Bacon and Sweet Potato Pie

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Laura | Permalink 0
Bacon and Sweet Potato Pie

Bacon and Sweet Potato Pie

Sometimes inspiration comes from the strangest places.  Such was the case yesterday when a friend posted a video on Facebook.  The recipe was in German, and with our bandwidth running low, I could not watch the video.  The photo of this savory pie told the story and my friend confirmed the ingredients:  white potatoes, shredded cheese, bacon, salt and pepper.  The photo was incredible, so I thanked my friend for sharing the recipe and told her I would be making this for dinner….and I did!    I took a little creative license with the recipe; substituting sweet potatoes for the white potatoes, adding sliced onions, and a few extra spices to boost the flavor.

The photo showed that this was prepared in a cast iron skillet,  but I opted for a deep dish pie plate.  The baking time is about 2 hours, but it’s well worth the wait.  The most difficult part of this recipe is the smell wafting through the house, waiting for this savory pie to finish baking.

Ingredients:

2  Medium Organic Sweet Potatoes (peeled and sliced into 1/8 inch rounds)
1 Medium Organic Onion (sliced thinly)
1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Pound of Sliced Bacon (or more if you love bacon)
Sea Salt (to taste)
Freshly Ground Pepper (to taste)

Optional:  2 teaspoons Organic Ground Ginger, 2 teaspoons Turmeric, 2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika.

Baking the Bacon and Sweet Potato Pie

Baking the Bacon and Sweet Potato Pie

 

NOTE:  I placed a baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven in case this pie oozed, and it did!  You can place the pie plate/skillet directly on the baking sheet to catch any drippings….I will do this next time.

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl toss the sliced sweet potatoes and onion slices with the salt pepper and optional seasonings.

Line the pie plate or cast iron skillet with bacon slices.

Layer the sweet potatoes and onions on top of the bacon.

Add a layer of shredded cheese.

Top with another layer of sweet potatoes followed by more cheese.

Press down gently to compress the ingredients in the pie plate/skillet.

Top with sliced bacon to form a spiral pattern, tucking the ends of the bacon into the edge of the pie plate.

Bake for 2 hours or until the potatoes “are pliable/yield” when a fork is inserted.

Savory Sweet Potato and Bacon Pie

Savory Sweet Potato and Bacon Pie

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Main Courses, Recipes

Beet Pesto

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Laura | Permalink 0
Beet Pesto Pizza with Goat Cheese and Arugula

Beet Pesto Pizza with Goat Cheese and Arugula

When most people think of pizza sauce it is tomato based, but for those who have an intolerance or sensitivity to Nightshades, tomato sauce is off limits.  That slice of pizza could cause a tremendous amount of discomfort to include symptoms such as heartburn/acid reflux, joint pain, bloating, intestinal distress, malaise, headaches, etc.  This recipe for beet pesto is an option for those who can not tolerate nightshades.  There are three options for preparing the beets; buying prepared organic beets (Love Beets is a brand that comes cooked and ready to use), roasting or boiling (I opted to boil my organic beets since I needed the beet juice for another recipe).  I also washed and chopped up the beet greens and incorporated some into our salad, the remainder was used the following night in our sautéed mixed greens.  This Pesto can be used as a dip or leftovers can be tossed on your favorite gluten or grain free pasta.

I wish I could be more precise with the measurements, but it’s going to depend on the ingredients you are using.  Start with the lesser amounts and add slowly until you reach your desired consistency/flavor.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Organic Red Beets (cooked, peeled and roughly chopped)

1 to 3 Cloves of Garlic (peeled and roughly chopped)

3/4 to 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese (grated)

1/2 to 3/4 Cup Olive Oil (I used a combination of Avocado Oil and Olive Oil)

Juice from 1 Large Organic Lemon (should yield 2 to 3 Tablespoons)

1 teaspoon Sea Salt (or more to taste)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Wash the beets well to remove the dirt, I use a small kitchen scrub brush.

Cut the beets in half (or quarters) place in a pot covering the beets with cold water.

When the water comes to a boil reduce the heat and cook beets until tender.

Remove the beets with a slotted spoon or by piercing with a fork.

Place the beets in a bowl until they are cool enough that you can remove the outer skin.

Roughly chop the peeled beets and place into a blender or food processor.

Add the garlic, parmesan, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper; blend/pulse until combined.

Begin adding the olive oil in a steady stream until you have a smooth paste.

NOTE:  If the pesto is too thick, add a small amount of lemon juice or water to thin.

 

Appetizers, Condiments, Recipes

Grain Free Zucchini and Plantain Bread

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Laura | Permalink 1

Grain Free Zucchini Plantain Bread

 

A nutrient dense moist bread (or muffin) that is free of grains, refined sugars, and casein; but definitely not short on flavor.  The diced green plantain softens while baking, and provides a resistant starch/prebiotic to this bread which is a great way to feed our microbiome.  Plantains are also a great source of Vitamin A (which aids in the health of our mucosal lining), Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Fiber, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium and Phosphorus.

Ingredients:

3 Cups Blanched Almond Flour
1 Tablespoon Organic Ground Cinnamon
3 teaspoons Organic Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon Organic Ground Nutmeg
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
6 Pastured Eggs
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup (more if you like it sweeter)
1 Medium Sized Green Plantain (peeled and diced)
2 Cups Organic Zucchini, Shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare 9×5 loaf pan (and small pan or muffin tin) by greasing with coconut oil.

Grate the Zucchini and squeeze out as much liquid as possible in a tea towel or paper towels.

Peel and dice the Green Plantain in small pieces, it will soften while baking, but it will appear as chunks in the bread.  The larger the pieces the larger the plantain chunks in the finished product.

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

Place the wet ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat on medium for 1-2 minutes until combined.

Add the grated zucchini and diced plantain, beating just until the ingredients are incorporated.

Slowly add the dry ingredients with the mixer on low speed until the dry mixture has combined with the wet ingredients.

Spoon the batter into a 9×5 loaf pan, remaining batter can be used to make a small loaf or muffins.

Bake for 35 minutes and test the bread by using a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf.  The toothpick should come out clean when fully baked.

Continue baking if crumbs are on the toothpick checking in 5 minute increments.

Muffins should be checked after 20 minutes baking time.

Breads, Crackers and Muffins, Breakfast, Recipes, Sweets and Treats, Uncategorized