Weekend mornings call for waffles! Growing up, my grandparents had two giant commercial waffle irons. My grandpa loved using them and used any excuse he could to convince my grandma to allow him to cook up a few batches of these ginormous delights.
You really couldn’t eat more than 1…maybe two, if you were starving and ready to over-indulge to the max. However, sneaky grandpa used to make 2-3 for each of the grandkids just so he had plenty of extras for himself. SMART MAN. Some of my fondest memories involve these waffles…and now I have one of this waffle irons in my own kitchen. I can’t wait to pass on the fun tradition with my own kids – hopefully the beast of a machine lasts forever!
EGG FREE BAKING – it can be a real struggle – particularly with bread-like things. Thankfully, the waffle iron does a lot of work here and cooks up this beloved breakfast item perfectly, free of eggs and gluten!
I’m currently working on a egg-free paleo version, but I want it to be perfect before sending it your way. The testing process has been VERY EXCRUCIATING. 😉
Preheat your waffle iron. You want it hot and ready!
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
To the mixing bowl, add the milk, melted butter, flax eggs, vanilla, and vinegar and stir until just combined. If it's a little lumpy from the butter hardening from cool milk, it will be fine.
Spray the bottom of the iron liberally with the spray oil.
Pour enough batter just to cover the griddle and fill the edges. You want enough, but not too much to wear it leaks out the edges.
Spray the top of the waffle iron right before closing.
Closing the iron (and flip if you have one like I do) and cook for 4 1/2 -5 minutes. This is for a LARGE belgium waffle. If you're making smaller ones, the cooking time will be about 3 minutes. The rule of thumb is the waffle is done when the steam stops coming (or almost - I've found a little steam is ok) out the sides of the waffle iron.
Serve with lots of butter and maple syrup...even some fruit if that is your thaaaang!
These keep great in the freezer! To heat up: bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes or toast them up in the toaster if you made small ones!
I love me some chili! My husband can’t stand beans so we usually leave them out. That’s the great thing about chili – it’s SO VERSATILE! You literally can put any veggies in it, throw in a protein, some seasonings, some sauce, and let it get happy!
This chili is no different. It’s very reminiscent of a corn chowder, but with a smokey mexican flare that is delicious.
Feel free to go crazy with toppings. Throw on some fresh tomatoes if you’re missing them from this dish, some sliced avocado, diced onions or scallions, cheese, sour cream, plain yogurt, crunchy chips, french fried onions, you name it.
I’m so glad I made a large batch of this…leftovers of chili just get better with time.
As the recipe name states, you can switch this recipe up to fit almost any dietary need or lifestyle. If you’re paleo, leave out the corn and dairy and sub in some dairy free cheese or sour cream and switch the corn for some chopped butternut squash or cauliflower florets or rice (or leave it out all together!)
If you’re keto, replace the corn and potatoes with squash, zucchini, or cauliflower. Also, pay attention to the sugar count in some enchilada sauces. You could also sub it out for some salsa verde that is low in carbs.
If you’re doing a round of whole30, leave out the dairy and replace with coconut cream or even some unsweetened almond/cashew milk will do the trick. For the corn, replace it with one of the previous listed veggies and if you can’t find compliant green enchilada sauce sub in some compliant salsa verde!
Really, if you have the base and seasonings right, you’re still gonna get that comforting chili flavor that we know and love!
Print Recipe
Green Enchilada Chicken Chili {Paleo, Whole30, & Keto options}
In a large skillet or soup pot over medium heat, saute the diced onions, celery, and potatoes for 5-6 minutes until the onions and celery have started to soften.
Add the chicken pieces and saute for 3-4 minutes until they've just started to cook on the outside.
To the pot, add the remaining ingredients and seasonings.
Bring the pot to a simmer then cover and reduce the heat to medium low.
Cook for 25-35 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the chicken and potatoes (or whatever veggies you are using) are cooked through. As it cooks, it will thicken and if you are using potatoes, those may thicken the chili even more as you cook it. Feel free to add a little broth, water, or more milk.
Top with desired toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, crushed chips, scallions, or some crushed red pepper or diced jalapenos for some heat!
Surprise…surprise…I’m coming at you with a soup recipe – because they are my FAVORITE THING EVER TO EAT!
This one is no different. It’s creamy, cozy, rich, and just so dang good. Wild rice seems to take forever to cook, I know. Personally, I love the nutty, woodsy flavor it adds to dishes versus your average white or brown rice. If you despise the wild rice, feel free to sub white or brown!
This soup freezes well too – so don’t waste the leftovers. I swear, the soup gets better with time!
In a large dutch oven or soup pot, saute chicken thighs in 2 tbsp oil or butter over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove from the pot.
Add onions to the soup pot and saute for 5-6 minutes until softened.
Add the rice, broth, all of the seasonings, and bay leaves to the pot.
Bring the broth to a boil, cover, and cook for 40-50 minutes until the rice is tender.
While the soup cooks, shred your reserved chicken thighs.
Once the rice is tender, remove the bay leaves and add the peas, carrots, and the coconut cream (or nutpods/half & half) and cook for 4-5 minutes.
If your soup isn't thick enough for your liking, stir arrowroot or tapioca powder in with 2 tbsp of water to create a little cloudy slurry. Add this to the simmering soup and stir until thickened
Serve yourself up a big bowl and bask in the coziness that is to come!
Recipe Notes
If you are using half and half or heavy cream, the soup will thicken a bit more as it cooks than it will with coconut cream or nutpods. It will also yield a more rich soup. If you're lactose intolerant only, I recommend checking out the lactose free variety of half&half in your grocery store! It's becoming a lot more readily available!
This is a recipe that I make almost once a week. It just may not always have those fun alphabet letters. Was it just me or did the shaped Kraft macaroni and cheese taste way better than the original macaroni shape?
It’s a favorite in our house because it’s such a cozy dish AND because it’s so easy to throw together and make during a weeknight or when you just don’t feel like spending a bunch of time in the kitchen. It is great for meal prep too!
1/2cupSour creamWe use Green Valley organics lactose free - feel free to sub a dairy free variety or even a plain yogurt variety.
1/2cupShredded cheeseoptional, it just adds extra creaminess - We use a dairy free brand!***
Instructions
In a large pan or skillet over medium heat, add the onions and ground beef and begin to brown the ground beef for about 5-6 minutes. (If you like your onions very soft, cook them first for 3-4 minutes before adding the beef. If you don't feel like adding them at all, leave them out!)
Once most of the beef is browned, add remaining ingredients, except for the shredded cheese.
Bring the pan to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium low.
Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through and most of the liquid has reduced and been absorbed.
The cooking time will vary depending on the pasta brand that you choose. I begin checking after about 10 minutes. Taste a noodle and see if it's approaching the texture you like. I like softer pasta, so I error on the longer cooking time.
Once most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is just about done, remove the lid and add the sour cream and shredded cheese. Stir and cook until the sour cream and cheese is all melted and distributed.
Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
*Feel free to use more pasta to stretch the recipe some. You'll just have to compensate and add more broth. The rule I use is add enough liquid to just about cover all of the pasta. You don't need the pasta completely submerged, however.
Breakfast. Snacktime. Dessert. These bars can honestly fit the criteria for any of those situations that you may find yourself in.
They’re delicious, satiating, and packed with fat to curb that hunger when it hits.
They’re easy to grab and go in the morning too! I know that can be a struggle for many of us busy folks – or just the ones that have a hard time planning and prioritizing our time. GUILTY!
They can be made gluten free with puffed rice or paleo with shredded coconut, and even made lower in carbs with the combo of shredded coconut, unsweetened chocolate, stevia sweetened chocolate, or your favorite keto chocolate.
This recipe can be switched up a few different ways to fit almost any lifestyle!
In a food processor or blender, pulse the sunflower seeds and puffed rice (or quinoa/shredded coconut) until it is a bit smaller than oats would typically be. It's ok if a bit of it turns to a finer powder. Don't go crazy though - we still want some chunks in there!
In a bowl, combine the sunflower seeds and rice mixture with chia seeds, coconut flour, salt, coconut oil, and maple syrup.
In the microwave or a double boiler, melt the chocolate and the coconut cream until it's completely smooth. You can use less than the recipe calls for or more - Just depends on how fudgey of a center you'd like! If you want the dark chocolate sweeter, add the coconut sugar! If you're using a semi-sweet variety - taste it first. It may be sweet enough for you!
In a 8x8 parchment paper lined dish, spread out half of the rice mixture and press it firmly into the bottom of the pan.
Pour the chocolate mixture on top and spread it evenly on top of the bottom layer.
To ensure the top layer doesn't fall too much into the chocolate layer, I like to put the bars in the freezer for 3-5 minutes - just to set up.This step isn't completely necessary though.
Top the chocolate layer with the remaining rice mixture and spread out evenly.
Drizzle with extra chocolate, if desired.
Chill the bars for 20-30 minutes in the freezer or 1-2 hours in the fridge to set up before cutting into desired pieces.
Store the bars in the fridge.
Recipe Notes
*for a sweet but low-carb option, try out a monk-fruit maple syrup here!
**feel free to substitute your favorite chocolate here - we use EnjoyLife dairy-free semi-sweet mini chips for just about everything. They are sweetened, so we usually don't have to add any other sweetener. Lily's brand of chocolate would be a great substitute for a more keto-friendly recipe!
I don’t know about you, but when I see the words “french onion” preceding anything…my mouth instantly starts to water.
I’m a huge fan of sauteed onions and that sweetness that’s released from this precious veggie. Adding it to almost any savory dish or protein makes it so much better than before – maybe that’s just a personal opinion though.
This entree can easily be made in the pressure cooker or the slow cooker. It’s so versatile! You can pair it with rice, mashed potatoes, diced potatoes, top some baked potatoes or noodles, eat it all by itself, or put it on a roll or bun for a handheld sandwich – you name it!
This recipe DOES use a ton of onions. Trust me, they cook way down! You have to use this much if you want anything to be left and enjoyed when the dish is finished.
Note: SAVE THE BROTH and some onions. It is basically French Onion Soup – which is also one of the most amazing soups known to man. Top a bowl of it with some croutons, some shredded provolone or a big ol slice and broil that bad boy up! It’s incredible easy to get two meals out of this recipe!
Print Recipe
French Onion Shredded Beef {Instant Pot & Slow Cooker versions}
March 14 is a favorite day for many… probably because it is Pi-Day! Any day that I can combine my love of food and math is a reason to celebrate!
If you follow along with me on Instagram and Facebook, you’ve probably seen my love for Rbar a time or two. You may have even been one of the lucky few to receive a free box of them!
Rbars are simple ingredient energy bars that are some of my favorite convenience snacks to keep on hand! Their bars are made with 7 ingredients or less. That’s right, ONLY SEVEN AT THE MOST!
What’s even better about these bars is that they can double for a quick crust for pies, tarts, or cheesecakes. Seriously, who doesn’t love eliminating an entire step of a recipe?!
When I first tasted Rbar’s Lemon Poppyseed flavor, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with a bunch of them. I’m not normally a big lemon fan, but these bars, and now this tart have changed my mind about all things lemon – it’s just so refreshing!
This No-Bake Lemon Tart is super easy to make and – BONUS, NO BAKING IS INVOLVED! For my tart, I frosted it with a dairy-free cool whip, but you could use regular cool whip or totally omit it. Your tart will still be creamy, tangy, and delicious!
Grab the recipe for this below and don’t forget to pin it to your Pinterest board if you want to save the recipe for later.
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No-Bake Lemon Tart with Lemon Poppyseed Rbar Crust | Dairy, Gluten, & Grain Free
The other day I started grinding some pecans and almonds in my blender to make some nut butter when I realized we were almost out of protein balls. That occurrence is just NOT allowed to this house.
So, there I had a roasted, pecan-pie-like butter to use in the protein balls and I began adding ingredients. I started off adding vanilla, coconut oil, collagen peptides, and almond flour…as I do with most of my protein ball recipes. I always add sugar or honey last so I can adjust accordingly. Sometimes, they just don’t need very much, if any.
I kept adding ingredients and still couldn’t figure out exactly what flavor I was making. I started to get scared. In the past when I’ve been in similar situations, I’ve ended up with 5 dozen really weird protein balls that my husband HAD to eat because I hate waste. haha! I just kept adding ingredient after ingredient and all of a sudden I had a huge bowl of protein ball mess. I kept thinking…Jon is going to be none to pleased if I screw up a batch again.
Before I added any weird specifically flavored ingredient, I decided to just add some chocolate chips and call it a day. I figured this would just be a recipe I’d scratch and nothing that great would come out of it. Then I tasted it and it was delicious…but I had no clue what flavor it was. It was familiar, yet I HAD NO CLUE.
My husband came home from work the other day, tried one, and was like, “Mmm…chocolate chip pancakes.”
THAT WAS EXACTLY IT! Leave it to my husband, who can never describe flavors whatsoever, to come up with exactly what these reminded me of.
These Chocolate Chip Protein Balls may be free of lots of things, like dairy, gluten, grains, but they sure pack in some good, comforting flavor (and lots of healthy fats and protein!) when it’s snack time or you’re just looking for a quick breakfast as you run out the door.
Add these protein balls to your meal prep plans for next week. I promise, You won’t be disappointed!
Don’t forget to save the recipe to your Pinterest board for later! Tag @butteraddictgonepaleo on Instagram and Facebook if you make these! I’d love to see it!
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Chocolate Chip Pancake Protein Balls |Dairy, Gluten, & Grain Free|
One of my husband’s favorite appetizers is cream cheese stuffed jalapenos wrapped in bacon. This is my healthy (dairy-free) ode to those!
There is no bacon in these, but feel free to wrap them in bacon too!
…if your heart so desires!
Simply filling these with this sausage and “cheese” mixture was more my style. I love some good sausage!
Sometimes, bacon wrapped things just don’t get crispy enough for my liking.
I’d rather just eat the side of crispy bacon!
If you’re serving more than 3-4 people, you may want to double up this recipe. They can go quick! (if you’ve noticed, I’m keeping this post short and direct. Who usually reads a food blogger’s ramblings up in this section?)
Don’t forget to save this recipe and pin it to your Pinterest board for later!
In a saute pan over medium heat, brown sausage with minced onions. Be sure to break it up into very small crumbles.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
While the sausage is browning, in a food processor or high-powered blender, combine the cashews, cauliflower rice, Nutpods, and seasonings until extremely smooth. You may have to stop the blender/food processor and scrape down the sides a few times.
Once the sausage is browned, add the cashew mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes until very thick.
Taste test and see if it needs more salt.
Scoop 1-2 tbsp of filling into each jalapeno half. I'm usually able to fit 2 heaping tbsp in each half. If the jalapenos are TOO big, they'll be more flimsy once they're cooked.
Arrange the jalapenos onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.
After 12 minutes, remove from the oven, spray the tops with avocado/coconut oil, and bake for another 12-13 minutes until browned and slightly crispy on top.**
Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes in order to set up slightly and make handling easier. (...if you can wait that long!)
Recipe Notes
*I like to use the 10 oz steamer microwaveable bags of organic cauliflower rice (from Walmart). We eat this at least every other night. So I use about 1/2 of a bag for this recipe and save the rest for leftovers the next day. OR double this batch and use up the whole bag!
**You can omit the spray, if you don't have any. I just like how it helps it get a little extra crispy in the oven!
