Dairy-Free Eggnog {No-Cook, Paleo, Sugar Free, Low Carb}

Originally posted at Tess and Tigerlily

Get ready for the quickly-approaching holidays with this super easy, no-cook, dairy free eggnog!

Last year I posted this tasty eggnog recipe that I made many times throughout the holiday season. My daughter and I both loved it! However, with my unpredictable episodes of lactose intolerance this year, I thought I'd have to skip this decadent favorite of mine.

But, luckily, there is coconut milk and coconut cream to save the day, making it possible to replicate the rich creaminess and flavor of the original recipe!

This recipe is very similar to the original. It still uses pasteurized liquid eggs to keep it quick, easy, and no-cook. Instead of whole milk, it uses full-fat canned coconut milk, And instead of heavy whipping cream, this recipe uses whipped coconut cream.

To maintain a totally sugar free version, use stevia as a sweetener. I've made this a few different ways: 10 drops liquid stevia; 2 tbsp powdered stevia; and a combination of stevia and maple syrup. I've found that powdered stevia isn't very consistent from brand to brand, so start with less, and add more to taste.

If you aren't concerned with sugar, use 1/4 cup of your sweetener of choice, adding more to taste. My favorite has been to use a combination 8 drops stevia with 1 tbsp maple syrup.

I've found that adding the prepared whipped coconut cream in after blending all the other ingredients provides a smoother texture than just adding coconut cream straight from the can right away.

Now, let's get started! You'll need:

1 can full-fat coconut milk
1 cup pasteurized liquid egg (like Redi-Egg)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp nutmeg
10 drops liquid stevia, or sweetener of choice (see note above)
Pinch of cinnamon
1 cup whipped coconut cream

According to these instructions, whip up your coconut cream until smooth and set aside (the quick version is to whip canned coconut cream until smooth and creamy.)

Blend remaining ingredients together in a blender until smooth.

Add whipped coconut cream, and blend again.

Pour into cups, chill if desired, and sprinkle with nutmeg before serving.

This eggnog has a much 'cleaner' and 'fresher' flavor than traditional, store-bought eggnog, but is still quite filling and delicious!

I hope you all had a delicious and grateful Thanksgiving!

Warm Kale Salad {with bacon, pomegranate seeds, and spiced pumpkin seeds}

Originally posted at Tess and Tigerlily

This is a nice comfort-food salad for these cold, rainy fall days. On days like today, it's hard to crave something healthy like a green smoothie or a raw salad. This salad may not be the healthiest (depending on your diet/personal philosophy), but it sure gets a good dose of hearty greens in your body. You can make a heaping portion and eat it as a main dish, or serve it with something else, like spaghetti squash tossed in brown butter and sage.

Warm Kale Salad 
{Paleo, low carb, dairy free, gluten free}
serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side

This cozy salad includes bacon, kale, pomegranate seeds, and Pumpkin Pie Spiced Pumpkin Seeds (or plain pumpkin seeds.) I love keeping my home cooking quick and simple, but if you want to get fancy, add some garlic and shallots. Feel free to use any other hearty, leafy green you prefer! It doesn't need any seasoning, besides a dash of pepper, and perhaps a tiny pinch of salt (the bacon provides plenty of salty flavor), but I do love it tossed in a couple tablespoons of plain yogurt. It adds a yummy tang and a nice creamy texture. I don't actually do much measuring when I make this; I just add as much of each ingredient that I think my daughter and I will eat in one meal.

You will need:
4-6 strips of bacon, chopped in large chunks
3-4 large handfuls of kale
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
1 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spiced Pumpkin Seeds (or plain pumpkin seeds)

In a frying pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Turn off heat and remove cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and lay out over a paper towel to drain. Drain any excess bacon fat, reserving about 2 tbsp in the pan. Toss the kale in the pan, massaging the bacon grease into the leaves until it wilts a bit. Add a pinch of pepper and any other seasonings you desire. Toss with the bacon, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Custard Pie {Paleo, Low Carb, Gluten Free, Dairy Free}

Originally Posted at Tess and Tigerlily

Here's another pumpkin recipe! With all the pumpkin pie-eating going on around me, and all the lactose intolerance/low carb-eating going on in my body, I was once again compelled to make my own recipe that satisfied my cravings, used the ingredients I wanted to use, was easy, and tasted delicious.

This one delivers! Especially in the easy category. Most of the other custard recipes I found called for separating ingredients when mixing, and baking the ramekins in a dish surrounded by water. Sure, there are reasons for those extra measures, but this mama wants her pie NOW and she wants it EASY (insert hungry mom roar here.) Ok, so you still need to let it cool, unless you like it warm, but at least the preparation is as simple as blending the ingredients, pouring into ramekins, and baking. Done. Your turn!

Pumpkin Custard Pie
{Paleo, Low Carb, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, can be sugar free.}
Fills 4 medium/small ramekins

This recipe is basically a crust-less pumpkin pie. The ingredients are pretty darn healthy, so I didn't feel too bad about eating it for breakfast a couple times (sheepish grin). It uses pumpkin puree, coconut cream and coconut non-dairy beverage (if you aren't obsessed with coconut cream like I am, you can just sub 1 cup full fat coconut milk for the combo), and is sweetened with maple syrup. If you want a purely sugar free version, you can use stevia instead. My first version was sweetened with only stevia, but I found it lacking in the sweetness category, so I drizzled the finished product with a bit of maple syrup. It was delicious like that, but the second time around, I used maple syrup entirely.

1 cup pumpkin pruee
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/2 cup 'milk' (like coconut non-dairy beverage, almond milk, or milk if you do dairy)
2 eggs
2 tbsp maple syrup (or 8 drops liquid stevia, or a combo)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend all ingredients together (I used a food processor) until smooth. Pour into ramekins about 2/3-3/4 full. Bake 25-30 minutes until center is firm with a slight jiggle. Let cool, and then transfer to fridge for an hour or more. When ready to serve, top with whipped coconut cream and pumpkin pie spiced pumpkin seeds.

I guarantee I'll be making this a lot over the next few months!

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Pumpkin Seeds {Low Carb, Sugar Free, Paleo}

Originally Posted at Tess And Tigerlily

'Tis the season to be tempted by EVERYTHING sweet and pumpkin-y all around me! Pumpkin goodness is everywhere, especially being a Trader Joe's employee. And since I'm now eating more of a Paleo/Low Carb diet, I'm avoiding many of these delicious temptations. However, I do allow myself tastes and samples when the chance appears.

One thing I tried was TJs new Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds. They were sweet, candied pumpkin seeds seasoned with pumpkin pie spice. I enjoyed my small sample, but honestly, they were too sweet for my liking. I liked the concept, but I personally preferred something that would be more versatile for both sweet and savory dishes alike, as well as contain less sugar.

So I made my own version!

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
I tried these two ways; sweetened with powdered stevia for a totally sugar free version, and sweetened with maple syrup, and I honestly preferred the stevia version! But if you need a little extra sweetness, maple syrup is a tasty alternative as well.

1 Cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil (or butter, if you do dairy)
1 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp powdered Stevia (or 2 Tsp maple syrup)

Heat the oil or butter over medium heat, and then add the pumpkin seeds, stir until well-coated in oil/butter. Add your salt and pumpkin pie spice, and mix together. Toast seeds for about 5 minutes, until well-toasted (less, if you prefer softer seeds, more if you like them really crunchy.) Once toasted, remove from heat and add your powdered stevia or maple syrup, and mix. Transfer to a cookie sheet or parchment paper, spreading the seeds out in a thin layer, to cool.

November could hardly wait until they cooled down, and snacked on them warm and toasty! These make a great snack as is, and can be added as a topping for salads, soups, and desserts! I have a couple recipes I used these in that I'm looking forward to posting. Stay tuned!

Whipped Coconut Cream {Paleo, Low Carb, Vegan, Sugar Free}

Originally Posted at Tess And Tigerlily

Coconut Cream has become my current obsession, especially with my growing sensitivity to dairy (no, why????!!!) I plan on figuring out which forms of dairy I can handle (yogurt and butter seem fine), but in the meantime, I'm avoiding most forms of dairy. 

Coconut cream is pure magic. It's heavenly. Coconut cream is the heavy whipping cream of the non-dairy world. It is perfect for stirring into tea and coffee in place of creamer, great in baked goods, adds rich creaminess to smoothies, and is the lactose-intolerant's best friend for replacing whipped cream.

Where the heck do you find coconut cream?! I get mine at Trader Joe's, where this part-time-working mama works (no, they don't pay me for the millions of times I showcase TJs products on my blog, I do it out of convenience as well as heartfelt enjoyment of their products. Now, if they did pay me for all the extra love I send their way in addition to my hourly wages...wouldn't that be a sweet deal?), but you can also find coconut cream at health food stores and even amazon. 

If you absolutely cannot find coconut cream, (or want a pure, organic version; TJs is NOT organic and contains a couple 'fillers') there's help! You can make it from regular old FULL-FAT coconut milk! Simply buy a can or two and store them in the fridge for a day (or more). When ready to use, remove from fridge, and WITHOUT SHAKING/MIXING them, open the cans and scoop out the thick cream that has risen to the top. The watery part of the coconut milk will be at the bottom. Store the cream portion separately, and use to make coconut whipped cream! You can save the water portion for smoothies.

Whipped Coconut Cream

Being a single mama, I like to make things in smaller portions, so I only make my whipped coconut cream about 1 cup at a time. You can double or even triple this recipe for larger supply. Use it to top fresh baked holiday pies! You can also stir it into tea and coffee.

1 Cup Coconut cream

1/8 tsp Vanilla

2-4 drops stevia (or 1/2 tsp maple syrup, or sweetener of choice)

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. You can start using it immediately, but I find that the texture improves if you put it back in the fridge for 20 minutes or more, and then whisk again. You will have thick, whipped coconut cream that totally hold its shape on a slice of pie!

I dare you not to get hooked on this tasty stuff!

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie {Paleo, Gluten Free, Dairy Free}...and starting a low carb lifestyle.

Originally posted 10/4/2014 at www.TessAndtigerlily.com

 

I know, I know, the last thing you need is ANOTHER pumpkin recipe...but I disagree! I was craving the traditional flavors of fall pumpkin in the form of a nutritious smoothie. I wanted it to be pumpkin-y, creamy, and healthy enough to eat for lunch with my daughter.

I also wanted it to be paleo, sugar free and dairy free. Ever since my naturopath informed me that my cholesterol is high, I've been much more conscious about what I'm eating. Most people (including myself) considered me a healthy eater, so it was quite the shock to hear about my rise in cholesterol! The traditional remedy that I found was a low fat diet full of diet foods and less red meat. But over the past few years, I feel like this diet has become less and less supported by science as a healthy diet.

I'm much more interested in a diet full of whole, nutritious foods. And, looking at my diet over the past couple years, I don't think red meat is the problem; I don't eat it very often. I feel like sugar, grains and carbs are more of my problem area.

My mom started eating low carb/high fat last year, based on the recommendation from her doctor to lower her cholesterol and risk of diabetes. She was shocked to get such a counterintuitive recommendation from her doctor (eat bacon to lower cholesterol...what?), but she followed his advice and both her and my step dad have had good results.

I've enjoyed eating the food she's made this past year, and the science behind it made sense. I did a little research (there are tons of websites dedicated to low carb/high fat, paleo, and keto diets. My mom recommended this one) and decided to start implementing some conscious changes.

While I'm not getting obsessive over it (especially when I eat out, or want to try a sample of something delicious at work), I'm limiting sugar, grains, and beans. I'm being conscious not to over-do it with sugar-y fruits. I'm eating more veggies in place of carbs. I'm snacking less and eating better desserts, if any.

I'm also picking my battles with dairy; the older I get, the harder some types get for me to digest. I'm tired of being stuck in the bathroom after drinking a latte! Moderate amounts of cheese, butter and yogurt are fine, but when I can, I'm opting for coconut milk and coconut cream in things that work well with them.

So that brings me back to the recipe! The paleo, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free pumpkin smoothie you can drink as a light lunch! Yes, everything is from Trader Joe's; I work there, so pretty much my entire kitchen is a Trader Joe's showroom!

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie {Paleo, Sugar Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free}
I use coconut cream for its rich, creamy texture and healthy fats, as well as non-dairy beverage-style coconut milk in this recipe. I always have both at home because I love creating things with the stand-alone versatile coconut cream, as well as using coconut milk for drinking. But if you don't want or have both, 1 cup of full fat canned coconut milk will work just as well! I also feature chia seeds for some healthy omegas and protein, and a banana for natural sweetness.

Serves two
-1 cup (or 1 can) pumpkin puree
-1/2 cup coconut cream
-1/2 cup coconut or almond milk (or dairy, if you drink it)
-1/2 cup (about 3 large) ice cubes
-1 banana, sliced
-1 tbsp chia seeds (ground chia works best in a smoothie, but whole is fine too)
-1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
-6 drops liquid stevia, or your favorite sweetener to taste

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour into cups, and top with chopped pecans!

Do you live a low carb/high fat or paleo lifestyle?