Tag Archives: dairy free

Paleo Cajeta

Paleo cajeta
After several (bad) attempts at making a dairy-free cajeta, this one came out perfect. Cajeta is a milky, caramel-like sauce used to top desserts like churros and ice cream and is traditionally made with goat’s milk and piloncillo or sugar cane. I was beginning to think paleo cajeta was not possible after several rounds of sticky, burned pots. This cajeta is amazing drizzled on top of fruit, coconut ice cream, paleo pancakes and coffee. Try it as a sweetener to my café con leche.

Paleo Cajeta
Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:
21 oz full fat coconut milk (I used Thai Kitchen)
1/3 cup organic coconut palm sugar (I get mine from Trader Joe’s)
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking soda

Instructions:
1. Shake the coconut milk cans very well and pour into a large stockpot. Add in the vanilla extract, baking soda and coconut sugar and stir to combine. Throw in cinnamon stick.
2. Turn on heat to medium and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring cajeta with a wooden spoon every 10 minutes.
3. Turn off heat after 1 hour, remove cinnamon stick and let cool for about 30 minutes. Enjoy cajeta with your favorite dessert or pour into a glass jar and store in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

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Café Con Leche

Cafe con leche
So this Texas weather is insane. Yesterday we were in the 80s and wearing shorts and today we’re expecting cold rain and temperatures dropping into the 30s. I love Texas. On mornings like this, I love to have a hot cup of café con leche. Café con leche is basically equal parts coffee and milk, much like café au lait. There is something magical about coffee with hot milk and a touch of cinnamon.

Cafe con leche

Café Con Leche
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:
2-3 tbsp fresh ground strong coffee or espresso beans
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups almond milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1 tsp raw honey or other sweetener (optional)

Directions:
1. Heat almond milk and vanilla on medium heat in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. While milk is heating, brew coffee in a regular coffee maker or using a French press.
3. Once milk has come to boil, turn off heat and stir in raw honey.
4. Carefully pour brewed coffee into the milk and stir to combine.
5. Ladle coffee into a mug and top with ground cinnamon.

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Mango Pineapple Margarita

Mango pineapple margarita
In honor of National Margarita Day, I made my favorite mango pineapple margarita for you all! This recipe is SUPER easy and only takes a couple of minutes to put together. Hope you all have a fabulous weekend and enjoy the gorgeous weather.

Margarita

Mango Pineapple Margarita
Makes 2 margaritas

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen mango chunks
1/4 cup orange flavor sparkling water (I used LaCroix)
2 oz tequila
1 oz fresh pineapple juice
Pineapple and lime for garnish

Directions:
1. In a blender, add all ingredients and blend for 30 seconds or until mango chunks have been blended and mixture is nice and creamy.
2. Serve in a martini glass with pineapple and lime garnish.

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Mango Avocado Salsa Topped Tilapia

Mango avocado topped tilapia
Today’s recipe was inspired by the springlike weather we’ve been having here in San Antonio. I spent my weekend trying out my new b-cycle membership, dining al fresco at a new restaurant and running errands. This mango avocado salsa is so fresh and delicious, sometimes I eat it with a spoon right out of the bowl. 😀

I actually did not like avocados or mangos until a few years ago. The texture of the avocado and sliminess of the mango freaked me out. My history with avocado goes back to my thyroid cancer diagnosis and having to start the low iodine diet. My first time going on the low iodine diet was very difficult as I was being deprived of pretty much all the food I ate on a daily basis. I was forced to try different food to keep me full. My husband convinced me to try homemade guacamole with homemade corn tortilla chips and man, I was in heaven. Since then, avocados are always well stocked in our pantry.

Mango avocado salsa

Mango Avocado Salsa Topped Tilapia
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
Mango Avocado Salsa
1 mango
1 large Haas avocado
1/4 cup cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of black pepper

Tilapia
4 tilapia fillets
1 tsp EVOO
Juice of half of 1 lime
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with a large piece of foil.
2. Drizzle the EVOO on the foil and place the tilapia fillets on top. Season the top of the tilapia with salt, pepper, cayenne and lime.
3. Cover the tilapia by folding the foil over on all sides, you might need an extra sheet of foil to cover entirely (this keeps the tilapia moist). Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
4. While the tilapia is baking, peel and dice the avocado and mango and roughly chop the cilantro and place in a bowl. Add the lime juice, salt and pepper and carefully combine everything. Put in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
5. After the tilapia has baked for 15 minutes, turn the oven to broil and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
6. Remove tilapia from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Pour mango avocado salsa on top or on the side of tilapia fillets.

This tilapia goes great with a side of sautéed asparagus or a spinach salad. Enjoy!

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Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas Lettuce Wrap Tacos

Lettuce wrap pork carnitas tacos
Whoa, that title is certainly a mouthful! Couldn’t think of an easier way to describe these simple, but delicious tacos. I love throwing food in the slow cooker in the morning and coming home to a delicious meal. I don’t mind cooking dinner every night, but it can be hard with my work schedule and my husband’s busy school schedule. During the week, I only get to spend a couple of hours a day, at most, with my husband and usually weekends are spent running errands and more school work for him, so if I can spend less time in the kitchen, I try. In less than three months, our lives will be much easier when he finally receives that master of architecture degree! Woohoo!

Now, onto these carnitas. I usually make carnitas with pork shoulder, but pork loin roast was on sale so I decided to try it and it came out just as great. My husband loves crispy carnitas so after they’ve been slow cooked, he likes to toss them in a little EVOO in a pan to get them extra crispy. They are delicious right out of the slow cooker though, so choose which one you prefer.

Slow cooked pork carnitas

Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless pork loin roast
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
Leaves of romaine lettuce
Cilantro
Tomato
Avocado Slices

Directions:
1. In a slow cooker, place a tblsp of EVOO and half of the onions and garlic.
2. Season the pork with salt and pepper and place in the slow cooker. Add the remaining onions and garlic on top of the pork, along with another tblsp of EVOO.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Roughly shred the pork with a knife and fork and mix it with all the onions, garlic and juice from the bottom of the cooker.
4. For crispy carnitas, throw some of the shredded pork into a pan with a tblsp of EVOO and toss around on medium to high heat for about 5 minutes until most of the carnitas get crispy. You don’t want to overcook them or they’ll become dry.
5. Place leaves of lettuce on a plate and add a generous amount of carnitas on each leaf and top with cilantro, tomato and avocado slices.

Try these tacos with your favorite salsa or my paleo avocado cilantro crema, it’s divine!

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