Tag Archives: snack

Easy recipe: dark chocolate cherry bites

This morning I was on a mission. I got up, tended to our wee 6 month old bundle of mayhem, and went straight for the fridge. There was something waiting in there for me, something that called out to my tastebuds and superseded any thoughts of breakfasty etiquette.

Dark chocolate cherry bites thrive primal

That little something? A tray of freshly minted chocolate cherry bites. The night before, I allocated a small portion of my evening to pit a batch of fresh cherries from my parents’ orchard, and then made them a whole lot more exciting by DIPPING THEM IN DARK CHOCOLATE.

Dark chocolate cherry bites thrive primal

I’m sure you can understand why I made an immediate beeline for the fridge first

thing in the morning. After a night of chilling, the chocolate had hardened around the cherries, creating a textural masterpiece. And it didn’t taste half bad either.

And the best part? It was super easy! Not only that, when you examine the nutritional profile, it’s actually pretty impressive. Dark, sweet cherries are positively loaded with anthocyanins, a group of antioxidants that are hot property in the health world these days. On account of these and a range of other therapeutic phenolic compounds, sweet cherries have been shown to lower inflammation and prevent inflammatory diseases, lower risk of gout and arthritis, and support optimum cardiovascular health.

So, a sweet, decadent, HEALTHY dessert or guilt-free snack? What more could you ask for?! Without further ado, here’s our super easy dark chocolate cherry bites recipe.

Dark chocolate cherry bites

Aside from pitting the cherries, you can whip this recipe up in no time at all. You can also use pre-frozen cherries (either from the supermarket or from a batch you froze last summer), but it’s best to coat the cherries in chocolate before they fully thaw, otherwise they tend to get a bit mushy.

Easy recipe: dark chocolate cherry bites

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups dark sweet cherries (pitted)
  • 250 g dark chocolate (>72 cocoa solids)

Instructions

  1. If you're starting with cherries that haven't been pitted, take some time to do that now. If you've got a dedicated pitter, you should be able to complete this step in less than 20 minutes. If you don't, it may take a little longer (I used the blunt end of a kebab skewer before I got my pitter, and it was better than nothing!).
  2. Break the dark chocolate block up into smallish squares, and place in a double boiler. I fashioned a double boiler by putting an inch of water in a saucepan, then placing a stainless steel mixing bowl on top. Leave the chocolate for a few minutes to fully melt.
  3. Put 5-6 cherries into the melted chocolate at a time. Use tongs to mix the cherries around in the chocolate until they're fully covered, then transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all cherries are used up.
  4. Place the tray in the fridge for around an hour, or until the chocolate casing has completely hardened (I left mine in the fridge overnight, to resist temptation!). They're now ready to eat!
  5. The cherries will only keep for a few days in the fridge, so eat up or transfer to a ziplock bag and store in the freezer if you can't keep up.
https://www.thriveprimal.com/easy-paleo-recipe-dark-chocolate-cherry-bites/

 

Real Food Recipe: Cauliflower Parmesan Fritters + Bacon Mayo

Thrive-Primal---cauliflower-parmesan-fritters-with-homemade-bacon-mayo

This cauliflower parmesan fritter recipe is a great way to get more veggies and healthy fats into your meals. They are hearty, delicious and make a fun snack, appetizer or side dish. I would even propose that a picky eater might like these, since they are so pop-in-your-mouthable. The homemade bacon mayo adds delicious creaminess and flavour, plus some good traditional fats to help you absorb the nutrients from your veggies.

If you want to stick to strict paleo, you can sub the rice flour for coconut and leave out the parmesan. However these ingredients are, in my opinion, nutritious and generally not a problem for digestion, especially if the cheese is well-aged and high quality. Hard cheese is a good source of vitamin K2 for healthy bones and teeth.

NOTE: Please read the full instructions for the mayo before you start making it. Otherwise it will turn out runny! It’s very important to combine the ingredients slowly. I’m one of those people who doesn’t have the patience and just throws it all in, but trust me with this one, you want to take a little time and it will turn out JUST PERFECT, creamy and thick like store-bought mayo, except so much healthier!

Real Food Recipe: Cauliflower Parmesan Fritters + Bacon Mayo

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 12 fritters

Real Food Recipe: Cauliflower Parmesan Fritters + Bacon Mayo

A delicious paleo primal friendly recipe for crispy cauliflower and parmesan fritters with homemade bacon mayonnaise. A tasty way to eat more veggies and healthy fats. Makes a great appetizer, snack or side dish.

Ingredients

    For the fritters:
  • 2 cups organic cauliflower florets (about 1/2 a head)
  • 1 cup matchstick-cut carrots (I found a bag of pre-cut organic ones at the supermarket)
  • 1/4 cup rice flour
  • 1/4 cup flax meal
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon pink himalayan salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 2 organic green onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 free range eggs
  • grass fed butter for frying
  • For the bacon mayonnaise:
  • 2 free range egg yolks
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 3 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 2-3 pieces naturally smoked bacon

Instructions

    Make the fritters:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350, and place the bacon on a sheet to bake (this will be used for the mayo).
  2. Boil the cauliflower and carrots in a pot for 4 minutes, then drain well. You can place them on a towel to dry off if you like.
  3. Transfer to a cutting board and attack them with a large knife until they are chopped into little bits.
  4. Place the chopped veggies in a large bowl; add the flax and rice flours and mix to coat the veggies.
  5. Add the cheese, salt, pepper, green onions and eggs, and mix well.
  6. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Shape the fritters in your palm, making balls about the size of a plum and placing them carefully into the butter. Cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes, then carefully flip over and cook for about 8 minutes more.
  7. Make the bacon mayonnaise:
  8. When the bacon is crispy in the oven, remove and let cool, then crumble or chop finely.
  9. In a medium bowl (or blender or food processor if you have one) mix the yolks, mustard, and 1 tsp lemon juice.
  10. Start whisking vigorously (blender or food processor on low) while dripping the oil very slowly, even drop by drop in the beginning. You’re creating an emulsion and if you put too much oil at once, it will separate and turn out runny. If you're whisking, you're going to get your exercise :) Keep going non-stop adding the oil slowly.
  11. As you add more oil, you will notice it to thicken and you can pour the oil a little faster.
  12. When all the oil is incorporated and the mayonnaise is thick, whisk in the rest of the lemon juice and the crumbled bacon. You can season to taste with pink salt and pepper. Store in the fridge! YUM!
  13. Serve the fritters hot off the pan with a dollop of bacon mayo to accompany. These make a great packed item for paleo/primal-friendly lunches and snacks too.
https://www.thriveprimal.com/cauliflower-parmesan-fritters-homemade-paleo-bacon-mayo/

 What did you think?

Did your mayo turn out the first try? Did you like the flavour combo? Did you pack these along for a tasty lunch or snack, or have them as a healthy appetizer for a party? Share in the comments below or on facebook.

Thrive-Primal---cauliflower-parmesan-fritters-with-homemade-bacon-mayo

 

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Mayo recipe inspired by Paleo Leap

Fritter recipe inspired by Oh My Veggies

Recipe: Super Tasty Anti-inflammatory Anti-Candida Immune-boosting Dip

Thrive Primal_anti inflammatory clean dip recipe-01

After fully enjoying all the tastiness of multiple holiday parties over Christmas and New Years (no guilt or deprivation here!), needless to say my digestion has been a little off. More sugar than usual, and less fresh, whole and fermented foods have led to a bit of trouble with gas and constipation. I also started to feel a little bit of Candida symptoms today.

My clean eating dip recipe

I decided to whip up a tasty nutritious dip that would shut that right down, plus help boost my immune system and heal any inflammation that sugary holiday treats have left behind.

Real Food Recipe: Super Tasty Anti-inflammatory Anti-Candida Immune-boosting Dip

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Enough for 2 people for a snack. Multiply the amounts if you're making for a party.

Real Food Recipe: Super Tasty Anti-inflammatory Anti-Candida Immune-boosting Dip

A tasty snack or party dip that is just as healthy as the veggies you'll be eating it with. Treat this dip like a prescription to give your immune system a boost, bring down inflammation and stop Candida symptoms. Also delicious as a burger patty topping, sauce for baked chicken, or as a dip with sweet potato fries.

Ingredients

  • 3-4 cloves raw organic garlic
  • 1 tbsp red palm oil
  • 2 drops oregano essential oil
  • 6 squirts Frank's red hot sauce
  • 1 tsp good whole grain dijon mustard
  • 4 tbsp raw organic grass fed sour cream, or use organic plain greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp raw organic grass fed kefir
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • Generous sprinkle of pink Himalayan salt

Instructions

  1. Smush, peel and chop the garlic cloves as finely as you can. Leave them to sit for a few minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
  2. Pile everything else into a medium sized bowl.
  3. Add the garlic, and mix well. Scoop it all into a clean bowl to serve. That's it!

Notes

Kitchen tip: Chopping the garlic and then leaving it to sit for a few minutes allows the active ingredient, allicin, to increase by 8-10 times. This helps the garlic give you an even stronger immune and anti-Candida boost.

Nutrition tip: Use this anti-inflammatory dip to alleviate symptoms of headaches, hangover, joint and muscle pain, indigestion, cold and flu, or Candida.

Recipe tips: If you're not into spice, exclude the Frank's Red Hot. However, you should try to include the cayenne pepper as its medicinal ingredient (capsaicin) activates the medicinal ingredient in turmeric (curcumin) for stronger anti-inflammatory effectiveness. Try adding in other tasty whole-food ingredients such as fresh herbs, lemon juice or hemp seeds for a different flavour.

https://www.thriveprimal.com/anti-inflammatory-anti-candida-immune-boosting-dip-recipe/

If you’re wondering where to find good primal-approved dairy products, see my post on where to find raw organic grass fed sour cream, or raw organic grass fed kefir.

 This recipe contains lots of awesome active real food ingredients which should help with symptoms like headaches, joint pain, acne, digestion problems, tooth decay, and cold/flu viruses. It does this by providing natural anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting compounds as well as probiotics, good fats and minerals. Oregano oil itself has over 32 anti-inflammatory compounds in it! ** Make sure you only buy therapeutic-grade essential oils, as the ones you buy at the health food store are only for smell are not safe to consume. However therapeutic-grade ones are potent medicines for the body.

Treat it like a prescription and eat every last tasty drop! You’ll be scraping out the bowl with your fingers, trust me!

Thrive Primal_anti inflammatory clean dip recipe

want to pin this_Thrive Primal-01