Thick hot day, the kind that melts you and makes everyone feel heavy. Lets go for a walk up to a friends, he suggests. Are you mad? I’m not walking anywhere but the beach. Yes, that kind of day. Even the car hating little one sleeps soundly. The kind of day where all you can do is try and keep it all together, and not fall asleep at the wheel. And come home to crave smoky BBQ ribs and brownies for dessert. But not just any old ribs, and certainly no typical brownies. Chug onwards, and give up on sleep, it’s for sissies anyway. The pressure of the harvest is on and mid-vortex-internet-suucubus overtaking you, a thought, that those saskatoons will fade before you know it, and their plumpness begs to be picked. Proud of my speed, you learn to pick fast when your baby is screaming and mosquitos feast upon your flesh. 4 L bucket – 7 minutes, I think it’s time to quit my day job.
I’ll tell you something, this is the first time I’ve ever made ribs of any kind. I saw these local organic baby back ribs at the market and in a rush just grabbed them (my brain doesn’t work on logic at the market) hardly knowing at all what to do. My mom made ribs for us, they were good, but not this good, sorry ma. I did my homework, checked out some rib recipes around the net and got the basic gist that low and slow is essential, and like all things, a good sauce. I wanted something classic, yet refined, out of the ordinary, yet still lip smacking good. The berries call to me, and I remember their plump abundance sitting on the counter, waiting to be transformed. This sauce consists of ample saskatoon berries which could be swapped out for blueberries, shadbush or huckleberry. Along with raspberries, and some black raspberry (a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry). Feel inspired to use whatever is most available to you, the more wild, the better. Even cherries would work well in this recipe.
Be prepared to never want these bumble berry BBQ ribs to end, don’t be like me and use only 1 rack of ribs for 2 people, I could’ve easily eaten a full one to myself. J was literally ticked that I only made 1 rack, but how was I to know they’d be so good. Beginners luck I suppose…
1 scotch bonnet pepper, very finely minced, or a habanero or jalapeño for less intense spice
1 Tsp coconut oil or other fat
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300F.
Combine spices for the cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.
Cover the ribs with your dry rub mixture. Optionally you could let the ribs absorb the spices overnight.
Cook, covered with foil for 2 hours.
Add the berries and water to a small pot and heat to a simmer until the berries have released their juices.
In a separate pot or pan, heat the oil and add to it the garlic and onions, sauté until translucent and aromatic. Add the paprika, Worcester sauce,vinegar and the hot pepper.
Strain the berries in a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, add the juice to the other pot with the onion.You can use the berry pulp in smoothies or baked good.
Bring the mix to a simmer and turn off.
Heat oven to broil and uncover ribs from the foil, smother them in BBQ sauce and broil for 5 mins.
Okay so there are a zillion different paleo brownie recipes out there folks, but trust me, this one is the simplest. Simple is good. Simple is chewy in the middle and crispy around the edges. Simple is almond butter, not tapioca, arrowroot and flax made into an egg swirl. Yes this recipe is sure to delight the simplest of happy folks.
I know you have that friend who grows the hugest 10lb zucchinis that win every year at the fall fair. Maybe you are that friend. In any case, this is the time of year where there is more than enough zucchini going around. What elso to do than to make zucchini chocolate cake, the children will never know, muahaha. This cake is so epic, Sonia never ceases to amaze me with her indulgent paleo creations and the photos are to die for! I just want to pick that cuisinart up right now and lick it clean.
This is a great secret of many a health nut out there, avocado and chocolate are stunning together. The creamy richness and healthy fats in the avocado, take the cocoa to the next level, plus you’ve just created a powerhouse of nutrients. Pretty sure that’s what Mike was going for when he created this delightful summer treat. I would eat this in all it’s variations- popsicle, pudding, fudge, you name it.
ps.haha “Just imagine what would happened if ice-cream was served during Congress hearings. No more
contentious public battles; only bargain and compromise. Politicians for sure wouldn’t be able to talk so much with their mouths full of ice-cream. ”
Some people hate chocolate and orange, and some love it. Personally I’m in the latter category and proud of it. If someone gave me a box of these gorgeous little truffles I would either run away and eat them all, or share with all chocorange haters and convert them instantly. Cause these aint no Terry’s Chocolate Orange folks.
These are lovely and filled with an air of celebration. Imagine these were what children brought to school on their birthdays? How awesome would that be. I was driving home today and a few young girls in the community had a cupcake stand, gah, cutest thing ever.
Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk? Good God, tell me you’ve tried this. Tis the goo of the gods. But really all sorts of grandma style recipes calling for condensed milk can now be converted or “paleoized” as the primal desire would state. This giant cookie bar is magic because it contains all good things, nuts, seeds, coconut and chocolate layered to perfection.
I remember the first time I had nutella (who doesn’t?) it was a revelation in my hazelnut free world, and supposedly healthy! The amount of backpackers I’ve met who always carry a jar of nutella with them is astounding. There’s just something about the combination of chocolate and hazelnut that makes people go bonkers. Nutella has been around since the 60’s, can you tell me which came first, ferraro rocher or nutella? This paleo version is a new and improved junk-free version. Love it.
Quintessential chocolate chip cookie recipe-check! These are so yummy, and super simple, again almond butter showing it’s amazing prowess in making chewy perfect treats. The flaked sea salt is not only beautiful but pries out all those rich flavours for our taste buds to fully experience.
Dang, what a splendid way to enjoy summers blackberries. Without added sugar and totally vegan and paleo, this would be a perfect summer birthday cake. Fudgy oozy gooey goodness doesn’t always come easy when GF and vegan but these guys nailed it, with cute baby eating chocolate photos and an avocado chocolate icing to boot.
Creamy cashew goodness on the inside wrapped in a magic shell of crunchy chocolate lovin’. These bars are super easy to whip up, and amazingly nutritious. Did you know a handful of cashews is the therapeutic equivalent to a dose of prozac. Good reason to enjoy the awesome ice cream bars.
This is the sort of thing I would devour after an epic yoga session or high intensity workout. High protein, enzyme rich, easy to digest and energizing. These babies are loaded with sunflower seed butter and pumpkin seeds which are high in zinc. If you’ve ever been to GNC and seen those ZMA (zinc,magnesium,B6) supplements, these bars equal the whole food equivalent.
Um, holy eff. Fabulous dairy free, vegan, and oh so gorgeous. With the power vested in me I officially rename Michelle the un-Dairy Queen because this is way better than any typical banana split. Plus it’s free of added sugar!
A sweet little spinoff of chocolate covered strawberries, these little red jewels are filled with a luxurious avocado and banana sugar-free chocolate sauce. Easy to make and a great nosh to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Raspberries are everywhere right now, and we need to stuff our faces with them while we can. Since razzies and chocolate are meant to be together, this full power, dreamy recipe for layered chocolate raspberry slices should be one of your go to raspberry recipes.
These uniquely flavoured crunchy roasted spicy chocolate cashews would be an excellent addition to any trail mix. Everyone’s a sucker for flavourful roasted cashews.
What are your fave chocolate recipes? Let me know, I love hearing from you 🙂
Want even more amazingly delicious and super clean real food dessert recipes?
I have a hard time eating during these hot summer days. It’s all smoothies, kombuchas and coconut water most of the time, until the cool air shows itself after dusk and a feast forms to fill the whole days necessities. Not exactly the healthiest regimen, I know if anything we require extra fuel when the sweat is flowing most of the day. Luckily sugar snap peas are in season, along with broccoli, cucumbers, radish (yes, still rocking the radishes), zucchini, and baby beets! Veggies and dip at the beach, yes please MMM. So any Aussies who can tell me the ingredients in that uber popular forget the name super yummy beet dip? Seriously, I wish x2 that we could get that shiz, but I know I can make it to, if only I remembered the name. This dip creation is equally delicious and full of beautiful bloody red beets, roasted italian ribbed zucchini and salty fresh goat feta. Fresh dill, of course, a beets best friend. This Roasted Beet, Zuchinni and Feta Dip is a gorgeous addition to any spread, happy potluck food, and super easy to eat in the hot sun. Picnic anyone? (more…)
Grown up scrambled eggs, Italiano style. Inspired by piles of fresh basil and oregano, a hunk of great chorizo and fresh cheese curds. The seasons first broccoli are out, Italian ribbed zucchini and sweet little baby onions. All of these delights, sautéed in butter, lightly seasoned with black pepper, just allowing the raw flavours of everything to shine. A nice local cheese curd mixed in with slow cooked eggs alongside a pile of summers bounty. Yes please, this perfect breakfast awaits, and it’s way better than an omelette. (more…)
Summertime, and the livin is eeeeeasy. Yeah I just planted that ear worm, luckily it’s a groovy tune,. Where to start, life is rolling fast, we are trying to soak up as much sun as humanly possible with a small infant. The little love went on his first camping trip to special Bannock Point over looking the gorgeous Slocan Lake. It was so awesome to swim in the crystal clear fresh water, bask in the hot sun like seals on a rock and sleep under the stars. Not to mention our delicious campfire curry and sweet potato hummus breakfast skillet, soo good. I think we’ll be doing a lot more camping this summer, may as well make the most of being free from work!
Escaping to be in nature is basically an instant zip zap over to my happy place. Even though I live amongst the trees and the bees, it’s exciting to explore the natural beauty near and far.
“We have such a brief opportunity to pass on to our children our love for this Earth, and to tell our stories. These are the moments when the world is made whole. In my children’s memories, the adventures we’ve had together in nature will always exist.”
“Prize the natural spaces and shorelines most of all, because once they’re gone, with rare exceptions they’re gone forever. In our bones we need the natural curves of hills, the scent of chapparal, the whisper of pines, the possibility of wildness. We require these patches of nature for our mental health and our spiritual resilience.”
If you ever want to spoil yourself in the best way possible, take a little trip to one of natures gems and keep it simple. The second best way to spoil yourself is to buy some good chorizo sausage and put it in, um, everything.
These Chorizo & Smoky Salmon “Macos” (a word I may have just made up) are absolutely so darn perfect and lacking NOTHING regardless of that tortilla mumbo jumbo. Savoy cabbage leaves are perfectly sturdy, with a great crunch, but you could also use regular cabbage or swiss chard. If you don’t have chorizo, bacon would be a nice substitute . Crisp radish and zippy red onion are ideal, it’s a beautiful thing when food unites to create perfection.
4-6 savoy cabbage leaves, thick stalks removed and thinly sliced
2 wild sockeye salmon filets
1/4 cup thinly sliced chorizo sausage
1 tsp + 1 tbs coconut oil or bacon fat
1 jalapeño, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
bunch of radishes, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
handful of finely chopped cilantro
a few pieced of smoky gouda (optional)
2 tsp cajun seasoning-
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp onion salt
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
liberal amounts of fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
Sprinkle the cajun seasoning and black pepper on salmon filets.
Heat 1 tbs coconut oil or bacon fat in a pan. Add salmon skin side down. Cook for about 3 minutes per side depending on thickness (the ones I used were quite thin)
In another pan heat 1 tsp of oil and add to that the chopped cabbage stalks, jalapeño, garlic and chorizo. Cook until cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes.
Assemble the macos by layering pieces of salmon, chorizo jalapeño mixture, red onion, gouda, radishes and cilantro. Garnish with lime wedges.
J’s birthday was on Sunday. My passionately strong souled love with the softest cancerian tendencies. Alive another year, every one better than the last. Of course I had to make him deliciously unhealthy foods on his day. Though not terribly unhealthy. We had a fresh abundant salad with a toasted almond and herb vinaigrette, arctic caribou meatballs in a apricot cumin glaze,garlicky hummus and ciabatta,sweet potatoes and this “hot mess” cheesy dip filled with garlic, kale, onion, cherry tomatoes and of course cheesy goodness with fried wonton crisp. To top it all off I made a birthday pie, yes you can do that! J’s always bugging me to make him a berry pie, so I hooked him up with a raspberry-saskatoon-mango butter crust oh.so.yummy. pie!
So back to the hot mess cheesy dip. When we were doing the Whole 30 I stumble upon this recipe at the white on rice couple. Those guys could make a pile of haggis look good they are so talented. This dip was all I wanted in the whole world, it just oozes delicious comfort in its every molecule. Those fresh tomatoes they popped on top YES! Pucker! (As Jamie Oliver would say) I switched up the recipe a touch by adding some garlic and kale, plus I skipped out on the cream cheese and stuck to just monterery jack.
enough cherry tomatoes to plunk on top of your dish
and handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
one package wonton wrapper
1/4 cup sunflower oil for frying
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F
In a oven proof deep baking dish (I used a typical fondue pot) about 6inches in diameter mix together the mayo, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, kale and cheese.
Top with cherry tomatoes and another sprinkling of cheese
Bake for about an hour until the top is golden brown.
For the wonton crisps, heat oil in a frying pan, add wonton wrappers a few at a time, frying until golden. Allow to drain on paper towel. Repeat for as many crisps as you want.
This is a luxurious dip to share with friends and family. Or to just gobble up all on your own, whatever, you only eat cheesy dip once in awhile rightttt? Or maybe cheesy dip is your go to staple food. Who knows. Wouldn’t be so bad would it?
Hey I'm Chantelle, my alter ego would be a mermaid if I wasn't such a terrible swimmer. I love writing authentically and cooking in my pyjamas. My favourite pastimes include eating avocados, travelling the world and hanging out with a toddler.
