Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 18

Ingredients

• 1 c almond butter
• 1/2 can full fat coconut milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 c raisins or 1/3 c sugar
• 3 carrots, shredded
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 2 T cinnamon
• 1 t nutmeg
• 1 t ginger
• 1/4 t cloves
• pinch salt
• 1/2 c toasted, chopped pecans (optional)

Frosting Ingredients

• 1 lb. cream cheese, room temp
• 4 ounce butter, softened
• 1/4 c powdered sugar
• 1 T vanilla extract
• pinch salt

Method

In a bowl, combine all the cupcakes ingredients and whisk to combine. Scoop into a muffin tin and bake at 350ºF for about 20-22 minutes.

While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting by dumping all the ingredients into a mixer and mix until fluffy, about 10 minutes. Don’t frost the cupcakes until they’re C O M P L E T E L Y cool, otherwise it will melt and that is just not good.

To frost the cupcakes, use a spatula to put 1/4 of the frosting into a zip top bag. Cut a tip off the corner of the bag and try your hardest to make them look pretty (it takes practice). Fill the bag again and repeat. Or use a small spatula to swirl a bit of frosting on ‘em. Top with chopped, toasted nuts if you’d like.

Sesame Kale Salad

Ingredients

• 2 bunches kale, torn into bite size pieces, no stems (something the kiddies can do)
• a little bit of water
• 1/4 c sesame oil
• 2 T wheat free soy sauce or coconut aminos (my newest acquisition, pretty cool, ya?)
• 2 T sesame seeds

Method

Place about 1/4 c of  of water in a large, microwave safe bowl. Add the torn kale and seal the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the microwave for 1 minute increments, peeking into the bowl during each cycle. What you’re doing is creating steam from the little puddle of water and a light, semi-permeable plastic wrap seal. It’s done when the  kale has steamed and wilted, this should take around 3 minutes.

Unwrap the bowl and be careful not to steam-burn yourself. Once the kale is cool enough to handle, pour out the water and squeeze the kale until most of the water is gone.

Add the rest of ingredients and mix to combine. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Imagine eating a chili dog with slaw, onions and yellow mustard. Now imagine taking off the bun and eating it in a bowl with a fork and you’ve got the idea behind this recipe. Another way to look at it, we’ve taken off the sour cream, avocado and cheese from chili and added hot dog toppings.

Ingredients

Chili Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground meat* (I used ground chicken, but anything would work)
• 1 package hot dogs, chopped (I used sugar-free beef franks from U.S. Wellness Meats)
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes, juice drained, chopped small
• 1 c tomato sauce
• 2 chipolte peppers in adobe sauce, chopped finely
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t cumin powder

Slaw Ingredients

• 1 red cabbage, sliced thinly (The cabbage should quite small–weighing about 1 lb., you won’t need more than that)
• 1/2 c mayo
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 3 T pickled jalapenos, finely chopped**
• 5 T pickled jalapeno juice**
• 1 T yellow mustard

Method

In a medium sauce pan, cook the ground meat all the way through and then add the cut up hot dogs. Throw the rest of the ingredients in the pot and let it simmer while you make the slaw.

For the slaw, get out a large bowl and add all the ingredients, except the cabbage, and whisk to combine. Add the cabbage to the slaw base and mix to combine.

To serve, place the chili on the bottom of the bowl, then add some slaw and top with whatever hot dog fixings you like. Yellow mustard is an absolute must!

*If you’re pinching pennies, you can definitely leave out the ground meat and just use hot dogs. Chop the hot dogs rather small so they go further.

**Don’t be afraid of the pickled jalapenos or the juice. It’s not nearly as spicy as fresh jalapeno…but as always, add a little at a time and taste as you go–because you can’t take it away after you’ve added it.

Coconut Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 t onion powder
• 1/4 t garlic powder
• 1/4 c + 1/2 c almond flour
• 1/2 c dessicated coconut*
• 1/2 c coconut oil
• S&P

Method

In a bowl combine 1/4 c almond flour, 1/2 c dessicated coconut and some S&P. Mix it around with your hands. In a separate bowl, combine the ground chicken, 1/2 c almond flour, onion & garlic powders, egg yolk and some S&P. Mix it with your hands until everything has been incorporated.

In a saute pan, melt the coconut oil on medium heat.

Take about 2 tablespoons worth of the chicken mixture and in the palm of your left hand, roll it into a ball. Drop it into the almond/coconut mixture and roll the chicken ball around with the fingers on your left hand. Make sure it’s completely coated. Repeat with the rest of the chicken. Place in the saute pan and cook on each side until nice and brown. I did 3 batches for 1 pound of chicken.

I hate club hand. You know what I mean…think about fried chicken –whenever you dredge chicken in the liquid, then toss it in the flour, your fingers start to accumulate a mass of goop. This picture illustrates, what I was trying to type above, my method for keeping your hands club free.

*Dessicated coconut is dried, finely shredded, unsweetened meat of the coconut. It’s the perfect size to replicate a bread crumb. If you can’t find it at your natural foods grocery store, you can always order it from Amazon.

Curry Mustard Ingredients

• 1/3 c yellow mustard
• 1 T mayo
• yellow curry powder, to taste
• handful of cilantro, chopped
• squeeze of honey

Mix together and serve as a dipping sauce with the nuggets.