicken is coated. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients (or use a blender to combine ingredients). Set aside.
Cover the bottom of a large frying pan with avocado oil and heat until it begins to sizzle. Add coated chicken cubes to the hot oil. You may need to do this in two batches if your frying pan is not big enough. Cook each batch for about 10 minutes, turning mid-way through, until all sides are golden. Set chicken aside.
Once all chicken is browned, add back into the hot skillet. Whisk sauce once more & pour into the skillet with chicken. Add 3/4 of the green onions (save the rest for garnish) & cook, stirring until sauce thickens & chicken is well-coated.
Top with remaining green onions and enjoy on its own, with steamed veggies or on top of cauliflower "rice"!
Keyword arrowroot flour, asian food, avocado oil, chicken, coconut aminos, grain free, healthy asian recipe, healthy dinner
Gluten Free Carrot Pecan Muffins are the perfect homemade treat for the spring & Easter season! They’re soft, moist and filled with flavourful spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. These muffins are made with simple and natural ingredients like almond flour, carrots, eggs, coconut oil, pecans & maple syrup, so you can feel good about enjoying them!
DID YOU KNOW? Carrots are rich in beta carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A. This nutrient promotes good vision and is important for growth, development, and immune function.
However, beta-carotene is a fat soluble nutrient that needs to be coated in fat for greatest absorption. In addition, the absorption rate is better (up to 6.5-fold) if the carrots are cooked vs. raw.
Lastly, opt for whole carrots vs. baby carrots. Baby carrots are misshapen mature carrots that have been shaved down to a smaller more uniform size. The outer part that’s thrown away is much more nutritious than the inner core. The greatest concentration of nutrients is in the skin and the tissue right below it. When you remove the outer portion of the carrots, you also remove on-third of its phytonutrients.
So, to get the most health benefits from carrots, buy them whole then cook (sauté, steam, bake) them in a high-quality fat like avocado oil, coconut oil or olive oil.
Boost your beta-carotene intake by adding carrots to your homemade healthy treats. Try these yummy Carrot Pecan Muffins. They’re perfect for the Easter and Spring season!
What you need for Gluten Free Carrot Pecan Muffins:
Gluten Free Carrot Pecan Muffins are the perfect homemade treat for the spring & Easter season! They're soft, moist and filled with flavourful spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. These muffins are made with simple and natural ingredients like almond flour, carrots, eggs, coconut oil, pecans & maple syrup, so you can feel good about enjoying them!
1cupfinely shredded carrots, I used a food processor for this
1/2cupchopped pecans
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F and place liners in muffin tray.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
Mix in eggs, oil, and maple syrup.
Stir in the shredded carrots and chopped pecans.
Distribute batter evenly in the muffin tray.
Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool before removing from tin. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or store in the freezer for longer.
Notes
TIME SAVER TIP: Use a food processor for steps 2 & 3, if you have one.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad is the perfect quick and healthy lunch recipe! It’s super easy to prepare with just 6 simple ingredients needed and zero cooking time. This delicious salad recipe is paleo, low-carb, keto and can be made AIP by substituting tomatoes for cucumbers, olives or avocado.
DID YOU KNOW? Tuna fish is right up there with other healthy types of fish, such as salmon, when it comes to nutrition — it packs a good amount of protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Tuna’s high protein content makes it an excellent addition to a weight loss diet since it can help reduce your appetite, prevent cravings and keep you feeling fuller for longer.
In addition, protein makes up the foundation of your hair, skin, nails and muscles; is crucial for the synthesis of certain enzymes and hormones; and is used for the growth and repair of tissues.
So, including more tuna fish in your diet can help provide your body with the protein that you need.
Lastly, tuna is rich in omega-3 fatty acids (a.k.a. fish oil), which may be able to alleviate inflammation and reduce the risk of disease. Fish oil has potent anti-inflammatory properties, and multiple studies have shown that it could be therapeutic for autoimmune conditions like Crohn’s disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.
NOTE: Stick to wild types of tuna that are caught using the Pacific troll or pole and line methods. Also, avoid Atlantic bluefin tuna, which may have a negative impact on both the environment and your health because it is over-fished and often farm-raised.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad is the perfect quick and healthy lunch recipe! It's super easy to prepare with just 6 simple ingredients needed and zero cooking time. This delicious salad recipe is paleo, low-carb, keto and can be made AIP by substituting tomatoes for cucumbers, olives or avocado.
6cherry tomatoes, halved, (replace with olives, cucumbers or avocado for AIP version)
2tbspextra virgin olive oil
1tbspbalsamic vinegar
1/2tspdried oregano
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a bowl or container, add greens, tuna, tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper.
If you're eating right away, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and toss. If you're taking it to go in a container, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar then shake container right before you eat to coat ingredients.
Notes
Replace tomatoes with olives, cucumbers or avocado for AIP version.
Picadillo (pee-cah-DEE-yo) is an Latin American dish that combines ground or finely chopped beef, vegetables, olives and dried fruit. It’s easy to make and there are so many ways to enjoy this flavourful dish, including with tostones!
Depending on the region and personal customs, picadillo serves as a main dish, often accompanied by rice and beans, or as a filling for empanadas, chiles rellenos, tamales, tacos, stuffed potatoes and more.
Since tostones have been a hot menu item for me lately, I decided to pair this dish with these delicious golden bites on the side. Tostones not only make this dish hearty, but they also do a great job of soaking up the sauce! A great complement to this dish, if I do say so myself 🙂 Find my recipe for Tostones here.
Here are a few other healthy ways to enjoy picadillo:
Picadillo (pee-cah-DEE-yo) is an Latin American dish that combines ground or finely chopped beef, vegetables, olives and dried fruit. It’s easy to make and there are so many ways to enjoy this flavourful dish, including with tostones!
1/8cupdates, pitted & sliced (omit for Keto/Low-Carb version)
Instructions
In a pot, heat avocado oil over medium-high then brown meat. Set meat aside in a bowl.
Reduce heat to medium and add onions and peppers. Sauté until onions are slightly caramelized. Add garlic and cook for a minute.
Add paprika, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and black pepper--stir for a minute until spices become fragrant. Add chicken stock and stir, scrapping off brown-bits at the bottom of the pot. Add in the browned beef, bay leaf, olives and dates. Mix to combine ingredients.
Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 1-hour. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
When the picadillo is 20-minutes from being ready, prepare the tostones (get the recipe here) OR other choice of side.
Serve picadillo in a shallow bowl and place tostones around.
My mission is to help women heal their gut, lose weight and feel great through simple and delicious smoothies, whole food nutrition & healthy lifestyle habits.
