Paleo Nachos are made with tostone “chips”, flavourful ground beef, an avocado crema & dairy free nacho sauce. It’s one of the best healthy & hearty nacho recipes out there! Free of gluten, grains & dairy + AIP friendly! Enjoy them while watching a game or movie, or as a fun dinner dish!
Did you know, more and more research is showing that cattle, pigs and poultry raised on their natural pasture and grass-based diets yield meat that is lower in total fat and calories, and food that is higher in good fats like Omega 3’s. In addition, this meat more concentrated with antioxidants such as vitamins E, C and beta-carotene, and with increased levels of other disease-fighting substances.
Generally speaking, animals are not eating what they were naturally meant to eat. As more animals are raised by the thousands and packed into concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), their natural diets of roots and grasses, grubs and bugs has been replaced by a standard factory farm food of grains, soybeans, King Corn and various advanced pharmaceutical products.
Good science shows that eating meat, milk and eggs from grass-fed and pastured animals will provide your body with more health-enhancing, disease fighting materials than industrial-grade CAFO-raised protein.
Therefore, you should consider sourcing out animal products from farms that have ethical farming practices–and raise animals on their natural pasture from beginning to end.
One of the farms I order meat from is Wild Meadows Farm in Grey County Ontario. Not only can you taste the quality in the meat, but you feel good about eating it too. I’m truly grateful for businesses, like Wild Meadows Farm, who put the time, energy and resources into ethical farming practices.
I’ve used their grass-fed ground beef in various recipes and the result is always amazing & delicious!
I highly recommend Paleo Nachos with grass-fed ground beef. This dish is made from whole food ingredients and is free of gluten, grains and dairy. It’s great for those following a paleo or AIP diet — or anyone looking for a super healthy version of nachos!
Paleo Nachos are made with tostone "chips", flavourful ground beef, an avocado crema & dairy free nacho sauce. It's one of the best healthy & hearty nacho recipes out there! Free of gluten, grains & dairy + AIP friendly! Enjoy them while watching a game or movie, or as a fun dinner dish!
2largeplantains, peeled and cut into 1 inch slices
1lbgrass-fed ground beef
Sea salt
Avocado oil
Avocado Crema
1largeavocado
1/4cupcilantro
2tbspred onion
1/3cuplight coconut milk, canned
Juice of 1 lime
Sea salt , to taste
Nacho Sauce
1/2cuplight coconut milk, canned
1/2cupsweet potato, steamed or roasted
Juice of 1/4 lime
1/4tspsea salt
Toppings
2tbspfresh cilantro, chopped
2tbspred onion, chopped
Black or green olives, sliced
Taco Seasoning
1tspground cumin
1tspground garlic
1/2tsporegano
1/2tsponion powder
1/4tspsea salt
1/4tspblack pepper
Instructions
Using a food processor or blender, pulse all avocado crema ingredients together. Set aside.
Blend or process all nacho sauce ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
Prepare all toppings and set aside.
Cook ground beef with taco season + 1 tsp salt in a pan until meat is browned.
Fried Plantains/Tostones
While beef is cooking, cover bottom of a large pan in avocado oil and heat on medium-high.
When oil is hot, add plantain slices and fry on both sides until golden (roughly 2-minutes per side). Season with salt.
Remove plantains from pan and gently smash until flattened (I smash my plantains between two pieces of parchment paper with a mug or can).
Add smashed plantains back to the pan and fry again on both sides until golden brown. Now you have tostones, which will be used as a base for your nachos!
Assembly
Lay tostones on a serving platter and spread beef on top.
Drizzle avocado crema and nacho sauce on top then garnish with toppings. Serve while it's hot!
Sausage & Rapini Pizza is so good and the perfect healthy recipe for your next pizza night! It’s gluten, grain & dairy free, making it IBS friendly and the ideal pizza for anyone following a paleo diet.
DID YOU KNOW? Cassava flour is a good choice for those with gluten intolerance symptoms and sensitive digestive systems or disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Cassava flour is derived from cassava root (also known as yuca or manioc), a starchy, high-carbohydrate tuber – similar to yam, taro, plantains and potato.
Starchy tubers tend to be safer for people with gut issues since they contain more soluble fiber and less insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber can be soothing for the gut, whereas consuming large amounts of insoluble fiber when your gut is inflamed can aggravate IBS symptoms.
Once a month (OK fine, every two weeks) the BF and I experiment with different pizza toppings for this cassava flour pizza crust. You can find the original pizza crust recipe created by Otto’s Naturals, here.
We’ve nailed down another great recipe which was inspired by my little Jen days. I could always count on a sausage & rapini pizza from Caruso’s Pizza when I would visit my dad on the weekends. This pizza put all others to shame! Looking back, I’m truly grateful my dad was hopeless in the kitchen or else I wouldn’t have got my weekly dose of this pizza 🙂
So, if you’re looking for a gut friendly pizza with a whole lot of Italian love, this is the one for you!
Sausage & Rapini Pizza is so good and the perfect healthy recipe for your next pizza night! It’s gluten, grain & dairy free, making it IBS friendly and the ideal pizza for anyone following a paleo diet.
1cupcassava flour, I recommend Otto's cassava flour
1tbspcoconut flour
5tbsparrowroot flour
1tspsalt
1tspgarlic powder, optional
1egg
¼cupavocado oil
TOPPINGS
1/2cupplum tomatoes, drained and crushed
20wholemushrooms, sautéed
1bunchrapini, boiled & sautéed
1cured Italian sausage, sliced
Sea salt to taste, mix into tomatoes
Instructions
Prepare yeast mix: In a small bowl, add warm water and honey. Mix to dissolve. Sprinkle yeast in. Mix to dissolve. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to activate. It will get foamy on top.
Mix dry: Mix dry ingredients in large mixing bowl to combine.
Mix wet: Lightly whisk eggs and olive oil together in a small bowl.
Mix together and form a dough ball: Add egg mixture and activated yeast to the dry ingredients and form a dough ball. Transfer ball to an oiled bowl, cover with dish towel and set aside in a warm place (70-80 F is ideal) to rise for 1 hour. It will not double in size, but it will rise a little.
Prep toppings while dough rises: Remove stems from rapini, boil until tender and drain. Grab two stove-top pans and saute 1 sliced garlic clove in 2 tbsp avocado oil, in each pan. Add rapini to one pan and mushrooms to the other. Season each with sea salt and coat in oil and garlic. After a few minutes remove rapini and set aside. Add some red or white wine (other liquids work too) to the mushrooms and cover for a few minutes. Remove when liquid evaporates and mushrooms are cooked. Set aside.
Once dough has risen, preheat oven to 550 F. Preheat pizza stone, baking sheet or metal pan.
Roll and shape dough: Place the dough on parchment paper. Place a piece of parchment paper over the dough (if necessary) and shape dough with your hands by pushing down (on top of parchment, so it doesn't stick) and roll with rolling pin. Flatten your pizza about 1/8-1/4 inch thin. Roll the crust thick or thin (to your liking) by shaping with your fingers and rolling the edges. Use extra cassava flour if dough is sticking. NOTE: Split the dough in half before rolling it out to make two smaller pizzas.
Add toppings: Add tomatoes, rapini, mushrooms and sausage onto the dough. Lift the whole piece of parchment paper with pizza on top and transfer to the preheated baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 8-12 minutes until dough is firm and slightly golden, pulling out halfway and removing parchment paper. For a crispier golden crust, allow a few more minutes. Allow more time if cooking at lower temperature.
This Paleo Tuna Pizza is absolutely delicious and the perfect recipe for your next pizza night! It’s gluten, grain & dairy free, making it the ideal pizza for anyone following a paleo diet.
Cassava health benefits
DID YOU KNOW? Cassava is high in resistant starch, a type of starch that bypasses digestion and feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut, which can support digestive health.
There are hundreds of different species of bacteria in your intestine. In fact, the bacteria in your intestine outnumber the body’s cells 10 to 1 — WOW!Science has discovered that the number and type of bacteria can have a profound impact on your health.
Whereas most foods feed only 10% of your cells, fermentable fibers and resistant starches feed the other 90%. Resistant starch not only feeds the friendly bacteria in your intestine, but it MAY bind to & expel “bad” bacteria, having a positive effect on the type of bacteria as well as their number.
In addition, resistant starch has also been studied to for its ability to contribute to better metabolic health and reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. This is due to its potential to improve blood sugar control, in addition to its role in promoting fullness and reducing appetite.
NOTE: Products made from cassava, such as flour, do contain resistant starch, but the levels are lower than in cassava root that has been cooked and then cooled in its whole form.
The best cassava flour pizza crust
This cassava flour pizza crust was created by Otto’s Naturals, one of the leading suppliers of cassava flour. You can get the original recipe here or check out the recipe below.
The texture and taste truly resembles regular pizza crust. The BF and I have been super excited to come up with different toppings for this awesome crust. We created this Paleo Tuna Pizza Mediterranean Style this past weekend and absolutely loved it! Let us know what you think in the comments section below 🙂
This paleo tuna pizza is absolutely delicious and the perfect recipe for your next pizza night! It's gluten, grain & dairy free, making it the ideal pizza for anyone following a paleo diet. The texture and taste of cassava flour pizza crust truly resembles regular pizza crust, so you won't be disappointed by yet another gluten free pizza.
1cupcassava flour, I recommend Otto's cassava flour
1tbspcoconut flour
5tbsparrowroot flour
1tspsalt
1tspgarlic powder, optional
1egg
¼cupavocado oil
Toppings
114-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained and crushed
1can wild skipjack tuna, drained
2clovesgarlic, minced
1tspfresh thyme, chopped
1tspfresh rosemary, chopped
1tbspcapers, drained
½red pepper, sliced thin
Hot red pepper flakes, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
2tbspextra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Prepare yeast mix: In a small bowl, add warm water and honey. Mix to dissolve. Sprinkle yeast in. Mix to dissolve. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to activate. It will get foamy on top.
Mix dry ingredients in large mixing bowl to combine.
Lightly whisk eggs and olive oil together in a small bowl.
Add egg mixture and activated yeast to the dry ingredients.
Mix to form a dough ball. Transfer ball to an oiled bowl, cover with dish towel and set aside in a warm place (70-80 F is ideal) to rise for 1 hour. It will not double in size, but it will rise a little.
Once dough has risen, preheat oven to 550 F. Preheat pizza stone, baking sheet or metal pan.
Place the dough on parchment paper. Place a piece of parchment paper over the dough (if necessary) and shape dough with your hands by pushing down (on top of parchment, so it doesn’t stick) and roll with rolling pin. Flatten your pizza about 1/8-1/4 inch thin. Roll the crust thick or thin (to your liking) by shaping with your fingers and rolling the edges. Use extra cassava flour if dough is sticking. NOTE: Split the dough in half before rolling it out to make two smaller pizzas.
Season tomatoes with half the garlic and sea salt then spread over the rolled out dough.
Break up the tuna in a bowl then add 1 tbsp olive oil, remaining garlic and thyme & rosemary. Combine ingredients then spread over the tomatoes. Add hot pepper flakes, capers, and strips of red pepper. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over the entire pizza.
Lift the whole piece of parchment paper with pizza on top and transfer to the preheated baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 8-12 minutes until dough is firm and slightly golden, pulling out halfway and removing parchment paper. For a crispier golden crust, allow a few more minutes. Allow more time if cooking at lower temperature.
This Margherita Pizza with Cassava Flour Crust is the perfect recipe if you’re looking for a gluten free pizza that actually tastes like pizza!
Cassava flour is the most similar to wheat flour when compared to other gluten free flours.
It’s derived from cassava root (also known as yuca or manioc), a starchy, high-carbohydrate tuber – similar to yam, taro, plantains and potato.
As a tuberous root vegetable, cassava is gluten, grain and nut-free, as well as vegan and paleo.
Cassava flour is a good choice for those with gluten intolerance symptoms, sensitive digestive systems or disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome or disease.
It is very mild and neutral in flavor. It’s also not grainy or gritty in texture – rather, it’s soft and powdery.
These qualities, along with the fact that it can be replaced on a 1:1 basis with wheat flour in many recipes, make cassava flour a preferred flour for gluten-free, grain-free baking and cooking.
Otto’s Naturals is one of the leading suppliers of cassava flour and they’ve created this perfect recipe for cassava flour pizza crust (you can find the original recipe here).
My BF (who loves his gluten-filled pizza–maybe even more than he loves me!) thinks this gluten free pizza crust is brilliant and the best we’ve created to date. He claims that the texture and taste truly resembles regular pizza crust–and he’s more than happy to make it (and eat it) over and over again. This is super exciting because now I can kick up my feet with a glass of wine while my man makes me pizza!
OK, it’s time for you to give this awesome pizza crust a try!
Make this recipe dairy free & paleo… If you’re following a dairy free or paleo diet, omit the mozzarella. Add some garlic and/or oregano to the tomatoes to make it marinara style instead.
Want more healthy pizza recipes? You’ve got to try these …
This margherita pizza with cassava flour crust is the perfect recipe if you’re looking for a gluten free pizza that actually tastes like pizza! Make this recipe dairy free & paleo by omitting the mozzarella and adding some garlic and/or oregano to the tomatoes to make it marinara style instead.
1cupcassava flour, I recommend Otto's cassava flour*
1tbspcoconut flour
5tbsparrowroot flour
1tspsalt
1tspgarlic powder, optional
1egg
¼cupavocado oil
Toppings for classic margherita
Plum tomatoes, drained and crushed
Buffalo mozzarella (sliced), omit for dairy free & paleo version*
Fresh basil
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt, to taste (mix into tomatoes)
Instructions
Prepare yeast mix: In a small bowl, add warm water and honey. Mix to dissolve. Sprinkle yeast in. Mix to dissolve. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to activate. It will get foamy on top.
Mix dry ingredients in large mixing bowl to combine.
Lightly whisk eggs and olive oil together in a small bowl.
Add egg mixture and activated yeast to the dry ingredients.
Mix to form a dough ball. Transfer ball to an oiled bowl, cover with dish towel and set aside in a warm place (70-80 F is ideal) to rise for 1 hour. It will not double in size, but it will rise a little.
Once dough has risen, preheat oven to 550 F. Preheat pizza stone, baking sheet or metal pan.
Place the dough on parchment paper. Place a piece of parchment paper over the dough (if necessary) and shape dough with your hands by pushing down (on top of parchment, so it doesn't stick) and roll with rolling pin. Flatten your pizza about 1/8-1/4 inch thin. Roll the crust thick or thin (to your liking) by shaping with your fingers and rolling the edges. Use extra cassava flour if dough is sticking.
Place toppings (tomatoes then cheese then some basil) on the dough. Lift the whole piece of parchment paper with pizza on top and transfer to the preheated baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 8-12 minutes until dough is firm and slightly golden, pulling out halfway and removing parchment paper. For a crispier golden crust, allow a few more minutes. Allow more time if cooking at lower temperature.
Add remaining basil leaves on pizza and drizzle with olive oil.
Notes
*Find Otto's cassava flour here.*Make this recipe dairy free & paleo by omitting the mozzarella and adding some garlic and/or oregano to the tomatoes to make it marinara style instead.
Tostones are slices of unripe plantains, fried, flattened, then fried again. They make for an awesome paleo, AIP & plant-based side to so many dishes. They’re super easy to make and only require simple 3 ingredients!
DID YOU KNOW? Consuming plantains is a great way to relieve constipation and provide relief from hemorrhoids and digestive conditions like diverticulitis since they are high in fiber.
One cup of plantains contains 25-30 grams of fiber! The fiber and starch found in plantains are complex carbs.
Fiber and complex carbs are less processed and more slowly digested than the simple carbs found in processed foods. They keep you fuller and more satisfied for longer after a meal, which can be helpful for weight loss and management.
Cooked plantains are also a rich source of vitamins A, C, and B-6, and the minerals magnesium and potassium.
Although they may look like bananas, plantains are starchier, contain less sugar and are much more versatile as a cooking ingredient. Also, unlike bananas, plantains are typically cooked before eating.
How to prep plantains for cooking:
1. Use a paring knife, chop off ends of the plantain.
2. Score the sides of the plantain (lengthwise) all the way down.
3. Dig your thumb between the peel and plantain to remove each section of the peel.
4. Remove any remaining skin/peel using the knife.
5. From there you can dice, slice or use the plantain whole (depending on what the recipe calls for).
One of my favourite ways to enjoy plantains is in the form of tostones! Tostones are slices of unripe plantains, fried, flattened, then fried again.
They’re super easy and quick to make and only require 3 ingredients! Check out the recipe below.
Tostones are slices of unripe plantains, fried, flattened, then fried again. They make for an awesome paleo, AIP & plant-based side to so many dishes. They're super easy to make and only require simple 3 ingredients!
Whether you’re looking for a healthy appetizer board for your next dinner party or you just need some snacks to pair with a bottle of wine – this Healthy Cheese Board is the perfect option.
Let’s talk about dairy …
There’s no question that dairy doesn’t work for everyone. Some people are allergic to or intolerant of the proteins in dairy, while others are highly sensitive to lactose, the sugar in dairy.
According to Chris Kresser, Functional Medicine Doctor, why dairy benefits some people and causes problems for others boils down to the health of the gut.
“If someone has compromised intestinal permeability, or “leaky gut”, it’s more likely that their immune system will respond to potentially allergenic components in milk such as alpha- and beta-casein, casomorphin and butyrophillin.
This is especially true for people who are gluten intolerant, because it has been shown that milk proteins commonly cross-react with gluten. Put another way, if you react to gluten, it’s more likely that you’ll also react to milk.
Along these same lines, people with small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) – which is one of the major causes of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – may be more likely to react to milk because the bacteria in their small intestine aggressively ferments lactose, the sugar in milk, causing gas, bloating and other G.I. symptoms.” Read more HERE.
If you’re not sure where you stand with dairy, the best approach is to remove it for 30 days and then reintroduce and see what happens. Elimination/reintroduction is still the gold-standard for determining sensitivity to a particular food.
If you are lactose intolerant, there’s good news … You may be able to enjoy some dairy since many types of cheese naturally have very low or non-measurable amounts of lactose.
Soft cheeses tend to have more lactose than hard cheeses. In addition, as cheese ages, it loses even more moisture, therefore the longer a cheese has been aged, the less lactose will remain in the final product.
Here’s a list of cheese types that are aged for long periods of time and are likely to have very small or non-measurable levels of lactose:
Cheddar (aged 12+ months)
Swiss (ages 14+ months
Gouda (aged 18+ months)
Parmigiano-Reggiano (aged 12 to 24 months)
Grana Padano (aged 12 to 20 months)
Mimolette (aged 22 months)
Romano (aged 3 to 4 years)
Give this fresh and delicious cheese board a try. Feel free to select cheeses that work well for your body.
What you need for this healthy cheese board
3 cheeses of your choice
Grapes, green
Cucumber, sliced
Walnuts & almonds, raw or dry-roasted
Olives, green
Bosc pear, sliced
INSTRUCTIONS:
Grab a glass of wine and let your inner artist have fun with laying out these foods on a wood board or large platter. Don’t forget to brag about your food art when company arrives.
Want more healthy appetizers? You’re going to love these …
My mission is to help women heal their gut, lose weight and feel great through simple and delicious smoothies, whole food nutrition & healthy lifestyle habits.
