Recipe: Almond Pancakes

Recipe: Almond Pancakes

The past few days have been a blur of work, visits from family, and FAME! My eating habits on Thursday and Friday were terrible - missing breakfast and lunch each day, then munching without appetite on roast chicken, almond porridge and cauliflower. Calorie counts were in the 350 - 700 zone. Bad girl.

Made up for the lack of variety this weekend though, heading out to the Slow Food Market in Abbotsford at lunchtime on Saturday. We sadly missed the bulk of the grass-fed beef :( Next time! We nabbed some AMAZING strawberries fromSunny Ridge Farms, and one lamb roast. Most of the slow food goodies were fruit or sugar-based, very disappointing. The veggies on offer weren't terribly impressive either, although we did find some excellent kale and rhubarb above the usual quality found in Macro. We headed out to Macro anyway, to show Mum the explosive range of organic products commercially available these days. Picked up a bunch of meat and pastured eggs (finally found some!!!).

Had a late night after the show on Saturday, where we noshed on strawberries, pesto on veggie sticks, macadamia nuts, and brie. The others insisted on using crackers, pfft.

I served up almond pancakes this morning, to rave review:


For the uninitiated, almond pancakes are super simple to make, and are so much tastier than the usual white flour rubbish.

Almond Pancakes

Ingredients:

100g almond flour
4 pastured eggs
3T melted coconut oil (plus extra for frying pan lubrication)
1/2 cup (or so) water

Method:

1. Combine flour and eggs in a large bowl.

2. Add oil and stir well.

3. Gradually add water to the mixture whilst stirring, until the consistency is just shy of runny. (You could try going for a runnier mixture, but this will make your pancakes even more fragile)

4. Add a generous blob of oil to your frying pan and heat until oil is about to sizzle.

5. Spoon desired amounts of mixture into the pan and press/stretch into flat shapes.

6. Leave to fry until base is firm and edges begin to brown.

7. Flip pancakes carefully, washing for splashing oil. Allow to cook until other side has browned and centre is firm.

8. Remove from heat and serve immediately, or keep warm and covered (trap steam to maximise moisture level of pancakes).

I served these with whipped cream (no coconut cream), the leftover strawberries, and some defrosted raspberries and subsequent juice. For Valentine's Day I also melted a bit of dark chocolate and drizzled it over the fruit. Sweet.

#1

 Ready in: 30-60 minutes ?
 Difficulty:   2 (1=easiest :: hardest=5)

Serves/Makes:   4

   

Ingredients:
1 pound chicken breasts, boned and skinned
6 ounces light sour cream
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic pressed
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs

Turn this recipe into a puzzle! [click] 

 

Directions:

Place chicken in single layer in Pam sprayed 13x9 inch baking pan. Stir together sour cream and next 5 ingredients. Spread mixture evenly over chicken. Sprinkle with Italian breadcrumbs (then I pressed it down). Spray Pam over this (this didn't quite work so in the end I sprinkled olive oil on and then hiked up the oven to 400F). Bake at 350 degrees F 25-30 minutes.

This recipe from CDKitchen for Baked Parmesan Sour Cream Chicken serves/makes 4

#2

 Ready in: < 30 minutes ?
 Difficulty:   2 (1=easiest :: hardest=5)

Serves/Makes:   4

   

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup dry herb-seasoned stuffing
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sour cream
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Turn this recipe into a puzzle! [click] 

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a bowl, combine stuffing, cheese and butter. Stir well to combine and moisten, breaking up any large stuffing pieces. Transfer to a plate or pie pan. 

Lightly spread sour cream over chicken and coat with stuffing mixture, pressing well to adhere. Place on a lightly oiled, foil-lined 13-by-9-inch baking sheet. Put any extra mixture on top of chicken. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the coating is crisp and the chicken is cooked through.

This recipe from CDKitchen for Cheesy Sour Cream Herb Chicken serves/makes 4

#3


 Ready in: > 5 hrs ?
 Difficulty:   3 (1=easiest :: hardest=5)

Serves/Makes:   8

   

Ingredients:
8 slices bacon
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans roasted garlic cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup flour

Turn this recipe into a puzzle! [click] 

 

Directions:

Wrap one slice of bacon around each boneless chicken breast and place in a 3- to 4-quart crockpot. 

In medium bowl, combine condensed soups, sour cream and flour and mix with wire whisk to blend. Pour over chicken. 

Cover crockpot and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours until chicken and bacon are thoroughly cooked.

This recipe from CDKitchen for Sour Cream And Bacon Chicken serves/makes 8

Reviews Snippets for Sour Cream And Bacon Chicken

Better than Take-Out Beef and Broccoli

Sure, you could just pick up the phone and order in a number 14 from your local Chinese restaurant, but this homemade recipe for Beef and Broccoli is so easy – and so much healthier – you’ll want to remove the take-out menu from the prime spot on your refrigerator!

Ingredients:
1 lb sirloin steak, sliced thin
1 lb broccoli florets
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced

For the beef marinade:
1 tsp tamari
1 tsp dry sherry

Pinch of fresh-ground black pepper

For the sauce:
2 tbsp fish or oyster sauce
1.5 tsp dry sherry
1.5 tbsp tamari
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 tsp flour*

Method:
In a large dish or Zip-top bag, combine the ingredients for the marinade. Add the beef slices and mix in until coated. Let sit for at least 10 minutes – the longer the better though! In the interim, grab a small bowl, add all of the sauce ingredients and stir until blended. Set aside. In a saucepan, bring some lightly salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and drain thoroughly. Next, in a large frying pan or wok over high heat, add the cooking oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the beef, trying to create a single layer so that it cooks evenly and thoroughly. Let cook 1 minute. Flip beef slices (as best you can), add the garlic to the pan, and fry for an additional 30 seconds or so until the beef no longer appears pink. Add in the sauce and the broccoli and bring to an aggressive simmer. Add in the flour* and cook until the sauce boils and begins to thicken (usually takes less than a minute!) Serves 4.

Nutrition Analysis:
Nutrition information based on 1 serving.

Calories: 493
Fat:  32.3 grams (58% of calories from fat)
Carbs: 9.8 grams (7% of calories from carbs)
Protein: 39.1 grams (35% of calories from protein)

Make it a Primal Thanksgiving!

Given it’s Thanksgiving week, we thought we’d devote Monday to the big menu. (Check back tomorrow for this week’s Dear Mark!) Yup, we’re taking on the mother of all carb-laden holidays, and we aim to please. The truth is, you absolutely, positively can make Thanksgiving a primal success, and you needn’t compromise taste or tradition to stay on track this holiday. No franken-foods (Can we say Tofurky?) or flavorless “health” concoctions here. We think Grok – as well as William Bradford – would be pleased, and we hope you are too. Happy Thanksgiving to all our American Apples. And for our international readers: even if you aren’t joining in on turkey day this week, we offer up these recipes as a great menu for any upcoming parties or holidays. Bon Appétit, everyone!

APPETIZERS

A given for the large gathering, we think appetizers offer a great opportunity to round out the perfect primal meal. It’s also a fun way to skip the typical lunch and make a grazing day of it. Everyone loves the traditional crudités to be sure (e.g. veggies, fruit, relishes, dips, and cheeses – if cheese is your thing), but there’s plenty of room for some tempting seafood starters as well. A little New England flavor (and some omega-3s) for your starter buffet…

Primal Nut Crackers with Spreads/Cheeses of Your Choice

Crabby Mushrooms

Fruit and Nut Tray

Think seasonally as well as Primally. Figs, apples and pears can complement dried berries, cherries and an assortment of your favorite nuts.

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce

Scallops Wrapped in Bacon

Cook bacon until tender but not crisp. Set aside on warming plate or in warm oven. Sauté 2 minced cloves of garlic and 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme in butter. Add scallops and cook for few minutes (3-5 minutes depending on size). Wrap strips or half strips of bacon around and secure with cocktail toothpicks or small skewers if desired.

Antipasto Tray

Deviled Eggs

Meatballs

Into 1 lb. ground beef, bison, pork (or other favorite ground meat), combine 1 egg, ¼ cup tomato sauce, ½ cup white onion (minced), 3 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley, 2 Tbsp. minced red bell pepper, 1 Tbsp. minced garlic, 2 tsp. minced fresh oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Roll into meatballs and either cook in pan (until browned throughout) or bake in oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes depending on size. Serve as is or with a favorite sauce.

SOUPS AND SALADS

Pumpkin Soup (Also great with butternut squash!)

Carrot-Parsnip Soup with Parsnip Chips

Seinfeld’s Crab Bisque

Wild Mushroom Soup with Vegetable Confetti

Use a good premade stock if you’re looking to save time, substitute the vegetable oil for olive oil, and add extra herbs to the broth for a fully homemade taste.

Fresh Spinach Salad

Have a favorite salad you serve every year? Check out our Primal dressing options for everything from vinaigrettes to Caesar and French!

MDA Ultimate Salad Recipe

Pumpkin and Pear Salad

Waldorf Salad

Beets and Greens

Apple Manchego Salad with Toasted Walnuts

Arugula Endive Salad with White Wine Vinaigrette

SIDES

Who says mashed potatoes, marshmallow yams, bread stuffing, and white dinner rolls are the only true Thanksgiving sides? Let’s think beyond the Stove Top box here. We’re confident these healthier options will please even traditional palates.

Bread-Free Fruit and Nut Stuffing

Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

Cube or cut into bite-sized chunks your favorite root veggies (sweet potato, turnips, parsnips, carrots, beets). Chop a white or yellow onion and mix with veggies. Toss mixture with your favorite cooking oil, minced garlic, coarse salt and fresh black pepper. Roast veggies in 450 degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with finely minced parsley while still warm.

Haricot Verts with Greens and Shallots

Mashed Sweet Potato

Though there are plenty of reasons to forego the usual white potato, by all means embrace the traditional sweet potato. Packed with fiber and vitamin A (and much easier on the blood sugar), everyone can agree (primal or not) that sweet potatoes make the perfect Thanksgiving side.

Wash and pierce large, uniformly sized sweet potatoes. Place on oven racks with lined baking sheet on rack beneath to catch syrup drippings. Bake for about an hour or until you can easily squeeze them. Allow to cool slightly for 15 minutes.

Scoop out the potato and place in large serving bowl. (If you want to further break down the fibers, you can always run them through the food processor for 10-20 seconds.) Add as much butter as you please, of course, along with ground ginger, salt, pepper, and a little chive. To please your sweet-toothed guests, you can always put a small pitcher of warmed maple syrup on the table.

Zucchini and Squash Gratin

Low-Carb Gravy

Though many of us have clear memories of the white all-purpose flour being a gravy staple in our families’ kitchens, you don’t need to feel tied to this tradition. Ultimately, gravy is a collection of pan drippings dissolved in liquid and then thickened. The small amount of flour you might use won’t add more than a few grams of carbs per serving. However, if you’d like to eliminate the flour, consider skipping it and serving an “au jus” rather than typical gravy.

After taking the turkey (or other meat of choice) out of the oven, scoop up anywhere from ½ cup-3 cups of pan drippings (depending on how much liquid you used for basting and how many people you’ll be serving), and pour them into a large skillet. If you used broth for basting, you likely won’t need to add much to the gravy concoction. Some people prefer to add a small amount wine at this stage to give the gravy another “layer” of flavor. Stir over heat and add either a traditional thickener (1/2 Tbsp. to 1 Tbsp. of whole grain flour will do it) or a small amount of cream. Heat through, continuing to stir until blended and warmed.

Roasted Cauliflower and Mushroom Sauce

MEATS! (The Main Event)

The ultimate in Primal feasting….

Turkey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (Be sure to put the oven rack in a low position.) After rinsing and patting dry the bird, remove the innards and set aside. (A great meal themselves that can be cooked alongside the bird or baked/boiled at another time.) Combine 1 stick butter (softened) with salt, pepper, fresh thyme and minced garlic. Rub the butter mixture inside the bird and underneath the skin of the breast. (Just work the skin up with your fingers and then smooth it out again after you’re done.) Add final amount of herbed butter mixture all around outside skin of the bird. Fill the inside of the turkey with coarsely chopped onion, carrots, celery and bay leaf. Tuck and truss as needed. Add broth to the bottom of the pan.

Cover breast of turkey with aluminum foil (especially if you’re roasting a large bird) for first ½ of cooking time. Roast until thigh meat registers 165 degrees (usually around 25 minutes per pound), basting with broth and butter as needed throughout second half of cooking time. Let rest loosely tented before carving.

Rib Eye Roast

Combine crushed peppercorn with 1 Tbsp. chopped thyme, ½ Tbsp. salt and 2 Tbsp. gourmet mustard. Place 4-6 lb. roast (enough for 6-8 people) in pan fat side up. Rub mixture over entire roast, add broth to bottom of pan, and cook for around 20-25 minutes per pound or until meat thermometer registers 160 degrees (done medium). Loosely tent and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

DESSERTS!

With these recipes, you can have your Thanksgiving pie and eat it too!

Primal Pumpkin and Apple Pies

(You can always substitute sweet potato puree for pumpkin if sweet potato pie is your thing.)

Cranberry Nut Crumble/Tart

For crumble, spread whole pecans or other desired nuts on parchment lined baking pan. Toast in 250 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool. Using food processor, grind 1 cup toasted nuts to approximate size of baby peas. (You can also mince nuts with large knife.) Set aside. Sauté fresh cranberries in butter until softened and/or warmed through. Add desired spices (e.g. cinnamon, ginger, etc.), and mix for additional minute over heat. For crumble, mix toasted nuts with 2 Tbsp. melted but slightly cooled butter. Pour fruit into dish and top with nut crumble and dollop of freshly whipped cream if desired.

For tart, chop rather than grind pecans or leave whole. Sauté cranberries until softened. Mix 1 egg, 3 Tbsp. maple syrup, 2 Tbsp. dairy or almond milk, and 1/3 cup butter. Add cranberries and pecans to mixture, and pour into tart crust (See our pie crust recipe above!). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Almond Macaroons

Chocolate Nut Treats

Looking for one last show-stopper to serve with coffee or red wine? (Maybe after the kids are in bed or all the guests are gone?) Use your favorite nuts and dried fruits for this very decadent indulgence. It is a holiday after all….

Melt a bag of high cocoa content (70%) chocolate chips (or two bars of high quality bittersweet chocolate) with ¼ cup cream on medium to low medium heat. Pour over single Tbsp. piles of nuts and dried fruits. Our favorite combinations: pecans and cranberries, pistachios and cherries, coconut and almonds, or hazelnuts and dates.