July 03, 2015

Cilantro Lime Sweet Potatoes

July 03, 2015/ Caitlin S

Sweet potatoes. There are so many ways to make them delicious -- close to a blank canvas, but so much better, due to their naturally sweet earth flavor. Puréed, waffled, caramelized or as a hash... it's all amazing.

Ever since I went to a potluck and someone brought a southwestern roasted potato salad from a local deli, I've been a bit obsessed with adding chili, paprika, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime to my sweet potatoes. It's good warm or cold, which means I can eat RIGHT NOW if I'm starving, or as a cool side dish the next day. The southwestern flavors also scream summer to me, and even though sweet potatoes aren't necessarily a summer crop, the added peppers and cilantro are.

Cilantro Lime Sweet Potatoes (Paleo & Vegan)

Between this and my recent paleo ice cream experiments, I'm set for hot days. It's supposed to be close to 90°F here for Independence Day, so you can bet I'll be eating ample amount of both of those things to cool off! I'll actually be spending the long weekend rock climbing in northern Wyoming, so in order to do that I need to spend the next few hours figuring out how to make both of those items out of our tent... (Mission Accepted!).

Wishing everyone a happy 4th of July (if you celebrate it)!

Cilantro Lime Sweet Potatoes

Published May 17, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4 | Total Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 medium sweet potatoe
1 red bell peppers
1/2 red onion
2 cloves garlic
Juice from 1/2 a lime
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground chile powder
Dash of ground cayenne
Salt & pepper to taste
Optional, for serving: avocado and a fried egg

Directions:

Mince the garlic and slice the onion and wash and cube the potato. Dice the bell peppers and remove seeds.
In a 10-inch skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic, onions, pepper and sweet potatoes. Stir and cover pan, reducing heat to medium-low.
After 5 minutes, stir the potatoes again. Add the spices and salt. Allow to cook for 10-12 more minutes, until sweet potatoes are cooked through and browned on the outside. Squeeze the lime juice into the pan. Toss the potatoes to coat. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro leaves.
Serve how with a fried egg and avocado or as a dinner side.

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April 17, 2015

Paleo Banana Bread with Cacao Nibs

April 17, 2015/ Caitlin S

Using almond flour in place of regular flour in banana bread makes for a soft, nutty, and moist loaf. One that’s satisfying, grain-free, and gluten-free, too!

A lot of bakers will tell you that in order to make bread, you need to pull out the scale. You need to measure twice, and be precise. I am not that baker. In fact, this recipe is a “base recipe” from which I’ve made many variations, including turning the slices into french toast, swapping out the cacao nibs for chocolate chips, and topping the whole thing with walnut streusel. My mom has reported replacing half of the almond flour with regular wheat flour. My point: be brave, experiment, and create.

My advice: Don't be afraid to try test things out. Sometimes, a little experiment can lead to wonderful things. Even if it doesn't work, you'll learn more about your ingredients by giving it a shot.

Alternative flours are different, and bake differently than traditional flour — some experimentation and learning comes with baking with almond flour for the first time, too!

Paleo Banana Bread with Cacao Nibs

Published April 17, 2015 by Caitlin Sherwood

Yields: 1 loaf | Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter, softened or melted, plus more for greasing your pan
4 eggs
4 very ripe bananas (if you are using bananas that are solid yellow (i.e., they do not yet have brown spots), you may wish to add 1-2 tablespoons of honey to this bread to increase it’s sweetness)
1/2 cup cacao nibs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a standard 9-inch loaf pan with coconut oil (alternatively, you can line the pan with parchment paper).
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, until no clumps remain.
In a separate bowl, cream together the bananas, coconut oil, and vanilla. Once they are fully combined, stir in the eggs until incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring it in with a spatula or electric mixer until a consistent batter forms. It may have a few small clumps but should be mostly smooth. Fold in the cacao nibs.
Spread the batter into an even layer in the loaf pan. Optionally, sprinkle the top of the load with cacao nibs. Then, place the pan in the center of the oven. Bake for 45 - 55 minutes until golden on top, and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the loaf. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

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April 01, 2015

Paleo Carrot Cake Coconut Smoothie

April 01, 2015/ Caitlin S

What do you do when you need a "reset"?

Last week, we had a really grey day. It wasn't just cloudy--it actually hailed and snowed before the clouds gave way! It left a heavy feeling on everything: spring's first daffodils sagged to the ground, people moved slowly, and my pep, which often correlates with sunny weather, settled at ho-hum levels.

Often my "reset" button is going for a run. When I'm in a rut, running is like mediation for me. The practice of mediation usually emphasizes not thinking at all, but I struggle with that. The meditative state I find while on a run is different. It's quiet so that I can reflect, but I can't think too hard. Instead my mind just wanders in an unconstrained stream of consciousness.

I love the freedom that comes with running, so when I awoke to that grey, grey day last week, I was sort of bummed. Not only was the cloud cover leaving me feeling "blah," it was keeping me from enjoying springtime on the trail. I needed something to make the morning brighter. The answer: a Paleo Carrot Cake Coconut Smoothie.

The color of this smoothie was enough to get me excited. And then I took a sip, and left that grey-mood on the floor. It was creamy and luscious (thank you, coconut milk!), and bright and fresh (an you too, fresh ginger and pineapple!). I used coconut water, which is great for hydration--this smoothie probably would makes a great post run gulp, but hey--sometimes you wake up to hail and you just have to take life as it comes. Packed with Vitamins A and C, this smoothie is a powerhouse in a glass and totally brightened my week. I hope it can do the same for you!