Pizza Crust - Gluten, Grain, and Dairy Free

Primal Pizza Crusts
servings ( 2 med pizzas or 6-7 individual sized pizzas)


4 cups Tapioca flour
1/4 cup Potato Flour
heaping 1/2 cup   Potato Starch
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
Preferred Spices & Herbs ( I have used Garlic Powder, Caraway Seeds, Basil, Oregano, or Italian Seasoning - or mixture thereof.)

4 eggs
1/2 cup olive oil
approximately 2/3 cup water (start with 1/2 cup and drizzle more if too dry.  Dough should be soft, but not terribly sticky.)



In food processor with dough blade/hook, pulse the dry ingredients a few times.  Add wet ingredients, pulse a few times, then hit the "Dough" button.  Stop and scrape down if needed.

As stated above, stop when dough is soft, pliable, and not sticky.

Pre-bake on greased metal pans for 15 minutes @ 375 degrees. OR  Roll out and bake on hot stones for 15-20 minutes.

Top with your favorite sauce and toppings.  Finish baking another 15 minutes.

Hamburger Buns and Flatbread

This is a recipe that was based on a recipe from a paleo cookbook.  My family has now claimed it as the go-to recipe for me to use.  Enjoy!

Makes approximately 18 rounds or 9 pair (buns).

1-1/2 cup finely ground, blanched almond flour
1-1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
2/3 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
water to thin to desired consistency

You many also add whatever dry spices or herbs you'd like to up the flavor of your bread.

Whisk well.  Consistence should end up being the thickness of waffle batter.

Spray or grease your desired pan.  I use a 2 tbsp. scoop to get the above number of servings. 
Bake at 375 for 14-18 minutes depending on your cookie sheet or stoneware, and the oven.

Rounds will turn a light golden color, and should not be doughy on the underside.

(For flat bread to cut into squares - just pour our onto greased/sprayed cookie sheet or stoneware.

Snickerdoodles

Paleo Snickerdoodle Cookies
Yield: 16 cookies


2 cups Almond flour
1/3 cup Maple syrup
1/3 cup Coconut oil (room temperature)
1 Egg
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 cup Coconut sugar (for coating)
1 Tbsp Cinnamon (for coating)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine coconut sugar and cinnamon for coating and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together maple syrup and coconut oil using a wooden spoon (or in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment).  Add egg and beat until well combined.  Add almond flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix well.  Roll dough into balls using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, then roll in cinnamon sugar to coat.  Gently flatten in palm (about 1/3 inch thick), and place on parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Let cool on baking sheet for 3-4 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
Enjoy!!

Primal Cooking Circle - July 3rd, 2014

I had the privilege of getting together with two wonderful ladies who are wanting to learn how I cook and transition to the primal way of food. Either that... or they're kind and humoring me. ;)  Either way, I want to thank Nicole, and Rachel for being gracious students and wonderful company.  I look forward to getting together with you again.

In the meantime, I promised I would post the recipes we used, and I will also work on getting more recipes up as well.  For today, we have the Primal Enchiladas,  my current pizza crust recipe, and the scrumptious Primal Dark Chocolate.

Primal Enchiladas  (clicking on the links will take you to main recipe pages on my blog.  It has a few notes of tweaks, etc. I've made to recipes.)

Enchilada Sauce
28 oz can crushed tomatoes (or roasted tomatoes, mixed in blender)
2-3 Tbsp minced dry onion (or 1/2 small onion chopped fine)
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp red (cayenne) pepper
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can green chilis

Mix together well and set aside.


Egg Crepes (Tortillas)
3 whole large eggs
5 additional egg whites
1/2 cup whole milk or half & half

Mix well.  Heat to medium heat a skillet.  Spray will with non-stick spray.  Pour small amount of egg mixture into skillet and tilt to spread and cover bottom.  Let cook for approximately 1 minute.  Cover the skillet with a lid and cook another 30 seconds.  Slide with spatula onto plate to keep until ready to fill.  Use rest of egg mixture making another 5-7 'tortillas'.


Filling:
Take approx. 1-1/2 cups of the sauce mixture and put in skillet that you'd used for the crepes.  Stir in the meat you have selected to use in your filling.  I have used chicken, roast, and ground beef - all of which are delicious.  Stir mixture and heat until liquid reduces and sauce is thickness desired.


Putting it together:
Grease 9x13 pan.  Spread small amount of sauce in the bottom.  Take an empty plate and spread out a crepe.  Put small spoonful of filling onto crepe and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.  Fold sides of crepe in slightly and then roll from opposite end to close. Place folded enchilada into pan on top of sauce.  Continue making enchiladas until crepes are gone/pan is full.  Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and spoon leftover filling in between enchiladas for yummy goodness.  Sprinkle entire pan with shredded cheese.  Cover with foil and bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes.  I like to take off foil then and bake another 5 minutes or just turn on broiler to brown up the tops for a couple minutes.
 

Primal Dark Chocolate

I got my dark chocolate recipe from this link at www.primallyinspired.com
I did however change the amounts, because I was ending up with more of a paste than a pourable chocolate.  Feel free to play with it and see what happens! :D

Ingredients:

½ cup natural organic cacao powder

¼ cup coconut oil, melted or butter (GENTLY melted)

1-2 tablespoons pure raw honey or pure maple syrup*

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well mixed and smooth. You can pour the chocolate into candy molds to make chocolate candy, you can put the chocolate into a cake decorator (or plastic bag with the edge cut off) and pipe out chocolate chips or you can pour the chocolate into wax or parchment paper and make bars. Freeze until hardened – about 30 minutes. Store the chocolate in the fridge. 

*I came up with this based on my personal taste tests:
1 tablespoon honey = about 85% dark chocolate
1 1/2 tablespoon honey = about 73% dark chocolate  
2 tablespoon honey = about 60% dark chocolate 


Primal Pizza Crust 

My current pizza crusts uses tapioca and potato flours instead of almond flour.  The result is a crust that doesn't cost quite as much, and the fat content is a bit lower.  I don't really work about the fat content, because it's GOOD fats.  However, it does cost a lot of calories when trying to actually lose weight.  This has become our standby for the time being.  Enjoy!

Primal Pizza Crust

(makes 6-7 individual 7" pizzas, or 2 - 12" pizzas)

2 cups tapioca flour
1/4+ cup potato starch  (*see notes)
1/4- cup potato flour  (*see notes)
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp real sea salt
2 eggs
spices and seasonings to taste.  I like to add garlic powder, italian seasoning, and caraway seeds to our crusts.

Put all dry ingredients into bowl.  Mix wet ingredients together in separate bowl and then add to dry.  Mix well.  Should be just slightly crumbly.  Pour out onto floured counter or board and knead dough until soft, pliable ball forms.
Divide and pat out onto greased pizza pans.  Precook crusts at 350 for about 12-15 minutes.  Take out, let cool and then top with sauce and desired pizza toppings.  Cook an additional 14 +/- minutes, broil for 2 minutes if desired.
Crusts also freeze well in ziploc bag if not needed immediately.


* You can play with the amounts of starch vs flour to change texture of your crust.  More potato flour equals a softer, sometimes doughier, crust.  More potato starch equals more crispiness.

Cook, play, and have fun.

Primal Pizza Crust #2

My current pizza crusts uses tapioca and potato flours instead of almond flour.  The result is a crust that doesn't cost quite as much, and the fat content is a bit lower.  I don't really work about the fat content, because it's GOOD fats.  However, it does cost a lot of calories when trying to actually lose weight.  This has become our standby for the time being.  Enjoy!

Primal Pizza Crust

(makes 6-7 individual 7" pizzas, or 2 - 12" pizzas)

2 cups tapioca flour
1/4+ cup potato starch  (*see notes)
1/4- cup potato flour  (*see notes)
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp real sea salt
2 eggs
spices and seasonings to taste.  I like to add garlic powder, italian seasoning, and caraway seeds to our crusts.

Put all dry ingredients into bowl.  Mix wet ingredients together in separate bowl and then add to dry.  Mix well.  Should be just slightly crumbly.  Pour out onto floured counter or board and knead dough until soft, pliable ball forms.
Divide and pat out onto greased pizza pans.  Precook crusts at 350 for about 12-15 minutes.  Take out, let cool and then top with sauce and desired pizza toppings.  Cook an additional 14 +/- minutes, broil for 2 minutes if desired.
Crusts also freeze well in ziploc bag if not needed immediately.


* You can play with the amounts of starch vs flour to change texture of your crust.  More potato flour equals a softer, sometimes doughier, crust.  More potato starch equals more crispiness.

Cook, play, and have fun.

Primal Dark Chocolate

I got my dark chocolate recipe from this link at www.primallyinspired.com 
I did however change the amounts, because I was ending up with more of a paste than a pourable chocolate.  Feel free to play with it and see what happens! :D

Easy, Healthy Homemade Dark Chocolate

Ingredients:

½ cup natural organic cacao powder

¼ cup coconut oil, melted or butter (GENTLY melted)

1-2 tablespoons pure raw honey or pure maple syrup*

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well mixed and smooth. You can pour the chocolate into candy molds to make chocolate candy, you can put the chocolate into a cake decorator (or plastic bag with the edge cut off) and pipe out chocolate chips or you can pour the chocolate into wax or parchment paper and make bars. Freeze until hardened – about 30 minutes. Store the chocolate in the fridge. 

*I came up with this based on my personal taste tests:
1 tablespoon honey = about 85% dark chocolate
1 1/2 tablespoon honey = about 73% dark chocolate  
2 tablespoon honey = about 60% dark chocolate

Primal Enchiladas

Primal Enchilada with roast beef and cheddar and side salad - YUM!

I made homemade primal enchiladas last night and they were delicious! Why are they considered primal?? Because the tortilla used is not wheat, flour, corn, or any other grain.  They are actually egg crepes - and they are WONDERFUL! 

I had never made crepes before this recipe, and did not think they would stand up to the folding and abuse of filling and transferring them to the pan, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Now the original recipe I read called for ONLY using the egg whites.  That for me would take a lot more practice, as they are very flimsy and more easy to tear.  However adding 2 or 3 yolks into the mixture gives added strength and does just fine. 

I used leftover roast, chopped up fine (thanks, Ma), and sauce that I made up myself and shredded cheddar for the filling. Below are the ingredients and approximate amounts, since I didn't really measure anything :P

Enchilada Sauce
28 oz can crushed tomatoes (or roasted tomatoes, mixed in blender)
2-3 Tbsp minced dry onion (or 1/2 small onion chopped fine)
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp red (cayenne) pepper
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can green chilis

Mix together well and set aside.


Egg Crepes (Tortillas)
3 whole large eggs
5 additional egg whites
1/2 cup whole milk or half & half

Mix well.  Heat to medium heat a skillet.  Spray will with non-stick spray.  Pour small amount of egg mixture into skillet and tilt to spread and cover bottom.  Let cook for approximately 1 minute.  Cover the skillet with a lid and cook another 30 seconds.  Slide with spatula onto plate to keep until ready to fill.  Use rest of egg mixture making another 5-7 'tortillas'.


Filling:
Take approx. 1-1/2 cups of the sauce mixture and put in skillet that you'd used for the crepes.  Stir in the meat you have selected to use in your filling.  I have used chicken, roast, and ground beef - all of which are delicious.  Stir mixture and heat until liquid reduces and sauce is thickness desired.


Putting it together:
Grease 9x13 pan.  Spread small amount of sauce in the bottom.  Take an empty plate and spread out a crepe.  Put small spoonful of filling onto crepe and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.  Fold sides of crepe in slightly and then roll from opposite end to close. Place folded enchilada into pan on top of sauce.  Continue making enchiladas until crepes are gone/pan is full.  Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and spoon leftover filling in between enchiladas for yummy goodness.  Sprinkle entire pan with shredded cheese.  Cover with foil and bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes.  I like to take off foil then and bake another 5 minutes or just turn on broiler to brown up the tops for a couple minutes.

ENJOY!!  :)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

We consider these our "Primal" chocolate chip cookies, using as natural ingredients and as dark a chocolate as possible.  They are also Gluten-Free!  On her website she also has a dairy-free if that is necessary.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookiesprinter friendly
2 ½ cups blanched almond flour  (I use the unblanched - it just has the husks as well, which I see as extra fiber :)  However - if you wanted a lighter texture or colored cookie, I'd definitely use the blanched.)
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
10 tablespoons butter, melted 
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
2. Stir together wet ingredients in a smaller bowl
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry
4. Spoon balled drops onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet
5. Bake at 350° for 7-10 minutes (timing will depend on your oven and baking sheet/stone)
6. Cool and serve

Makes 24 cookies

.
This is my edited recipe.  The original recipe is from ELANASPANTRY.COM

Almond Flatbread

This is SO delicious.  We use this for sandwiches and even burgers. 
It is basically the Primal Pizza recipe with added egg, oil, and spices.

Ingredients:
Crust:
2 Cups Almond Meal/Flour  (we purchase ours from Honeyville Grains )
3 Eggs
3 - 4 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tsp salt
rounded 1/4 tsp Baking Soda

Opt Spices - to your taste and rest of meal.
Garlic Powder
Italian Seasoning or Parsley

Mix well together and pat out into well greased cookie sheet (I use stoneware) with well oiled hands.
Bake in preheated 350 oven for 20 minutes or until edges start to brown.

Primal Banana Walnut Bread

My First Attempt - and it turned out great!

 Thanks to "Little_Fish" on the Mark's Daily Apple Forum for giving out this recipe! :)

2 Eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 Cup Melted Butter
2 Cups of Almond Flour
Pinch of Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon (opt from comments)
1 tsp Vanilla (opt from comments)
2 ripe/over ripe bananas
3/4 cup crushed walnuts

*Begin by preheating your oven to 350 on bake and grease your bread pan

Step 1:

Pour your 2 cups of Almond Flour in a mixing bowl.
Add the teaspoon of baking soda
Add the pinch of sea salt and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

Step 2:

Grab another mixing bowl
melt a 1/2 cup of butter and pour it in...
Grab a small cereal bowl and whisk two eggs, add it to the melted butter and 1 tsp vanilla...

Step 3:

Mash up your two ripe bananas pretty good then add them to the eggs and butter
Add crushed walnuts

Step 4: Stir it up good and mix into the bowl with the almond flour.
Pour the mixture into your bread pan.
Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes or more (do the toothpick in brownie test)

this smells up the whole house and it smells and tastes SO good!!!!!

Merry Ho-Ho Balls

Holiday Spice Balls

Servings: 12 balls
These Holiday Spice Balls (or Merry Ho-Ho Balls per Rob) are similar to Cocoa and Coconut Snacks, but the addition of cinnamon and cardamom are perfect for autumn. Using pumpkin pie spice, if you have it on hand, would be very autumnal as well.
Ingredients:

• 2 cups walnuts
• 4-6 dates
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:
Process everything in the food process until it comes together in a sticky paste-like consistency.

Form into balls and refrigerate.

Primal Pizza

Taken from http://www.marksdailyapple.com/son-of-groks-primal-pizza-recipe/
and then adapted to our tastes :)

The recipe:
As you can see, this makes a large pizza. Feeds about 4 so plan accordingly! This recipe is high in dairy but for pizza, I will make the exception!

Ingredients:
Crust:
2 Cups Almond Meal/Flour  (we purchase ours from Honeyville Grains )
2 Eggs
2-3 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tsp salt

Instructions:

Crust:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. This should give you a ball of “dough”. If your dough is too “mushy” (like mine was), continue to add almond flour until you get a good consistency.
3. Make a pizza sheet or baking tray non-stick. This is VERY important if you want your pizza slices to come off in one piece.
4.Using olive oil on your hands, press your dough on the sheet nice and even about 1/4 inch in the middle and 1/2 inch at the edges.
5. Take a fork and "dock" you pizza crust - poke holes in it - so that the dough doesn't come out with large 'bubbles or humps in it.
6. Put crust in the oven for 15 minutes. It should look slightly golden brown when you take it out.

Put it all together:

1. After crust comes out of the oven, spread sauce evenly over crust.
2. Add your cheese and toppings evenly on top of sauce.
3. Put back in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10-15 more minutes. Cheese should be evenly melted.
4. Slice and enjoy!

H's Chili

Modified from a recipe : James Coney Island Chili


2 1/2 - 3 lbs ground beef (browned and well-drained)
28-32 oz beef broth
20-24 oz water
2 cans (14 oz) diced or whole tomatoes in tomato juice
1 1/2 Tbsp Paprika
4 Tbsp Chili Powder
2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 - 2 Tsp Onion Powder
3/4 Tsp Season Salt
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
1/2 - 1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
( spices can be adjusted for desired heat/taste )

If needed for thickening:

1 - 1 and 1/4 cups water
1/4 - 1/2 cup Arrowroot Powder/Flour (enough to make medium smooth sauce)



Preparation:
In stock pot, put well drained beef and add broth and water. Let simmer for 1 hour on medium heat.  While meat is simmering, take tomatoes and spices and put in blender. Puree well, mixing spices into tomatoes. After meat has been simmering for the hour, add in the tomato and spice mixture. Stir well, and let simmer for another 45-50 minutes on low heat, stirring from time to time.
If needed, slowly pour in enough of the thickening sauce to bring to desired consistency.

Great over hot dogs or served alone with your favorite accompaniments.

Nutritional Data