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Scallops are nutritional powerhouses with up to 1300 mg of omega-3 fatty acids in one serving! This alone makes scallops one of the very best sources of protein for anyone targeting inflammation.

You absolutely can pan-sear your scallops but this recipe gives roasting instructions so it's pretty hands off. For AIP, olive oil is an excellent compliment to seafood and you only need sea salt to bring out the subtle sweet, richness of fresh scallops.

A note on freshness, please be sure to feel and smell your scallops. Fresh scallops should smell like the ocean. Scallops that are slimy or fishy in smell are going bad.

Which Scallops To Buy

Look for dry-packed large sea scallops (as opposed to wet-packed) so you can get them to develop a little golden color. For reference, scallops may be referred to as U/10 or U/12 to indicate their size (with the 10 being the larger size because it would only take 10 scallops to equal 1 pound).

In this recipe, I serve them with the zest and juice of an orange and lemon juice. However, you really could just serve them as-is or with a small spritz of lemon juice. There is ginger juice in the recipe because it's anti-inflammatory and a nice spicy substitute for black pepper (not AIP). As an alternative to fresh ginger, you could also try adding finely grated fresh garlic which is also spicy and anti-inflammatory.

If you are familiar with seafood, scallops are like most seafood, in that they really need only be cooked with olive oil and salt to bring out their delicate flavor. I hope you fall in love with this cooking method for scallops.

Looking for an AIP Side?

Cauliflower is a great vegetable side because it's not over-powering and you can try a puree or mashed cauliflower to go underneath these scallops. A quick sautéed kale would also go nicely with the flavors of lemon, orange, and ginger in this dish.

This scallop recipe was developed for my sister site The Frayed Apron but originally included butter. If you are reintroducing dairy, you could try this recipe with ghee or grass-fed butter.

AIP ROAST SCALLOPS WITH CITRUS

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 248kcal

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Serves 2/ Prep time: 5 minutes / Cook time: 20 minutes

Seafood is one of the highlights of any autoimmune restrictive diet because it's an ingredient that really shines with just salt, olive oil, and fresh lemon. Plus, it's a great source of omega-3s, which are anti-inflammatory. In this recipe, it's best to find the large scallops because that way you can achieve some browning whereas the small scallops will cook too quickly to develop any color.

Ingredients

• ▢ 16 large sea scallops approximately 2 pounds
• ▢ 2 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
• ▢ Sea salt to taste
• ▢ 1 small orange zested and juiced*
• ▢ 1 small lemon juiced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated finely then squeezed for juice*
• ▢ Fresh tarragon or parsley finely sliced for garnish

Instructions

• Roast the scallops. Preheat the oven to 425F. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and put them in a bowl. Toss with oil and a couple pinches of salt. Place coated scallops on a sheet tray in a single layer with some room between each scallop. Roast until slightly golden on top, about 20 minutes.
  
• Garnish and serve. In a small bowl, combine the orange zest and juice, lemon juice, and ginger juice. Spoon over the scallops and serve with fresh tarragon or parsley.
  

Notes

Zesting: Use a microplane and be sure to avoid scraping too deeply (the white pith layer is bitter). You only want to include the orange zest in this recipe.

Juicing ginger: Ginger can have a hair-like texture that’s pretty off-putting. The trick to getting juice from a small quantity of ginger is to use a microplane or finely grate over a sheet of parchment for easy lifting. Hold the finely shredded ginger between your fingers and squeeze. Even a few drops of ginger is potent.

Nutrition

Serving: 8scallops | Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 472mg | Potassium: 422mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 123IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg

A member of the AIP community told a story about how she roasted chicken thighs at 400 degrees with vegetables on a sheet tray and everything turned out poorly because the vegetables created a pool of liquid and just steamed the chicken.

That got me thinking about why this chicken recipe works. I think the reason we can cook the chicken directly over the vegetables and everything still gets that golden flavor is two-fold: height (meaning the chicken towers over the vegetables) and a longer overall cook time. Vegetables do release steam and so it's important that the chicken skin have plenty of time to get exposed to dry heat for those crispy, not soggy, results.

At the end of the day, crispy chicken skin is about dry heat and will guarantee you get maximum flavor with as few ingredients as fat+salt.

And in case you were wondering, if you are working with chicken thighs, it's best to separate the chicken from the vegetables (but that's a recipe for another time).

Roasting a whole chicken over top of root vegetables with a garlic-herb rub reminds me of the comforts of a bowl of homemade chicken soup. You can use any herbs you wish, but I love parsley, thyme, and oregano--those same savory flavors you'd find in a bowl of soup.

What makes this recipe autoimmune friendly is the minimal seasoning (salt) and the fat (olive oil). Chicken is an affordable and healthy option when cooked in your own kitchen.

It's easy to assume that a chicken from the store is healthy, but the truth is, most people with leaky gut issues and autoimmune conditions need to eliminate known trigger foods over a period of weeks, months, or even years in order to slow inflammatory processes.

I know for my husband, when he ate chicken from the store, he would consistently become symptomatic whereas he would not when eating chicken at home. We determined in his case, he was sensitive to the cooking oil. Cooking meals at home with olive oil became a way of achieving a baseline between flare ups that often coincided with so-called convenience decisions.

To get foolproof results, you only need a thermometer but this recipe is pretty hard to mess up so if you don't have one, you can cook the chicken until you see the skin turn golden and it's pretty much done. Unlike turkey, chicken is pretty forgiving and tends to be juicy as long as you let it rest out of the oven before slicing it.

You can even cook the chicken over a layer of root vegetables for added flavor. The drippings season the vegetables and the vegetables release steam and keep the chicken just a tad moist on the bottom. It's truly a gardener's dream because you can always use whatever root vegetables and herbs you want.

AIP Whole Roast Chicken with Garlic and Herbs

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 567kcal

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The gist with this whole roast chicken recipe is to apply olive oil or avocado oil to the skin to avoid inflammatory fats. AIP is all about meat and vegetables and so this is a staple centerpiece in my family. We love to cook the chicken over top of rutabaga and sometimes turnips.

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 root vegetables such as turnips, rutabagas, or sweet potato
• ▢ 6 garlic cloves
• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil avocado oil or tallow work, too
• ▢ 1 whole chicken 4- to 5-pound
• ▢ sea salt
• ▢ lemon and fresh herbs optional for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425℉. Peel the root vegetables (if desired) and cut into ½-inch cubes (large dice). Spread the vegetables in the bottom of a Dutch oven or large baking dish along with the whole garlic cloves. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt.
  
• Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and transfer on top of the root vegetables. Note: If using lemon or fresh herbs, you may stuff them inside the cavity of the chicken or place under the skin.
  
• Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 165℉ (or higher) and the skin is golden and crispy. Allow the chicken to rest for about 10 minutes. Carve the chicken on a cutting board and serve with pan juices and roasted vegetables.
  

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (4 total) | Calories: 567kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 142mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 267IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg

Sautéed AIP Greens should be a part of any AIP meal plan because otherwise the strict diet can lack contrasting tastes like spicy and bitter flavors--vital to enjoying food. Kale and most bitter greens have a natural pepperiness to them, and I love this combination of Lacinato kale, shiitake mushrooms, grated ginger, green garlic and lemon. It's good, healthy stuff.

AIP is all about eating anti-inflammatory foods from the rainbow and this side dish is all about green which hints at things like vitamins A, C, and K, minerals like magnesium, potassium, and iron, as well as fiber and antioxidants.

While I love kale, you can substitute any bitter green here. For example, mustard greens have a spiciness that will remind you of the condiment; whereas collard greens are more earthy and grassy.

I'm pretty confident in recommending kale to anyone because even my 2-year-old eats it willingly.

How to Prep Shiitakes and Ginger

Fresh shiitake mushrooms have a fabulous meaty texture and deep savory, umami flavor. You always remove the stems (discard or save for stock) and slice the top thinly. Most shiitakes are pretty clean but you can give them a quick rinse if you have any doubt.

Fresh ginger has a heat to it that I sometimes prefer as a break from garlic cloves. To start, peel your ginger then either mince or grate and use the juice or the pulp. Notice that I'm combining ginger with fresh green garlic, which is significantly milder than the clove. FYI, green garlic loses most of it's flavor when cooked, so do try to add it at the very end right before serving so you get to enjoy how special it is.

Of course, if you can't use green garlic, a good substitute would be to use a single garlic clove (minced) that you add right at the end and stir in for just 30 seconds or so.

How do you know when bitter greens are cooked enough?

As you cook bitter greens, like kale, they become less bitter and the fibers soften, making them easier to chew. Heat does cause greens to lose nutrients and so I prefer to sauté my greens for only a few minutes total. That way, when you add a spritz of fresh lemon, they're still a deep verdant green, a sign of their nutritional value.

What to Serve with Sautéed Kale:

You can roast or grill chicken, steak, pork, or fish. Any protein or meatloaf would pair well with this dish. If you happen to have some cauliflower puree, this would also make an excellent side dish. As a final showstopper, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream with a rhubarb crisp, AIP of course.

Seasonal Sautéed AIP Greens

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 82kcal

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Looking for a fast AIP side dish that's healthy as can be? Try sautéed bitter greens like this and you'll get hooked.

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil tallow, avocado oil, or lard work well, too
• ▢ 1 cup shiitake mushrooms stemmed and thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 bunch Lacinato kale, roughly chopped or mustard greens, curly kale, collard greens, or chard
• ▢ 1 pinch sea salt
• ▢ 1 knob fresh ginger peeled, grated (about 1 teaspoon)
• ▢ 2 stalks green garlic roughly chopped or minced
• ▢ 1 lemon juice added to taste

Instructions

• The first step is to heat a sauté skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add your oil and shiitake mushrooms. Do not stir. Allow to cook for 2 minutes.
• Stir the mushrooms then add the kale and stir to coat the leaves with the oil. Sprinkle with salt and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Add the fresh ginger. Stir and cook for another minute.
• Just before serving, you can add the green garlic and stir it in to distribute the flavor. Portion onto plates and add just a touch of lemon juice (to taste) and watch that green color become even brighter. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1side serving | Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 445mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 6749IU | Vitamin C: 77mg | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 1mg

This AIP strawberry-rhubarb crisp is effortless and as good or better than pie! It's comforting, crowd-pleasing and takes ingredients you have in the pantry and garden.

This was my first year growing rhubarb, and I can't believe how big and healthy it looked. From spring to fall, the plant kept giving me stalks. It was very good to me.

So as I had quite a bit of rhubarb on hand, I sampled lots of crisp toppings and settled on this one because the texture and flavor resembles a streusel topping I used to make out of oats. This one is grain-free and allergy-friendly (so no oats and it's gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free).

Key Ingredients in Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp

• Rhubarb: Use fresh rhubarb stalks, leaves discarded, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Sugar: You'll need autoimmune friendly sweetener like maple syrup or honey for the filling and maple syrup for the topping.
• Arrowroot: A little starch helps thicken the filling.
• Shredded coconut, tigernut flour, arrowroot starch, and coconut flour: Make a streusel topping with this AIP-friendly combo of nutrient-dense flours.
• Coconut oil: Refined or unrefined for the fat.

Baking Tip:

As you can see, this rhubarb gets pre-cooked in the oven first and that's because they cook at a different rate than the strawberries (those get added later).

Variations to Try

• A splash of vanilla extract? Yes, please.
• A pinch of lemon/orange zest? Sure.
• Strawberry-rhubarb ratios: Swap as much of the rhubarb with strawberries or make it 100% rhubarb.
• Apple-rhubarb crisp: Swap the strawberries with peeled, cored apples, cut into chunks.

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

• Make ahead: The crisp topping can be made and frozen up to 2 months in advance. Store it in a zip top freezer bag and add the topping (frozen) to your filling and bake.
• Storage: Leftovers will keep, covered with the Dutch oven lid in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Serve at room temperature or re-warm in a low oven for 20 minutes.

If you'd like to try this filling in a pie crust or try this crisp with blueberries, I've got a blueberry pie recipe you could play around with.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 6 bowls

Calories: 488kcal

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This tangy, sweet crisp will make your day. Pop some vanilla AIP ice cream on top and you've got the perfect hot summer snack or light dessert. This crisp topping can be crumbled or shaped a bit more. It's decadent and so, so good.

Ingredients

For the Filling:

• ▢ 3 cups diced fresh rhubarb
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ ½ cup honey or maple syrup
• ▢ 3 tablespoon coconut oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 1 pinch sea salt
• ▢ 3 cups fresh strawberries quartered

For the Topping:

• ▢ ¾ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• ▢ ⅓ cup tigernut flour
• ▢ ¼ cup arrowroot starch
• ▢ 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 pinch sea salt
• ▢ ¼ cup coconut oil
• ▢ ¼ cup maple syrup

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350℉.
• Pre-cook the rhubarb first. Place the rhubarb, water, honey, coconut oil, arrowroot, lemon juice and salt in a Dutch oven. Bake for 20 minutes.
• To the pre-cooked rhubarb, add the strawberries.
• To make the topping: In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.
• Add wet ingredients and stir until a dough forms. Use your fingers to press or sprinkle the dough over the top of the filling. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until you see the topping has crisped and the filling is bubbly.
• Let cool before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 31g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 14mg

This AIP Blueberry Pie is straight blueberries enhanced with just lemon and vanilla. Good pie needs little else! You will need fresh or frozen blueberries or try a combination of berries. And because there's no point in pie filling without the crust, I've included my cassava crust instructions in the recipe card below.

About This AIP Blueberry Pie Recipe

Cultivating timelessness is something I strive for in my adult life, so when my family lost all sense of time picking blueberries in the mountains of Alaska, hours passed like minutes again as it once did for me as a girl. We foraged until we had a gallon of blueberries and crow berries (tart and less flavorful than blueberries) combined and I decided to fire up the oven and make pie.

Wild blueberries vary in size and have a slightly tarter flavor than the blueberries you find in the produce section. When making this pie, go ahead and taste the filling and increase the amount of honey called for in the recipe if you want a sweeter pie.

Why This Recipe Works:

Pre-cooking the blueberry filling ensures that the final texture will be thick and not runny with excess juices. Arrowroot starch acts as a thickener as well, so any liquid becomes gel-like and the texture improves even more after refrigeration.

How to Make An AIP Crust

AIP crust is actually do-able and this one is pretty close to perfect. Surprisingly, you only need cassava flour and a few pantry staples. If you're new to Cassava flour, a lot of resident AIPers swear by Otto's brand, but I personally am a fan of this one.

Just like traditional crust-making, you need a pastry cutter to cut the palm shortening into the flour (though if you don't own one, you can actually make crust in the food processor).

**If you'd like to skip the crust and make this into a cobbler instead, you could use the topping I share in my strawberry-rhubarb crisp.

Ingredient Substitution Tips: Please try this recipe with palm shortening (since I've tested it). If you are allergic or only have lard (animal-based) or coconut oil (plant-based) on hand, you should try those since they are similarly solid at room temperature and can create a tender, somewhat flaky texture.

Based on my experiences working with those fats, you might find that the crust needs to be pressed by hand (as opposed to rolling it out). Also, you might notice more cracking when you go to serve it (as opposed to the crust holding together).

What do I do if the crust tears?

You can use oiled fingers to smooth over cracks. You can see that my crust is far from perfect, which is just fine with me. It just shows that it is, in fact, handmade and not storebought.

When making the crust, you do not need to pre-cook the crust. You will pre-cook the filling though which removes some moisture and thickens the filling so your crust won't get overly saturated during the baking process.

As you can see, this is actually a blueberry pie with a few strawberries added. I love how the berries maintain their shape and are visible! Don't crush your berries!

See? Beautiful intact berries.

Serving Ideas

I love a warm slice of pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (AIP version). If you are serving this pie as-is, I'd recommend serving it room temperature or chilled on a chilled plate because the pie is easier to cut into pretty slices when it's cold. Another option is to make vanilla flavored coconut whipped cream and serve with a dollop of that on top. Enjoy your pie!

This recipe is based on my own memorized all-berry pie recipe (the filling) and the crust is an adaptation from Wendi's AIP Kitchen where I have made a few suggestions and changes based on my training in pastry-making (ex. adding coconut milk in the last few minutes of baking and the option to use a food processor).

Blueberry Pie {AIP, Paleo}

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 slices

Calories: 375kcal

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This adaptable blueberry pie recipe has a thick filling with plump berries married with a tender cassava crust. It has a nice tart taste and is minimally sweetened with honey. It's such a sweet way to end summer.

Equipment

• ▢
  1 9" pie tin

Ingredients

Cassava Pie Crust:

• ▢ 1 ½ cups cassava flour 225 grams
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon sea salt *plus an extra pinch
• ▢ 1 tablespoon gelatin
• ▢ ¾ cup solid palm shortening (do not melt)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons ice cold water

Blueberry Filling:

• ▢ 6 cups blueberries* fresh or frozen
• ▢ ¼ cup honey or maple syrup (taste and add more if you like)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ¼ cup arrowroot starch flour
• ▢ 2 tablespoons water for the slurry
• ▢ 1 lemon finely zested (yellow part only) then halved and juiced
• ▢ coconut milk optional for brushing

Instructions

• Make the crust. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cassava flour, salt, and gelatin. Use a pastry cutter using a pressing up and down motion to cut in the palm shortening. After several minutes, it will come together like cookie dough (note: if it looks dry, keep cutting). Add the vinegar and cold water. Working with quick hands, gather to form a dough ball but avoid working the dough any more than that as you don't want to melt the fat with your warm hands.
• Roll dough. Place the dough between two sheets of parchment and with a rolling pin, press down and roll outward. Turn and repeat until you achieve a thickness of ⅛" or about 12" in diameter to account for the sides of your pie dish. Slowly remove the parchment and place the inverted pie tin on top, flip quickly but gently. Use your fingers to smooth any cracks and crimp the top. Poke holes in the crust with a fork and refrigerate.
• Preheat the oven to 350℉. Pre-cook the berries in a pot--combine the blueberries, honey, vanilla and salt. Set heat to medium-low. In a ramekin, create a slurry out of arrowroot starch and water. Stir to combine then add to the pot. Bring to a simmer and stir gently being careful not to break too many berries. Note: Arrowroot will only thicken if brought to a simmer.
• Remove from the heat after you see bubbles forming and add the lemon juice and zest. Stir and pour the berry mixture into the pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes. Brush the top with coconut milk (if using) and return to the oven. Continue baking until you see the blueberry filling get bubbly. Cool on the counter for 1 hour then cover and refrigerate.
• To slice, use a knife and offset spatula. Consider topping with AIP ice cream!

Notes

*If you don't have 6 cups, you can use a combination of whatever berries you have. I have a few strawberries and some crow berries in my blueberry pie.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 296mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 63IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg

These AIP cupcakes are totally deserving of the name "red velvet" because they're chocolate-like, moist, fluffy, and indulgent. They're gluten, dairy, egg, and refined-sugar free (paleo and AIP compliant).

Did you know, you can use freeze-dried beet powder for color/nutrition in the cake portion and yogurt for a bit of tang in the frosting? These two ingredients are optional but help capture the red velvet concept which typically contains red food dye added to chocolate cake batter and cream cheese added to frosting.

Chocolate AIP Cupcakes

I recently started the AIP elimination diet, which got me craving red velvet cupcakes (of all things) so I decided to create this carob version and totally nailed it.

If you are here because you've been dying for an AIP allergen-friendly cupcake, this is for you! These will totally make your diet easier and more celebratory for birthdays or those chocolate cravings sans the actual chocolate.

For eggless cupcakes, these sure do have a moist, substantial texture which is pretty difficult to achieve in AIP bakes. This is because the recipe uses both banana and banana flour in a few ways (details and photos below).

Ingredients for AIP Cupcakes

For the dry ingredients:

• Green banana flour-I've used this flour in a handful of recipes and consider it to be a great bread-like flour for all-purpose baking.
• Tigernut flour-One of my pantry staples for good reason! I use this in baking, pancake and waffle recipes, even AIP "peanut" butter. It's nut-free, as tigernuts are tubers, not nuts as the name suggests.
• Carob-This is a love it or hate it ingredient that replaces cocoa powder but is slightly sweeter than actual chocolate. Carob is a true pantry staple that makes the rounds here on the blog. There's these chocolate chip cookies, tigernut and carob bars, and this carob pudding.
• Arrowroot starch-Although the green banana flour and and tigernut flours provide starch, I generally like the way arrowroot helps with texture in egg-free baking.
• Gelatin-I personally use grass-fed Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin.
• Baking soda-As soon as you add and mix this in, you will have a reaction occur that helps these cupcakes rise. Note, the rise effect only lasts about 20 minutes so be prepared to bake these once mixed.
• Salt-Crucial in enhancing flavors in recipes where there is no butter and especially to enhance sweet and savory flavors which is important in AIP baking since they tend to be less sweet/savory compared to traditional standard American diet counterparts.
• Freeze dried beet powder-This is optional and provides some color as well as nutrients (beet powder link here). It does not impact the flavor much. This is a similar idea to adding strawberry powder to frosting in my strawberry cupcake recipe.

Now, for the wet ingredients:

• Bananas-In egg-free baking, bananas help bind and keep cupcakes moist, as well as provide a whole foods sweetener. For best results, be sure to blend your banana so that it is very smooth.
• Coconut oil-When in doubt, coconut oil (refined or unrefined) should be treated as you would butter. That is, it should be soft. I like to melt half of my coconut oil, then to my measuring cup, add the remaining solid coconut oil to achieve the perfect texture and measurement.
• Maple syrup-Unparalleled in AIP baking for flavor in baking recipes.
• Vanilla extract-Pure, gluten-free vanilla extract.
• Apple Cider vinegar-Provides acid so that the baking soda gets activated and helps these cupcakes rise.

And the frosting (everybody's favorite part):

• Palm shortening-This fat tends to be solid at room temperature and so it holds up well when mixed with liquids for frostings.
• Maple syrup-Provides the best flavor profile compared to honey.
• Coconut butter-Provides a savory, rich shortbread-like flavor that is reminiscent of actual butter and gives the frosting some dimension and aids in a creamy texture.
• Vanilla extract or vanilla powder-Simply adds enough flavor to over-power and "taste" that you might not love about palm shortening.
• Plain coconut yogurt (optional)-This ingredients is meant to mimic a cream cheese type frosting but I think the frosting tastes really good even without it. I like Cocojune.

AIP Cupcake Batter Texture

Although time consuming, I try to document the process of my bakes for you so you can visualize the steps. As you can see below, the batter is thick and difficult to mix. You can see that I did not mash my banana enough and have included in the instructions a recommendation to blend the wet ingredients for this reason.

This is a solid cupcake recipe, but the world will never know if you don't comment or rate the recipe. Please leave a star rating and any notes about your experience. Thank you for being here!

If you are interested in supporting the blog, you can follow any links to my affiliate amazon recommendations. These tulip cupcake liners are what you see pictured, and they really help AIP cupcakes rise and look amazing.

Appearance Note: I just wanted to add a note that my photos are of a tested version where I only added 1 teaspoon of beet powder. In the recipe, I call for 2 teaspoons so the red color comes through.

Carob Red Velvet Cupcakes {AIP, Paleo}

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 cupcakes

Calories: 241kcal

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These "chocolate" cupcakes are totally deserving of the name "red velvet" because they're moist, fluffy, and indulgent. They're gluten, dairy, egg, and refined-sugar free (paleo and AIP compliant). You can use freeze-dried beet powder for color/nutrition in the cake portion and yogurt for a bit of tang in the frosting. These two ingredients are optional but help capture the red velvet concept which typically contains food dye and cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• ▢ ⅓ cup green banana flour
• ▢ ⅓ cup tigernut flour
• ▢ ¼ cup carob powder
• ▢ ¼ cup arrowroot starch
• ▢ 2 tablespoons gelatin
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons freeze dried beet powder optional for color and nutrition

Wet Ingredients:

• ▢ 2 medium bananas mashed
• ▢ ⅓ cup coconut oil softened
• ▢ ¼ cup maple syrup
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Frosting Ingredients:

• ▢ ½ cup palm shortening
• ▢ ¼ cup maple syrup
• ▢ 2 tablespoons coconut butter
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoon plain coconut yogurt cocojune (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a cupcake tray with 6 cupcake liners.
• In a large bowl, combine then whisk all the dry ingredients. Set aside.
  
• In a separate mixing bowl, combine and whisk all the wet ingredients.
• Pour the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredient mixture and stir until combined. The batter will be very thick.
  
• Divide the batter into the cupcake liners and bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.
• Using a blender, food processor, immersion blender, or egg beaters, whip the frosting ingredients on high speed until well combined. This frosting can be refrigerated for up to 20 minutes but will solidify if left longer and need to be brought to room temperature to frost.
  
• For best results, add cool or room temperature frosting to room temperature or cooled cupcakes. Enjoy!
  

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 379mg | Potassium: 216mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 26IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 3mg

Paleo and AIP Strawberry Cupcakes are a special treat for a spring or summer birthday celebration because they're made with sweet, tart strawberries throughout. There's freeze-dried strawberry powder in the cupcake batter and the "buttercream" frosting. There's even a fresh strawberry for garnish.

Spring and Summer and Strawberry Cupcakes

Before starting a new 30-day AIP challenge, I made a list of all the things I might crave. To ensure success, I ordered freeze dried strawberry powder and tulip cupcake liners. So when my little guy happened to ask for cupcakes, I created these on the spot. They were a huge hit!

As you can imagine, it certainly feels encouraging to stick with an already strict diet when you feel like you get to indulge every now and then.

One thing to note about gluten-free, whole foods baking is that you are working with some textural challenges. It's normal for cake batters to be thick and dense and it's especially helpful if you invest in some tall cupcake liners (more height).

These liners would work best inside of a cupcake tray--turns out, mine spread out quite a bit as they were baked on a flat tray.

Dairy-Free Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

There's no butter in this recipe but the frosting is “buttercream” like in texture because palm shortening is pretty solidified at room temperature and when you add freeze-dried strawberry powder, you don't need any thickeners. That's right. This frosting is just palm shortening, strawberry powder, and a touch of honey and salt.

How to Make Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

These cupcakes are pretty easy to make and you can find all the detailed instructions in the recipe card below.

1. You mix the dry ingredients in a bowl first then add the coconut oil and maple syrup. Mix.
2. Make a gelatin egg and mix that into the batter. It will be very thick (don't thin it out).
3. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners and bake.
4. Whisk all the frosting ingredients then top the chilled cupcakes. Garnish with fresh strawberries and serve.

*Just wanted to add a note that if you want a "chocolate" cupcake base instead of this tigernut version, I highly recommend using the strawberry frosting below with these carob "red velvet" cupcakes.

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting {AIP, Paleo}

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Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 cupcakes

Calories: 584kcal

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Sweet, tart, and moist strawberry cupcakes made with whole foods and unrefined sweeteners.

Ingredients

FOR THE CUPCAKES

• ▢ 1 cup tigernut flour 121 g
• ▢ ¼ cup tapioca starch 30 g
• ▢ ¼ cup freeze-dried strawberry powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ cup coconut oil (partially melted) 112 g
• ▢ ¼ cup maple syrup 80 g
• ▢ 1 Gelatin Egg see instructions

FOR THE FROSTING

• ▢ ⅔ cup palm shortening 139 g
• ▢ 3-4 teaspoons honey
• ▢ ¼ cup freeze-dried strawberry powder
• ▢ 1 pinch sea salt
• ▢ fresh strawberries (optional) for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a cupcake tin with 6 tall liners. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk the tigernut and tapioca flours, strawberry powder, and baking soda. Add the melted coconut oil and maple syrup. Stir to combine.
• Prepare the gelatin egg according to the instructions below and add to the mixture, stirring well to form a thick batter. Spoon into the liners until ⅔ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool to room temperature then set in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, whisk the palm shortening, honey, strawberry powder, and salt until creamy and smooth. Transfer to a piping bag and place in the fridge (only for up to 15 minutes).
• For the garnish: Remove the green portion of the strawberries and cut them in half. You can use them as-is or you can place them in a bowl with a bit of honey and salt if you'd like them to release some juices.
• Top the prepared cupcakes with frosting and a fresh strawberry (plus strawberry juices) and serve right away.

Notes

Gelatin Egg

¼ cup (60 ml) water

1 tablespoon (7 g) grass-fed gelatin (powder)

1. Place the water in a small saucepan. Slowly pour in the gelatin and whisk to break up clumps. Let sit (bloom) for 3 minutes until the mixture solidifies.
2.  Turn the heat on and cook over low-heat for 1-2 minutes until the gelatin melts. Remove from heat and immediately whisk hard until frothy. Immediately add according to the instructions in the recipe above.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 584kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin C: 241mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 11mg

These AIP waffles are made with a nourishing blend of autoimmune pantry staples: cassava, tigernut, and coconut flours. Even without the grains, dairy, and eggs, these wholesome waffles are satisfyingly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Plus, they’re high in fiber and naturally sweet so you can start the day with energy without the afternoon crash.

AIP Waffles - Eat Now or Freeze for Later

Why This Recipe Works: Working smarter not harder, this is a recipe for 9 plate-size waffles. I don't know about you but waffles are always welcome in my freezer because they reheat in a flash and last for months. No dinner plans? How about Chicken and waffles?

Ingredients

You will need 13 pantry ingredients to make the batter, which can be used to make waffles or pancakes.

• cassava flour: proportions matter and cassava flour plays the largest role in making these waffles/pancakes taste light like traditional waffles
• arrowroot or tapioca starch: it's always important with AIP flours to account for the amount of fiber and protein and adding a starch really is important to the final texture; use the arrowroot or tapioca starch interchangeably (both work well!)
• tigernut flour: there's quite a lot of fiber and protein in tigernut flour and this flour adds a slightly sweet, slightly nutty taste
• coconut flour: very absorbent and important to how work-able this recipe is; without coconut flour, this recipe would be too delicate and the waffles/pancakes would likely tear
• collagen powder: this is like an egg-replacer and a source of protein that helps these hold shape when cooking; downside: it gives the final mouthfeel a slight grittiness but it's not the end of the world
• ground cinnamon: optional but adds a little more dimension
• baking soda: this is the leavener that helps the batter rise and gives a fluffiness to the texture
• sea salt: you'll notice I call for ¼ teaspoon plus an extra pinch; without butter, salt is really nice for flavor
• avocado oil or coconut oil: both are healthy, high-heat oils (if using refined or unrefined coconut oil, you will have to melt them first)
• maple syrup: a high quality unrefined sweetener that also adds a rich taste and helps give these a golden color when cooked
• full-fat canned coconut milk: must be guar gum free for AIP but it’s very expensive and so I have always opted to buy the brands with guar gum (but made this decision believing I am not sensitive to it)
• apple cider vinegar: activates the baking soda and helps the batter rise and fluff during cooking; white vinegar could be substituted in these small quantities
• vanilla extract: really helps distract from the fact these are missing eggs; without vanilla, I'd expect these to be bland; for AIP vanilla, you want vanilla beans, alcohol or water listed in the ingredients (no sugar, no flavorings, no glycerin)

Let’s dive into how to reimagine a classic--paleo style!

Step-by-Step Paleo Waffles

If you're AIP minted, you’ve probably eaten your share of gummy pancakes and fall-apart waffles. To replicate my results, all you need to do is follow the recipe to a T because this recipe is written and tested by your personal 👩🏻‍🍳 chef.

Pro Tip: Spoon and level off dry ingredients as I do with ALL the recipes on this site.

Since we are using collagen peptides powder as one of our egg replacers, it's important to whisk the dry ingredients well so that everything is distributed evenly. You'll want a large bowl so you don't spill over.

After the dry ingredients are mixed, you can add the maple syrup and the oil (*melt the coconut oil, if using). You'll need more liquid...

One thing I actually do in my own kitchen to reduce costs is take a can of full-fat coconut milk and stretch it further by filling the empty can with water (so 14-ounces coconut milk plus 14-ounces of water go into the bowl).

Adding in the apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract, we stir to combine then use the whisk to really break up those remaining lumps.

Your batter should look smooth, thick and fluffy.

Place about ¾ cup of the batter in the middle of a preheated waffle iron then close the lid.

After a few minutes, the waffle will appear golden and will be firm to the touch. You can easily remove it at this point and transfer it to a plate. This is what dreams are made of.

Toppings

As I shared earlier, my ideal topping is something rich and fatty mixed with syrup. For AIP though, I go for a blend of maple syrup and tart berries sometimes adding coconut whipped cream on top.

To make coconut whip: Select the "cream" or take the full-fat canned coconut milk, refrigerate it, and then scoop out the solidified cream (not the liquid that separates from the fat). Place the solidified coconut cream in a bowl and whisk it until fluffy. Use right away while it's still cold.

Parting Thoughts

Whatever the topping, these waffles are a reminder that even with new ingredients and changing needs, the comfort of a warm breakfast never has to be lost. It just takes a little care—and an open mind.

If you are in the market for a waffle iron for meal prep, I recommend small Ego waffle shapes because they fit in the toaster and are a good size for kids and adults, alike. Bare in mind, they are MORE filling than traditional waffles.

**If you have a waffle iron that you love for meal prep or your family, share it in the comments. I'd definitely like to upgrade to one where I can cook several waffles at a time.

***Some testers commented that they didn't miss the gluten at all but they noticed some grittiness in a few bites. This is likely from the collagen which can get gritty or form clumps when mixed with liquid. Weigh-in if you notice it or not in the comments.

P.S. Tell me what breakfasts you want me to make next here on Autoimmune Pantry. I love hearing from you!

AIP Waffles

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 9 waffles

Calories: 552kcal

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This is a thick batter that works as waffles or pancakes. Note: You will need to measure carefully and follow the recipe as-written.

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 cups cassava flour
• ▢ ½ cup arrowroot or tapioca starch
• ▢ 1 cup tigernut flour
• ▢ ½ cup coconut flour
• ▢ 4 tablespoons collagen powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sea salt plus 1 pinch
• ▢ ½ cup avocado oil or coconut oil melted
• ▢ ½ cup maple syrup
• ▢ 1 can coconut milk plus fill can with water
• ▢ 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

• In a large bowl, stir together the cassava flour, starch, tigernut flour, coconut flour, collagen powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
  
• Add the oil and maple syrup and stir to combine.
  
• Stir in the entire can of coconut milk (plus an entire can filled with water) and vinegar, whisking until fully combined. Stir in the vanilla extract. The batter will be lumpy at first but will eventually be smooth, fluffy, and very thick.
  
• Preheat the waffle iron and coat with oil.
• Place a ladle full of batter in the center of the waffle iron. Close and cook per the manufacturer's instructions until the waffle is golden brown. Use a fork to gently remove the waffle. Repeat with remaining batter.
  
• To serve the waffles, top with whipped coconut cream and maple syrup warmed with frozen or fresh mixed berries.
  

Notes

Your waffle iron will release a lot of steam while cooking and you can check after several minutes but keep an eye to ensure they don't over-cook. If the waffle sticks or tears, it is under-cooked.

Frozen waffles are best reheated in the oven, toaster, or toaster oven and can be cooked frozen or defrosted the day before, then cooked until warm.

Nutrition

Serving: 1waffle | Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 278mg | Potassium: 154mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 0.3IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 13mg

FAQS

Meatloaf without nightshades? Meet ketchup's cousin and your new favorite autoimmune protocol glaze: sweet and sour sauce. This Asian-ingredient meatloaf recipe pairs apricot preserves with vinegar, ginger, and garlic giving this AIP meatloaf that savory/sweet/sour contrast we all crave in a really good meatloaf.

This handsome meatloaf is such a centerpiece for family dinner.

This recipe disappears too quickly! And, since those thick juicy slices taste even better as leftovers, you might want to grab your spare meatloaf pan and double this recipe (eat one, freeze one).

🥘 Meatloaf Ingredients

🔪 Instructions

To make meatloaf, the process begins with a ground beef mixture (beef and finely chopped aromatics).

Mix and assemble meatloaf in an 8.5 x 4.5-inch standard meatloaf pan. 

You can smooth the top of the loaf with your finger tips.

⏲️ Baking time

You will be baking the meatloaf in 2 stages: naked and sauceless followed by sauced.

Stage 1: You bake your naked meatloaf at 375F for 40 minutes (it will be partially done at this point).

Stage 2: As pictured below, you spoon the sweet and sour sauce over the par-baked meatloaf and return it to the oven so the sauce gets sticky, hot.

You will remove the meatloaf after 15 to 20 minutes or when a thermometer inserted in the center reads 160F.

Don't forget to let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing. If you slice too early, your meatloaf will lose moisture and will have a dryer texture.

🥣 AIP Sweet and Sour Sauce

To make our well-balanced sweet and sour sauce, we start by sweating some minced ginger and garlic in hot oil (pictured below).

Next, add the preserves, water, coconut aminos and vinegar. Whisk to combine.

You won't need all the sweet and sour sauce for the meatloaf, so you might have extra for serving.

💭 Top tip

A standard meatloaf pan is typically an 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan, known as a 1-pound loaf pan. Line it with parchment paper (that way you can easily lift it out of the pan). *Switching to a larger pan may dry-out your meatloaf.

📋 Recipe

This sweet and sour sauce hails from a class I once taught alongside chef Peter Berley at The Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC, and I've held onto it for a decade, always remembering it's unique flavor. I got the idea to try it with an Asian meatloaf as a mash up of another experience I had with Asian meatballs.

AIP Meatloaf with Sweet and Sour Glaze

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 423kcal

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This is an AIP meatloaf, so there are no eggs, milk, or breadcrumbs. Instead, there are some finely chopped aromatics to add both moisture and flavor. The meatloaf gets partially baked and then glazed and finished in the oven.

{Gluten-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free}

Ingredients

Meatloaf Ingredients:

• ▢ 2 pounds ground beef 85% lean
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped (1 cup)
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves minced (4 teaspoons)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro minced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil leaves optional
• ▢ ⅓ cup canned coconut milk full fat
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced/grated

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

• ▢ 1 tablespoon avocado oil coconut oil, or olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ginger minced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons garlic minced
• ▢ 1 cup natural apricot or plum preserves no added sugar
• ▢ ½ cup filtered water
• ▢ ¼ cup coconut aminos soy sauce alternative
• ▢ ¼ cup apple cider vinegar white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar
• ▢ Sea salt to taste

Instructions

• Mix and assemble meatloaf in an 8.5 x 4.5-inch standard meatloaf pan. Line loaf pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375F. In a large bowl, combine all the meatloaf ingredients. Mix well with a wooden spoon just until combined. Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Press gently to smooth the top. Bake for 40 minutes.
  
• Mix glaze and spread over meatloaf then return to the oven. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the ginger and garlic and sizzle for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown or it will overpower the sauce. Add the preserves, water, coconut aminos, and vinegar. Whisk to dissolve the preserves and simmer 2-3 minutes. Add salt to taste. Pour over top (you can reserve some glaze for serving) of the baked meatloaf then return to the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160F in the center. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve hot with a garnish of cilantro or thai basil.
  

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 824mg | Potassium: 398mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 94IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 3mg

🥗 Side dishes

• Cauliflower Puree {AIP, Gluten-Free, Dairy Free} - has a silky texture and neutral enough flavor (much like mashed potatoes)
• Sautéed Kale with Garlic and Onions {AIP} - bitter greens make for an elegant, healthy side dish
• Green Banana Fries {AIP, Nightshade-Free} - save any extra sweet and sour sauce and use a dip for these fries
• AIP Cantaloupe Cucumber Salad - a really refreshing summer melon salad (5 minutes, 5 ingredients)

Craving fries sans the potatoes? Green bananas fried until crispy, salty, and totally addicting to the rescue. You won't believe these are actually AIP when you taste them.

A lot of people who can't tolerate gluten also can't tolerate white potatoes. Yet, potatoes are seared into our cultural food memories as the quintessential American side dish.

Unripe Banana Fries Are the New AIP Potato Side

What makes green banana fries a fantastic potato-free alternative is you-guessed-it: the starch and total lack of sweetness. When fried or air-fried, unripe banana strips get golden, crispy and will rock your AIP world.

Pure magic.

Now, I could push sweet potato fries at you but let's face it, they're too dang sweet. Sometimes a girl just needs a savory side.

Plantain or cassava fries are decent savory (not sweet) options but can be tricky to source for some people and are slightly more difficult to process.

Green bananas on the other hand are reasonably easy to source and easy enough to work with.

🍌 Ingredients

You only need 3 ingredients to make this recipe:

• 4 unripe, green bananas (*must be completely green): If you don't see green bananas, ask your grocery store if they have any green bananas in the back.
• avocado oil, olive oil, refined coconut oil, lard, or tallow are great AIP-friendly choices
• fine sea salt: I always salt at the beginning of the cooking process and then make adjustments at the end; that way, you get the best flavor and less salt is often needed

🔪 Instructions

Unripe bananas are about as difficult to peel as yellow plantains. You want to take the tip of your knife and make vertical cuts lengthwise (after removing either pointed end) every quarter turn (so 4 slices total per banana). These sections give you more leverage to work your way around the banana, hopefully without causing too much damage to the part we want to use.

To cut into fry shapes, you simply cut into planks approximately ¼-inch to ½-inch thick, then cut those planks into batons (picture a French fry shape) about 4-inches long (see process shots).

🧂 Seasoning

Just salt, baby.

If you want to get fancy, I think it would be fun to play with finishing flavors like minced garlic, parsley or maybe a good quality truffle oil or truffle salt.

🍽 Equipment

You can make these fries easily in the oven or air-fryer. If you like your fries more crunchy, I'd recommend a thinner fry shape (or thicker for a softer fry).

Air Fryer - Note that you will need to work in batches as the fries require space to brown evenly. Preheat to 400F then air-fry for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through (if using a tray) or use a basket so you don't have to flip.

Oven - Preheat the oven to 400F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper (for easy clean-up). Spread fries out in an even layer on the trays. Roast for 20 minutes, turning with tongs halfway through.

While I'm all about an AIP snack, my favorite fry companion award goes to these Crispy Chicken Nuggets with Vegetables {AIP, Gluten-Free, Paleo} and this Healthy Ranch Dressing {Dairy-Free, AIP}.

Please, if you experiment and try a good nightshade-free ketchup, let us know all the details. While I've never actually purchased AIP ketchup, I made an extremely delicious nomato ketchup out of rosehips that we collected from our property.

📋 Recipe

In the past, I've always worked with green plantains but have had an easier time finding green bananas where I currently live in the Pacific Northwest. Unripe bananas remind me of green plantains or regular potato fries, which is great because I was extremely sensitive to potatoes for the first 6 months of doing the AIP diet.

Green Banana Fries {AIP, Nightshade-Free}

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 167kcal

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These fries are addicting! If you can get your hands on some entirely green, unripe bananas, DO IT! You won't believe these aren't potato fries.

Equipment

• ▢
  1 Air Fryer

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 green bananas (must be completely green/unripe)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other high-heat oil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste

Instructions

• How to remove the green peel: Trim both ends of each green banana and score lengthwise every quarter turn (so 4 slits per banana). It will be tough and difficult to remove but do your best to remove the peel.
• Cut into batons. Slice the banana lengthwise into thin fries of roughly equal sizes (about ¼-inch thick by about 3-inches).
  
• Season well. Place in a large bowl and drizzle with avocado oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss gently with your hands to coat evenly.
  

Cook the fries then serve hot.

• Air Fryer Instructions: Place the first batch of fries into a lightly oiled basket. Fry at 400F for 10 minutes, turning halfway through. Repeat with remaining batches. While hot, sprinkle with more salt until you like the taste. In chef vernacular, you want your fries to be "salty like a potato chip."
  
• Oven Instructions: Preheat oven to 400F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spread the fries in an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping with a spatula halfway through. Remove the fries from the oven and immediately season with salt to taste.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1side serving | Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 292mg | Potassium: 423mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.3mg

FAQs for Green Banana Fries

🥗 Side dishes

• Crispy Chicken Nuggets with Vegetables {AIP, Gluten-Free, Paleo}
• Crisp AIP Chicken Tenders and Kale Slaw
• Vanilla Bean Ice Cream {AIP, Dairy Free, Egg Free}
• A pan-seared, oven-finished ribeye for steak frites!
• A burger in an iceberg lettuce bun

Creamy, herb-speckled ranch dressing that's allergy-friendly: AIP, Dairy-Free, and Gluten-Free can be whipped up in mere minutes in the blender. Serve this fresh, homemade ranch as a dressing or dip.

My family honestly likes this dairy free ranch dressing better than the original goop because homemade tastes so much fresher (especially when you can use fresh herbs straight from the garden).

💭 Top tip

Since dry herbs are more concentrated than fresh, use triple (3x) the amount of fresh herbs called for in the recipe. Fresh herbs give the very best flavor!

Whether you opt for dry or fresh herbs, this homemade ranch comes together really quickly (about 10 minutes total) in the blender or food processor so there's no need for a cutting board. Just throw everything in the blender and let it whirl.

How to Make Non-Dairy Ranch Taste Traditional

Since this is dairy free, there's no buttermilk which is traditionally used to make ranch. To get that added tang we all love, I include lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar) added to coconut milk as a stand in. I also call for unsweetened coconut yogurt as a thickener, which also adds some depth of flavor.

🧂 Ranch Seasoning (Dried Herbs vs Fresh)

To make ranch seasoning or dressing, you can use triple the amount of fresh herbs or follow the recipe below which gives the proportions of dried herbs: chives, parsley, and dill. You will also need garlic and onion powder.

Where to Source Ingredients

You can find guar gum-free coconut milk online but if you can tolerate the guar gum, it's fine to use any brand in this recipe that you like. You can check for Harmless Harvest or Forager plain, unsweetened coconut yogurt in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Be sure to check ingredients for allergens.

*While I recommend the yogurt stay in the recipe as a thickener, you can leave it out and replace with extra coconut milk if you must.

How to Store

Fridge: In an airtight container or jar, this ranch dressing will keep for up to 10 days in the refrigerator.

Ranch Dressing {Dairy-Free, AIP}

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 119kcal

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Whip this dairy-free, AIP ranch dressing up in the blender in minutes! Even though this is made with coconut milk, the signature ranch herbs and the tang from the coconut yogurt give this that traditional ranch flavor. You can use it the same way you would ranch dressing for salads or as a dip for veggies, chicken strips, or fries!

Yield: About 1 ½ cups

AIP | DAIRY-FREE | VEGAN | GLUTEN-FREE | SOY-FREE

Equipment

• ▢
  1 bullet blender or regular blender

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ cup canned full fat coconut milk
• ▢ ½ cup plain coconut yogurt
• ▢ ¼ cup avocado oil not olive oil*
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried chives fresh herbs work, too
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried dill
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

• In a blender, combine coconut milk, coconut yogurt, avocado oil, and apple cider vinegar and blend on high until fully incorporated. Add dried herbs, garlic, salt, and onion powder to the coconut mixture and pulse to combine. Pour into ramekins for dipping and store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed jar for up to 1 week.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 13 tablespoon portion | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 296mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.05g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

Recipes To Use Your Ranch Dressing or Dip

• Crispy Chicken Nuggets with Vegetables {AIP, Gluten-Free, Paleo}
• Crisp AIP Chicken Tenders and Kale Slaw

Crisp AIP Chicken Tenders made with a high fiber coconut-cassava coating so you can hit your protein goals on the gluten-free, paleo, and autoimmune protocol elimination diet.

Craving fast food? These juicy, flavorful, little dippers really hit the spot--that special place between nostalgia and convenience that we all could use on our food allergy journey from time to time.

My toddler food critic tells me these are "crispy, crunchy, and fresh" which brings me to my next point: texture.

Let's face it, crunching down on something from time to time is just plane satisfying, and that texture is hard to come by when you eliminate a lot of snack foods.

It was really that longing for crunch that led me to finally experiment with dipping chicken tenders in coconut milk (I know) followed by a blend of cassava and coconut flours. Those were the ingredients I had in the pantry. Guess what?

It didn't just work, it worked really well! I don't know why I ever delayed. From the flavor, to the texture, the kids and the adults in my life adore these chicken tendies; we've had them with honey, AIP ketchup, ranch, even bbq sauce.

🍽 Equipment

During recipe testing and development, we (1) pan-fried (2) air-fried (3) and baked the chicken tenders and only needed to make visual adjustments to cook time (and oil obviously depending on the method).

*One note about the pictures, we did initially include turmeric which gives these a ton of golden color (I've since removed the turmeric because I found the flavor profile too distracting). More important than color, you can easily tell from the photos that there is that coveted crunch layer of goodness whether you pan-fry, bake, or air-fry.

The takeaway? Be sure to preheat your pan/oven/air-fryer; you want the temperature to be high enough that you achieve crispy (not soft) exteriors and properly cooked interiors (165°F-175°F).

⏲️ Baking time

Preheat to 425°F. Grease a baking sheet really generously with avocado or olive oil. Place chicken tenders on top with space in between; if you crowd the tenders, the breading will stay soft. Bake for 7 minutes, gently flip and bake another 7 minutes (14 minutes total).

If your chicken tenders aren't golden/crispy, it's generally ok to cook longer; I find the texture of chicken is still quite succulent at 175°F.

🥗 Side dishes

Since this is a site dedicated to healing autoimmune disease, I highly recommend adding something like a raw, fresh salad to the plate.

To make the slaw, you will need: kale, avocado oil/olive oil, umeboshi vinegar (a Japanese vinegar with a uniquely tangy, salty flavor), thyme (optional), cabbage, and carrot.

🔪 Instructions

That's it! Once the chicken is cooked, you can serve it hot and fresh with lemon wedges or make an AIP sauce such as this Lemon Garlic Sauce {AIP, Dairy Free}.

🧂 Seasoning

Just wanted to quickly mention that you can totally make this recipe with salt as your only seasoning. If you can add thyme, garlic and onion powders, just know that your tendies will really have that restaurant quality.

How to Cut Kale

While the chicken is cooking, I like to remove kale stems and slice thinly into strips for the slaw. It tends to soften as it sits in the dressing. You can find umeboshi plum vinegar online or sometimes with Asian ingredients in the grocery store.

📋 Recipe

This recipe came about on a whim because I always stock coconut milk, spices, coconut flour, and cassava flour as an integral part of my literal autoimmune pantry. It turned out so perfectly, I couldn't wait to share it with you.

Crisp AIP Chicken Tenders and Kale Slaw

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Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 671kcal

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These AIP chicken tenders are crisped until golden and perfect for a family weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Chicken Ingredients:

• ▢ 1 ½ pounds chicken tenderloins organic, sliced evenly
• ▢ 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves optional
• ▢ ¾ cup Cassava flour not tapioca starch
• ▢ ¼ cup Coconut flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 14- ounce can full-fat coconut milk
• ▢ avocado oil or olive oil used throughout (see individual steps)

Slaw Ingredients:

• ▢ 1 bunch lacinato curly, or red kale
• ▢ 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon umeboshi plum vinegar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
• ▢ ¼ purple cabbage thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 carrot use peeler to get thin ribbons

Instructions

• Marinate the chicken. Rub the thyme leaves over the chicken and allow to marinade for 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator.
  
• Make the gluten-free breading. In a large bowl, combine the cassava flour, coconut flour, salt, and spices. In a small bowl, pour your canned coconut milk and stir to combine. For this recipe, you will be coating your chicken in the coconut milk, then grain free flour mixture, and then cooking in an airfryer, a skillet (pan-frying), or on an oiled baking sheet in the oven.
  
• Dredge the chicken. Dip the chicken in the coconut milk followed by the flour mixture.
  
• Cook the breaded chicken until crispy.

  Air Fryer Method: Preheat to 400F. Using the greased basket insert (or tray) Cook in batches 10 to 11 minutes total (optional to turn halfway through) until the chicken is cooked (165F-175F) and crispy on the outside.

  Baked: Preheat to 425°F. Grease a baking sheet really generously with avocado or olive oil. Place chicken tenders on top with space in between; if you crowd the tenders, the breading won't crisp. Bake for 7 minutes, gently flip and bake another 5 to 7 minutes (about 14 minutes total).

  Pan-Fried: In a large pan over medium heat, add about ½ cup avocado oil. Using tongs, transfer 3 to 4 pieces of dredged chicken into the hot oil. Allow to cook 5 minutes before flipping so that each side gets nice and crispy (about 10 minutes total). Use a thermometer to check the inside temperature (165F-175F).
  
• Make the kale slaw. Submerge the kale in water then lift to drain. Use a knife to remove the bottom couple inches of the thick stem, discarding. Slice the greens into ¼-inch wide ribbons. Place the kale ribbons into a mixing bowl with 3 tablespoons of oil, plum vinegar, and thyme. Add shredded purple cabbage and carrot. Using your hands, massage the slaw until tender. Set aside.
  
• Plate the chicken with the kale and serve. You can serve the chicken tenders and kale slaw as-is or try adding dips or simply lemon wedges off to the side.

Nutrition

Serving: 1plate chicken tenders and kale slaw | Calories: 671kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1421mg | Potassium: 1129mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3776IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 5mg

I really hope you'll try this recipe and aren't too shy about ordering the umeboshi plum vinegar for the kale slaw (it's truly a life changing ingredient). Please ask your questions or drop me a comment below. -Sara

Freezer Instructions

To freeze: Follow the entire recipe start to finish for the chicken (excluding the slaw) and then freeze the tenders in a sealed plastic bag for up to 3 months. To reheat, I recommend baking in the oven at 425F for 15 minutes or until warmed through.

More Fast Food Nostalgic (yet Healthy) Recipes

• Vanilla Bean Ice Cream {AIP, Dairy Free, Egg Free}
• Chewy AIP Chocolate Chip Cookies {Paleo, Refined Sugar-Free}
• Green Banana Fries {AIP, Nightshade-Free}
• Crispy Chicken Nuggets with Vegetables {AIP, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

AIP Chicken Pot Pie with Sweet Potato Biscuits! A mirepoix, thyme, creamy chicken, carrots, and celery all baked under a sweet potato biscuit topping.

This feels like a good time to set the record straight. Biscuits are 100% possible on the AIP and they are really good.

Sautéed vegetables, savory herbs, rich coconut milk all baked under homemade sweet potato biscuits. This is stick-to-your-ribs, humble, and old-fashioned goodness right here. It just feels like love in a bowl.

Chicken and dumplings and pot pie are the very essence of comfort food. And if you are in the thick of AIP, nothing will cheer you up quite like a traditional meal.

In this post: Everything You Need for Chicken Pot Pie

Why Biscuits for Chicken Pot Pie Crust

I'm sentimental for biscuits and gravy because my momma and grandma made them for me from memory. Compared to pie crust, AIP biscuits are:

• easier to shape from scratch
• more forgiving
• more enjoyable to eat

Ingredients

While I maintain that this is easier than traditional pie crust pot pie, there is still time and love that goes into it.

• Biscuits:  sweet potato, coconut flour, arrowroot, gelatin, garlic powder, sea salt, baking soda, apple cider vinegar, avocado oil/olive oil, the pantry staples.
• Filling and Sauce: chicken, vegetables, aromatics, coconut milk, broth, olive oil/avocado oil and arrowroot to thicken that delicious sauce.

Now, you've got the gist with ingredients. Let's talk about timing and prep.

How to Make Homemade Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits

When making AIP biscuits, there are a few important Biscuit things to know.

1. Use fork-tender sweet potato (🥔: Just use the orange sweet potato variety).
2. Roll the dough out and then cut straight down with your biscuit cutter--or the rim of a glass if you're improvising.

⏲️ Gravy with vegetables and chicken stock in the Dutch oven, biscuits on top, 20-minutes of oven-lovin' and...

Meet the love of your life -- Pillowy, savory, gravy chicken pot pie.

Now that's what I call feel good eatin' plain and simple.

What to Serve with Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe has everything you need -- veggies, protein, and something to sink your teeth into. Critical on AIP, I know. If you want to go all out on a full course meal, here are even more additions.

• Salad: You could stretch this meal further by adding a simple kale or arugula salad with a loved by everyone Lemon Garlic Dressing or for something more elaborate try this Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic.
• Fruit: This goes great with a cranberry sauce as a side.
• Drinks: Sparkling water is nice and light and will compliment this heavy meal.

Put it all together and you've got a cozy dinner party.

CHICKEN POT PIE WITH SWEET POTATO BISCUITS

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 570kcal

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Pot pie is the ultimate comfort food right up there with chicken and dumplings. This dish sort of marries the two right inside your Dutch oven with a thick and hearty chicken and vegetable filling and pillowy biscuits that get cooked right on top. Plus, everything is gluten-free and allergy friendly, making this an instant Thanksgiving classic.

Ingredients

Biscuits:

• ▢ 1 large sweet potato
• ▢ ⅔ cup coconut flour
• ▢ ⅔ cup arrowroot starch
• ▢ 2 teaspoons gelatin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ ⅓ cup avocado oil or olive oil

Filling:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
• ▢ 1 yellow or white onion diced
• ▢ 4 stalks celery diced
• ▢ 3 carrots sliced into ½-inch rounds
• ▢ 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs or 4 cups shredded chicken/turkey
• ▢ 6 garlic cloves minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 2 ½ teaspoons sea salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh sage or oregano minced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves only
• ▢ 3 cups sodium free chicken stock ensure ingredients are AIP compliant
• ▢ 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch
• ▢ 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk additive free, optional for richness
• ▢ Chives or parsley thinly sliced for garnish

Instructions

• Biscuits: Preheat the oven to 425℉. Microwave the sweet potato until very tender. Open with a knife and allow to steam until cool enough to handle.
• While the sweet potato cools, mix coconut flour, arrowroot starch, gelatin, garlic powder, salt, and baking soda. Add the vinegar, oil and inside of the sweet potato and smash with a fork to bring it all together.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean counter (or use parchment paper for easy clean-up). Fold over a few times to get it into a 1-2 inch thick layer. Roll into a flat little block and cut 6 to 8 biscuits with a glass or biscuit cutter…or just shape by hand. Let’s not be too precious here.
  
• Filling: Make a mirepoix in a large oven-safe Dutch oven or pan: olive oil, onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, stirring occasionally to brown. Gradually, add the garlic, salt, sage, and thyme, stirring and resting between each new addition (this is called layering). Lastly, add the sodium free stock along with the arrowroot starch. Stir right away and simmer to thicken, about 10 minutes. Using tongs, carefully transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and shred into small pieces then return it to the pot. Add the coconut milk, if desired.
  
• Bake: Arrange the biscuits on top of the filling. Brush with coconut milk for extra color. Bake for 20 minutes, until hot, bubbly, and biscuits are cooked through. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving and season with salt, lemon, or chives to taste.
  

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 1666mg | Potassium: 769mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 10511IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 3mg