Are graham crackers gluten-free? In general, the kind you buy at the store are not, however, these homemade Paleo Graham Crackers are not only gluten-free, they are grain-free as well. And with a mere four ingredients this Graham Cracker recipe is quick and easy to make.

These Graham Crackers will satisfy your urge for a gluten-free, grain-free crunch, and go very well with a cup of Joe (which in our house consists of Dandelion Root Coffee with a dash of homemade Almond Milk).

My book, Paleo Cooking from Elana’s Pantry, hits stores in less than two months, on June 18th. I will be doing an array of book signings in Boulder at The Boulder Bookstore, Alfalfa’s, and Barnes & Noble. I will also be teaching a class at Sur La Table at the 29th Street Mall in Boulder. I’m looking forward to meeting you at these fun events!

Here are grain-free Graham Cracker recipes from other bloggers:

• Homemade Graham Crackers from Carolyn at alldayidreamaboutfood.com
• Grain-free Graham Crackers from Emily at joyfulabode.com
• Grain-free Honey Graham Crackers from simplylivinghealthy.org

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If you are looking to celebrate July 4th with some fun, festive food; look no further. I have an array of quick and easy gluten free recipes that will satisfy family and friends.

For the most part, the menu below is Paleo –the Primal Chocolate Chip Cookies are more Primal than Paleo –still I included them for those looking for a healthy party treat.

I will also make some Sesame Salmon Burgers for myself as I’m avoiding nightshades (as recommended by Robb Wolf in The Paleo Solution for those with auto-immune conditions –see his wonderful book for more information on that). The burgers will work well given that it’s salmon season again. I’ve been gorging on wild caught salmon for the last couple of weeks since it’s so delicious and fresh this time of year.
While we probably won’t have many fireworks this year (it seems like most of the state of Colorado is on fire) we will enjoy having some friends over for the simple, nourishing meal above.

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I’ve been working on various power bar recipes lately as I need some easy to pack snacks for an upcoming adventure. My husband and I are planning on climbing a 14′er (that would be a 14,000 foot mountain) this summer and of course I want to make sure we have the proper nourishment. These bars will work well for the two of us given our constitutions.

Like all of my recipes, I tested this one many times before posting it here. During one of my test batches the mixture was so thick that the food processor could not spin it further. When this happened, I pulled the mixture out of the food processor and finished working it together with my hands before placing it in the pan. In the event that this happens to you, feel free to use this little trick.

Finally, if you are wanting to reproduce my exact results, use blanched slivered almonds. The key really is the blanched more than the slivered. Recently, I have been purchasing my blanched slivered almonds at the Whole Foods here in Boulder. You can use almonds that are not blanched and you will get more fiber, however, I found the flavor profile was not as good when I made them this way.

As always, feel free to try out any and all substitutions that come to mind so that you can customize these bars to your exact dietary needs. Unfortunately, I don’t know how things will turn out without testing your substitutions, so will not answer substitution questions. Besides, if I did, I’d spend my entire life chained to the computer, and I need to train for that 14′er, remember?

I like these bars as they have relatively few ingredients and are a fairly nutritious snack made of whole foods. Figs are antioxidant rich and full of fiber. Almonds (one of my favorite foods of all time) are a nutrient dense super food also full of fiber and substances that promote cardiovascular health. Coconut again provides fiber and good fats as well.

Just in case you have any big hiking or travel plans for this summer and need some good gluten free on the go snacks, here are a couple of my other bar recipes:
-Goji Power Bars
-Spicy Power Bars
-Cherry Vanilla Power Bars

The post Vanilla Fig Bars appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

This Paleo Plan is for my friend Leslie Dietrich. Our children play baseball together and Leslie and I had the pleasure of thrift shopping our way through Waco, Texas last summer when their team was in the Regional Little League World Series Playoffs.

Like me, Leslie has a host of auto-immune disorders. Unlike me, she still eats gluten and grains. Leslie asked me for an eating plan that she could try for one week to see if the symptoms in her hands and other parts of her body would change. One week is probably not long enough (30 days is optimal) for seeing results from a change in diet. So if you want, just repeat this meal plan 4 times, or make your own, using the recipes from this site and Paleo sites such as Everyday Paleo or Paleo Parents.

Please note, this eating plan is not designed for someone who is trying to lose weight, this is not a diet plan. This is an anti-inflammatory eating plan that can be used by some people to improve overall health and wellness. If you do need to lose weight, feel free to refer to Loren Cordain’s book The Paleo Diet or Robb Wolf’s The Paleo Solution, those 2 books have very specific weight loss plans that utilize the grain free diet as a base for weight reduction.

This post is for people that want to incorporate more nutrient dense foods into their diet by eliminating the grains that are toxic to a large percentage of us. So, eat your veggies. They’re far more nutrient dense than grains. Or as my dear Dad has been saying for the past 40 years, “Eat the rainbow!”

1. Sunday

   Breakfast

   Silver Dollar Pancakes

   Turkey or Pork Bacon

   Fresh Berries

   Lunch

   Turkey Club Sandwich

   Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

   Dinner

   Sesame Salmon Burgers

   Garlic Ginger Bok Choy or Steamed Broccoli

2. Monday

   Breakfast

   2 slices Paleo Bread

   3 Scrambled Eggs

   1 Grapefruit

   Lunch

   Turkey Club Sandwich

   Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

   Dinner

   Cod Piccata

   Roasted Broccoli

   Cabbage Orange Salad

3. Tuesday

   Breakfast

   Almond Butter Protein Shake

   Toasted Almonds

   Lunch

   Turkey Roll Ups

   Fresh Blueberries

   Dinner

   Cobb Salad

   Mushroom Soup

4. Wednesday

   Breakfast

   3 Fried Eggs

   Turkey or Pork Bacon

   ½ Avocado

   Lunch

   Leftover Mushroom Soup

   Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

   Dinner

   Roasted Chicken with Olives and Prunes

   Roasted Butternut Squash

   Steamed Broccoli

5. Thursday

   Breakfast

   Greena Colada (add 1 scoop protein powder)

   Handful of Dehydrated Almonds

   Lunch

   Turkey Club Sandwich

   Veggie Sticks

   Dinner

   Chicken Soup

   Green Salad

   Roasted Acorn Squash

6. Friday

   Breakfast

   3 Scrambled Eggs

   2 slices Paleo Toast

   Fresh Raspberries

   Lunch

   Leftover Chicken Soup

   Green Salad

   Dinner

   Chili Chicken

   Cauliflower Rice

   Green Salad

7. Saturday

   Breakfast

   Almond Butter Protein Shake

   Lunch

   Leftover Chili Chicken

   Leftover Cauliflower Rice

   Dinner

   Stuffed Peppers

   Grilled Broccoli

8. Snacks

   Fruit

   Green Apples

   Blueberries

   Raspberries

   Strawberries

   Other Fruit

   Veggies

   Veggie Sticks

   Protein

   Turkey Jerky

   Bacon

   Protein/Carbs

   Dehydrated Nuts

   Crackers

Some of the recipes above might not be super strict Paleo, however if you make quick and easy substitutions they can be. All are grain free and primal; they are Paleo friendly as well.

For the snack section of this plan, I have listed the lower glycemic fruits that work best for me. If you like to eat sweeter fruits, feel free to add those in to your plan. However, if you have trouble with sugar, it may be best to stick with less fruit and low glycemic at that.

What is your favorite Paleo dish and what are your health goals for 2012?

The post Weekly Paleo Meal Plan appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

Looking for a delicious Halloween snack? Spicy pumpkin seeds tossed in chili powder, olive oil and a touch of salt are a healthy treat during this junk food filled time of year.

These heavily spiced seeds are also great for the change in seasons when everyone seems to be coming down with a cold or sore throat, as chili powder is full of both anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious agents, as well as antioxidants.

If your little ones like chili powder as much as mine (he puts it on everything), they’ll enjoy this quick and easy gluten free snack.

With a bounty of squash and pumpkin this time of year, it is wonderful to harvest the seeds and roast them, which we often do here in my kitchen. This recipe however, uses shelled pumpkin seeds, which I purchased at the health food store. I’m sharing this with you as it is my favorite recipe for spicy roasted pumpkin seeds.

While many people toast pumpkin seeds in the oven, this recipe calls for a cast iron skillet on the stove top. If you don’t have (or want to use a skillet) feel free to experiment and let us know how it goes. As I often say, if you are making changes to a recipe, the only way for me (or you) to find out if your changes work is to actually test them (I don’t have a magic substitution ball at home, I just test a recipe dozens of times until it is exactly the way I want it to be). So don’t be shy, get in the kitchen and experiment!

How do you like to roast your pumpkin seeds? With the shell on? Shell off? What spices do you add when you cook up a roasted pumpkin seed recipe?

More healthy recipes with pumpkin seeds:
-Cranberry Almond Loaf
-Granola
-Multi “Grain” Crackers

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I was recently invited to develop an appetizer recipe for the Mushroom Masters, a global competition that helps celebrate National Mushroom Month (September). Since I love mushrooms, and they are so easy to prepare gluten free and Paleo, I jumped at the chance to participate.

For the competition, I created the recipe for these Herb Stuffed Mushrooms –they make a lovely gluten free appetizer for a cocktail party or nice nosh for a gluten free brunch. While this convenient finger food looks complicated, it is quick and easy to make, healthy and of course, delicious.

You can view the complete recipe at the Mushroom Channel blog.  Voting is taking place at TasteSpotting. So, head on over and vote for your favorite mushroom appetizer.

I began cooking with mushrooms when I was 13 years old. Back then I stuffed my mushrooms with a processed cheese. Thankfully, my cooking has evolved some since then and I now make these stuffed mushrooms from scratch with goat cheese, anti-oxidant rich parsley, plus chives, and garlic. Even my children chow on these cute little appetizers, which makes me very happy since mushrooms are an excellent source of manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C and selenium.

Full Disclosure: I received compensation for my photos and recipe from sponsors (The Mushroom Council, Mushrooms Canada and the Australian Mushroom Grower’s Association) and TasteSpotting.

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I’m always looking for high protein snacks to keep me going during the day, and especially after a good workout at the gym. I find this little Paleo snack (my favorite recipe for spicy nuts) slightly addictive and nicely satiating.

I like to eat nuts because they’re full of good fiber, fill me up and don’t leave me hungry and lagging. In fact, I keep a little tin of roasted almonds in my car at all times, just in case my blood sugar dips when I’m out with the boys or running errands.

The idea for this recipe came from a wonderful new book called Paleo Comfort Foods; I just got my copy and have to say it is a gem packed full of useful Paleo recipes and other information.

I’ve followed a grain free diet for a full decade now, even though I don’t mention it that often. I imagine that many of you come to this site because it offers grain free recipes. I feel much better when I follow something that resembles the hunter-gatherer diet, some people call this Paleo, I’m not entirely sure what to call it –it’s just the way I eat.

Let’s have a little chat. Are you gluten free? Are you gluten free plus grain free? Are you Paleo? What type of diet works best for you?

The winner of last weeks giveaway for a copy of the book Everyday Paleo is Kristin!

The post Paleo Spiced Nuts appeared first on Elana's Pantry.

My fellow gym rats were delighted when I brought these Paleo friendly, high protein, gluten free snacks to the gym last week. The consensus? These gluten free power bars hit the spot.

Made with healthy, high protein almond flour and nutritious goji berries, the gang wolfed these down, then asked for more. I promised them I would post this recipe for gluten free power bars and so here it is.

First though, a bit about goji berries. Goji berries (also known as wolfberries) are a superfood, slowly gaining attention and popularity in this country.

Research shows that berries are superfoods and that eating berries such as goji berries, blueberries, cranberries, and strawberries can be beneficial for your health.  Berries contain powerful antioxidants and other compounds that can boost the immune system and lower cholesterol; further, it is thought that the nutrient properties in berries can prevent cancer, heart disease and other illnesses.

Goji berries in particular have compounds rich in vitamin A, beta-carotene and B vitamins.  These compounds are thought to have anti-aging benefits and boost immune function. Incidentally, goji berries have been used for centuries in Traditonal Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Dried goji berries tend to be a bit…dry. So I like to plump mine up before I use them by placing them in a bowl and pouring a bit of boiling water over them. This brings out their juicy goodness, makes them easier to digest and simply prevents them from being too hard.

When you plump your gojis, let them sit in the hot water for 10-15 minutes until the water is mostly absorbed, then discard any remaining water (there won’t be a lot).

Here are some more Paleo friendly bars that you may also like:
-Spicy Power Bars
-Cherry Vanilla Power Bars
-Apricot Power Bars

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Summer is definitely here and our house is the place to be.  The neighborhood boys congregate on our trampoline –with the sprinklers aimed at it for a good cool down and a great deal of healthy fun.

With all of this activity I keep the food flowing morning, noon and night.  From the time they arrive until dinner (sometimes a bunch of them stay for the evening meal too) I am setting out munchies –snacks, lunch, etc.  They really are a hungry bunch of rascals.

To keep them fueled between meals, I’ve been making up batches of these super healthy, natural popsicles from Amy Green’s book Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free: 180 Easy and Delicious Recipes You Can Make in 20 Minutes or Less.  I made a big batch of these frozen treats last night and they’re already gone today.  Amy’s popsicle recipe is absolutely genius!

Why do I like to serve these popsicles to my boys and their friends?  First, they contain high protein almond butter, second, they’re full of anti-oxidant rich unsweetened cocoa powder and finally, they’re fruit sweetened.  Here’s my version of Amy’s recipe, I hope you like it as much as the boys and their friends did.

These Paleo pops make the perfect snack.  Amy’s book has plenty of other mouthwatering and healthy gluten free recipes.

Some of her recipes are very similar to mine (such as her Pecan Pie Crust), whereas other recipes are quite different.  Amy uses ingredients such as quinoa and oats which I avoid (given the Paleo diet that I have followed somewhat closely for more than a decade; this diet excludes the use of grains as well as seeds derived from grasses, so quinoa and oats are a no-no for me, I actually cannot digest them).

Back to Amy –her book has more than 180 quick and easy gluten free recipes to enjoy.  Today I’m giving away 1 copy of Amy’s book, Simply Sugar and Gluten Free. To be entered leave a comment below before 10pm (MST) tonight, June 28th, 2011. I will pick the winner at random using Random.org. This giveaway is open to everyone everywhere.

The winner of yesterdays giveaway for a copy of Triumph Dining’s Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide and Gluten-Free Grocery Guide is Harry!

Update: this giveaway is now over and the winner was Ary!

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This recipe was adapted from one by Pam Vagnieres‘ in an article called Make Your Own Protein Bars that ran last year in my local newspaper The Daily Camera.  These high protein, gluten free power bars are easy to make and remind me of a Lärabar, though these are super fresh since they’re homemade, and they’re also not quite as sweet.

My boys and their friends loved these bars and gobbled them up during spring break, when our house was boys central.

If cranberries aren’t your thing check out my other gluten free power bar recipes, Chocolate Espresso Power Bars, Spicy Power Bars and the crowd favorite Almond Power Bars.

For more yummy power bar recipes from other gluten free food bloggers check out:
-Sesame Snack Bars (Gluten-Free & Casein Free) from Lexie of Lexie’s Kitchen
-Popeye Protein and Fruit Bars from Shirley of Gluten free Easily
-The Best Ever Gluten-Free Power Bars from Debbie of The Gluten-Free ‘Dish’

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