Gillyweed (AKA Spinach Balls) (Paleo)

It’s July 31st! And anyone who reads Harry Potter knows that today’s Harry’s birthday. To celebrate every year, I gather with some friends to re-watch some Harry Potter movies and eat some wizarding world-inspired food. It might sound kinda silly but hey- tradition is tradition.

Last year, we made cauldron cakes, pumpkin pasties, cockroach clusters, and… gillyweed! In the magical world, gillyweed allowed for Harry to breathe underwater in the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. For muggles (the non-magical population- read as YOU) this gillyweed is my version of spinach balls. (Yes, I know, it doesn’t match the book’s depiction, but it is green and weird looking).

Even after Harry Potter day last year, I continued to have these spinach balls because they were quick, good to take on the go, and super tasty! In fact, I often eat several for breakfast!

And now that you all know how odd I am… happy July 31st!

Gillyweed (AKA Spinach Balls) (Paleo)

Ingredients: 

3/4 cup cashew butter

1 egg

1/4 cup chopped onion (do NOT add more- will have the batter too runny) 

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp salt

Pepper

1/2 tbsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

4 cups fresh spinach

2 tbsp coconut flour

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and grease a baking sheet. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor (you might have to add the spinach in slowly) and blend until all throughly combined and green throughout. With a spoon, scoop batter onto baking sheet. Place in the oven for 12 minutes, flip gillyweed over, and place back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Let cool before eating. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge. My opinion? The gillyweed tastes even better the next day!

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Double Chocolate Chip Cake (Paleo)

Chocolate cake time! Tomorrow is my brother’s 18th birthday and since I won’t be seeing him then, we’re having cake tonight! I’ve been working with this recipe for a while now and am so happy to have perfected it in time.

The recipe makes one layer. I was too lazy to make layer II, so I just cut the layer in half and placed the one half on top of the other (with homemade “frosting” in between, of course) to make a half cake. Since there’s only 3 people here to eat the cake, this is the perfect amount for us. However, feel free to double or triple the size to feed a crowd!

Double Chocolate Chip Cake (Paleo)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut oil, softened

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/3 cup cacao powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

pinch of stevia

3 tbsp coconut flour

3 tbsp chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and oil a 8-inch diameter springform pan.

In a food processor, pulse together coconut oil, sugar, and vanilla. Add in eggs and pulse again. Add in cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, stevia, and coconut flour until all the ingredients are combined. Stir in your chocolate chips.

Transfer and spread the batter into your pan. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Once done, let cool before moving.

*Makes 1 layer.

**I cut the one layer in half and place one on top of the other for a half cake.

Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookies (Paleo)

Goodness gracious, I feel like I’m getting old.

Friday was my little brother’s high school graduation. But in my mind, I still see him as 12 years old. Which doesn’t actually make too much sense as he’s now a foot taller than me

So just in name of reliving childhood a bit, Ive got a chocolate chip cookie recipe to share! Ok, so there’s avocado in it. But come on, coming from me, what else do you expect?

IMPORTANT TIP WHEN MAKING THESE: I don’t know if it’s just me, but baked avocados kinda have a weird taste. Luckily, I’ve learned the secret to using them in a baked good: Wait a few hours (or preferably the next day) before digging in! Not only does all traces of avocado disappear, but the baked good gets a super rich taste and the avocado prevents the cookies from getting hard/stale! I recommend making these at night to have the next day, or in the morning to have later that night.

Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookies (Paleo)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup tapioca flour

1/3 cup coconut flour

1/3 cup honey

1/2 tbsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 avocado

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of stevia

3 tbsp chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a baking sheet. Place all ingredients (except the chocolate chips) in a food processor and blend. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon cookie batter onto the baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes. Makes 18-20 cookies.

Banana Bars (Grain-Free)

I’ve been revisiting some of my old posts recently to see if I can make any minor improvements. This is a rather fun job for me as it involves a lot of taste testing! Plus, it’s a bit of a trip down memory lane (Hello, May 2012!). Good lord, how embarrassing some of my posts are…

While scrolling along, I came across my Carrot Bar recipe, which immediately made me start thinking of possible variations. The result? Banana bars!

Banana Bars

Ingredients: 

1 cup mashed banana (about 3 bananas)

3/4 cup plain yogurt

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup honey

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tbsp flaxseed

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup coconut flour

Optional: 1/4 cup coconut flakes

Optional: 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Optional: 1/4 cup chopped almonds

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13×9 baking dish.

Combine all ingredients (except chocolate chips and almonds) in a food processor and blend until a thick batter is formed. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds, if using. Spread batter in the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting and eating.

Protein Waffles (Grain-Free)

Simply put, waffles are awesome. I could (and do) eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Leftovers make great sandwich bread as well (especially when toasted)!

And with these waffles, you get a major boost of protein. As if I need another reason to eat them. Without further ado…

Protein Waffles (Grain-Free)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup vanilla or maple-syrup flavored whey protein powder (I use Dr. Mercola’s brand)

1/3 cup coconut flour

2 tbsp tapioca flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 pinch of stevia

1 cup water

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

Directions:

Spray your waffle maker with oil and place on medium-high heat. In a bowl, whisk together all of your ingredients. Spread in your waffle maker and let cook until desired softness/crispiness (about 2 minutes).