... And all things wellness!
*** Do you want delicious pizza with a crispy crust and gooey cheese, but it just doesn’t fit into your healthy eating plan? Maybe you follow a gluten, grain, and /or dairy-free diet and have felt deprived of your beloved pizza! 🍕Perhaps you want a …
Do you enjoy pancakes and eggs? Do you have your old sandwich maker lying around? If the answer is yes, you’re in for a real treat! This Grain-Free Pancake Pocket recipe is simple to make and extremely fun to eat!!! If you can prepare pancake …
Are you gluten, grain, and/or dairy-free but love lasagna??? This Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna is the answer to your prayers! Layers of sautéed vegetables and organic, grass-fed meat in between layers of homemade cassava flour fresh pasta! Healthy, “real food” Italian at its best!!!
I greatly enjoy using both whole yuca / cassava and cassava flour in my recipes! While cassava flour is merely ground dried cassava, it has a different taste and consistency then does the whole root. (Yet both are outstanding!!!) While they are each typically used for different purposes (cassava flour is used more for baking as a substitute for wheat, and yuca is often enjoyed boiled, mashed, or fried, then seasoned and eaten on its own or thrown into soups and stews) they can sometimes be used interchangeably. Lasagna is one example of how personal preference will decide which to use.
I’ve previously posted my Yuca Lasagna recipe, which involves boiling whole yuca root, pulverizing it into dough, then rolling it out to use as the “pasta” layers in the dish. Click here for recipe. (#familyfavorite !!!) But since cassava flour can easily be made into actual pasta, I thought it’s worth doing a separate post demonstrating how to make cassava flour pasta and incorporating it into lasagna. While the only difference between the 2 recipes is the pasta layer, I think the 2 lasagnas seem quite different.
Try both lasagna recipes then comment below and let me know which you prefer! Both recipes are gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, made with all “real food” ingredients and are DELICIOUS!!! You truly can’t go wrong with either!!! And once you know how to make cassava flour pasta, think of all the possibilities you can do with it!!! 🙌
My lasagna noodles were made with Otto’s Cassava Flour
Get your bag by clicking here.
Let’s make Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna!!!
*Full printable recipe at the bottom of post*
*Click any non-perishable ingredient listed below to order, if needed.
*The Cassava Flour Pasta recipe used in my Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna was originated by Hayley from Health Starts In The Kitchen.
Thank you so much Hayley for the gift of this recipe!!! 🙏 Since this recipe wasn’t my own creation, I can only list the ingredients below, and refer you to her post for exact ingredient amounts.
Click here for Hayley’s recipe, print it out, then return here for the complete lasagna recipe! I doubled Hayley’s recipe to make enough for 3 layers of lasagna noodles.
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Ingredients for Cassava Flour Pasta:
– pink Himalayan salt (Chosen because of its purity & high mineral content)
– pastured eggs
– avocado oil (I use Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil)
– organic chicken bone broth or filtered water. (I used Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Bone Broth since I didn’t have fresh bone broth on hand.)
-parchment paper (My preferred method of rolling out dough to prevent sticking to counter or rolling pin.)
-plastic wrap
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Ingredients for lasagna
-Cassava Flour Pasta made into lasagna noodle shaped pieces. (Double the recipe from Hayley’s post from Health Starts in the Kitchen to have enough pasta for 3 noodle layers.)
Ingredients for vegetable layer:
-1 tablespoon avocado oil
-1 large organic onion – chopped
-1 organic leek – chopped
-2 organic zucchini – chopped
-1 organic red pepper – chopped2 cups organic broccoli – chopped
-6 oz organic spinach – chopped
-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt – or more if desired. (I use pink Himalayan salt for all cooking and baking because of its purity and high mineral content.)
-1 teaspoon dried organic basil
-1 teaspoon dried organic oregano
-1 teaspoon dried organic parsley
-1/2 teaspoon dried organic marjoram
-black pepper – to taste
Ingredients for meat layer:
-1 pound ground organic grass-fed beef, chicken, or turkey
-1 cup organic tomato sauce – (I LOVE Organic Paesana Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce!)
-1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-1 teaspoon garlic powder
Ingredients to sprinkle on top of layered lasagna:
-Optional: 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
-1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
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How to make Cassava Flour Pasta
Blend Otto’s Cassava Flour, eggs, bone broth, avocado oil, and pink Himalayan salt until a dough is formed. (I simply mix with a spoon until dough gets too thick, then knead with my hands. A pasta maker can also be used, if you’re lucky enough to have one!)
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Using a rolling pin, roll out cassava flour pasta dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to preferred thickness (I prefer about 1/8 inch or less.) Cut into desired size using a pizza cutter.
Place freshly cut pasta into pot of boiling water (in batches, if needed) for 5-8 minutes, depending on thickness. (The pot below contains one of the 3 layers of noodles boiling.
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Instructions for Vegetable Layer
Chop onion, leek, zucchini, red pepper and broccoli, and place into heated pan along with avocado oil, salt, basil, oregano, parsley, marjoram, and black pepper. Saute for 8-10 minutes until vegetables are soft. Set aside cooked veggies until ready to assemble lasagna layers.
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Instructions for Meat Layer
-Brown ground meat until no longer pink.
-Add 1 cup Organic Paesana Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce (or tomato sauce of choice) and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Set aside until ready to assemble lasagna layers.
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Assembling Lasagna Layers
(I use an oval Corningware baking dish about 8″ wide by 11″ long)
-Spoon tomato sauce to cover bottom of dish to prevent pasta from sticking to it during baking.
-Lay one cassava flour pasta layer to fully cover tomato sauce.
-Spoon meat layer to fully cover pasta layer.
-Place a second pasta layer to fully cover meat layer.
-Spoon vegetable layer to fully cover second pasta layer.
-Place third pasta layer to fully cover vegetable layer.
-Spoon 1/4 cup tomato sauce on top of pasta layer, then sprinkle with a touch of pink Himalayan salt, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. (All ingredients are already cooked. Baking in the oven helps everything to meld together and ensures all components of the Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna are evenly heated.)
Enjoy!!! 😃
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for ingredients to make Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna, or to see recommended pantry items and kitchen gadgets I personally use to make other Crazy For Yuca recipes!
Check out the yuca/cassava snacks! – All personally taste tested and approved by myself and my family! For a detailed description of the recommended yuca/cassava chips, and to learn how to make your own Yuca Chips, see my post The Perfect Yuca Chip!
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Are you gluten, grain, and/or dairy-free but love lasagna??? This Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna is the answer to your prayers! Layers of sautéed vegetables and organic, grass-fed meat in between layers of homemade cassava flour fresh pasta! Healthy, “real food” Italian at its best!!!
Blend Otto’s Cassava Flour, eggs, bone broth, avocado oil, and pink Himalayan salt until a dough is formed (according to link provided in my post to recipe by Hayley at Health Starts In the Kitchen.) I simply mix all ingredients together with a spoon until dough gets too thick, then knead with my hands. A pasta maker can also be used, if you’re lucky enough to have one!)
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Using a rolling pin, roll out cassava flour pasta dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to preferred thickness (I prefer about 1/8 inch or less.) Cut pasta into desired size using a pizza cutter.
Place freshly cut pasta into pot of boiling water (in batches if needed) for 5-8 minutes, depending on thickness.
Once cooked, remove from water and set aside until ready to assemble lasagna layers.
Chop onion, leek, zucchini, red pepper and broccoli, and place into heated pan along with avocado oil.
Add basil, oregano, parsley, marjoram, and black pepper. Saute for 8-10 minutes until vegetables are soft. (Set aside cooked veggies until ready to assemble lasagna layers.)
Brown ground meat until no longer pink.
Add 1 cup Organic Paesana Tomato Sauce (or tomato sauce of choice) and simmer for 2-3 minutes. (Set aside until ready to assemble lasagna layers.)
Spoon tomato sauce to cover bottom of baking dish to prevent pasta from sticking to it during baking. (I use an oval Corningware baking dish about 8″ wide by 11″ long.)
Lay one cassava flour pasta layer to fully cover tomato sauce.
Spoon meat layer to fully cover pasta layer.
Place a second pasta layer on top of meat layer.
Spoon vegetable layer to fully cover second pasta layer.
Place third pasta layer on top of vegetable layer.
Spoon about 1/4 cup tomato sauce on top of pasta layer and sprinkle with a touch of pink Himalayan salt, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. (All ingredients are already cooked. Baking in the oven helps everything to meld together and ensures all components of the Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna are evenly heated.)
Enjoy!!
By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
Looking for a healthy, delicious treat that’s quick and easy to make and can easily travel with you wherever you go? You’ve found it! Paleo No-Bake Date Nut Balls!!! Sweetened only with dates, and made with all “real food” ingredients, this is a truly guiltless …
Have you ever tried Hamantaschen??? They’re the wonderful, triangle shaped pastries traditionally eaten on the Jewish holiday of Purim! Hamantaschen are named for Haman, the villain in the story of Purim. I thought it would be fun to make a gluten, grain, and dairy-free version …
In honor of the 1 year anniversary of the creation of Crazy For Yuca, I thought it was time to get personal and connect with my followers in new ways!
Hi! I’m Lauren, and I first discovered yuca exactly 2 years ago while eating at a Costa Rican restaurant on my birthday! (March 2017) What an incredible gift!!! 🎁 Since then, I’ve researched all I can about this amazingly versatile root vegetable, developed lots of recipes, continue to try every yuca recipe I come across, enjoy sampling all healthy yuca products I find, and have created a blog, Instagram, and Facebook page to spread the word about this outstanding tuber!!! (Even though I never had a social media account in my life, and vowed I never would!!!) Yes, I’ve become completely OBSESSED!!! 🤣 Be careful, you might too, once you discover all the wonders of yuca!
Just so we’re all on the same page – yuca, cassava, and manioc are different names referring to the same root vegetable. Tapioca is an extract of yuca. Click the links below for lots of other great yuca info!
Getting to Know Yuca (Cassava)
Getting to Know Cassava (Yuca) Flour
Yuca (Cassava) Nutrition Facts
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I want to know about YOU!!!
What attracted you to Crazy For Yuca??? Is this the first you’re hearing about it, or is cooking with yuca part of your family tradition? Are you gluten-free? Are you following a particular diet such as paleo, Whole30, low glycemic, or autoimmune protocol? Maybe you’re interested in healthy cooking and want to explore grain-free, “whole food” options, and decrease processed, genetically modified foods? Maybe you’re just adventurous and like to learn about new things!
No matter what brought you here, I’m SO HAPPY you found my blog, and look forward to getting to know you and creating an interactive community of yuca lovers!!!
If yuca is part of your culture, I’d love to hear about your family traditions! I get really excited to hear all the ways yuca is eaten throughout the world! If you’re willing to share a recipe, I’d love to give it a try and share it with the Crazy For Yuca tribe! (Giving you full credit, of course!)
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***Please comment at the bottom of this post to introduce yourself! I can’t wait to hear from you!***
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Here’s a little summary about me and why I dedicate my time to getting the word out about yuca.
In 2012, after suffering from autoimmune issues (endometriosis, Hashimotos and pre-diabetes) for a number of years, I started working with a Functional Medicine doctor. He discovered that I had sensitivity to gluten, dairy, soy, and chicken eggs, and that I had a leaky gut! (Fun, right???) As a result, I cut those things out of my diet.
I know what you’re thinking – “What’s left to eat???” (Everyone always says that!!!!) But trust me, I’ve added WAY more amazing foods into my life than I’ve cut out! (Yuca being one great example!!!) I began cooking from scratch, focusing on organic, unprocessed, “real food” ingredients, and eating WAY more fruits, veggies, and nuts. Before this change, my husband and I would joke saying I “prepared” meals (often with jars or packets of pre-made sauces and seasoning,) but didn’t really know how to “cook.”
Be comforted to know that I’m not a chef! You need no special skills to make any of my recipes!!!
All of my recipes are super simple and require zero cooking expertise! Each recipe post gives step by step instructions, along with pictures of most steps!! (Easy-peasy!!!)
Through the years I spent A LOT of time learning about healthy cooking, mostly by reading and experimenting in my own kitchen. My new way of eating ended the autoimmune attack my body was raging against my thyroid, led to a significant improvement in my energy level, blood sugar, brain fog, blood test markers, and general sense of well-being!
I would say that I adjusted to all the changes without too much stress, (although I must admit I had little breakdowns every few weeks in the beginning when I got hungry and there wasn’t anything I could quickly grab! Oh how I missed my bagel with melted American cheese!!!) Once I found my new go-to foods, and realized I must have food that I enjoyed in the fridge or freezer at all times, I was pretty content with the whole dietary situation. THEN I DISCOVERED YUCA!!!!! 🙌
I honestly thought I wasn’t feeling deprived at all eating this new healthy way! That is, until I experienced the pure joy of biting into fresh Garlic Yuca Flatbread right out of the oven!!! Then I made Yuca Empanadas!!!!!! 😇 (See recipe links below) I had totally forgotten about that satisfying crispy crunch one gets from fresh bread! The yuca dough was completely indistinguishable from wheat!!! I had found a new LOVE!!! 😍❤️😍❤️😍 And these recipes were just the tip of the iceberg!!! Thankfully, but not surprisingly, my husband and daughters fell in love with yuca too!!!
Garlic Yuca Flatbread / Pizza Crust
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All I could think was:
“WHY DIDN’T I KNOW ABOUT YUCA FOR THE 1st 50 YEARS OF MY LIFE???
and
“I NEED TO TELL EVERYONE ABOUT YUCA!!!!”
*I especially feel compelled to tell every gluten and grain-free eater about yuca, as its addition to one’s diet ends any possible sense of deprivation! And so my mission to spread the word about yuca began!!!*
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Click link below to check out my first post where I describe my journey with each of my first 5 yuca recipes!
Gluten-free? Never feel deprived again!
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After creating a bunch of my own recipes, mostly substituting whole yuca or cassava flour for typical American recipes, I began to learn more about the traditional ways yuca is eaten throughout the world!!! I’m still discovering new ways every day! This has become my passion! (Passion/obsession – who knows!!! 🤣🤣🤣) Did I mention I’m a Clinical Psychologist for my real career? Is it ethical to diagnose myself???🤪
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Comment below and tell me about your experience cooking with yuca, or what brings you to the Crazy For Yuca blog!
Ask questions, tell me about your experience making a Crazy For Yuca recipe (the good and the bad,) or any thoughts about your experience cooking and baking with yuca in all of its many forms! Are you gluten or grain-free??? I want to hear your story!
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Share with me on Instagram or Facebook @CrazyForYuca
-Snap a picture of a yuca recipe you made or had at a restaurant and tag me!
-Tell me about an awesome yuca snack or product you found???
Your input will help build an awesome, interactive tribe of followers who are all Crazy For Yuca!!!
Follow me on Instagram, as I share on that platform more often, and on a more personal level. While on the Crazy For Yuca blog, most posts are new yuca recipes, on Instagram I share more about all my meals and snacks (yuca and non-yuca,) gluten-free friendly restaurants, clean eating, as well as living a wellness oriented lifestyle.
You can also connect with me in an email at CrazyForYuca@gmail.com if you prefer.
I look forward to connecting and getting to know you in the coming days. Don’t forget to reach out at the bottom of this post, or any other!
I’m happy you decided to become part of the Crazy For Yuca tribe!!!
I hope yuca makes you as happy as it makes me!!! 😃😃😃
I was inspired to make these Stuffed Cassava Balls from a chat I had with my Guyanese friend Anita, who grew up eating yuca/cassava in many exciting ways! She always gives me great authentic recipe ideas. Of course her idea of a recipe is telling …
Have you ever had a best friend be right there with you as you struggled through a really hard time? That’s what these Apple Cinnamon Nut Muffins were for me on my quest to eliminate gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, and eggs from my diet! These …
I can’t think of any better way to say Happy Chanukah than with Cassava Latkes!!! (Although they’re also the perfect appetizer or side dish any day of the year!) These latkes are crispy on the outside, and slightly chewy in the very center. DELICIOUS! These Cassava Latkes are eggless, gluten and grain-free, and since they’re made with yuca/cassava instead of potatoes, they have a much lower glycemic index than traditional potato latkes. (That’s a huge plus for people with blood sugar issues like me!)
I used Goya Frozen Grated Cassava, which made these latkes super easy to make – no grating! They can also be made by grating fresh yuca/cassava. So simple! So yummy! Especially with a dollop of applesauce!
I’m literally Crazy For Yuca, as this root vegetable can be made into an endless number of exciting things!!
Check out my pages: Getting to Know Yuca (Cassava) and Yuca (Cassava) Nutrition Facts
Just a few simple ingredients are needed to make Cassava Latkes!
-fresh yuca/cassava or frozen grated cassava. (I can often find Goya Frozen Grated Cassava at Wal-Mart)
*If using fresh yuca, check out my page: Buying, Storing, Peeling, & Cooking Fresh Yuca (Cassava.)
-onion
-fresh garlic
-oil (I used Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado oil)
-salt (I used pink Himalayan salt because of its high mineral content.)
-organic applesauce (I used Trader Joe’s)
Check out Julie’s full recipe by clicking link below.
Cassava Latkes With Applesauce & Coconut Sour Cream (Paleo, AIP, Vegan)
See below for other creative latke recipes using fresh yuca or cassava flour!
Bowl of grated cassava
Combine grated cassava, minced onion and garlic, salt, and oil (I also added a pinch of fresh black pepper.)
Place spoonfuls of the cassava mixture into pan to form desired sized latkes, once oil has been heated. Flatten so they aren’t too thick. The thinner they are, the crispier your latkes!
Once latkes brown all around the edges, flip and cook on the other side. They should be a nice golden color!
Once cooked on both sides, place on a plate covered with paper towel to remove excess oil. Be careful though, yuca is sticky and if any parts of the latkes aren’t fully browned they may stick a bit to the paper towel.
Serve!
Cassava Latke Taco!
Get creative with your latkes! Wrap them around taco seasoned organic, grass-fed beef and guacamole!
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*By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. I only recommend products that I’ve personally tried, use in my own kitchen, and believe are high quality products. Thank you so much for supporting Crazy For Yuca’s efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
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Check out these other great gluten-free latke recipes that use either yuca/cassava or cassava flour!
Root Veggie Latkes: a combination of sweet potato, parsnips, beets & cassava flour by AmyMyersMD.com
Best Latke Recipe: made with a combination of potatoes and cassava flour by EverydayMaven.com
Sweet Potato Latkes: a combination of potatoes, sweet potatoes, & cassava flour by ZenBelly.com
Looking for a scrumptious, fudgy, brownie recipe? Look no further! These Chocolate Chip Peppermint Brownies are not only AWESOME, they’re gluten, grain, dairy, and soy-free! The peppermint adds an extra holiday feel, but these can be made any time of year! Not a …
Nothing says Fall like the smell of apples and cinnamon! And there’s nothing cozier than snuggling up with a baked apple crumble on a chilly day! This Apple Cassava Crumble is so quick and easy to make! Perfect for your next brunch, snack, dessert for Thanksgiving …
There are endless ways to enjoy yuca/cassava, as it’s eaten in so many parts of the world in various different ways! Attieke is fermented, grated cassava. It’s a staple street food of the people who live along the Ivory Coast of West Africa. Attieke is similar in consistency to couscous, with an added subtle sour taste (as a result of the fermentation) which I found to be a delicious, new flavor not typical of American cooking! Just imagine – a gluten-free, grain-free side dish that’s actually feeding your beneficial gut bacteria!!! I get incredibly excited every time I learn of a new way to eat yuca! This recipe is so quick and easy, I know it will become a regular weeknight meal in my house!
If you’re lucky enough to live near an African market, you can buy Attieke frozen. Otherwise, it can be purchased dried in a box.
This recipe will demonstrate how to make attieke from a boxed brand. Knowing that I love all things yuca, my daughter brought me a box of Nayama Attieke, and we recreated a recipe similar to the one she often makes with a friend whose mother is from the Ivory Coast. We all LOVED it!! Although I was told (on a comment on Instagram) that no African from the Ivory Coast would eat boxed attieke, it was truly delicious, convenient, and a super healthy dish! Check out Nayama Natural Attieke by clicking below:
Attieke Ingredients:
-Box of Nayama Attieke
-filtered water
–pink Himalayan salt (chosen because of its high mineral content)
-1 tablespoon avocado oil
Attieke Instructions:
1. In a bowl, simply mix equal amounts attieke and water and let sit for a minute or two until the water is fully absorbed.
2. Cover attieke and heat in a microwave until warm (about 2-3 minutes.)
3. Season to taste. We chose to simply add 1 tablespoon avocado oil and a pinch or two of pink Himalayan salt.
That’s it! The attieke is now ready to be added to our dish!
Attieke is typically served with chicken or fish, and either the attieke or the protein is seasoned with hot peppers, onions, and garlic. We chose to keep the attieke simple, and make a scrumptious flavored chicken, along with a raw onion and tomato topping. We then layered them all together. This worked out perfectly! Since we used a store-bought organic rotisserie chicken, this meal took no more than 20 minutes to assemble! #Weeknightrecipe!!!
Chicken Ingredients:
-whole, store-bought organic rotisserie chicken or my Easy Go-to Crockpot Chicken – shredded
-1 organic onion – chopped
-3 organic garlic cloves – minced
-2 jalapeño peppers – minced
-chili powder – to taste
-1 tablespoon avocado oil
-1 teaspoon Jada Spices Chicken Salt (While a Maggi cube is typically used in authentic attieke dishes, they’re filled with hydrogenated oils and MSG. (A big no-no in my kitchen!) I use Jada Spices Chicken Salt in all recipes that call for bullion-type seasoning. It provides all the flavor with all natural ingredients! Check out Jada Spices Chicken Salt by clicking below:
Chicken Instructions:
Heat large frying pan with avocado oil. Add chopped onions along with minced garlic and jalapeños. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add cooked, shredded chicken. Add chili powder and Jada Spices Chicken Salt. Blend fully. Cook for a few minutes just until chicken is warm.
Topping Ingredients:
-1 organic sweet onion – chopped
-2 organic tomatoes – chopped
-1-2 teaspoons olive or avocado oil
-pinch of pink Himalayan salt
Topping Instructions:
While chicken is warming up, chop raw onion and tomatoes. Add oil and salt. Mix it all together. (It doesn’t get any easier than that!)
Place warm attieke on the bottom of dish. Then layer with shredded chicken and tomato/onion topping.
Enjoy!!!
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By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. I only recommend products that I’ve personally tried, use in my own kitchen, and believe are high quality products. Thank you so much for supporting Crazy For Yuca’s efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
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Attieke is fermented, grated cassava. It's a staple street food along the Ivory Coast of West Africa. It's similar in consistency to couscous, with an added subtle sour taste, not typical of American cooking. In this dish, attieke is added to a flavorful shredded organic chicken, and topped with raw tomatoes and sweet onions. Quick and easy, healthy and delicious!
In a bowl, simply mix equal amounts attieke and water and let sit for a minute or two until the water is fully absorbed.
Cover attieke and heat in a microwave until warm (about 2-3 minutes.)
Season to taste. We chose to simply add 1 tablespoon avocado oil and a pinch or two of pink Himalayan salt.
Heat large frying pan with avocado oil.
Add chopped onions, minced garlic and jalapeños. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add cooked, shredded chicken, chili powder and Jada Spices Chicken Salt. Blend fully and heat for a few minutes just until chicken is warm.
chop raw onion and tomatoes.
Add oil and salt. Mix it all together.
Place warm attieke on the bottom of dish. Then layer with shredded chicken and tomato/onion topping.
Enjoy!
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Disclaimer– At Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Pasta made from cassava flour! Dreams really do come true!!! I couldn’t be more excited to add this homemade Cassava Flour Fresh Pasta to my yuca/cassava repertoire! I’ve been meaning to create a pasta recipe, but I’ve been too caught up in all my other …
Nothing says Fall like homemade pumpkin pie! Just because you’re gluten or dairy-free doesn’t mean you should miss out! These delicious, adorable Cassava Flour Pumpkin Tartlets rival any pumpkin pie out there! Made with Otto’s Cassava Flour, they’re not only gluten-free, but grain-free and paleo …
I like to think of Baked Stuffed Yuca as healthy stromboli – an Italian inspired gluten and grain-free yuca dough rolled around all “real food” nutritious ingredients! They can be made vegan by filling them with only veggies. I filled these with organic grass-fed beef, onions, fresh garlic, red peppers, heirloom tomatoes, spinach and herbs. These have all the nutrition of a full meal rolled into one impressive appetizer, side dish, or main dish! I love dipping these roll-ups in my favorite tomato sauce! YUM! The yuca makes a perfectly crispy, crunchy crust on the outside, while having a soft (almost cheese-like) consistency on the inside (yet these are dairy-free!) Baked Stuffed Yuca can be made ahead, refrigerated or frozen, then sliced and reheated when ready to serve. A true crowd pleaser!!
Ingredients below make one Baked Stuffed Yuca loaf that can be cut into about 10 pieces.
*Full printable recipe below*
-3/4 pound fresh or frozen yuca (I use frozen yuca)
-2 teaspoons avocado oil – divided (I use Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil)
-1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt – divided (Chosen for its high mineral content)
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder – divided
-Optional – cage-free egg white – to use as an egg wash. Vegan option: Brush avocado oil on top of loaf just before placing it into oven.
-1 pound organic grass-fed beef (or ground turkey or chicken) *Omit for vegan option
-1 tablespoon avocado oil
-5 organic garlic cloves – minced
-1 organic red pepper – diced
-1 1/2 cups organic chopped tomatoes (I used heirloom cherry tomatoes, but any preferred tomato can be used.)
-2 cups organic frozen chopped spinach
-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-1 teaspoon organic dried parsley
-1 teaspoon organic dried basil
-1 teaspoon organic dried oregano
-1/4 teaspoon ground chili powder
-fresh ground pepper to taste
If using fresh yuca, it must first be peeled and cut into pieces before boiling. See my page: How to Peel Fresh Yuca
If using frozen yuca, it’s already peeled, cut, and ready to be boiled. There’s no need to even defrost it before boiling! Many find frozen yuca to be much more convenient. It’s typically found in the Goya frozen section at the supermarket.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, place yuca in pot. Ensure yuca is fully covered by water. Return to a boil, then cook 15-20 minutes until fork tender. *Do not to overcook! Overcooking will result in mushy, difficult to work with yuca! While yuca is cooking, prepare filling as directed below.
Once fork tender, drain boiled yuca in colander and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, cut each piece of yuca in half lengthwise (top to bottom) and remove the stick-like stem that runs through the center.
Cut boiled yuca into chunks before placing into food processor. (See picture below)
*Pulverizing yuca in small batches will avoid overheating the machine. Place 1 heaping cup yuca chunks, 1 teaspoon avocado oil, 1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder in food processor at a time.
I use a Vitamix which works very well because of its tamper (a tool used to push the food down onto the blade while it spins.) If using a different food processor, the machine may need to be paused a few times to scrape yuca off the wall of the bowl so that it blends completely.
Check out the Vitamix Blender by clicking here:
Yuca chunks literally transform into dough in under a minute! (maybe a bit longer if a Vitamix isn’t being used.) It’s truly exciting to witness the first time you do it! Check out my little video below!
Once dough forms, spoon it onto a large piece of parchment paper. Beware – dough can be very sticky! Parchment paper is a non-stick surface which is needed to easily work with this dough. If dough seems too sticky to work with, wrap it in parchment and place into freezer for 5-10 minutes. It’s a miraculous trick to decrease the stickiness!
Using a rolling pin, roll out dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to about 1/4″ thickness.
-While the yuca is boiling, bring two frying pans to medium heat.
-In the first pan, brown the organic grass-fed beef (or other ground meat of choice) until no longer pink (about 7-10 minutes.) Omit for vegan option.
-In the second heated pan, place 1 tablespoon avocado oil, chopped organic onions and minced garlic cloves.
-Once onions begin to brown, add chopped red peppers and tomatoes. Cook 2-3 minutes.
-Add spinach, basil, oregano, parsley, chili powder, pink Himalayan salt, and pepper. Cover and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes until spinach becomes warm and wilted, and seasonings mingle.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place rolled out yuca dough, with parchment paper underneath, on counter or cutting board.
Spoon sauteed vegetables onto rolled out yuca dough, leaving a 1″ edge at the top. This will prevent filling from overflowing upon rolling, and allow dough to seal closed.
Spoon browned, ground meat over vegetables.
Starting at the end where the filling comes right up to the edge, carefully peel the edges of the dough away from parchment paper and begin to tightly roll dough around vegetables and meat (like a jelly roll.) Lift parchment slightly to help guide you.
Once dough and fillings are fully rolled up, pinch dough at the seam and at each end to form a seal.
Place on parchment lined baking sheet.
Brush loaf with the white of an egg (or with avocado oil for vegan option) to create an egg wash. This creates a nice shine and browning effect once baked.
Sprinkle loaf with a pinch of pink Himalayan salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and dried basil.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes – until yuca crust is firm and slightly brown.
Note: Remove from oven and fully cool before cutting. This will ensure the pinwheel design will stay intact.
Baked stuffed yuca can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve. Simply remove from refrigerator (defrost if in freezer,) slice, then bake slices at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, flip, then bake for an additional 5 minutes. SOOOOO GOOD!!!!
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*By ordering recommended products through affiliate connections on our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
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I like to think of Baked Stuffed Yuca as healthy stromboli; a gluten and grain-free yuca dough rolled around all nutritious, "real food" ingredients! They can be made vegan by filling them with only the sautéed veggies. These were made with organic grass-fed beef, onions, garlic, red peppers, heirloom tomatoes, and spinach with lots of herbs. Baked Stuffed Yuca has all the nutrition of a full meal rolled into one impressive appetizer, side dish, or main entree! I love dipping these Italian-inspired roll-ups in my favorite tomato sauce! YUM! Make them ahead of time, refrigerate or freeze, then slice and reheat when ready to serve. A true crowd pleaser!!
If using frozen yuca, it’s already peeled, cut, and ready to be boiled. There’s no need to even defrost it before boiling! Many find frozen yuca to be much more convenient.
Cut up boiled yuca into small chunks before placing it into food processor. *Pulverize yuca in small batches to avoid overheating the machine (about 1 - 1 1/2 cups chopped yuca at a time.) Yuca turns into dough in about 30-60 seconds.
Once dough forms, place onto a cutting board lined with parchment paper. *Note: dough can be very sticky. Parchment paper is a non-stick surface needed to easily work with this dough. If dough seems too sticky to work, place it into the freezer for 5-10 minutes. It's a miraculous trick to decrease the stickiness!
Using a rolling pin, roll out yuca dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper until about 1/4" thick.
While yuca is boiling, heat 2 frying pans. The first for browning the meat, and the second, along with 1 tablespoon avocado oil, to saute the vegetables.
Brown the organic grass-fed beef (or other meat of choice) for 7-10 minutes, until no longer pink.
In the second pan, add chopped organic onions and garlic. Saute for a minute or 2.
Once onions begin to brown, add chopped red peppers and tomatoes. Saute 2-3 minutes.
Add spinach, basil, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, and chili powder and saute for another 2-3 minutes until spinach warms and wilts, and flavors mingle.
Place rolled out yuca dough, with parchment paper underneath, on counter or cutting board.
Spoon sauteed vegetables onto rolled out yuca dough, leaving a 1" edge at one end to prevent filling from overflowing, and allow dough to seal closed.
Starting at the end where the filling comes right up to the edge, carefully peel the edges of the dough away from parchment paper and begin to tightly roll dough around vegetables and meat (like a jelly roll.)
Place loaf on parchment lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle loaf with a pinch each of pink Himalayan salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and dried basil.
Baked stuffed yuca can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve. Simply remove from refrigerator, (defrost if in freezer) slice, then bake slices at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, flip, then bake for an additional 5 minutes. SOOOOO GOOD!!!!
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
These baguettes are AMAZING! You’d never guess they’re gluten-free! And they’re super simple to make! Perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and airy on the inside – just like good bread should be! I had to make it for myself after watching Jules Shepard …
Everything is awesome with chocolate – am I right??? These Chocolate SunButter Pinwheel Cookies are a variation of my Strawberry Almond Butter Pinwheel Cookies (which are great even without chocolate!) Not only is this variation gluten, grain, dairy, and soy-free, but can be made nut-free as …
Creamy, whipped Yuca Mash! Simple, healthy, and made with all “real food” ingredients!!! What can be better than that? Oh, maybe that it’s Paleo, low glycemic, non-GMO, non-inflammatory, as well as Whole30 and autoimmune protocol approved!! Not sure what yuca is??? It’s a root vegetable, also called cassava or manioc, that’s a staple in Latin, Asian, and African cooking. It has been gaining popularity in the US lately within the healthy eating community. I’m literally OBSESSED!!! This is a super easy dish to prepare, and a great one if you’re cooking yuca for the first time.
You may wonder, why make Yuca Mash instead of mashed potatoes??? Great question! While they’re both root vegetables, look the same once mashed, have a very similar flavor profile, and are good sources of vitamin c and potassium, yuca has a few benefits over white potatoes.
Most significantly, yuca has a low glycemic index (GI) of 46 (below 55 is considered low) while a baked white potato has a GI of 72.5 (above 70 is considered high.) Having a low glycemic index means that a food releases glucose into the bloodstream at a slow, steady rate without causing blood sugar spikes. For those with blood sugar issues (like me) yuca is a way better option. It has even been recommended by the Philippines’ Department of Science and Technology for diabetics.
The sense of fullness one gets from eating yuca has been shown to aid in weight loss as well! (Yay!)
Unlike potatoes, yuca is not genetically modified. That’s super important to me!
While both yuca and potatoes contain resistant starch, potatoes must either be eaten raw, or cooked and then fully cooled (and eaten cold) to gain the benefits. Resistant starch got its name because it resists digestion throughout the small intestines. It makes its way all the way to the large intestines undigested. It’s here where it becomes food for beneficial probiotic bacteria, thereby supporting colon health. Within the large intestines it ferments into short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate, which provide numerous potential health benefits. #Eatyuca!!!
For more details see: Yuca (Cassava) Nutrition Facts
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*Printer-friendly recipe below*
Serves 6
Yuca Mash Ingredients:
-1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen yuca (1 small bag Goya frozen yuca)
-1 teaspoon granulated onion (I use Primal Palate organic seasoning)
-1 1/2 teaspoons Himalayan pink salt (I use Primal Palate organic seasoning)
-1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (omit for AIP)
-3 organic garlic cloves – minced
-1 tablespoon avocado oil (I use Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil)
-1 cup almond milk
-2 tablespoons fresh chives – chopped
Instructions:
-Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
-If using frozen yuca, it has already been peeled. If using fresh yuca, the skin must first be removed. For instructions on how to peel yuca click here: How to Peel Fresh Yuca
-Place peeled yuca into pot of boiling water (no need to defrost if frozen) and boil for 25 minutes. I boil my yuca for a few extra minutes for Yuca Mash as compared to other recipes. Cooking for that 5 extra minutes will make the yuca must softer, and the Yuca Mash much creamier. But don’t cook for too long or you’ll end up with a sticky pile of mush!
-Once boiled, drain water and allow to cool slightly.
-Once cool enough to handle, remove the stick-like stem that runs through the center
-Cut yuca into chunks to make it easier to mash.
-Yuca can be mashed in a food processor, with an electric beater, or a hand masher.
-Place boiled yuca either into food processor or large bowl, along with granulated onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, avocado oil, and almond milk. (*If using a food processor, work in 3 or 4 batches to not overwhelm the machine.)
-Blend until perfectly creamy.
-Add chopped chives and thoroughly blend with a spoon. Garnish with additional chives.
as well as pantry items & kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes!
*By ordering recommended products through affiliate connections on our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
***
Creamy, whipped Yuca Mash!!! Simple, healthy, and made with all "real food" ingredients. What can be better than that? Oh, maybe that it's Paleo, low glycemic, non-GMO, non-inflammatory, as well as Whole30 and autoimmune protocol approved!! Not sure what yuca is??? It's a root vegetable, also called cassava or manioc, that's a staple in Latin, Asian, and African cooking. It has been gaining popularity in the US lately within the healthy eating community. This is a super easy dish to prepare, and a great one if you're cooking yuca for the first time.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
If using frozen yuca, it has already been peeled. If using fresh yuca, the skin must first be removed. For instructions on how to peel yuca click here: How to Peel Fresh Yuca
Place peeled yuca into pot of boiling water (no need to defrost if frozen) and boil for 25 minutes. I boil my yuca for a few extra minutes for Yuca Mash as compared to other recipes. Cooking for that 5 extra minutes will make the yuca must softer, and the Yuca Mash much creamier. But don't cook for too long or you'll end up with a sticky pile of mush!
Once boiled, drain water and allow to cool slightly.
Once cool enough to handle, remove the stick-like stem that runs through the center.
Cut yuca into chunks to make it easier to mash.
Yuca can be mashed in a food processor, with an electric beater, or a hand masher.
Place boiled yuca either into food processor or large bowl along with granulated onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, oil, and almond milk. (*If using a food processor, work in 3 or 4 batches to not overwhelm the machine.)
Blend until perfectly creamy.
Add chopped chives and thoroughly blend. Garnish with additional chives.
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
What do you get when you take cassava flour and a bunch of nuts and seeds? Delicious, nutritious Paleo Nut and Seed Bars!!!! These bars have just enough sweetness, without being overly sweet. Cassava flour is a low-glycemic, non-inflammatory starch, while nuts and seeds provide …
Bring the campfire home with Oven Baked S’mores Bars! These were created as a surprise birthday “cake” for my daughter who is gluten and dairy-free! She isn’t a fan of typical cake so I wanted to come up with something special. (Mission accomplished!!!) Years ago, …
Have you tried Yuca Chips yet??? If not, maybe this post will inspire you. They’re crispy, crunchy, and DELICIOUS! While my Perfect Yuca Chip recipe is AWESOME, you likely don’t have time to break out the mandolin every time you’d like a snack. And since different brands of ready-made yuca/cassava chips are very different from one another, I thought a little review of my favorite varieties might come in handy (because I’ve tried every brand I could find!!) If you’ve tried one, you have definitely NOT tried them all!!!
Yuca (pronounced “yoo-ka”) and also known as cassava, is an incredibly versatile root vegetable that can do pretty much anything potatoes or wheat can do, only in a healthier way! (Check out the many gluten and dairy-free recipes on CrazyForYuca.com featuring yuca.) Yuca is a tuberous root with a waxy, brown, bark-like skin and a white or yellowish flesh. It’s long and thin, with one end thicker than the other (similar in appearance to a large sweet potato with thicker, waxy skin.) The yuca that we see in the US tend to be about a foot long, but they can grow really large. It can also be bought frozen. It can be found in the frozen Goya section at many supermarkets.
Yuca is gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, Vegan, Paleo, Whole30 approved, soy-free, non-inflammatory, non-GMO, and typically considered safe for those following an autoimmune protocol (AIP friendly.) While not typically a familiar food in America, it’s widely consumed in Latin America, Asia, and Africa, and its popularity is growing steadily in the US. (I’m doing everything I can to get the word out!!!)
For more information about yuca and its incredible health benefits, click links below.
Getting to Know Yuca (Cassava)
Buying, Storing, Peeling, and Cooking Yuca (Cassava)
Yuca (Cassava ) Nutrition Facts
In this post I’ll be describing my favorite brands and varieties of yuca/cassava chips, and will do my best to provide enough detail so you can choose the ones you think you’d enjoy. Keep in mind that since I’m gluten, dairy, and soy-free, I’m not able to personally taste test every flavor variety offered. I also aim for the healthiest options that use the “cleanest” ingredients and taste great!
It’s rare to find most brands in stores, but they can all be purchased online by clicking the pictures and links below.
Artisan Tropic Cassava Strips are an excellent, truly classic yuca chip! They’re similar in appearance and crunch to potato chips. They’re made the same way I make mine, by thinly slicing the whole yuca root, cooking in oil (these are cooked in sustainable, non-hydrogenated palm oil) and adding sea salt. Simple, crispy, salty goodness! Artisan Tropic Cassava Strips are non-GMO, vegan, Paleo and gluten-free certified, contain no preservatives, and are made in a peanut and tree nut-free facility. Click text or pictures below to check them out!
Don’t let the name “tortilla chip” fool you! While these chips look like typical tortilla chips made of corn, they’re actually made with a blend of cassava and coconut flours. These are amazing!!! They come in 3 flavors: sea salt, lime, and nacho. All 3 varieties are gluten, dairy, and soy free! I love them all, but my absolute favorite is the lime flavor! No need to dip these babies. They’re awesome plain! Be sure to eat the crumbs at the bottom of the bag – they’re extra limey!! The nacho ones remind me of the Herr’s Ketchup Chips that my kids used to be obsessed with. While not a true nacho cheese type flavor, they’re still delicious! In addition to cassava and coconut flour, these chips are made with chia seeds, sea salt, and conscious spice choices (different for different flavors.) I love that Siete makes these chips with avocado oil, as this is a very healthy oil that remains stable at high temperatures. The cassava flour blend is formed into classic tortilla chip triangle shapes. These chips literally melt in your mouth, kind of like a Pringle. There’s one caveat with these chips – they’re TOTALLY ADDICTIVE! I never buy just one bag!
Click here or on pictures below to check out Siete Grain-Free Tortilla Chips – Sea Salt
Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips, 3 bags (5 oz each) Sampler of Nacho, Lime, Sea Salt
(Yes, that’s me! A rare cameo!!!)
Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips, Lime, 5 oz. (Pack of 3)
Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips, Nacho, 5 oz
Plant Snacks created these delicious gluten-free, non-GMO, grain & corn free, Paleo, trans fat free chips with no preservatives and no artificial flavors or colors. So what’s in them? In the sea salt variety (the one I sampled) the ingredients are simply dried yuca/cassava root, sunflower oil, sesame seeds, nutritional yeast and sea salt. These ingredients are blended together, then formed into a square chip (about 1″ square.) They’re salty and crispy with a sesame flavor. Very unique and delicious!
*Note: These yuca root chips used to be called “Cassava Crunch” but have been renamed “Plant Snacks” and repackaged after the taking of the picture below. The recipe has not changed.
Plant Snacks Yuca Root Chips come in 4 flavors including: Sea Salt, Cheddar, Beet with Goat Cheese, and Super Seed varieties.
Click the link or picture below if you’d like a sampler pack so you can try them all!
(Note: I have not taste tested all of the flavors since some contain dairy.)
Plant Snacks Variety Pack – Cheddar, Sea Salt, Beet with Goat Cheese, Super Seeds Cassava Root Chips, Vegan, Big-8 Allergen Free, Non-GMO, Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, 5 oz Bags, Pack of 4
If you like a little spice in your life, Jans Jalapeño Chips are the way to go!!! These chips start out like a classic yuca chip in that they’re made from fried, thinly sliced whole yuca/cassava root, but with a kick of jalapeño seasoning! (A mixture of sugar, salt, yeast extract, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder.) Don’t be frightened off by the word “jalapeño.” I think they taste more like an extra spicy barbecue potato chip. No matter what you call these, they’re AMAZING! These are a real favorite in my house, especially with my husband and daughter, true spice lovers who put Sriracha sauce on everything! I enjoy them as well, as long as I have a glass of water handy. (And I’m not typically a spice lover.) Check them out by clicking the pictures or link below.
Jans Root Chips (Jalapeno Cassava Chips, 3 oz)
By ordering recommended products through links on our website we get a small commission which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
For yuca snacks, pantry items, and kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes in my own kitchen.
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Imagine a dreamy, creamy soup made of all healthy ingredients that can be thrown together in under 45 minutes! It’s hard to believe this vegan soup is also gluten and dairy-free! The yuca gives this soup its creamy consistency, as well as makes it …
If you’re a Nutella fan, but prefer a healthy version that’s free of dairy, refined sugar, soy, and processed inflammatory oils, this Chocolate Hazelnut Butter is for you! While the first ingredient of Nutella is sugar, with only 13% hazelnuts, the predominant ingredient in this …
What’s more fun than strawberry shortcake?… Strawberry Short-Crepe Cream on Top!!! This beautiful gluten, diary, and refined sugar-free dessert is made simply by layering Grain-Free Crepes, scrumptious homemade Strawberry Jam, organic fresh strawberries, and Coconut Cream! It’s the perfect dessert, brunch dish, or birthday cake for any healthy eater! So much fun to make and eat!!! While this Strawberry Short-Crepe Cream on Top is super low in sugar, it really satisfies one’s sweet tooth!
This post includes a great recipe for Strawberry Chia Seed Jam by Lexi from LexisCleanKitchen.com. Why buy prepared jellies or jams when homemade, low sugar jam is this simple to make? Thank you Lexi for this incredible, healthy recipe!
Crepe Ingredients: (makes six 8 inch crepes)
-1/2 cup tapioca flour – (I use Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour)
-2 Tbsp Cassava Flour – (I use Otto’s Cassava Flour)
-4 organic, cage-free eggs (I use duck eggs since I’m sensitive to chicken eggs. Both work perfectly!)
-2 Tbsp coconut oil – melted (I use Nutiva Organic, Unrefined, Virgin Coconut Oil)
-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic Pure Vanilla Extract)
-2 Tbsp almond milk (Cow’s milk can be used if a dairy option is preferred.)
-1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt (While any salt can be used, I use pink Himalayan salt because of its high mineral content.)
Strawberry Jam Ingredients:
-organic strawberries
-raw organic honey or maple syrup
-lemon juice
–chia seeds (I use Trader Joe’s Organic Chia Seeds.)
*Check out Lexi’s super simple recipe by clicking here: Strawberry Chia Seed Jam. She also has variations for blueberry and mango! If you haven’t checked out LexisCleanKitchen.com yet, you’re in for a treat!!!
Coconut Cream Ingredients:
-1 13.5 oz can organic coconut cream – chilled in refrigerator overnight or at least 8 hours. (I use Trader Joe’s Organic Coconut Cream) If coconut cream is not available, 2 or 3 cans of full fat coconut milk can also be used. Use only the coconut cream solids. Save coconut milk for another use.
-1 tsp pure vanilla extract (Optional – adds great flavor, but will taint pure white color of cream) (I use Simply Organic Pure Vanilla Extract)
-2 tsp coconut sugar (I use Nutiva Organic Coconut Sugar)
Simply click on the ingredients listed in recipe above to be brought to that pantry item on Amazon. By purchasing products through our affiliate links we get a small commission which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca at no additional cost to you. All recommended products are ones that meet my high standards for quality, and are used in my own kitchen. Thank you for supporting the efforts of CrazyForYuca.com to bring you the lastest yuca/cassava recipes when you shop online through our site!
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Crepe Instructions:
Melt coconut oil.
Place melted coconut oil into mixing bowl along with eggs, vanilla, and almond milk. Blend thoroughly.
Heat a frying pan on medium heat. (No need to use a non-stick pan or oil. These crepes will not stick to pan!)
Pour batter, about 1/4 cup at a time, into ungreased, heated frying pan. In order to make thin, circle-shaped crepes, pour batter slowly into the center of pan and use the back of the spoon or ladle in a circular motion to spread the batter evenly. *Don’t be discouraged if the first crepe sticks to the pan or is irregularly shaped. That is typical until you get the hang of it.
Cook on first side for about 1 minute, until batter solidifies.
7. Flip and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds. Crepes should be slightly browned.
*Note: These crepes can be made ahead and placed in the refrigerator or freezer and later made into your Strawberry Short-Crepe Cream on Top. They can be quickly reheated from frozen in a toaster oven for 3-5 minutes, a microwave for 30-45 seconds, or by being left on counter to defrost.
Check out St. Dalfour brand strawberry fruit spread by clicking the picture below. It’s made with all natural ingredients including strawberries, sweetened only with grape and date juice concentrates, fruit pectin, and lemon juice.
Coconut Cream is quick and easy to make. It’s an awesome option for Vegan and dairy-free eaters who enjoy a dollop of whipped cream on their desserts!
Coconut Cream Instructions:
3. Spoon coconut cream solids into chilled bowl (leaving behind any liquid coconut milk.)
4. Using an electric mixer with chilled beaters, gradually increase speed from low to high. Beat until peaks form. This takes about 3-4 minutes.
5. Add sugar and vanilla, and beat until fully combined. 
1. Place one crepe on desired serving plate.
2. Spread jelly and cut-up organic strawberries on top of crepe.
3. Place a second crepe on top, and spread coconut cream and fresh strawberries on second crepe.
4. Alternate layers of crepes, strawberry jam, and coconut cream until you run out of crepes.
5. Top with additional strawberry jam, fresh strawberries, and a dollop of coconut cream.
Note: Use a very thin, sharp knife to cut into servings.
Enjoy!
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for healthy pantry items, yuca snacks, and kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes in my kitchen!
All personally taste tested and approved by myself and my family! For a detailed description of recommended yuca/cassava chips, see my post The Perfect Yuca Chip!
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What's more fun than strawberry shortcake?... Strawberry Short-Crepe Cream on Top!!! This beautiful gluten, diary, and refined sugar-free dessert is made simply by layering Grain-Free Crepes, scrumptious homemade Strawberry Jam, organic fresh strawberries, and Coconut Cream! It's the perfect dessert, brunch dish, or birthday cake for any healthy eater! So much fun to make and eat!!! While this Strawberry Short-Crepe Cream on Top is super low in sugar, it really satisfies one's sweet tooth!
Spoon coconut cream solids (not any liquid coconut milk) into chilled bowl.
Using an electric mixer with chilled beaters, gradually increase speed to high, and beat until peaks form. This takes about 3-4 minutes.
Add sugar and vanilla and beat until fully combined.
Place one crepe on desired serving plate.
Spread jelly and cut-up organic strawberries on top of crepe.
Place a second crepe on top, and spread coconut cream and fresh strawberries on second crepe.
Alternate layers of crepes, strawberry jam, and coconut cream until you run out of crepes.
Top with additional strawberry jam, fresh strawberries, and a dollop of coconut cream.
Enjoy!
Note: Use a very thin, sharp knife to cut into servings.
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Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Grain-Free Crepes are quick and easy to prepare, and lots of fun to eat! They can be filled with almost anything – whether sweet or savory! With a fruit filling, such as strawberry jam, they’re perfect for entertaining guests for brunch, or as a sweet …
This guilt-free lasagna has everything that makes lasagna yummy, yet no gluten, grain, or dairy to trigger many common food sensitivities. It’s even Paleo and Whole30 compliant! Who ever thought one could say that about lasagna??? While it may be a bit unconventional, this lasagna …
What’s a Southwestern Egg Roll? Think Chinese egg rolls, only the inside is a burst of spicy Southwestern flavored chicken and veggies! WHAT AN AMAZING IDEA!!! I only wish I thought of it! This recipe is courtesy of The Modern Cavegirl from Heart & Bones Kitchen. I made these last night for dinner and they were DELICIOUS! My husband was still talking about them this morning!
For the outer wrap of these Southwest Egg Rolls, I used the Egg Roll Wrappers pictured below – made by The Modern Cavegirl herself! They’re made of all whole-food ingredients including yuca, avocado oil, tapioca starch, and salt. (You can see why I HAD to try them since I’m “the yuca-lady”!!!) It was so nice to meet a fellow yuca enthusiast! These wrappers are basically an unseasoned version of my Garlic Yuca Flatbread recipe (which I also use for other recipes such as empanadas and pizzas,) but these are ready-made! My readers often ask me for ready-made versions of my flatbread and now you know where to find it! They’re perfect for those nights when you want a great, wholesome, grain-free meal, but there just isn’t enough time to make everything from scratch.
Click here to check out The Modern Cavegirl’s Egg Roll Wrappers made of yuca!
And while you’re there, check out her Spinach Wraps and Plaintain Gnocchi – both made with tapioca flour (an extract of yuca) so you know they have to be great!!!
(For full recipe visit heart & bones kitchen by clicking here)
Ingredients:
–Egg Roll Wrappers (Click here to purchase: heartboneskitchen.com/online-store or follow my Yuca Garlic Flatbread post and use the rolled out dough (don’t bake them into the Yuca Flatbread) to make your own egg roll wrappers out of fresh or frozen boiled yuca!
Taco Seasoning Ingredients:
-chili powder
-garlic powder
-onion powder
-dried oregano
-paprika
-mustard powder
-cayenne powder
-cumin
-salt (I use pink Himalayan salt because of its high mineral content.)
-pepper
Filling Ingredients:
-chicken breast, butterfly
-red onion – diced
-celery – diced
-green chili – diced (My store only had jalapeños, which are significantly hotter than green chilis. I’m not a spice lover, but I thought it worked perfectly!)
-red bell pepper – diced
-yellow bell pepper – diced
-taco seasoning (made above)
Spicy Lime Cilantro Aoli Ingredients:
-egg yolks
-garlic cloves
-lime – juiced
-green onion
-cilantro (I left this out – not a cilantro fan – the aoli was still AWESOME!)
-taco seasoning (made above)
–salt
-water
First, coat the chicken in taco seasoning and cook in pan along with avocado oil.
Chop and cook the veggies in frying pan.
Place Egg Roll Wrappers on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until soft and pliable. Don’t bake long enough to toast.
Combine chicken and vegetables and place filling into each Egg Roll Wrapper.
Roll up each egg roll and place (seam side down) into frying pan. This will seal wrapper, as pictured below. Pan fry all sides of egg rolls.
Blend Spicy Lime Cilantro Aoli ingredients. I didn’t think I would want to dip my egg rolls into a sauce, but boy was I wrong! I couldn’t get enough of it!!! DELISH!
Enjoy!!!
I want to thank The Modern Cavegirl for creating this fantastic recipe and allowing me to share it with my readers!
Click here for her full Southwestern Egg Roll recipe
Click here to purchase her Egg Roll Wrappers
Brittany from The Modern Cavegirl is a Portland based chef who specializes in handmade products liberated from dairy, grains, nuts, and soy. Her mission is to inspire others to read labels and eat whole foods, as well as to make real, healthy food more accessible.
Check out Jans Jalapeño Cassava Chips!
These chips look similar to classic potato chips, in that they’re slices of actual yuca root. They are then fried and spiced to perfection! I think they taste more like spicy barbecue potato chips than jalapeño, but either way they are ADDICTIVE!!! Click below to check them out!
By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small commission which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional cost to you. All recommended products are ones that I use in my own kitchen. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
How do you like your Avocado Toast? Slathered in guacamole? With organic turkey bacon and tomatoes? With a sunny side up egg? – with a broken yolk dripping down your toast… No matter how they’re garnished, they are a truly special treat! Made on top …
Who doesn’t love a salty hot pretzel??? As a gluten-free eater I thought I’d never have one again, until now! These Grain-Free Soft Pretzels are THE REAL DEAL!!! They’re made with Otto’s Cassava Flour, so they’re naturally gluten and grain-free! With all “real” whole …
These Grain-Free Popovers are so light and airy! They’re fun to eat and really hit the spot when you’re craving some bread, but don’t want the grain! They’re especially delicious warm right out of the oven! While most of my Crazy For Yuca recipes are made with either fresh or frozen yuca (a.k.a cassava) or cassava flour, the main ingredient of these popovers is Gluten Free Cake Meal, which is mostly potato starch and tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour.) Tapioca starch is actually made from yuca during the process of making cassava flour. While related, there are important differences.
Cassava flour is made by drying and grinding the whole cassava root, after extracting the starchy liquid from the cassava. Tapioca starch is what is left after all the water evaporates out of the starchy liquid that was extracted out of the cassava while making cassava flour. In sum, cassava flour is the ground whole root, and tapioca flour is the starchy extract of the root that is made into flour. These popovers, therefore, don’t contain as much fiber as they would if they were made from cassava flour, but the consistency is much lighter.
These Grain-Free Popovers puff significantly while baking. They’re often partially hollow inside and can be cut in half and stuffed with your favorite filling! I love them warmed up with a little ghee (or butter before I cut out dairy,) or cut in half and filled with a Veggie Egg!
While originally created as a Passover muffin (since they’re made with Gluten Free Matzo Cake Meal,) these babies can be made any time of year and enjoyed whenever a roll or piece of bread would be served. They’re quick and easy to make. You can get Gluten-Free Cake Meal by clicking this link any time of year!
-cage-free eggs
-filtered water
In a small saucepan, heat water and oil to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool. In a mixing bowl, blend Gluten-Free Cake Meal, salt, and sugar. Then add water and oil mixture to mixing bowl.
Beat eggs in separate bowl. Then pour into mixing bowl and thoroughly blend.
Coat muffin tins with thin layer of avocado oil to prevent sticking. (I use avocado oil because of its high smoke point. Avoid using oils that degrade at high temperatures, as this destroys the beneficial nutrients and phytochemicals in the oils and creates free radicals.)
Spoon batter evenly into each of 12 muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven set to 375 degrees for 40 minutes.
Muffins are ready when they have puffed up and browned.
for ingredients to make Grain-Free Popovers, or to see recommended pantry items and kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes!
Check out the yuca/cassava snacks – all personally taste tested and approved by myself and my family! For a detailed description of recommended yuca/cassava chips, see my post The Perfect Yuca Chip!
By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
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These Grain-Free Popovers are so light and airy! They're fun to eat and really hit the spot when you're craving some bread! They're especially delicious warm right out of the oven! They puff significantly while baking! They're often partially hollow inside and can be cut in half and stuffed with your favorite filling! While originally created as a Passover muffin (since they're made with Gluten Free Matzo Cake Meal,) these babies can be made any time of year and enjoyed whenever a roll or piece of bread would be served.
In a small saucepan, heat water and oil to a boil. Then remove from heat and allow to cool.
In a mixing bowl, blend Gluten-Free Cake Meal, salt, and sugar.
In a mixing bowl, blend Gluten-Free Cake Meal, salt, and sugar. Then add water and oil mixture to mixing bowl.
Beat eggs in separate bowl. Then pour into mixing bowl and thoroughly blend.
Coat muffin tins with thin layer of avocado oil to prevent sticking.
Spoon batter evenly into each of 12 muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven set to 375 degrees for 40 minutes.
Muffins are ready when they have puffed up and browned. Enjoy!
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Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Nothing says Easter like decorated eggs! And nothing says “fun celebration” like hand pies!!! Did you love Pop-tarts as a kid? If the answer is “yes”, you’ll adore these Easter Egg Hand Pies – with a delectable flakey crust on the outside, and sweet fruit …
I call this recipe Mandel Bread / Biscotti because there’s little (if any) difference between these 2 cookies. I want everyone to feel free to enjoy them – no matter one’s heritage, or holiday celebrating. With both Passover and Easter coming within the next week, …
It’s time to plan your Passover menu! Why not decrease the grains this holiday with Grain-Free Cassava Flour Matzo Balls? They will be adored by your gluten-eating and gluten-free guests alike! (I had a little trouble stopping myself from eating them all before getting a good blog photo! I just LOVE these!!!) I created a few versions for my family to taste test, and they unanimously agreed that this recipe is the best!
These Grain-Free Matzo Balls have an authentic matzo ball taste (you’ll never miss the matzo,) with a bit more flavor than typical bland Passover matzo balls. This extra pop of flavor comes from the addition of Trader Joe’s Onion Salt and minced scallions, which complement the soup perfectly!
These Grain-Free Cassava Flour Matzo Balls are a bit more dense in the center (not as fluffy) as some matzo balls, which is actually how I’ve always preferred them. The addition of 2 tablespoons of seltzer creates a nice moistness throughout. Passover perfection!!!
For more information about cassava flour see: Getting to Know Cassava (Yuca) Flour.
(Makes 10-12 matzo balls)
Ingredients: (Full printer friendly recipe below)
-3/4 cups Otto’s Cassava Flour
-3 cage-free eggs (I use duck eggs since I’m sensitive to chicken eggs. Both work perfectly!)
-1/2 teaspoon Trader Joe’s Onion Salt
-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-1 teaspoon scallions or chives – minced
-1 tablespoon avocado oil (I use Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil.)
-2 tablespoons seltzer (Cassava flour matzo balls can be a bit denser than those made from wheat. Seltzer helps them to be more moist and fluffy.)
By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
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Directions:
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Step 2: In a large bowl, blend all ingredients including Otto’s Cassava Flour, eggs, pink Himalayan salt, Trader Joe’s Onion Salt, avocado oil, seltzer, and minced scallions or chives.
Step 3: Moisten hands and scoop up enough dough to make a 1 inch ball. Roll dough between hands like a meatball, and place into pot of boiling water. Repeat to make 10-12 matzo balls. (Balls with expand during cooking.)
Step 4: Return water to a boil, then reduce heat and cover pot. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 5: Remove from water and add to your favorite chicken soup. Enjoy! (Or eat plain with your fingers immediately, because they’re just that good!!!)
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Why not decrease the grains this holiday with Grain-Free Cassava Flour Matzo Balls? They will be adored by your gluten-eating and gluten-free guests alike! These Grain-Free Matzo Balls have an authentic matzo ball taste (you'll never miss the matzo,) with a bit more flavor than typical bland Passover matzo balls. This extra pop of flavor comes from the addition of Trader Joe's Onion Salt and minced scallions which complement the soup perfectly! They are a bit more dense in the center (not as fluffy) as some matzo balls, which is actually how I've always preferred them. The addition of 2 tablespoons of seltzer creates a nice moistness throughout. Passover perfection!!!
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, place all ingredients into a large bowl, including cassava flour, eggs, avocado oil, seltzer, salt, Trader Joe's onion salt, and minced scallions (or chives) and blend thoroughly.
Moisten hands and scoop up a small amount of dough (enough to make 1" balls.) Roll dough between hands like a meatball. (If balls stick excessively to hands, moisten them again before rolling the next matzo ball.)
Place matzo balls directly into boiling water. They will expand while cooking.
Return to a boil. Then cover pot, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove cooked matzo balls from pot. Place into your favorite chicken soup. Enjoy!
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
While I usually incorporate yuca (a.k.a. cassava) into typical American food as a way to make gluten-free cooking more diverse and less restricting, today I’m excited to share a traditional recipe showing how yuca is eaten in another part of the world. This recipe for …
I’m making this banana bread as I type up this post, and the incredible aroma as it’s baking has taken over the house! I can’t wait for it to cool off so I can take my blog pictures and dig in!!! Whether made into muffins …
Why should the gluten-free be denied scrumptious almond cookies from the Chinese restaurant? (After all, we already can’t have most Chinese food!) My daughter, who is gluten and dairy-free, had a hankering for almond cookies and asked me to create this recipe using cassava flour. I decided to bake them for her this Valentine’s Day. They came out great! I made some round ones and some heart shaped ones. I’m excited to say that they held their shape perfectly during baking! No spreading at all! They can therefore be molded into any desired shape with cookies cutters, and decorated for any occasion. These Almond Cassava Flour Cookies are quick and easy to bake and have that delicious almond extract flavor!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
These Almond Cassava Flour Cookies are made with Otto’s Cassava Flour. It’s a nonGMO, gluten-free, grain-free, Paleo, Whole30 approved, autoimmune protocol approved, whole-food flour. That says a lot! It has a neutral taste and looks and performs very similar to wheat flour. It contains a significant amount of resistant starch, a type of fiber that feeds the good bacteria of the colon. While cassava is a starch, it has a low glycemic index (46) so it doesn’t raise blood sugar the way many gluten-free flours can. Check out these links to discover more about yuca (a.k.a. cassava) and cassava flour.
Getting to Know Yuca (Cassava)
Yuca (Cassava) Nutrition Facts
Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
By ordering recommended products through links on our website we get a small commission which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
Ingredients:
-1/2 cup Otto’s Cassava Flour
-3/4 cup almond flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour.)
-1/4 cup organic coconut oil
-3/4 cup organic coconut sugar
-1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract (I use
-2 cage-free eggs (chicken or duck eggs can be used. I use duck eggs since I’m sensitive to the protein in chicken eggs.)
-1/8 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt (I use pink Himalayan sea salt for all my cooking and baking because of its purity and increased mineral content, as compared to regular sea salt and table salt.)
-1 cup slivered almonds. (I use Trader Joe’s Unsalted, Dry Roasted Slivered Almonds.)
Melt organic coconut oil, then blend with coconut sugar, almond extract and 2 beaten cage-free eggs. Add Otto’s Cassava Flour, almond flour and pink Himalayan sea salt. Once ingredients are fully combined, add slivered almonds.
Divide batter into 18 cookies, of any shape desired, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Below, I used a cookie cutter to make each heart shaped Almond Cassava Flour Cookie for Valentine’s day. I filled the cookie cutter with dough, pressing down to fully fill mold.
Once desired cookie shapes are formed, garnish with additional slivered almonds for a true almond cookie appearance.
So simple, yet sophisticated!
Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes, until edges begin to brown.
Enjoy your Almond Cassava Flour Cookies!
Serve them in baskets, or in any number of creative ways.
Happy Valentine’s Day!!!
Get creative with your decorating and garnish with additional sweetness if desired!!
These cookies were decorated using melted Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels, then sprinkled with Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips. Enjoy Life morsels are gluten, dairy, and soy free, as well as vegan.
The red heart icing was made first by making a basic white icing (1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon filtered water,) then adding a few drops of Color Garden Natural Red Food Dye. I’ve used a number of natural dyes before, but this was the first that gave a true, deep red! (Typically they come out more of a pink color.) The ingredients are beet juice, turmeric, annatto, and less than 1% ethyl alcohol as a preservative. There’s absolutely no Red Dye 40, as with conventional food dyes. Red Dye 40 is one of the most controversial dyes used today. It has been shown to cause allergic reactions and hyperactivity in some children (1,) In mice, research demonstrated that Red 40 decreases survival, reproductive success, brain weight, as well as parent and offspring weight. Evidence of both physical and behavioral toxicity were evident (2.)
I like to steer clear of Red Dye 40, and most chemical dyes, at all costs! Now that I discovered Color Garden Natural Red Food Dye, my Valentine’s Day baking can be gorgeous and healthy!
Look how gorgeous the red icing looks! A true red using only natural ingredients. 🙂
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These cookies taste just like almond cookies from the Chinese restaurant! With cassava flour, the gluten-free no longer need to be deprived of almost any treat! If you haven't baked with cassava flour yet, you're really missing out. Give these grain-free Almond Cassava Flour Cookies a try! You won't be sorry.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Melt 1/4 cup coconut oil, either in microwave or on stovetop.
Blend melted coconut oil with 3/4 cup coconut sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract and 2 beaten cage-free eggs.
Add 1/2 cup Otto's Cassava Flour, 3/4 cup almond flour, 1/8 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt, and mix until fully combined.
Add 1 cup slivered almonds. Blend into batter.
Divide batter into 18 cookies and place on parchment lined baking sheets. These cookies hold their shape perfectly (no spreading.) They can therefore be made into any desired shape, such as the heart shapes shown in post. Have fun with different shapes for different occasions!
Decorate with additional slivered almonds.
Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes, or until edges begin to brown.
Note: Since these cookies hold their shape perfectly during baking, they can be molded into any desired shape using cookie cutters. Once cooled, they can be decorated any number of ways. Use your imagination and send me pictures of your creations!
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Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
This is no ordinary chocolate chip cookie! While it has chocolate chips, it also has dried cherries, cinnamon, and is made from naturally gluten-free cassava flour! They’re soft-baked, with a melt-in-your-mouth crumbly texture, and just enough maple syrup sweetness. These are my go-to cookie when …
Spend 5 minutes of prep time, then go about your day knowing this simple, delicious 4 ingredient crockpot chicken will be ready and waiting for you when you get home! Then boil up some yuca (because everything is better with yuca!) while chopping and sauteing …
With this Paleo French Onion Soup topped with melted yuca dough, you won’t miss the cheese! This perfect pairing is deliciously gratifying in every way!!! Upon baking, the underside of the yuca gets soft and gooey, while the top browns just right! This Paleo variation of this beloved comfort food really hits the spot!
As someone who is gluten and dairy-free, I’ve definitely missed going to restaurants and ordering French Onion Soup. Plain old onion soup in a bowl, with no bread in the middle or gooey cheese on top just doesn’t cut it! I used to really enjoy when the cheese dripped down the side of the crock, hardened during baking, and had to be chipped off the side. It was extra flavorful and crunchy! I’m not going to say that the yuca topper is EXACTLY like that (as my cheese eating daughter insists that it isn’t) but as someone who hasn’t eaten cheese in 6 years, this recipe feels satisfying in that same way. The seasoned yuca dough is soft and can be pulled with your fingers, or easily scooped into a scrumptious spoonful of onion soup… and the parts that droop down the side harden just right!
It all starts with the onions!!! I used 6 organic yellow onions. (Full printable recipe below.)
Shred onions in a food processor (or hand slice, if desired.) It looks like a lot of onions, but they shrink significantly when cooked.
In a pan on low heat melt 1/3 cup ghee. Add shredded onions and mix to fully coat with melted ghee. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2-3 thyme sprigs, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, 3 bay leaves and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes, until browned and caramelized.
Add 4 cups organic beef broth (or bone broth) and simmer for 30 minutes. If desired, season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Place into 4 oven-safe ramekins. (I use small Corningware bowls.)
Fresh or frozen yuca can be used to make the yuca toppers.
While soup is simmering, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
If using fresh yuca, each root must first be peeled and cut into 3-4 pieces before boiling. For more information see: Buying, Storing, Peeling, and Cooking Yuca.
For 4 servings, 3/4 pound (about 1 medium sized whole, fresh yuca root or half a bag of frozen yuca) is needed. Place peeled, cut, fresh or frozen yuca into pot of boiling water. (If using frozen yuca do not defrost before boiling.) Return to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until fork tender. *Do not over-cook! If cooked for too long, yuca becomes mushy and difficult to work with.
Drain water and allow boiled yuca to cool for a few minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut each piece in half lengthwise to remove stick-like center that runs through the middle.
Chop yuca into chunks.
For each of 4 yuca toppers, place 1/2 cup chopped yuca, 1/2 tsp avocado oil, a pinch of garlic, and a pinch of salt (about 1/4 teaspoon each) into Vitamix (or other food processor) and blend for a few seconds until a dough is formed. (I suggest making the toppers in 4 batches because if more than 1 cup of yuca is placed into Vitamix at a time, it can easily overheat machine.)
Place each dough ball on parchment paper and add 1/2 teaspoon chopped chives.
Roll out each dough ball between 2 pieces of parchment paper to fit the size and shape of your ramekins. *Note: If dough sticks to parchment, place in freezer for 5-10 minutes. This will decrease stickiness and make dough easier to work with.
Place each rolled out yuca topper over each soup filled ramekin.
Place ramekins on baking sheet, brush yuca toppers with avocado oil (to increase browning) and place in preheated oven set to 425 degrees.
Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. If additional browning is desired, place under the broiler for the last 2 minutes.
Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments section below.
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Enjoy this Paleo French Onion Soup topped with melted yuca dough! You won't miss the cheese, as this seasoned dough makes a perfect pair with onion soup. Upon baking, the underside of the yuca gets soft and gooey, while browning on top. A deliciously satisfying Paleo variation of a beloved comfort food.
Shred onions in food processor. (Can be done by hand, if needed.)
In a pan on low heat, melt ghee.
Add onions and stir to fully coat with melted ghee.
Add salt, pepper, minced garlic, thyme sprigs, dried rosemary, and bay leaves.
Cook on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes, until onions become browned and caramelized.
Add beef broth and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
If needed, add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon onion soup evenly into 4 oven-safe ramekins. (I use small Corningware bowls.)
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, if using fresh yuca, remove peel and cut into 3-4 pieces before placing it into pot of boiling water. See: Buying, Storing, Peeling, and Cooking Yuca for more information, if needed.
If using frozen yuca, do not defrost before placing into pot of boiling water.
Return to a boil, then cook yuca for 15-20 minutes, until fork tender. Ensure that yuca is fully covered by water throughout boiling. *Do not overcook! Overcooked yuca will become mushy and very difficult to work with.
Drain water and allow yuca to cool.
Once cool enough to handle, cut each piece of yuca in half lengthwise to remove stick-like center that runs through the middle.
Cut yuca into chunks.
For each of the 4 yuca toppers, place 1/2 cup yuca, 1/2 teaspoon avocado oil, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of garlic powder (about 1/4 teaspoon each) into Vitamix (or other food processor) and blend for a few seconds until it forms a dough.
Place dough onto parchment paper and top with chopped chives.
Roll out dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to fit the size and shape of your soup ramekin.
Remove dough from parchment and place on top of soup-filled ramekin. *Dough can be very sticky to work with, especially if it's warm. If dough sticks to parchment paper, place it into freezer for 5-10 minutes. This will decrease stickiness and make the dough more manageable. Click here for other tips on handling sticky dough.
Brush dough with avocado oil to enhance browning.
Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. If additional browning is desired, place under the broiler for the last 2 minutes.
Enjoy your Paleo French Onion Soup!!!
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Many panic when they find out they need to be gluten and/or dairy-free! I think one of the main reasons is fear of giving up their comfort foods. This Grain-Free Chicken Pot Pie recipe is true comfort food at its best! It’s proof positive that …
Valentine’s Day Cassava Flour Cake Pops The time has come for the gluten-free and gluten-eating alike to enjoy cake pops together for all occasions!!! These pops are so incredible, no one will ever guess they’re gluten-free! Not to mention grain-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and nonGMO!!! I …
Being gluten-free doesn’t mean missing out on the fun of holiday cookie baking! With cassava flour, you can make scrumptious gluten-free, whole-food sugar cookies that taste just like those made from wheat flour! If you haven’t discovered cassava flour yet, these Cassava Flour Holiday Sugar Cookies are the perfect reason to do it now! See: Getting to Know Cassava (yuca) Flour.
I can now make ANYTHING I used to make with wheat, with either boiled yuca or cassava flour. (See my other yuca/cassava recipes on this site such as Pop-tarts, Flatbread, Tortillas, Empanadas, Baked Fries, Pinwheel Cookies….)
I use Otto’s Cassava Flour for all of my baking. It can be swapped into many recipes that call for wheat flour in a 1:1 ratio. It has a powdery consistency – just like wheat flour (not grainy like nut flours.) I don’t know about you, but as someone who has been gluten-free for 6 years I can’t bear to make another thing out of almond flour!!!
Otto’s Cassava Flour can be found in some specialty stores or purchased online by clicking below.
Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
*Full printable recipe below*
Makes 24 cookies
Click on any needed non-perishable item below to order online.
-1 1/2 cups Otto’s Cassava Flour
-3/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-1/2 cup Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening
-1/2 cup maple sugar
-1 cage-free egg
-1/2 teaspoon almond extract ( I use Simply Organic)
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 cup filtered water
–parchment paper (For rolling out dough. Cassava dough can be sticky.)
-cookie cutters of any desired shape
-1 cup powdered confectioners sugar
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-1 1/2 teaspoon filtered water
In a mixing bowl (or stand mixer) blend Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening and maple sugar. Add egg and almond extract, then mix until well combined. In a separate bowl, blend dry ingredients (Otto’s Cassava Flour, baking soda, xanthan gum, pink Himalayan salt.) Combine contents of the 2 bowls, add water, then mix until a dough is formed.
Roll out dough between two pieces of parchment paper, until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Parchment is a non-stick surface. Using it on the top and bottom of the dough prevents the need to flour your surface or rolling pin. (WAY less of a mess!!)
Using cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes from rolled out dough – such as these snowflakes. To make optimal use of time, place cookie cutter as close as possible to previously cut out shapes to decrease dough scraps and additional re-rolling.
Multiple cookie cutter shapes can be used with the same rolled-out dough – such as these snowmen.
Here I added reindeer, Christmas trees, dreidels and menorahs for the full holiday experience!
Place each cut out cookie on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (The same parchment can be used as when rolling out dough.) Place in an oven that has been pre-heated to 350 degrees.
Bake for about 12 minutes, or until edges begin to slightly brown. (These are very easy to burn so keep an eye on them.)
Allow cookies to fully cool before decorating.
Sugar cookies are fun because bakers can decorate them using any number of colored icings and candies to make their own signature creations!
In this post, I used white icing made with powdered confectioners sugar, pure vanilla extract and water as my base for decorating.
In line with my philosophy of clean eating, I used fruits, vegetables, and spices to color the white icing. I do anything I can to keep chemical dyes, artificial flavorings, preservatives and pesticides out of my food. The one slight exception I made was with the blue colored icing used for the Chanukah cookies. For these, I used ColorKitchen Real Food Decorative Coloring, since no fruit, vegetable, or spice that I know of is able to make a true blue colored icing, and Chanukah cookies can’t be made without blue icing – am I right??? (I tried blueberries, but the icing came out purple.) The only ingredient in the blue ColorKitchen Real Food Decorative Coloring is “spirulina color,” which is a natural colorant. I think this is acceptable.
For details on natural colored icing, check out my post – Icing Colored With Fruits and Vegetables
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While I’ll show you my personal creations, feel free to decorate your Holiday Cassava Flour Cookies any way that expresses your way of eating, personal style, and holiday traditions!
I’d love to hear about your creations in the comment section below! Or email pictures to me through my contact page.
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For a simple snowy effect, sprinkle cookies with powdered confectioners sugar. Place 1 or 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar into a sieve. Hold sieve over cookies and tap gently, allowing sugar to fall evenly over cookies (just like falling snow.)
Using powdered sugar is the simplest and quickest way to have beautiful holiday cookies! They taste delicious and look beautiful plated any number of ways!
The body of this snowman was decorated with the basic white icing mentioned above. His red hat was made with the white icing colored with the juice of organic strawberries! (See post: Icing Colored With Fruits and Vegetables for directions on how to make it.) This snowman’s eyes and buttons are Enjoy Life Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, and the pom pom on his hat is an Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chip. (Enjoy Life brand chocolate chips are gluten, dairy, soy and nut free.) I used a slice of real carrot for his nose, which I wouldn’t recommend since the moisture in the carrot infused into the icing overnight. In the future, I will use dried fruit such as apricot or mango for the nose. (Live and learn!)
Next came these adorable reindeer! The brown icing was colored by adding cinnamon to the basic white icing. The cinnamon not only made these reindeer the perfect color, but made them extra DELICIOUS!!! The antlers were decorated using melted Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chips. The eyes were crafted first by placing 2 dots of white icing over the dried brown icing, and then immediately adding an Enjoy Life Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chip over each dot of icing (before the icing had time to dry.)
These “Rudolph” noses were made by placing drops of white icing onto parchment paper, and sprinkling TruColor Natural Sanding Sugar immediately on top of each icing drop (before they began to dry.) This sanding sugar contains only sugar, vegetable color, and carnauba wax, so I figured it was acceptable for my healthy-ish holiday cookies. The icing drops were left to harden overnight and then placed onto each reindeer cookie. Carefully remove “noses” from parchment by sliding a knife under each drop. Adhere to reindeer cookie using another drop of wet icing.
Note: Icing can be re-hydrated after hardening by adding a few drops of water and stirring.
Note: While drying starts quickly, these “noses” don’t fully solidify, so handle carefully.
How cute are these reindeer???
Believe it or not, the icing of these Christmas tree cassava flour cookies was colored with freshly juiced spinach! (See my post: Icing Colored With Fruits and Vegetables for the simple instructions on how to do it!) The color came out gorgeous, and they didn’t taste like spinach at all! Red TruColor Natural Sanding Sugar was sprinkled on top to give these trees a more decorative holiday look!
The rich, yellow coloring for these dreidels and menorahs were made by adding turmeric to the basic white icing! The blue color was made by adding ColorKitchen Real Food Decorative Coloring in blue, which has only one ingredient, “spirulina color,” a natural colorant.
Enjoy your Holiday Cassava Flour Sugar Cookies no matter what shapes or decorations you choose!
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Click here, or on the SHOP link in the menu bar above, to see the recommended pantry items and kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes. Check out the yuca/cassava snacks – all personally taste tested and approved by me and my family!
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Healthy Eating Tip: Why add cassava flour to your baking repertoire!
The holidays are definitely extra challenging for gluten-free and healthy eaters. From Thanksgiving through New Years we are bombarded with food and desserts wherever we go, most of which we can’t eat. It’s a time of year that’s supposed to be festive, but can be very straining for those who are gluten free. Many give in to temptation during the holidays and end up feeling sick and inflamed. With a little planning and baking of your own, you can enjoy treats made with Otto’s Cassava Flour without compromising your health. You’re worth the effort!
Otto’s Cassava Flour is gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, soy-free, Paleo, Vegan, Autoimmune Protocol friendly, and non-GMO! How many flours can make a claim like that? Cassava flour is a whole-food flour made simply by drying and grinding the white flesh of the peeled yuca/cassava root. (Yuca and cassava are different names for the same root vegetable.) It isn’t enriched with anything or stripped of any of its nutrients.
Cassava flour is a truly healthy alternative to wheat for those who are gluten intolerant or have an allergy to nuts. A further benefit is that it won’t spike blood sugar the way many gluten-free flours can. Cassava (yuca) has a low glycemic index, which makes it an ideal choice for those with blood-sugar issues.
Cooking and baking with cassava flour is a wonderful choice for anyone looking to eat a healthy, low grain, “real food” diet, whether gluten intolerant or not.
And check out my other posts to get excited about other delicious things you can make when your cassava flour arrives. (I have a lot more recipe ideas on the way!!!)
Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
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Who says you can't be gluten free and eat delicious holiday sugar cookies? With Cassava Flour Holiday Sugar Cookies no one misses out on the fun of holiday cookie baking and decorating! These gluten-free, whole-food, cassava flour cookies taste so much like those made from wheat, no one will even know they're gluten-free! If you haven't discovered cassava flour yet, what are you waiting for??
In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, blend Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening and maple sugar.
Add egg and almond extract and mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients together - Otto's Cassava Flour, baking soda, xanthan gum, and Himalayan sea salt.
Combine contents of the two bowls, add water, and blend until a dough is formed.
Place dough on parchment paper and roll it out to desired thickness - about 1/4 inch.
Cut out desired shapes using cookie cutters.
Dough can be made back into a ball and rolled out again and again until all dough has been make into cookies.
Arrange cut out cookies on a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
Place baking sheet in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees. Bake for about 12 minutes, until edges start to brown slightly.
Allow to fully cool before icing.
Place powdered sugar, vanilla extract and water in a bowl and blend until fully incorporated.
Add food coloring, if desired, to create any number of holiday designs.
See my post entitled Icing Colored With Fruits and Vegetables for ideas on how to color icing naturally.
Decorate cookies with colored sugar, chocolate chips, sprinkles, or candies to create desired effect or holiday characters.
Enjoy your holiday cookie baking!!!
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Disclaimer– At Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Can you believe that the icing for this Christmas tree cookie was colored with spinach? It’s true!!! And the tree trunk was colored with cinnamon! This year I thought I’d have a little fun experimenting with fruits, vegetables, and spices as natural dyes for the …
Have you tried baking with cassava flour yet? If not, this is the perfect cookie recipe to get you started! Whether you’re gluten-free, or just want to eat less grain, these cassava flour Strawberry Almond Butter Pinwheel Cookies are fun to make and to eat! …
If you haven’t tried Otto’s Cassava Flour yet, what are you waiting for??
Cassava flour is a whole-food flour made simply by drying and grinding the white flesh of the peeled yuca/cassava root. (Yuca and cassava are different names for the same root vegetable.)
For baking that does not require rising, cassava flour can often replace wheat flour in a 1:1 ratio. For recipes requiring rising, a combination of cassava flour and other gluten-free flours can be used to obtain the desired result. It requires a little experimentation.
Cassava flour can be used to make cassava breads, tortillas, pizza crust, pie crust, cookies, brownies, cakes, muffins, pancakes, crackers, you name it!! All with no gluten – or even any grain!!! I don’t know about you, but that is REALLY exciting to me!!!
For those who are gluten-free like me, I’m sure you can relate when I say – How much almond flour can a person eat? I kept worrying that the next food sensitivity I was going to develop was a sensitivity to almonds since I seemed to make EVERYTHING out of them!
Cassava flour is a truly healthy alternative to wheat for those who are gluten intolerant or have an allergy to nuts. A further benefit is that it will not spike blood sugar the way many gluten-free flours can. It’s a wonderful choice for “gluten eating” people as well, as it’s a delicious, natural, unprocessed flour.
There are many reasons why I use Otto’s Cassava Flour. First – it tastes great! Many people find it indistinguishable from wheat flour! It has no fillers and is not enriched with anything. The only ingredients are cassava/yuca and water. It’s certified non-GMO, gluten-free, and Paleo. Many other cassava flours are made by peeling and then sun-drying the root. This allows fermentation which can create a sour tasting and musty smelling flour. Otto’s Cassava Flour is made in Brazil, (not Africa like some brands) where it’s peeled and baked according to their proprietary method – with no fermentation or opportunity for mold growth. As someone with autoimmune issues, avoiding mold is a top priority. Otto’s is the highest quality, cleanest tasting flour. If you tried a different brand of cassava flour and didn’t like the taste of your recipe, don’t give up before trying Otto’s. You won’t be sorry.
Otto’s Cassava Flour – Nutrition
Serving size: ¼ cup (32g)
| %DV | ||
| Calories | 110 | |
| Total Fat | 0 g | |
| Cholesterol | 0 g | |
| Sodium | 0 g | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 28 g | 10% |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g | 11 % |
| Sugars | 0 g | |
| Protein | 3 g | 11% |
| Calcium | 32 mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 83 mg | 2% |
| Manganese | 11% |
Otto’s Cassava Flour can only be found in some specialty stores and online. Click link or picture below to purchase Otto’s Cassava Flour.
By ordering Otto’s Cassava Flour through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Not sure what to do with your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers? Sick of eating plain, dry turkey? This Turkey Bacon Yuca Salad will forever change your perception of leftover turkey. Think potato salad mixed with chicken salad – only way better!!! The addition of organic turkey …
If you haven’t tried yuca (a.k.a. cassava) yet, you are in for a treat! Yuca is in many ways similar to a potato in that it’s white, has a very mild taste, and takes on the flavor of the sauces and spices within which it …
This is not your typical, dry Thanksgiving turkey! This bird is moist and flavorful and is made a day ahead so it can soak up its juices overnight and free you up to enjoy your guests. It makes a scrumptious main meal and side dish all at the same time! Don’t just think of it on Thanksgiving though, this hearty meal is satisfying any time.
I actually still have the piece of note paper from over 20 years ago, where I frantically scribbled down my mom’s turkey recipe after hearing she was flying in on Thanksgiving Day, and I would have to make a turkey for the first time! The directions say: “1:30- Preheat oven. Sprinkle turkey with paprika and garlic powder. Put 1/2 inch of water at the bottom of roasting pan along with sliced onions, neck and giblets. 2:00- Put turkey in oven and tent with aluminum foil. 3:30- Baste and take off tent. 4:30- Take out of oven. Discard giblets. Scrape stuff off the bottom of roasting pan and put into saucepan with water for gravy.” This all seemed very intimidating at the time! The turkey came out looking good, but was kind of dry and tasteless. In my experience, that’s pretty much the way it is with most Thanksgiving turkeys. For years I’d try to enhance the taste by making gravy from a can or package that was full of artificial flavorings.
About 10 years ago, I searched my refrigerator and spice cabinet for anything that might add some new flavor to my boring, dry turkey, and decided to dump a bottle of Italian dressing over it. When it came out of the oven, I reluctantly tasted a tiny piece and was literally bowled over by how good it was! There was a much greater quantity of drippings than usual and it tasted fantastic! Nothing like the greasy, bland drippings I was used to creating. I decided to carve the turkey and soak the meat in the drippings overnight so not a single drop was wasted. WELL, when I served it the next day, I had never gotten so many compliments on anything I had ever cooked! Everyone kept saying how this was nothing like the typical, dry turkey they had come to expect on Thanksgiving. After making my turkey this way for years, the dressing I used stopped being made. Since I started to eat much healthier by that time, cutting out processed foods, I set out to make my own homemade turkey marinade.
I’ve come a long way in my healthy eating journey, and in learning to value putting organic, “real food” ingredients into my body. My turkey recipe has evolved right along with me. This Turkey With Yuca And Carrots is a recipe you can feel good about eating, and serving to guests. It’s super moist and delicious!
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I must warn you, while everyone loves this turkey, many hesitate to follow my recipe for their Thanksgiving turkey because it breaks from tradition in a number of ways. If you feel this way, feel free to make it any other day of the year.
The first break from Thanksgiving tradition is that this turkey gets cooked the day before it will be eaten, so it can marinate in its own juices overnight. – *The key to creating this moist, flavorful turkey! This is often a deal breaker for those who want to display their turkey in the center of the table and carve it in front of their guests. For me, the purpose of a holiday is to spend quality time with family, not fuss over dinner. I want healthy, delicious food that can be made ahead and enjoyed by everyone. If you share my philosophy, keep reading.
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This recipe is super simple.
-1 1/2 pounds yuca (can be fresh or frozen)
-6 organic multi-colored carrots – sliced
-1 large organic onion – chopped
-1 organic leek – chopped
-3 organic garlic cloves – minced
-3 cups filtered water
Note: If using fresh yuca, it must be peeled and boiled before it gets roasted with the rest of the vegetables in this recipe. See: How to Peel Fresh Yuca for step by step instructions. If using frozen yuca, it’s already peeled, cut into pieces, and ready to be boiled.
-Peel yuca, cut into 3 or 4 pieces, and boil for 15 minutes.
-While yuca is boiling, cut up onion, carrots, leek and garlic.
-Once yuca is boiled, cool, then remove stick-like stem that runs through the center.
-Chop yuca into cubes and place it with the other vegetables at the bottom of a roasting pan that’s covered with parchment paper. (This makes clean up a breeze!)
-Add filtered water
-organic turkey
–pink Himalayan salt (chosen because of it’s purity and high mineral content)
Marinade
-1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I use Primal Palate Amore seasoning – Check out Primal Palate’s high quality, great tasting seasonings by clicking here.)
-1 teaspoon organic dry mustard
-1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-1/2 cup red wine vinegar
-1/4 cup avocado oil
-1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
-Remove the skin from the body of the turkey, leaving skin only on the legs and wings. (When I “tent” my turkey, these parts don’t tend to get full coverage so they need the skin as protection from getting over-cooked and dried out.)
* You may be bothered by the idea of removing the skin, since this is another break from traditional Thanksgiving turkey cooking. I find that the skin adds a significant amount of unwanted greasy fat to the drippings and prevents the marinade from fully incorporating into the turkey breast meat. As long as the turkey is tented during most of its roasting time, the skinless turkey will be perfectly protected. Plus, it will be carved and sitting in the drippings overnight, which will further moisten it. Another difference from traditional turkey roasting is that I suggest placing the turkey right onto the vegetables, not on a rack inside a roasting pan. (To be honest, I’ve never even owned a traditional roasting pan!) I find that the vegetables act as my rack, slightly elevating the turkey, with the meat and vegetables each adding flavor to one another.
-Wash the turkey thoroughly, pat dry and place on top of chopped vegetables (or on a rack inside roasting pan.)
-Season turkey with pink Himalayan salt and garlic powder.
-Blend Italian seasoning, dry mustard, pink Himalayan salt, lemon pepper, red wine vinegar and avocado oil. I like to put all marinade ingredients into a Mason jar and give it a good shake. Pour marinade over turkey and vegetables.
-Place turkey and vegetables into a preheated oven at 400 degrees for the first half hour – uncovered. Then decrease temperature to 325 and cover turkey, with either a cheesecloth or parchment paper “tent” or with roaster lid.)
*If using parchment paper, be very careful to secure parchment away from the stove coils.
*Note: Do not “tent” turkey with aluminum foil! This has been proven to be a very unhealthy practice. See Healthy Cooking Tip below for more information about the dangers of cooking with aluminum foil.
-Remove “tent” for the last 30 minutes of roasting to allow turkey to brown.
| Weight | Time | Temperature |
| 8-12 lbs | 2 ¾ – 4 hours | 325 degrees |
| 12-14 lbs | 3 – 3 ½ hours | 325 degrees |
| 14-18 lbs | 3 ¾ – 4 ¼ hours | 325 degrees |
-Turkey is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the breast or thigh registers 165 degrees and the juices run clear. If juices are still pink, it’s not yet ready. Once fully cooked, remove from oven and let sit for 30 minutes to cool before carving.
-Place turkey on a cutting board. Spoon cooked vegetables from baking dish into a bowl, leaving drippings in the pan. These veggies are so incredibly flavorful!
-Carve turkey and place sliced meat back into the roasting pan with the drippings/gravy (or into any preferred pan for it to sit overnight.) Cover and refrigerate overnight. If meat is not completely covered by juices, rotate meat after a few hours.
-The next day, reheat turkey and vegetables at 375 for 20-30 minutes until warm.
-Serve. This recipe makes a delicious turkey and a scrumptious side dish all at the same time!
Give it a try and leave a comment below. I’d love to know what you think!
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I know, you don’t want to hear that there’s something else you need to cut out of your life to stay healthy!!! You, and everyone you know, has been using aluminum foil for as long as you can remember. How can it be bad? Unfortunately, foil has been PROVEN to leach aluminum into food, with greater leaching in higher heat, with acidic solutions (like those involving tomatoes, lemon, and vinegar,) and with foods containing added spices. (1, 2) I don’t know about you, but that includes pretty much everything I cook!!! Aluminum foil is only considered safe for storage of cold food. The World Health Organization determined a safe daily limit of aluminum intake, but most people take in much more. This is likely the result of aluminum in antacids, vaccines, antiperspirants, drinking water, and the use of aluminum pans for cooking. Why should we care about aluminum exposure? The aluminum that is not excreted by the body interferes with the digestion of calcium, phosphorus, and fluoride, can result in osteoporosis, liver and kidney damage, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinsons. Aluminum has also been associated with colic, sleep disturbance, anemia, and speech problems. With all the exposure to aluminum that we can’t control in our environment, why knowingly expose ourselves to greater risk with the use of aluminum foil? Instead, use glass or ceramic cookware with lids or parchment paper. Parchment is a perfectly safe, non-toxic liner for baking. It has a non-stick surface, so no additional oil is needed to prevent food from sticking to the pan. Parchment paper is the mess-free, time-saving solution to healthy cooking and baking.
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This is not your typical, dry Thanksgiving turkey! This bird is moist and flavorful and is made a day ahead so it can soak up its juices overnight and free you up to enjoy your guests. It makes a scrumptious main meal and side dish all at the same time! Don't just think of it on Thanksgiving though, this hearty meal is satisfying any time.
*If using fresh yuca (cassava) it must first be peeled and boiled before adding it to the rest of the vegetables in this recipe. See About Yuca: How to Peel Fresh Yuca for step by step directions. Frozen yuca is already peeled, but must also first be boiled.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add peeled fresh or frozen yuca, return to a boil and cook for 15 minutes until fork tender. Do not over-cook.
While yuca is boiling, chop onions, leeks, carrots, and garlic cloves. Place them on the bottom of roasting pan that is covered with parchment paper. (The parchment makes cleanup a breeze!)
Once yuca is fork tender, drain water and allow to cool.
Once cool enough to handle, place each piece of yuca on a cutting board and cut in half vertically and remove the stick-like stem that runs through the center.
Chop yuca into cubes and place in roasting pan with the other vegetables.
Pour filtered water over vegetables in pan.
Remove the skin from the body of the turkey, leaving skin only on the legs and wings.
Wash turkey thoroughly, pat dry, and place on top of the cut-up vegetables.
Pour 2 cups of filtered water directly into the pan with the vegetables.
Sprinkle pink Himalayan salt and garlic powder over turkey.
Blend ground mustard, Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, vinegar and oil. Pour directly over turkey and vegetables.
Place into a preheated oven set to 400 degrees for the first half hour.
Then decrease temperature to 325 and cover/tent the turkey either with the roaster lid, cheesecloth, or parchment paper (ensuring that paper is securely placed away from burner coils.)
Remove cover for the last 30 minutes of roasting to allow turkey to brown.
Turkey is ready when a meat thermometer inserted into the breast or thigh reads 165 degrees and the juices run clear.
When turkey is done, remove from oven and allow to sit 30 minutes before carving.
Move turkey to a cutting board and put cooked vegetables into a bowl for storage.
Carve turkey, placing sliced meat back into roasting pan with the drippings/gravy (or into any preferred pan for storage.) Cover and refrigerate overnight. If meat is not completely covered by juices, rotate meat after a few hours.
The next day, reheat turkey and vegetables at 375 for 20-30 minutes until warm.
Serve this delicious main meal and side dish!
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Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
If you’re anything like me, “Pop-Tarts” were a staple of your childhood. When I was little my mother would leave a box of them in a lower cabinet so my brother and I could get breakfast for ourselves on weekends, and she and my dad …
This recipe takes chicken salad to a whole new level! I typically make Zesty Dijonnaise Dressing every week or two so it’s always on hand to use as a sauce, salad dressing, or mayo substitute. With this fresh, home-made dressing available, I can easily throw together this chicken salad for a quick, healthy, delicious meal any time. Knowing it’s waiting for me in the fridge makes me excited for lunchtime!
While I typically make my Zesty Dijonnaise Chicken Salad using my Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken recipe that I’ve outlined in this post, it can be made using store-bought organic rotisserie chicken, roasted chicken, chicken breast, or any leftover chicken you have. No matter what kind of chicken you use, the flavor of the dressing will make your tastebuds dance! Who said healthy eating has to be tasteless or take a long time to prepare!
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For Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken, (Full printer-friendly recipe below) simply remove chicken skin, wash chicken, and place it into a crockpot. Sprinkle with Himalayan sea salt, black pepper, dried mustard, lemon juice and water. Set crockpot to either the low or high setting and cook for 8 or 4 hours respectively. Then go about the day knowing the chicken will be ready at the desired time. Once cooked, cool, de-bone, and mix with Zesty Dijonnaise Dressing. It’s that simple!
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Consider pairing Zesty Chicken Salad Dijonnaise with Cassava Flour Tortilla Wraps.
These Cassava Flour Tortilla Wraps were made with Otto’s Cassava Flour. These tortilla wraps are soft, a bit chewy, and are actually delicious even on their own – especially when warm!! (Click here to see how to make them.)
Otto’s Cassava Flour is available in some specialty markets and online by clicking the link below.
Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
By ordering recommended products through links on our website we get a small commission which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
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Healthy Eating Tip: Freeze Chicken Bones. If making this Zesty Chicken Salad Dijonnaise from scratch, consider freezing the bones in an air-tight freezer bag to make bone broth at a later date. There is little that can rival bone broth for supporting so many of our body systems. Bone broth is full of readily absorbable minerals, collagen, and amino acids. It supports gut health and healing, joint health, immune system function, detoxification, metabolism and skin health. Delicious bone broth recipes will be coming soon so get ready and save the bones from 2 organic chickens! (And don’t let the name “bone broth” turn you off. It is just amazingly delicious, extra healthy chicken stock.) More to come on this topic……..
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This chicken salad is bursting with fresh flavor! Eat it right out of the bowl, on a salad, or wrapped in a warm Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap for a delicious meal any time. This recipe brings chicken salad to a whole new level! Any organic cooked chicken could be used. I've included a delicious recipe for my Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken, but feel free to use store-bought organic rotisserie chicken, a whole roasted chicken, chicken breast, or chicken leftovers. This Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken will cook in either 4 or 8 hours, depending on the crockpot setting chosen. Spend 5 minutes throwing ingredients into the pot and go about your day.
Remove skin and visible fat from a whole organic chicken. Wash thoroughly.
Place washed chicken into crockpot
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and ground mustard. Add lemon juice and water over the top of the seasoned chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 8 or high for 4 hours, depending on desired timing.
Allow cooked chicken to cool.
De-bone chicken. Cut chicken meat into chunks. Mix with Zesty Dijonnaise Dressing. Enjoy over a Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap, salad, or right out of the bowl!
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Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
I can’t think of a better way to jumpstart the day! Eggs are a true nutritional gold mine! They’re a complete protein, providing the 9 essential amino acids needed to build protein, cells, and tissues, while also containing 13 vitamins and minerals, healthy fats, and …
This simple-to-make dressing not only adds zip to any salad, but is a creamy vegetable dip, a sauce for meat, and a zesty mayonnaise literally bursting with mouth-watering flavor! And it’s dairy-free!!! I first created this Dijonnaise during a time when I was suffering from …
Crockpot cooking is ingenious! All it takes is a few minutes of effort, and delicious nutritious food magically appears a few hours later!! (I timed myself casually making this recipe and it took exactly 7 minutes and 32 seconds, including removing the chicken skin and squeezing a fresh lemon, to get everything set in the crockpot.)
For me, the key to eating well is having healthy options readily available in my fridge that I can quickly whip into a meal. Especially at lunch time, I don’t want to start a whole big cooking production.
This Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken is moist and flavorful, and can be chopped or easily shredded for use in any number of recipes. I typically make crockpot chicken 2-3 times per week (it’s only myself and my husband living home now most of the time) and use it as the base for lunch and/or dinner most days.
Having this chicken de-boned and waiting in the refrigerator means it can be quickly thrown it into a salad, or put in a Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap with any number of toppings – such as lettuce/baby spinach, Guacamole, Zesty Dijonnaise Dressing etc. I also mix crockpot chicken with Zesty Dijonnaise Dressing to make Zesty Chicken Salad Dijonnaise (my absolute favorite lunch!) Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken is even delicious on its own alongside steamed veggies (which take no longer than 10 minutes to make.) It can be tossed into soups or any dish requiring cooked chicken. Having chicken readily available greatly decreases the time needed to prepare any meal, and eliminates the need for eating unhealthy, processed cold cuts or stopping for fast-food.
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Simply toss a chicken into the crockpot along with pink Himalayan salt, pepper, ground mustard, lemon juice and water (or chicken broth if preferred,) and go about your day. Your Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken will be waiting for you when you get home, ready to be made into a quick, nutritious dish like those below.
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Total truth! ……. I just got a little hungry for lunch as I’m writing this post and decided to give myself a little real-life crockpot chicken motivation to write about. Let’s go to the fridge!! I have my lettuce and some crockpot chicken, but I want to make it truly yummy so I’m going to whip up some Zesty Dijonnaise Dressing to throw on top.
I timed myself and I literally threw this salad together, including making the Zesty Dijonnaise Dressing from scratch, in 9 minutes…… And now I have dressing for the rest of the week! (I cannot express how happy I get knowing this dressing is in my fridge. It means I can have a delicious meal in 2 minutes!)
Here is the chicken that I still have in the fridge, my warm, freshly made Zesty Dijonnaise, and my favorite Trader Joe’s Organic Butter Lettuce & Radicchio. A perfect combo!
There are 5 reasons why I LOVE this lettuce! 1- It’s organic. 2. It’s already cut up, making it soooo convenient. 3- While it’s already cut up, it doesn’t seem to go bad as quickly as other cut-up bags of lettuce. 4 – This lettuce has a soft, smooth texture, very different from typical lettuce. 5 – It’s a mixture of 2 types of lettuce including a purple radicchio. I try to “eat the rainbow” every day to get the greatest variety of nutrients in my diet. With this lettuce I have purple covered! Other than cabbage, this isn’t the easiest color to find in food. Radicchio is rich in Vitamin K and antioxidants, which are known to fight many cancers, increase bone density, and support heart and eye health (1.)
By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
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Healthy Eating Tip: Eat “real” food! Most people today have little time to cook, leaving them more likely to choose non-nutritious, processed food because it’s quick and readily available. Many convenience foods such as sauces, salad dressings, crackers, cookies, breads, frozen meals, etc. that come in a box or jar “ready to eat” contain a list of processed, genetically modified ingredients, along with pesticides, chemicals, and preservatives, that are not actually “food” at all! Many of these ingredients are manufactured in a chemical company, and those that grew naturally have often been processed so far from what nature intended that they no longer contain the nutrients that our bodies need. Our digestive systems don’t even know how to integrate, digest, and properly eliminate many of these ingredients. Processed foods can harm the lining of our gut, cause inflammation in the body, strain the immune system, and incite processes which cause or perpetuate chronic illness. Eating “real food” means always stopping to ask yourself if what you’re about to buy or put into your mouth is actually “food” at all! With crockpot chicken you can have both health and convenience. Having delicious, cooked chicken available and waiting to be thrown into a quick meal greatly increases the chances of choosing nutritious options.
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Cooking chicken in the crockpot is the answer to convenient, delicious, healthy cooking. With just 5-10 minutes of effort there will be moist, flavorful chicken that's literally falling off the bone waiting for you a few hours later. Eat as is, or add it to soups, stews, wraps, salads, etc. Cooked crockpot chicken is always handy to have available.
Wash chicken.
Remove chicken skin. Organic chicken may be cooked with or without skin. I remove the skin because I use the chicken broth created during cooking as a base for delicious soups and stews. Removing the skin makes the remaining broth much lower in fat.
Place chicken into crockpot. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and ground mustard. Add lemon juice to pot and 1/2 cup purified water.
Cover crockpot and place on desired setting. Either set crockpot to low and cook for 8 hours or set to high and cook for 4 hours. Don't worry if your crockpot doesn't have a timer and you aren't home exactly at the time it's ready. The chicken can cook longer if needed. The longer it cooks, the more "fall off the bone" delicious it becomes!!
Notes: Try any seasoning combination that you like. It's hard to go wrong with crockpot chicken!
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Whether right out of the pan or filled with your favorite toppings, these tortilla wraps are outstanding! While cooking up a batch I literally have to stop myself from eating them all before I finish making them. They’re sooooo yummy on their own… especially warm! …
If you’re looking for a crowd-pleaser you’ve found it! Young and old, as a meal, side dish or an appetizer for guests, these empanadas are a hit with everyone! (Whether the person is gluten-free or not!) They can also be made with beans for a delicious vegetarian version.
Yuca makes a delectable dough! No need to be concerned that these won’t taste as good as those made with wheat or gluten-free flour. Yuca is no inferior, gluten-free choice! I’d argue that these are actually superior to traditionally made empanadas, not just in nutritional value, but in overall taste! I’ve made these for my family, guests, and for my Recipe Swap Club with 5 star ratings all around! No matter what I’ve made for my Recipe Swap Club since, someone always brings up how amazing the empanadas were at EVERY MEETING! They’re that memorable! Try them out for yourself and comment below to let me know what you think.
These Yuca Empanadas can be custom-sized to fit any need. Make little 3 inch appetizer-sized ones (pictured above.) They’re so much fun to eat with your hands and maybe dip into guacamole or salsa! Or make medium-sized, or even giant meal-sized ones!!
This Yuca Empanada recipe is what truly made me go Crazy For Yuca! It’s so perfectly crunchy on the outside and bursting with mouth-watering flavor on the inside! I cannot say enough about how much my family and I enjoy them. Everyone is ecstatic to run to the table on empanada night!
This is the way my husband loves them – slathered with salsa and guacamole! He just picks up the whole thing and takes a big bite! No forks or knives needed!!
It’s still a bit hard to believe that a whole-food, non-inflammatory starch that’s filled with immune-building vitamin C and resistant starch can be this deliciously satisfying! Yuca is truly in a class by itself!!
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Ingredients: (4 servings)
-1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen yuca
-2 tablespoons avocado oil – divided (plus additional to brush on empanadas just before baking.) I use Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil.
-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt– divided (I choose Himalayan sea salt because of its purity and rich mineral content as compared to other salt.)
-1 teaspoon garlic powder – divided
-optional – 1-2 tablespoons either tapioca flour, arrowroot flour, or coconut flour (used to decrease stickiness of dough. If dough is too sticky to work with, it can also be placed into refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes.)
–Vitamix (or other food processor)
*By purchasing items through our affiliate links we get a small commission which helps support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca at no additional cost to you. All recommended products are ones that I use in my own kitchen. Thank you for supporting the efforts of CrazyForYuca.com to bring you the lastest yuca/cassava recipes when you shop online!
If using fresh, be sure to peel yuca before boiling. For step by step directions on how to peel yuca, see: About Yuca: How To Peel Fresh Yuca (Cassava.) Jennifer from PredominantlyPaleo was the originator of “yuca dough.” I vary her recipe slightly to make these empanadas. See her dough recipe here.
Once fresh yuca is peeled, cut it into 3 or 4 pieces before placing it into a pot of boiling water. Frozen yuca (pictured below) is already peeled and cut. It’s as easy to make as boiling rice!
Boil until fork tender (about 15-20 minutes.) Drain and discard water.
Remove stem. Once boiled yuca is cool enough to handle, place on a cutting board. Cut each piece in half lengthwise, remove and discard the stem that runs through the center. (That stick-like center will not be pleasant in your empanadas!)
Chop boiled, cored yuca into cubes before putting it in the food processor (the smaller the better to not over-heat the machine.)
Pulverize into dough. Place 1 to 1 1/2 cup of yuca chunks into Vitamix (or other food processor) at a time, along with a pinch of Himalayan sea salt, pinch of garlic powder and a drizzle of avocado oil. Blend for about 30 seconds until yuca turns into a ball of dough. I never get tired of watching boiled yuca turn into dough in a matter of seconds! Watch the video below and you will see what I mean!
Place yuca dough ball on parchment paper. If too sticky to handle, I typically throw it into the freezer for 5-10n minutes and that usually does the trick. Adding a little tapioca flour, arrowroot flour, or coconut flour until it becomes manageable (just like bread dough) can also help.
See: Tips For Handling Sticky Dough.
Divide dough into balls, the number and size depending on desired size. One cup of yuca can make 6-8 appetizer-sized empanadas, 4 medium-sized ones, or one giant meal-sized one. (They are yummy no matter what size they are!!)
Roll out each dough ball in between 2 pieces of parchment paper to form a circle.
Ingredients:
-1 pound organic, grass-fed, ground beef, turkey, or chicken. (For vegetarian option I use 2 cans organic, BPA free black beans or lentils.)
-1 tablespoon avocado oil (I use Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil)
-1 large onion – chopped
-2 cloves organic garlic – minced
-2 tablespoons Primal Palate Taco Seasoning (or gluten-free taco seasoning of choice, or a combination of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and cumin.)
–Himilayan sea salt – to taste
–lemon pepper – to taste
Saute onions and garlic with avocado oil in a pan. Add ground beef, turkey, or chicken (black beans or lentils for vegetarian option) and cook until no longer pink. Add taco seasoning, pink Himalayan sea salt, lemon pepper and cook a few more minutes.
Fill one side of each rolled-out dough circle with Taco Meat (or bean mixture,) leaving a rim of dough along the edge.
Fold dough in half to create a semi-circle, pinching edges together to seal in meat (or beans.) If dough sticks to your fingers, it may be easier to fold the entire piece of parchment in half, along with the dough, as pictured below. Brush top of empanada with avocado oil and sprinkle with a pinch of Himalayan sea salt.
Bake at 375 on parchment lined baking sheet for 20 minutes. Flip empanadas and bake for another 5-10 minutes until crust starts to brown and get crispy. Enjoy!!
These Latin delights can be made ahead and frozen, ready to be pulled out for a delicious meal or appetizer any time! Nothing makes my older daughter happier than being sent back to her apartment with a bunch of frozen empanadas to quickly heat up as a scrumptious meal any time! It’s hard to believe that you’re actually eating healthy when eating these empanadas, but you are!!!
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Healthy Eating Tip: Choose grass-fed beef. Many make big claims about the health benefits of grass-fed beef over grain-fed beef. At the same time there is research showing that the differences in the amount of debated nutrients are minimal. After reading the literature, I’ve decided to buy grass-fed mainly because cattle raised on a pasture have been proven to be healthier and are not injected with antibiotics. I don’t want to eat meat from cattle that are stressed and diseased as a result of their confined, unsanitary living conditions, then injected with antibiotics in order to manage the disease caused by this horrendous environment! I also don’t want to support such cruel practices! In addition, antibiotic use in animals increases the risk of antibiotic resistance in humans, which is a real concern for our future. It is also an agreed upon fact that grass-fed beef is much leaner and is higher in omega 3 fatty acids, which may reduce the risk of heart disease. Raising animals on a pasture is also good for the environment. It has been shown to decrease soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and improve water quality (due to decreased pollution) (1 , 2, 3, 4, 5.) The taste of grass-fed beef, compared to grain-fed, is slightly different, and the meat is not as tender (due to lower fat content.) It may take some getting used to for some people, but my family always enjoys it. Grass-fed is a bit more expensive, but I think it’s worth it. I shop at Trader Joe’s a lot and their prices are excellent. Their organic, grass-fed ground beef is $6.99 per pound! They also have Grass-Fed Angus Beef Strip Loin Steak in the freezer section for $9.99 per pound! (I feel like an add for Trader Joe’s right now!! I promise – I have no connection to Trader Joe’s and receive no money for promoting their products. I just love that store and feel so thankful that I live close to one!!! Not everyone is so lucky.) I have both in my fridge at the moment so I snapped a picture in case you are interested.
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These grain-free empanadas are deliciously crispy on the outside and bursting with Mexican flavor on the inside! Make appetizer or meal-sized ones. No matter the size, they'll be a hit with everyone!
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, if using fresh yuca, thoroughly peel and cut yuca into 3-4 pieces. See: How To Peel Fresh Yuca (Cassava). Frozen yuca is already peeled and cut.
Place yuca into pot, ensuring yuca is fully covered by water. Return to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until fork tender.
Once yuca is fork tender, drain water and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, place cooked yuca on a cutting board. Cut each piece of yuca in half lengthwise to remove and discard the stick-like center that runs through the middle.
Cut boiled yuca into chunks (the smaller the better - to not overwhelm your food processor.)
Place yuca chunks into food processor in batches of about 1cup (I use a Vitamix.) Add 1-2 tsp avocado oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder per cup of yuca.
Blend until a dough forms. This takes about 30 seconds in a Vitamix, but may take longer in other food processors.
Spoon blended dough onto a cutting board lined with parchment paper. (Parchment is a non-stick surface and will help greatly with managing this sticky dough.)
Divide dough into equal sized balls (the number of balls depends on the size of the empanadas you are making.) Each cup of yuca can make about 6-8 appetizer-sized, 4 medium-sized, or 1 giant meal-sized empanada.
Optional - Sprinkle each ball of dough with a little tapioca, arrowroot, or coconut flour and knead into dough to decrease stickiness. Add as much as needed until dough can be handled without sticking excessively to your hands. It should look and feel just like bread dough. Dough can also be made less sticky by placing it into the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes.
Using a rolling pin, roll out each ball between 2 pieces of parchment paper until it forms a circle. Remove top layer of parchment.
While yuca is boiling, saute onion and minced garlic in 1 Tbsp avocado oil until slightly brown.
Add ground meat and cook until meat is no longer pink. Drain fat. (Vegetarian option - substitute black beans or lentils.) Add 1-2 Tbsp Primal Palate Taco Seasoning, plus sea salt and lemon pepper - to taste. Cook for another few minutes to allow flavors to blend. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Spoon filling on to one half of each rolled-out dough circle, leaving a rim of dough along the edge.
Fold each dough circle in half to create a half-moon shape and pinch the edges together to seal in the meat (or beans.) You may prefer to press edges together with a fork. (If dough is sticky or too thin, I fold the parchment paper in half along with the dough, push down edges to seal, then uncover parchment paper.)
Place empanadas on parchment lined baking sheet.
Brush the top of each empanada with olive oil. Sprinkle a pinch of Himalayan sea salt on top.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for 20 minutes on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Flip empanadas and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until dough is slightly browned along the edges. Cooking time will vary based on empanada size.
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“Yuca-ta” Try These Cassava Flour Pancakes got their name because no one can believe they’re made with anything other than wheat flour! The taste is truly indistinguishable! These pancakes have been taste tasted on my husband, my kids, and a bunch of their friends with …
Welcome to the first post of the new blog Crazy For Yuca! What is yuca??? It’s the key to living happy, healthy and gluten-free! ***** First, let’s answer the basic question on everybody’s mind – “What is yuca???” Yuca (pronounced yoo-ka) is an incredibly …
Come one, come all! The time has come! Whether you’re following a gluten-free, Paleo, Vegan, or Autoimmune Protocol, there is now a scrumptious flatbread that you can eat without guilt!
Who could believe that delicious flatbread can be made simply by boiling some yuca, blending it with oil, salt and garlic powder (or any other spices you like), rolling it out, and baking it! It really is too good to be true! Thank you Jennifer Robbins of PredominenatlyPaleo.com for discovering this ingenious fact! While I use a similar “yuca dough” recipe to make this flatbread, Jennifer calls hers pizza crust. Two AMAZING options! See her full recipe and video links below.
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One of my husband’s favorite sayings is, “Everything is easy when you know how to do it.” This idea totally applies to making yuca flatbread. While it isn’t complicated, there are a few tips and tricks that will help avoid some common pitfalls. We’ll take it step by step. Mastering the making of this dough is very important, since it’s the foundation of countless recipes to come!
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Ingredients:
– 4 cups fresh or frozen yuca, peeled, boiled and cut into chunks (This is the equivalent of one 1 1/2 pound bag of Goya frozen yuca or 2 medium sized fresh yuca.)
– 3 tablespoons avocado oil – divided
– 1/2 teaspoon organic garlic powder
– 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt (chosen for its high level of purity and mineral content)
– parchment paper
This flatbread can be made using either fresh or frozen yuca. The result will be the same either way, so use whatever feels more comfortable for you. If using frozen, it’s already peeled, cut, and ready to be boiled. There’s no need to even defrost it before boiling. Many find frozen yuca to be much more convenient.
If using fresh yuca it must be fully peeled before it gets boiled. For step by step instructions on how to peel yuca see: About Yuca: How to Peel Fresh Yuca (Cassava) on this site.
Once fresh yuca is peeled, cut it into 3 or 4 pieces and place it in a pot of boiling water. Ensure that the yuca is fully covered by water. Once water returns to a boil, cook 15-20 minutes, until just fork tender. It is very important not to overcook! Drain in a colander.
Once cool enough to handle, cut each piece of yuca in half lengthwise (top to bottom) and remove the stick-like stem that runs through the center.
Chop boiled yuca into small chunks before placing it into food processor. *Pulverize yuca in small batches (1 to 1 1/2 cups at a time) to avoid overheating the machine. Overheating the food processor is very easy to do and can be one of the most frustrating parts of making yuca dough. No one wants to wait 10 minutes for the machine to cool down in the middle of making dough! When I first started making this I would overheat my machine many times in the same day!!! Now I just pulverize about 1 cup at a time and it’s “easy peasy lemon squeezy” – as my daughters used to say! Trust me on this one. You will save a lot of time in the end.
I use a Vitamix which works very well because of its tamper (a tool used to push the food down onto the blade while it spins.) If using a different food processor you may need to stop a few times to scrape yuca off the wall of the bowl so that it blends completely.
Yuca chunks literally transform into dough in under a minute! (maybe a bit longer if a Vitamix isn’t being used.) It’s truly exciting to witness the first time you do it! Check out my little video!
Once dough forms, place it onto a cutting board lined with parchment paper. Beware – dough can be very sticky! Parchment paper is a non-stick surface which is needed to easily work with this dough. If dough seems too sticky to work with there are a few tricks that will help.
1. I try not to touch the dough much. I spoon it from the Vitamix right onto parchment paper. I then place a second piece of parchment on top, then roll it out.
2. Refrigerating or freezing dough for a few minutes will help greatly to reduce stickiness.
3. Kneading a little tapioca flour, arrowroot flour or coconut flour into the dough and keeping fingertips coated in flour will help as well. For more tips see About Yuca: Tips For Handling Sticky Dough.
Using a rolling pin, roll out dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Decide how thick or thin to make it. Thinner dough will come out crispier, although this also depends on how long it’s cooked. I love it crispy along the edges and a little soft and doughy in the center.
Remove top piece of parchment and place flatbread (along with bottom piece of parchment) on a cookie sheet. If top parchment sticks to the dough, place the whole thing into the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes. The top parchment will then easily be removed.
Brush top of flatbread with a little avocado oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of Himalayan sea salt and garlic powder (according to taste.)
Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, depending on thickness. Once edges start to brown and a spatula easily slides between flatbread and parchment, it’s ready to be flipped. Cook on second side for an additional 5-10 minutes – until reaching desired doneness.
Adjust cooking time according to how doughy or crispy you like it. Cooking at a higher temperature (400 degrees) will make the dough crispier as well. It can come out soft and bendable like a typical pizza crust or more crispy like a cracker. There’s no right or wrong way to bake these. They come out delicious no matter what!
Slice immediately into desired shapes with a pizza cutter. Delays in cutting will make slicing more difficult and increase breakage. Enjoy!
Variation: “Everything But The Bagel” Flatbread – One of my favorite variations is topping this flatbread with Trader Joe’s “Everything But the Bagel Seasoning Blend.” This seasoning contains all the toppings you would expect on an “Everything bagel” including sesame seeds, sea salt, garlic, onion, and poppy seeds (I’m happy to say there are no caraway seeds and no gluten ingredients.) Who needs bagels when you have this! Cut into whatever shape you want. Eat plain or top with anything you would put on a bagel! Yummy “whole-food” goodness!!! *Note- the addition of this seasoning would prevent this flatbread from being approved for those following an autoimmune protocol.
By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small commission which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional cost to you. All recommended products are ones that I use in my own kitchen. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
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See Original Recipe by Jennifer Robbins here at PredominanatlyPaleo.com
See Video – Yuca Dough – PredominanatlyPaleo.com
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Healthy Eating Tip: Make extra and freeze them! Spend the time once to boil up a big batch of yuca, blend in food processor in 1 cup batches, then roll out into individual flatbreads. (I make each individual flatbread with 1 cup of boiled, chopped yuca.) Separate each flatbread with parchment paper, place in an airtight plastic bag, and store in your freezer until you’re ready for a warm, fresh flatbread in about 30 minutes. Simply toss one into the oven to bake while you prepare the rest of your dinner (or bake one to enjoy as a delicious snack anytime!) To retain freshness of leftovers, freeze baked flatbread on the day it’s baked. Baked flatbreads won’t stay fresh when simply wrapped up and left at room temperature or put in the refrigerator.
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What if you want to make flatbread, but don’t own a food processor? You’re in luck! Stacy from PaleoGoneSassy.com has devised a way to make this same yuca dough on the stovetop with grated yuca/cassava! The main reason I don’t do it this way is because I haven’t found a store near me that carries grated yuca. The one time I found it was at a Wal-Mart and they only had one package Goya grated yuca left! Unfortunately, it isn’t carried at the Wal-Mart near my house. You can check Wal-Mart.com using the store locator to see if it’s carried at a store near you. It can also be gotten at Asian markets if you live near one. Click here to check out Stacy’s technique.
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I can’t wait to hear your feedback about these incredible grain-free, egg-free flatbreads! Once you master the making of this dough there is no limit to what you can create with yuca! Give them a try and let me know any new variations you come up with!
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Makes four 8” round flatbreads
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, if using fresh yuca, remove bark-like peel with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife before boiling. See: About Yuca: How To Peel Fresh Yuca (Cassava.) Once peeled, cut each yuca root into 3 or 4 pieces. Place frozen or peeled fresh yuca pieces into boiling water - ensuring yuca is fully covered throughout boiling. Return to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, until fork tender. Drain water.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Once cool enough to handle, place cooked yuca on cutting board and cut each piece in half lengthwise (from top to bottom) to remove the stick-like center.
Cut boiled yuca into chunks (the smaller the better - to not overwhelm your food processor.)
Place yuca chunks into food processor (I use a Vitamix) in batches of about 1 - 1 1/2 cups. Add 1-2 tsp avocado oil, 1/4 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp garlic powder per cup of yuca. Blend for about 30 seconds until a dough forms. (It will likely take a bit longer with a traditional food processor.)
Spoon dough onto a cutting board lined with parchment paper. Note: dough is very sticky. Either spoon directly on to parchment paper without touching it or knead some arrowroot, tapioca, or coconut flour into dough until it can be handled without sticking to fingers.
Using a rolling pin, roll out dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Decide how thick or thin to make it. Thinner flatbread will be crispier and thicker will be softer.
Remove top piece of parchment paper and place rolled-out crust and bottom piece of parchment paper onto a cookie sheet. Brush the top of the dough with a thin layer of avocado oil and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt and garlic powder.
Place in preheated oven and bake. For thin flatbread - bake for 20 minutes before flipping. It's ready to be flipped when edges begin to brown and a spatula easily slides between flatbread and parchment. If flatbread is sticking to parchment, cook for a few additional minutes before flipping. Cook on second side for 5-10 minutes. For thicker flatbread, cook a bit longer.
Adjust cooking time according to desired crispiness. It can be soft and bendable like pizza crust or more crispy like a cracker.
Remove from oven. Slice immediately using a pizza cutter. Delays in slicing may cause it to crumble upon cutting. Enjoy!!
Variation: "Everything But The Bagel" Flatbread - One of my favorite variations is topping this flatbread with Trader Joe's "Everything But the Bagel Seasoning Blend." This seasoning contains all the toppings you would expect on an "Everything bagel" including sesame seeds, sea salt, garlic, onion, and poppy seeds (I'm happy to say there are no caraway seeds.) Simply roll out dough, brush with avocado oil, and sprinkle with amount of "Everything But The Bagel Seasoning" preferred. A true favorite!!
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Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
The Perfect Yuca Chip! I’ve been busily perfecting my yuca chips! I tried fresh vs. frozen yuca, paper thin vs. slightly thicker slices, pan frying vs. oven baking, and 4 different seasoning variations! If you ask me, they’re all pretty terrific! But if I had …
Making yuca fries is super easy! It’s a perfect recipe to try when first experimenting with yuca (a.k.a. cassava.) These fries are baked in the oven (not fried) so their fat content is low – yet their taste satisfaction is high!! They’re crispy on the …
