Month: October 2017

I’m Into It: Instant Pot, Kitchfix Granola + Food Art

On October 29, 2017

In My Story, Paleo, Products I Use, Tips & Tricks

It’s been some time since I told you guys what I’m “into” on here, but I’ve been keeping the updates coming on Instagram, so make sure you follow my Instagram page to get the latest recipes and inspirational posts each week.

Today, I have three recommendations for you, and all of them are related to the kitchen!

A gadget
A snack
Beautiful art

To say I’ve been obsessed with the first item is an understatement. For the past month or so, Bill and I have been looking for recipes that require us to use only one gadget and dirty only one pot. As much as I love to cook, I HATE to clean, so having a device that makes the clean-up process easy goes a long way with me. A friend of mine introduced me to Afterpay white goods and appliances online and the number of gadgets available on their site that can help make your life in the kitchen that much easier must be seen to be believed.

Meet, the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot

I remember seeing people post about this gadget around this time last year, but I couldn’t figure out what all the fuss was about. “I have a crockpot,” I remember thinking to myself. “What’s so great about this instant pot thing?” I much preferred cooking on the hob, especially because I have the best induction hob ever! It’s so easy to use and I love that there are no real flames to avoid burns.

On Cyber Monday last year, the price went down so low that I had to snag one. Because I wasn’t totally sold even at that point, the Instant Pot sat in the box until August of 2017. I know I’m not the only one who does this! I’m going to bet that you have some boxed appliance collecting dust on a shelf or hiding so far back in a closet or cabinet that it’s not worth the effort to unearth it.

I can’t believe I waited so long to use this!

The Instant Pot has quickly become one of our top three must-have kitchen gadgets. Sure, it’s bulky and takes up a decent amount of space, but it makes cooking and clean-up SO SIMPLE. The Instant Pot is 7 kitchen appliances in 1: Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer. It prepares dishes up to 70% faster than cooking them the conventional way. Not to mention once you’ve tried some pressure cooker chicken thighs you’ll never want to go back – they’re just so juicy!

Here are just a few of the delicious recipes we’ve made with the Instant Pot. Each one made enough to fill three quart-sized mason jars, which means lots of leftovers and less time in the kitchen during the week:

Buy It: On Amazon (wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday – it’ll be worth it!)

Kitchfix Paleo Granola

I first found out about these guys a few years ago at the Natural Products Expo in Baltimore. I liked that their granola had a lower sugar count than other granolas on the market and that it was a grain-free option. Some people really struggle to digest grains of any kind – even gluten-free ones – so having options for snacks and breakfast that don’t contain grains is a big deal.

Their grain-free granola is a satisfying snack (full of protein, fiber and healthy fats), a balanced start to your day, and a pantry staple perfect for parfaits and even topping your favorite dairy-free ice cream. They do not contain refined sugars and are always gluten-free, non-GMO (not genetically modified), and paleo.

My two favorite flavors are the Cocoa Sea Salt (also made with freeze-dried raspberries!!) and the Lemon Berry Chia. Other flavors include Original, Vanilla Berry, and Honey Pecan.

Buy It: Create an account at Kitchfix.com and receive 20% off your first order using the code NEW20. You can also buy Kitchfix on Amazon and use this zip code search to find where it is sold near you.

Marcella Kriebel Art + Illustration

I first found out about Marcella’s art at Artscape, an annual festival in Baltimore celebrating local art and artisans. I was drawn to her watercolor images of fruits and vegetables and knew I’d ultimately want to hang them in our kitchen once we renovated it.

Her prints are beautiful, unique, and full of vibrant colors. In addition to hanging them through our house (the Brassica and Rosaceae prints above are hanging in our kitchen and a pomegranate print is in our hallway), I’ve purchased these as gifts for other food lovers.

From her Illustrated Feast Watercolor Prints to greeting cards, frames, illustrated cookbooks and custom signs, Marcella has an incredible gift of turning food into art with paint and water. It’s amazing!

Buy It: Check out Marcella’s website or her etsy page. It’ll be a feast for your eyes!

That’s what I’ve been into lately, my friends!

Let me know if you have an Instant Pot (and what your favorite recipes are!), whether you’ve tried Kitchfix granola and if you end up buying some of Marcella’s amazing artwork. I love hearing from you and what’s going on in your lives, so send me a note to let me know 🙂

Savory Sweet Potato Kale Hash

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On October 11, 2017

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Paleo, Recipes

Most of us think of breakfast as a type of food – bagels, cereal, pancakes, waffles, eggs, toast, etc.

I like to think of breakfast as a time of day. Anything goes!

I usually have a smoothie or oatmeal, but sometimes I want something savory and have leftover chili or soup or recipes like the one I’m sharing today.

People who start the day with a protein-rich, veggie-packed breakfast tend to have fewer food cravings later in the day. Most of us – especially women – start the day with a sweet meal that contains very little protein (i.e., most granola bars, bagels, cereal), which sets us up to have more sweet cravings, hormonal imbalances, mood swings, and low energy.

Want to balance out all of that? Try this dish.

Rich in fiber and nutrients from the sweet potatoes and kale, this meal will nourish you and fill you up. The protein comes primarily from the chicken sausage from my favorite company – Bilinski’s.

Ordinarily, I’m not a fan of sausage, but here are just a few reasons why we love this product:

They taste delicious. We always have a package in our fridge, and these sausages are one of my husband, Bill’s favorite foods.
Their chickens are free range and pasture-raised, raised humanely and respectfully, and given access to plenty of natural sunlight and space to roam about. They are never treated with growth hormones or antibiotics.
Bilinski’s sausages have NO gross casing– so there is no pork or lamb casing to remove! That’s the main thing that weirds me out about most sausages.
All of their sausages are gluten-free and wheat-free.
Only whole, clean ingredients are used (you’ll never see generic “spices” or “flavorings” in their ingredients lists!) and each ingredient is always fully listed.

We buy them at MOMs Organic Market or Whole Foods, but if you want to find where they are sold near you, use their store locator.

Combine the protein-packed goodness of these sausages with the fiber-filled veggies and a few simple spices, and you’ll have a dish that is perfect for any meal. You can even put an over-easy egg on top to add even more flavor!

Savory Sweet Potato Kale Hash

This dish is perfect for any meal but we love it as a filling and nourishing breakfast that is packed with flavor, protein and fiber.

2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
2 medium sweet potatoes (peeled and diced)
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Black pepper (to taste)
2 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
6 cups kale (destemmed and chopped)
5 scallions (sliced into rounds)
3 Bilinski's sausages (Wild Mushroom is delicious!)

In a medium skillet over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Cut sausage in half lengthwise and place cut-side down on skillet. Heat until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cut into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add sweet potatoes, sage, cumin, salt and pepper and saute for 12-15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are cooked through and fork tender. After about 10 minutes, add garlic and stir to combine. Add a few tablespoons of water to prevent potatoes from sticking and to speed up the cooking process.
Add kale to sweet potatoes along with a few tablespoons of water and toss to combine. Cover with lid to steam kale, about 2-3 minutes.
Add diced sausage and scallions and toss everything to combine. Serve warm.

Apple Cinnamon Smoothie

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On October 7, 2017

In Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Holidays, Paleo, Products I Use, Recipes, Vegan

I love this time of year.

September and October are my favorite weather months, and I love the changing colors of the leaves on the trees here on the East Coast.

As fall comes and winter follows, a lot of us will be changing up our diets a bit to reflect the change in seasons. We’ll be adding in more warming, grounding foods like soups, stews, and chilis. We’ll be incorporating more herbs and spices in our meals. We’ll focus on flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, sage, rosemary and thyme.

YUM!

Why not start the season off with one of everyone’s favorites…apple pie!

I have to admit – I’m more of a crisp/crumble girl than a pie person. But I know apple pie is one of those comfort foods that makes a lot of people very happy, so today’s recipe is my best attempt at recreating it…smoothie style!

In this recipe, I used avocado for creaminess (you won’t even taste it!), an apple and a date for sweetness, and cinnamon and nutmeg for a punch of flavor. The hint of lemon juice adds a bit of tartness to this recipe, which you could probably recreate by just using a Granny Smith apple instead of the Gala apple that I used. You can add spinach to create a Green Apple Smoothie, if you’d like. It’s a great way to get in an extra dose of veggies.

Because of the apple and the oats, this recipe isn’t as silky smooth as some other smoothies, but the flavors are on point. My friend Kat taste tested it for me before I finalized it and she said she was a bit skeptical of the combo of ingredients…but it turned out great!

Happy Fall!

Cinnamon Apple Smoothie

As fall foods make their way into our kitchens and bellies, let’s celebrate all of the flavors of fall with this seasonal smoothie!

1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 medium apple (cored and quartered)
1 Medjool date (pit removed)
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch sea salt
2 tablespoons rolled oats (gluten-free)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 avocado flesh
2 scoops unflavored protein powder (Vital Proteins and Tonic are my fave brands)
1 cup ice cubes