Author: Brenna May

Eva’s Non-Alcoholic Vinegar Cocktail

Eva’s Non-Alcoholic Vinegar Cocktail

My beautiful Eva is so creative in the kitchen and has been honing her craft for years now.  She loves to bake, cook and create lovely beverages and this one was such a shocking win both for its blood sugar stabilizing powers and for its 

Dark Paleo Sourdough

Dark Paleo Sourdough

I often make this bread for same day eating, but if you want that sour sourdough flavor, it is best left to cure overnight and baked the next day.  It is dark and sweet as a bread due to the tigernut (sweet) and psyllium (dark). 

Instant Pot Lemons (for curd, or gut healing)

Instant Pot Lemons (for curd, or gut healing)

Years ago when I was forced to learn about the dire state of our food in America because my body was shutting down… one of the 4 foods I could consume without pain was lemons, either preserved lemons or these Instant Pot lemons, other wise known as sour lemon candy. Lemon peels are incredibly gut healing and help signal your body that it is time to release bile to digest the proteins that are incoming…

If proteins aren’t properly digested they go rancid in the gut and cause gas, bloating, etc. So chewing of course is important, but if you also have low stomach acid, a kick of lemon will prove helpful. I drink lemon in my water all day but the peels have a goodly amount of pectin, a soluble fiber that not only helps prevent constipation, but because soluble fibers draw water into the intestines, they can slow digestion enough that more nutrients can be absorbed and can help control blood glucose levels.

But back to bile… if you’re short on it, eating some lemon peel with your meal, especially at the beginning, signals your stomach to get ready and bile production increases, which is vital for digesting those proteins.

I think back now to when I could only eat wild caught salmon, grass fed lamb (and bone broth) avocados and as I said before, lemon peels. I did this for a few months and before long I could eat some veggies again, and the lemons were a pivotal part of this healing.

I’m glad I can eat a variety of foods again, but it can be handy to have these lemons around, especially blended into a curd for lemon & honey tea, ready for a rich lemon keto cake, or to put in a bone broth protein smoothie like I did today.

They’re easy to make, too!

Equipment needed:

Instant Pot
Sieve
Funnel
Pint Canning Jars
Lids

Instant Pot Lemons for Curd & Gut Healing

Years ago when I was forced to learn about the dire state of our food in America because my body was shutting down… one of the 4 foods I could consume without pain was lemons, either preserved lemons or these Instant Pot lemons, other wise known as sour lemon candy. Lemon peels are incredibly gut healing and help signal your body that it is time to release bile to digest the proteins that are incoming… If proteins aren’t properly digested they go rancid in the gut and cause gas, bloating, etc. So chewing of course is important, but if you also have low stomach acid, a kick of lemon will prove helpful. I drink lemon in my water all day but the peels have a goodly amount of pectin, a soluble fiber that not only helps prevent constipation, but because soluble fibers draw water into the intestines, they can slow digestion enough that more nutrients can be absorbed and can help control blood glucose levels. But back to bile… if you’re short on it, eating some lemon peel with your meal, especially at the beginning, signals your stomach to get ready and bile production increases, which is vital for digesting those proteins. I think back now to when I could only eat wild caught salmon, grass fed lamb (and bone broth) avocados and as I said before, lemon peels. I did this for a few months and before long I could eat some veggies again, and the lemons were a pivotal part of this healing.

Equipment

  • Instant Pot
  • Sieve
  • Funnel
  • Pint Canning Jars & lids

Ingredients
  

  • 6-10 organic lemons washed
  • 1 cup filtered water

Instructions
 

  • Wash the lemons and then quarter them, removing seeds as you go. If needs be, cut them in 1/8 portions to remove as many of the seeds as possible.
  • Put the lemons in the bottom of the instant pot inner pot, add 1 cup filtered water (the Instant pot needs at least 1 cup to work)
  • Some instant pots are different. My old one I would put on the poultry setting for 7 minutes. This one won’t allow a 7 minute cycle so I set it to manual at high pressure for 7 minutes, secure the lid and let it do its work. That’s it.
  • Once the pot decompresses, you can either transfer the lemons to a glass dish and store in the fridge to eat in the mornings for gut healing, or you can transfer them to a high powered blender and puree them into a paste. I like this method as it’s more versatile but especially as it goes well with raw honey as a morning tea or added to my immune tea with ginger & turmeric with manuka honey. See how you like it and enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Einkorn Sourdough Bread

Einkorn Sourdough Bread

I’ve been making sourdough bread for years… our weekly pizza recipe is made from our sourdough recipe, but funnily enough I’ve never posted this loaf!  Likely it’s because I haven’t been able to eat grains in years… but of late, my son Matt has taken 

Keto Flourless Brownies

Keto Flourless Brownies

I have been on the hunt for delectable, fudgy brownies… all my life to be honest. I am a fan of very dark, bittersweet chocolate and not at all a fan of milk chocolate so I have been known to make these with only 1/2 

Protein Breakfast Berry Cobbler

Protein Breakfast Berry Cobbler

A friend gave me the idea recently to make a breakfast friendly cobbler.  As I can’t do oats or flour or sugar this one is grain-free & sugar-free, but you can sub maple syrup or maple sugar if you prefer more natural sugars.  To say it went over well would be an understatement, but I will say I am not personally a fan of very sweet things and it satisfied me as well.  That being said, you can always sweeten it up a bit, but as I’m going for the protein and easy breakfast for kids or when family is in town… I let the berries work their magic.

If you want to make it paleo, cut in cold coconut oil in place of butter.  You can add a dab of ghee too to get back some of that buttery flavor.  You can also sub in plums, apples, peaches or whatever is in season that you enjoy!

Protein Breakfast Cobbler

Brenna May
This is an easy dish that doubles as a dessert if you want it that way, but it’s great to make the night before and chill to serve at breakfast when you’re busier. It’s full of protein and healthy fats and is surprisingly filling. I like to serve it with A2 yogurt either by itself or mixed with Paleo Protein (what my daughter’s call “breakfast pudding”)
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course American, Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6 People

Equipment

  • pastry cutter

Ingredients
  

  • 6 c berries I used blackberries & blueberries
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup allulose Rx Sugar
  • 1 c Blanched almond flour
  • 2 scoops heaping 1/2 cup paleo vanilla protein powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 6 tablespoons room temp butter grass fed

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x12 baking pan and set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, mix almond flour, protein powder, salt and cinnamon. Cut in the cubed butter with a pastry cutter until just combined. It should be loose and easy to sprinkle & spread without it being “pancaked”.
  • Add the berries, chia seeds & allulose to the pre-buttered pan and gently combine and level.
  • Scatter the almond flour protein topping carefully over the pan and spread gently.
  • Bake at 350°F for 25 min in a convection/fan oven or 35 min in a conventional oven.
  • Let cool a bit before serving or chill overnight and enjoy!
Keyword gluten free, grain free
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

 

Eva’s Fudge Surprise Cake (Keto)

Eva’s Fudge Surprise Cake (Keto)

My daughter Eva and I adapted one of my mom’s family recipes a couple of years ago and I’ve never posted it! But in honor of Eva’s Birthday this week as well as her serious baking skills for a ten year old… we are sharing 

Paleo Carrot Cake

Paleo Carrot Cake

This is a paleo adaptation of my mom’s carrot cake, which was my favorite cake growing up. It can be adapted for keto cycling too by increasing the hazelnuts and subbing part of the figs or dates with allulose. This is usually the way I 

Homemade Ghee

Homemade Ghee

Ghee is one of those kitchen staples I have taken for granted for years.  Other than using it in Indian cooking I used it frequently when I was eating Paleo to heal.  I still mostly eat Paleo because I found it to work so well for me but enjoy ample amounts of butter now as well as rice occasionally.  The problem with butter is its low smoke point.  But when you clarify butter into ghee by removing the easy-to-burn milk solids, the smoke point raises from about 350 degrees to 450 degrees or more.

Personally, I love it for frying eggs and cooking omelets and use it daily… so it behooves me to make my own for half the price of store bought.

The method below I learned from my friend Nithasha, whose parents immigrated to the US from India, and who happens to also be the founder of one of my favorite immune products: Nano-Ojas.

It’s so easy, you’ll never need to buy ghee again.  See the whole process in my highlight reel on instagram here.

Enjoy!

 

Homemade Ghee

Brenna May
This super quick recipe can be incorporated into your routine so easily, you’ll likely never buy it again.
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 37 minutes
Cuisine Indian
Servings 8 oz

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • stainless steel funnel
  • sieve to fit funnel

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz Unsalted Grass Fed or Organic Butter Kerrigold is my preference

Instructions
 

  • Place the butter in the saucepan and heat to medium until melted
  • Lower heat to LOW and simmer for 30 minutes (a timer helps)
  • Let cool for an hour
  • Sieve into an 8oz Ball jar
  • Store sealed and it will keep for months!
Keyword ghee
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Vanilla Chocolate Chip Almond Scones

Vanilla Chocolate Chip Almond Scones

This is a kid favorite (and mom fave, I’ll admit!) easy keto bake! It’s so quick and you can make it paleo/dairy free simply by substituting butter for coconut or avocado oil. Although for those I recommend using 1/4 cup. I tend to favor the