Cauliflower Hawaiian Balls (Paleo)

This week has been ridiculously cold. To the point where I have been rather unproductive; my survival instincts have taken over and I rather curl up in a ball under the covers than do homework. Unfortunately, my professors didn’t get the memo 😦

The only comfort I got was the space heater in my basement. My brother and I would come home from school, crank the heater on high and sit in front of it until our skin literally turned red. That is, until this week when it no longer turned on. Apparently my dad did get the memo (the bill) that we were using it and he shut off the heater 😦 😦

And so, to mentally escape the cold, I am posting a rather tropical recipe today. Hey, if I can’t live in Hawaii right now, I can pretend with food, right?

(The answer to that is a resounding “yes”).    

Cauliflower Hawaiian Balls (Paleo)

Ingredients:

1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 egg

1 cup pineapple, divided

2 tbsp cilantro

1/2 tbsp garlic powder 

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup bell pepper (any color), chopped into small pieces

2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/3 cup precooked ham, chopped into small bits

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and oil a baking sheet.

In a food processor, process cauliflower until it resembles rice. Add in egg, a 1/2 cup of the pineapple, cilantro, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and process until evenly mixed.

Transfer cauliflower mixture to a bowl and mix in bell pepper, the rest of the pineapple, shredded coconut, and ham.

Roll into small balls (I get anywhere from 35-40 balls) and place on baking pan.

Bake for 35 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from tray (NOTE: Use a spatula for removal- it gets until the Hawaiian balls and lifts them with leaving anything behind).

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Butternut Squash Chocolate Truffles (Paleo)

Happy Valentines Day, everyone! And even if you’re not into the holiday and believe it was created by Hallmark, it’s the still the perfect excuse to have chocolate!

So spread the love, or keep it all to yourself (awesome thing about having a food blog- you get to do both 😉 )

Butternut Squash Chocolate Truffles 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup pureed butternut squash, COMPLETELY cooled

1/4 cup coconut butter, melted

1 tbsp pure maple syrup 

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

2 tbsp cocoa powder

Directions:

Combine squash, coconut butter, syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth and then scoop out all contents into a bowl (make sure to scape sides and bottom of food processor with a spoon as the coconut butter tends to stick!) Add in cocoa powder and stir until all the ingredients are evenly mixed. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes, but no longer. Take out, roll into small balls, coat with extra cocoa powder (if desired) and place back in fridge until ready to serve. (And for those of you who are a little hesitant, the butternut squash is completely undetectable!) 

Pear and Cheese Tarts (Grain-Free and Paleo Crust)

I now officially love Superbowl Sundays. But not for the typical American reason. In fact, this year I lied to several people about having too much homework to do to attend Superbowl parties (sorry mom and dad).

As a result, I had the house to myself and full reign in the kitchen to try out some “inventions” I’ve been itching to try.

With the Superbowl playing in the background (I had to see if I was winning any block games!), I set to work. By the time 4th quarter rolled around, I had my own array of Superbowl foods to eat all by myself. Including this. 

I believe a new tradition has just been born 🙂

Pear and Cheese Tarts (Grain-Free and Paleo Crust)

Ingredients:

1 cup tapioca flour

1/2 tbsp onion powder

1/2 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 tbsp oregano

1/2 tsp salt

pepper

1 egg

1/4 cup water

——-

1 cup shredded cheese (I used a mixture of mozzarella and gorgonzola)

1 large pear

optional: balsamic vinegar

optional: basil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine tapioca flour, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add in the egg and water and mix altogether for about 20 seconds (do NOT add extra water). The dough will be oddly gooey and slippery (don’t worry- it doesn’t stay this way). Transfer dough to a greased baking pan and allow to spread. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes. Take out, add on a layer of cheese and then top with pears. Place back in the oven for 10 more minutes. If desired, top with a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper before serving.