Holistic Instincts

I came up with the recipe for these bars after cleaning and organizing my pantry and realizing I had a lot of apple sauce laying around.  Not sure how or when they took up residence in my pantry since no one in my family really eat it.  Crazy, I know. For those not familiar with AIP, or the Auto Immune Protocol, this diet is one that is greatly reduces inflammation in the body by removing all common allergens for a period of time, in order to manage chronic conditions - foods are later reintroduced slowly to find triggers.  Followers of this protocol remove eggs, dairy, nuts and seeds, grains, and more.  For more detailed information, check out The Paleo Mom . This recipe calls for coconut butter, which is easily available online or at most well-stocked grocery stores.  I used a homemade (and budget friendly!) coconut butter in my recipe, which probably affects the final product only slightly.  To make this at home, place about 12 ounces of dry, shr...

Today's post will be a departure from the usual recipe but I am really excited to share something that I have been making and using for several months.  And let me tell you, I LOVE it. You may know that I tend to be really picky about what goes into my body, and that really does extend to things I put on my body.  I have been making my own soap for a few years and I make my own lotion, as well.  I am a huge essential oil user, and about a year ago I decided to experiment on using oils to replace my natural (and sometimes costly) facial products. Fast forward to now, I general cleanse my skin with just water on no-makeup days, and follow an oil-cleansing technique on days I do wear makeup.  I won't write about the benefits of oil cleansing since everyone and their internet mother has written a lot of helpful information.  But I do have to say that as a person that has struggled with acne all through high school, and a good part of my adult life, using oi...

This.  This dish is everything!  This sort of comfort food dish came together one day after a long day of errands. In the time the pasta took to cook, the rest of the ingredients were ready to go.  And, man oh man, this was good! This recipes uses Kite Hill brand cream cheese, and as I have mentioned in previous posts and this brand is legitimately good!  It is an almond milk based product, super creamy, and it fools everyone into thinking they are having dairy. This quick dish can be made vegetarian by omitting the spicy sausage, or swapping it out with sliced and browned mushrooms. I topped each serving with some fresh basil but I know that stirring in the basil would be very delicious, too. And because we are obviously hooked, here are previous posts using Kite Hill products: Creamy Crab Dip Easy Tuna Pate Fluffy Cream Cheese Pancakes Family Favorite Lasagna And heads up: Kite Hill yogurt is really good, too. Creamy Pasta and Sausage Ca...

I did not grow up eating a lot of salads.  When I was given a side salad for dinner, I always made sure I doctored it up with lots of croutons, cheese, ground pepper, and basically anything and everything that would add to the flavor.  And then I dumped enough bottled Italian dressing to make my salad soupy.  Sounds delicious, right?  Wait, don't answer that! Bottled salad dressings were as appealing to me as pouring plain water on my plate of food.  Little did I know just how quick and flavorful a homemade dressing could be!!  The first one I ever made was my Easy 1-2-3 Balsamic Dressing , and then I am sure we a dinner salad just about every night. Over the years, I became proficient in making several types of dressings (creamy, spicy, even cheesy!) and meals always came together quickly after that.  Since going dairy-free however, it took me a long time to come up with a Caesar dressing recipe that was worthy of a repeat. A traditional Ca...

Summer is here!  Wait, I know summer truly isn't here but I live in Vegas and it is already too warm for me!  And for me, summer heat means summer drinks all day long. Along with fresh lemon, plenty of fresh ginger is used here for a punch of flavor and health boost.   Ginger, as we all know, is a root that is widely used in cooking and beverages.  But did you know that ginger has been regarded as a powerful medicinal since ancient times, too? We know that ginger is a powerful tool to use when fighting off cold and respiratory issues but compounds in ginger (chromium, magnesium, and zinc) can also help normalize blood circulation.  It can alleviate motion sickness symptoms and relieve stomach discomfort.  And, ginger also stimulates secretion of enzymes in the stomach and pancreas, which improves the absorption of essential nutrients in the body.  Plenty of reasons to add this refreshing infusion to your collection of healthy drinks to have on h...

My family just came back from a quick trip to both Michoacan and Jalisco, Mexico visiting family and we were welcomed in Vegas with lovely weather!  Nice weather means more outdoor cooking and outdoor cooking means quick and easy dishes to go with grilled veggies and meats. Avocado salsa is full of good fat, flavor, and super easy to make.  This recipe is a perfect served on top of grilled fish, steak, or chicken, and lends itself to scooping with raw vegetables. For this recipe, pebbly skinned avocados are recommended for better flavor,  I leave the avocado chunky here, but it can be mashed up with a fork (before adding the rest of the ingredients) if you prefer a smoother guacamole-like texture. And please, please, please remember to season the salsa well.  Avocados are pretty bland on their own, and though they are paired here with bright and fresh flavors, good salt is needed to bring it all together.  And though fresh lime juice almost always ty...

This recipe came about out of sheer necessity.  Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I had the bright idea of roasting an entire bag of organic sweet potatoes for our dinner guests.  Dinner came and went and only two sweet potatoes were eaten. I had every intention of using the roasted sweet potato for something else, but of course, I put them in them away after dinner and forgot about them for a day or two.  I then put the now-peeled sweet potato in the freezer and really forgot about them.  For a month.  Or two. I am really glad I dug around my freezer for some frozen fruit one day because I found the neglected sweet potatoes and presto!  This recipe was born and it does NOT disappoint. Sweet potatoes provide a nice dose of beta carotene and they add incredible moisture and decadence to the brownies.  And unlike my previous Amazing Brownie recipe, which calls for  cassava flour , this recipe uses a little almond flour instead, making them mu...

Folks, this is a recipe for a chocolate mug cake.  Chocolate.  Grain free.  Dairy free.  Gluten free. Chocolate....mug cake.  I think you get the picture.  :) This recipe is made in the microwave for those times when a cake craving hits, but no one in the family is willing go to the store for you.  And so you know, this cake recipe took me ages to get just right.  Paleo baking is NOT the same as conventional baking because flour substitutes just do not behave in the same way as regular flour.  But several (and I mean several) tries later, this recipe is just right. And I love that this recipe is made in the microwave.  A really nice perk when the family decides on a movie night, and four of these mug cakes can be ready in just a few minutes.  And before I get comments on the evil that is the microwave, please know that I have read several articles on both the pros and cons (check this article out:  https://chriskresser....

I first had kimchi fried rice, or kimchi-bokkeumbap, at a Mexican/Korean fusion place here in town, and when I first ordered it, I was floored.  Rice is delicious anytime and I ADORE pungent  kimchi .  I mean, I have no problems eating it straight out of the jar.  Since my family would disapprove if I ate at Komex  without them everyday, I decided to make this myself and I quickly figured out that this is a perfect weeknight dinner idea, and very budget-friendly.  I have made this dish on a weekly basis for a few weeks now, and it is literally one of our favorite foods right now. I love to ferment veggies and though I sometimes try to make kimchi, I can eat so much of it that it just doesn't last long in my house.  You can use any kimchi, homemade or store bought - but I like traditionally fermented kimchi by Pickled Planet , which is my current favorite store bought brand.  I also really like kimchi by Mother In Law's . This recipe calls ...

Enter any Mexican home, and I promise you, you will find some type of salsa readily available at any given time.  Every home cook has an 'every day' recipe - and experienced cooks have several recipes up their sleeve, each salsa specially designed to go with different types of meals, occasions, or holidays.  I am not joking! And it really does not matter what meal is being served, salsa is always there waiting for someone to spoon into a nourishing soup, drizzle over the breakfast plate, or to jazz up some simply grilled or roasted meats and veggies for dinner.  Have leftovers?  Add some salsa and you've got a new meal! This salsa is one of my 'every day' recipes, great to have on hand to spice up any meal, and perfect because it keeps well in refrigerator for several days.  My salsa uses tomatillos as the base, plus the typical dried arbol chiles, easily found in most well stocked grocery stores.  Dried arbol chiles can make salsas quite spicy, bu...

I really think that one cannot have too many pancake recipes.  They are easy to make, quick to cook, and super yummy served along side some crispy (nitrite/nitrate-free) bacon.  Right? I often make my Perfect Pancakes  on the weekend, since the texture is as close to 'real' pancakes as you'll ever get but sometimes I run low on cassava flour and need another option, and these pancakes are IT. To keep these dairy-free, I used Kite Hill's  Cream Cheese spread.  This almond milk spread greatly improves the texture of typically dry or flat almond flour pancakes.  Plus, this addition boosts the protein content and fluff factor, as well! This recipe calls for blanched almond flour - using almond meal will affect the final texture. Since the texture and melting properties between dairy cream cheese and Kite Hill cream cheese may be different, I would not recommend subbing the dairy stuff for the dairy-free cream cheese in this recipe. These almond fl...

Before I post the recipe, please let me apologize for not have a picture for this yummy dish.  The finished meal was delicious, but it turns out, I cannot take a good picture of most meals...I just can't. These short ribs, however, are perfection! I made this dish in my beloved Instant Pot , but I have included directions for stovetop* cooking.  And I imagine that this recipe can easily be adapted to cook in a slow cooker, as well. This recipe calls for star anise , which gets its obvious name from its shape.  It is a spice that is heavily used in many cultures due to its lovely licorice taste and fragrance.  But star anise also has surprising medicinal uses, too!  Star anise is the main source of a chemical compound that is synthesized to make flu medications.   Not surprising that this spice is used in a lot of warming winter soups and stews, such as this one. These short ribs call for whole star anise, which can then be easily removed from the f...