These gluten & grain free Rum Balls are the perfect way to get the party started during the holidays! Chocolate and rum come together in this recipe to make a rich and soul warming treat! Enjoy this healthy spin on rums balls any time of the year–not just the holidays.
My love for rum balls dates back to my little Jen days. My Nonna (a.k.a. Ma) use to make them for the family around Christmas time. Not sure who inspired her to make rum balls since they’re not a traditional Italian recipe, BUT I’m glad she did because they were delish!
Since my craving for rum balls is still strong, I decided to put a healthy spin on this popular treat which can be enjoyed any time of the year–not just the holidays.
Most traditional rum ball recipes are packed with low-quality and inflammatory ingredients like vanilla waffers, confectioners’ sugar and corn syrup.
Instead of using vanilla waffers, I use a combo of almond flour and shredded coconut, which creates a great gluten free base. I also kicked nasty corn syrup and confectioners’ sugar out and replaced them with a natural and pure sweetener, maple syrup.
The combination of coconut, rum and chocolate makes this a delicious treat you’ll crave all year round. Give this easy, no-bake recipe a try!
For a alcohol free and kid friendly version, omit rum and increase maple syrup to 1/2 cup.
These gluten & grain free Rum Balls are the perfect way to get the party started during the holidays! Chocolate and rum come together in this recipe to make a rich and soul warming treat! Enjoy this healthy spin on rums balls any time of the year--not just the holidays.
This creamy and easy Turmeric Golden Milk is incredibly healthy, and so delicious! Golden milk is a traditional Indian drink that has its roots in Ayurveda. Made with coconut milk, powerful spices like turmeric, ginger and cinnamon, and naturally sweetened.
DID YOU KNOW? There are over 12,500 peer-reviewed articles published on the benefits of turmeric, in particular one of its powerful compounds, curcumin.
Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant, making it great for both weight loss and IBS.
Unfortunately, the curcumin content of turmeric is not that high, so if you want to experience the full effects of this powerful compound, you need to take a supplement that contains high amounts of curcumin.
In addition, curcumin is poorly absorbed during digestion, so many different supplement formulations have been created to improve its bioavailability.
Curcum-Evail is my go to curcumin supplement. It’s a highly bioavailable and absorbable formulation containing a unique combination of three health-promoting compounds known as “curcuminoids,” which are derived from turmeric root.
In order to get the most benefit from consuming turmeric (and to increase absorption of curcumin), consume with healthy fats like coconut and/or black pepper.
I used coconut milk and added black pepper to this recipe, so you can get the most out of your golden milk!
This creamy and easy Turmeric Golden Milk is incredibly healthy, and so delicious! Golden milk is a traditional Indian drink that has its roots in Ayurveda. Made with coconut milk, powerful spices like turmeric, ginger and cinnamon, and naturally sweetened.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts are the perfect side to your next meal! They’re easy to make, delicious and super healthy. This recipe is keto, paleo, plant-based & AIP friendly!
DID YOU KNOW? In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Brussels sprouts are used to improve digestive health.
Just one cup of cooked Brussels sprouts provides four grams of fiber, which numerous studies show is important for digestive function.
Fiber helps to support digestive health by encouraging regular bowel movements, preventing constipation or diarrhea, and detoxifying the body by pulling toxins and waste out of the gut.
In addition, Brussels sprouts contain glucosinolates and sulforaphane. Glucosinolates can help protect the lining of the digestive tract and stomach therefore reducing the chances of developing leaky gut or other digestive disorders. Sulforaphane facilitates in the body’s detoxification process and can help prevent bacterial overgrowth from occurring in the gut.
According to TCM, it’s recommended that cruciferous veggies (like Brussels sprouts) be cooked to enhance digestion and to nourish the spleen, which can become taxed if bombarded with too many raw or cooling foods.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts are the perfect side to your next meal! They're easy to make, delicious and super healthy. This recipe is keto, paleo, plant-based & AIP friendly!
Fried Eggs on Vegetable “Rice” is the perfect wholesome and nutrient-packed breakfast! Vegetable “rice” is the perfect base to soak up golden and runny egg yolks. Give this hearty paleo & keto breakfast dish a try!
When I started a gluten and grain free diet, fried eggs just weren’t the same because I missed soaking up runny yolks with bread.
Not only are egg yolks super yummy, but the yolk is also the most nutritious part of an egg – and some would argue that the yolk is what makes the egg one of the most nutrient-dense foods out there.
So, me needing runny egg yolks in my life has lead to this delightful egg breakfast that soaks up the yolk just like bread, BUT way healthier!
For this recipe I used leftover Vegetable “Rice” that I made earlier in the week, which meant breakfast was served within 5-minutes since all I had to do was fry some eggs.
Give this nutrient-packed breakfast a try. You won’t be disappointed – and you definitely won’t miss bread. You’ll get all the satisfaction you need from Vegetable “Rice” soaked in egg yolks!
TIP: Look for free-range or pastured eggs in your grocery store. Free range and pastured hens are allowed to roam, wander, perch and have a good quality of life, which makes a difference in the quality of their eggs. Theses eggs are a much better option to ensure food safety & a high nutrient profile, and support ethical farming practices.
Fried Eggs on Vegetable "Rice" is the perfect wholesome and nutrient-packed breakfast! Vegetable "rice" is the perfect base to soak up golden and runny egg yolks. Give this hearty paleo & keto breakfast dish a try!
If using leftover Vegetable "Rice", remove from fridge and warm it up on the stove. You can also serve the vegetable "rice" cold or at room temperature, it doesn't need to be heated.
Once the Vegetable "Rice" is ready, fry eggs in avocado oil and sprinkle with turmeric, parsley, salt and pepper while cooking. I suggest cooking the eggs sunny side up.
Place Vegetable "Rice" on a plate and top with fried eggs.
My favourite part ... let those golden yolks run into the Vegetable "Rice" and enjoy!
Ciabotta (also known as ciambotta or giambotta) is an Italian vegetable stew that is a common summer dish throughout southern Italy.
Similar to the French ratatouille, this vegetable stew is made up of seasonal Mediterranean vegetables slowly cooked down with tomatoes and finished with fresh basil.
My Nonna (a.k.a. Ma) made this dish every Summer for as long as I can remember. Although she called it peperonata (which is predominately peppers and onions), she prepared it more like ciabotta with the addition of other vegetables like eggplant and zucchini.
BUT, we won’t tell Ma that I changed the name of her famous Summer dish.
My family could always rely on Ma for containers filled with this vegetable stew, especially when the garden was overflowing with zucchini and eggplant.
She’d send my Nonno out to the garden to pick all the good stuff, while she spent hours in the kitchen (a place she truly loved to be) preparing this dish and many more. Basically, my Nonno was the gardener and Ma was the chef (and not a day passed where Ma didn’t yell at Nonno for bugging her while she was trying to cook).
This dish is dedicated to my Ma... Thank you for passing on your love of cooking to me and inspiring me to create traditional Italian dishes that bring back fun family memories.
Now give this simple and delicious ciabotta a try. It’s the perfect summer time dish and works well with meat or fish.
Here’s what you need for Ciabotta (Italian vegetable stew):
Ciabotta (also known as ciambotta or giambotta) is an Italian vegetable stew that is a common summer dish in Abruzzo, as well as all throughout southern Italy. Similar to the French ratatouille, this vegetable stew is made up of seasonal Mediterranean vegetables slowly cooked down with tomatoes and finished with fresh basil.Give this simple and delicious ciabotta a try. It's a wonderful side to meat or fish.
796mlcan fire roasted tomatoes, or other canned tomatoes
3tbspolive oil
1tspsea salt, add more if desired
Black pepper, to taste
Handful of fresh basil
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the onion and garlic. Cook at medium heat until the onions are translucent. Keep stirring to prevent the garlic from burning.
Add in chopped vegetables along with the canned tomatoes and salt. Simmer on low for 1 hour. If the liquid reduces too much, add a little water.
Taste and season with more salt if needed and black pepper.
Add a handful of torn basil, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, mix and serve.
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.
