Tag: dairy-free

Paleo Yuca Pizza with Vegan Cheese (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free)

Paleo Yuca Pizza with Vegan Cheese (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free)

*** 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 

Grain-Free Pancake Pockets

Grain-Free Pancake Pockets

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 

Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna (Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-Free!)

Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna (Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-Free!)

CrazyForYuca.com - the gluten and dairy-free place for all things yuca / cassava. Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna  close up

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.

A bag of Otto's Cassava Flour

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.

CrazyForYuca.com - a gluten and dairy-free recipe blog featuring all things yuca / cassava. Cassava Flour Fresh Pasta made into fettuccine in circular piles on wooden surface.
Cassava Flour Pasta made into fettuccini noodles!

*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.

***

Ingredients for Cassava Flour Pasta:

Otto’s Cassava flour

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

***

CrazyForYuca.com - a gluten and dairy-free recipe blog featuring all things yuca / cassava. One piece on Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna on a white plate.

***

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

***

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.

CrazyForYuca.com - a real food, gluten and dairy-free recipe blog featuring all things yuca / cassava. A ball of Cassava Flour Fresh Pasta in plastic wrap.

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.

CrazyForYuca.com - a real food, gluten and dairy-free blog featuring all things yuca / cassava. A piece of rolled out Cassava Flour Pasta cut into 2 lasagna sized pieces of pasta.
Cassava Flour Pasta cut into lasagna noodles

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.

CrazyForYuca.com - a "real food" gluten and dairy-free recipe blog and place for all things yuca / cassava. Cassava Flour Pasta lasagna pieces boiling in large pot of water.

***

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.

***

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.

***

Assembling Lasagna Layers

CrazyForYuca.com - a "real food" gluten and dairy-free recipe blog and place for all things yuca / cassava. A white Corningware baking dish layered with Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna. Top pasta layer exposed.

(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.

CrazyForYuca.com - a "real food" gluten and dairy-free recipe blog and place for all things yuca / cassava. Unbaked Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna ready to go into the oven. In white Corningware baking dish.
Unbaked Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna

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!!! 😃

CrazyForYuca.com - a "real food" gluten and dairy-free recipe blog and place for all things yuca / cassava. Baked Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna coming out of the oven.
Baked Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna
CrazyForYuca.com - a "real food" gluten and dairy-free recipe blog and place for all things yuca / cassava. One piece of Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna smothered in extra Organic Paesana tomato sauce.
Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna with extra sauce. YUM!!! (I’m a sauce lover ❤️ !!!)

***

CLICK HERE TO SHOP


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!

CrazyForYuca.com - a "real food" gluten and dairy-free recipe blog and place for all things yuca / cassava. Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna on white plate with a second plateful in the distance.

***

5 from 2 votes
Cassava Flour Pasta Lasagna (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free)

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!!!

Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, Italian, Paleo, whole30
Keyword: cassava flour pasta lasagna, gluten-free lasagna, grain-free lasagna, lasagna, yuca lasagna
Author: Lauren from Crazy For Yuca
Ingredients
Ingredients for Cassava Flour Pasta – Full recipe by Hayley at Health Starts In the Kitchen (See link to recipe in post above)
  • Otto’s Cassava flour
  • pastured eggs
  • pink Himalayan salt (Chosen for its purity and high mineral content)
  • avocado oil
  • chicken bone broth
  • plastic wrap
  • parchment paper
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 – chopped
  • 2 cups organic broccoli – chopped
  • 6 oz organic spinach – chopped
  • 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
  • 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 prefer Organic Paesana Tomato Sauce)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Ingredients to sprinkle on top of layered lasagna
  • 1/4 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
Instructions
Instructions for Cassava Flour Pasta
  1. 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!)

  2. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let sit for about 5 minutes.

  3. 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. 

  4. Place freshly cut pasta into pot of boiling water (in batches if needed) for 5-8 minutes, depending on thickness. 

  5. Once cooked, remove from water and set aside until ready to assemble lasagna layers. 

Instructions for Vegetable Layer
  1. Chop onion, leek, zucchini, red pepper and broccoli, and place into heated pan along with avocado oil.

  2. 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.)

Instructions for Meat Layer
  1. Brown ground meat until no longer pink.

  2.  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.)

Assembling Lasagna Layers
  1. 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.)

  2. Lay one cassava flour pasta layer to fully cover tomato sauce. 

  3. Spoon meat layer to fully cover pasta layer.

  4. Place a second pasta layer on top of meat layer.

  5. Spoon vegetable layer to fully cover second pasta layer.

  6. Place third pasta layer on top of vegetable layer. 

  7. 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.

  8. 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!

Crazy For Yuca logo. Red heart with yellow writing.
Are you crazy for yuca like me???

Are you crazy for yuca like me???

Welcome to the Crazy For Yuca… and All Things Wellness community! 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 

Stuffed Cassava Balls (Grain-free, Dairy-free)

Stuffed Cassava Balls (Grain-free, Dairy-free)

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 

Cassava (Yuca) Latkes (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, AIP, Vegan, Paleo)

Cassava (Yuca) Latkes (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, AIP, Vegan, Paleo)

A stack of Cassava Latkes with a dollop of applesauce with dreidels and menorah

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!!

New to cooking with yuca?

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)

 

*This recipe is by Julie from FlashFictionKitchen.com

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!

 

 

Here are my pictures of the making of these scrumptious Cassava Latkes!

 

Bowl of grated cassava

A bowl of defrosted Goya Frozen 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!

Frying 3 Cassava Latkes in pan.

 

Once latkes brown all around the edges, flip and cook on the other side. They should be a nice golden color!

Frying 3 Cassava Latkes in pan.

 

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 Latkes on white plate with applesauce and scallion garnish.

Cassava Latkes stacked on white plate with a side of applesauce.

 

Cassava Latke Taco!

Get creative with your latkes! Wrap them around taco seasoned organic, grass-fed beef and guacamole!Cassava Latke Taco with a side of salsa.

 

***

 

Black banner with red and white writing inviting readers to comment below and share their pictures on @CrazyForYuca on Instagram

 

CLICK HERE TO SHOP

FOR YUCA CHIPS

AND FOR PANTRY ITEMS & KITCHEN GADGETS I PERSONALLY USE TO MAKE CRAZY FOR YUCA RECIPES!

 

Siete, Plant Wise, Artisan Tropics, and Jan's yuca / cassava chips.

 

*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!

 

***

 

Yellow banner with black writing inviting readers to subscribe to CrazyForYuca.com

 

***

 

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

 

 
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.

 

CrazyForYuca.com logo with red heart and yellow lettering.

Chocolate Chip Peppermint Brownies (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free!)

Chocolate Chip Peppermint Brownies (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free!)

    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 

Apple Cassava Crumble

Apple Cassava Crumble

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 

Attieke (Fermented Cassava) with Chicken, Tomatoes, and Onions (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free)

Attieke (Fermented Cassava) with Chicken, Tomatoes, and Onions (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free)

Cooked attieke, chicken, tomato and onion topping each in separate bowls.

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:

 

Nayama Natural Attieke

A box of Nayama Attiteke

 

Preparing the AttiekeCooked attieke close up.

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!!!

 

Preparing the Chicken Shredded organic chicken with onions, garlic, and jalapeños for attieke.

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:

 

Jada Spices Chicken Salt

Jada Spices Chicken Salt Original - 3 pack

 

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.

 

Preparing the Raw Tomato and Onion ToppingChopped tomato and onion topping for attieke.

 

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!)

 

Put it all together!

Place warm attieke on the bottom of dish. Then layer with shredded chicken and tomato/onion topping.

Enjoy!!!

Attieke with chicken, tomatoes and onions in gray bowl.

 

***

 

Black banner with red and white writing inviting readers to comment below and share their pictures on @CrazyForYuca on Instagram

***

 

CLICK HERE TO SHOP

FOR YUCA CHIPS

AND FOR PANTRY ITEMS & KITCHEN GADGETS I PERSONALLY USE TO MAKE CRAZY FOR YUCA RECIPES!

 

Siete, Plant Wise, Artisan Tropics, and Jan's yuca / cassava chips.

 

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!

 

***

 

Yellow banner with black writing inviting readers to subscribe to CrazyForYuca.com

 

5 from 3 votes
Attieke (Fermented Cassava) with Chicken, Tomatoes, and Onions (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free)
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

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!

Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: African
Keyword: attieke, attieke and chicken, couscous, fermented cassava, fermented yuca, gluten-free, Grain-Free, Ivory Coast, West African cooking
Servings: 4
Author: Lauren from Crazy For Yuca
Ingredients
Attieke Ingredients:
  • Box of Nayama Attieke
  • filtered water
  • pink Himalayan salt (chosen because of its high mineral content)
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
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. I use Jada Spices Chicken Salt in all recipes that call for bullion-type seasoning. All the flavor, all natural ingredients!
Topping Ingredients:
  • 1 organic sweet onion - chopped
  • 2 organic tomatoes - chopped
  • 1-2 teaspoons olive or avocado oil
  • pinch of pink Himalayan salt
Instructions
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.

Chicken Instructions:
  1. Heat large frying pan with avocado oil. 

  2. Add chopped onions, minced garlic and jalapeños. Saute for 2-3 minutes. 

  3. Add cooked, shredded chicken, chili powder and Jada Spices Chicken Salt. Blend fully and heat for a few minutes just until chicken is warm.

Topping Instructions:
  1. chop raw onion and tomatoes. 

  2. Add oil and salt. Mix it all together. 

Put it all together!
  1. Place warm attieke on the bottom of dish. Then layer with shredded chicken and tomato/onion topping.

  2. Enjoy!

***

 

 
 

DisclaimerAt 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.

 

CrazyForYuca.com logo with red heart and yellow lettering.

 

Cassava Flour Fresh Pasta (Paleo, Nut Free)

Cassava Flour Fresh Pasta (Paleo, Nut Free)

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 

Cassava Flour Pumpkin Tartlets (Gluten and Dairy-Free)

Cassava Flour Pumpkin Tartlets (Gluten and Dairy-Free)

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 

Baked Stuffed Yuca (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan option)

Baked Stuffed Yuca (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan option)

Baked Stuffed Yuca slices in starburst arrangement with tomato sauce on white plate.

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!!

 

Let’s make Baked Stuffed Yuca!!!

Ingredients below make one Baked Stuffed Yuca loaf that can be cut into about 10 pieces.

*Full printable recipe below*

(Click any non-perishable pantry item below to order it online)

 

Ingredients for Yuca Dough: 

-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.

parchment paper

 

*Make sure to have parchment paper on hand when making this recipe! Yuca dough is very sticky and requires a non-stick working and baking surface.Kirkland Signature Parchment Paper

Ingredients for Filling:

-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

 

Sliced Baked Stuffed Yuca on white plate with tomato sauce.

Instructions for Yuca Dough:

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.

Frozen Yuca

Frozen yuca / cassava in white bowl

 

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.

Boiled yuca in colander.

 

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.

Removing stick from center of boiled yuca on green cutting board.

 

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:Black Vitamix

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!

 

 

Stages of yuca dough preparation – boiled, chunks, pulverized dough

Yuca - boiled, chopped, and pulverized into dough.

 

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.Rolled out yuca dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper using rolling pin.

 

Instructions for Filling:

-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.

 

Assembling Baked Stuffed Yuca

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.

Rolled out yuca dough topped with sautéed vegetables on parchment paper with rolling pin.

 

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.

Uncooked Baked Stuffed Yuca rolled up on parchment paper and ready to be put into oven.

 

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 loaf right out of the oven.

 

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!!!!

Slicing Baked Stuffed Yuca on green cutting board.

 

Serve as a fun and delicious appetizer!

Baked Stuffed Yuca sliced and plated in starburst formation with tomato sauce on white plate.

 

Vegan Option – omit meat, brush with avocado oil instead of egg wash. These are scrumptious!!!
Baked Stuffed Yuca - vegan option

 

***


Black banner with red and white writing inviting readers to comment below and share their pictures of this recipe on instagram.

 

 

CLICK HERE TO SHOP

for Yuca Chips

and for pantry items & kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes!

 

Siete, Plant Wise, Artisan Tropics, and Jan's yuca / cassava chips.

 

*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!

 

Yellow banner with black writing inviting readers to subscribe to CrazyForYuca.com

 

***

 

 

***

 

 

Baked Stuffed Yuca (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan Option)
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 10 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 

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!!

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: cassava, stromboli, stuffed, vegan option, yuca
Servings: 10 pieces
Author: Lauren from Crazy For Yuca
Ingredients
Ingredients for Yuca Dough:
  • 3/4 pound fresh or frozen yuca
  • 2 teaspoons avocado oil - divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt - divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder - divided
  • Optional - egg white to brush over Baked Stuffed Yuca once it's rolled up and ready to be placed in oven. Creates a nice browning and shine to the loaf once baked. Vegan option: brush avocado oil on loaf.
  • parchment paper
Ingredients for Filling:
  • 1 pound organic grass-fed beef, ground turkey, or chicken *Omit for vegan option
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 5 organic garlic cloves - minced
  • 1 red pepper - diced
  • 1 1/2 cups organic chopped tomatoes
  • 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
Instructions
Instructions for Yuca Dough:
  1. If using fresh yuca, it must first be peeled and cut into pieces before boiling. See my page: How to Peel Fresh Yuca
  2. 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. 

  3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, place yuca in pot. Ensure that the yuca is fully covered by water. Return to a boil then cook 15-20 minutes, until just fork tender. It's very important not to overcook, as this will result in mushy, difficult to work with yuca! Drain in a colander.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

  6. 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.
  7. 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!

  8. Using a rolling pin, roll out yuca dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper until about 1/4" thick.

Instructions for Filling:
  1. 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. 

  2. Brown the organic grass-fed beef (or other meat of choice) for 7-10 minutes, until no longer pink.

  3. In the second pan, add chopped organic onions and garlic. Saute for a minute or 2.

  4. Once onions begin to brown, add chopped red peppers and tomatoes. Saute 2-3 minutes.

  5. 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.

Assembling Baked Stuffed Yuca
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Place rolled out yuca dough, with parchment paper underneath, on counter or cutting board.

  3. 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.

  4. Spoon browned, ground meat over vegetables.
  5. 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.)

  6. Once dough and fillings are fully rolled up, pinch dough at the seam and at each of the ends to form a seal.
  7. Place loaf on parchment lined baking sheet.

  8. Brush loaf with the white of an egg (or with avocado oil for vegan option) to create an egg wash.
  9. Sprinkle loaf with a pinch each of pink Himalayan salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and dried basil.

  10. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes - until yuca crust is firm and slightly brown.
  11. Remove from oven and fully cool before cutting. This will ensure the pinwheel design will stay intact.
  12. 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!!!!

 

A bit thank you to MIC Food for sending me their delicious Tio Jorge frozen yuca which I used to make this recipe!

 

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.

Gluten-Free Baguettes

Gluten-Free Baguettes

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 

Chocolate SunButter Pinwheel Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free)

Chocolate SunButter Pinwheel Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free)

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 

Yuca Mash (GF, Paleo, Vegan, AIP, Whole30)

Yuca Mash (GF, Paleo, Vegan, AIP, Whole30)

Yuca Mash in bowl on wooden table with chives.

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

***

 

Let’s make Yuca Mash!

*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

 

Check out Primal Palate Organic Seasonings here!

 

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.

 

Yuca Mash in blue bowl on wooden table.

 

 

Black banner with red and white writing inviting readers to comment below and share their pictures of this recipe on instagram.

 

 

CLICK HERE TO SHOP

for Yuca Chips

 as well as pantry items & kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes!

 

Siete, Plant Wise, Artisan Tropics, and Jan's yuca / cassava chips.

 

*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!

 

Yellow banner with black writing inviting readers to subscribe to CrazyForYuca.com

***

 

Yuca Mash
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 

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.

Course: Side Dish
Keyword: AIP, dairy-free, gluten-free, Grain-Free, no-gmo, paleo, Whole30
Servings: 6
Author: Lauren from Crazy For Yuca
Ingredients
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
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives - chopped
Instructions
Yuca Mash Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

  2. 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

  3. 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!

  4. Once boiled, drain water and allow to cool slightly.

  5. Once cool enough to handle, remove the stick-like stem that runs through the center.

  6. Cut yuca into chunks to make it easier to mash.

  7. Yuca can be mashed in a food processor, with an electric beater, or a hand masher.

  8. 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.)

  9. Blend until perfectly creamy.

  10. Add chopped chives and thoroughly blend. Garnish with additional chives.

 

 

NOT AN AMAZON PRIME MEMBER YET?

TRY IT FREE FOR 30 DAYS BY CLICKING HERE!

 

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.

Heart-shaped Crazy For Yuca logo

Paleo Nut and Seed Bars

Paleo Nut and Seed Bars

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 

Oven Baked S’mores Bars (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Grain-Free)

Oven Baked S’mores Bars (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Grain-Free)

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, 

Yuca Chip Chat!

Yuca Chip Chat!

Various brands of store bought yuca chips in basket.

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!!!

What is yuca, you might ask? 

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!!!)

Fresh Yuca/Cassava. A healthy, whole-food, grain-less starch.

 

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!

Here are my top yuca chip picks with links below!

It’s rare to find most brands in stores, but they can all be purchased online by clicking the pictures and links below.

 

Let’s start with a more classic yuca chip.

Artisan Tropic Cassava Strips

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!

Artisan Tropic Cassava Strips, Sea Salt, Cooked in Sustainable Palm Oil, Paleo Certified, 4.5 Oz, (2 Pack)3 Artisan Tropic Yuca Chips

Artisan Tropics Cassava Strips - Sea salt in bag and basket.
 

 

Siete Grain-Free Tortilla Chips

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

A bag of Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips - Sea Salt
A pile of Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips - Sea Salt

 

Here’s a link to a 3 flavor sampler pack so you can try them all!

Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips, 3 bags (5 oz each) Sampler of Nacho, Lime, Sea Salt

3 bags of Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips, one in each variety - sea salt, lime, and nacho.

My personal favorite – Lime!!!

(Yes, that’s me! A rare cameo!!!)

Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips, Lime, 5 oz. (Pack of 3)Me eating from a bag of Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips - Lime flavor.

 

Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips, Nacho, 5 ozA bag of Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips - Nacho flavor

 

Plant Snacks Cassava Root Chips

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.

Check out Plant Snacks by clicking the picture or link below. 

Plant Snacks Sea Salt Cassava Root Chips – Vegan – Big-8 Allergen Free, Non-GMO Project Verified, Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, 5 oz Bags… Pack of 3.


Plant Snacks Cassava Crunch - sea salt. Bag, in a bowl, and scattered on table.
 

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 4Plant Snacks bags in each of 4 varieties.
 Jans Jalapeño Cassava Chips!

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)

Jan's Jalapeño Cassava Chips.

Jan's Jalapeño Cassava Chips - A bag and a pile laid out on parchment.
 

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! 

 

CLICK HERE TO SHOP

For yuca snacks, pantry items, and kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes in my own kitchen. 

 

Yellow banner with black writing inviting readers to subscribe to CrazyForYuca.com

 

Not an Amazon Prime member yet?

Try it free for 30 days by clicking here!

 

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.

Heart-shaped Crazy For Yuca logo

 

Cream of Broccoli Soup (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)

Cream of Broccoli Soup (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)

  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 

Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

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 

Grain-Free Crepes With Strawberry Jam

Grain-Free Crepes With Strawberry Jam

Grain-Free Crepe filled with strawberry jam with sliced strawberries on white plate.

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 treat any time. They can also be used in place of bread to roll up meats, salads, nut butters, cheese, or anything desired! Since they’re made with tapioca and cassava flours they’re naturally gluten-free, grain-free and Paleo-friendly. They’re so delicious, no one will ever guess they’re healthy!

This post includes a great recipe for Strawberry Chia Seed Jam” by Lexi from LexisCleanKitchen.com. Why buy store-bought jellies or jams when homemade, low sugar jam is this simple to make? Thank you Lexi for this incredible, healthy recipe!

While this Strawberry Crepe is super low in sugar (it only contains a little honey in the jam) it really satisfies one’s sweet tooth!

Have fun adding your favorite fillings to these grain-free crepes and share your ideas and comments below, or tag me on instagram @CrazyForYuca and include #CrazyForYuca.

Grain-Free Crepes With Strawberry Jam

   (Printer-Friendly Recipe below)

Servings: Six 8 inch crepes

Crepe Ingredients:

-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 Coconut Oil)

-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (*Omit if using a savory filling)

-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.)

 

Crepe Instructions:

  1. Place melted coconut oil into mixing bowl along with eggs, vanilla, and almond milk. Blend thoroughly.

  2. Add tapioca flour, cassava flour, and pink Himalayan salt. Blend until smooth.

    Grain-Free Crepe batter in bowl being spooned by ladle.

     

  3. Heat a frying pan on medium heat. (No need to use a non-stick pan or oil. These crepes will not stick to pan!)

  4. 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.

    Grain-Free Crepe batter being spooned into heated frying pan.

     

  5. Cook on first side for about 1 minute, until batter solidifies. (See picture below.)

    A Grain-Free Crepe cooking in frying pan.

     

    7.  Flip and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds. Crepes should be slightly browned.

    A Grain-Free Crepe cooking in pan.

     

  6. Eat immediately with desired toppings, such as the Strawberry Chia Seed Jam below. Crepes can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer for future use in an airtight bag or container.

    *Note: These crepes can be quickly reheated from frozen in a toaster oven for 3-5 minutes or microwave for 30-45 seconds. Enjoy!

     

    A stack of Grain-Free Crepes with sliced strawberries, bananas, and blueberries on red background.

 

“Strawberry Chia Seed Jam”  

Recipe by Lexi of LexisCleanKitchen.com

Homemade Strawberry Chia Seed Jam

 

Strawberry Jam Ingredients:

-organic strawberries

-raw organic honey or maple syrup

-lemon juice

-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!!!

***
Grain-Free Crepes With Strawberry Jam on white plate.
***

No time to make Grain-Free Crepes and Strawberry Chia Seed Jam?

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.

 

 

Shop online now for ingredients needed to make Grain-Free Crepes With Strawberry Jam by clicking pictures of needed pantry items below.

By purchasing items 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 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!

 

CLICK HERE TO SHOP

for healthy pantry items, yuca snacks, and kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes in my kitchen! 

Check out the yuca/cassava snacks in my Shopping Tab!

 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!

 

 

 

Grain-Free Crepes
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Grain-Free Crepes are quick and easy to prepare, and lots of fun to eat! They're perfect for entertaining guests for brunch, or as a dessert any time. Since they're made with tapioca and cassava flours they're naturally gluten-free, grain-free and Paleo-friendly. They're so delicious, no one will every guess they're eating healthy! These crepes can be filled with any number of things! See full post for a link to a super easy Strawberry Chia Seed Jam by LexisCleanKitchen.com.

Have fun adding your favorite fillings to these grain-free crepes and share your ideas and comments below, or tag me with your crepe pictures on instagram @CrazyForYuca and include #CrazyForYuca.

Course: Breakfast, brunch, Dessert, Snack
Servings: 6 8 inch crepes
Author: Lauren from Crazy For Yuca
Ingredients
Grain-Free Crepes
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour - (I use Bob's Red Mill)
  • 2 Tbsp Otto's Cassava Flour
  • 4 eggs (I use duck eggs since I'm sensitive to chicken eggs, but both work perfectly!)
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil - melted
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (Omit if using a savory filling)
  • 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.)
Instructions
  1. Melt coconut oil. 

  2. Place melted coconut oil into mixing bowl along with eggs, vanilla, and almond milk. Blend thoroughly.

  3. Add tapioca flour, cassava flour, and pink Himalayan salt. Blend until smooth. 

  4. Heat a frying pan on medium heat. (No need to use a non-stick pan or oil. These crepes will not stick to pan!)

  5. 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.

  6. Cook on first side for about 1 minute, until batter solidifies. Flip and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds. Crepes should be slightly browned. 

  7. Eat immediately with desired toppings, or store crepes in the refrigerator or freezer for future use in an airtight bag or container. These crepes can be quickly reheated from frozen in a toaster oven for 3-5 minutes or microwave for 30-45 seconds. 

 

Healthy Strawberry Chia Seed Jam
Author: Lexi from LexisCleanKitchen
Ingredients
  • organic strawberries
  • organic honey or maple syrup
  • lemon juice
  • chia seeds

 

 

Black banner with red and white writing inviting readers to comment below as well as share their crepe pictures on instagram.

 

***

 

***

 

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.

Lasagna (Gluten, Grain and Dairy-Free, Whole30, Paleo)

Lasagna (Gluten, Grain and Dairy-Free, Whole30, Paleo)

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 

Southwestern Egg Rolls with Yuca Wrappers

Southwestern Egg Rolls with Yuca Wrappers

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 

Avocado Yuca Toast

Avocado Yuca Toast

Avocado Yuca Toast with fresh guacamole, chopped turkey bacon, and heirloom tomatoes.

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 of a Garlic Yuca Flatbread, this gluten-free, grain-free avocado toast is perfect for your next brunch, or whenever you want to give yourself an extra special breakfast.

 

The first step is to make Garlic Yuca Flatbread.

Ingredients needed: (Adjust depending on the number of servings desired.) This recipe makes 4 individual pizza crusts (about the size of a dinner plate) or 12 ovals (as pictured below.) Note: I like to make a batch of these flatbreads (since it takes a bit of time and effort) and have them in the freezer rolled out and ready for future use. Simply pull out of freezer and bake for 20-30 minutes whenever you want a little Garlic Yuca Flatbread, Avocado Yuca Toast, or pizza in a hurry. These are AWESOME even without the avocado!

 

 

A small Garlic Yuca Flatbread to be used to make Avocado Yuca Toast.

Your flatbreads can be custom sized and shaped to your preferences. For Avocado Yuca Toast I make mine oval shaped, about 5″ by 7″.

To make the flatbreads, check out my post, including step by step instructions here –

Garlic Yuca Flatbread

 

While flatbreads bake, make the Guacamole. 

Ingredients needed:

-3 large organic avocados

-2 tablespoons organic sweet onion – finely chopped

-1 organic tomato – chopped

-1-2 organic lemons – juiced

-1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt (While any salt can be used, I use pink Himalayan salt for all my cooking and baking because it contains 84 minerals and elements. What an easy way to boost wellness in a world where the typical diet is deplete of needed minerals!)

For step by step directions click link to my Guacamole post here. 

Chopped avocado, onion, and tomatoes in metal bowl to be made into guacamole.

 

Once Garlic Yuca Flatbread has baked, add desired amount of Guacamole.

One piece of Avocado Yuca Toast on white background garnished with sliced avocado.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Customize your Avocado Yuca Toast with any additional toppings desired! Here, I added 1 strip of cooked, diced Applegate Farms Organic Turkey Bacon, some organic sliced heirloom cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. YUM!!!

Avocado Yuca Toast with chopped turkey bacon, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes on white background with sliced avocado garnish.

 

My absolute favorite Avocado Yuca Toast for breakfast includes a sunny side up egg right on top! Nothing beats a broken yolk dripping all over my breakfast! It just pops it up to a whole new level for me!!!
Avocado Yuca Toast with guacamole, a slice of turkey bacon, a sunny side up egg, and chopped scallions on white background garnished with sliced avocado and diced turkey bacon.

Enjoy!!!!

***


Invitation to comment below or tag @CrazyForYuca on instagram with your picture of Avocado Yuca Toast.

 

***

 Black banner with white and yellow writing inviting readers to check out the CrazyForYuca shopping link.

 

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!

 

 

 

***

Yellow banner with black writing inviting readers to subscribe to CrazyForYuca.com.

 

CrazyForYuca and all things wellness logo

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.

Logo for CrazyForYuca.com with red heart and yellow writing

Grain-Free Soft Pretzels

Grain-Free Soft Pretzels

  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 

Grain-Free Popovers

Grain-Free Popovers

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 

Easter Egg Hand Pies (Gluten and Dairy-Free!)

Easter Egg Hand Pies (Gluten and Dairy-Free!)

Brightly decorated gluten-free, Easter Egg Hand Pies in basket with shredded paper grass.

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 spread on the inside!!! Don’t be fooled by the beautiful colors, these hand pies are decorated with colorings found in nature such as beets, turmeric, and spirulina! (Absolutely no chemical colorings!) Since they’re made with cassava flour, they’re both gluten and grain-free! They’re also dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free and low in sugar, but you’d never know it! These Easter Egg Hand Pies are SCRUMPTIOUS, FUN, and GOOD FOR YOU!!!

These Easter Egg Hand Pies are made with Otto’s Cassava Flour (a gluten-free, grain-free, non-GMO, non-inflammatory, whole-food, amazingly delicious flour!) If you don’t have any on hand, it can be found in some specialty markets or online by clicking below.

Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
Bag of Otto's Cassava Flour.

By ordering Otto’s Cassava Flour or other 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 charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!

Click link: Getting to Know Cassava (yuca) Flour.

 

Let’s make Easter Egg Hand Pies!

Dough Ingredients: (Full printer-friendly recipe below)

-1 1/2 cups Otto’s Cassava Flour

-2 tablespoons organic maple syrup

-1 cage-free egg

-1/2 teaspoon xantham gum

-1/2 teaspoon baking soda

-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt  (I use pink Himalayan salt for all my cooking and baking because of its high mineral content.)

-1/2 cup Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening (or pastured butter if you tolerate dairy.)

-1/2 cup filtered water

parchment paper

Filling:

-Fruit spread (flavor of choice.) I used St. Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread. It’s made with only strawberries, grape and date fruit juice concentrate, pectin, and lemon juice. (Click link below to check it out.)

Icing: (With these hand pies you control the amount of sugar by deciding how much icing to put on top. Other than the icing, the only added sugar in 15 hand pies is 2 tablespoons of pure organic maple syrup.)

-1 cup powdered sugar

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1 tablespoon water. (If icing is too thick, add additional water 1 teaspoon at a time.)

-natural food coloring. I used Color Kitchen Decorative Food Colors From Nature. (Click link below to check it out.)

 

St. Dalfour, Preserves, Strawberry, 10 oz
 

ColorKitchen Food Color Set of 3 (Pink, Blue, Yellow) .24 ounce
 

To make the dough:

In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add maple syrup and thoroughly blend. Then add Otto’s Cassava Flour, xantham gum, pink Himalayan salt, baking soda, vegetable shortening (or butter for a dairy option,) and water. Blend with a spoon. When dough gets crumbly and difficult to mix, use your hands to fully incorporate ingredients into dough.

Hand pie cassava flour dough in metal bowl

 

Roll out half the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper and cut into oval shapes. (Since my craft store was out of oval cookie cutters, I used a plastic disposable cup while gently bending it into an oval shape. It worked perfectly!)  These will be the bottom halves of the hand pies.Rolled out ovals ("eggs") made of cassava flour dough on parchment paper.

 

Transfer each cut-out pastry bottom onto a parchment lined baking sheet and fill with a heaping tablespoon of fruit spread. (Be sure to leave a rim around the entire perimeter so the top and bottom pastries can be pinched together without fruit spread between them.)Fruit spread on rolled out cassava flour dough "eggs" on parchment paper.

 

Roll out second half of dough into matching sizes and shapes for the pastry tops. Then dip finger in water and run wet finger along the perimeter of each pastry bottom. Carefully lay each pastry top over the bottom pastry and filling. Press down along edges to seal.

Unbaked Easter Egg Hand Pies on parchment paper.

 

Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until edges begin to brown.Baked, undecorated Easter Egg Hand Pies on parchment paper.

 

Place cooked pasties on a rack to cool.

Make decorative icing (if desired) by combining powdered sugar, water, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add desired coloring and blend thoroughly. Decorate cooled Easter Egg Hand Pies any way desired – like these adorable hatching chicks!!!

Gluten-free Easter Egg Hand Pies decorated as hatching chicks in basket with green shredded paper grass and jelly beans.

 

***

 

Banner inviting readers to comment below or share their pictures of the recipe on Instagram.

 

 ***

 

Would you like to see yuca/cassava snacks and goodies (all personally taste tested and approved by me and my family) as well as pantry items and kitchen gadgets used to make Crazy For Yuca recipes in my kitchen?

 CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE

 

***

 

Easter Egg Hand Pies (Gluten and Dairy-Free)
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

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 spread on the inside!!! Don't be fooled by the beautiful colors, these hand pies are decorated with only colorings found in nature such as beets, turmeric, and spirulina! Since they're made with cassava flour, they're gluten and grain-free! They're also dairy-free and low in sugar. But don't let the fact that these are healthy fool you, they're gorgeous, fun, and delicious!!!

Course: Dessert
Servings: 15
Author: Lauren from Crazy For Yuca
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients: (Full printer-friendly recipe below)
  • 1 1/2 cups Otto's Cassava Flour
  • 2 tablespoons organic maple syrup
  • 1 cage-free egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt  (I use pink Himalayan salt for all my cooking and baking because of its high mineral content.)
  • 1/2 cup Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening (or pastured butter if you tolerate dairy.)
  • 1/2 cup filtered water
Filling:
  • fruit spread - flavor of choice. (I use St. Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread.)
Icing:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon water. (If icing is too thick, add additional water - 1 teaspoon at a time.)
  • -natural food coloring. I use Color Kitchen Decorative Food Colors From Nature.
Instructions
Directions:
  1. In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add maple syrup and thoroughly blend. Add Otto’s Cassava Flour, xantham gum, pink Himalayan salt, baking soda, vegetable shortening (or butter,) and water. Blend with a spoon. When it gets all crumbly and difficult to mix, use your hands to fully incorporate ingredients into dough.

  2. Add Otto’s Cassava Flour, xantham gum, pink Himalayan salt, baking soda, vegetable shortening (or butter,) and water. Blend with a spoon. When it gets all crumbly and difficult to mix, use your hands to fully incorporate ingredients into dough.

  3. Roll out half the dough onto parchment paper and cut into oval shapes. (Since my craft store was out of oval cookie cutters, I used a plastic disposable cup while gently bending it into an oval shape. It worked perfectly!)  These will be the bottom halves of the hand pies.

  4. Transfer each cut-out pastry bottom onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  

  5. Place a heaping tablespoon of fruit spread on each cut-out pastry.

  6. Roll out second half of dough into matching sizes and shapes for the pastry tops. 

  7. Dip finger in water and run wet finger along the perimeter of each pastry bottom. (This will help pastry layers adhere to each other.) 

  8. Carefully lay each pastry top over the bottom pastry and filling. Press down along edges to seal.

  9. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until edges begin to brown.

  10. Once cooked, place cooked pasties on a rack to cool. 

  11. While cooling, make icing (if desired) by combining powdered sugar, water, and vanilla until smooth. Add desired coloring.

  12. Once cooled, use icing to decorate the Easter Egg Hand Pies any way desired. 

 

 

 

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 Mandel Bread / Biscotti (Kosher for Passover / Otto’s Cassava Flour)

Grain-Free Mandel Bread / Biscotti (Kosher for Passover / Otto’s Cassava Flour)

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, 

Grain-Free Cassava Flour Matzo Balls

Grain-Free Cassava Flour Matzo Balls

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 

Guyanese Ground Provisions

Guyanese Ground Provisions

Guyanese Provisions in white bowl on festive placemat.

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 Ground Provisions was shared by my friend Anita, who is from Guyana. She was so surprised to hear that I’m literally Crazy For Yuca (since she has rarely met an American that is familiar with it.) Anita enthusiastically shared the many ways she eats yuca! She taught me a few amazing dishes (all which will be posted in the coming weeks!) If you have a traditional yuca recipe that you’d like to share on CrazyForYuca.com, send me an email at CrazyForYuca@gmail.com or tag me with a picture of it on Instagram @CrazyForYuca. I’d love to feature the recipe along with your story.

Ground Provisions, also simply called Provisions, is a staple dish in Guyana and includes root vegetables such as yuca (cassava,) sweet potatoes, yams, green plantains, and eddoes (all pictured below.) Some, or all of these root vegetables may be included in the dish. It’s also referred to as a “boil and fry” in Guyana. The root vegetables are boiled, while onions, peppers, scallions, and garlic are stir fried in a pan. The two are then combined for a delicious, traditional Guyanese dish! Provisions can be eaten in this way, or with the addition of fish or meat. Anita enjoys her Provisions with curried fish on top. I made mine with organic, grass-fed ground beef. This dish can be customized to meet your needs.

Guyanese provisions in a basket - including yam, eddo, sweet potato, green plantain, and yuca (cassava.)

Guyanese Provisions (Printer-friendly version below)

Ingredients – (4 servings)

1 1/2 pounds fresh, peeled yuca or 1 bag Goya frozen yuca

1-2 sweet potatoes

1-2 yams

1-2 green plantains

2 large organic onions – chopped

2 organic red, orange, red, and/or green peppers – chopped

4 organic scallions – chopped

4 organic garlic cloves – minced

1 tablespoon organic, grass-fed ghee

2 tablespoons fresh organic lemon juice (juice of 1 medium lemon)

pink Himalayan sea salt – 1 tablespoon for salted boiling water and 1 teaspoon as seasoning. (Any salt will taste good, but I use pink Himalayan salt for all of my cooking because of its rich mineral content.)

1 pound organic, grass-fed ground beef (Any preferred meat or fish can be used.)

Optional: hot pepper – minced – to taste.

 

How to Make Guyanese Ground Provisions

Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon pink Himalayan salt.

Step 2: While water boils peel the provisions (yuca, sweet potatoes, yams, eddoes, and plantains) and cut them into large chunks for boiling.

Step 3: Place peeled, cut provisions into boiling pot of water. (*Note: Wait 5 minutes before placing plantains into pot. Plantains don’t need as much cooking time.) Boil for 20-25 minutes, or until provisions are fork tender.(15-20 for plantains.)

Step 4: While provisions boil, chop onions, peppers, scallions, and hot peppers (if using) and mince garlic cloves. 
Chopped onions, scallions, and red, green and yellow peppers on white plate.

 

Step 5: Add 1 tablespoon organic ghee and chopped vegetables to preheated frying pan. Season with 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt and lemon juice. Chopped onion, scallions, and peppers in frying pan.

 

Step 6: If adding beef, in a separate frying pan brown 1 pound organic, grass-fed ground beef until meat is no longer pink.

Step 7: Once provisions are fork tender (after about 20 minutes) drain water.

Boiled Goya Tropical Vegetable Mix on white plate - includes yuca, plantains, yams and sweet potato.

 

Step 8: Add pan fried vegetables to provisions. Stir gently, as provisions are soft and easily mashed. Ground Provisions can be enjoyed as pictured below, without the addition of meat or fish.

Boiled Goya Tropical Vegetable Mix including yuca, plantains, yams and sweet potatoes topped with sauteed onions, peppers and scallions.

 

Ground Provisions are also traditionally eaten with curried fish (often flaked and mixed in with the provisions) or with meat (as pictured below.)

Provisions - Boiled Goya Tropical Vegetable Mix including yuca, plantains, yams and sweet potatoes topped with sauteed onions, peppers, scallions and ground beef.

 

Enjoy!!!

***

 

Invitation to comment or share a picture of one of Crazy For Yuca's recipes on instagram.

 

***

***

 

5 from 1 vote
Guyanese Ground Provisions

This recipe for Ground Provisions was shared by my friend Anita, from Guyana. Ground Provisions, also simply called Provisions, is a staple dish in Guyana and includes root vegetables such as yuca (cassava,) sweet potatoes, yams, green plantains, and eddoes. Some, or all of these root vegetables may be included in the dish. The root vegetables are boiled, while onions, peppers, scallions, and garlic are stir fried in a pan. The two are then combined for a delicious, traditional Guyanese dish! Provisions can be eaten this way, or with the addition of fish or meat. Anita enjoys her Provisions with curried fish on top. I decided to make mine with ground organic, grass-fed beef. This dish can be customized to meet your needs.

Servings: 4
Author: Lauren from Crazy For Yuca
Ingredients
Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh, peeled yuca cut into pieces, or 1 bag Goya frozen yuca
  • 1-2 sweet potatoes
  • 1-2 yams
  • 2 green plantains
  • 2 large organic onions - chopped
  • 2 organic peppers - any preferred color, chopped
  • 4 organic scallions - chopped
  • 4 organic garlic cloves - minced
  • 1 tablespoon organic, grass-fed ghee
  • 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
  • 2 tablespoons fresh organic lemon juice (juice of 1 medium organic lemon)
  • optional: hot pepper - minced - to taste
  • 1 pound organic, grass-fed ground beef (any preferred meat or fish can be used.)
Instructions
Directions:
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon pink Himalayan salt. 

  2. While water boils, peel provisions (yuca, sweet potatoes, yams, eddoes, and plantains) and cut them into large chunks for boiling.

  3. Place peeled, cut provisions into pot of boiling water. (*Note: Wait 5 minutes before placing plantains into pot, since they don't need as much cooking time.) Boil for 20-25 minutes (15-20 for plantains,) or until fork tender.  

  4. While provisions boil, chop onions, peppers, scallions, hot peppers (if using,) and mince garlic cloves.

  5. Add 1 tablespoon organic ghee along with chopped vegetables to preheated frying pan. Season with 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt and lemon juice. 

  6. If adding beef, in a separate frying pan brown 1 pound organic, grass-fed ground beef. Cook until meat is no longer pink. 


  7. Once provisions are fork tender (after about 20-25 minutes) drain water.

  8. Add pan fried vegetables to provisions. Stir gently, provisions are soft and easily mashed. 

  9. Add cooked ground beef (or fish) to provisions and pan fried vegetables. Garnish with chopped scallions.

Recipe Notes

Note: Guyanese Ground Provisions are often served with curried fish, either on top or shredded and mixed in with this dish.

***

Links to pantry items used to make

Guyanese Ground Provisions are listed below!

(For a listing of other pantry items, kitchen gadgets, yuca snacks and goodies

that I use, click here shop.

 

Purity Farm Ghee (Clarified Butter), 7.5-Ounce
 

Natierra, Himalania Fine Grain Himalayan Pink Salt Shaker, 13 Ounce
* 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 ingredients or products. Thank you so much for supporting Crazy For Yuca’s efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!

***

Yellow banner inviting readers to subscribe to CrazyForYuca.com and become part of the community.

***

 

Crazy For Yuca logo

 

DisclaimerIn 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.

Crazy For Yuca heart logo with yellow writing.

Almond Cassava Flour Cookies

Almond Cassava Flour Cookies

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. 

Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cassava Flour Cookies

Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cassava Flour Cookies

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 

Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Stew

Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Stew

Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Stew in white bowl with spoon.

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 your favorite vegetables. Then throw it all together into one pot. Within 30 minutes this perfectly healthy, mouthwatering stew is done! This is one of those recipes that makes it super easy and satisfying to eat well! It’s one of my go-to weeknight meals.

If you’re new to Crazy For Yuca, you may be wondering what exactly is yuca? And do I need to add it to this recipe?

When I first began my gluten and dairy-free journey, my functional medicine doctor gave me a list of foods that were acceptable to eat and yuca was on the list. I had no idea what it was so I just ignored it. Who would have thought that 6 years later I’d consider this root vegetable to be the savior of a gluten-free diet, and create an entire blog around it! Without yuca, I unknowingly deprived myself of many wonderful dishes that would have made being gluten-free a lot easier. While this dish is perfectly yummy without the yuca (although not as hearty) take a moment to discover all the amazingness that is yuca by clicking the links below. You’ll be happy you did!!!

Two pictures side by side. A white bowl filled with frozen yuca (cassava) and a whole, fresh yuca.

Getting To Know Yuca (Cassava)

Yuca (Cassava) Nutrition Facts

Buying, Storing, Peeling, and Cooking Yuca (Cassava)

If you don’t have yuca on hand, this dish can be made with cooked rice, quinoa, or potato (for a non-Paleo version.) I recommend buying a bag or 2 of frozen yuca and keeping it in your freezer so you’re prepared for any exciting recipe that comes along on Crazy For Yuca! Yuca (also known as cassava) is typically found in the frozen Goya section at many larger supermarkets. Frozen yuca takes about the same amount of time to cook as rice or quinoa (15 minutes in boiling water.) Fresh yuca takes a bit longer to prepare, since it must first be peeled. See: How to Peel Fresh Yuca.

Ingredients for Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken: (Full Printable Recipe Below)

-whole, raw organic chicken

-juice of 1 large organic lemon (3 tablespoons)

-1 tablespoon Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Seasoning Blend

-1 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

-1 cup filtered water

Ingredients for Vegetables:

-3/4 lb fresh or frozen yuca (Half a bag Goya Frozen Yuca or 1 medium fresh, peeled yuca cut into 3-4 pieces.) Note: If using fresh yuca it must be peeled before boiling. See: How to Peel Fresh Yuca for instructions if needed.

-1 organic leek – diced (green part only for low FODMAP) (Or onion if FODMAPS are not a concern.)

-1 organic red pepper – diced

-3 organic carrots – sliced

-1 organic zucchini – diced

-8 oz organic rainbow chard – leaves torn/stems finely diced (or other green leafy vegetable of choice)

-1 tablespoon avocado oil

Note: Any vegetables can be used in this recipe, so feel free to use what you have on hand. I often also throw in broccoli, spinach, collard greens, or kale. It all depends on what’s in my fridge that day!

 

Let’s make Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken! 

The key to this amazingly delicious meal is Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Seasoning Blend!

Jar of Trader Joe's Chile Lime Seasoning Blend

Preparing the crockpot chicken (5 minutes):

Start with a whole, organic chicken. Remove skin, wash, and place in crockpot. (I remove skin to decrease the fat, since I use the broth created during cooking as the sauce for this Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Stew.)

Whole, raw organic chicken

 

Add 1 tablespoon Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Seasoning Blend, 1 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt, the juice of a large organic lemon (about 3 tablespoons,) and 1 cup filtered water to crockpot. (Water not yet added in picture below.)

Whole, raw organic chicken sprinkled with Trader Joe's Chile Lime Seasoning Blend and Himalayan sea salt.

 

Cover and cook, either on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, depending on your timing needs. That’s it! Go about your day knowing that your chicken will be ready when you need it in a few hours! (It’s fine if the chicken cooks longer on either of these settings. No need to rush home.)

Whole, cooked Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken in its juices.

 

Viola! Scrumptious, tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone chicken, ready when you are!!!

(I apologize for the boo boo on the top chicken breast. My husband came by and pinched off a taste while the chicken was cooling without realizing I planned on making our dinner my next post!!! It really is hard to resist!)

 

Preparing the Vegetables for Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Stew:

Once ready, uncover crockpot and allow chicken to cool enough to be comfortably handled during deboning.

While chicken is cooling, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add peeled, cut, fresh yuca, or frozen yuca (which is already peeled and cut into pieces) and return to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes until fork tender. Ensure that yuca is fully covered by water throughout cooking.

While yuca is boiling, chop vegetables.

Basket filled with fresh rainbow chard, purple and orange carrots, red pepper, leek, and zucchini.

 

A common question is whether or not to eat the stalks of rainbow chard. The answer is YES! They are chock full of dietary fiber, vitamins A and K, are an excellent source of iron, and have lots of beneficial polyphenols! These are antioxidants that have shown promise in preventing cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and degenerative neurological conditions (1).

To prepare rainbow chard for cooking, remove leaves from stems, tear leaves into pieces, and finely dice stems. The stems need to be cooked a bit longer than the leaves.

Chopped rainbow chard stems
Diced Rainbow Chard Stems

 

Heat a saucepan with avocado oil to medium heat. Add chopped leeks (or onions), carrots, red peppers, zucchini, and diced rainbow chard stems and saute for 3-5 minutes. Chopped raw vegetables in a saucepan.

 

Once yuca is fork tender, immediately drain water from boiled yuca and allow to cool for a few minutes. (If boiled yuca is kept in the water it will quickly become mushy.)

Boiled, drained yuca (cassava) in colander
Boiled, Drained Yuca

 

Once yuca is cool enough to handle (about 5 minutes,) cut each piece in half lengthwise to remove stick-like stem that runs through the center. Cut into cubes. Two pictures side by side showing how to remove stick-like center from boiled yuca and a bowl of yuca cut into cubes.

 

Pour broth from crockpot chicken into saucepan with sauteed vegetables and bring to a simmer. Add yuca cubes and rainbow chard leaves to the pan. Cover and reduce heat to low.

Cooked yuca and vegetables in saucepan.

 

Debone chicken. Add 2 cups of cooked chicken to the pot. Cover and heat for an additional few minutes. Saucepan with cooked yuca, diced vegetables, and cut up Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken.

 

Serve.Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Stew being ladled into white bowl.

 

Save the rest of your Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken for tomorrow’s lunch or dinner!!! It can be used for any dish that calls for cooked chicken (like my Zesty Chicken Salad Dijonnaise!) It shreds easily or can be cut into chunks. I make 2-3 crockpot chickens per week, so there’s always chicken on hand to throw together a quick lunch or dinner. (This prevents reliance on unhealthy, processed cold cuts and greatly decreases the time needed to prepare a meal!) For lunch, I toss it into a salad or chicken salad (using my Zesty Dijonnaise Dressing (low FODMAP)), or onto a Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap, or eat it with steamed vegetables (which takes only 5-8 minutes.) Convenience is key when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Cut up Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken in clear bowl.

*****

*****

*****

Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Stew

All it takes is 5 minutes of prep time in the morning, and this delicious, gluten and dairy-free chicken will be ready and waiting when you get home. Then boil up some yuca while chopping your favorite vegetables, and within 30 minutes this perfectly healthy, mouthwatering dinner is done! Who says eating well needs to be hard or time-consuming? 



Course: Main Course
Author: Lauren from Crazy For Yuca
Ingredients
Ingredients for Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken
  • 1 whole organic chicken
  • 1 Tbsp Trader Joe's Chile Lime Seasoning Blend
  • 1 tsp Himalayan sea salt
  • 3 Tbsp lemon juice (juice from 1 large organic lemon)
  • 1 cup filtered water
Ingredients for Vegetables
  • 2 cups boiled yuca - cut into cubes. (About 3/4 pound fresh, peeled yuca, or half a bag of Goya Frozen Yuca)
  • 1 organic leek - diced. Use only green part for Low FODMAP. (Onion can be used if FODMAPS are not a concern)
  • 3 organic carrots - sliced
  • 1 organic red pepper - diced
  • 1 organic zucchini - diced
  • 8 oz. Organic Rainbow Chard - leaves torn/stems finely diced. (Greens such as kale, spinach, and collard greens can be used.)   
  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil
Instructions
Instructions for Chile Lime Crockpot Chicken
  1. Start with a whole, organic chicken. Remove skin, wash, and place into crockpot.

  2. Add 1 tablespoon Trader Joe's Chile Lime Seasoning Blend, 1 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt, the juice of one organic lemon (3 tablespoons,) and 1 cup filtered water.

  3. Cover crockpot and cook either on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

  4. Once cooked, remove cover and allow to cool.

  5. Once cooled, debone.

Instructions for the Vegetables
  1. While chicken is cooling, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add yuca, return to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes until fork tender. Ensure that yuca is fully covered by water throughout cooking.

  2. Meanwhile, chop leek (or onion), red pepper, carrots, and zucchini. Remove leaves from stems of rainbow chard. Tear leaves and finely dice stems.

  3. Heat a saucepan to medium heat. Add avocado oil, chopped leeks, carrots, red peppers, zucchini, and diced rainbow chard stems. Saute for 3-5 minutes. 

  4. Once yuca is fork tender, immediately drain water and allow to cool for a few minutes.

  5. Once cool enough to handle, cut each piece of yuca in half to remove stick-like stem that runs through the center. Cut into cubes. 

  6. Pour broth from crockpot into saucepan with sauteed vegetables, and bring to a simmer. 

  7. Add yuca cubes, rainbow chard leaves, and 2 cups of cooked deboned chicken to pan. Cover and heat for a few additional minutes until chard is wilted. 

  8. Serve.

 

***

 

Comment below and let me know what you think of this dish!

 

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.

Paleo French Onion Soup

Paleo French Onion Soup

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 

Grain-Free Chicken Pot Pie

Grain-Free Chicken Pot Pie

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 

Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops

Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops

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 must admit, I’m known for my cake pops! Making themed pops for holidays, special occasions, and gifts has been a little hobby of mine. I started making them years ago – (in my previous life) – before going gluten-free and eliminating processed food from my diet. I was still making them to bring to parties and other gatherings since they’re such a crowdpleaser, but I haven’t eaten them because they were full of crap!!! They were GORGEOUS, but I can’t think of anything less healthy to eat! I’d actually cringe a little when serving them, feeling like I was giving people poison wrapped up like a beautiful present!

Those days are over now that we have Gluten-free Cassava Flour Cake Pops!

I set out to make healthy cake pops using Otto’s Cassava Flour and all natural ingredients and decorations. I must admit, I’m VERY happy with the results! They might not be as brightly colored as my pops from the past made with chemically dyed toppings, but they taste WAY better and are made of all “real” food. What can be better than that? I can’t wait to share this recipe with you!

You can make this basic Gluten-free Cassava Flour Cake Pop recipe, and then customize it to fit any holiday or occasion!

Here are my Holiday Cassava Flour Cake Pops. 

(See below for decorating instructions for each of these pops.)
Eight assorted holiday Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops in Merry & Bright decorative Christmas box.

With these Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops you can have all the fun with no guilt! (or at least very little.)

Otto’s Cassava Flour can be purchased in some specialty stores, or online here!


Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound

Many believe that making cake pops is difficult. While it is a bit time consuming, there’s nothing difficult about it.

Steps for making cake pops:

  1. Bake the cake.
  2. Once cake has cooled, shred it into crumbs.
  3. Add almond butter to crumbs and roll into balls (or whatever shape is desired.)
  4. Attach a stick to each pop with a little dairy-free melted chocolate.
  5. Freeze for 20 minutes.
  6. Melt chocolate.
  7. Dip pops into chocolate.
  8. Decorate with whatever toppings are desired.

Ingredients needed to bake the cake: (Makes 12 pops)

-3/4 cup Otto’s Cassava Flour

-1/3 cup organic coconut oil

-1/2 cup organic maple syrup

-1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

-pinch pink Himalayan salt (chosen because of its purity and high mineral content)

-1 cage-free egg

-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

-2 cups melting chocolate (I use EnjoyLife Dark Chocolate Morsels or Pascha Dark Chocolate Chips – 55% Cacao. They are both gluten and dairy-free)

Ingredients to create pops

-1/4 cup Trader Joe’s Raw Almond Butter (or preferred nut butter)

-12 lollypop sticks

-cake pop stand or styrofoam to hold dipped pops

Let’s take it step by step in more detail. 

(*See full printable recipe below*)

Step 1: Bake cake:

In a large bowl, blend Otto’s Cassava Flour, xanthan gum and pink Himalayan salt. In a second bowl combine melted coconut oil, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredient bowl and mix until fully combined.

Place batter into a small baking dish (about 7″ x 7″) lined with parchment paper (for easy clean up and toxin-free baking.) Any shaped baking dish can be used, since the cake will be crumbled after baking.

*The key is to use a baking dish that fits all the batter, with batter only about 1/2 – 3/4 inch deep. Cassava flour can be tricky to bake with in that the perimeter of cakes can cook faster than the middle, if the cake is too thick. This small, thin cake will bake quickly and evenly, without browning. Browned cake becomes too dry and doesn’t hold its shape well when rolled into balls. For best results, remove any browning after baking before moving to the next step.

Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pop batter in a bowl.

Be sure not to over-bake. The cake should be baked for 15 minutes – just until a fork inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Baked cake for Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops.

Step 2: Allow baked cake to cool then break into crumbs. 

In a large bowl crumble cake, either with your hands or by raking with a fork, until it’s the consistency of coarse breadcrumbs.

Bowl of crumbled cake to make into Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops.

Step 3: Add almond butter and thoroughly blend.

This is the “glue” that holds the balls together so be sure all crumbs are coated evenly.

Divide dough into 12 balls, rolling each between your hands as you would to make a meatball (or use a cake pop former if you have one.) This dough is highly malleable, yet holds its shape well, so use your imagination and create whatever shapes you want! (Below there are 2 oddly shaped “balls” that I was originally going to make into Santa hats, but then decided to stick with balls for this post.)

owl of crumbled cake to make into Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops.

Step 4: Melt 1/4 cup chocolate in either a microwave or double boiler to use as “glue” to attach stick to each ball.

Dip the tip of each cake pop stick into chocolate, then push it through the center of each cake ball until it’s about halfway through the circumference of ball.

Stick dipped in chocolate to make Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops.

Step 5: Freeze balls for 20 minutes.

Once all balls have sticks in them, place in freezer for 20 minutes while setting up for decorating. Pops can be made a day ahead, stored in the refrigerator overnight, then decorated the next day.

*Note: Overly frozen pops will contract in the freezer, then expand once thawed out. If pops are frozen for much longer than 20 minutes and then dipped into warm chocolate, they will eventually expand causing cracks in chocolate.

A baking tray filled with cassava flour cake pop balls with sticks inserted into the centers.

Step 6: Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in double boiler or microwave.

(I used Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels. They’re dairy, nut, and soy-free as well as non-GMO verified. Any preferred chocolate can be used. )

If using a microwave, heat chocolate in intervals of one minute or less to avoid burning. Stir in between each heating. A double boiler is the preferred method since there’s no risk of burning, and chocolate can be kept over a low heat or covered so it stays melted throughout decorating.

*Note: If using a double boiler, ensure that absolutely no water drips into chocolate, as this will seize the chocolate and destroy its smooth texture. Seized chocolate must be discarded.

Double boiler with melted Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate.

Step 7: Dip each pop into chocolate. 

Ensure that each pop is fully covered in chocolate, while allowing excess chocolate to drip back into pot. A thin coating of chocolate is preferred. Too much chocolate can drip down stick while drying, take too long to dry, or cause pop to become top heavy and fall off stick.

Step 8: Decorate pops any way desired.

If adding topping such as nuts, dried fruit, coconut, mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, colored sugar, decorate immediately after dipping into chocolate, as chocolate begins to dry very quickly (within a minute or two.) I like to set up my toppings in separate little bowls so I can dip my pops, then place toppings on quickly and easily.

Once decorated, place each pop into a block of styrofoam (or cake pop holder if you have one) to dry undisturbed. I save large pieces of styrofoam that come as packaging to hold my drying cake pops. When creating decorative baskets and boxes for guests or gifts, I buy appropriate sized styrofoam shapes to fit inside whatever holder I’m using. These can be purchased at craft stores such as Michaels or at Dollar Tree (seasonal item, but each one is only 99 cents, so I stock up on varied sizes when I see them!) They’re typically used in floral arrangements to keep flowers in place.

For these Valentine’s Day cake pops I used a heart shaped cookie cutter so they would all be exactly the same size and shape. Since multiple layers of chocolate and colored icing was used, I allowed the first layer to dry fully before adding additional colors.

For the white icing: Blend one cup powdered sugar (sifted,) 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 tablespoon filtered water.

For the red icing: I added a few drops of Color Garden 100% Plant Based Red Food Color to the white icing. This food coloring is made of beet juice, turmeric, annatto, and less than 1% ethyl alcohol as a preservative. It’s the first natural food dye I’ve tried that gives a true red color!

In the picture below I’m covering a pop with Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips – a true chocolate lovers dream pop!!!

A cake pop being covered in Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips along with the bag of chocolate chips.

Here’s the finished chocolate chip cake pop. YUMMY!!!

Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pop rolled in Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips

There are many natural options to use to decorate your cake pops beautifully!

Six assorted Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops

This pop was rolled in Trader Joe’s Organic Unsweetened Coconut!

Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pop covered in chocolate and coconut

This pop is covered in Trader Joe’s Unsalted, Dry Toasted Pecan Pieces! (I LOVE pecans, but any chopped nut can be used.)

A Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pop covered in chocolate and pecans

This cake pop was decorated with a combination of Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips and chopped up Trader Joe’s Dry Roasted & Unsalted Pistachio Nutmeats! ……Oh yeah! That’s what I’m talking about!!!

A Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pop covered in chocolate chips and pistachios.

I love the colors of this pop that was decorated with chopped Trader Joe’s Golden Berry Blend. It’s a combination of golden raisins, cherries, cranberries, & blueberries! Who says deliciously sweet, pretty colored cake pops have to include candy and sprinkles filled with chemical dyes??? I think this one looks like a bouquet of flowers!

A Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pop covered in chocolate, dried cranberries, cherries, golden raisins and blueberries.

If a little green and red are desired for your holiday cake pops, consider this sanding sugar made by TruColor. Colors are derived from fruits, vegetables, roots, seeds & minerals, without synthetic FD&C dyes or artificial preservatives! It’s still sugar, but if one wants to use a colored sugar, this one holds up to pretty high standards.

A Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pop covered in chocolate and TruColor Sanding Sugar

Creating a few character cake pops for holidays and special occasions adds extra fun to your assortment. How adorable are these guys???

Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops shaped as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman

The antlers of this Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer pop was made with Trader Joe’s (are we starting to see a pattern here? – lol) Gluten-free Pretzel Twists. I cut off one side of each pretzel using a very sharp, fine knife, moved gently back and forth over the pretzel in a sawing motion. (I only broke 4 while perfecting these two!!) The nose is a dried cranberry from my Trader Joe’s Golden Berry Blend. The eyes are two Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate chips placed on top of white icing. (See recipe for white icing in description of the making of the snowman pop below.)

Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops shaped as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

The basic white icing used for this snowman was a combination of 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted,) 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of water. (That was what I used for the whites of Rudolph’s eyes as well.) The snowman’s eyes are Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips. His nose is a slice of dried apricot. His mouth was drawn on using the melted dipping chocolate applied with a toothpick. His adorable hat was molded from a piece of a blueberry RXBAR (a protein bar made with dates, egg whites, almonds, cashews, blueberries, and natural blueberry flavor.) It has a consistency similar to a tootsie roll.

Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pop shaped as a Snowman

Have fun decorating your pops! One can decorate cake pops simply, or as elaborately as one’s creativity allows.

Cake pops can be presented in a variety of ways. They look great simply placed in a coffee mug!

Five assorted Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops in a white mug.

Various sized boxes or baskets can be inexpensively purchased to display cake pops in decorative ways. Each of these boxes was bought at Dollar Tree for $1 each. You can’t beat that!!!

Assorted Christmas decorative boxes.

These pops look like a party simply laid out in a fan shape!

Eight assorted holiday Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops laid out in a fan shape.

These pops look great displayed in this little holiday box! When giving cake pops as gifts, I wrap decorative boxes of all sizes in cellophane, and tie them with curly ribbon for a truly professional look!

Five Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Holiday Cake Pops in decorative holiday box along with Happy Holidays Christmas sign with Santa.

I hope you enjoy your Gluten-Free Cassava Flour Cake Pops!!!

***

***

If you have any questions, reach out to me through the comments sections below and I’ll be happy to help in any way I can.

 

May your holidays be filled with the warmth of family and friends, food that truly nourishes you, good health, and peace. Warm regards – Lauren from CrazyForYuca.com

 ***

***

5 from 3 votes
Gluten-Free Cake Pops
Cook Time
15 mins
 

Nothing says fun like cake pops! They bring smiles and excitement to any dessert table! Finally, a cake pop that everyone can enjoy, whether gluten-free, dairy-free, or soy-free! They're so delicious, your guests will be shocked to know they're gluten-free!! (And you don't have to tell them!) These pops will be the talk of your holiday dinner or next party! 

Course: Dessert
Servings: 12 pops
Author: Lauren from Crazy For Yuca
Ingredients
For the Cake
  • 3/4 cup Otto's Cassava Flour
  • 1 pastured (cage-free) egg
  • 1/3 cup organic coconut oil - melted
  • 1/2 cup organic maple syrup
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
  • pinch Himalayan sea salt. Any salt can be used. I chose Himalayan sea salt because of the added minerals.
  • parchment paper
To Make Into Pops
  • 12 cake pop sticks
  • 1/4 cup Trader Joe's Raw Almond Butter
  • 1/4 cup Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chips - melted (to adhere pops to sticks) Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips are gluten, dairy and soy free.
For Dipping and Decorating - Any preferred nuts, dried fruits, or candies can be used. I used:
  • 2 cups Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chips - melted
  • Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini-Chips - for decorating pops
  • chopped nuts of choice (I used Trader Joe's Unsalted Dry Toasted Pecan Pieces and Pistachio Nutmeats
  • Trader Joe's Organic Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
  • Trader Joe's Golden Berry Blend - (Mix of golden raisins, cherries, cranberries & blueberries)
  • Trader Joe's Gluten-Free Pretzel Twists (for reindeer antlers)
  • TruColor Sanding Sugar - red and green
  • 1 RXBAR (for snowman's hat)
  • cake pop stand or styrofoam block (typically used in floral decorating)
Instructions
For the Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

  2. In a large bowl, mix Otto's Cassava Flour, xanthan gum and Himalayan sea salt. 

  3. In a second bowl blend maple syrup, melted coconut oil, egg, and vanilla.

  4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredient bowl and mix until fully combined.

  5. Line a small baking pan with parchment paper. (This step is optional, but allows for easy clean up as well as non-stick baking without greasing baking pan.) 

  6. Choose a small baking pan that allows for a very thin cake (batter depth about 1/2 -3/4 inch.) This will allow cake to bake quickly and evenly throughout, without browning.

  7. Bake for 15 minutes - just until a fork inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean. *Don't wait for browning to occur. If browning does occur, cut off browned parts before next step. Browned cake is too dry and will prevent pops from holding their shape once rolled into balls. 

  8. Allow to fully cool (about 15 minutes.)

To Make Balls
  1. In a large bowl, crumble the cake, either with your hands or by raking it with a fork, until it's the consistency of coarse breadcrumbs. 

  2. Add almond butter, mixing to ensure it's evenly blended throughout cake crumbs. (This is the glue that holds the pops together.)

  3. Form 12 equal sized balls, rolling them with your hands the way you would a meatball. (A cake pop former can also be used if you have one, but isn't necessary.)

  4. Place each formed cake ball on a parchment lined baking sheet or plate. (Wax paper can also be used.)

  5. Melt a small amount of chocolate (about 1/4 cup) either in the microwave or in a double boiler. (If using microwave, heat for one minute, stir, heat for an additional minute, stir.... until fully melted. Heating for longer than a minute at a time can burn chocolate.)

  6. Dip the tip of each cake pop stick into chocolate, then push it through the center of each cake ball until it's about halfway through the circumference of the ball. 

  7. Place the baking sheet with cake pops into the freezer for 20 minutes. (This allows pops to harden and adhere to the sticks so they won't fall off while being dipped in chocolate.) *Don't keep pops in freezer longer than 20 minutes. Pops that are too cold will contract, and later expand once they're dipped in warm chocolate, causing cracks in your pops. Pops can be kept in refrigerator overnight if decorating isn't being done on the same day. They can be dipped the next day without first putting them in freezer.

Decorating Cake Pops
  1. Melt chocolate in either the microwave (in intervals of no longer than 1 minute) or a double boiler (preferred method since there's no risk of burning, and chocolate can be kept over a low heat or covered so it stays melted throughout decorating.) *If using a double boiler, ensure absolutely no water drips into the chocolate, as this will seize the chocolate, destroying it's smooth texture. Seized chocolate must be discarded.

  2. Dip each chilled pop into melted chocolate, tipping the bowl of chocolate and slowly rotating the pop to ensure full coverage. (Don't roll pops in chocolate, as this can place too much pressure on pop and cause it to fall off stick.)

  3. Once pop is fully covered in chocolate, decorate immediately with chopped nuts, dried fruit, mini-chips, colored sugar, candy, etc. To make characters, additional embellishments can be adhered to pop with small dots of melted chocolate.

  4. Place pops in cake pop stand or poke holes with pop into styrofoam block and allow to dry.

  5. Display in any number of fun ways to serve to guests or to give as gifts.

  6. Happy Holidays to you and your family from Lauren at CrazyForYuca!

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.

Icing Colored with Fruits and Vegetables

Icing Colored with Fruits and Vegetables

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 

Strawberry Almond Butter Pinwheel Cookies (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Strawberry Almond Butter Pinwheel Cookies (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

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! 

Otto’s Cassava Flour

Otto’s Cassava Flour

Otto’s Cassava Flour

If you haven’t tried Otto’s Cassava Flour yet, what are you waiting for??

 

Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
Cassava flour is a relatively new flour that is starting to become popular in the healthy eating community. And why not? It’s gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, soy-free, Paleo, Vegan, non-inflammatory, low glycemic, and Autoimmune Protocol friendly! If that isn’t enough to excite you, consider that cassava flour can be used in place of wheat flour in most recipes!!! It has a neutral taste and a texture similar to wheat flour (not grainy like some nut flours.)

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.)

Otto's Cassava Flour

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.

 

I use Ottos Cassava Flour for all of my recipes on Crazy For Yuca. 

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.

Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound

 

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!

 

 

Subscribe to Crazy For Yuca and never miss a recipe! Enter your email above to receive recipes and healthy eating tips sent right to your inbox. Live happy, healthy and gluten-free!

 

 

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.

 

 

Turkey Bacon Yuca Salad

Turkey Bacon Yuca Salad

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 

Roasted Root Vegetables With Yuca

Roasted Root Vegetables With Yuca

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 

Apple Cinnamon Pop-Tarts

Apple Cinnamon Pop-Tarts

Apple Cinnamon Cassava flour "Pop-Tart" with a bite taken out of it

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 could sleep a little longer. My favorites were strawberry frosted and apple cinnamon. YUM!!! I never understood why they were called “toaster pastries” since they were so much better right out of the box!

The thought of eating a processed pastry full of genetically modified wheat, tons of sugar (including high fructose corn syrup) and a bunch of preservatives for breakfast (or any time) is totally out of the question at this point in my life. However, we all need a little something sweet now and then, so here’s my philosophy:

If I’m going to eat dessert, I want it to be made out of “real food,” without any chemicals, additives, or GMOs. I choose natural forms of sugar to sweeten my treats, and use the least amount needed to make them delicious.  

In the “old days” if someone wanted cake or cookies, they had to bake them from scratch. I’m all for that! People actually had to use flour, water, butter, eggs, molasses and other “real food” ingredients. (Back then they weren’t genetically modified.) There were no boxed cake mixes or pre-packaged pastries filled with chemical additives, colors, and preservatives with a shelf-life of many years!! One must stop and ask, “What kinds of chemical preservatives are in food that contains eggs and milk, doesn’t have to be refrigerated, and can last in a box on a shelf for many years!” That’s definitely not something I want in my body. And while it does take some time and effort to bake from scratch, we shouldn’t be eating cake and cookies everyday anyway. They’re special treats. If we had to go the effort of standing in the kitchen and spending an hour baking every time we wanted some “junk” food we’d all be a lot thinner and a lot healthier!

  • A bit of trivia – The first boxed cake mix was made in the 1930’s by P. Duff & Sons. It was invented to address a surplus of molasses. The concept didn’t really catch on until after WW2 in the 1940s and 50s when processed, convenience foods took over the food industry.

 

Following my philosophy of eating “real food” with minimal amounts of natural sugar, I’ve re-created the Apple Cinnamon “Pop-Tarts” of my childhood into a gluten-free, grain-free, soy-free, dairy-free, low sugar pastry. Trust me, they have all the taste and satisfaction of the “Pop-Tarts” you remember, but none of the guilt (and none of the chemicals or high fructose corn syrup.)

These Apple Cinnamon Pop-tarts are made with Otto’s Cassava Flour (a gluten-free, grain-free, nonGMO, non-inflammatory, whole-food, amazingly delicious flour!)

Otto’s Cassava Flour can be found in some specialty markets or online by clicking below.

Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound

 

 

These cassava flour Apple Cinnamon “Pop-Tarts” have just the right amount of natural apple cinnamon sweetness on the inside, and pure organic maple syrup sweetened crust goodness on the outside!

Let’s make Apple Cinnamon Pop-Tarts

*Full Printable recipe below*

Ingredients for the Dough:

-1 1/2 cups Otto’s Cassava Flour

-2 tablespoons organic maple syrup

-1 pastured egg

-1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

-1/2 teaspoon baking soda

-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

-1/2 cup Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening (or pastured butter if you tolerate dairy)

-1/2 cup filtered water

Ingredients for the Filling:

-3 organic apples – peeled and sliced

-1 teaspoon organic coconut oil

-2 teaspoons cinnamon

-1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

-2 tablespoons juice from an organic lemon

-2 teaspoons tapioca starch

Ingredients for Icing (Optional)

-1 cup powdered sugar

-1 teaspoon vanilla

-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

-1 tablespoon filtered water

-Optional -1 tablespoon colored decorative sugar (If you want them to look like classic “Pop-Tarts”) I use TruColor Natural Sanding Sugars (Red).

TruColor Natural Sanding Sugars come in a variety of colors to meet all your baking needs! I love them because they’re made  from Fruits, Vegetables, Roots, Seeds & Minerals! They contain NO SYNETHETIC FD&C DYES / NO ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES. 

Click picture below to check out TruColor Natural Sanding Sugars so you will have them on hand for all your holiday baking!

 

Apple Cinnamon Pop-Tart Instructions:

It all starts with the apples! First, peel and slice 3 apples.

Whole apples, peeled apples, and a pile of apple skins.

Peeled apple, apple slicer, and a pile of sliced apples.

 

Place 1 tablespoon coconut oil into a pan on medium heat. Add sliced apples, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Cook 4-5 minutes until fork tender.

Sliced apples in a frying pan with cinnamon, lemon juice and salt.

Cooked sliced apples in a frying pan.

 

Place cooked apples into a food processor to blend into a smooth textured filling. For chunkier filling, place only half of the apples into the food processor and cut up remaining pieces into smaller chunks.

Make a slurry out of 2 teaspoons tapioca starch (which is made of yuca) and water. Add to apple mixture to slightly thicken it. Return to the stovetop and cook for a few more minutes to decrease any starchy flavor. Set apple filling aside while making dough.

 

To make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add maple syrup and thoroughly blend. Then add Otto’s Cassava Flour, xantham gum, salt, baking soda, vegetable shortening or butter, and water. Blend with a spoon. When it gets all crumbly and difficult to mix, use your hands to fully incorporate ingredients.

Cassava flour pop-tart dough crumbles.

 

Pop-Tart cassava flour dough in a bowl

 

Roll out half the dough onto parchment paper and cut into desired shapes and sizes with a pastry wheel or pizza cutter. These will be the bottom halves of the “pop-tarts.”

Rolled out and divided cassava flour dough to be made into "pop-tarts." Rolling pin and pastry wheel.

 

Transfer each cut-out pastry bottom onto a parchment lined baking sheet and fill with a heaping tablespoon of apple filling. Roll out second half of dough into matching sizes and shapes for the pastry tops. Then dip finger in water and run wet finger along the perimeter of each pastry bottom. Carefully lay each pastry top over the bottom pastry and filling. Press down along edges to seal. For a decorative effect press with a fork all around the edges.

Making Apple Cinnamon Cassava Flour "Pop-Tarts." Section dough, fill with a spoonful of apple filling, cover with a second pastry. Seal.

 

Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until edges begin to brown.

Baked Apple Cinnamon Cassava Flour "Pop-Tarts" on cooling rack.

 

Place cooked pasties on a rack to cool. While cooling, make icing (if desired.) Combine powdered sugar, water, vanilla and cinnamon until smooth. Once cool, drizzle icing onto each pop-tart.

With these pop-tarts, you control the amount of sugar by deciding how much icing to put on top. Other than the icing, the only added sugar in 8 pop-tarts is 2 Tbsp of pure organic maple syrup (about 3 grams each.) I added the colored decorative sugar to make these appear more like classic pop-tarts, but this can easily be eliminated to minimize the sugar.

Drizzle desired amount of icing onto each pop-tart using a spoon.

Drizzling icing onto Apple Cinnamon Cassava Flour "Pop -arts."

 

A baking tray filled with iced Apple Cinnamon Cassava Flour "Pop-Tarts."

Enjoy!!

3 Apple Cinnamon Cassava Flour "Pop-Tarts"

 

*****

 

These Apple Cinnamon “Pop Tarts” freeze really well and can be quickly defrosted for a warm, homemade treat any time! Either microwave for 30-45 seconds, bake at 375 in the oven or toaster oven for 10 minutes, or leave out on counter for about an hour.

I get really excited when I’m yearning for a sweet treat and I remember that these are in the freezer!

 ***

 ***

 

Purchase Otto’s Cassava Flour online here! so you can make these amazing grain-free Pop-tarts!!!

Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound

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!

***

***

Healthy Eating Tip: What is Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening?  It is expeller pressed organic palm fruit oil with some of its unsaturated fats removed to form shortening. Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening is a Non-GMO, Fair Trade certified, Rainforest Alliance certified, all vegetable shortening containing no hydrogenated fats. It has no flavor, no affect on the color of baked goods, and acts as a natural preservative extending the shelf-life of food. It adds flakiness to crusts, creaminess to icing, and crispiness to fries in a way that oil cannot. It has a high smoke point so there is no concern of rancidity at high temperatures, as is the case with many cooking oils. Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening has 1 ingredient – expeller pressed organic palm oil. Expeller pressing is a mechanical process that uses pressure to naturally extract oil from nuts and seeds. Expeller pressing is a much healthier process than chemical processing which uses hexane, a neurotoxic byproduct of gasoline production. A hexane residue can remain in the oil and the FDA doesn’t require testing for this. Since expeller pressing is more expensive and produces less oil, big manufacturers tend to use chemical processing. If choosing a vegetable shortening other than Spectrum brand, make sure the company procures their oils using sustainable methods that don’t contribute to deforestation, or displacement and mistreatment of native communities and workers, as has traditionally been the case.

 

***

 

Apple Cinnamon Pop-Tarts
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 

Now you can have fun, delicious "pop-tarts" without the guilt! Don't be deceived by the fact that these are gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, and low in sugar. These cassava flour "pop-tarts" have just the right amount of sweetness - with apple cinnamon goodness on the inside and a delectable flakey crust on the outside. Whether warm or at room temperature this satisfying treat really hits the spot! 

Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple cinnamon, cassava flour, dessert, gluten-free, Grain-Free, hand pie, pop-tart, pop-tarts, poptart
Servings: 8
Author: Lauren from Crazy For Yuca
Ingredients
For the Dough
  • 1 1/2 cups Otto's Cassava Flour
  • 2 Tbsp organic maple syrup
  • 1 pastured egg
  • 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
  • 1/2 cup Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening or pastured butter (if you tolerate dairy.) Kerry Gold Butter is a readily available option
  • 1/2 cup filtered water
For the Filling
  • 3 organic apples - peeled and sliced
  • 1 Tbsp organic coconut oil
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt
  • 2 Tbsp juice from an organic lemon
  • 2 tsp tapioca starch
Icing
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp water. If icing is too thick, add additional water - 1 tsp at a time.
  • 1 Tbsp colored decorative sugar to sprinkle on top of icing (optional.) For a classic Pop-tart look.
Instructions
For the Filling
  1. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add coconut oil.

  2. Add peeled, sliced apples to the pan.

  3. Add cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice. Cook 4-5 minutes until apples are fork tender.

  4. For a smooth textured filling, put cooked apple mixture into a food processor and blend for a few seconds until smooth. Don't over-blend. If a chunkier filling is desired, place only half the apples in food processor to blend, then combine with the rest of the cooked apples.

  5. In a small dish, mix 2 tsp tapioca starch with 2 tsp water to form a slurry. 

  6. Place blended apple filling back into pan on the stovetop, add slurry, mix, and cook for a few additional minutes to remove any starchy flavor from the tapioca.

For the Dough
  1. In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add maple syrup and thoroughly blend. Then add cassava flour, xanthan gum, salt, baking soda, Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening or butter, and water. Blend into a dough, first by mixing with a spoon and then using your hands to fully incorporate ingredients. If dough is too dry, add additional water - 1 Tbsp at a time. If dough is too wet, add additional cassava flour - 1 Tbsp at a time. 

To Assemble "Pop Tarts"
  1. Roll out half the dough on parchment paper. This will form the bottom layers of the pastries.

  2. Cut dough to the size and shape desired with a pastry wheel or pizza cutter. This recipe makes 8 -  3" x 3 1/2" "pop-tarts" (depending how thin dough is rolled out) but can be made into whatever size or shape is desired.

  3. Transfer each cut-out piece of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

  4. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of apple filling into the center of each cut-out piece of pastry, ensuring to leaving enough room around the perimeter for the top and bottom pastries to connect and be sealed together.

  5. Roll out and cut remaining dough to match the sizes and shapes of the bottom halves.

  6. Place 1/4 cup filtered water into a small bowl. Dip finger into the water and run wet finger along the edge of each pastry bottom.

  7. Carefully lay each top, cut-out pastry over bottom pastry with filling. Press down along the edges to seal. For a decorative effect press down using a fork around the edges of pastry.

  8. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until edges begin to brown.

  9. Let cool before icing.

For the Icing
  1. Mix powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and water until smooth. If icing is too thick, add additional water in 1 tsp increments until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle desired amount of icing over cooled "pop-tarts." Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.

 

*****

 

Subscribe to Crazy For Yuca and receive free recipes and tips for living happy, healthy and gluten-free. Join the community and never miss a recipe!

Crazy For Yuca logo with a red heart with yellow writing

 

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.

 

 

 

Zesty Dijonnaise Dressing (Low FODMAP)

Zesty Dijonnaise Dressing (Low FODMAP)

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 

Guacamole

Guacamole

 In my opinion, guacamole is the perfect condiment! It’s gluten and dairy-free, full of healthy fats, and is “whole food” at its best. Not to mention it’s creamy and delicious! Guacamole makes chopped up veggies WAY more fun, and is a perfect pair with many 

Cassava Flour Tortilla Wraps

Cassava Flour Tortilla Wraps

Cassava Flour Tortilla Wraps separated by parchment paper.

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! These tortilla wraps do so much more for your meal than just hold it together!

Knowing these delicious, gluten-free, grain-free tortilla wraps are always in my freezer gives me comfort that any member of my family can throw together a whole-food, satisfying meal in minutes!

 

Here are some ways my family enjoys these tortilla wraps. (See Yuca Pairing recipe links below.)

Veggie Egg on Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap, Taco on Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap.Chicken and Spinach on Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap, Zesty Chicken Salad Dijonnaise on Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap

 

This recipe was developed by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne of ThePaleoMom.com (See her full recipe link below.) A big thank you to her for creating such AWESOME tortillas!

All it takes is a few simple ingredients and about 30 minutes of your time.

Ingredients:

-Otto’s Cassava Flour

-avocado oil

-pink Himalayan sea salt

-cream of tartar

-baking soda

-warm water

Ingredients needed to make Cassava Flour Tortilla Wraps.

Simply mix dry ingredients together, add oil and water, then blend until a dough forms. Toward the end it may be easier to knead with your hands into a large ball of dough.
Mix Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap ingredients in bowl to form dough. Cassava Flour Dough Ball

Divide dough ball into smaller balls, depending on the number and size of tortilla wraps desired.8 Cassava Flour Dough Balls

Roll out each ball with a rolling pin on parchment paper, or use a tortilla press if you’re lucky enough to have one. (A tortilla press is DEFINITELY on my wish list!) ThePaleoMom uses one in her video and her tortillas come out PERFECT in a fraction of the time!  Click here for full recipe and video from Thepaleomom.com.

Rolling pin and rolled-out Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap

Place each rolled-out tortilla wrap in an UN-GREASED, preheated frying pan and cook on medium heat for 1-2 minutes until bubbles begin to form.

Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap in pan with bubbles forming.

Flip and cook the second side for 30-60 seconds. Each side should cook enough to form brown spots as seen below.

Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap cooking in pan forming brown spots indicating readiness to be flipped.

Stack each tortilla wrap on a plate, with parchment paper between each layer to prevent them from sticking together. They’re now ready to be filled with your favorite toppings. Once cooled they can also be frozen this way in a sealed plastic bag.

Cassava Flour Wraps in between layers of parchment paper.

 

Otto’s Cassava Flour is available in some specialty markets or can be purchased by clicking the link below!

Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound

 

No time to make these Cassava Flour Tortilla Wraps, but want to try a great ready-made version? I highly recommend Siete Cassava and Coconut TortillasThese are YUMMY!!!

Siete Cassava & Coconut Flour Tortillas, Paleo Approved, 8 count (2 Pack – 16 Tortillas)

 

*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 ingredients or products. Thank you so much for supporting Crazy For Yuca’s efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!

 

***

 

Healthy Eating Tip: Double your batch and freeze them for a quick, satisfying meal in minutes! These tortillas freeze perfectly! I make about a dozen and freeze them with parchment paper between them in a large zippered plastic bag. They’re then ready to be pulled out whenever a family member wants to make a quick breakfast wrap, salad wrap, taco, fajita, etc. They also hit the spot when you need a quick snack and would otherwise grab cookies or chips. For a soft bendable wrap, just heat frozen tortilla wrap in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds or bake in the oven/toaster oven for 1-2 minutes. They can also be toasted (whole or first cut into wedges) for more of a crunchy cracker. Eat plain or dip into guacamole or hummus for a healthy snack or side dish. They are so versatile!

***

Click here for Dr Sarah Ballantyne of The PaleoMom.com’s video and full recipe. She calls these Paleo Flour Tortillas (AIP-Friendly!)

***

Cassava Tortilla Wrap Pairings

Click here for Veggie Egg recipe

Click here for Taco Meat recipe

Click here for Zesty Chicken Salad Dijonnaise

Click here for Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken recipe.

Having cooked chicken or taco meat on hand ensures a healthy wrap can be thrown together in minutes any time!

How do you like your tortilla wraps? Comment below and let me know what you think of these tortilla wraps and about your own unique creations!

 

Yellow banner with black writing, and 2 Crazy For Yuca logo hearts in 2 corners, inviting readers to subscribe to CrazyForYuca.com

 

 
 

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.

 

Baked Yuca Empanadas (Grain-Free)

Baked Yuca Empanadas (Grain-Free)

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 

Yuca-ta Try These Cassava Flour Pancakes

Yuca-ta Try These Cassava Flour Pancakes

 “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 

Garlic Yuca Flatbread

Garlic Yuca Flatbread

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.

*****

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!

 *****

See Full Printable Recipe at the Bottom of Post.

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.

Frozen Yuca

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.

Fresh Yuca One whole yuca root

Peeled Fresh Yuca
Peeled Fresh Yuca

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.

Removing the stick-like stem in the center of yuca/cassava.

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.

Boiled yuca chunks.

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.

Rolling pin and rolled-out Yuca Flatbread.

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.

Whole baked Yuca Flatbread

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.

"Everything But The Bagel" Yuca Flatbread

Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend 2.3 Oz

Would you like to see yuca/cassava snacks and goodies as well as pantry items and kitchen gadgets used to make Crazy For Yuca recipes in my kitchen?

 CLICK HERE TO SHOP

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!

*****

See Original Recipe by Jennifer Robbins here at PredominanatlyPaleo.com

See Video – Yuca Dough – PredominanatlyPaleo.com

*****

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.

*****

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.  

 *****

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!

*****

Yuca Garlic Flatbread

Makes four 8” round flatbreads

Course: brunch, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, Italian, nut-free, Paleo, soy-free, vegan
Keyword: bread, cassava, flatbread, garlic bread, pita chips, yuca
Servings: 4 10-12 inch flatbreads
Author: Lauren from Crazy For Yuca
Ingredients
  • 4 cups peeled, boiled, chopped yuca (1 bag frozen or about 2 fresh yuca)
  • 2 Tbsp avocado oil - divided. Plus additional to brush on top of flatbreads before placing in oven.
  • 1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt - divided. Plus a sprinkle on top of rolled out yuca before placing in oven.
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder - divided. Plus a sprinkle on top of rolled out yuca before placing in oven.
  • parchment paper
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

  2. 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.

  3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

  4. 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.

  5. Cut boiled yuca into chunks (the smaller the better - to not overwhelm your food processor.)

  6. 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.)

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. 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.  

  11. Remove from oven. Slice immediately using a pizza cutter. Delays in slicing may cause it to crumble upon cutting. Enjoy!!

Recipe Notes

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!!

*****

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!

The Perfect Yuca Chip!

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 

Baked Yuca Fries

Baked Yuca Fries

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