Cattail Paleo Pancakes

The No. 1 rated restaurant in the world, Noma in Copenhagen, features ingredients sourced from the local landscape, such as reindeer moss.

In Northern California, we have the cattail plant. It was used by Native Americans for flour, weaving, wound dressing, and insulation. A relative of saffron, the pollen can be harvested from green stalks with yellow tops (male plants) found in marshy areas in June and July. For something a little different, why not try this salute to our own locavore movement?

Ingredients:

Sifted pollen on top of flour before mixing

3/4 cup Cup4Cup gluten-free flour, sifted, or other gluten-free flour
1/4 cup cattail pollen, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons coconut sugar

1 large egg, beaten
1 cup coconut milk + 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1/2 vanilla bean, finely cut with scissors, or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coconut oil and butter for cooking pancakes

Directions:

1. Mix flour, cattail pollen, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl.

2. In another bowl, whisk the egg until it is frothy. Add the 1 cup coconut milk, butter, and vanilla; mix well.

3. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix just until blended together. Add more coconut milk if mixture is too thick.

4. Set batter aside for 5-10 minutes.

5. Heat a frying pan over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and heat until very hot. Add 1 teaspoon butter; make sure the oils are hot enough to start cooking the pancakes by adding a drop of the batter - it should sizzle. Quickly add 1/4 cup pancake batter for each pancake; don’t overcrowd the pan. When the bottom of the pancake is brown, flip the pancake and brown the other side. Turn the heat down to medium to allow the batter to cook through, about 4-5 minutes total cooking time. A toothpick or fork should come out clean. Set aside.

6. Add 1 teaspoon coconut oil and butter and repeat cooking as above until batter is used up. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

#paleo #pancakes #glutenfree #healthyeating #locavore

Note: While it’s wonderful to have gluten-free, mostly dairy-free pancakes, the rise and texture is not 100% comparable to regular pancakes. Very tasty, though!

Chocolate n' Cherries

Rich, moist, and creamy, freshly made chocolate bars taste so much better than packaged ones. And now that grass fed butter is at its sweetest and cherries are in season, you can make these velvety treats to elevate your mood as well as your heart-healthy flavonoids, or freeze them to enjoy over the next several months.

Ingredients:

4 ounces Ghiradelli 60% chocolate
2 ounces Valhrona Noir Guanaja chocolate
3 tablespoons grass fed butter
1 cup cherries, finely chopped
1/2 cup coconut flakes

Himalayan or Maldon salt for sprinkling on top, optional



Directions:

1. Line a loaf pan on bottom and sides with parchment paper.

2. Add 2 inches of water in a saucepan, and place a wider metal bowl on top to make a double boiler. When the water boils, melt the chocolate and butter in the metal bowl, stirring constantly until it is smooth. Remove from heat, stir briskly with a wooden spoon until chocolate gets a sheen. Let cool a bit.

3. Stir the chopped cherries and coconut flakes into the chocolate until well mixed. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and spread out evenly. Sprinkle salt on top, if desired. Place in refrigerator for about one hour to firm up.

4. Remove parchment paper and chocolate from pan. Slice into bite-sized pieces and serve. 

Store candies in an air-tight container in refrigerator up to a week, or freeze to eat later. Makes about 18 pieces of candy.

#paleo #chocolate #desserts #glutenfree #nutfree #hearthhealthy #healthyeating 

Thai Sweet Chili Salmon

It’s salmon season in California, and diving into this plate of Thai Sweet Chili Salmon after taking the photo was just like opening the door to summer.

Perfect today for Father’s Day, below are four easy cooking methods for salmon. So no excuses - dig in and boost your family’s Omega 3’s!


Ingredients:

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

Green onions, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Salmon

6-8 ounce portion/person of Alaskan King or sockeye salmon, skin on preferably, sliced into serving portions 
Sea salt
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, divided
1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

1. In a small saucepan, add all ingredients and whisk until combined. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and stir while sauce simmers until thickens, 5 to 10 minutes.

Salmon:

1. In a baking dish, lay salmon pieces skin side down. Sprinkle with salt. Baste the salmon with sweet chili sauce, cover with foil, and let marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight (up to 24 hours).

2. Cook salmon according to personal preference below. It is easy to overcook salmon, so just be sure to check the temperature frequently toward the end of the cooking time.

Panfried:  See Gordon Ramsey’s video at this link (method used in photo but separated to serve).

Broiled: Line baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper, spray with cooking oil, and place salmon fillets skin side down. Broil for 8 minutes, rotating sheet once. Remove from broiler and baste with remaining sauce; return to broiler for 5 minutes, or until sauce has caramelized. Cook until internal temperature measures 125-130 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, starts to flake easily with fork, and flesh looks opaque. 

Baked: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Place salmon skin side down on baking sheet lined with foil, cover with sauce and bake for approximately 4-6 minutes per half-inch of thickness. Start checking around 8 minutes. When internal temperature measures 125-130 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, starts to flake easily with fork, and flesh looks opaque, it is done (about 12-15 minutes). 

Grilled: Spray grate on charcoal or gas grill with non-stick oil; heat grill to hot; place salmon skinless side down for about 2 minutes, lid closed; flip salmon, baste with sauce, and cook at medium high heat for another 8-10 minutes, lid closed, or just until internal temperature measures 125-130 degrees F. with an instant read thermometer, starts to flake easily and the flesh looks opaque. 

Taste salmon for salt. Garnish with chopped onions, if desired, and serve.

#paleo #food #salmon #Thaifood #bbq #healthyeating #glutenfree #dairyfree

Brownies Squared - Part III

With a name like “Wholesome Epic Gluten-Free Brownies,” who wouldn’t want to give them a try?

All the tasters for this recipe gave two thumbs up. It was obvious from the list of ingredients that this is the brownie we’ve all been waiting for, and it didn’t disappoint!

Wholesome Epic Gluten-Free Brownies*

Ingredients:

2 ounces Valhrona Noir Guanaja chocolate, chopped
1/2 ounce Ghiradelli 60% chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup coconut oil, measured solid

1/2 cup almonds




3 eggs

1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup coconut sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup Valhrona cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

4 ounces Ghiradelli 60% chocolate for sprinkling on top, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8” x 8” baking pan with parchment paper.

1. Add 2 inches of water in a saucepan, and place a wider metal bowl on top to make a double boiler. When the water boils, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the metal bowl, stirring constantly until it is smooth. Remove from heat, stir briskly with a wooden spoon until chocolate gets a sheen. Let cool a bit.

2. Put the almonds in a food processor and grind them to the consistency of a thick meal.

3. Crack the eggs in a bowl and beat until slightly thickened and frothy.

4. To the melted chocolate, add the almond meal, eggs, honey, sugar, vanilla, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Fold gently to mix well, and pour into the prepared pan.

5. Chop the remaining 4 oz. of chocolate and sprinkle on top of the batter.

6. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit on the bottom of a baking sheet. Wet the paper under running water and shake off the excess. Place it on the baking sheet, and put the brownie pan on top. It is very easy to burn the bottom of brownies; don’t overcook. 

7. Check for doneness at 20-25 minutes. Bake until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool, then slice. 

Makes 16 squares.

#paleo #brownies #chocolate #dessert 

*Recipe adapted from the Truffles and Trends website.

Savory Cauliflower Soufflé

Except for grass-fed butter, the ingredients on My Paleo Marin are mostly dairy-free.* So what’s a blogger to do when the recipe for a phenomenal-looking “Cauliflower Cake" by Yotam Ottolenghi calls for 120 grams of parmesan cheese?

Googling a cheese substitute suggested using ingredients with fat and salt. What better to go with the mild-tasting orange cauliflower from Whole Foods than bacon? And olive tapanada to replicate the texture of the missing cheese?

The resulting soufflé was a delicious rustic main course that can be served warm or cold, morning, noon or night - and with no danger of “payback" for those with lactose sensitivities.






Ingredients:

1 tablespoon melted butter
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
1 tablespoon black caraway seeds

6 pieces bacon, preferably sugar-free**

1 bottle of pitted green olives
1 bottle of pitted Kalamata olives
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 head orange cauliflower, or white
1 teaspoon fine sea salt

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, peeled
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

7 large eggs
1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped
1 cup gluten-free flour, sifted, preferably Cup4Cup Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Optional:  1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; or 1/4 teaspoon cumin, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

1. Line a 9” springform cake pan with parchment paper; cut paper even with top edge of the pan and make folds with excess around the inside. Brush the bottom and sides with melted butter. Sprinkle the sesame and black caraway seeds around the sides and bottom of pan. Set aside.

2. Put bacon slices on a rack over a pan. Put in preheated oven to bake for 10 minutes, turning pieces over midway through. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

3. Make the tapanda by first chopping the olives into small pieces. Mix in the olive oil and garlic powder. Set aside.

4. Remove the outer leaves of the cauliflower and cut or tear the florets into 1-1/4” pieces (about 4 cups). Put the cauliflower in a pan, cover with water, add 1 teaspoon salt, and put lid on. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the florets collapse easily with a fork. Drain in a colander, and set aside.

5. Cut four 1/4” slices off the ends of a red onion, 2 from each side. Carefully put them on a plate and set aside.

6.Coarsely chop the rest of the onion into small pieces. Heat the oil in a
frying pan, and cook and stir the herbs and chopped onion until soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Let cool.

7. Crack the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs briskly until they fluff up. Fold in the onion mixture, bacon (torn into bits), basil, and 1 cup of the tapanada. Add the flour, baking powder, turmeric and pepper (plus optional spices) and mix. Fold in the cauliflower gently to mix everything together. Taste for seasoning.

8. Pour the soufflé mixture into the prepared pan. Add one reserved onion slice on each quadrant. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean in the center. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes. Eat warm, or serve at room temperature.

#paleo #soufflé #glutenfree #dairyfree #nutfree  

Recipe adapted from “Cauliflower Cake” in Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi.

*Recipe for "Orange & Black Hot App” (11/14) calls for goat cheese (often can be tolerated by those with lactose sensitivities), and some of the chocolates may contain small amounts of milk.

**Note: For vegetarian entrée, eliminate bacon.