Sara - Recipe: Primal Pumpkin Cheesecake

When preparing for Thanksgiving dinner, I knew I wanted to make a paleo/primal dessert or two.  My mom volunteered to bring over a cake, so I decided to just make pumpkin pie.  I had fresh pumpkins from Bountiful Baskets and wanted to try my hand at creating my own fresher, healthier version of this holiday classic.  At some point, I read a recipe that called for both pumpkin and cream cheese. That inspired me to make this dessert.

Christmas is just around the corner – I might just have to make this again!  It was a hit with kids and adults alike. 

Primal Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cup raw walnuts
• 1 tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tbsp honey (optional)
• 1 ½ c fresh pumpkin puree (or 1 can of pumpkin)
• 8oz cream cheese (can substitute ricotta, if you prefer)
• ½ c maple syrup (more or less, depending on how sweet you want the pie)
• 3 eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1tsp ground allspice
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine walnuts, butter and honey in a food processor and blend until there are no large nut pieces remaining. Press this mixture into the bottom and sides of a pie pan to form a crust.  Place crust in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the nuts begin to brown.  Remove crust and set aside.

For filling, mix remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Pour filling into the pre-baked crust and return to the oven.  Cook at 350 for 30-45 minutes, until a knife or toothpick can be inserted in the center and comes out clean.

Let pie cool before serving.

Whip this easy pie up and take it with you to a family gathering.  Having a delicious, healthier alternative to the sugar- and grain-filled pies normally found at holiday parties will help you stay on track.  When everyone else is moaning about how sick they feel from all the sugar and flour, you can sip on your cup of coffee (or water/tea/what-have-you) and smile to yourself. Making better choices around the holidays is much easier when you come prepared!

Rachael: Review of The Best Paleo Bread Recipe We've found to date

I think the one thing that most people miss when they go Paleo/Primal is bread. 

You just don't realize how much of a staple it is in your life, do you? Because what's easier than slapping a sandwich together for lunch, or popping a couple of slices in the toaster for breakfast??

AMIRIGHT?

On our Companion FaceBook page, we've been cheering over the "Best" and "Easiest" Almond Bread Recipe.

It started with Sara's blog post: Battle of the Breads! And has gone on from there.

We agree that the recipe for the best for bread-like consistency is this one from Cooking Caveman. 

(which I confuse all the time with The Civilized Caveman. I don't know why, but I need to stop it.)
 
Sara and I have both doubled our recipes for a more full-looking bread slice (there is baking soda in there, but no yeast, so there is very little rise.) A single recipe looks will look like a quick bread, such as banana bread or zuchinni bread. but it's yummier.

Trust me.

Or don't trust me....try it your dang self.  And then come back here and thank me.  Or thank Sara. Or thank Cooking Caveman, since he made the recipe what it is. I'm just crowing about that dude's success....

Being that it uses almond butter as it's main ingredient, it's a very dense bread. It's also pretty darn moist, and that works in our favor, because it means you can slice it vereeeee thin for toasts and sandwiches.

Mmmm....toast.  How I've missed you...

Sorry. Where was I?

Oh yes.

Bread.

Make it....and you'll never have to pine for toast again...

Recipe: Joie's Primal "Granola" or "Cereal"

Joie's Primal "Granola" or "Cereal"

Adjust amounts as needed or wanted.   (Use nuts that YOU like)

½ cup almonds. 

½ cup pecan pieces.

½ cup walnut pieces.

½ cup pumpkin seeds.

½ cup sunflower seeds.

½ cup cashews.

½ cup dried fruit – craisins, raisins, diced prunes mix

2 cups finely shredded unsweetened coconut.

½ cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

¼ cup flax seed  (optional)

1-2 scoops of egg white powder (optional)

• In a small bowl, mix a large dollop of coconut oil
• Maybe ½ cup (more or less depending on taste) raw unfiltered honey
• A good splash of vanilla (or other extract as desired)
• Melt it down in double boiler or microwave to blend and liquify
• Pour over nuts.
• Mix till coated.   
• Taste for flavor and check for consistency, adjust as needed.
• Using a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper,
• Bake in oven at 350F for 20 min
• Check often to make sure you don’t burn it.  
• Allow to cool.  
• Crumble into an air tight container.

And a Word of Warning:
Take care to keep watch while baking, as this recipe can scorch easily. If your oven runs hot, lower the temp and check often. You might want to discard any charred bits as they get rock hard and milk won’t soften it up and you end up with a broken back tooth on the upper right side of your jaw.
(Yes, that happened to me recently. It’s ugly. I see $$$$ at the dentist coming up)