Category Archives: Apps, Snacks & Sides

Gluten free, dairy free, paleo, sugar free, grain free appetizers and party foods

75 Healthy Holiday Recipes

| 3 Comments | Apps, Snacks & Sides, Beatty Protocols, In The Kitchen, Meals, Recipes, Treats

The holiday season can be challenging when you avoid certain foods. If you’re lucky, you can indulge in a few treats that you wouldn’t normally indulge in – if that’s the case go ahead! Just make them count!

However if you’re like me, there’s a line you can’t cross. I don’t care how delicious that apple pie is – the butter and the wheat in it are going to make me pay for days, even weeks. So for anyone out there who, like me, sticks with their way of eating through the holiday season (albeit with a little more sugar!), but misses some old standards, or is stressing about what to make for a potluck – look no further! From dinners to appetizers, to pot lucks and edible hostess gifts, this round up, 75 Healthy Holiday Recipes, has you covered! (PS. I think there are now more than 75 on this list…!)

Bacon, Guac & Tomato Bites | AmandaNaturally.comAppetizers

Christmas Dinner

Veggies & Sides

Cranberries & Gravy

Stuffing (bread-free)

Desserts/Treats Maple Balsamic Kale | vegan , paleo, AIP, delicious | AmandaNaturally.com

Cookies etc.

Cocktails & Drinks

Hostess Gifts

Maple Balsamic Kale

| 0 Comments | AIP, Apps, Snacks & Sides, Beatty Protocols, In The Kitchen, Kitchen Tutorials, Recipes

Maple Balsamic Kale | vegan , paleo, AIP, delicious | AmandaNaturally.comI love kale. But I am also very aware that kale is an acquired taste. I didn’t love it right off the bat, and in fact I was kind of intimidated to cook it! 

I hate soggy cooked greens, and raw kale salad can be kind of overwhelming (both from a chewing and taste perspective).

After multiple attempts with different styles of cooking (steamed, baked, sautéed) I discovered that the best way to cook kale is by doing a steam-sauté. I’m not sure if that’s the technical cooking term, but it’s what I call it!

How do you Steam-Sauté?

1. Take your kale, break off the tough ends and roughly chop it into bite sized pieces.

2. Thoroughly wash your kale.

3. Shake off most of the excess water, but don’t dry it out completely. (If you’re using pre-washed kale, see note in step #6.)

4. Heat a deep pot, or a large deep sauté pan with a lid, over medium-high heat.

5. Add 2-3 tbsp of your favourite fat (I love bacon grease!), let it melt and cover the bottom of the pan.

6. Throw in the damp kale and put the lid on. (NOTE: if you are using pre-cooked kale that’s dry, add in 2 tbsp water)

 

7. Toss kale every 2 minutes or so. It’s done when it’s bright green and tender – approximately 5-8 minutes.

 

8. Season liberally with sea salt and serve!

Maple Balsamic Kale

You can just serve it as is (which I love, but I’ll admit is still very kale-y tasting), or you can spice it up a notch by using the following recipe. This is the very first way I prepared kale that I loved. I can’t remember where I first saw the suggestion to combine balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and kale together, but it’s totally amazing. It pairs really well with proteins (especially pork tenderloin and maple salmon), and is also great with bacon as part of a breakfast!

Maple Balsamic Kale
Serves 2
A slightly sweetened kale dish - a great intro to this nutritious leafy green!
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
10 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 large bunch of kale
  2. 2-3 tbsp fat of choice (ghee, olive oil, bacon grease)
  3. 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  4. 2 tbsp maple syrup
  5. sea salt
Instructions
  1. Break the tough ends off the kale and roughly chop into bite sized pieces.
  2. Wash thoroughly.
  3. Shake off most of the excess water, but don't dry completely.
  4. Heat a deep pot, or a large deep sauté pan with a lid, over medium heat.
  5. Add 2-3 tbsp of your favourite fat, let it melt and cover the bottom of the pan.
  6. Throw in the damp kale and put the lid on.
  7. After 2 minutes, toss kale and add balsamic vinegar.
  8. Place lid back on pot and keep cooking, tossing kale every 2 minutes or so until bright green and tender - approximately 5-8 minutes.
  9. Drizzle maple syrup over kale and let cook for 30s, tossing frequently.
  10. Season liberally with sea salt and serve!
Notes
  1. If you're using pre-washed kale, add 2 tbsp water to the pan with the kale.
Amanda Naturally http://www.amandanaturally.com/

So tell me, what’s your favourite way to prepare kale? Share in the comments below!

Ginger Carrot Soup

| 2 Comments | AIP, Apps, Snacks & Sides, Beatty Protocols, Meals, Recipes

Ginger Carrot Soup | dairy free, paleo, vegan | AmandaNaturally.comThis past weekend we harvested all of the carrots from our garden. We were shocked to see how many there were! We only planted 1 row, but ended up with bowls and bowls of carrots. So in order to use them all while they’re fresh and most tasty, I quickly turned them into my favourite carrot soup. I quadrupled the recipe below and used my 2 largest pots, and still couldn’t get all of the carrots in! I froze most of the soup in both single serving and larger jars that contain 2-3 servings. I always try to make larger quantities of a freezable recipe, for those days when there are no leftovers for lunch, or when life gets crazy and there’s nothing for dinner!

One of the reasons I love soup so much is it’s the easiest way to get in my favourite food ever – bone broth! For full details check out my original post – but to sum it up: homemade broth is pretty much good for everything. Bone broth contains nutrients that helps heal leaky gut, nourishes your joints, keeps your skin/hair/nails strong & healthy, helps heal any damage to & maintains pliability of your arteries…the list goes on. In short – it’s amazing and every single client we have has bone broth on their prescription sheet.

Another reason I love soup is it’s very easy to digest, so if there is any gut irritation, damage or illness, soup is a great way to get nutrients in easily. And you can jam it with way more veggies than any other meal – and again, they’re very easy to digest. Clients I have with major digestive illnesses (celiac, crohn’s, colitis, post-cancer etc.) that are experiencing a flare or are in an acute inflammatory situation, always get the recommendation to avoid raw veggies (which can act like steal wool on a tender gut) and focus on stews and soups. That way you get the nutrients in (in addition to gut-healing bone broth) and don’t add to the irritation! 

Ok enough with the science & health (my fav thing) – onto the food (my other fav thing!). I hope you enjoy this recipe for Ginger Carrot Soup!

Notes:

VEGETARIAN/VEGAN OPTION: you can make a pescatarian bone broth with fish bones or shrimp shells, but you can’t make a vegetarian one. If you need a vegetarian broth and don’t want to buy a junk-filled one, use things like mushrooms and sea greens to take your broth to the next level (from a nutrient perspective!)

AIP: to make this suitable for the autoimmune protocol, omit cumin and coriander. Use ½ tbsp of turmeric instead. Add ½ cup fresh cilantro right before pureeing. 

 

Ginger Carrot Soup
Serves 8
A perfect soup to warm you up on a chilly day! Packed with nutrients from veggies and homemade broth. Freezes really well!
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1 tbsp fat of choice (ghee, coconut oil, lard, olive oil)
  2. 1 cup onion, chopped
  3. 1 cup celery, chopped
  4. ½ tbsp cumin seeds
  5. ½ tbsp coriander seeds
  6. 4 cloves garlic, minced
  7. 2 tbsp ginger, minced
  8. 7 cups carrots, chopped
  9. 7 cups liquid (I usually do half broth, half water)
  10. 1 tsp sea salt
Optional
  1. 1 cup full-fat coconut milk or grassfed cream
Instructions
  1. 1. In a large pot over medium heat, add fat and let heat for 15-20s.
  2. 2. Add in onions and celery, sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so they do not burn.
  3. 3. Meanwhile, in a small pan, toast cumin and coriander seeds. Simply cook over medium heat, tossing every few minutes until toasted - abut 5-7 minutes. Keep an eye on these, they burn quickly! Once toasted, grind in a spice or (dedicated) coffee grinder.
  4. 4. Once the onions and celery are tender, add in garlic, ginger and toasted/ground spices. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  5. 5. Add in carrots, broth, water and sea salt. The carrots should be almost completely submerged, so add more liquid if you need to.
  6. 6. Bring to a boil and reduce a simmer. Cook for at least 30 minutes, ideally closer to an hour.
  7. 7. Using an immersion blender, puree soup and serve!
Optional
  1. 8. If using coconut milk or grassfed cream, stir in right before serving, just to heat through.
Notes
  1. To make vegetarian/vegan - use vegetable broth or homemade broth (ideally made with mushrooms and sea greens for added nutrition).
  2. You can use ground cumin/coriander as well, but it will be less flavourful.
  3. To make AIP - omit cumin and coriander. Use ½ tbsp of turmeric instead. Add ½ cup fresh cilantro right before blending.
  4. This recipe freezes well - simply fill glass jars almost all the way, leaving about 2 inches of room at the top so the jar doesn't explode. Let cool for an hour or 2 before putting in the freezer.
Amanda Naturally http://www.amandanaturally.com/

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