Our favorite holiday recipes

Our favorite holiday recipes www.secretingredientmeals.com

All purpose gluten-free pie crust This is a crust that I ve been using for many years. It s simple and delicious! You can add cinnamon or other spices for a pie or you can add herbs and salt to make it savory. Ingredients: 1 cup coconut oil (frozen) 2 cups brown rice or sorghum flour a little bit of water You will need a food processor to make this crust. Place one cup of coconut oil into measuring cup or small bowl and place into refrigerator for approximately half hour until it is hard. Get your food processor ready, measure out flour and place into food processor. Working quickly so that the coconut oil doesn t melt, remove it from the refrigerator and place on cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into pieces about 1x1 inch in size and place about half of the coconut oil into the food processor. Pulse a few times until the oil breaks up into pieces the size of small peas. Add the remainder of the coconut oil and pulse again until you get pea sized pieces. At this point, the dough should still be pretty crumbly. Start by adding two tablespoons of water to the food processor and pulse for about 10 seconds. The dough should start clumping and becoming moist. If it is not clumping, process for another 10 seconds. Add a little more water if necessary. The final result should be a dough that clumps together but is not very wet. For best results, shape on a piece of wax paper and pat into place instead of rolling. Flip upside down into pie dish. 2

Paleo pie crust Makes 2-3 pie crusts Adapted from a recipe by Sonia the healthy foodie (thehealthyfoodie.com). Great photo guide at: http://thehealthyfoodie.com/paleo-pie-crust Ingredients: 2 cups almond flour 2 cups coconut flour 1 cup tapioca starch 1 tsp Himalayan or fine sea salt 2 cups coconut oil, frozen 1/2 cup icy cold water 2 whole eggs 2 tsp apple cider vinegar Place coconut oil and water (in separate bowls) into refrigerator for approximately half hour until the oil is hard. Get your food processor ready, measure out flours, tapioca starch and salt and place into food processor. Pulse to mix. Working quickly so that the coconut oil doesn t melt, remove it from the refrigerator and place on cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into pieces about 1x1 inch in size and place about half of the coconut oil into the food processor. Pulse a few times until the oil breaks up into pieces the size of small peas. Add the remainder of the coconut oil and pulse again until you get pea sized pieces. At this point, the dough should still be pretty crumbly. Add water, vinegar and eggs and pour over dry ingredients. Pulse a few times until a raggedy dough forms. Turn out onto a working surface and gently press into a ball. Cut into 2 wedges and form each wedge into a disc. Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. You can safely refrigerate the dough up to 3 days. Take pastry out of the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to rolling to get it back to room temperature. Roll out between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Flip it over if you feel the dough adhere to the paper and stop expanding. You can also use your hands to shape the dough instead of rolling it out. When the disk is large enough, flip it upside down into the pie dish. 3

Gluten-free pumpkin muffins Author: Katie Kimball Yield: 12 muffins ⅔ c. brown rice flour ½ c. freshly ground buckwheat flour ½ c. arrowroot starch (or tapioca starch, corn starch as a last resort) (see below for MANY more gluten-free options, including a starch-free version) ½ tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. nutmeg ½ tsp. cloves ¼ tsp. baking powder* 1 tsp. baking soda ¾ tsp. salt ¾ c. honey OR 1 c. sucanat 2 eggs OR 2 Tbs. freshly ground flax + 6 Tbs. hot water (see below for more options and instructions for egg-free) ½ c. melted butter or coconut oil ¼ c. cold water 1¼ c. pumpkin puree (canned or homemade) 1. Mix the dry ingredients together, then add all the rest of the ingredients right on top. (You can just "dump and mix" but I wanted to make sure the little spices and leavenings were mixed thoroughly first.) Stir or beat well. 2. Line muffin tin and pour about ¾ full into 12 muffin cups. Bake in a preheated 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes (20-25 for 24 mini muffins). 3. You might have a little left over, and a mini loaf pan is usually just right for the excess. Notes Watch timing carefully as honey browns faster! * You can also use a greased 8x8" or 9x13" glass baking dish to make a sort of "cake" instead. I haven't tried it, but readers have done it with the original and again, I can't imagine messing this recipe up. Cut into squares and serve just like muffins for breakfast, or I hear a cream cheese frosting is delicious to make it into a "real cake." Try yogurt cheese for an inexpensive, probiotic substitution for cream cheese. 4

* Use any orange vegetable for the pumpkin. * Refrigerate the "flax eggs" at least 15 minutes before incorporating into the batter; more below. * If coconut is included on someone's list of allergens (it has just been classified in the "tree nut" category!) and you also still need dairy-free, you could use any melted fat, such as palm shortening, lard, or a healthy oil. * Readers have also subbed unsweetened applesauce for the fat, although I'd try more pumpkin for a healthier result. * Try reducing the sweetener, especially if you're using home-pureed pumpkin or a nice sweet squash like buttercup or sunshine. To make up for the missing mass, add a bit more pumpkin puree. * Many gluten-free flours are appropriate for this recipe; see below for more info. * Additions: raisins, chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, sub ¼ c. cocoa powder for ¼ c. starch. One reader on the original recipe added a bit of cocoa powder to just part of the batter and swirled it on top of each muffin, finishing off with crumbled pecans and a dusting of cinnamon. * They freeze great! 5

Banana Carrot Muffins Yield: 12-14 muffins 1 1/4 cup almond flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon allspice 3 eggs, whisked 2 bananas, mashed 1/2 cup almond butter 1/3 cup raw honey 1/4 cup coconut oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup grated carrot 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans Preheat oven to 350º F In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients above. In a separate medium bowl, mix together all wet ingredients above (starting with the eggs). Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and mix well. Next fold grated carrots and the walnuts or pecans into the batter. Pour batter into lined muffin tin (use paper or silicone cup liners). Fill each cup about two-thirds full. Bake 22-25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 6

From: http://www.thewannabechef.net Yield: 12 cookies 1 1/2 cups(6 ounces) almond flour 1/4 cup butter, room temperature 1/4 cup sugar 1 egg 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 cup chocolate chips Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies Preheat your oven to 375. Place all ingredients except chocolate chips into bowl and mix by hand or beat together using a hand blender. Fold in chocolate chips. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Scoop the batter into even portions onto the parchment paper and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool slightly before removing the cookies from the tray. Yield: one 9x 13 tray 3 large sweet potatoes 5 eggs ½ cup melted coconut oil 2/3 cup maple syrup, honey or agave 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup coconut flour 10 tablespoons cocoa powder ½ tsp baking soda pinch of salt 1 cup walnuts or pecans Sweet potato brownies Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake or boil sweet potatoes. Remove peel and place in a large bowl. Add eggs, melted coconut oil, sweeteners and vanilla. Mix well. Add coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well and add sweetener to taste. Stir in chopped nuts. Pour into an oiled 9x13 pan. Bake for 30-45 minutes until the top cracks and a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean. 7

Grain Free Chocolate & Orange Scones Yield: min 8 large scones max 16 small scones, depending how the dough is cut 2 cups almond meal 1 cup coconut flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon cardamom 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon coconut oil, in its solid state 1 ½ cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other milk of choice) ¼ cup coconut sugar Zest of 1 orange ½ cup chocolate chips Coconut sugar, to top (optional) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or a silpat. Combine your almond meal, coconut flour, baking powder, salt and spices in a large mixing bowl. Mix together. Take your 1 tbs of hardened coconut oil and work it into the mixture using clean fingers. Work it into the mix until it is crumbly. Add in your coconut sugar and orange zest and mix into the crumbly mixture. Add in your almond milk and stir until it is completely combined. Finally, fold in your chocolate chips and make sure they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Form your dough into a ball and place it onto the center of the parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Press the dough down into a round disk shape or rectangle. It should be approximately 10-12 inches in diameter and must have about a 1 thickness. Using a knife, cut your disk into 8-16 even slices (triangles) or squares. Sprinkle the tops of the scones with a little bit of coconut sugar if desired. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the scones have browned and become crispy on the outside and crumbly on the inside. Remove the pan from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking pan for several minutes. After the scones have cooled significantly, using a spatula or a knife, pull the segments apart from one another and serve. 8

Gluten free stuffing If you eat grains, there are many wonderful gluten free breads available on the market that look and taste just like real bread. If you are paleo, there are some decent almond-flour based breads. If you aren t purchasing readymade croutons or bread for stuffing, you will need to dry them out properly. Cut the bread into small cubes and toss with a little bit of salt, olive oil and garlic if you so choose. Dry in a 300 degree oven until the bread is dry. You can also use this same method for croutons. 2 to 3 cups of dried bread 2 carrots, diced small 3 stalks celery, diced small 1 large onion, diced small 3 garlic cloves, sliced or minced 1 2 bunch parsley, chopped several leaves of sage chopped 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary 1 cup of pecan or walnut pieces sea salt cubed apples oil for cooking Chicken or vegetable broth or turkey braising liquid 1 pound of ground turkey sausage (paleo addition) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place on tablespoon of cooking oil in a large sauté pan, and cook onions over medium-low heat until they are caramelized. Add celery, onions, and garlic, along with the herbs and Cook until the vegetables have softened, or for about 5 minutes. Cool for a few minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt as necessary. In a large bowl, combine diced apples, croutons and nuts. If you are using turkey, add in the turkey as well as 1 teaspoon salt. Add the vegetables and mix well. Place into a shallow baking dish. Add some chicken or vegetable stock (approximately ½-1 cup depending on the amount of stuffing you are making). If you can use the braising liquid from the turkey, that will add to the flavor. Bake the stuffing for about 20-30 minutes if it doesn t have meat, until it is cooked through and a bit crispy on the outside. If it has meat, bake it until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. It will feel firm like a meatloaf, but will have a light texture from the bread. 9

Gravy (from Paleo comfort foods by Julie and Charles Mayfield) Drippings in pan from turkey ½ cup white wine ¼ cup almond flour ¼ cup arrowroot powder, mixed with ¼ cup water 3-4 cups chicken or turkey stock If you have a turkey, remove it from the pan and set the pan over two burners. You can pour some of the excess fat off. Turn the heat to medium high and deglaze the pan with the wine, whisking to break up all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot powder and 1 cup of the stock, mixing until it is smooth. Slowly pour this slurry into the roasting pan, whisking to mix all. Whisk in the remaining stock. Once the gravy starts to thicken, turn off the heat and serve immediately. Season with salt and pepper. Note you can add fresh thyme, sage or rosemary for extra flavor. You can use any flour instead of almond flour. Simple green beans with lemon zest and almonds 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and sliced into bite-sized pieces 1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil for cooking 1 shallot, minced Zest of 1 lemon ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds Salt and pepper to taste. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté shallot until caramelized, about 3-5 minutes. Add green beans and cook, stirring often for a couple minutes. When the beans are slightly tender, add lemon zest. Cook for a couple more minutes. You want the green beans to be bright green and have a firm texture. Add almonds at the end, a few minutes before serving. 10

Brussels sprout and chicken salad A wonderful and simple salad great a holiday side dish from Popular Paleo http://popularpaleo.com/chicken-brussels-sprouts-salad/ Ingredients: 1/2 pound of Brussels sprouts (2-ish cups once sliced) 1/2 Granny Smith apple 1/2 cup quartered green grapes 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 2 chicken breasts cooked and chopped or shredded 3 stalks scallions Vinaigrette: 2 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar 1 TBSP quality Dijon mustard 1 TBSP avocado oil 1 TBSP raw local honey 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt few grinds of black pepper Prep: Bake the chicken breasts in a 400 degree oven with a little salt, pepper and olive oil for about 30 minutes or until they reach 165 degrees internal temperature. Remove from oven and let cool before chopping into bite-sized pieces. Shred the Brussels sprouts, and apples in food processor. Grab a handful of grapes and quarter them, you should end up with about a half cup. Finely dice the scallions. Toast walnuts and chop. Combine all of these ingredients into a large bowl and gently toss the Brussels sprouts salad. Whipping up the vinaigrette takes seconds. Add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour over the Brussels sprouts salad and toss to bring together. 11

Roasted butternut squash, sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed 3 sweet potatoes, cubed 1 lb Brussels sprouts, cleaned and cut in half Olive oil Salt Pepper 3 cloves garlic Sage, minced Rosemary, minced Thyme, minced Apple cider vinegar Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place vegetables in a single layer on the bottom of a large roasting dish. Use a second dish if the vegetables are piling up too high. Drizzle with olive oil, apple cider vinegar and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper. Add minced herbs. Mix everything together so that the vegetables are evenly covered with oil. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Mix well and put back into oven for another 10 minutes. Check Brussels sprouts to make sure they are not getting too soft. Remove Brussels sprouts onto a dish if necessary and place the potatoes and butternut squash back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes until tender. Place vegetables onto serving dish, mix with Brussels sprouts and adjust for flavor with extra salt and lemon if necessary. Serve. 12

Roasted Cauliflower Salad (From Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi) Servings: 4 1 large head cauliflower, broken into small florets (about 1 1/2 pounds total) 5 tablespoons olive oil or sunflower seed oil (not coconut) 3-5 celery stalks, cut on an angle into 1/4-inch slices ¼ to ½ cup hazelnuts, with skins ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped or picked ⅓ cup dried cherries unsweetened or pomegranate seeds Generous ¼ teaspoon cinnamon Generous ¼ teaspoon allspice 1 ½ tablespoon sherry vinegar 1 ½ teaspoon maple syrup Salt and freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix the cauliflower with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and some black pepper. Spread out in a roasting pan and roast on the top oven rack for 25 to 35 minutes, until the cauliflower is crisp and parts of it have turned golden brown. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool. Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast until color changes and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Allow the nuts to cool, then coarsely chop and add to the cauliflower, along with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the rest of the ingredients. Stir, taste and season with salt and pepper accordingly. You may add small amounts of additional cinnamon, allspice, and sherry vinegar to taste as desired. Serve at room temperature. 13