A Calculated Whisk

Creative paleo and gluten-free recipes

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Make Your Own Butter (plus Maple Spice Compound Butter)

October 12, 2013 By Becky Leave a Comment

When I was in kindergarten, my teacher brought in cream and we all made butter together.  I loved it, and butter-making became a Thanksgiving tradition for me–every year I make my own butter and use a cookie cutter to make it into a turkey shape.  I’ve also made butter with my own students and their families several times, and I’m always surprised at how many parents don’t know that you can easily make your own butter at home with just a jar and some heavy cream.
There is a bit of work involved, since you need to shake the jar like crazy for a while.  It’s easy with a group because you can pass the jar to the next person if you get tired, but I can still get from cream to butter in 15 minutes or less when I’m the only one shaking.
Of course, there is an easier method: pour the cream into a big bowl and beat it with an electric mixer.  However, there’s something really nice about doing it the old-fashioned way.

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Filed Under: gluten free, recipe, uncategorized, vegetarian Tagged With: butter, cream, DIY, fall, how-to, make your own, maple, pantry essentials, photo tutorial, spice

Dutch Babies Brûlée (Paleo, Gluten free)

August 27, 2013 By Becky 6 Comments

It’s almost time for me to go back to school!  This isn’t just any back-to-school, though, because after six years of leading my own classroom, I’m starting as a student again, working on a master’s in speech and language pathology.  I have orientation next week, and classes start the week after that.  Then, in October, I’ll start working with my very first client.  It’s going to be different, and I’m relishing my last week of sleeping in and making myself (and Ben, on the days he works from home) a nice breakfast.

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Filed Under: breakfast, gluten free, paleo, recipe, uncategorized Tagged With: baking, coconut flour, eggs, pancakes

Banana Pecan Pancakes

August 15, 2013 By Becky Leave a Comment

More pancakes!  In case you missed it, I’ve already made three kinds: pancakes with blueberry compote, strawberry banana pancakes, and blueberry pancakes with a secret ingredient.  So, there’s been no shortage of pancakes around here–but you can never have too many pancakes, right?

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Filed Under: breakfast, gluten free, paleo, recipe, uncategorized Tagged With: banana, dairy free, pancakes, pecan

Spicy Cocoa Chili

August 11, 2013 By Becky 2 Comments

If you are going to eat paleo, you are going to need a lot of protein in your fridge.  Otherwise, you will be constantly cranky.

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Filed Under: dinner, gluten free, paleo, recipe, uncategorized Tagged With: beef, chili, cocoa, dairy free, garlic, low carb, onions, soup, spicy

Shrimp & Zoodles with Garlic Tomato Sauce

August 6, 2013 By Becky 8 Comments

Have you ever made zoodles?  If you get yourself a julienne peeler, you can be making zucchini into low-carb noodle stand-ins in no time.  It’s actually really good.  You may not be able to fool people into thinking they are eating actual spaghetti, but I don’t think anyone will be complaining.

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Filed Under: dinner, gluten free, paleo, recipe, uncategorized Tagged With: basil, dairy free, garlic, italian, low carb, shrimp, tomato sauce, zoodles, zucchini

Blueberry Pancakes with a Secret Ingredient

August 4, 2013 By Becky 4 Comments

Okay, I know I’ve been posting a lot of pancake recipes recently.  But, I had to make these because I went berry picking yesterday, and all those adorable, sweet blueberries were begging to be made into pancakes.  And, I had to share this recipe with you because I snuck in one of my favorite secret ingredients.

It’s green.  It’s delicious.  Can you guess what it is?

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Filed Under: breakfast, gluten free, paleo, recipe, uncategorized Tagged With: almond flour, avocado, blueberry, low carb, pancakes

What I Ate in Austin: Part II

July 31, 2013 By Becky Leave a Comment

I just got back from Austin last night, and I miss it already!  Despite the sweltering heat, I love that city all of the time.  Great food, great people, and beautiful scenery.

On Sunday, we drove out to Wimberley for my cousin’s wedding.  It’s about an hour outside of Austin along Cypress creek.  Some of my cousins own a really beautiful piece of land there where my great aunt Sada used to have a sleepaway camp for girls in the forties and fifties.  My cousin and her now-husband were married outside under the pavilion, with the creek in the background.  It was so pretty!  Some of the trees there (like the big cypress on the other side of the river in this picture) are over 1,000 years old.

After the ceremony, we had barbecue from Franklin for lunch.  I was really glad to get to try Franklin at the wedding, because unless you order a large amount for a party, you have to wait in line to get served before they run out.  The line starts before nine even though they don’t open until eleven.  That is too intense for me!  I thought the barbecue was very good–we had brisket, sausage, ribs, and pork.  I am not sure it was the best barbecue I have ever tasted, but I did enjoy it.  I’m glad I didn’t have to wait in line for two hours to get it!

For dessert, we had chocolate cake, peach cobbler, my almond blueberry pie bars, and Blue Bell vanilla ice cream.  I know I might be biased, but my mom and I both thought my pie bars were the best part.  They are SO good with vanilla ice cream on top.  A couple of people at the wedding were gluten-free and especially appreciated having them, but everyone really enjoyed them and we took home an empty platter.
The next morning, we were back at Texas French Bread for breakfast.  I know it’s boring, but I think we ate there almost every morning.  I didn’t get tired of it though, because it’s so good.  It’s also only a ten-minute walk from my aunt’s house, and usually that’s as far as we could stumble first thing in the morning.  I walked down there and my mom and aunt came later in the car.  I was hungry and they take forever to get out the door!
One day I had this delicious egg white omelet, which is stuffed with roast chicken cooked with tomatoes and onions and jack cheese, and topped with avocado.  The next day I had the breakfast tostadas: two crispy tortillas topped with black beans, cheese, fried eggs, delicious salsa, and avocado.  I think those were my very favorite.  I have to tell you that Texas French Bread also serves dinner.  I went with four of my relatives and forgot to take pictures, but everything was amazing.  I had roast chicken with fabulously crisp skin topped with chili oil, and it came with grilled eggplant and tomato and an arugula salad.  I REALLY wish there were a Texas French Bread in Boston.  I brought home a bag of their coffee for Ben, so at least we have that.
On Monday night, my mom and I got a late start and weren’t hungry for dinner until almost eleven o’clock.  We headed over to Kerbey Lane Cafe, which is open 24 hours a day.  I have a huge soft spot for places that serve breakfast around the clock.
I ordered migas, and they were delicious.  If you haven’t tried migas, you will probably love it:  it’s eggs scrambled with tortilla chips, tomatoes, jalapeños, and cheese, sometimes with salsa on top.  At Kerbey you can choose your sauce, so I got queso.  It was a very satisfying breakfast dinner.
I have one more restaurant to share with you, and it’s Threadgill’s.  Threadgill’s has been around since the thirties and started off as a gas station that got the first beer & wine license in the city.  They’ve always featured live music, and Janis Joplin used to play there every Wednesday when she was in Austin.  Apparently she was paid two dollars plus all the beer she could drink.
See the guy on top of the roof fixing something?  I felt bad for him, because it was SO hot.  I hope they gave him all the beer he could drink when he was finished!
Threadgill’s has good country food, and a huge selection of vegetables.  They use the word “vegetables” broadly: the vegetables section includes sides such as macaroni & cheese and garlic cheese grits in addition to actual vegetables like collard greens and asparagus.  Most dishes come with any two vegetables, and that’s my favorite part.  Also, I THINK you can still get unlimited free refills of your veggie sides, but I never have room for that.  I ordered the pecan-crusted chicken, and while I didn’t love the sauce (too much cornstarch), I did LOVE both my sides: fried okra and macaroni and cheese.  My mom got blackened catfish with Cajun spices, and that was also really good.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my Austin eats!  If you have any favorite Austin restaurants you forgot to tell me about, leave them in the comments and I’ll try them next time.

Filed Under: restaurants, travel, uncategorized Tagged With: Austin, Texas

What I Ate in Austin: Part I

July 27, 2013 By Becky Leave a Comment

After getting up at 4:45 in the morning to catch our flight, my mom and I landed in Austin around 10:30 yesterday.  Once we were settled in at my aunt’s apartment, we got lunch at Texas French Bread.  It’s practically around the corner from my aunt’s place, and in addition to baked goods, offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner featuring local ingredients.  My mom and I both got the roasted quail salad, which was simple and delicious: perfectly roasted quail, tender beets, walnuts, and arugula with a red wine vinaigrette.
On the way out, we saw the coolest thing: a stone bundt cake!  There was a whole one (see picture below), and a piece of one serving as a doorstop.  I love this idea and am tempted to make my own cement-and-pebble bundt cake when I get home.  Made in mini bundt cake pans, they would make really cute paperweights.  I’m not sure how the process would go, though–would I still be able to bake cakes in my bundt pan after that?
When we got back to the apartment, I took an amazing two-hour nap, and spent some time snuggling with my aunt’s cat, Mr. Plumpius.  Isn’t he fabulous and ridiculous?  I love big cats.
We had some Tex-mex for dinner, which wasn’t bad at all, but not fabulous enough to share with you.
After reading about it on What’s Gaby Cooking, I made brunch reservations at La Condesa for today.  I loved it!  My mom and I met up with one of her childhood friends there, and we had the best time.  My mom and I both got Huevos Condesa (she keeps copying my orders because she knows I pick the best dishes), which consisted of free-range rotisserie chicken, bacon, potatoes, spinach, and poblano peppers with fried eggs and a delicious ranchero-style sauce on top.  I cheated on my whole30 and ate the cotija cheese that came on top AND a few corn tortillas.  Shame.

 

The waiter heard it was my mom’s birthday, so he brought over a delicious treat on the house: a scoop of cake batter ice cream and a pecan sandy.  Since I had already cheated, and it was her BIRTHDAY, I had a few bites.  Double shame.  The ice cream was really good, though.  It reminded me of the cake batter lip gloss I loved so much in middle school.
I didn’t get any pictures of it because my phone ran out of battery, but the interior at La Condesa was really fun.  One whole wall was a colorful mural, and there were all sorts of fun lights and lanterns hanging everywhere.  There was an upstairs section with a bar and some armchair seating, and two outdoor patios with lots of fun cacti planters.
After brunch, my mom and I headed over to the mother of all Whole Foods stores: the Lamar flagship store.  If you’re a Whole Foods fan and find yourself in Austin, you have to check it out.  It’s like a small town.  There’s a bar, a walk-through beer refrigerator, and several cafe sections with seating that serve different kinds of food, including barbecue.  There is also a fun slanted escalator you can go down with your grocery cart on the way out.  Since the wedding tomorrow includes a potluck dinner, we picked up ingredients to make a paleo & gluten-free version of these almond blueberry pie bars.  Stay tuned for the results!
One more picture to share:  I spotted this sign in a little rotary on the way to Texas French Bread.  You know all those Keep Austin Weird stickers?  Whoever doctored up this sign is helping with that, and I love it.
One more thing I love about being in Texas: my mom gets her accent back!  All of a sudden, “yes” is a two-syllable word.
That’s it for now, y’all.

Filed Under: restaurants, travel, uncategorized Tagged With: Austin, Texas

10 Delicious Recipes Paleoified

July 25, 2013 By Becky Leave a Comment

I am going strong on the fourth day of my Whole30!  I’ve been taking a look at my recipe index, trying to find more recipes I can tweak to make them paleo.  I like variety, and it can’t ALL be about almond flour pancakes and zucchini noodles.  The more dishes I have in my paleo arsenal, the more likely I am to successfully stay full and on track.

This weekend is going to be a big challenge, because I’m heading down to Austin for my cousin’s wedding.  It’s going to be really hard to say no to tacos and wedding cake!  I’m thinking about relaxing my standards a TINY bit while I’m there…nothing too crazy, but maybe a little barbecue sauce.  Do you guys know any great Austin restaurants where I might be able to get great food without straying too far from my paleo intentions?  If you do, leave me a comment!  I’ll take some pictures while I’m out and about and share with you when I get back.

So, without further ado, here are ten recipes from my index along with easy ways to make sure they’re paleo.

1.  Gambas al ajillo–this recipe is ALREADY paleo!  It would be great over zucchini noodles.

2.  Baked Eggs with Chives–omit the parmesan and use coconut milk instead of the cream (or just leave that out).  This would be great with some more herbs added in, too.  If you haven’t tried baked eggs, get on it!

3.  Berry Coconut Smoothie–leave out the protein powder, or use a paleo version (I just discovered this site and haven’t tried their products, but it looks interesting!).

4.  Chocolate Mousse–sweeten with honey to taste instead of sugar.  If you haven’t tried this, check it out–there is a secret ingredient and it’s SO easy and decadent!

 

5.  Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Creamy Rutabaga–use coconut milk instead of the milk or cream.
6.  Vietnamese Pork & Vermicelli Bowl–omit the sugar and vermicelli (add more veggies if you like), use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, and cook the scallions in coconut oil instead of canola oil.
7.  Garlic Honey Grilled Shrimp–already paleo!
8.  Spring Salad with Citrusy Shallot Vinaigrette–already paleo.  It would be great with some of the garlic honey grilled shrimp on top!
9.  Jerk Chicken with Avocado & Papaya Salad–omit the sugar from the jerk seasoning.
10.  Coconut Frappuccino–sweeten with honey instead of agave nectar.
If you have any links to paleo recipes you love, leave them in the comments!

Filed Under: gluten free, paleo, uncategorized Tagged With: dairy free, healthy, low carb, recipe roundup

Sesame Lime Steak, Zucchini, & Avocado Salad

July 24, 2013 By Becky 1 Comment

After all those pancakes, I was ready for some meat.  I cooked this steak on my George Foreman grill which, I’m ashamed to admit, had been riding in the trunk of my car ever since I moved back up from Houston two years ago.  No worse for the wear, the grill worked fine when I finally brought it inside today.  You can also cook your steak on a real grill or stovetop in a grill pan or heavy skillet.
This salad is my first attempt at using zucchini as noodles.  I think in this recipe it really works.  You aren’t tricked into thinking you’re eating real noodles, but the long, thin noodle shape is the perfect vehicle for the sauce, and the raw zucchini still has a little bit of a crunch to it.
Another ingredient note: this recipe calls for coconut aminos, which are a paleo replacement for soy sauce.  In my opinion, the flavor is very similar.  You won’t taste any coconut here.  If you’re looking for coconut aminos, I found mine at Whole Foods.  You can also just substitute soy sauce if you’re not avoiding soy.

Ingredients (serves 2):

For the steak:

2/3 pound thin sliced top round steak (or another thin cut)
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon red chili paste
Juice of half a lime

For the salad:

2 zucchini, cut or peeled into thin, noodle-like matchsticks
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon almond butter
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon coconut aminos
1 tablespoon apple juice
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds
Lime wedges

To make the marinade, combine all ingredients in a shallow bowl and toss with the steak to coat.  Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to two hours.  If you marinate in the refrigerator, take the meat out 30 minutes before you plan to cook it to let it come to room temperature.

Heat a George Foreman grill or a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook the steak to your desired doneness.  Set steaks aside on a plate, covered.

In a medium bowl, combine the almond butter, sesame oil, coconut aminos, and apple juice to make a smooth sauce.  Toss the zucchini to coat it with the sauce, and divide the zucchini between two plates.  Slice the steak into strips and place it on top of the zucchini.  Top the steak with the avocado slices and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.  Serve warm or chilled with lime wedges.

 

Filed Under: gluten free, paleo, recipe, uncategorized Tagged With: Asian, avocado, dairy free, healthy, lime, low carb, salad, sesame, steak, zucchini

Strawberry Banana Pancakes

July 23, 2013 By Becky Leave a Comment

The almond flour pancakes I made a few days ago were so good that I was eager to try another version of paleo pancakes.  This time, I was inspired by a cinnamon banana pancake recipe in Easy Paleo Diet Recipes, and added a twist to make them even better.

Do you have a favorite diner?  Mine is the Maugus, which is just down the street from my mom’s apartment in my hometown.  It’s run by a big Greek family, and the hardest part of being a regular there is when they close for three weeks every summer to go to Greece.  They are closed right now and I have to tell you, it has been rough.  One of my favorite things to get there is pancakes–their pancakes are HUGE!  I’m a big fan of both the strawberry and the banana pancakes.  They have nice rounds of freshly sliced fruit cooked right in.  They will even make you pancakes with both strawberries AND bananas if you can’t decide.  And, if you are not into fruity pancakes (who are you and why are you still reading?) you can get chocolate chip pancakes or cinnamon walnut french toast.

Anyway, inspired by the Maugus, I put sliced strawberries into these banana pancakes.  The banana is mashed up with the batter so the pancakes do not have a strong banana flavor, but they are pleasantly reminiscent of banana bread.  And if you have never tried sliced strawberries in your pancakes, you HAVE to.  They are cooked just to the point of being fabulously juicy, and it is much more exciting than just putting sliced strawberries on top of your pancakes.  Trust me.

Since I am doing the Whole 30 for real now, I omitted the honey from the original recipe.  However, with the bananas and the strawberries, I thought these pancakes were sweet enough.  I ate mine with the extra banana and strawberry slices on top and a little butter, and my boyfriend enjoyed his with some syrup.

Ingredients (serves 2; makes 6-7 pancakes):

1 and 1/2 cups almond flour
1/3 cup mashed banana (about half a medium banana–slice the rest to serve with the pancakes)
3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons coconut milk
4 eggs
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, thinly sliced, plus extra for serving
Butter or coconut oil for cooking

Combine all the ingredients except the strawberries in a food processor and process until smooth.  Heat some oil or butter in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat.  When the skillet is hot (a drop of water will dance across the surface), add about 1/4 cup of batter.  Place some strawberry slices on top.  Cook until many bubbles have formed on the surface (the bottom should be browned).  Carefully slide a large spatula under the pancake and flip it quickly.  If you flip these pancakes too soon or use a small spatula, you may lose some of your strawberries during the turn.  Cook for a minute or less on the second side, until browned and cooked through.  Add more oil or butter before cooking a second pancake.  Top with fresh fruit and butter if desired and serve hot.

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

Filed Under: breakfast, gluten free, paleo, recipe, uncategorized Tagged With: almond flour, banana, dairy free, pancakes, strawberry

Almond Pancakes with Blueberry Compote (Paleo, Gluten-free)

July 21, 2013 By Becky Leave a Comment

Pancakes!  The perfect breakfast food.  When I spotted a recipe for almond flour pancakes in one of the paleo cookbooks I picked up, I was eager to try it.  Surprisingly, these pancakes are a lot like regular pancakes.  Since the batter is made in the food processor, it’s nice and smooth without any noticeable chunks of almond.  These pancakes also make a hearty and high-protein breakfast since the recipe calls for four eggs.  With the blueberry compote and a few sliced almonds on top, you will be in your pancake happy place.  I’m starting to think regular flour is totally superfluous!

Ingredients (makes 6 large pancakes; serves 2):

For the blueberry compote:

1 and 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I used frozen)
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon honey, or to taste
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

For the almond pancakes (adapted from Easy Paleo Diet Recipes):

1 and 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs

Butter or coconut oil for cooking
Sliced almonds, for serving

To make the blueberry compote, place all ingredients in a saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until some of the blueberries have collapsed and the liquid is syrupy, 10-15 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

To make the pancakes, process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  Heat the butter or coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat, and add about 1/4 cup of batter.  Cook the pancake until the top is covered with bubbles.  Flip and cook until golden on the other side.  Add a little more butter or oil before cooking the next pancake.

Serve hot with blueberry compote and sliced almonds.

 

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

Filed Under: breakfast, gluten free, paleo, recipe, uncategorized Tagged With: almond, blueberry, low carb, pancakes

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