Looking for an easy way to get some liver down the hatch? This metabolism boosting salted caramel is easy to make, tastes great and is loaded with Vitamin A!
This recipe was an accident.
For about a year now I’ve had so many things I can’t eat while breastfeeding that I stopped making salad dressing. I can’t do tomatoes, dairy, nuts, peas, coconut, mustard, garlic, eggs, vinegar. Seriously.
Getting creative.
But I LOVE salad. And I was not about to eat plain lettuce. So I would just put some olive oil, honey and salt on my salad and call it good.
I’m not one to mix up a bottle of dressing. I always just add the ingredients directly to my lettuce and mix it all together. But one day I tried mixing up the dressing first to see if it was easier.
Accidental Caramel
Imagine my surprise when instead of a dressing I ended up with a thick, gooey salted caramel! And my kids gathered around like baby birds begging for bites.
That is how my nutrient dense salted caramel came about.
It tastes great, is easy to make and my kids love it. Want to know something else? It’s great for boosting your metabolism too!
Metabolism Boosting Combination
If I am low on energy or haven’t gotten enough sleep this is the perfect pick-me-up. A little salt, a little sugar, a little fat and some vitamins.
My girls and I all have slow metabolisms and are in need of some serious rest and recovery. So this salted caramel makes a great snack for all of us.
Easy Toddler Treat
In fact, my toddler eats half of the lettuce and cucumbers out of my salad just because of this dressing. She’ll suck it off and then eat the vegetables. It’s that good!
You can eat the salted caramel with a spoon. I like to dip banana in it. Then you even get some starch with your sugar, salt and fat. It’s the perfect combination for a metabolic boost. Any fruit you like will work.
I’ve probably read it five or six times myself. And I learn something new every time. I’m so glad I have a hard copy now! It’s a great reference.
I think just about everyone could benefit from Elizabeth’s advice. Especially all of my sleep-deprived mama friends. Even children and teens these days that are over scheduled, over stressed and under nourished need some help with their metabolism (have you checked your child’s body temperature lately? You might be surprised how low it is…it’s supposed to be 98.6!).
Whip up a batch of salted caramel (with liver!). Grab a spoon, your favorite fruit or even a homemade graham cracker for dipping. Then dive into The Nourished Metabolism. Trust me, you won’t be able to put it down. I read it almost cover-to-cover the first time through.
Have you assessed your metabolism lately? What are you doing to keep it running at full speed?
Try some salted caramel and all of Elizabeth’s tips in The Nourished Metabolism. You’ll be amazed at how great you feel.
Wondering how to get your kids to eat vegetables? Or just looking to add something new to your menu? These rutabaga fries are easy to make and kid approved!
One of the most common struggles amongst my clients is getting kids to eat vegetables. For some they only have a few they are willing to eat. For others they are even to scared to touch a vegetable. Feeding kids is simple…but not easy!
Vegetables Kids Love
While some situations require deep healing, sometimes a little creativity is all it takes to get kids on board with veggies.
Don’t be afriaid to experiment! Over the years, even I have had to try lots of new veggies. Some were hits (who knew parsnips and parsley root are so delicious?!). Some were big misses (none of us is a fan of turnips). And we still enjoy some of our old staples like cauliflower and cabbage.
One of our new favorites is rutabaga. I’m not sure why I had never tried them before. Maybe because they are so big and ugly. If you buy one at the store it comes with a waxy coating to keep it from drying out.
But once you peel it you see a pretty pale orange flesh (don’t worry, it’s not high in Vitamin A!). Rutabagas are a bit tough to cut. But not too bad.
As a little side note here, I’m coming to realize that we’ve way over-complicated our food these days. With the ability to get any kind of food all year long we have seriously strayed far away from the way people used to eat. A simple diet of meat, potatoes, grains, beans and a few basic fruits and veggies is probably more accurate. And totally healthy.
Our vegetable selection alone has gotten very extensive, unlike the choices of our ancestors.
Rutabaga Fries
I’ve tried cooking rutabaga a few ways and eating it raw. The raw is a bit strong for my taste buds. Hands down our favorite way to prepare rutabaga is by making rutabaga fries!
Rutabaga fries are the closest to regular french fries (potatoes) that I’ve tried. They hold their shape well, but are tender on the inside.
My kids love to use the new crinkle cutters they got for Christmas to make crinkle cut rutabaga fries. And anything in a fun shape is going to be a bonus for introducing a new food to kids. Getting them in the kitchen to help make the food will too! We use Kids Cook Real Food to teach knife skills.
I’d be lying if I said they were an instant hit for the whole family. My girls can’t get enough. My oldest son…he can tolerate them right now, but isn’t crazy about them. And that’s ok. I told him we’ll keep trying. Sometimes it takes a while to adjust to a new flavor. Hey, I forced myself to like liver by eating it over and over. So a child can learn to like rutabaga fries too, right? My husband doesn’t mind them. But he’s not big on trying new foods either.
If your child needs a little convincing he can dip them in honey, honey mustard, ketchup, or hummus. My girls and I devour them plain.
Rutabaga for the Whole Family
Even my 8 month old enjoys well-cooked rutabaga chunks. He’ll grow up with a unique palate, having an NTP for a mom!
Rutabaga fries are so easy to make. Just peel, slice and roast with avocado oil, olive oil, or your favorite healthy fat. And lots of unrefined sea salt, of course. Don’t forget the mandatory “assistant” to pull open drawers and untie your slippers while you use a sharp knife!
We are actually going to try growing rutabagas in our garden this year! Another fun experiment. I hope they turn out. It’ll be interesting to see if the flavor is any different when they are home-grown. Maybe that alone will encourage the boys to eat them.
Have you ever tried rutabaga? What is your favorite way to eat them?
Looking for a way to get your winter dessert fix without reaching for ice cream? Turn breakfast into a special treat with these Neapolitan and spumoni parfaits!
I have fond memories of eating lots of Neapolitan ice cream and spumoni ice cream growing up.
Of course I was like most kids and really just wanted the chocolate! Who doesn’t want chocolate?
Updated Neapolitan and Spumoni
I have recreated these classic flavor combinations in a healthy breakfast treat. Did I mention they are super easy to make too?
Neapolitan and spumoni parfaits use plain, whole milk yogurt, fresh or frozen fruit, organic cocoa powder and pistachio nuts. You get the flavors you love without any high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, or food dyes.
Unique, Kid-Friendly Breakfast
My kids went crazy over these parfaits! I’m not sure I’ve ever seen them eat yogurt that quickly. I can’t blame them. What’s not to love about vanilla and chocolate yogurt combined with sweet strawberries?
Kids can help prepare Neapolitan and spumoni parfaits. It only requires pouring and mixing. They love the assembly part too.
Holiday Breakfast Parfait
I love how festive these parfaits look. Hosting guests for the holidays? Prepare the parfaits the night before. Then wow your guests with a special treat in the morning. Wine glasses make fancy serving dishes.
You could even use these as a special Valentine’s Day dessert.
This winter spruce up Saturday morning breakfast with a classic dessert flavor. Try both parfaits and see which one you like best. Or combine them to make a four layer parfait that includes chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and pistachio.
Are you ready to try something new for breakfast (or dessert!)?
Neapolitan and spumoni parfaits are simple and nutritious. Plus they are packed with flavor.
Looking for an actual dessert that captures the Neapolitan flavor? Try my grain and dairy free Neapolitan ice cream cake.
Neapolitan Parfait
2015-12-17 05:28:57
Serves 1
A yogurt parfait with the classic Neapolitan flavor of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.
Dairy-free and missing cheese? Try this simple, healthy zucchini cheese loaded with healthy protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates to keep your kids happy and nourished.
Within one week of my youngest being born I was 100% dairy-free.
I had been through this with my previous two babies. So I knew the signs of a dairy reaction right away. There was no easing into it. I went from eating ice cream pretty much every evening while pregnant to strict no speck of dairy almost overnight.
It’s not fun to have to cut out dairy. But I knew how to do it. I have another son that is still dairy-free, so I just added two more family members to the mix.
Unfortunately our food reactions did not end there.
I cut out so many foods, trying to help my son’s silent reflux. We had his tongue and lip tie clipped.
What finally made a significant difference in his ability to nurse and eat was learning about histamine intolerance. I switched to a low-histamine diet and it was like magic.
What wasn’t magical was the amount of effort it took to keep the two of us nourished, and our lack of food options.
During the summer we basically lived on zucchini and ground beef as I tried to calm our bodies. Our garden was overflowing with zucchini, so I sliced and roasted some pretty much every day.
The ground beef was nourishment that I could actually digest. Plus I could cook up some burgers for us and freeze extras for another meal (an essential part of a low-histamine diet – not letting meat sit in the fridge).
I’m thankful I am an Analytical Eater that truly does not mind eating the same foods over and over. In fact, that is what I love. But I was really lacking in texture with all that soggy zucchini. My mouth needed more!
My solution? Zucchini cheese!
What are the Health Benefits of Zucchini?
Although often overlooked, zucchini really does pack a punch in terms of nutrition. This fruit, used as a vegetable, contains:
potassium
phosphorus
magnesium
calcium
fiber
Vitamin C
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B6
Vitamin A
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Zinc
Zucchini also has a really high water content in addition to its minerals so it is great for hydration!
What Can I Do With Too Much Zucchini?
I often joke with my husband that there is no such thing as too much zucchini.
Every summer we grow an absurd amount of zucchini. And every summer I use it all up! Sure, we give away a few here and there. But I truly do my best to not let any go to waste (though the chickens get the baseball bat zucchinis that we inevitably miss).
It’s easy to use up quite a bit of zucchini by roasting it for a family dinner. My kids will devour roasted zucchini covered in herbs and garlic.
Of course we can’t eat all of our zucchini fresh. Somtimes we pick 20 in one day! So I love to freeze all of my extra zucchini.
Simply slice into rounds and place on a baking sheet. Freeze and bag. Peeling is optional. You can also freeze grated zucchini to use in bread and muffins.
Last year I froze at least five gallons of zucchini. I lost count. It’s been such a blessing to be able to enjoy it all year.
What Can Be Made With Frozen Zucchini?
Frozen zucchini works well in soups, stews, and stir fry. Frozen grated zucchini is great for zucchini bread, muffins, or scones.
But mostly I use my frozen zucchini to make zucchini cheese. I have some in the fridge at all times.
I love that I don’t have to do any peeling or slicing when I use frozen zucchini. Just put a big pile in a saucepan to cook for a few minutes and it’s ready to go!
Though you can make zucchini cheese with fresh zucchini too. That is how I do it all summer.
Dairy-Free Zucchini Cheese
Back to our low-histamine diet. I was really getting bored with roasted or sauteed zucchini. I had heard you could make “cheese” with zucchini. So I found some recipes and started experimenting.
The first one I tried used lemon juice. That was a big disaster. I think it all went in the trash. Even the kids couldn’t stomach the flavor.
Over time I figured out my own version of zucchini cheese that has been a staple in my diet ever since.
Zucchini cheese gets it’s texture from a combination of healthy fat (like butter or coonut oil) and grassfed gelatin. Now that my son tolerates butter I tend to use it for zucchini cheese. But coconut oil works just as well!
I use a small loaf pan to create a taller block of cheese that I can slice.
We use zucchini cheese on salads and sandwiches. It’s delicoius on crackers. Or I often just eat it plain.
One of our favorites is squash cheese. It has such a beautiful orange color! Not to mention it has a bit of sweetness to it. So kids really love it. It has a taste reminiscent of American cheese, so it’s often a great transition for kids that are used to a Standard American Diet (SAD).
Cauliflower is another great option if you want a white cheese with a kid-friendly flavor.
You can go a little more bold with peas and create green cheese!
What to Feed a Child Who Doesn’t Like Meat
One of my favorite things about zucchini cheese is the nutrition factor. It has a combination of protein (gelatin), healthy fat, and carbohydrates with fiber (zucchini). Lots of Real Salt adds essential trace minerals.
Sometimes I really boost the nutrient content by adding non-fortified nutritional yeast and turmeric.
So many selective eater kids struggle with eating meat. Whether it’s the texture, the chewing, or the inability to digest it, getting adequate protein is a struggle for many.
Gelatin is a great solution! And zucchini cheese is an easy way to get a big dose of easy-to-digest gelatin down.
Perfect Supplements is the only brand of gelatin I trust. It is grassfed and certified 100% glyphosate free!
Stock up now. Take 10% off with the code TAKE10 HERE!
Zucchini cheese is also great for the kids that only want to eat cheese and starch all day. You can get a great dose of both macro and micronutrients in while they still enjoy their favorite food.
Easy Toddler Snack
When I first started making zucchini cheese it was really for myeslf. Did I let my kids try it? Of course! But I was the one needing something creamy and salty.
But soon it turned into one of my favorite toddler snacks. My almost-three-year-old has been enjoying zucchini cheese with me since he could eat solid food!
I cut it into thick slices and then into sticks. Easy to hold. Easy to chew. Easy nourishment. That equals an easy toddler snack! And a great way to get little kids interested in veggies.
Is your toddler like mine and only wants to snack all day? Zucchini cheese is the way to go. Snack away!
What is the Best Diet for Picky Eaters?
Each child has unique, bio-individual needs. Which is why I am so passionate about Nutrional Therapy for Kids! That being said, all kids need a balanced diet. This is especially important for those “picky” or “selective” eaters.
A balanced diet includes whole food sources of protein, fat, and carbohydrates with fiber. An easy way to think of this is meat, oil, fruits, and veggies.
Zucchini cheese meets all of the criteria! So it is a great addition to a picky eater’s diet. And getting that balance will help alleviate those picky eating symptoms.
Need more dairy-free substitutes? Grab your copy of 10 Simple Dairy Substitutes with recipes for everything from milk to yogurt to ice cream!
Allergen-Free Food on a Budget
One of the hardest aspects of having a child with dietary restrictions is the cost of the food. Have you ever compared the price of regular cheese to dairy-free cheese? Or the cost of wheat bread to gluten-free bread?
If you have, you know that allergen-free food can add up very quickly!
Which is why I love making zucchini cheese. Zucchini is a very affordable vegetable that you can buy in bulk in the summer and store enough for the whole winter. Visit any farmer’s market in the summer and you’ll see piles of zucchini. Or just ask a neighbor with a garden. They probably have extra.
Stock up on gelatin with a bulk discount or when it’s on sale HERE.
You can also watch for good deals on coconut oil.
Now you have all of the ingredients for healthy, dairy-free cheese on a budget!
Is Dairy-Free Cheese Healthy?
I’ll be the first to admit that we do buy some dairy-free cheese. It’s nice to have something that melts like real cheese when making a pizza or grilled cheese.
But I can’t say I’m thrilled about the ingredients. While not horrible, it is still a processed food with some gums and fillers.
That is why I love making zucchini cheese. I control the ingredients. And they are all whole foods that I serve my family regularly.
Is dairy-free cheese healthy? It is if it’s homemade zucchini cheese!
Is your family dairy-free? Do you miss chees? Give zucchini cheese a try!
I once heard a chef on tv (I won’t mention names) say you should NEVER cook avocado. Boy was she wrong!!! I cook avocados all the time. They are delicious!
Although smashed avocado with a generous helping of Real Salt scooped with organic corn chips or raw veggies is pretty amazing, there is another version of avocado that tops my list.
My favorite way to serve avocado is to fry it in a pan to create avocado fries!
I use either butter or coconut oil and plenty of unrefined sea salt.
The result? Golden, crispy, salty outsides with rich, creamy insides. This is like heaven for an Analytical Eater (find out if that’s you HERE).
Avocado Fries
Avocado fries are like french fries…but much healthier.
They contain tons of good fat, vitamins, and minerals (did you know avocado is high in potassium?). You can eat the avocado fries plain or dip them in ketchup, pesto, hummus, or honey mustard. Really they are good dipped in pretty much anything.
Eat them like fries or use them to top a salad (like croutons).
How to Increase Healthy Fat in Your Child’s Diet
I like avocado fries as part of an easy to prep lunch. I just toss them in the pan and let them cook while I get the other food prep done.
Avocado fries make great finger food for toddlers. And they are a fun way to get healthy fat into any child’s diet.
There isn’t much to cooking avocado. Simple, delicious, nutritious. My favorite food trifecta!
Give avocado fries a try. You’ll be glad you did. If someone ever tells you not to cook avocados…ask them if they’ve tried avocado fries.
Heat a small skillet over medium heat. When hot add the butter/coconut oil.
Add sliced avocado (the thickness just depends on your taste). Sprinkle with salt. Let cook on the first side until golden and crispy, about 5-7 minutes.
Flip and repeat with the other side. Add extra salt if necessary.
Recipe Notes
Don't waste the salty butter in the pan. Use it on bread or to cook some greens.
Fall is a busy time of canning applesauce and freezing pumpkin. But don’t forget about preserving pears! With a short season and a busy schedule use this guide to stock your pantry with pear sauce before the pears are gone.
I’m a big fan of hardy produce. You know, the kind that can sit on the counter or in the fridge for weeks and still be OK? Like carrots, potatoes, apples, rutabaga, parsnips, cauliflower, and cabbage.
I love all kinds of fruits and veggies. But some of them are a bit demanding.
One day an avocado is not quite ripe. The next day it’s mushy.
The same goes for pears. You check and check for ripeness. Then all of a sudden you’ve missed the window and they over ripe.
Personally, I like to be in control instead of my produce. But it just doesn’t work that way for everything.
So I always get anxious when it’s pear season. I want to preserve them. But I just don’t have time any old day. Will I time it just right? Will I be stuck peeling hard pears? Or will I let them go too far because we were busy with soccer and band?
It’s a gamble.
I try to do a fair amount of canning each fall. How much I do depends on my kids’ ages and how I’m feeling.
Regardless, I don’t like to spend hours on end in the kitchen each day to keep up with produce preservation.
How to Can Pears
I already take the easy route when it comes to canning peaches. That is a life saver!
Then I get to pears. There is really no way around it.
Canning pears takes a lot of time.
Lots of peeling and slicing (especially if the pears are small). It can take up to sixty pears just to do one round of canning! That is a lot of peeling.
So I stopped doing it years ago. Much to my husband’s disappointment. I just don’t have time.
But I still want to preserve this amazing fruit to enjoy it all winter.
How to Can Pears Without Sugar
Enter pear sauce.
It is just like applesauce but with pears. Honestly, I would take pear sauce any day over applesauce. It is that good.
There is no need to add any sweetener as pears are plenty sweet on their own.
The other thing you don’t have to do – peel them!
Preserving pears is quite easy when you can just wash, quarter, cook and puree. Then either can or freeze the pear sauce.
Pear Sauce for Baby
One of the reasons I love having pearsauce on hand is that it makes a super easy first food for little ones six months and up. You can serve it plain or turn it into a nutrient dense baby porridge. Warm the pear sauce slightly and mix in coconut oil and an egg yolk. Stir and serve!
My big kids love pear sauce too! Sometimes I even make it extra special by adding strawberries, raspberries or blueberries from our freezer stash. As they melt and let off juice it colors the pearsauce and adds an extra burst of flavor.
Serve it cold. Serve it warm with a pinch of cinnamon. Add it to oatmeal. Mix it in yogurt.
You really can’t go wrong. You also don’t need to spend days on end making pear sauce.
Pear Sauce Canning
Here is my busy mom’s solution to preserving pears. I am able to work through a half bushel in one day (with four young kids, including a nursing little one) and still manage to do our school work, go to activities, and get healthy meals on the table.
It only takes about twenty minutes to wash and slice one batch of pears. Then you can let it cook for a bit while you tend to something else. Being able to make pear sauce in steps is so handy!
A full batch (seven quarts) takes about 30 – 35 medium to large pears. So figure out how many jars you’d like to can and then figure out how many pears you need. I usually get one bushel of pears. It makes three rounds of pear sauce with some pears left over for eating fresh.
Pear sauce makes a great alternative to applesauce. Variety is key to any diet, especially if you are implementing a rotation diet for food allergies. So this is a nice change of pace! My kids actually prefer it over applesauce.
Have you ever tried preserving pears? I encourage you to try pearsauce!
Depending on the size of the pears and the quantity you buy, sometimes you end up with a pile of extra pears. And like I said before, they can go from almost ripe to mush pretty quickly. So what do you do with those extra pears?
Of course you can eat them fresh! Pears are a sweet treat on their own. But you can only eat so many. Here are a few other options for using up extra ripe pears.
Don’t let those extra muffins go to waste! Whether they are getting stale or are starting to crumble, leftover muffins make amazing bread pudding.
Growing up there was a great debate in my house – should bread pudding have raisins or not?
The debate was between my big sister and me. As an Analytical Eater, I L-O-V-E chunks in my food. Bread pudding without a contrasting texture was too boring.
But my sister wanted nothing to do with raisins!
My poor mother. She never knew who to please. I’m sure we had it both ways many times.
In the end the bigger conundrum in my mind was why we didn’t get bread pudding more often!
What is Bread Pudding?
Bread pudding is sort of a misleading name. It’s not really pudding like we know it. No creamy chocolate dessert here. It’s more of a custard made with chunks of bread…or muffins!
You mix bread or muffins with eggs, milk, and some type of sweetener. When baked it creates a cake-like breakfast or dessert with a custard feel to it. The more eggs and milk you add, the more custard you get.
Why do Muffins Fall Apart?
How many ways can you mess up a batch of muffins? Far too many!
Muffins mishaps can be caused by too much or too little of a lot of things:
too little moisture (milk, water, or fruit/veggie purees) (crumble)
too few eggs (fall apart)
too many eggs (won’t fully bake)
not enough baking powder (stay flat)
no binder (gluten, psyllium husk, flax seeds, gelatin) (fall apart)
overbeating (chewy)
Who knew something as simple as a muffin could cause such trouble?! But it happens to the best of us.
Sometimes it’s not even a bad batch of muffins that causes problems, but a lack of paying attention to them.
Normally when I bake muffins I use them for a couple breakfasts and freeze the rest to have later. But sometimes I get busy. And the muffins just sit there, staring at me for a week.
Or once in a while there is that batch of muffins that didn’t turn out quite right. That happens more than I care to admit with gluten-free baking! They are crumbly and messy and you just want to toss them. Don’t!
Use them to make muffin bread pudding!
Leftover Muffin Bread Pudding
Traditional bread pudding is made with chunks of bread. But it’s just as easy to make it with leftover muffins.
Bread pudding with muffins is simple to prepare. Just crumble the muffins (if they aren’t a big mess already!), mix them with eggs, milk, and sweetener, and bake! You can assemble a delicious dessert or breakfast in minutes.
The next time you have a few leftover muffins turn them into something new.
It’s fun because you get a variety of flavors depending on the muffins. I have tried flavors like orange raisin and blueberry. These double raspberry chocolate chip muffins would make amazing bread pudding! If your muffins are kind of bland you can add extra fruit or dried fruit to the bread pudding to boost the flavor without adding refined sugar.
Easy Bread Pudding for One or For a Crowd
You can make leftover muffin bread pudding with a whole batch or just a few muffins. Enjoy it as a breakfast or dessert. I like to pour milk on top, like baked oatmeal.
I have fond memories of my mom serving bread pudding when I was a child. It was one of my favorite treats. But I don’t take the time to make it often these days. When I do, though, it’s usually using leftover muffins (these allergen-free blueberry muffins are perfect for making bread pudding!)
Kid-Friendly Bread Pudding with Muffins
My kids are very proficient in the kitchen thanks to the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse. My oldest is actually the muffin maker around here. Most of the time they turn out well. But once in a while we have a muffin flop. It’s part of the learning process.
Then all the kids can chip in to make leftover muffin bread pudding. The little one can have fun breaking or cutting muffins into chunks. While the older kids can practice cracking eggs, measuring ingredients and oven safety. Plus they get a delicious reward at the end. Muffin mistakes never tasted so good.
Not sure what to do with leftover muffins? Turn them into bread pudding – a delicious breakfast or dessert the whole family will love.
Leftover Muffin Bread Pudding
2017-12-24 05:40:41
A simple breakfast or dessert using leftover muffins.
Have a kid that won’t eat meat or isn’t getting enough protein? Chocolate milk to the rescue! This refined sugar-free protein-rich salted chocolate milk is perfect!
When it comes to drinks in our house we basically have two options: milk or water.
It may seem boring. But really, we don’t need much else. Once in a while my kids get a little pure grape juice (if they are fighting a cold or if we are making our “smart water.”). And of course we do love our smoothies for added nourishment (check out my book full of recipes here!).
But if my kids are thirsty it’s generally water or milk.
Kid-Friendly Drink Without Refined Sugar
Then there are those days where we just want something a little extra. Or maybe my Intuitve Eater is in one of her “I don’t want to eat much” slumps. And I have to be sneaky.
That’s when I bust out the chocolate milk! Who doesn’t love chocolate milk? I know I sure do!
Protein-Rich Drink for Kids
My version of chocolate milk is taken to a new level with extra protein from grassfed collagen (THIS is the brand we use – use TAKE10 to get 10% off). It blends right in with no added taste. Plus it’s loaded with a whole array of essential amino acids.
The kids and I have been studying human anatomy and physiology for science this year. Our unit on nutrition introduced us to amino acids and how they are the building blocks of protein. And they are so important! So when I showed the collagen container to my oldest she was fascinated to look at the amino acid profile. Science lesson built in to making chocolate milk!
The good stuff doesn’t stop there. We are big fans of adding salt to chocolate. When I say salt I mean real, unrefined sea salt (like this). Not only does it contain a broad spectrum of minerals, it is also hydrating/good for balancing electrolytes and delicious! We even use it to make salted dark chocolate ice cream, healing hot cocoa and salted honey chocolates . Salt and chocolate go so well together.
To really boost nutrition we like to add probiotics and raw egg yolks (from our own free-range chickens). So you are getting extra protein, essential minerals, probiotics, and vitamins! All in a glass of chocolate milk. It’s a mom win!
If you like your chocolate milk a bit thicker, like a shake, you can add a little banana and/or avocado.
Healthy Chocolate Milk
When I gave this protein-rich salted chocolate milk to my daughter she had two comments:
Does this have salt?! Yum! When can we make salted chocolate ice cream?
You have to make this every single day!
How to get Kids to Eat Enough Protein
My youngest can be really picky when it comes to meat. Veggies? She’ll out eat anyone. Meat? Turns up her nose. We have to bribe her to take bites of meat…then she can have thirds of veggies! For real. So I’m always glad when I can sneak in extra protein for her in something so delicious like chocolate milk. Collagen is a great way to do this. A scoops gives her the protein boost her little body needs. Added to the raw milk and egg yolks it makes a complete protein.
Her ideal meal is a huge pile of vegetables with a glass of salted chocolate milk. And I love to give it to her.
Quick & Easy Nutrition for Kids
It only takes about three minutes to make salted chocolate milk (mostly just the time required to gather ingredients). Older kids can make it themselves. My six and nine-year-olds know how to separate egg yolks thanks to the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse. My three year-old loves to help with the blender. It’s a family event! And we all enjoy the reward at the end.
The next time you’re in a beverage rut or your kids need a little protein boost, make a batch of salted chocolate milk. Use your favorite milk and some grassfed collagen to blend a nourishing drink the whole family will love.
When you’re working around allergies, it can be hard to find easy and nutritious snacks, especially with protein. This homemade ground beef jerky is simple and safe for the whole family.
One of the biggest struggles of having children with allergies is finding easy sources of protein.
Our allergies include nuts, dairy, beans and eggs. So basically it’s meat or nothing. And I don’t know about you, but I just don’t feel like cooking meat for every meal of the day!
When it comes to lunches and snacks I stick to easy. And the usual easy protein sources aren’t options. Most days there is enough leftover from the previous night’s dinner that it’s not a problem.
But sometimes there’s not.
The solution?
Homemade Ground Beef Jerky
I did some research to find a recipe…and couldn’t find one. Most of them use either soy sauce or coconut aminos. When you can’t use soy or coconut that just doesn’t work. Plus I really had no desire to go to the store or buy specialty items.
So I came up with my own recipe using just a few simple and nourishing ingredients. To my great delight this ground beef jerky turned out great!
Soy-Free Beef Jerky
My biggest surprise…my one year old was the child that liked it the best! She ate almost the whole batch (don’t worry, not in one day). My husband and I love it too!
It is so easy to stick in the diaper bag when running errands. No mess. No refrigeration. Just a simple, healthy snack that is free of allergens and easy enough for a one year old to eat. Perfect!
You can adjust the salt and sugar to your liking. I like a lot of salt. You can also add liquid smoke for a smokey flavor. If you really want to bump up the nutrition you can even add desiccated liver! (Use the code TAKE10 for 10% off)
What is the Best Meat for Beef Jerky?
Ground beef is the easiest meat to work with and makes the easiest to eat beef jerky (trust me, I tried other meat first…and I could barely chew that batch).
Not a fan of beef? Swap it for ground pork, chicken or turkey!
This ground beef jerky is perfect for school lunches or summer picnics. Make a big batch and store it in the freezer. Grab as much as you need any time. It thaws in about sixty seconds.
Is it Cheaper to Make Your Own Beef Jerky?
The other thing I love is how affordable this beef jerky is. I use grassfed ground beef. No fancy steaks. So a whole batch only costs about $6.00 (including the other ingredients)…and makes at least 30 good size pieces of jerky!
We recently bought some locally-made beef jerky. It came in a tiny package and cost about $8.00. Plus my kids thought it was too spicy. I don’t think I’ll be doing that again.
Can You Make Beef Jerky Without a Dehydrator?
Most homemade beef jerky recipes use a dehydrator. But it is possible to make beef jerky in the oven. Simply spread the meat in small strips on a baking sheet and bake it at a very low temperature (around 200 degrees F). Check it every hour for doneness.
What are your go-to allergen-free snacks?
If you’re like me and always trying to figure out an easy snack that is healthy, satisfying and free of allergens you’ve found it. Ground beef jerky is perfect for the whole family. Put it at the top of your allergy-friendly snack list! Homemade lunch meat is a great option too.
Looking for gluten-free sourdough bread that is allergy-friendly, kid-friendly and easy to make? This is it! Just a few minutes of hands-on time gives you delicious gluten-free sourdough without gums.
One of my first kitchen experiments when I had just entered the world of real food was sourdough bread. I had some experience with bread-baking. But the idea of sourdough seemed daunting.
Flour and water come to life? You have to feed your food?
That sounded like something to either totally mess up or poison my family with!
But I love a good challenge. So I decided to try it anyway.
What is Sourdough?
The first step of the process was to understand what sourdough is. Sourdough is made by the fermentation of dough using naturally occurring lactobacilli and yeast.
In simpler terms, mixing flour and water creates bacteria and natural yeast that breaks down glucose and phytates in the grains, while providing natural leavening.
Sourdough contains lots of good bacteria that produce enzymes to break down phytic acid and help digestion.
Sourdough bread can also be helpful for anyone with blood sugar issues as the resistant starch helps slow absorption of the carbohydrates.
Does Sourdough Bread Contain Yeast?
Most bread contains a cultivated yeast – baker’s yeast. Sourdough bread, on the other hand, uses a natural yeast. There is no need to add yeast to sourdough bread. The fermentation of the grains provide sufficient leavening.
That being said, when it comes to gluten-free sourdough bread, the natural leavening is often not sufficient. I have baked far too many loaves that rose beautifully, only to sink down while baking.
So I add just a bit of baking powder to maintain the rise.
How to Make A Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter
Sourdough bread requires a starter. You can buy a starter or find a friend that is willing to share. But it’s actually really easy to make one! As long as you don’t expect to make a loaf of bread the same day.
A lot of gluten-free baking is quite different from baking with wheat. Thankfully making a gluten-free sourdough starter uses the exact same process as it would if you were using wheat or rye. Sometimes you may want to feed a gluten-free starter more frequently to get it bubbling well.
The basic process is combining flour and water until it starts to bubble. This can take anywhere from two days to a week, depending on what grains you use.
Start by mixing equal amounts of water and flour (1/4 – 1/2 cup is good to start). Cover and let sit 12 hours.
Add equal amounts of water and flour again (1/4 cup works well). Cover and let sit 12 hours.
Add equal amounts of water and flour again (1/4 cup). Cover and let sit 24 hours.
Repeat this process until the mixture starts to bubble. That is your starter.
Use some of the starter in a recipe or store it, covered in the fridge.
Any time you use your starter be sure to feed it again.
If you are going to be using your starter, feed it 2-12 hours beforehand to get it good and bubbly and to be sure you have enough for your recipe.
Which Grains Work Best for Gluten-Free Sourdough?
Just about any grain can be used for gluten-free sourdough. Some common grains that are easy to work with are:
brown rice
teff
sorghum
buckwheat
Most sourdough starters use only a single grain. You can have multiple starters to utilize a variety of grains.
I use mostly sorghum and brown rice. I use them interchangeably in my one starter.
Easy Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread
A gluten-free sourdough starter works the same way as the wheat version, but the bread does not. I tried numerous gluten-free sourdough bread recipes that utilized different techniques and grains.
One was a brick. One was goopy. Some just sunk down. We ate a lot of sub-par bread along the way!
In the end I went back to my usual mantra that simple is the best. No gums. No need to combine five different flours.
This simple gluten-free sourdough bread takes about five minutes to mix up. Then it can rise anywhere from 8 – 24 hours.
The dough will not feel like regular bread. It will be sort of fluffy. And you will likely think you totally messed it up. But don’t worry. It will rise up nicely in the oven.
Adding psyllium husk powder to gluten-free sourdough keeps the bread soft (and is why you see a bit of marbling in the bread).
2-12 hours before making the bread, feed your starter so you have at least 2 cups.
In a large bowl combine the starter and water.
Very gradually whisk in the psyllium husk powder so that it doesn't clump.
Whisk in the honey and oil.
Add the sorghum flour, rice flour, and salt. Mix well. The mixture should be sort of fluffy/clumpy.
Cover and let rise 8-24 hours (the longer it rises, the more sour the bread will be)
When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a medium-size loaf pan (4.5 x 8.5 in. / 1.5 qt)
Sprinkle the baking soda and baking powder on top of the risen dough.
Quickly mix in thoroughly (hands work well for this), distributing the soda/powder throughout.
Place the dough in the prepared pan and gently press in.
Bake for 1 hour.
Immediately remove the bread from the pan and allow to cool completely before slicing.
Store in a bag or sealed container at room temp for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a year.
What Does Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread Taste Like?
This version of gluten-free sourdough bread does have a different texture than traditional wheat sourdough. It’s sort of in-between a yeast bread and a sweet bread.
The bread is very soft and can easily be used for sandwiches, grilled cheese, french toast, or whatever else you like to make with bread.
Gluten-free sourdough bread can have a mild flavor or a very sour flavor depending on the rise time. I typically let it rise for about 12 hours, and my kids tell me it’s a bit on the sour side for them. You can add a little more honey or some molasses to keep the flavor mild while still getting a good ferment.
Does Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread Toast Well?
Initially I was disappointed with my gluten-free sourdough bread because it is so soft. As an Analytical Eater, I need crunch in my food. I love very toasted bread.
But I found a solution!
This gluten-free sourdough bread has more moisture than a traditional loaf. So it requires a longer toast time to compensate. I actually prefer to bake an individual slice instead of toasting it. Ten minutes in the toaster oven at 400 degrees F gives that perfect, crispy crust. You know it’s good when you can hear it while you spread butter.
My kids love it toasted with either butter or sunbutter and a little drizzle of raw honey. I like it toasted with butter, sunbutter and some zucchini cheese slices that start to get melty from the heat.
How Long Does Sourdough Bread Last?
Since gluten-free sourdough bread is already fermented, it stays fresh at room temperature for quite a while. It will stay good on the counter (in a bag or container) for about a week.
I don’t think a loaf ever lasts that long for us. Sometimes it’s gone in two days! But if you don’t think you’ll use it all in a week you can freeze it for long-term storage. If you slice the bread before freezing you can take it out one slice at a time as needed.
Is Sourdough Bread High Histamine?
Anything fermented contains histamine. So if you have histamine intolerance, you should use caution with sourdough bread – even if it is gluten-free.
That being said, everyone is different. You need to experiment and see what your body tolerates. I’ve dealt with histamine intolerance for quite some time, but I do fine with gluten-free sourdough bread.
Does Sourdough Bread Contain Gluten?
This might seem like a silly question in a post about gluten-free sourdough bread. But I do want to clarify some misconceptions.
Traditional wheat or rye sourdough does contain gluten. The fermentation process does not remove the gluten.
That being said, many individuals that are sensitive to gluten can tolerate traditional wheat or rye sourdough. Why is that?
The bacteria in sourdough break down some of the carbohydrates and protein in the grains. This includes breaking down fructan, a carbohydrate found in wheat. Many individuals that are sensitive to gluten are actually sensitive to specific carbohydrates, such as fructan.
My daughters are gluten-free but tolerate wheat sourdough just fine. My sons, on the other hand, have to stick to strict gluten-free. It’s worth experimenting to see what your body tolerates. Making sourdough bread with an ancient wheat variety like Einkorn is another option for many that are sensitive to gluten.
Gluten-Free Sourdough for Kids
Most kids like bread. They like toast, sandwiches, grilled cheese – all of it. So why not make it the healthiest bread possible?
Gluten-free sourdough bread contains healthy bacteria and is easy on those that have digestive complaints. Plus it helps absorb key vitamins and minerals!
Gluten-free sourdough bread is a great addition to a healthy diet for kids!
Are you gluten-free? Have you ever tried gluten-free sourdough?
Which Grains Work Best for Gluten-Free Sourdough?
Does Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread Toast Well?
Does Sourdough Bread Contain Gluten?