Sweet Potato Tuna Casserole

 The other day I was making Tuna Noodle Casserole for my brother and I wanted to attempt a Paleo version, so the outcome was this delicious Sweet Potato Tuna Casserole!  It does use canned tuna so it may not be the "healthiest" for you, but you can substitute chicken or use fresh tuna if you would like! 

Sweet Potato Tuna Casserole

Serves 2-4

Ingredients: coconut milk, coconut flour or almond flour, butter, coconut oil, rosemary, lemon juice, chicken broth, tuna {canned or fresh}, lemon juice, sweet potato, salt, and pepper.

 

First melt in a pan on medium:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp butter or coconut oil {or a mixture of both}

Add and whisk together to prevent clumping:

• 2/3 cup coconut milk

• 1-2 Tbsp coconut or almond flour {start with 1 and add more if it does not thicken}

Keep whisking together and bring to a boil.  Then bring down to a simmer.

Add and whisk/mix together:

• 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice

• 1 Tbsp rosemary

• 1 1/2 Tbsp chicken broth

Then add:

• 1 can tuna {or 1/2 cup of another protein}

• salt and pepper to taste

 

Once everything is mixed together and seasoned to your liking

Grate:

• 1 small sweet potato {approx. 1 1/2-2 cups after grated}

Combine the sauce and the sweet potato together.  If dry add more coconut milk or chicken broth.
Also if you eat cheese, then Parmesan cheese would be a great addition to this dish.

Place in a small baking dish or I used two small baking dishes.  Cover dish with either aluminum foil or a lid. Place in the oven at 375 degrees.  Bake until sweet potato is cooked, this takes approx. 45-50 minutes.  Then take off the lid or foil and broil for 5-10 minutes to make the top golden brown.

Then take out of the oven, let cool for a few minutes, and enjoy! Next time I make this I want to try adding some vegetables or serving it over some sauteed or steamed vegetables.

Quotes from those who have tried this recipe ❤

~ This was fantastic! Who doesn't miss Mom's Tun Casserole?! To not only be able to have tuna casserole but to have it Paleo is amazing!! She did an excellent job on this recipe. I'm just about to finish my last bite! ~

~ Loved the coconut and sweet potato combo. Leftovers are A-mazing topped with avocado! ~

~ Made this today!!!!! OMGOSH!!!! My new FAVORITE dish!!!!!!! ~

This posts is a part of:

~ Pennywise Platter ~ 

Roasted Chicken, Homemade Chicken Broth, and Chicken Vegetable Soup

Once a week my mom or I will roast a chicken and use it for on top of salads, soups, tacos, and many other ways.  Then we use the bones to make a bone broth, which makes delicious soups!

Roasted Chicken

Ingredients: chicken, olive oil, and seasonings {salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, or any other seasonings}

First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Then prepare the chicken by taking out the innards and placing it in a large baking pan. Then rub olive oil all over the top and season.  Don't be afraid to put a lot of seasonings on. It helps to give the chicken extra flavor.

Now place in the oven for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes.  For a small chicken lean more towards a little over an hour and for a large one an hour and fifteen.  Then take the chicken out and cover with tin foil for 20 minutes so it becomes juicy allowing all the juices to reabsorb and does not dry out.

Then enjoy w/ your meal of choice! My favorite is sweet potato fries :)

Homemade Chicken Broth

Makes 4-6 cups

First, completely de-bone the chicken and place all the bones, skin, and drippings into a large pan. Fill the pan half way with water, cover, and place on the stove.  Bring to a boil first and then turn down to a simmer for 4 hours or longer.  Remove from the stove and strain the bones.  Then allow to cool, cover, and place in the fridge overnight. 

Then skim off the top layer of fat and underneath should be jello-like.  This is the gelatin/bone-broth.  Use it how ever you would like!  It makes great soups. There is a recipe below!

This is soup made from the chicken broth I made w/ a side of cauliflower bun/bread.  There are many different soups you can make with different seasonings, meats, and vegetables.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Ingredients: homemade chicken broth, onion, garlic, vegetables {mushroom, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, etc.}, and seasonings

In a large pan, saute on medium low for 5-10 minutes:

•1/2-1 onion chopped up

Then add:

• a couple of garlic cloves

• 3/4 cup mushrooms

Saute for a few more minutes.

Then you will add the homemade or store-bought chicken broth.  You can add a couple cups of water if you want, but it's not necessary.

Then add the rest of the vegetables and season with whatever you would like! This soup has salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, rosemary, and lemon juice.  I also love adding a little bit of cayenne pepper for a little bit more spice.

Simmer until vegetables are cooked through.  This usually takes a half hour.  Then add chicken or any other meat.  This is when I like to taste the soup and season more until I like how it tastes. 

Don't be afraid to get creative and try different variations  If you don't eat Paleo, then consider adding rice, quinoa, lentils, beans, etc.

Chicken Tacos on a Grain-Free Tortilla

 

I tried to make a coconut flour tortilla a few months back and it tasted good, but it was eggy and fell apart, so I was on a mission to make one that was neither of those.  Thus the creation of this beauty.  It turned out more like a flat bread as it is thicker than a tortilla, but it tastes delicious and makes great chicken tacos! 

Grain-Free Tortillas/Wraps

Makes 2 small tortillas

Ingredients: almond meal or flour, coconut flour, egg, and water

Whisk/Mix together until there are no lumps:

• 1 Tbsp almond meal or flour

• 1/2 Tbsp coconut flour

• 1 egg

• Enough water to make it easy to pour {approx. 1/2 Tbsp}

Cook on medium in an oiled skillet on the stove until golden brown on each side {approx. 3-4 minutes on one side and then 2-3 minutes on the other side}

Then create a delicious taco! I made a chicken taco w/ sauteed onions, broccoli, red bell pepper, mushroom, and seasoned with basil, rosemary, cumin, salt, and lemon juice. Then topped with avocado ❤

Just in case you don't believe me that it stays together. It seriously is just as easy as any other tortilla or wrap to pick up and it is not eggy at all! I can't wait to make other creations with these little guys.

Quotes from those who have tried this recipe ❤

~ Obsessed with these paleo tortillas... YUM! They make the cut for Saturday night dinner party ~

This posts is a part of:

~ Homestead Barn ~

~ Fat Tuesday ~

~ Slightly Indulgent ~

Dairy-Free Pesto

I love pesto, however, I am not a huge fan of the taste of olive oil and I am allergic to milk, thus I can not have cheese. So I experimented with coconut oil and omitted the cheese.  I loved how it turned out and I've already made some fun, tasty dishes with it :) 

Pesto

Makes approx. 2/3 cup

Ingredients: basil, nuts, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, coconut oil, olive oil, and lemon juice {optional}

In a food processor place:

• 1 cup basil {compacted/pushed down}

• 1/2 cup nuts {I used my soaked and dehydrated almonds and macadamia nuts; pine nuts and walnuts are also great for pestos}

• 2-3 garlic cloves

• 1/3 tsp salt

•1/4 tsp pepper 

• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil {can sub olive oil} 

•2-4 Tbsp olive oil {can sub coconut oil :) }

• 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice {optional}

Pulse together until well blended and creamy

*Optional: Add1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese

*Store in the fridge or the freezer

Then have fun creating meals with your pesto. You can create pastas, pizzas, or a Mushroom Cauliflower Bun Pesto Stack like me :)

Soaked and Dehydrated Nuts

Soaked and dehydrated nuts are easier to digest and, in my opinion, more delicious than raw nuts and healthy then roasted nuts.  These are a great snack and easily made into a nut butter.  I use these to make my nutty cups.

Soaked and Dehydrated Nuts

 Makes 4 cups

 Ingredients: Nuts {Almonds, Cashews, Macadamia Nuts, Walnuts...}, water, and salt

In a large bowl place:

• 4 cups of nuts

Pour in enough water to cover an inch or so above the nuts

Add:

• 1 Tbsp sea salt

Soak accordingly:

• Most nuts including almond, macadamia nuts, walnuts ~ 7 hours or so

• Cashews ~ 6 hours {do not soak more}

Strain the water. Then place the nuts in the dehydrator on the lowest setting for several days until they are crunchy.  If you do not have a dehydrator then spread on a baking sheet and place in the oven and cook on the lowest temperature until crunchy.

Best stored in the freezer to keep them fresh

Homemade Turkey Burgers on a Cauliflower Bun

These turkey burgers are quite tasty and yummy.  

The coconut flour gives them a nice, 

almost cheesy taste and the cauliflower buns 

are surprisingly not crumbly and extremely simple and easy to make.  They are a great Paleo bun for the turkey burger.

Cauliflower Bun

Makes1

Ingredients: Cauliflower, almond flour, coconut flour, egg, 

garlic powder, rosemary {or oregano}, and salt

Mix together:

• 1 cup grated raw cauliflower

• 1 Tbsp almond flour

• 1/2 Tbsp coconut flour

• 1 egg

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 Tbsp rosemary {or oregano}

• 1/8 tsp salt 

Shape into two circles onto a well oiled pan. 

 Cook at 400 degrees for 15 minutes and then broil for 5 minutes or until golden. 

Place onto a cooling rack or it will get mushy.

It may be best to remove them from the pan before broiling and 

placing them straight onto the oven rack to crisp up both sides

Homemade Turkey Burgers 

Makes 4 turkey patties

Ingredients: ground turkey, coconut flour, Dijon mustard, rosemary, 

smoked paprika, Emerils, egg, salt, and black pepper

Mix together:

1/2 lb ground turkey

2 Tbsp coconut flour

1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp rosemary

1 egg

1 tsp paprika

2 tsp Emerils

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Form into four patties and cook in an oiled skillet on medium to medium low until cooked through approx. 6-8 minutes on each side depending on thickness of patty. 

Then place onto the cauliflower bun w/ other delicious toppings and enjoy!

Look you can even pick it up with out falling apart!    

Quotes from those who have tried this recipe ❤

~ This is so delicious. The cauliflower bun came out perfectly.  My husband and daughter even liked it ~

~ Amazing... This was really fun and easy! ~

~ Thanks for this yummy cauliflower bun! Stays together perfectly! ~

~ I'm actually a bit obsessed with [your] cauli buns. So many uses ~

~ Tried the buns, and the came out perfectly! Thank you so much! ~

~ Very delicious and the buns were not crumbly at all! ~

Chocolatey Paleo Cupcakes w/ Chocolate Sweet Potato Frosting

I made these for my niece's birthday. She just turned two and she already loves chocolate. They are Paleo approved and deliciously chocolatey. My dad was surprised these were made with coconut flour because the texture and taste resembled wheat flour.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 9-12 cupcakes

 Ingredients: coconut flour, cocoa powder, coconut oil, eggs, honey, maple syrup,  vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, and chocolate

Mix together in a small bowl: 

• 1/4 cup coconut flour 

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder 

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• pinch of salt

Pulse together in a food processor or whisk together:

• 4 eggs

•1/4 cup melted coconut oil

• 1/4 cup honey

• 2-3 Tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Add dry ingredients and pulse until blended

Add:

• 1/4 cup finely chopped or melted chocolate {You can make your own w/ 100% dark chocolate and some honey or maple syrup}

Pulse for 15-20 seconds to allow the chocolate to incorporate into the batter.  Pour into lined or oiled muffin tins about 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

{If you do not have enough batter to fill all muffin tins then fill the empty ones with 2 Tbsp of water to prevent uneven cooking and drying out}

Allow to cool and then frost with chocolate sweet potato frosting. Recipe is below :)

Chocolate Sweet Potato Frosting

I first attempted this frosting a few weeks ago for pancakes. They weren't a fail, but they weren't great. I finally created a recipe I am proud to share. The sweet potato makes the frosting silky and my family actually couldn't even believe it was sweet potato!

Ingredients: sweet potato {or yams}, cocoa powder, coconut oil or butter, coconut milk {or almond milk}, honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and chocolate

Bake until very well done:

• a medium-large sweet potato

Make sure you really cook the sweet potato because you want it to be sweet

Peel the sweet potato 

Add to a food processor or mixer and mix until combined:

• 1 cup of the cooked sweet potato

• 2 Tbsp butter or coconut oil

• 1 Tbsp cocoa powder

• 1/3 cup melted chocolate {unsweetened chocolate or dark chocolate but use less sweetener}

{my sweet potato was still hot when I mixed everything together so the chocolate melted by itself. If you are using cold sweet potato, melt the chocolate in a double broiler to prevent burning the chocolate}

• 2-3 Tbsp maple syrup

• 2 Tbsp honey

• 1 Tbsp coconut milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

In honor of Valentines Day this week ❤

Quotes from those who have tried this recipe ❤

~ Thanks for your awesome recipes... my family loved them. They were delicious! ~

~ Sweet potato chocolate frosting? What??? So amazing! Thanks for a truly wonderful recipe ~

~ This recipe rocks my world! The cupcakes were delicious and the frosting... it turned out perfect! The best thing I've made with my food processor to date! Thanks for sharing ~

This posts is a part of:

~Slightly Indulgent ~