Paleo Cinnamon Buns (dairy free, wheat free, sugar free)

I have to say this is the best thing I have eaten in a while.  I got the recipe from a blog I follow called The Urban Poser.  Eating these rolls made me feel like I was eating something I was not supposed to have but they were really good for you.  They were delicious!

The rolls are more like a roll that is made more like a biscuit consistency.

Paleo Cinnamon Buns (dairy free, wheat free, sugar free)
For the rolls:
3 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons honey
2 large eggs at room temperature

For the filling:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup raisins soaked in water to plump
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 340 degrees Fahrenheit.  In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt and baking soda.  In a separate bowl, gently beat together coconut oil, honey and eggs.  Add the egg mixture to the almond flour mixture.  Mix until a smooth dough is formed.  It will be sticky at first, continue to mix until it firms up some.  Let rest in refrigerator for about 10 minutes.  Lightly grease the outside of the ball of dough.  Roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment paper to keep it from sticking when you roll it up.  Roll to about a 9x13 size rectangle.  Drizzle the dough with honey, using your hand to carefully spread it around.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and pecans.  Drain and squeeze out the liquid from the raisins and spread over the dough.  From the small end of the dough, start to roll the edge up.  Try to start a tight roll from the beginning.  Continue rolling until you have a uniform log.  With a sharp knife, cut the roll into thick slices.  Place the rolls cut side down onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.  Let cool before removing them from cookie sheet.  Drizzle with icing just before serving.

Icing
1/4 cup softened coconut butter
2 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup coconut milk
Mix together coconut butter and honey to form a thick paste.  Add coconut milk a little at a time until you get the consistency you want.  Spread/drizzle over the cinnamon buns.

Ginger Dressing

I made this dressing the other night to go over a grilled salmon salad and it was fantastic.  I believe that I could eat this dressing on just about anything, of course though I love ginger.

Ginger Dressing
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Mix all ingredients into a jar and shake until well mixed.

The salmon was cooked on the grill using cedar (wood) wrappers.  The wrappers impart a nice flavor to the salmon.

Braised Lamb Shanks

I have to start this post as a confession, I have never made lamb shanks before in my life.  I decided to give it a try when I purchased them at the Farmer's Market yesterday.   Truth be told, I am not really afraid to make anything.  I love trying new things.  I decided a nice slow roasting of the shank was in order so that they would cook to fall right off the bone.  In case you don't know what a lamb shank is I put a couple of pictures prior to cooking.  Also, here is a definition.

I began to look at the fundamentals of this meal and realized that the majority of it either came from local farms or our own garden.  Mike planted a winter garden of several different things.  A winter garden is usually something that you have that comes up during the winter.  He planted kale and it was so happy it came right on up and we were lucky enough to be able to enjoy it now.

Braised Lamb Shanks
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 small onions, halved and thinly sliced
Kosher salt (add pepper if you want as well)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 - 28 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes and 1 - 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 lamb shanks
1/2 cup room temperature red wine (I used a Cabernet Franc)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  In a large oven proof dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add onions and season with salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally to help separate the onions and cook them until softened about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant.  Add tomatoes (using a spoon to break up the whole tomatoes) and cook until they break down.  Add lamb shanks and cover with the sauce.  Bring to a boil, cover and place pot into oven.  Cook for about 3 hours, or until lamb is fork tender.  With about the last 15 minutes of cook time, remove lid and add wine.  Cover again and let cook until done.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
Up to a 1/4 cup of coconut milk
salt
Place sweet potatoes into a large pan and cover with water.  Place pan over high heat and bring to a boil.  Continue to boil (don't let it boil over by adjusting the heat) and cook until fork tender.  Drain and then add sweet potatoes back into the pan and place on stove (no heat).  Using a potato masher, mash them while adding a little bit of coconut milk.  Continue to mash and add milk until you get the consistency you like.

Cooked Kale
1 large bunch of kale, washed and cut into small pieces
2 shallots, diced
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 white wine
In a large heavy bottom skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add shallots and cook until tender.  Add kale and stir.  Let cook constantly stirring to incorporate the shallots.  Add wine, cover and let cook for about 10 minutes.  Remove lid and let continue to cook to let liquid evaporate.  Serve.

In the pan after coming out of the oven

The meat fell right off the bone

Raw Lamb Shank

Raw Lamb Shank