Paleo Vegan Pumpkin Pie Balls

After a long hiatus...I'm back!  I apologize for falling off the radar, but the last several months have been jam packed, and I've forgone trying many new recipes - sticking, instead, to my "old faithfuls" for the sake of convenience.

Alas, I've been really missing experimenting in the kitchen and sharing new, yummy recipes with you guys as of late! Fall is my favorite time of the year for many reasons (amazing weather, comfy layers, holidays & family time...just to name a few), but one HUGE reason is the "flavors" of fall.  And it probably won't surprise you that, of those flavors, pumpkin is way up there on my list of favorites. In the last couple weeks alone, I've made pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pancakes, and, of course, these Pumpkin Pie Balls (twice!).

These little guys are just delightful...the perfect little pumpkin pie flavored, cakey bite. AND they're easy! You could definitely have them as a sweet addition to your breakfast, or like my husband and I have been doing, enjoy them as a treat after dinner :)  I made another batch for us again yesterday, and this time I added chocolate chips to the mix...because everything's better with chocolate, no?!

Paleo Vegan Pumpkin Pie Balls

Recipe yields 18-20 

Ingredients:

2 cups Almond Flour

1/2 cup Coconut Flour

2 Tbsp Tapioca Flour

1 cup Pumpkin Puree

2/3 cup Maple Syrup

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Clove

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

Optional: 1/4 cup Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2) Combine dry ingredients, making sure to work out any lumps in the flours.

3) Add wet ingredients and mix into a sticky dough.

4) Form into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on lined cookie sheet.

5) Bake for about 20 minutes.

6) Serve plain or drizzled with additional maple syrup.

Paleo Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Holy hiatus, guys!  I apologize for my lack of posts in the last few weeks - life has just been BUSY. Good, but very busy.  Time to get back at it...with a new muffin recipe! :)

After avoiding a very tempting smorgasbord of muffins this past Sunday at church, I knew I had to make some for my husband and I this week to fulfill the craving.  Muffins are one of my favorites!

These Paleo Apple Cinnamon Muffins did not disappoint.  They're easy to make, come out of the oven soft and fluffy, and oh yeah, let's not forget the always amazing flavor combo of apple and cinnamon...mmmmmm.

They're also gluten free, vegetarian, and, unlike most of my other favorite Paleo muffin recipes, nut free.  I'll definitely be adding these babies into the regular muffin rotation!

Paleo Apple Cinnamon Muffins

*Recipe makes 10 muffins.

Ingredients:

1 apple of choice (I used a Pink Lady), cored and diced

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup applesauce

3 eggs, whisked

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and diced apple.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well until combined.

4. Scoop mixture evenly into 10 muffin tins (I used an ice cream scoop).

5. Bake for 30 minutes.

Check out those little chunks of apple nestled inside...yum! 

Adapted from - http://paleomg.com/apple-cinnamon-muffins-nut-free/

Paleo Chocolate Chunk Cookies

The recipe I'm sharing with you today is, hands down, my FAVORITE Paleo dessert recipe out there (and I've tried quite a few good ones!).  These Chocolate Chunk Cookies are, in my opinion, some of the best cookies in the world - Paleo or not.

I've shared this recipe with countless friends and all the lovely ladies I work with, and we are all beyond hooked.  I could write love songs about these cookies...that's how good they are.  Hard to believe they're actually pretty good for you, too - gluten, grain, and dairy free!  I can eat 5 of them without feeling bad; that's what I call a cherry-on-top! ;)

This recipe makes 10 cookies (I usually double it)...Enjoy!!

Paleo Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup almond meal

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. baking soda

3 Tbsp. coconut oil

2 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. almond milk

1/4 cup dark chocolate pieces (use whatever dark chocolate you want based on preferences/diet)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2) Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sixed bowl.

3) Whisk together wet ingredients in a small bowl.

4) Add wet to dry and mix together.

5) Fill a tablespoon measure with batter and press down to form a half-circle.  Tap batter out onto baking sheet and lightly press down in the center.

5) Bake for 11 minutes or until bottoms just start to turn brown. They will be soft when removed from oven but will firm up in a few minutes.  

Adapted from: http://www.runningtothekitchen.com/2012/10/chocolate-chunk-paleo-cookies/

Banana Walnut Bread

My husband, Steven, surprised me with a small gift recently - my first bread pan!!  I suppose you know you're an adult when bread pans as gifts excite you  ;)  My new toy needed some breaking in, so I started perusing some - what else? - Paleo banana bread recipes. Doesn't everyone love banana bread? This girl sure does. I'm especially fond of Starbuck's super sugary one, but for obvious reasons, that is not an indulgence I partake in often.

I am pleased to report that this Paleo version of a traditional banana bread is suuuuper convincing.  The hubby and I both agreed we couldn't tell much of a difference between it and the "real" thing. It's also ridiculously easy to make - throw your ingredients in a food processor, blend, pour, and bake - which makes it a definite keeper in my book.

A slice of this Banana Walnut Bread pairs perfectly with a morning cup of coffee, and is even better smeared with just a touch of grass-fed butter or almond butter (or other nut butter of your choice).  Healthy fats, FTW!

Banana Walnut Bread

Serving Size: Recipe makes one 5 x 9 - inch loaf (8 thick or 10 thinner slices)

Ingredients:

6 large eggs

1/3 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

8 Tbsp coconut oil

3/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup almond flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about 2 large bananas)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Place all ingredients, except the walnuts and cinnamon, in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.

3) Pour mixture into a loaf pan (don't forget your non-stick spray) and sprinkle chopped walnuts and cinnamon evenly across the top.

4) Bake for 45-50 minutes or until tester-toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

5) Cool for 10 minutes before inverting bread onto a cooling rack.  

Dark Chocolate Coconut Paleo Truffles

Mmmmmm truffles <3

Just the mere mention of the word and I'm instantly transported to another time(s) - mainly, all the Valentine's Days of yester-years.  As a young girl, one of my favorites parts about the holiday was always the anticipation of receiving my big box of Russel Stover Assorted Chocolates from mom & dad, and eagerly biting into each, never knowing for sure what was waiting on the inside...chocolate ganache, chewy caramel, creamy cherry filling?  Even now, as an adult with a pretty strong sense of self-control, I am still SO SO SUPER DUPER tempted every Valentine's Day by the grocery aisles full of those pretty red, heart-shaped boxes!  

These truffles definitely feel like a "cheat", but they are, without a doubt, a much healthier version of the truffle than anything you'll find from Mr. Stover.  They're covered in healthy dark chocolate and filled with chewy, sweet coconut.  I'm REALLY excited to share this recipe with you - super easy, and I know you'll love them!

The recipe makes 18-21 Truffles.  If you're anything like my husband and I, that amount will last you approximately...2 days ;)  Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Coconut Paleo Truffles

Ingredients:

2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

4 Tbsp maple syrup

5 Tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 ounces dark chocolate for melting

Directions: 

1. Pulse the coconut in a food processor until the texture becomes like thick flour.  Transfer to a bowl and add the maple syrup and coconut oil.  Stir until a thick paste forms.

2. Using your hands, squeeze the mixture into 18-21 small balls.  Place the coconut balls in the fridge for ~30 minutes or until firm.

3. Melt the chocolate slowly and gently until smooth and spreadable (using either a double-boiler or your microwave).

4. Lay out a sheet of wax paper.  Using two forks, roll each coconut ball in the chocolate until completely covered.  Scoop the ball out with the fork and let the extra chocolate drip off the fork.  Gently place the truffle onto wax paper and chill until the chocolate has hardened.  Store in the fridge. 

Spicy Kale and Coconut Chicken Soup

This post is long overdue!  My apologies for the hiatus, guys.  Last week was a busy one!

This past Saturday, the gym where I train - Tribe Fitness - hosted its first Bring a Friend Day.  Members were asked to bring a friend with them to visit Tribe and compete in a partner-style WOD.  The day was a huge success!  I had a blast meeting the spouses, relatives, friends, and co-workers of some of our members.  As always, I was uplifted and inspired getting to witness them encourage and push one another through a pretty intense workout.  I'm very blessed to work at a gym where no-one is just a number...we are truly a family.  New faces are always welcomed with open arms and hearts that want to help.  To say this job is one of the best things to ever happen to me would be an understatement!  Thank you to everyone who came and made the day so much fun! :)  Go Team TRIBE!

Anyone else having a hard time believing we are already 11 days into March?  Daylight Savings this past weekend hit me hard - the older I get, the more difficult it is to bounce back from losing an hour :/  However, I'm SO loving this warmer weather.  Today, we're supposed to hit 80 degrees in Athens!  Yes, yes, yes!!!

That being said, it seems not-all-that-fitting to share a recipe for soup, BUT this is one that you definitely need to try...so I'm doing it anyway :)  This soup is spicy, savory, creamy, and simply put, amazing.  The hubby and I were both blown away by how tasty it is.  One of the best Paleo soups we've tried, and now one of our favorites. Better yet?  It's incredibly healthy!

We LOVE spicy food in this house, so the heat in this soup was one of our favorite parts about it. However,  you can totally leave out the paprika and cayenne spices and this soup will still be delicious.  I can't promise I won't tease you relentlessly for not being able to handle spicy food though ;)

Spicy Kale and Coconut Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 Tbsp coconut oil

8 cups chicken stock

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can coconut milk

1 cup chopped roma tomatoes

1 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced

2 cups chopped kale

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp ginger

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne

Directions:

1) Cook chicken in pan with coconut oil, then cut cooked chicken into bite-size pieces.

2) Pour chicken broth into large soup pot.

3) Chop carrots and onion and add to chicken broth over medium heat.  Boil for 10 minutes or until carrots are soft.

4) Add garlic, spices, tomato, and chicken to broth.

5) Add coconut milk and chopped kale.  Warm through, but don't allow to boil.

Paleo Dark Chocolate Bark with Pistachio and Cranberry

Confession:  I LOVE sweets. LOVE.

Sweet tooth?  No, this chick's got a whole mouth full of sweet teeth.

I'm also a firm believer that every day should end with dessert, and I'm not really willing to budge on that.  Life is just too short to not enjoy something sweet after supper...it's one of those little, simple pleasures that brings me a lot of joy.

However, I recognize, of course, that having a full-on dessert splurge every night is a bad idea for many reasons, so I find ways to get my sweets fix without undoing all the hard work I put in at the gym every week.  It can be done!  Moderation is key!

This Dark Chocolate Bark with Pistachios and Cranberries is a great example of a way to do dessert without over-doing dessert.  Dark chocolate is a superfood that boosts your mood and is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.  It's also good for your heart, brain, and skin!  Unfortunately, this doesn't mean you should eat a whole bunch of it every day, but it does mean that the occasional controlled portion can (and should!) be savored :)  Again... moderation!

I'm pretty crazy about the way the cranberries in this recipe cut some of the bitterness of the dark chocolate - perfect harmony!  Add pistachios for a little crunch and salt-factor...and wow, this bark is pretty spectacular.  Good luck trying not to eat it all in one sitting!

Paleo Dark Chocolate Bark with Pistachio and Cranberry

Recipe adapted from brighteyedbaker.com

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups dark chocolate chips (at least 70%)

1/4 cup chopped pistachios

1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries

Directions:

1) Prepare a baking pan by spraying with non-stick spray and lining with parchment paper.

2) Melt chocolate chips in a double-boiler on medium-high heat, 

stirring until chocolate is completely melted.  

(Although I don't typically trust it, you can also melt your chocolate in the microwave, if need be. 

Start with 1 minute on high, then microwave for additional 30-second increments until melted.)

3) Pour melted chocolate into pan and spread the chocolate out evenly using the back of your spoon. Sprinkle on chopped pistachios and dried cranberries.

4) Place in fridge to harden for at least 30 minutes.  Remove from fridge, peel bark off parchment paper, and break into pieces.