Making your own applesauce is super easy & can save you plenty of money. You can also store it in small containers to make it easy to take on the go and safer than buying the applesauce packets that can contain mold. 

Ingredients:
3-4 Lbs of organic fuji or gala apples, peeled & cored. 
1/2 c. filtered water

Directions: 
Once apples are peeled and cored, slice them into wedges. Place them in your slow cooker and pour in filtered water. Cook on the low setting for 6 hours. Once the apples are extremely soft, use an immersion hand blender (or transfer to a conventional blender)  to puree into applesauce. Store for up to seven days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to five months. 

Ingredients:
2 Lbs. Organic Sweet Potatoes
2 Organic Bosc or d'Anjou Pears
Olive Oil
Fresh Sage
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. maple sugar (optional, omit for AIP and Whole 30)
Sea Salt
Pepper (optional, omit for AIP)


Instructions:
Preheat over to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes in oil, cinnamon, sage, and maple sugar.  Transfer to baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, saving liquid.

Meanwhile, place pears in reserved bowl of liquid mixture and toss until coated.  Add pears to baking sheet with potatoes and continue to bake until pears are golden and potatoes are fork tender, about 25 minutes. 


*recipe credit: Sprouts Farmers Market


These little sliders are great for a picnic or a sports party. Serve with a grilled  chicken salad for a full meal with gluten-free cupcakes. 

Ingredients:
•2 medium-sized sweet potatoes
•1/3 cup olive or melted coconut oil (olive oil suggested)
•1 Tablespoon lime juice (the juice of 1 lime)
•zest of 2  limes
•sea salt
•small bowl of chopped basil
•small bowl of thyme
•9 strips of bacon (omit for vegan)
•2 organic roma tomatoes, thinly sliced (omit for AIP)
•romaine heart leaves
•paleo mayo (Or Egg Free Vegan Mayo) (optional)

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2.In a small mixing bowl, combine the oil, herbs, lime juice, and sea salt.  Set aside for a few minutes while you slice the potatoes.
3.Slice the sweet potatoes into rounds, about 1/4 inches thick and place them on a baking sheet. Brush the oil mixture onto each slice of potato.  Sprinkle some additional sea salt on to each oiled round.
4.Bake  the sweet potato rounds 35-40 minutes.  (Flip them once halfway through baking. And spoon some more of the oil /herb mixture on top)
5.While baking the sweet potatoes- slice your tomatoes and avocado and cook your bacon until crispy. (Note: to keep the avocado from turning brown drizzle  a little lime juice on each piece.)
6.When the sweet potatoes are done cooking -make your sliders. Place pieces of bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado in between two slices of potato. Smear a little mayo on  one of the potatoes. (mayo is optional) Use a toothpick to hold the slider together, serve and enjoy!

What you will need:
1 Head Of Cauliflower
1 - 2 TBSP of the fat of your choosing (coconut oil, butter substitute, raw butter, olive oil)
Sea Salt to taste
Additional Herbs (Turmeric for an Indian flavor, Basil for a hint of Thai, Black Pepper for added spice)
Food Processor

Directions:
Heat oil/butter over medium/medium high heat in a frying pan until hot.  Cut cauliflower into florets, and then cut florets in half.  Place in food processor and chop until fine. (You will see it resembles rice) Scoop from processor into hot pan and fry it up with chosen seasonings for approximately 10-15 minutes or until desired consistency is achieved.  Do not let it cook too long or it may become to soft.  I kept mine a little crunchy, so it was heartier. 

Serve hot and enjoy! 

I love these scrumptious little buggers. They are tasty and filling and pair so well with breakfast, lunch or dinner items. They do take some time to prepare, but they are worth it. They also freeze fantastically well to be reheated for a snack or a meal later.

Ingredients
5-6 medium zucchini 
Tapioca Starch (make sure you have a good amount on hand, I don't measure, I just make up a bowl of it to toss the cakes' in before I cook them.)
Sea Salt to taste
Garlic Powder to taste
Olive Oil

Instructions
On medium heat, warm olive oil in a frying pan until lightly sizzling. Grate the zucchini finely into a bowl, I got fancy and upgraded myself to a food processor since these photos which is WAY EASIER and SAFER on the hands!! Press as much of the liquid out as possible. Prep a large, shallow bowl with Tapioca starch to toss the zucchini in, mix in sea salt and garlic to the starch. Once the moisture has been drained from the zucchini, form patties and toss in the powdered mixture, making sure to coat all sides of the patty. Cook in olive oil, turning once the bottom is crispy and golden brown.

*caution: the oil will spatter, so we use a frying pan shield when we cook them :) Enjoy warm with a sprinkling of sea salt! 

A great super-food snack is dehydrated or oven-roasted kale, except when you find it in the supermarkets it can be quite pricey. My lovely friend and fellow healthy-foodie Kaity taught me her recipe for this yummy, crispy, healthy treat that's quick and easy. 

Ingredients:
6 oz. fresh kale (I used organic bagged kale from Trader Joes)
Sea Salt
Olive oil or coconut oil (I used olive)
Any other seasonings of your choice! (I chose garlic powder) (Kaity uses garlic and black pepper)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees
Scatter kale in a single layer on a jelly roll pan
Sprinkle with olive or coconut oil (not too much! it will make the leaves too moist)
Sprinkle with sea salt and herbs and spices of choices
Bake until crisp. (20-30 minutes.)
Kaitys Note: Leaves should be CRISP, all the way. Otherwise they will soften when cooled. 

INGREDIENTS 

3 large sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tsp, cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt 

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients until potatoes are evenly coated with oil and spices.

Place potatoes on a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, or until done.

I really like to eat these plain, but you could serve with a paleo ketchup, dairy-free ranch dressing dip or paleo barbecue sauce.

Recipe and Photo credit goes to How Sweet Eats blog for this amazing recipe that has become a staple in our home.

Mandi's note: I altered the recipe to fit what herbs I could tolerate and omitted the bread crumbs. I also did not make her sauce. 


INGREDIENTS:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into uniform rounds
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray.

In a small bowl, combine basil, thyme, oregano, salt, and garlic. Mix with a spoon and use your hands to get everything combined.

Peel (if you want) your sweet potatoes and slice into rounds about 1/4 of an inch thick. Place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, then stir with your hands to make sure each piece is coated back and front. Add in  herbs, stirring again with your hands and pressing lightly to adhere. Some will stick – some will not. That’s fine! Place rounds on the wire rack, and then sprinkle the leftover herbs from the bottom of the bowl over top of each round.

Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until crust is golden and sweet potatoes are soft.