recipe Archives - Page 25 of 33 - A Calculated Whisk

Creole Hash & Eggs (Whole30 Day 2)

January 2, 2014 By Becky 6 Comments

It’s Day 2 of my Whole30, and I’m feeling great so far! Yesterday I had quite a headache, which I think was because I tried to replace my morning coffee with tea. It was too soon for that–I need to take my changes one at a time! Since I don’t like black coffee very much, I did a little research and found this recipe for bulletproof coffee. It’s basically hot coffee mixed with some ghee and coconut oil. I made some using my immersion blender, and it was pretty good! Not quite as delicious as my regular cup of joe (with copious amounts of grassfed milk, a splash of maple syrup, and a few drops of vanilla extract–none of which are allowed on the Whole30), but much more palatable than plain coffee.

Orange Ginger Squash Soup

January 1, 2014 By Becky 6 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Orange Ginger Squash Soup (Paleo, Gluten free, Whole30)

This orange ginger squash soup is easy to make, super comforting, and Whole30-compliant. A sprinkling of pomegranate seeds on top makes it worthy of a festive occasion, too!

It’s Whole30 time! In addition to eating right all month, I’ve committed to posting everyday as part of Blogher’s January NaBloPoMo. The theme is pressure, which seems fitting–I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself to eat clean food and blog about it every single day for a month! I probably won’t be able to share 31 new recipes, but instead will sometimes blog about how I’m feeling and what resources I’m using. I’ll be sharing lots of simple recipes, which will hopefully inspire you to get in the kitchen and whip up something healthy even if you aren’t committing to a whole Whole30.

Sparkling Sandwich Cookies (Vegan, Gluten-free, Paleo)

December 30, 2013 By Becky 9 Comments

I subscribed to Gourmet Magazine when it was still being published, and looked forward to getting it every month. The cover photographs were always stunning, but the December 2008 cover really stuck with me. The theme was cookies, and eight different gorgeous recipes were featured on the cover in different parts of the country. I got the one with these glittering lemon sandwich cookies on it, and now, five years later, I finally got around to making my own version.

These sparkling cookies are vegan, paleo, gluten-free, and perfect for New Year’s Eve. They’re also the most adorable cookies I’ve ever laid eyes on. The cookies are richly flavored thanks to the almond flour and lemon zest, and the sugar coating provides the perfect amount of crunch. I was planning to make the lemon filling from Gourmet’s recipe, but I got lazy, and instead pulled out jars of raspberry jam and dulce de leche. The tiniest amount sticks the cookies together, and provides the extra bit of sweetness that makes these sandwiches irresistible. Also, they kind of look like miniature hamburgers! How can you say no to that?

Top 13 Paleo Recipes of 2013

December 27, 2013 By Becky 4 Comments

As 2013 comes to a close, I wanted to share a roundup of my most popular paleo recipes. Hopefully these will inspire you to start the new year off with some good gluten-free, grain-free eats. I’m gearing up for a January Whole 30, so you can expect more paleo recipes that are Whole 30 compliant in the next few weeks. All of the recipes listed below are gluten-free, and I have marked them as vegan, vegetarian, and dairy-free as applicable. Happy New Year!

5 Last-Minute Christmas Treats (Gluten-free)

December 24, 2013 By Becky Leave a Comment

Did you suddenly realize you were in need of a quick but impressive dessert for Christmas day? I have five ideas for you. You probably have most of the necessary ingredients in your pantry already, but if not, stores should be open for a few more hours! Make your day merrier by whipping up one or more of these last-minute delicacies.

Chocolate Bark with infinite variations (10 minutes to make, 30 minutes to set): If you have some chocolate on hand (milk, semisweet, white–pick your favorite!), melt it, spread it on a parchment-lined sheet, and swirl in toppings of your choice. This recipe calls for pepitas and sea salt, but here are three more ideas: dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and sea salt; crushed candy canes; chopped almonds and toffee bits. After about half an hour in the freezer, just break the chocolate up into pieces and you’re done!

Mexican Brownies (15 minutes to make, 20 minutes to bake): These are a snap to make if you have paleo flour blend on hand. If not, you can measure out almond flour, tapioca starch, and coconut flour individually. If your family enjoys desserts with a little kick, they will absolutely love these!

Mexican Brownies (Gluten-free, Paleo)

December 20, 2013 By Becky 3 Comments

These brownies are SO good! Rich and fudgy in the middle and irresistibly crunchy around the edges–I can’t stop thinking about them. Their flavor is enhanced by a dose of a cinnamon and a hint of cayenne pepper, but you can totally leave those out if you want a more classic brownie.

I made a big pan of these (doubled the below recipe) for the first meeting of my school’s Spanish Club, and they were a huge hit! The meeting was at ten am, but nobody complained about being served brownies for breakfast. I made them again day before yesterday in these Christmas molds, and I was going to give them as gifts . . . but we ate them all. Restraint is futile when faced with Mexican brownies, especially if they are shaped like Christmas trees.

These brownies don’t taste gluten-free to me at all! The original recipe called for a relatively small amount of flour, so I knew it would be a great candidate for using my paleo flour blend. If you don’t have the flour blend on hand, I’ve also provided measurements for each individual type of flour. The ratio is slightly different from that of the flour blend for ease of measurement, but I have made the brownies both ways and did not notice a difference in taste or texture.

If you’re looking for a last-minute edible gift, why not whip up a batch of these Mexican brownies? Just make sure to give them away quickly before you break down and eat them all. Or, go ahead and make them for yourself for breakfast! ¡Feliz navidad a todos!

Cranberry Chocolate Truffles (Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-free)

December 18, 2013 By Becky Leave a Comment

I promise that after today’s post we will take a *short* break from all the cranberries.

Did you make a batch of cranberry maple syrup and cran-maple compote yet? You’re going to need it for these amazing cranberry chocolate truffles!

The inside of these candies is a beautiful dark pink color thanks to the cranberry maple syrup, and has just a hint of cocoa powder. The truffles are dipped in dark chocolate to make their snappy outer shell, and then sprinkled with shredded coconut or chopped pecans just before the coating has time to set. They may be the most festive thing I’ve ever made, other than this tart. They are great for gifting. I love the way the tart cranberry filling tastes with the rich dark chocolate, and I bet you and your lucky giftees will, too.

I think I just made up a word. It’s probably time to for me to stop and just get on with the recipe.

One more thing: these are adorable packaged in an egg carton. Wrap that all up and see how befuddled people are when they open it and think you’re giving them a carton of eggs for Christmas.

Cranberry Maple Syrup & Cran-Maple Compote (Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-free)

December 14, 2013 By Becky 1 Comment

You heard it here: cranberry is the new pumpkin! I am pretty much ready to put these little red super-berries in everything I make from now until Christmas. I love the depth the tart flavor of cranberries adds to desserts, and they’re great in savory dishes, too.

This recipe is so easy–just two ingredients, and you end up with two delicious and giftable condiments. The cranberry maple syrup would be great on pancakes, but I’m also thinking about incorporating it into a festive cocktail. I’ve already used it as the base for another dessert (involving chocolate) that would make a great gift, so stay tuned! If you want to be really prepared, make a batch of this now and just stash it in your fridge. I promise you won’t be sorry you did!

The cranberry compote is also delicious, and less sweet than the syrup for those of you who don’t want to get a toothache. I used some to make a parfait with yogurt and pecans this morning, and it was amazing. (Holiday parfait–it’s a thing! A delicious thing that rhymes!) You could also spread the compote on toast or even serve it with pork chops.

I had so much fun watching and listening to the cranberries pop while I was making this recipe. It’s more subtle than popcorn, but still great. I tried to make a video of it to post on Instagram, but it turns out I don’t know how to do that. Anyway, it made me think of the song “Get It Poppin’” (warning: explicit lyrics) from ten years ago–it’s a completely ridiculous Fat Joe song where he asks the ladies what they’re gon’ do, and they say “I’ma get-get-get it poppin!” over and over again. So, yes … that song has been stuck in my head since I made this. Still totally worth it, though!

Cranberry Orange Tart (Paleo, Gluten-free, Dairy-free)

December 9, 2013 By Becky 5 Comments

I had this bag of cranberries left over from Thanksgiving that was begging to be used up, and it had been far too long since I’d made any kind of a curd. I came up with an idea: a cranberry orange tart that would give me the chance to use up my cranberries, make a curd, and finally do something with my tart pan.
Read More…

Baked Eggs in Squash Rings (Paleo, Gluten-free)

December 7, 2013 By Becky 14 Comments

These baked eggs in squash rings make a healthy and simple breakfast that’s also elegant and delicious. They’re paleo and Whole 30-compliant! (New photo added August 2019, but I’ve left the old ones for posterity!)

There is a lot going on right now! I have three final exams next week, holiday parties are starting to pop up everywhere, and I’ve decided to put together a little e-cookbook for my email subscribers (click here to subscribe to make sure you get it as soon as it comes out!). Don’t ask me why I started a new project right before finals week–I just couldn’t help myself. Once I think of a fun idea, I need to get started as soon as possible.

With so much happening, it’s important to start the day off with a good, healthy breakfast. This one is elegant enough for a weekend brunch, but simple enough to make any day of the week.

Caldo Tlalpeño

December 2, 2013 By Becky 4 Comments

When I lived in Houston, I loved to stop at El Rey Taquería for a big bowl of their tortilla soup, which was packed with chicken, shredded cheese, corn, avocado, and crispy tortilla strips, and also called caldo tlalpeño. The restaurant is open until 3 am on the weekends, and has a drive-through. I miss living the easy life in H-town, with all the drive-throughs, cheap prices, and delicious Mexican food! I decided it was time to make my own caldo tlalpeño up here in the frosty north.

A little research revealed that caldo tlalpeño and tortilla soup are not really the same thing. Tortilla soup usually has tortilla strips in it (shocking, right?), and caldo tlalpeño often has chickpeas and other vegetables like chayote. This is my version of the soup, which combines the best of both worlds. If you can’t find chayote (I found mine at the Vietnamese market), you can use zucchini instead or leave it out.

Lemon Sugar Cookies (Vegan, Nut-free)

November 30, 2013 By Becky 4 Comments

I was invited to a Hanukah party last night, and needed to bring a dessert that was nut-free and vegan. I wanted to bring a traditional Hanukah dessert, but soon realized I didn’t know of any. I guess I never really made it past the mountains of latkes at my family’s Hanukah celebrations. A quick search revealed that oily, fried foods like jelly-filled doughnuts are often eaten at Hanukah, but I wasn’t about to fry up a big pile of donuts to be eaten hours later. I also don’t really like jelly-filled desserts; I feel that jelly belongs at breakfast. Since I had dreidel and Star of David cookie cutters, I decided Hanukah sugar cookies would have to be traditional enough. I also got out my snowman and snowflake cookie cutters, since winter is almost here.

My next task was to find a great vegan cookie recipe. Since the cookies had to be nut-free, I soon realized it would be very hard to make them gluten-free as well. So, these cookies are a total gluten bomb. I promise to be back with more gluten-free eats very soon!