Today, we’ll be making the marathon 10 hour drive from GA to OH (make that 14 with the kids?). I’m glad to be on our way to getting settled in our new home, but it will be a long and bittersweet day, for sure. While I’m listening to my “Leaving GA” playlist and sobbing on the road, you get the treat of meeting Allison from The Sprouting Seed!

Allison is a nutritionist with a B.S. in Nutritional Science and a full-time mom. She got her start as a nutritionist and breastfeeding counselor at WIC. This was before she moved half way across the world to live in Central Europe, where she learned about real food, vibrant health, and traditional methods of preparation. Allison has found a way to make friends with little old ladies around the world and loves to share their time-tested secrets of life.

So glad to have her here on the blog today. And with a dynamite recipe for broccoli salad, no less! I am normally not a mayo fan.. but I think I will have to try her homemade mayo recipe– it looks amazing.

Broccoli is my favorite veggie. But I’ll be honest, I usually like it one way and one way only: lightly steamed, then sautéed with garlic. It’s simple, delicious, and I rarely feel the need to broaden my broccoli repertoire.

Lately, however, things have changed. I’ve been jazzing up all my vegetable dishes and not even broccoli could escape my creative streak. I started by frying zucchini fritters and grating cauliflower into “rice”. Then, I broke away from the well-beaten path of my broccoli recipe and ventured into new terrain. What did I make? Well, Broccoli Salad, of course!

This salad is hearty and delicious. It features raw broccoli, a homemade mayonnaise dressing and, you guessed it, bacon! I originally made it as a side dish, but lately I’ve been loving a big bowl of Broccoli Salad for dinner. It’s easy to whip up and sure to please. As an added bonus–using homemade mayonnaise instead of the store-bought version turns this dish into a powerhouse of nutrients. Bon Appetite!

Broccoli Salad with Homemade Mayo (Guest Post)

 

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Author: Allison Jordan

Recipe type: SIde Dish, Salad

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 heads of broccoli, stalks removed, cut into small florets
• 6-8 slices of bacon
• ¼ purple onion, finely diced
• ½ cup crispy pecans, chopped
• ¼ cup dried cranberries or raisins
• ¾ cup homemade mayonnaise (recipe found here: http://thesproutingseed.com/homemade-mayonnaise/)
• 3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp raw, local honey

Instructions

1. In a skillet, fry bacon over medium high heat until evenly crisp. Remove the bacon, drain excess grease and crumble the bacon into small pieces.
2. In medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar and honey and whisk until combined. Mix in broccoli florets, cranberries, and onion. Toss ingredients until the broccoli is thoroughly coated with the mayonnaise dressing.Just before serving, add the bacon and crispy pecans.

#version#

We like eggs.

You might already know that. (The backyard chickens are a dead giveaway, no?)

Since we’re moving, we said our goodbyes to the chickies a few weeks ago and they moved in with our friends across town. We no longer have eggs 24/7, which feels really weird. And it means I have to BUY eggs, just like everyone else. Not only do I have to buy them, but I have to buy them in flats (2 1/2 doz) instead of dozens because we can seriously tear. up. some. eggs.

Sometimes I get two flats at a time. And they disappear. Because we really like eggs.

My personal preference is a runny yolk, but not too runny. I like it where it just oozes slowly down your plate and you can dip stuff into it. YUM. Baked eggs are a perfect way to get my fix in this department (although I cooked them just a bit harder than I like in the ones pictured).

You can’t see it too well in the photos, but there’s spinach and bacon hiding underneath those eggs. An awesome surprise to find at the bottom of your breakfast dish. Or lunch or dinner.. or brunch, or midnight snack.

Eggs for President!

One of these dishes was filling enough for one person, but if you’re serving it alongside something else, I’d suggest splitting it up into 4 smaller ramekins. Add some toast/fruit/yogurt/salad and you can spread that meal a little further.

And let’s not forget to mention the cheese. I used raw cheddar, but I think fontina, havarti (GAPS-friendly), parmesan or gruyere would all be excellent choices. You can also skip the cheese entirely, if that’s your thing. The eggs can hold their own.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Baked Eggs with Spinach and Bacon

 

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Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Breakfast, Brunch

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bacon
• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup of shredded cheese (I chose raw cheddar)
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup heavy cream or coconut milk (optional)
• chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and butter 2-4 small oven-safe dishes.
2. In a hot skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Set aside. In the same skillet, wilt the fresh spinach.
3. Fill the dishes with the spinach, then top with the bacon (I suggest crumbling the bacon a bit- I left mine in small strips and I would have rather had it crumbled or chopped). Add a bit of the cheese (reserving some to top the eggs), then add the eggs on top of that. Pour a bit of cream on top of the eggs, then add the remaining cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on how set you like your egg yolks. I would check them around 10 minutes (especially if you like your eggs runny).
5. Top with the parsley and serve immediately.

#version#

Sweet potatoes, bacon, poached eggs.

My darlings.

I have been eating this combination regularly for weeks and I just can’t get enough. I am a like a bottomless pit of eggs and bacon- the vegetables are just thrown in for variety and nutrition (and because we would go bankrupt eating pastured bacon every day). These three ingredients are always in my house, so this is one of my favorite go-to meals when I haven’t planned ahead (I told you I need to take my own meal planning advice).

Have you ever poached an egg? You don’t have to poach the eggs for this meal if you don’t want to. (I am certainly not against frying them, you know me.) But why does poaching seem so fancy? It’s really just dropping an egg in some simmering water for a few minutes and scooping it out. I was scared of doing it until I bit the bullet and tried it out.. now it’s my go-to method.

I would gladly fry my eggs up in some butter, but I still haven’t mastered the art of frying eggs in stainless steel pans without breaking the yolks (there you go.. my secret’s out). So poaching the eggs is actually the lazy way in my house. We take our eggs seriously so I don’t want to risk wasting one on an already-doomed experiment in stainless steel. Is there any magical tip out there that I need to know? I mean, I’m cool with eating poached eggs all the time, but a girl needs a fried egg now and then, too.

Three more things:

1) I called this Sunrise Breakfast Hash because Sweet Potato, Yellow Pepper, Turnip, Onion and Bacon Hash was just not happening. Also, because it’s bright and sunny looking..

2) If I have spinach or arugula or another leafy green around, I will top it with the hash and egg for a yummy salad- no dressing required!  You can also add other root vegetables to the mix if you don’t like turnips- try rutabagas, parsnips or butternut squash if you like.

3) I am really not trying to make all of my food look like hearts (see the butter on these muffins?). It’s just happening spontaneously (except for my Valentine’s veggies). But feel free to take it as a secret love message. XOXO!

Sunrise Breakfast Hash with Poached Eggs

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 4 slices of thick cut bacon (pastured/grass-fed if you can find it)
• 1 sweet potato or yam, peeled and chopped
• 1 turnip, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 yellow or orange sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
• water or broth/stock
• 2-4 fresh eggs (they poach better)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider or white vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon until crisp. Let cool; chop or crumble, then set aside.
2. Using the bacon grease, lard, coconut oil or grass-fed butter (like Kerrygold), heat a saute pan (that has a lid) over medium heat. Add the sweet potato, turnip, onion and sweet pepper and saute for a few minutes until the mixture begins to brown.
3. Add some water or stock to the pan. It should be hot enough that it begins to steam. Put the lid on the pan and let the vegetables cook until tender (the sweet potatoes will take longest. check them with a fork to make sure they are soft). You may add more liquid if necessary. Be sure to stir it around so the vegetables don’t stick or burn.
4. While the vegetables are cooking, put a small saucepan filled ⅔ full with water on the stove and bring to a simmer. Add the vinegar. Do not bring to a full boil. When the water is just simmering, drop in your eggs carefully by a large spoon or measuring cup, one at a time. They will spread a bit and some foam will rise to the top of the water- that is normal.
5. Cook until your desired doneness- 6-7 minutes for a runny yolk, 8-10 for soft cooked yolk and longer for a hard cooked yolk. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and let them drip dry.
6. To plate, mix the bacon with the vegetables and transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl. Top with the poached egg and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

3.1.09

You guys, I bought a donut pan!

I found it at T.J. Maxx for like five bucks, so it basically jumped in my cart and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Now we can have donuts together every day!

I want to know who came up with the maple bacon combo first. I would like to shake that person’s hand. And then give them a hug that lasts too long and gets awkward. Because I love bacon and maple syrup together- it’s the work of a genius.

Maple bacon. Get on the bandwagon, friends!

As most of my treats have been lately, these are grain-free, gluten-free and paleo (as long as you use the appropriate sweeteners). These types of treats are probably supposed to be occasional.. but I ate two of them in one day. Just keepin’ it real for you. They’re good!

Are you guys enjoying the new recipes lately or did you prefer the old ones? I want to keep bringing you recipes that you would actually like to make some time. Can I get a little feedback? Be honest if you don’t like all the paleo stuff, but be kind.

These pictures keep making me lose my train of thought.. gah, these donuts were good! I love bacon and maple syrup and butter. The end.

5.0 from 4 reviews

Maple Bacon Donuts (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo)

 

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Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Breakfast, Baked Goods, Dessert

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• ½ cup coconut flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ cup unrefined sugar (I used date sugar, you could try coconut sugar or maple sugar as well.)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon maple extract
• 2 tablespoons applesauce
• ½ cup coconut milk or cow’s milk
• 6 tablespoons grass-fed butter (such as Kerrygold) at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon maple extract
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon (or more if you like)
• 3-4 pieces of bacon, cooked

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a donut pan with butter or cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the coconut flour, baking soda and unrefined sugar. Make sure there are no lumps (break the lumps up with your fingers if you need to).
3. In another bowl, whisk eggs, maple syrup, maple extract, applesauce and milk. Add to the coconut flour mixture and mix until thick and smooth.
4. Spoon the batter into a piping bag and pipe the batter into the donut pan (You can spoon it in, but it will be messy- the piping bag makes it really easy to fill the pan). Bake the donuts for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.
5. While the donuts are cooling, make the maple buttercream. In a stand mixer, combine the butter, maple syrup, maple extract and cinnamon until well combined. When the donuts are completely cool, spread on the buttercream and top with bacon. Keep in an airtight container- the donuts are best eaten within a day or two.

#version#

(inspired by Martha Stewart, Michael Ruhlman and Nom Nom Paleo.)

Chocolate Bacon Truffles (with a Dairy-Free option)

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

2 hours

Total time

2 hours 30 mins

 

Dairy-free changes are indicated in the recipe. If you’d like to lower the sugar content, you can always skip the candied bacon and just use cooked, crumbled bacon instead (saves time, too!).

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

• 8 oz bittersweet or dark chocolate
• 8 oz milk, bittersweet or dark chocolate (this is based on what flavors you like- milk will make them smoother and sweeter if you aren’t into dark chocolate)
• 1⅓ cup heavy cream (or full fat coconut milk for dairy-free)
• 1 vanilla bean, scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 11 tablespoons good quality, unsalted butter at room temperature (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
• 8 oz good quality bacon (look for natural, pastured, nitrate-free, wood-smoked, amazingly delicious, etc)
• ½ cup Sucanat or turbinado sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 16 oz more chocolate, for dipping
• sea salt or smoked sea salt (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large glass bowl, melt the 16 ounces of chocolate in a large bowl.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the cream and vanilla bean/extract to 120 degrees (warm, but not boiling). Remove from the heat. If using the vanilla bean, let the milk steep for a few minutes and then remove the bean.
3. Add the cream mixture to the melted chocolate and stir until combined. Add the butter or coconut oil and combine with a stick blender (or whisk very, very quickly). Scrape down the sides of the bowl and put in the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours or up to overnight. Cover it with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
4. To make the bacon topping, cut the bacon into small pieces and fry until crisp. Strain the bacon over a small bowl, reserving the bacon fat (you should have around ⅓ cup). Combine the cooked bacon pieces, sugar and water and bring to a boil. Cook until caramel-colored and most of the water is gone (about 275 degrees). Add the baking soda and quickly stir (it will foam up a little) and pour onto a parchment-lined pan. Refrigerate or freeze until firm. Break up with your fingers into small pieces or put into a food processor or blender to make it look more like bacon “dust.”
5. To finish the truffles, scoop out the cold truffle filling by the tablespoon and and roll into balls. Return to the fridge if they start to warm up too much. When you’re ready to dip them, melt the additional chocolate with the reserved bacon fat until smooth. Drop each ball into the melted chocolate, pull out with a long-tined fork and tap on the edge of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate. Place on a parchment-lined pan and sprinkle with the bacon topping and salt, if using. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

3.1.09

1. Something is not right when your properly-working-AC is chugging along 24/7 just to keep your house under 82 degrees.
2. RIP to four of our chickens. Four! 108 degrees is brutal. And sorry to whatever poor garbage man has to pick up our trash tomorrow.. ugh.
3. Yesterday was the first time I swam in a lukewarm pool. And it was before 10AM. And it was refreshing.

Joy’s BLT Corn Salad Wraps

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Find the original recipe at http://joythebaker.com/2012/06/blt-corn-salad-wraps/

Author: Joy the Baker

Recipe type: Appetizer, Main

Ingredients

• 3 ears of corn, shucked (she charred hers, I did not)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• ½ cup chopped green onions (I used white onion here)
• 1 avocado, diced
• 3 sliced crisp cooked bacon, diced
• juice of 1 lime
• about 1 tablespoon olive oil (I used roasted garlic grapeseed oil- YUM)
• salt and pepper to taste
• a good sprinkling of chili powder and smokey paprika
• butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce leaves
• hot sauce and sour cream for topping

Instructions

1. Shuck corn on the cob of all their husks and strings. Over a gas burner, or on the flame grill, char raw corn. Rotate corn until cob is charred on all sides. Allow corn to cool before slicing corn kernels from the cob. This invariably creates corn shrapnel all over the kitchen counter.
2. Add corn kernels to a medium bowl. Top with sliced cherry tomatoes, green onion, diced avocado, and diced bacon. Squeeze in lime juice. Top with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and slices. Stir to combine. Taste and re-season accordingly.
3. Rinse and clean individual lettuce leaves. Serve alongside a bowl of corn salad to serve. To enjoy, scoop corn salad into lettuce leaves, top with hot sauce, sour cream, fold up like a taco and eat em up!

3.1.09