Sunflower Seed Jam Dots

These are my attempt to find a gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free treat that would accommodate all the food allergies in my daughter's class.  We had a big meeting last night to discuss snacks in the classroom and decided that it would not include treats, but just veggies and fruit.  So, this will have to sit and wait to be enjoyed by them, but not by you.  Let me know what you think!  Update: 5Rhythms Dance Potluck modification at the bottom of the page.

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups sunflower seed meal (grind your own in the food processor)

¼ cup cocoa powder (can be omitted)

½ tsp. baking soda

3 Tablespoons Arrowroot powder (Not on the GAPS list, but worth a "cheat" for us on a rare occasion.)

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 Tbsp. vanilla

½ cup honey

¼ cup fruit sweetened raspberry jelly (Crofter’s Organic Fruit Spread is what I used)

Directions

1.   Make flour out of sunflower seeds with food processor. Measure to make listed amount. 

2.   Add cocoa powder, soda, arrowroot, salt, and vanilla. Process.

3.   Add honey.  Add water as needed (Tb. Spoon at a time) to make smooth paste. Process. 

4.   Measure 1-1 ½ tsp. of cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Line up with enough room for each.

5.   Using a wet ¼ tsp., press a dent into the tops of each cookie. Add ¼ tsp. jelly in each cookie.

6.   Bake at 350* for 8 minutes or until slightly browned around the edges. Let cool before eating.


UPDATE 3/20/11:  I made these for a potluck last night.  They went faster than one can say, "Dance your pants off"!  I used almond meal for those because it is what I had one hand.  
Substitute almond meal (Trader Joe's has a good cheap one) for the sunflower seed meal.  When made with almond meal they are lighter and fluffier and less crunchy.  Same measurements.
You could also make them VEGAN by substituting Coconut Palm Sugar for the Honey and adding about a 1/3 cup of Water in the after the coconut sugar.  

Slow Roasted Tri-Tip

Tender and succulent, this meat will melt in your mouth.  Enjoy with a variety of side dishes or just plain and dipped in home-made horseradish mayonnaise.  We made two, and had lots of left overs for lunches and snacks in the week.

Ingredients:
Tri-tip
Herbs (a variety is great: rosemary, thyme, chili powder, cumin, etc.)
Garlic, minced
Salt

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400*.
2.  Slather tri-tip with herbs, garlic and salt to your liking.
3.  Place on a raised roasting pan.  Let cook for 20 minutes.
4.  Lower the temperature to 250* and let the tri-tip cook for about 3 hours, to your liking.  Check with meat thermometer for about 135*.
5.  Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting.

GAPS BBQ Pulled Pork

Ingredients:
4 lbs. Pork Butt Roast, bone in
1/2 cup water
1Tb. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cup Tomato Puree, Organic in jar
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
4 Tb. Honey
1 Tb. Mustard
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Directions:
1. Add pork, water and 1 Tb. ACV to crock pot**.  Let sit on high for 4 hours or low for 8.
2.  Shred pork with forks, remove bone.
3.  Mix 1 cup ACV, tomato puree, honey, mustard, salt and red pepper flakes.  Add to crock pot with pork.  Let meat continue to cook and absorb the flavors of the sauce.  Serve after 1 or more hours.

Let me tell you how delicious this is.  It will dance in your mouth with all it's flavors.  Thank you to Kelly for sharing your recipe!

**There has been lots of talk about lead leaching in crock pots and someone suggested using a bowl inside the crock pot to cook the meal.  I did this for the pork and it worked great. I just placed my glass pyrex bowl straight in and turned it on.**

Cucumber Mango Salad

Ingredients:
3 small cucumbers, thinly sliced
4 small radishes, thinly sliced
1 small mango, cut up into small chunks
1/2 lemon, juiced
3 Tb. Olive oil
Salt, couple shakes
Honey, just a sprinkle

Directions:
1.  Add sliced cucumber, radishes and mango to a bowl.
2.  Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and honey.  Mix and serve.

Again, thank you Martha Stewart for the inspiration.  Served with Garlic & Jalapeno Prawns

Garlic & Jalapeno Prawns

It has been far to long since my last post.  The meals around here have been so boring and not worthy of inspiring anyone to make something delicious.  I vowed to make a meal plan this week, and have some yummies lined up.  We have been getting tired of the usual roast or chicken around here and decided to let loose a little and try something "crazy".  Everyone loved it!  Girls ate way more than I did.  My hubby grilled up a grass-fed organic T-bone and made it a surf and turf.  So, here's one I altered from my dear friend, Martha Stewart:

Ingredients:
1 lb. prawns, deveined, mostly skinned
15 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tb. animal fat (I like duck)
1/2 jalapeno, de-seeded and finely chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 Tb. organic white wine (optional)
Salt

Direction:
1.  Heat oil in skillet, add garlic, saute until lightly browned.  Quickly add jalapeno and toss in prawns.
2. As prawns began to get pink, add wine and lemon juice.  Salt as needed. They cook quickly, 1-2 minutes per side.

I served it with the Cucumber Mango Salad.