Veggie Tacos in Grain Free Tortillas

I haven't bought a loaf of bread in years and rarely ordered a sandwich even before going grain free. However, tortillas are one thing I've really missed. Of course lettuce wraps are a great substitute and I've made plenty over the past couple years. But sometimes you just have to wrap your beans and cheese in a good old fashioned (or "new fashioned") tortilla.

As far as the glycemic index is concerned flour and corn tortillas are both fairly low. The problem with flour tortillas is that the fat used to make them is often hydrogenated. (Artificial, very unhealthy fat used as a preservative in store bought foods. Watch out for this ingredient in products sold as low fat.) The calorie count is also higher at 150cal/ flour to 70cal/corn and, to top it off, some manufactures use an inferior wheat flour to cut costs (which means they contain gluten.)

Most store bought corn tortillas contain only two ingredients: corn and water. However, many manufacturers skip a crucial step which is to soak the maize in an alkaline solution (such as lime juice) to make the corn easier to digest. If you've consumed whole kernels of corn you've probably observed that your body has difficulty breaking them down which causes some people stomach discomfort.

These tortillas are made with coconut oil (healthy fat), coconut flour (low glycemic) and arrowroot (a gluten-free, easily digestible starch). For the veggies I just used what I had in my fridge... mixed greens, red onion, grape tomatoes and bell peppers tossed in a dressing of olive oil, tobasco and lime juice and topped with feta cheese. Enjoy!

Ingredients: (makes 4)
1 tsp melted coconut oil
2 eggs
1/4 cup arrowroot
1 tbsp coconut flour
pinch of salt

Directions:
Crack the eggs into a medium-sized bowl and whisk in the melted coconut oil. Add the dry ingredients and beat well to combine.
In a small 8" skillet over medium heat, pour in about 1/4 of the batter and immediately roll it around to evenly coat the bottom. The tortilla should start to pull away from the edges as it cooks.
Cook for 1 minute on each side.

Pasta-less Ravioli

How did I not know about this?? The part of not eating pasta I miss most is all the scrumptious ravioli fillings. Glad to know I can still enjoy them for a fraction of the grain. (To make this meal completely gluten free try using a flour such as Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour.)

Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato
2 large eggs
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
2/3 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp plus pinch sea salt, divided
1/4 tsp fresh grated or ground nutmeg
1/3 cup frozen  thawed and drained chopped spinach (squeeze as much water as you can from spinach before using)
4 1/2 cup white or whole-wheat flour, divided (I used much less)
2 cups marinara sauce


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prick potato with a fork and bake on a tray for 50 to 60 minutes until tender (I did this the night before.) Allow to cool. Peel and discard skin and mash flesh with a fork; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Whisk in ricotta, parmesan, oregano, pepper, 1/4 tsp salt and nutmeg; whisk until smooth and fluffy, about one minute. Whisk in spinach until incorporated. Fold in 1 cup mashed potato, reserving any extra for future use. Sift 1/2 cup flour into bowl and gently fold in. (NOTE: Mixture will be wet.)
Cover the bottom of a baking dish with flour. Gently scoop ricotta mixture into 2 1/2 tbsp balls; lightly roll each in your palms and drop into flour, making 20-24 balls. Toss flour over balls and pat each gently to coat. Arrange into rows on tray, ensuring balls don't touch and sprinkle desired amount of flour over top.
Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil; add remaining pinch salt. Carefully remove the balls from flour, shaking off and discarding excess and place on a tray. Gently immerse half the balls into boiling water. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, until balls float to the top. Removed with a slotted sppon and transfer to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, in a medium pot on medium, heat marinara sauce until it bubbles. Reduce heat to low, cover and keep warm. Add balls to a large serving bowl and gently coat in sauce.

Grainless Veggie Enchiladas

First of all please let allow me to apologize for my prolonged absence. In the past month I got engaged and basically planned my entire wedding(!) During that time every moment on the internet was spent venue and vendor shopping but while away from the computer I still made time for healthy meals. (So I will try to bring you up to speed...)

One thing I've been meaning to speak to is the confusion over “no carb” diets. Carbs are found in almost everything we eat including fruits and vegetables and only the trendiest of fad diets would restrict those. In fact, in the Paleo Diet Cookbook Dr. Cordain encourages dieters to eat as much fruit as they want. (Best dieting advice I’ve ever gotten as it has also improved my digestion:)

When people say they are on a “no carb” or “low carb” diet what they (hopefully) mean is no/low grain. Eliminating or decreasing grain is the easiest way to lose weight quickly and is encouraged by many HEALTHY diets. There are many alternatives to bread, pasta, and other grains. For example, veggies (with hummus:) in place of crackers or chips, Spaghetti Squash in place of pasta and portobello mushrooms in place of hamburger buns.

Here is one more amazing no grain recipe to add to your collection:)

Ingredients:

6-8 large collard green or chard leaves
1/2 tbs coconut oil (or other cooking oil)
1 bell pepper, chopped
½  small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 med. carrot, chopped
1 med. zucchini, chopped
1 tbs chili powder
1/2 tbs cumin
1/2 can black beans
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.  Steam your greens in a veggie steamer until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the oil to a heavy frying pan and place over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and peppers and cook until the onions are translucent, about 8 -10 minutes. Add the zucchini, chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper and stir fry for 3-4 more minutes.
Add the black beans and taste to see if you need to adjust any seasonings. Set aside.
Place one leaf on a chopping block and dip the bean and veggie mixture into the middle. Roll up like an enchilada and place in a 9×11″ baking dish. Continue until you’ve used all of your greens (top with vegan cheese, if you want). Bake for 25-30 minutes and serve with guacamole and salsa.

Enjoy!