Self-Layering Pecan Pie Cake

 Okay, I'm going to be honest with you... this actually was not at all what I intended on getting when I made this recipe, it truly was supposed to be Pecan Pie. - However, the result I got is quite lovely and some of best discoveries are made by accident. This is a truly UNIQUE dessert, I have never had anything like it. It's super crispy on the outside with a really heavy moist layer and really light and fluffy layer. To tell you the truth, everything separated into layers on it's own. That is why I call it "Self-Layering" - Pecan Pie Cake.

This is a great image of the layers on the left. The top layer is a crispy nut layer, the layer just below that is a cakey, maple flavored layer, the layer just below that is a heavy, moist, eggy, maple flavored layer and the layer just below that, the bottom layer, is like lightly sweetened pie crust. - I just stumbled on this tonight as I attempted to invent my own Pecan Pie recipe, it turned into this. I have indeed sampled it myself, as well as a few other people and thus far, two thumbs up! It's an incredibly unique, dessert eating experience with the different textured layers and flavors.

Self Layering Pecan Pie Cake:
CRUST:
1 and 1/3 Cups Almond Flour or Meal
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter OR Oil
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup or Liquid Sweetener

PECAN PIE CAKE:
1/4 Cup Melted Butter OR Oil
2/3 Cup Maple Syrup or Syrup of some kind
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Large Eggs
1 and 1/2 Cups Chopped or Ground Pecans/Nuts

Preparation: Begin by heating your over to 350 degrees, Butter or Oil/Grease your Pie Plate. Mix Almond Flour, Butter and Syrup crust mixture and press it into JUST the bottom of the Pie Plate. Bake for 10-12 minutes. (I did 12 minutes)  Then start preparing the filling, in a medium sauce pan, melt 1/4 Cup Butter over Medium-Low heat. Add Syrup and Salt once Butter is melted. In a separate bowl, whisk the 3 Eggs until thoroughly mixed. Pour the Egg mixture into the sauce pan, stirring until well combined. Mix in the nuts and continue to heat for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and once your Pie Crust is done baking, pour the filling mixture into the Pie Plate and bake for another 35-45 minutes until it is fully set and no longer jiggles. (I did 40 minutes) A butter knife inserted in the center should come out clean. Allow to cool slightly, then cut, serve and enjoy!

I am particularly curious about everyones thoughts and comments on this recipe. Does this sound interesting? Does this sound good? (It is good, even if it doesn't sound good) Would you like to try this recipe? Have you tried it and got something to say about it? I'd love to hear from you, just leave your message in the comments below.

- Until next time, I wish you Peace, Health and Happiness!
This Post has been linked to Healthy 2Day Wednesday!

Fermented Vegetable Juice - Day 4

 Today my Fermented Beet Juice was served in a smoothie along side my breakfast. How appropriate that on Valentines Day it would tint my little smoothie such a lovely shade of pink.  -  This smoothie contains one pureed Banana, 1/4 cup Orange Juice, 1/4 cup Pineapple Juice and 1/4 cup Almond Milk with my added 1 teaspoon of Fermented Beet Juice. It was undeniably delicious, I cannot even tell you how much I am loving this stuff. I tasted my smoothie before adding the Fermented Beet Juice and quite frankly, I think it tasted better AFTER I added the Beet Juice. Yum, yum!

Breakfast: Pineapple Chunks, A Banana and
 My YUMMY smoothie!

In all honesty, I thought incorporating this was going to be a lot harder than it actually is. 
While it is still too soon to tell, I think this may be doing my digestive system quite well. The one and only downside I have experienced thus far is the extreme sugar cravings and the hypoglycemia that I had beat... is now back. I am not certain why this is but I attribute it to possible die-off. If the good bacteria is getting in there and kicking the bad bacteria butt, in particular - Yeast, it may be causing them to cry out for sweets in their dying hour. This is of course just a simple hypothesis. Other then that, things are going great in the experiment so far. I certainly think this little endeavor is very promising indeed.                                                                                                                                                      

Any questions or comments? Feel free to post in the comments below. 

Peace, Health and Happiness to all and to all a great day!

French Toast Scrambled Eggs

Have you made yourself French Toast and you wondered to  what do with the left over Egg mixture?  - Well the perfect answer to this question is ------------------------
French Toast Scrambled Eggs!
 - It probably sounds a little strange but it is quickly growing to be my favorite breakfast, second only to my Something Cereal which is fantastic for mornings when you're in hurry or want something cold. French Toast Scrambled Eggs are a sweet and protein packed way to start the day, one in which I throughly enjoy.

I am going to be completely honest with you, I regularly go out of my way to make my eggs this way, whether I am making French Toast or not. In the picture above you'll see I made mini French Toast with some thinly sliced, day old Chebe Rolls. However I frequently make these Eggs on their own and sometimes I pour a little Almond Milk over the top which makes a delicious and nutritious, sweet but protein rich warm "Cereal."     - 
It's sweet, cinnamony and oh so tasty. I've made these a lot lately! 

French Toast Scrambled Eggs:
2 Eggs
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1-2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
4 Tablespoons Almond Milk or Other.
--- Whisk ALL ingredients in a bowl until mixed well and pre-heat a skillet to medium-high heat. Melt 1-2 Tablespoons Butter or Oil in the pan and add Egg Mixture and scramble them as you would any scrambled eggs.  -  Serve on a plate alone or in a bowl with milk of your choice, optionally you can drizzle on more maple syrup. Mmm, Mmm Tasty!

If you love French Toast but haven't found any bread substitutes that you like or that fit your diet, you can still enjoy all the flavors, minus the bread... with this recipe. When served in a bowl of milk, it is strikingly similar to a breakfast my Mother made me as a child. She would served cooked rice in a bowl of milk with melted butter, cinnamon and sugar. It brings back wonderful memories of breakfasts gone by. 


Have you got any creative, healthy breakfasts you or your family just love? Please post in the comments and share with us, we'd love to hear them. Or if you have any comments on this recipe, we'd love to hear those too.
 - Until next time, I wish you Peace, Health and Happiness!

Grain Free Tortillas/Crepes

Hello one and all, after doing some experimenting and long missing the wonders of burritos, my family came up with this recipe. These work well as Tortillas or Crepes and I am sure you could do many, many things with them. Simply by adding/removing or changing up seasonings, you could completely alter the way you use them. For instance, a little cumin and other seasonings would make this a perfect Tortilla for Burritos. If you were to add a little sweetener, cinnamon and other seasonings instead you could easily use this to serve cut fruit with a creamy dressing or topping like Cream Cheese or Custard or a Nut Butter.

Grain Free Tortillas/Crepes

(makes about 6 - 8 crepes)

1 Cup Tapioca Flour
1 Cup Water, Milk or Milk Substitute (or combination)
2-3 Tablespoons Coconut Flour

1 Egg

Optional Seasonings

For Tacos/Burritos - 
1/8 Teaspoon Onion Powder, 1/8 Teaspoon 
Garlic Powder, 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cumin, 
a dash of Salt and a sprinkling of Italian Seasoning.
For a sweeter version - 
1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg, 1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon 
and 1 Teaspoon Granulated Sweetener like 
Maple Sugar.

Directions:
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Heat a frying pan on medium heat and melt a small bit Butter or Coconut Oil for in the pan. Use Measuring Cup or Soup Ladle to scoop out some batter. Remember, this batter will be VERY runny, like really thin Pancake Batter. Pour it into the pan to coat a thin layer or whatever desired thickness in the bottom of the pan and fry until golden brown, 3-5 minutes per side. You will know when they are not cooked enough as they will be very difficult to scoop and flip. If you are having a hard time with this, you may not be cooking on the first side long enough.

I am sure you can do so many things with this recipe and I would love to hear what some of you try, please post in the comments and share.

Update: I recently made a Coconut Free, Dairy Free Sweet Version of these.

1 Cup Tapioca Flour
1 Cup Water
6 Tablespoons Almond Flour

1 Egg

1-2 Tablespoon Maple Syrup

Instructions are the same as above.

And they were FANTASTIC! I served them with a variety of things, for instance one was served with Cream Cheese and Cherries for my Brother who is NOT Dairy Free. Another was served spread with Creamy, Sweetened Pecan Butter and I loved it! The Creamy Sweetened Pecan Butter was made by tossing my Sweet Glazed Pecans into a food processor and processing for about 5-10 minutes. However this morning I had one filled with my French Toast Scrambled Eggs and it was a fantastic breakfast.

This post is linked to Healthy 2Day Wednesday.

Waking Up - Part I

Okay, some might wonder why I chose this title but I have very good reasons for choosing it. Those of you who are confused as to what this post is about, it's about making the switch from the SAD - Standard American Diet - to REAL food. This series will just be periodical updates into how I am doing with my new way of eating and how it evolves over time. The reason I chose the title "Waking Up - Part I" is because when I first switched over, I felt awake for the first time in years. Now sadly the amazing way I felt at first is barely there anymore but I am always trying to make improvements. At first I was eating ALL organic, hormone/antibiotic free, grass-fed beef, vegetables and almost nothing but Beef and Vegetables. It was pretty incredible. Having grains gone for the first time in my life was really invigorating, I felt awake, alert, less fatigued, slept less, my chronic nausea went away, my foggy head got clearer, I just felt better, so much better. I had almost no stomach aches, less mood swings, happier in general, lighter, brighter and much healthier feeling.

Unfortunately a few of those things are back now but I blame my diet. I had cut out Chicken in the beginning for a reason, I feel I might be sensitive or intolerant to it and now I am eating Chicken again. So that could easily be causing problems. The Beef I am eating is now sadly conventional Beef and that is due to being impossibly poor and broke right now. I keep telling myself... when I get the money, I will do this and that and this... well that day will come, just not yet. I want to go completely organic/grass-fed/pastured as soon as I am able. Another change, I included Coconut Oil and Coconut Flour into my diet and these were wonderful, they gave me more energy and had me regular within a week or two... but then it hit, the part I don't like. The part where what I am doing either stops working OR... at least appears to make me sicker? Say what?! Yes, that is why I keep changing my diet, because I'll be doing well and then all of a sudden, not well at all. I have severe digestive issues and now the mere act of eating 3 cookies made partially with Coconut Flour causes me severe and excruciating stomach cramps.

Over all, I am more awake, more alert, less depressed and my stomach issues have improved but all of this is not to my satisfaction. My goal is to completely fix my stomach problems, be able to put on some weight, have the kind of energy I did in the beginning and somehow get to the point where I feel like I know what is best for me. See, this is a very individual journey, we all have sensitivities, allergies and intolerances to different things, we all have different tastes, likes and dislikes. So my diet of NO Grains, NO Dairy (except Butter,) NO Soy, NO Corn, NO Caffeine, NO Chocolate and NO Fast Food/Process Food, Pre-packaged, boxed, bagged or wrapped food and junk food of any kind. Is definitely not the ideal diet for everyone, heck... I am not even sure it's the ideal diet for me yet because I am not as well as I want to be. I am still always making adjustments to my diet and I have goals of where I want to be and how I want to be eating in the future. This will chronicle my adventures into Real Food and hopefully help inspire others to do the same.

I started this way of eating roughly in October of 2011 and so at this time, it has been about four months. Let me assure you, it is not hard at all. Do I still miss things like Oatmeal Cream Pies? Pasta? Candy Bars? and Chips? - Sure I do, just ever so slightly. However I am finding great and creative ways of making Real Food somehow mimic that naughty stuff I wont eat anymore. I can make my own potato chips and they are just as good, I just substitute for things that fit this way of eating and keep me from feeling deprived. Now I do not have will-power of steel but it has been four months since I've eaten chocolate, over two years since I've drank soda and going on three years without ice-cream and milk. It has taken a while to phase dairy out but the first things to go were milk, ice-cream yogurt, cottage cheese, cream cheese, then almost a year later processed slices and all cheese in general. Up next to go... Butter. And then I will be completely Dairy Free. Of course this is only because I am lactose intolerant, anyone who tolerates dairy well would be fine simply switching over to healthier forms of dairy, like organic, grass-fed, pastured, etc.

Yes I miss Oatmeal and Grains in general but I feel like grain free is way for me to go. I am skipping out on ALL Corn and Soy because most of it is GMO and that is very bad. All in all, four months is not long enough to put into something to see how well it will work, after all, I ate Fast Food every day for the previous six months and nasty SAD food all my life prior. This is going to take some time to undo all the bad that has been done. I need to replenish the good bacteria and enzymes in my stomach, I need to always do my best to avoid and eliminate toxins from my life. This is still a work in progress and you all can join me on my journey, I'll keep you up to date periodically so if you enjoyed this entry be sure to keep your eyes peeled for "Waking Up - Part II"

Have you made the switch? Thinking about making the switch? Any thoughts about switching at all? Feel free to comment and let us see what you have to say about it.