Linzer Torte Jam Cookies

February 08, 2021 by Nichole Perkins in Recipes

There are times when we’re craving a decadent dessert (hello, Red Velvet), and then there are times when a simple, lightly sweet cookie with a cup of tea is perfect. These gluten-free, vegan treats are inspired by the classic Linzer Torte Cookie. Nutty and jammy, the almond flour gives them a perfect richness and crumble. (They’re equally as good sandwiched or as an open-faced jam cookie.)

This recipe yields 12 cookies

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup melted coconut oil
⅓ cup maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups almond flour
½ cup hazelnut flour
⅛ teaspoon salt

32 g melted coconut oil
80 ml cup maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
260 g cups almond flour
64 g hazelnut flour
⅛ teaspoon salt

Directions

Mix all wet ingredients in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients.
Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until well incorporated.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough until it is about ⅛ inch thick.
Use cookie cutters to create fun shapes.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 175 degrees Celsius for 7-10 minutes or until edges have started to brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Top with PrimaFoodie homemade Berry Jam.

Red Velvet Muffins

February 08, 2021 by Nichole Perkins in Recipes

A healthy riff on a beloved treat, these PrimaFoodie-approved Red Velvet cupcakes get their deep crimson color from natural beets (which, in fact, were used in earlier recipes from the 1930s and 1940s). The rich cocoa, vanilla, and coconut oil bring the decadence to the next level.

This recipe yields 12 muffins

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ cups almond flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
⅓ cup coconut oil
¾ cup maple syrup
Juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 medium size beet (cooked and peeled)
3 tablespoons cacao powder

230 g almond flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
80 ml coconut oil
180 ml maple syrup
Juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 medium size beet (cooked and peeled)
3 tablespoons cacao powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 175 degrees Celsius.
Mix almond flour, baking soda, salt and cacao powder in a bowl and set aside.
Place eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla and cooked beets in a food processor and blend for about 15 seconds.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the food processor and mix until fully incorporated.
Scoop into a muffin tin.
Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 175 degrees Celsius.

TIPS

**I cook mine on the shorter side, keep them on the counter then reheat them in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes and they come out lightly crisp on the outside and perfectly moist on the inside every time.

**To cook beets, fill the bottom of a pot with water and bring to a boil. Cut off the leafy green stem and place beet root in a steamer basket above the boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam for about 30 minutes or until beets are soft and can be pierced with a fork. Remove from the heat and allow them to cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel the skin off the beet root. Now they are ready to eat or use for baking.

**Always keep the beet root water from your steamed beets. You can drink it plain, or add it to a smoothie. It has wonderful nutrients and a beautiful red color.

Almond Biscotti with Honey and Orange

December 14, 2020 by Nichole Perkins in Recipes

There’s something about the robust crunch, the warm anise, and the buttery almond that make biscotti so satisfying. These have all the appeal of the traditional twice-baked Italian biscuit but without the refined sugar or gluten. Cozy up with a few of these fresh from the oven, a piping cup of tea, and a novel.

This recipe yields 20 pieces of biscotti

INGREDIENTS

For Biscotti:
2 eggs
¾ cup honey
½ cup palm shortening
2 tablespoons orange flavoring
2 cups almond flour
¼ cup coconut flour
¼ cup arrowroot powder
3 teaspoons star anise, freshly ground
1-½ teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For Topping:
1 bar 100% cacao or unsweetened baking chocolate
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 cups sliced almonds or crushed pecans

For Biscotti:
2 eggs
175 ml honey
64 g palm shortening
2 tablespoons orange flavoring
250 g almond flour
32 g coconut flour
32 g arrowroot powder
3 teaspoons star anise, freshly ground
1-½ teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For Topping:
1 bar 100% cacao or unsweetened baking chocolate
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon coconut oil
250 g sliced almonds or crushed pecans

DIRECTIONS

For Biscotti:

In a stand mixer, combine eggs, honey, palm shortening, and orange flavoring until well incorporated.
In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients and use a pastry blender or whisk to mix and break up any lumps.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
On a baking tray covered with parchment paper, form the dough into a log shape. The dough will spread when baking, so keep the log thin and approximately 3 inches wide.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 175 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for 1 hour.
Slice into thin strips and lay flat on the baking tray.
Reduce the heat of the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit / 90 degrees Celsius and bake for another 45 minutes, flipping the biscotti halfway.
Remove from oven and allow to cool and harden.

For Topping:

In a double boiler, melt baking chocolate.
Add honey and coconut oil and mix well.
Prepare a bowl with sliced almonds or crushed pecans.
Once fully melted, dip ends of biscotti in chocolate and roll through nuts. Set back on baking tray and refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened. Serve with your favorite cup of coffee.

TIPS

**The dough will be very sticky and does not feel like a traditional dough; this is normal. You can form the log shape inside the parchment paper without even touching the dough. Pinch two sides of the parchment together and roll the dough back and forth inside the parchment. Release and check that it’s about 3 inches or desired width.

**After the second bake, it is normal for the biscotti to still feel slightly soft. It will harden into the traditional crispy texture after sitting at room temperature for a while.

Heirloom Cherry Tomato Tarte with Nettle Basil Pesto

August 10, 2020 by Nichole Perkins in Recipes

This flaky, crumbly crust filled with juicy peak-season tomatoes and pesto sauce make this tarte substantial enough for a full meal. We love ours sprinkled with fresh basil.

INGREDIENTS

For Dough:
1 cup almond flour + ½ cup arrowroot or tapioca flour, sieved together
Large pinch salt
½ teaspoon lemon zest
6 tablespoons coconut oil, softened but not melted
1 egg
2 tablespoons clover honey

For Pesto:
1 bunch stinging nettle
¼ cup pine nuts
1 bunch basil (plus additional torn pieces for topping)
½ cup olive oil
5 cloves roasted garlic
Squeeze fresh lemon juice
Lemon zest to taste
Salt to taste

For Tarte:
1 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes

For Dough:
128 g almond flour + 64 g arrowroot or tapioca flour, sieved together
Large pinch salt
½ teaspoon lemon zest
6 tablespoons coconut oil, softened but not melted
1 egg
2 tablespoons clover honey

For Pesto:
1 bunch stinging nettle
32 g pine nuts
1 bunch basil (plus additional torn pieces for topping)
120 ml olive oil
5 cloves roasted garlic
Squeeze fresh lemon juice
Lemon zest to taste
Salt to taste

For Tarte:
128 g heirloom cherry tomatoes

Directions

For Dough:

Place sieved flour in a mixing bowl and whisk in salt and lemon zest.
Using your hands or a pastry cutter, mix in coconut oil until it reaches the texture of sand.
In a small bowl, whisk egg with honey (it helps if honey is warm) until mostly combined.
Pour wet mixture into dry mix and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. It should be thick but not too sticky to handle. Add a tablespoon of water if too dry.
Wrap tightly and refrigerate while you prep the pesto. (You can also make the dough in advance and freeze.)

For Pesto:

Blanch stinging nettle for 20-30 seconds, drain and, when cool, gently squeeze water out and remove stems. Freeze stems for future use (they’re great to use in smoothies).
Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until golden (approximately 3-5 minutes).
Add nettle and basil into a blender or food processor and pulse until well combined.
Add olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt and continue to pulse until combined. Add more olive oil as desired; I made this recipe thicker with less oil, so it would be a sturdier base for the tomatoes.
Add pine nuts to food processor and pulse until fine. Add additional salt to taste.

For Tarte:

Slice cherry tomatoes in half, sprinkle with a bit of salt, and place on a clean dish towel cut side down to draw out some of the moisture.
Roll out dough between parchment paper until roughly ⅓-inch thick.
Spread pesto around the middle of the dough (approximately ¼-inch thickness), leaving roughly 2 inches of perimeter without pesto.
Add tomatoes, cut sides up, on top of pesto.
Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit / 190 degrees Celsius.
Using the underside of the parchment to help, fold the edges of the tarte up until it touches the layer of pesto and tomatoes.
Place on baking sheet and pop in the refrigerator until oven is preheated (this step is optional).
Place in the middle rack of the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes.
Allow tarte to cool on the pan, add torn basil to top, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Original recipe by The Compliant Cook.

Jalapeño Salmon Cakes

June 22, 2020 by Nichole Perkins in Recipes

It’s the peak of wild caught salmon season and I’m continually looking for new ways to prepare it. These cakes feature the herbaceous flavor of fresh dill plus the punch from a bit of jalapeño pepper. An easy-to-make and easier-to-enjoy weeknight meal.

This recipe yields about 10 rounds

INGREDIENTS

1 pound salmon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt + ½ teaspoon
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup parsley
1 tablespoon fresh dill
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons jalapeño, chopped
¼ cup red onion, chopped
2 eggs
⅔ cup almond flour + 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon ghee

.5 kilogram salmon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt + ½ teaspoon
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
32 g parsley
1 tablespoon fresh dill
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons jalapeño, chopped
32 g red onion, chopped
2 eggs
85 g almond flour + 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon ghee

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit / 200 degrees Celsius.
Season salmon with olive oil, ½ teaspoon sea salt, and black pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes.
While the fish is cooking, mix remaining sea salt with parsley, dill, cumin, paprika, lemon juice, jalapeño, red onion, and eggs in a bowl.
Remove fish from the oven and allow it to cool.
When fish comes to room temperature, break it apart with your hands into small pieces.
Mix the fish with the spice mixture until everything is well incorporated.
Add almond flour to the mixture.
Using your hands, scoop a small amount of fish mixture into your hands and form into a patty. Place on a tray with parchment paper.
Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so that the cakes can condense.
After 30 minutes, remove cakes from the refrigerator.
Heat a large pan on medium-high heat with ghee.
Gently lower the salmon cakes into the pan and allow to cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden.
Remove from pan and serve with Primal Kitchen Tartar Sauce.

Tips

**As always, feel free to experiment with the spice level for your palate.

**As with most dishes, these are best served fresh from the frying pan. They do freeze well so if you are not ready to cook them immediately, you can freeze the rounds for a future meal.