... And all things wellness!
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 …
Looking for a healthy, delicious treat that’s quick and easy to make and can easily travel with you wherever you go? You’ve found it! Paleo No-Bake Date Nut Balls!!! Sweetened only with dates, and made with all “real food” ingredients, this is a truly guiltless …
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 me a list of ingredients with absolutely no measurements or proportions! It took me a few tries to perfect these, but they’re totally worth it! Slightly crispy on the outside, soft and bursting with flavor on the inside – YUM!!! Anita insists that these be dipped in hot sauce!
I chose to stuff my cassava balls with meat, but fill them with cheese, or fry them with no stuffing at all! This recipe is gluten and dairy-free, as well as grain-free, soy-free, nut-free, and egg-free. But trust me, they’re full of deliciousness!
These Stuffed Cassava Balls make a perfect appetizer for guests, side dish, or even a main meal served with a salad or vegetables!
If you have a traditional way to cook Cassava Balls, please share in the comments section below! Maybe you stuff them with something awesome, or have a special dipping sauce that my readers would enjoy! Yuca is incredibly versatile, and is a staple that’s enjoyed in all sorts of ways throughout Latin America, Africa, and Asia! It’s my mission to create a yuca-loving community, and spread the word in the United States. We’ve been left out of all the yuca excitement for way too long!!!
***
Any required non-perishable ingredients can be quickly and easily purchased online by clicking the needed items below.
*Full Printable recipe below*
-1 1/2 pounds yuca (fresh or frozen can be used)
-1/3 cup Otto’s Cassava Flour
-6 organic garlic cloves – minced
-3 organic scallions – minced
-1 teaspoon salt (I use pink Himalayan salt because of its purity and high mineral content)
-1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
-1 pound organic ground meat of choice. I used organic grass-fed beef. (Sautéed vegetables can also be used as filling)
-1 small organic onion – diced
-2 teaspoons Adobo Seasoning (I use Primal Palate Organic Adobo Seasoning)
–ChosenFoods 100% Pure Avocado Oil – for frying (Chosen because of its purity and high smoke point.)
-Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
-While water is boiling, peel fresh yuca and cut into a few pieces (if using frozen yuca, it’s already peeled and cut into a few large pieces. No need to even defrost it!)
If you need assistance peeling your fresh yuca, click: How to Peel Fresh Yuca for step by step directions, including pictures.
-Once water is boiling, add peeled, cut yuca to water and cook for 20 minutes, until fork tender. *Ensure yuca is fully covered by water throughout boiling.
*Do not over-boil or you will have very sticky, mushy yuca that will be difficult to work with!
-While yuca is cooking, brown ground organic meat and onion in a frying pan on medium heat, until meat is no longer pink and onion is translucent.
-Add 2 teaspoons Primal Palate Organic Adobo Seasoning to meat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and allow flavors to mingle for 3-5 minutes.
-Meanwhile, mince organic garlic cloves and scallions. (These will be added to the boiled yuca.)
-Once yuca is fork tender, drain water and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, transfer to a cutting board and remove the stick-like center that runs through the middle.
-Mash yuca by hand, or place into a food processor one cup at a time, along with garlic, scallions, pink Himalayan salt, and pepper. Pulverize for 1-2 minutes until fully blended into yuca mash. (*Placing too much yuca into a food processor at one time may overheat machine.)
-Before stuffing the cassava balls, allow yuca mash to fully cool. It can be put into the refrigerator for a few minutes, if needed.
–With moistened hands, place a spoonful of cooled yuca mash into the palm of your hand and flatten as much as possible. (*You will need to wet your hands in between the filling of each cassava ball. This is critical to prevent yuca dough from sticking to your hands!)
-Place a spoonful of cooked organic ground meat into the center of each flattened handful of yuca dough.
-Carefully form a ball by bringing the edges of yuca dough together around the meat. Additional yuca mash may be needed to fully cover meat.
-Roll each formed ball in Otto’s Cassava Flour, ensuring even coating all around.
-Heat avocado oil in a fryer, pot, or frying pan on medium high heat. (Note: Balls come out rounder if they’re fully submerged in the oil while frying. However, they can also be fried in a frying pan and flipped halfway through.)
-The oil is ready for frying when a drop of water placed into it creates a sizzle.
-Carefully place each ball into the boiling oil with a slotted metal spoon or spatula, ensuring not be touched by splattering oil.
-Fry until golden brown. This takes between 2-3 minutes. *Be sure to keep an eye on your Stuffed Cassava Balls during frying, as cooking time may vary.
-Once golden, remove with metal slotted utensil and place on a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil.
-Serve with your favorite hot sauce!
-Eat immediately, or refrigerate and reheat in the oven when desired.
***
***
***
***
***
***
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 meet my own personal standard for high quality and clean eating that I use in my own kitchen. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
***
***
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! I chose to stuff these with meat, but many stuff them with cheese, or fry them with no stuffing at all. This gluten-free appetizer or side dish is slightly crispy on the outside, and soft and bursting with flavor on the inside!!! Anita insists these be dipped in hot sauce!
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
While water is boiling, peel fresh yuca and cut into a few pieces. (If using frozen yuca, it’s already peeled and cut into a few large pieces. No need to even defrost it!)
Once water is boiling, add peeled, cut yuca to water and boil for 20 minutes, until fork tender. *Do not over-boil or you will have very sticky, mushy yuca that will be difficult to work with! *Ensure yuca is fully covered by water throughout boiling.
While yuca is boiling, brown ground organic meat and onion in a frying pan on medium heat, until meat is no longer pink and onion is translucent.
Add 2 teaspoons Primal Palate Organic Adobo Seasoning to meat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and allow flavors to mingle for 3-5 minutes.
Meanwhile, mince organic garlic cloves and scallions. (These will be added to the boiled yuca.)
Once yuca is fork tender, drain water and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, transfer to a cutting board and remove the stick-like center that runs through the middle.
Mash yuca by hand, or cut into chunks, then place into a food processor one cup at a time, along with the garlic, scallions, salt, and pepper. Blend for 1-2 minutes until fully combined into yuca mash. (*Placing too much yuca into food processor at once may overheat machine.)
Before stuffing the cassava balls, allow yuca mash to fully cool. It can be put into the refrigerator for a few minutes, if needed.
With moistened hands, place a spoonful of cooled yuca mash into the palm of your hand and flatten as much as possible. (*You will need to wet your hands in between the filling of each cassava ball. This is critical for preventing yuca dough from sticking to your hands!)
Place a spoonful of cooked organic ground meat into the center of each flattened handful of yuca dough.
Carefully form a ball by bringing the edges of yuca dough together. If needed, additional yuca can be added to ensure complete coverage of the meat.
Roll each formed ball into cassava flour, ensuring even coating all around.
Heat avocado oil in a fryer, pot, or frying pan on medium high heat. (Note: Balls come out rounder if they are fully submerged in oil while frying. However, they can also be fried in a frying pan and flipped halfway through.)
The oil is hot enough when a drop of water placed into it creates a sizzle.
Using a slotted metal spoon or spatula, carefully place each ball into the heated oil, ensuring to steer clear of splattering oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown.
*Be sure to keep an eye on your Stuffed Cassava Balls during frying, as cooking times may vary.
Once golden, remove with metal slotted utensil and place on a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil.
Serve with your favorite hot sauce for dipping!
Eat immediately, or refrigerate and reheat in oven when 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.
Have you ever had a best friend be right there with you as you struggled through a really hard time? That’s what these Apple Cinnamon Nut Muffins were for me on my quest to eliminate gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, and eggs from my diet! These …
I can’t think of any better way to say Happy Chanukah than with Cassava Latkes!!! (Although they’re also the perfect appetizer or side dish any day of the year!) These latkes are crispy on the outside, and slightly chewy in the very center. DELICIOUS! These Cassava …
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 fan of peppermint? Leave it out! These brownies will still be pure chocolate deliciousness!!!
I made these using Otto’s Cassava Flour, a very high quality cassava flour that can easily be swapped into recipes typically made with wheat flour. Cassava (a.k.a. yuca) is naturally grain-free, low glycemic, non-GMO, paleo, Whole30 approved, and autoimmune protocol friendly! Check out Otto’s Cassava Flour here:
Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
Want more info about cassava flour? Check out my page Getting to Know Cassava (Yuca) Flour
Want more info about cooking with yuca? Check out my page Getting to Know Yuca (Cassava)
I created these Chocolate Chip Peppermint Brownies as a little nosh for an essential oils workshop I was hosting. (I MUST bring yuca/cassava wherever I go!) BIG HIT!!! They were an excellent demonstration of how essential oils can be incorporated into our lives, not just topically or through diffusing, but internally as well! (*Note: Not all brands or oil types are safe for consumption.) I used doTerra Peppermint Oil and carefully checked that it was safe to cook with before creating this recipe.
If you’d like more information about incorporating essential oils into your life, email me at CrazyForYuca@gmail.com.
*Click any non-perishable ingredient needed below to quickly and easily order it online.
Ingredients:
-1/2 cup Otto’s Cassava Flour
-1/2 cup organic cocoa powder
-1/2 cup organic maple syrup
-1/2 cup organic coconut oil – melted
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-2 cage-free eggs – room temperature (I use duck eggs since I’m sensitive to chicken eggs. Both work perfectly!)
-1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-Optional: 3-4 drops of doTerra Peppermint essential oil (Email me at crazyforyuca@gmail.com for wholesale pricing)
-1 1/4 cups dairy-free chocolate chips – divided (I use either Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mega Chunks or Pascha Organic 55% Cacao Dark Chocolate Chips. (Both options are free of common allergens such as gluten, dairy, nuts, and soy!)
Instructions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-In a large mixing bowl, cream maple syrup and melted coconut oil (I use an electric beater.)
-Add eggs, vanilla, and 3 drops doTerra peppermint essential oil – If peppermint flavored brownies are desired. (Be careful not to add too much oil. A little goes a long way!) Beat until fully blended.
-Stir in cassava flour, cocoa powder, and pink Himalayan salt. Mix with a spoon until fully combined.
-Mix in 3/4 cup chocolate chips.
-Place in a baking pan (I used an 8″ by 8″ pan covered with parchment paper – makes for easy clean up)
-Place into pre-heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
-Remove from oven. Allow to cool.
-Optional: Melt the additional 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and “ice” the peppermint brownies with the melted chocolate. Because more chocolate is always better!!!!
-Cut into desired sized brownies. 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 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!
***
***
***
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 fan of peppermint? Leave it out! These brownies will still be pure chocolate deliciousness!!!
***
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.
Nothing says Fall like the smell of apples and cinnamon! And there’s nothing cozier than snuggling up with a baked apple crumble on a chilly day! This Apple Cassava Crumble is so quick and easy to make! Perfect for your next brunch, snack, dessert for Thanksgiving …
There are endless ways to enjoy yuca/cassava, as it’s eaten in so many parts of the world in various different ways! Attieke is fermented, grated cassava. It’s a staple street food of the people who live along the Ivory Coast of West Africa. Attieke is …
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 ideas lately! (Yuca recipe possibilities are truly endless!!!) When I came across a ravioli post by Hayley from “Health Starts In The Kitchen” on Instagram, I was compelled to try her Cassava Flour Pasta Dough recipe that very night! It was so perfectly scrumptious that I no longer feel the need to create my own! (Why recreate the wheel?) I’m just going to make her recipe from now on, and show you step by step pictures below of just how easy it is to make! I’m sure you’ll LOVE it as much as I do! See link below for Hayley’s recipe.
Have you ever had fresh pasta? It’s a real treat! Why eat processed pasta made from enriched flours when this incredible, gluten, grain, and nut-free, whole-food pasta is so quick and easy to make??? The possibilities of what can be made with this pasta dough are endless!!! I made mine into fettuccine this time, but this basic dough recipe can be used in any pasta dish!
This fresh pasta is made with Otto’s Cassava Flour – Get it by clicking here.
Ingredients:
– pink Himalayan salt (I use this type because of its high mineral content)
– pastured eggs
– avocado oil (I use Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil)
– organic chicken bone broth or filtered water. (I use Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Bone Broth since I did’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
Blend ingredients into a dough (I simply mixed with a spoon, then kneaded dough with my hands.)
Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit for a few minutes.
Using a rolling pin, roll out pasta dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to preferred thickness.
Cut into strips using a pizza cutter and straight edge. I chose to make fettuccine, but any desired shape can be made!
Place freshly cut pasta into pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes.
Check out this little video of my fettuccine boiling. (I was literally drooling in anticipation of trying it! It didn’t disappoint!!!)
Drain Grain-Free Pasta in colander.
Serve immediately as part of your favorite pasta recipe!
How simple and easy was that?!?!
Maybe some fun shaped pasta? Ravioli? Lasagna? Add it to your favorite soup or stew???
Don’t forget to take a picture of your creation and share with me on Instagram!
Comment below to tell me what you think of this recipe!
Cassava Flour Fresh Pasta with sautéed veggies! Here, I topped the fettuccine with sautéed onions, garlic, zucchini, red pepper, and red chard. I then topped it with a little sauce made with bone broth and Primal Palate Adobo Seasoning. YUM!!!
Check out Primal Palate’s amazing seasonings and blends by clicking here.
Here I added chicken from my Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken that’s always in my fridge, ready to be thrown into any recipe!
To test out if this pasta stayed fresh, I used the leftovers the next night to add to my chicken cacciatore with spinach! Pasta perfection!
Chicken Soup with Cassava Fresh Pasta!!! 😃
***
***
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!
***
PALEO PASTA NOODLES {NUT FREE} by Jennifer from Predominantly Paleo
Homemade Paleo Pasta (Grain Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free) by Natalie from THE CASTAWAY KITCHEN
HOMEMADE CASSAVA FLOUR PASTA {NO PASTA-MAKER NEEDED!} by Cristina from Honey Ghee And Me
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.
Nothing says Fall like homemade pumpkin pie! Just because you’re gluten or dairy-free doesn’t mean you should miss out! These delicious, adorable Cassava Flour Pumpkin Tartlets rival any pumpkin pie out there! Made with Otto’s Cassava Flour, they’re not only gluten-free, but grain-free and paleo …
I like to think of Baked Stuffed Yuca as healthy stromboli – an Italian inspired gluten and grain-free yuca dough rolled around all “real food” nutritious ingredients! They can be made vegan by filling them with only veggies. I filled these with organic grass-fed beef, …
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 do a demo at the Gluten Free Allergy Expo of how to make these, and observed how thrilled everyone was with their samples (both the gluten-eating and gluten-free people alike!) I feel compelled to get the word out about these baguettes. They’re THAT GOOD!
What’s the secret? They’re made with gfJules Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour! This flour has been voted the #1 gluten-free flour for 3 years in a row from 2016-2018! It’s a wonderful blend of tapioca starch (an extract of… you guessed it – YUCA! along with potato starch, corn starch, white rice flour, corn flour and xanthan gum.
*This flour is certified gluten-free and kosher, is non-GMO, soy-free, nut-free, and made in a gluten-free facility on a Top8 allergen free line! Jules has celiac herself, which is what motivated her to create her incredibly delicious and allergen safe line of products.
*This container makes 2 long baguettes like the one shown below.
Gather the following ingredients together to make these baguettes!
*Full printable link to gfJules full recipe below*
*Any needed pantry item can be ordered simply by clicking on the ingredients listed below.
*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 gluten and dairy-free yuca/cassava recipes!
Version 1 – (This is the recipe I used)
–gfjules Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour (#1 ranking gluten-free flour 3 years in a row. High quality, clean flour)
–Coconut Milk Powder (I used Native Forest Dairy Free Gluten Free Coconut Milk Powder) Milk powder can also be used if dairy is tolerated.
-Additional ingredients common to both versions listed below.
Version 2-
–gfjules Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix (Can be used instead of the All-Purpose Flour and coconut milk protein)
-Additional ingredients common to both versions listed below.
Both version 1 and 2 require the following additional ingredients:
-salt (I used pink Himalayan salt because of its high mineral content)
-egg whites (flaxseed meal or chia seeds can be substituted for a vegan, egg-free version.)
-extra virgin olive oil (I used Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado oil)
–rapid rise yeast (For a yeast-free version a combination of vinegar, baking soda, and baking powder is outlined in Jules Shepard’s full recipe. See below.)
-toppings of choice (I used Trader Joe’s Onion Salt, but you can use whatever you like such as sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coarse salt, you name it!)
-a clean spray bottle to spritz the dough (*the key to the crispiness of the crust!)
-plastic zip lock bag – 1 gallon size
-Optional – baguette pan (I just used a parchment lined baking pan and it came out perfect!)
***
***
Baguette dough. I used a hand mixer to blend ingredients together. 
Jules recommends placing the blended dough into an oiled plastic bag, then cutting a 1″ hole in one corner to use as a piping bag. This method worked perfectly! Check out gfJules’ video here, where she demonstrates how to pipe out the dough.
Dough was piped out onto parchment paper and three cuts were made diagonally across the loaf to allow dough to rise evenly. An egg-wash was then applied (mine is yellow because I used a whole egg, not just the whites) along with my topping of choice – Trader Joe’s Onion Salt. Feel free to top with anything you like!
While a baguette pan can be used, I baked mine right on a parchment lined baking sheet. It came out perfect!
Can you imagine how hard it was to take these pictures before getting to eat this baguette?!?! Never have I had to demonstrate such restraint! The aroma filled the house and my mouth was watering the whole time!!!
Slicing the baguette.
No need to bake 2 types of bread – one for the gluten-free eaters and another for everyone else. I assure you, this bread can be served to anyone, even your fussiest eater, and no one will know it’s gluten-free!
How do you enjoy your bread? How about with some St. Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread (sweetened only with fruit juice.)
Or with some Vegan Pesto and Organic Mixed Cherry Tomato Medley (both from Trader Joe’s.)
No matter how you slice it, or stack it, this bread is top notch!
Check out her Cornbread Mix, Sandwich Bread Mix, Muffin Mix, Pancake-Waffle Mix, Original Cookie Mix, Cut-Out Cookie Mix, and Graham Cracker – Gingerbread Mix by clicking her logo below!
***
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.
Everything is awesome with chocolate – am I right??? These Chocolate SunButter Pinwheel Cookies are a variation of my Strawberry Almond Butter Pinwheel Cookies (which are great even without chocolate!) Not only is this variation gluten, grain, dairy, and soy-free, but can be made nut-free as …
Creamy, whipped Yuca Mash! Simple, healthy, and made with all “real food” ingredients!!! What can be better than that? Oh, maybe that it’s Paleo, low glycemic, non-GMO, non-inflammatory, as well as Whole30 and autoimmune protocol approved!! Not sure what yuca is??? It’s a root vegetable, …
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 an excellent source of healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and immune boosting phytonutrients! Try the nuts and seeds suggested, or choose your own favorites! These nutrient dense Paleo Nut and Seed Bars are perfect for a snack, dessert, breakfast or bunch. With all the ready-made bars out there claiming to be healthy (which are actually often full of chemicals and other processed ingredients) it’s nice to know there’s a truly healthy, scrumptious bar that’s quick and easy to make!
These bars can be frozen, and pulled out whenever needed. They’re even awesome right out of the freezer! No defrosting needed!!!
Makes 12 bars
*Printer-friendly recipe below*
-2 1/4 cups Otto’s Cassava Flour
-3 organic, cage-free eggs (I use duck eggs, but chicken eggs can also be used)
-2/3 cup organic coconut oil – melted
-3/4 cup organic maple syrup
-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
-1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
-2 teaspoons xantham gum
-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-Optional: parchment paper (I prefer lining baking dishes with parchment for toxin-free, non-stick baking, and easy clean up.)
–Organic Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk (I use Let’s Do Organic brand which is Non-dairy, Vegan, Gluten-free, and Kosher)
-1/2 cup Unsalted, Dry Toasted Sliced Almonds (I use Trader Joe’s brand)
-1/2 cup Dry Roasted & Unsalted Pistachio Nutmeats (I use Trader Joe’s brand)
-1/2 cup Unsalted Dry Toasted Pecan Pieces (I use Trader Joe’s brand)
-1/3 cup Organic Unsweetened Shredded Coconut (I use Trader Joe’s brand)
-1-2 tablespoons Organic Chia Seeds (I use Trader Joe’s brand)
-1-2 tablespoons Raw Shelled Hemp Seed (I use Trader Joe’s brand)
I’m clearly a big fan of Trader Joe’s!! (lololol) You just can’t beat their prices, quality, and customer service!
*Note: Don’t be overly concerned with the brands, types, or amounts of nuts and seeds I used. These bars will taste great with any nuts and seeds you have on hand in any amounts you enjoy.
Need Otto’s Cassava Flour? Click here to check it out!
For more information on baking with cassava flour click here: Getting to Know Cassava (Yuca) Flour
To discover all the nutrition benefits of eating yuca click here: Yuca (Cassava) Nutrition Facts
Need Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk? Click here to order online
Note: No need to run to the store! Many non-perishable ingredients listed above can be purchased by simply clicking on the ingredient within the recipe.
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!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, blend Otto’s Cassava Flour, pink Himalayan salt, cinnamon, and xantham gum.
In a second bowl, blend maple syrup, melted coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredient bowl and mix just until fully combined. *Do not over-mix or cookie crust may come out gummy.
Line a 9×11 inch baking pan with parchment paper. (This step is optional, but allows for easy clean up, as well as non-toxic, non-stick baking without the need to grease the pan.) Choose a baking pan that’s deep enough to hold the 3/4″ crust as well as the toppings which will be added after initial baking.
Spoon dough into parchment lined pan and press down so dough forms an even cookie crust about 3/4″ thick.
Dough pressed to bottom of pan to form cookie crust – before baking
Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until edges become slightly brown and a fork stuck into center comes out clean.
Baked cassava flour cookie crust. Notice crust thickness – about 3/4″
Remove from oven, but keep oven on.
Add toppings:
While carefully handling hot pan with oven mitts, spread Organic Sweetened Condensed Coconut milk on top of cookie crust. (*Note: No need to use the entire can unless you desire a very sweet bar. Use just enough to cover cookie crust.) This will be the “glue” that holds the toppings on.
Scatter sliced almonds, pecan pieces, pistachios, shredded coconut, hemp and chia seeds over the sweetened condensed coconut milk, trying to cover entire cookie crust. It’s fine for nuts and seeds to overlap.
Place back into oven for an additional 10 minutes until toppings adhere to cookie crust.
Allow to cool before cutting into 12 bars.
Enjoy!
Bars can also be cut into 24 bites if a smaller treat is desired.
For yuca snacks, pantry items, and kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes in my own kitchen.
Have you tried Primal Palate’s Organic Seasonings? They have some truly awesome blends!!!
Click below to check them out. Delish!!!
What do you get when you take cassava flour and a bunch of nuts and seeds? Delicious, nutritious Paleo Nut and Seed Bars!!!! Cassava flour is a low-glycemic, non-inflammatory starch, while nuts and seeds provide an excellent source of healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and immune boosting phytonutrients! Try the nuts and seeds suggested, or choose your own favorites! These nutrient dense Paleo Nut and Seed Bars are perfect for a snack, dessert, breakfast or bunch. It's nice to know there's a truly healthy, scrumptious bar that's quick and easy to make!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, blend Otto's Cassava Flour, pink Himalayan salt, cinnamon, and xantham gum.
In a second bowl, blend maple syrup, melted coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredient bowl and mix just until fully combined. *Do not over-mix or cookie crust may come out gummy.
Line a 9x11 inch baking pan with parchment paper. (This step is optional, but allows for easy clean up, as well as non-toxic, non-stick baking without the need to grease the pan.) Choose a baking pan that's deep enough to hold the 3/4" crust as well as the toppings which will be added after initial baking.
Spoon dough into parchment lined pan and press down so dough forms an even cookie crust about 3/4" thick.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until edges become slightly brown and a fork stuck into center comes out clean.
Remove from oven, but keep oven on.
While carefully handling hot pan with oven mitts, spread Organic Sweetened Condensed Coconut milk on top of cookie crust. (*Note: No need to use the entire can unless you desire a very sweet bar. Use just enough to cover cookie crust.) This will be the "glue" that holds the toppings on.
Scatter sliced almonds, pecan pieces, pistachios, shredded coconut, hemp and chia seeds over the sweetened condensed coconut milk, trying to cover entire cookie crust. It's fine for nuts and seeds to overlap.
Place back into oven for an additional 10 minutes until toppings adhere to cookie crust.
Allow to cool before cutting into 12 bars.
Enjoy!
These bars freeze perfectly! Bake, cool, then throw in the freezer for a ready-made treat any time!
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.
Bring the campfire home with Oven Baked S’mores Bars! These were created as a surprise birthday “cake” for my daughter who is gluten and dairy-free! She isn’t a fan of typical cake so I wanted to come up with something special. (Mission accomplished!!!) Years ago, …
Have you tried Yuca Chips yet??? If not, maybe this post will inspire you. They’re crispy, crunchy, and DELICIOUS! While my Perfect Yuca Chip recipe is AWESOME, you likely don’t have time to break out the mandolin every time you’d like a snack. And since …
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 super filling. So simple to make! So incredibly delicious and satisfying!
*Full printer-friendly recipe below*
Ingredients:
-3/4 pound yuca/cassava (Can use fresh or frozen) If using fresh, it must first be peeled and cut into 3-4 pieces. Frozen yuca is already peeled and cut.
To learn more about yuca check out my pages:
Buying, Storing, Peeling, and Cooking Yuca and
Yuca (Cassava) Nutrition Facts
-3/4 pound organic cauliflower – roughly chopped (can be fresh or frozen)
-3/4 pound organic broccoli (can be fresh or frozen)
-1 organic onion – chopped
-1 teaspoon Jada Spices Chicken Salt (Vegan bullion-like seasoning made of all natural spices – See description below.)
-4 cups filtered water (This is separate from the water used to boil the yuca.)
Contrary to what its name suggests, Jada Spices Chicken Salt is a vegan, all purpose seasoning blend that resembles the taste of chicken bouillon – only it’s healthy! (Chicken bullion is pure crap!) It’s a widely popular seasoning in Australia. Jada Spices Chicken Salt is made of sea salt, spices (trust me – these are all natural, but aren’t listed to protect their unique recipe), turmeric (excellent to combat inflammation,) onion powder, garlic powder, and less than 1% calcium stearate (to prevent caking.) Jada Spices Chicken Salt is free of soy, gluten, msg, preservatives, and GMOs! Check it out below because you’re going to need this seasoning so you can throw out those bullion cubes forever!!!
Instructions:
-Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add peeled fresh or frozen yuca. Return to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until fork tender.
-Meanwhile, in a separate pot, boil 4 cups of filtered water. Add chopped onion and cauliflower, along with 1 teaspoon Jada Spices Chicken Salt and cook for 20 minutes.
-Once yuca is fork tender, drain water from yuca pot.
-Place cooked, drained yuca, along with contents of second pot, into a Vitamix or blender and combine until smooth. (An immersion blender may also be used.)
-Return blended soup to the pot and add broccoli. Cover and cook on medium heat for 5-8 minutes until broccoli softens. *Stir often with a spatula to ensure it doesn’t adhere to the bottom of the pot.
-Using a ladle, remove about half the soup contents and place back into Vitamix/blender. Combine until smooth. Place blended soup back into the pot and stir until well combined. This creates a creamy soup with some chunks of broccoli. If a fully creamy soup is preferred (no chunks,) cook broccoli along with cauliflower and onion in step 3.
-Serve immediately! Enjoy!
Note: My husband wants me to mention that while this recipe is delicious as a soup, he also enjoys putting leftovers on top of chicken and vegetable dishes as a sauce!
for Jada Spices Chicken Salt, pantry items and kitchen gadgets I use for Crazy For Yuca recipes. All recommended products are used personally by me in my own kitchen!
All yuca/cassava snacks have been taste tested and approved by myself and my family! For a discussion of recommended yuca/cassava chips, see my post The Perfect Yuca Chip!
*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!
***
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 it a creamy consistency without the need for dairy, as well as makes it super filling. So incredibly simple to make! So incredibly delicious and satisfying!
Meanwhile, in a separate pot, boil 4 cups of filtered water.
Add chopped onion and cauliflower, along with 1 teaspoon Jada Chicken Salt and cook for 20 minutes.
Drain water from boiled yuca.
Place cooked, drained yuca, along with contents of second pot, into a Vitamix or blender and combine until smooth. (An immersion blender may also be used.)
Return blended soup to the pot and add broccoli. Cover and cook on medium heat for 5-8 minutes until broccoli softens. *Stir often with a spatula to ensure it doesn't adhere to the bottom of the pot.
Using a ladle, remove about half the soup contents and place back into blender. Combine until smooth. Place blended soup back into the pot and stir. This creates a creamy soup with some chunks of broccoli. If a fully creamy soup is preferred, cook broccoli along with cauliflower and onion in step 3.
Serve immediately!
Note: My husband wants me to mention that while this recipe is delicious as a soup, he also enjoyed putting it on top of chicken and vegetable dishes as a sauce! Good to know!!!
***
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
If you’re a Nutella fan, but prefer a healthy version that’s free of dairy, refined sugar, soy, and processed inflammatory oils, this Chocolate Hazelnut Butter is for you! While the first ingredient of Nutella is sugar, with only 13% hazelnuts, the predominant ingredient in this …
What’s more fun than strawberry shortcake?… Strawberry Short-Crepe Cream on Top!!! This beautiful gluten, diary, and refined sugar-free dessert is made simply by layering Grain-Free Crepes, scrumptious homemade Strawberry Jam, organic fresh strawberries, and Coconut Cream! It’s the perfect dessert, brunch dish, or birthday cake …
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.
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:
Melt coconut oil.
Place melted coconut oil into mixing bowl along with eggs, vanilla, and almond milk. Blend thoroughly.
Heat a frying pan on medium heat. (No need to use a non-stick pan or oil. These crepes will not stick to pan!)
Pour batter, about 1/4 cup at a time, into ungreased, heated frying pan. In order to make thin, circle-shaped crepes, pour batter slowly into the center of pan and use the back of the spoon or ladle in a circular motion to spread the batter evenly.
Cook on first side for about 1 minute, until batter solidifies. (See picture below.)
7. Flip and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds. Crepes should be slightly browned.
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!
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!!!
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!
for healthy pantry items, yuca snacks, and kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes in my kitchen!
All personally taste tested and approved by myself and my family! For a detailed description of recommended yuca/cassava chips, see my post The Perfect Yuca Chip!
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.
Melt coconut oil.
Place melted coconut oil into mixing bowl along with eggs, vanilla, and almond milk. Blend thoroughly.
Add tapioca flour, cassava flour, and pink Himalayan salt. Blend until smooth.
Heat a frying pan on medium heat. (No need to use a non-stick pan or oil. These crepes will not stick to pan!)
Pour batter, about 1/4 cup at a time, into ungreased, heated frying pan. In order to make thin, circle-shaped crepes, pour batter slowly into the center of pan and use the back of the spoon or ladle in a circular motion to spread the batter evenly.
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.
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.
***
***
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
This guilt-free lasagna has everything that makes lasagna yummy, yet no gluten, grain, or dairy to trigger many common food sensitivities. It’s even Paleo and Whole30 compliant! Who ever thought one could say that about lasagna??? While it may be a bit unconventional, this lasagna …
What’s a Southwestern Egg Roll? Think Chinese egg rolls, only the inside is a burst of spicy Southwestern flavored chicken and veggies! WHAT AN AMAZING IDEA!!! I only wish I thought of it! This recipe is courtesy of The Modern Cavegirl from Heart & Bones …
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.
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!
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 –
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.
Once Garlic Yuca Flatbread has baked, add desired amount of Guacamole.
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!!!
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!!!
Enjoy!!!!
***
***
By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small commission which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional cost to you. All recommended products are ones that I use in my own kitchen. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
***
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Who doesn’t love a salty hot pretzel??? As a gluten-free eater I thought I’d never have one again, until now! These Grain-Free Soft Pretzels are THE REAL DEAL!!! They’re made with Otto’s Cassava Flour, so they’re naturally gluten and grain-free! With all “real” whole …
These Grain-Free Popovers are so light and airy! They’re fun to eat and really hit the spot when you’re craving some bread, but don’t want the grain! They’re especially delicious warm right out of the oven! While most of my Crazy For Yuca recipes are …
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
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.
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 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.)
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.
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.
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.)
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.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until edges begin to brown.
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!!!
***
***
***
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!!!
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.
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.
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.
Transfer each cut-out pastry bottom onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Place a heaping tablespoon of fruit spread on each cut-out pastry.
Roll out second half of dough into matching sizes and shapes for the pastry tops.
Dip finger in water and run wet finger along the perimeter of each pastry bottom. (This will help pastry layers adhere to each other.)
Carefully lay each pastry top over the bottom pastry and filling. Press down along edges to seal.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until edges begin to brown.
Once cooked, place cooked pasties on a rack to cool.
While cooling, make icing (if desired) by combining powdered sugar, water, and vanilla until smooth. Add desired coloring.
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.
I call this recipe Mandel Bread / Biscotti because there’s little (if any) difference between these 2 cookies. I want everyone to feel free to enjoy them – no matter one’s heritage, or holiday celebrating. With both Passover and Easter coming within the next week, …
It’s time to plan your Passover menu! Why not decrease the grains this holiday with Grain-Free Cassava Flour Matzo Balls? They will be adored by your gluten-eating and gluten-free guests alike! (I had a little trouble stopping myself from eating them all before getting a …
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.
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.
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.
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. 
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.
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.
Ground Provisions are also traditionally eaten with curried fish (often flaked and mixed in with the provisions) or with meat (as pictured below.)
Enjoy!!!
***
***
***
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.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon pink Himalayan salt.
While water boils, peel provisions (yuca, sweet potatoes, yams, eddoes, and plantains) and cut them into large chunks for boiling.
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.
While provisions boil, chop onions, peppers, scallions, hot peppers (if using,) and mince garlic cloves.
Add 1 tablespoon organic ghee along with chopped vegetables to preheated frying pan. Season with 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt and lemon juice.
If adding beef, in a separate frying pan brown 1 pound organic, grass-fed ground beef. Cook until meat is no longer pink.
Once provisions are fork tender (after about 20-25 minutes) drain water.
Add pan fried vegetables to provisions. Stir gently, provisions are soft and easily mashed.
Add cooked ground beef (or fish) to provisions and pan fried vegetables. Garnish with chopped scallions.
Note: Guyanese Ground Provisions are often served with curried fish, either on top or shredded and mixed in with this dish.
***
(For a listing of other pantry items, kitchen gadgets, yuca snacks and goodies
that I use, click here shop.)
***
***
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
I’m making this banana bread as I type up this post, and the incredible aroma as it’s baking has taken over the house! I can’t wait for it to cool off so I can take my blog pictures and dig in!!! Whether made into muffins …
Why should the gluten-free be denied scrumptious almond cookies from the Chinese restaurant? (After all, we already can’t have most Chinese food!) My daughter, who is gluten and dairy-free, had a hankering for almond cookies and asked me to create this recipe using cassava flour. …
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 I need to bake a quick, easy treat for guests. They never disappoint!
Cassava flour is not only gluten-free, it’s grain-free, nut-free, soy-free, Paleo, Vegan, Autoimmune Protocol friendly, non-GMO, and full of whole-food goodness! If you haven’t tried it yet, these simple to make Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cassava Flour Cookies are a great place to start!
To learn more about baking with cassava flour see: Getting to Know Cassava (Yuca) Flour.
While cassava flour is very similar to wheat flour, it can be dryer. It, therefore, needs a greater amount of liquid than the same recipe would if wheat flour were being used. I tweaked this recipe at least 6 times before I found the right combination of cassava flour, coconut oil, and maple syrup, leading to this soft-baked, yet firm cookie, with just the right amount of sweetness. I always create recipes with the least possible amount of sweetener required for it to be delicious (since I’m pre-diabetic.) Based on the 6 cookies I felt compelled to eat the day I came up with this version, I think I got it right! But feel free to add a bit more maple syrup or chocolate chips if you enjoy a very sweet cookie.
Click below to purchase Otto’s Cassava Flour online here!
***
A common complaint in the gluten-free community is that gluten-free versions of a favorite food don’t taste the same as the gluten-containing food one is used to. Because of this fact, I recommend making something totally new, instead of trying to re-create a beloved food. Gluten-free food is AWESOME! It’s just a little different. Finding new, delicious meals and treats to add to one’s repertoire makes a gluten-free lifestyle truly enjoyable, without any sense of deprivation!
I think we can all agree that no cassava flour, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free chocolate chip cookie is going to taste EXACTLY like a classic Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie – so why try??? It’s just going to be a disappointing, lesser cookie! Am I right???
That’s why I set out to create a cassava flour cookie that contained chocolate chips, (because I have no plan to give up chocolate chips!) but is its own unique cookie creation. A cookie that stands on its own! A cookie that no one thinks is trying to be a typical chocolate chip cookie!
These Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cassava Flour Cookies truly achieve that goal! They have just the right amount of cinnamon, which pairs perfectly with the bursts of chocolate from the chips! The sweet, chewy cherries add an unexpected twist that puts these cookies in a class by themselves!
These cookies freeze perfectly! They can be made in advance and pulled out whenever company drops by. Just leave them on the counter for an hour and they’re like fresh baked cookies again! If I’m baking them just for my immediate family, we eat a few then put them right into the freezer. This prevents us from eating the whole batch in one day! It’s hard to pass a plate of these and not grab one every time!!! While in the freezer, they’re available to be quickly defrosted whenever anyone wants a snack. They even taste amazing straight from the freezer! (Just ask my husband who never defrosts one before eating it!!!)
Makes one dozen cookies.
-3/4 cup Otto’s Cassava Flour
-1 egg – room temperature (I use a duck egg since I’m sensitive to the protein in chicken eggs, but any egg works.)
-1/3 cup organic coconut oil – melted / or Spectrum organic vegetable shortening (not melted)
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-1/2 cup organic maple syrup -room temperature
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-3/4 tsp baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-3/4 cup dried cherries – (I use Trader Joe’s Dried Bing Cherries – unsulfured, no sugar added.) They are large, so feel free to cut them in half, if desired.)
-1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels, semi-sweet baking chips, or mega chunks)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, blend maple syrup, melted coconut oil (or room temperature vegetable shortening), egg and vanilla. In a second bowl, mix Otto’s Cassava Flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Combine wet and dry ingredients into one bowl. Once fully blended, add dairy-free chocolate chips and dried cherries.
Stir to combine.
On a parchment lined baking sheet, divide dough and press down to form 12-14 cookies.
Bake on middle rack of oven for about 12 minutes, or until edges begin to slightly brown.
Enjoy your Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cassava Flour Cookies!!!
*****
*****
*****
This is no ordinary chocolate chip cookie! Yes, it has chocolate chips, but it also has dried cherries and cinnamon. YUM!!! And since these cookies are made with cassava flour, they're naturally gluten-free and full of whole-food goodness! 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 I need to bake a quick, easy dessert for guests. They never disappoint!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, blend maple syrup, melted coconut oil (or room temperature vegetable shortening), egg and vanilla.
In a second bowl, combine cassava flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Combine wet and dry ingredients into one bowl.
Once fully blended, add dairy-free chocolate chips and dried cherries. Stir to combine.
On a parchment lined baking sheet, spoon and press dough into 12-14 equal sized cookies.
Bake on middle rack of oven for about 12 minutes, or until edges begin to slightly brown.
Enjoy!
*****
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Spend 5 minutes of prep time, then go about your day knowing this simple, delicious 4 ingredient crockpot chicken will be ready and waiting for you when you get home! Then boil up some yuca (because everything is better with yuca!) while chopping and sauteing …
With this Paleo French Onion Soup topped with melted yuca dough, you won’t miss the cheese! This perfect pairing is deliciously gratifying in every way!!! Upon baking, the underside of the yuca gets soft and gooey, while the top browns just right! This Paleo variation …
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 and dairy are not needed to create a hearty, flavorful pot pie filling topped with a mouth-watering, flaky crust!
Chicken Pot Pie was one of my FAVORITE dishes growing up! If it was on the menu at a restaurant, or ready-made in my freezer, that’s what I picked!!! I’m beyond excited to have it back in my life now that I’ve created this gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, incredibly satisfying recipe!
***
While at the supermarket, I recently read the ingredients on the label of a popular brand of frozen chicken pot pie. I was shocked to find that there was way more than just chicken, vegetables, and seasonings in it! It had “isolated soy protein product,” modified corn and potato starch,” “modified whey,” caramel color, “flavors”, and ” interesterified soybean oil!” – That’s not a typo!!! I looked it up! According to wikepedia:
Why would any food manufacturer put that in a chicken pot pie??? There’s no deep frying in this recipe! Why not just use a fat that’s naturally stable at high temperatures, like ghee, avocado oil, or coconut oil? The only reason I can think of is because “interesterified” soybean oil is cheap!
Understanding the reality of what’s in most processed foods, and how these ingredients affect our bodies and health is truly terrifying! This is what motivates me to cook simple, “real” food recipes filled with all the flavor and none of the crap! I have no formal culinary training. I’m just a working wife and mother whose health had been compromised as a result of the Standard American Diet. I’m continuing to heal myself and preserve the health of my family by consuming only “real” food ingredients. None of my recipes require any special skill to make.
For 4 servings: 2 cups of pre-cooked, diced or shredded chicken is needed. I use my Easy Go-to Crockpot Chicken, but any pre-cooked chicken can be used, such as store-bought rotisserie chicken or leftovers. If needed, chicken breasts can be quickly cut into chunks and cooked in a pan covered with chicken broth or bone broth for a few minutes.
Add lots of diced vegetables: There’s no rule as to what vegetables need to be in chicken pot pie, so use what you enjoy or have on hand. In the printable full recipe below I list onions, celery, carrots, string beans, and peas (omit for Paleo version) because that’s what is classically found in chicken pot pie. When I made this recipe for my family the other night, I also added leeks, orange peppers, broccoli, and tricolor carrots (I try to eat the rainbow everyday if possible.)
Chop raw vegetables and saute, along with minced garlic, in 1 tablespoon ghee or avocado oil. (See Healthy Eating Tip below to learn about ghee.) If using frozen peas and string beans add them at the very end so they don’t get over-cooked.
Add chicken broth or both broth: Once raw vegetables soften (about 5 minutes) add chicken or bone broth and bring to a simmer.
To thicken sauce: In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder with 1 tablespoon cold water to form a slurry. Slowly add slurry to the pan, blending thoroughly into sauce.
Season: Add rosemary, thyme, Himalayan sea salt and black pepper.
Add cooked chicken along with frozen string beans and peas (omit for Paleo version.) Mix well.
Divide pot pie filling into 4 individual oven-safe ramekins. I use my small round and oval Corningware. This recipe can also be made into one large, family-sized pot pie if desired.
Cassava flour is a grain-free, Paleo, nonGMO, whole-food flour made from grated and dried cassava/yuca. It’s a true miracle flour for gluten-free people, or for those who choose to avoid grain. It creates baked goods with all the positive characteristics of wheat flour, but none of the negatives (such as gluten, GMOs, inflammation, and risk of developing a leaky gut.) See: Getting to Know Cassava (yuca) Flour.
By ordering Otto’s Cassava flour through Crazy For Yuca we get a small commission which helps support the maintenance of the website. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
In a large mixing bowl blend Otto’s Cassava Flour, baking soda, and salt. In a second bowl, blend Spectrum Organic Palm Shortening and one egg with an electric mixer. Combine contents of both bowls, add water, and continue to mix until a dough is formed. Divide dough into 4 equal sized balls. On parchment paper, roll out each dough ball to fit the size and shape of each ramekin.
Lay each crust over each filled ramekin. Pinch crust all along the edge to seal in filling. This will prevent filling from overflowing during baking.
Egg wash: In a small bowl, crack and whisk an egg. Brush egg wash on top of each pot pie crust. This will create a nice golden brown color when baked.
Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before eating.
Enjoy this deliciously satisfying Grain-Free Chicken Pot Pie and comment below to tell me what you think!
Ghee, also known as clarified butter, is a dairy-free cooking fat that’s made by extracting the water, lactose and casein from butter. It tastes like butter, only with an even stronger buttery flavor. It originated in India thousands of years ago and has been gaining popularity within the healthy eating community in recent years in the US. Ghee made from naturally raised, grass-fed cows has an excellent fat profile, and contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and butyrate, both of which have tremendous health benefits. CLA is a fatty acid that has been associated with tumor reduction, weight loss, lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, and decreased inflammation. Butyrates aid in digestion and promote healthy bacterial growth in the intestines, which supports colon health. Butyrates are also alkalinizing, anti-inflammatory, supportive of healthy insulin levels, and may even be beneficial for people with IBS, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Ghee is high in vitamins A, D, and E. It’s safe for cooking at high temperatures because of its high smoke point. This is very important because when oils are heated to temperatures above their smoke point they break down, increasing free radical production and destroying their beneficial phytonutrients (1, 2.)
***
***
***
This Grain-Free Chicken Pot Pie recipe is true comfort food at its best! It's proof positive that gluten and dairy are not needed to create a hearty, flavorful pot pie filling with mouth-watering, flaky crust!! I can't think of anything I'd rather have for dinner on a cold, winter night!
Place a Tbsp of ghee or avocado oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add chopped onions, celery, carrots, minced garlic (and any other desired raw vegetables) and saute until tender (about 5 minutes.)
Add chicken broth (or bone broth) and bring to a simmer.
In a small bowl, blend arrowroot powder with a tablespoon of cold water to make a slurry. Add it to saucepan with vegetables and broth, stirring until the broth thickens.
Add rosemary, thyme, peas, string beans, ½ tsp sea salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
Add cooked chicken and blend all ingredients together.
Divide Chicken Pot Pie filling evenly and place into 4 ramekins or oven-safe ceramic bowls. (I use my small, white oval or round Corningware.)
In a large bowl mix cassava flour, baking soda, and sea salt.
In a second bowl, use an electric mixer to blend Spectrum Organic Palm Shortening and one egg.
Combine contents of both bowls, add water, and continue to blend until a dough is formed.
Divide dough into 4 equal sized balls.
Roll out each dough ball on parchment paper to fit the size and shape of each ramekin.
Lay each crust over each filled ramekin. Pinch crust all around the edge of ramekin to seal in filling. This will prevent filling from leaking out during baking.
Egg wash: In a small bowl, crack and whisk an egg. Brush egg on top of each crust to create a golden color upon baking.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, until crusts have lightly browned.
This recipe makes 4 top crusts to cover 4 Chicken Pot Pies. If top and bottom crusts are desired, simply double recipe, roll out 8 crusts, and line each ramekin with a crust before placing filling inside. Then continue following recipe above.
*****
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.
Valentine’s Day Cassava Flour Cake Pops The time has come for the gluten-free and gluten-eating alike to enjoy cake pops together for all occasions!!! These pops are so incredible, no one will ever guess they’re gluten-free! Not to mention grain-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and nonGMO!!! I …
Being gluten-free doesn’t mean missing out on the fun of holiday cookie baking! With cassava flour, you can make scrumptious gluten-free, whole-food sugar cookies that taste just like those made from wheat flour! If you haven’t discovered cassava flour yet, these Cassava Flour Holiday Sugar …
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 icing of my Holiday Cassava Flour Sugar Cookies. I had a number of successes, and a few disappointments, which I’ll share in case you’d like to give it a try. (My Holiday Cassava Flour Sugar Cookies will be posted in a separate post within the next few days.)
Holiday cookie baking is a tradition in many homes. Just because you’re gluten-free and/or dedicated to clean eating doesn’t mean you have to miss out! With a few swaps and tips, you can enjoy holiday baking and maintain dedication to your dietary goals and health.
There has been concern for decades about the potential negative effects of consuming artificial colorings. While research is still debating this issue, it seems like a good idea to avoid synthetic dyes whenever possible. (See Healthy Eating Tip below for more information regarding synthetic coloring used today and health concerns.)
White Icing Base
Blend:
Adding fruits, vegetables, and spices
I added juiced fruits and vegetables such as spinach, beets, strawberries, and blueberries, as well as cinnamon and turmeric to the white icing base to see what kinds of colors I could create!
Spinach was my first experiment since I needed green for my Christmas tree holiday cookies.
I took a handful of fresh baby spinach and put it through my juicer. I then added 4 tsp of spinach juice to my white icing, 1 tsp at a time, until I reached a nice, deep, tree-colored green.
This green icing went on really smoothly. I was super happy with the color and how it adhered to the cookies. They tasted great – not like spinach at all! The only small issue was that the next day a few of them had some patches of lighter colored green (as seen in the picture below.) If they’re iced the same day as they’re eaten they look perfect! I’d prefer avoiding chemical food dyes in favor of having delicious cookies with some slight color variation, but decide for yourself based on your needs.
I sprinkled a pinch of TruColor Natural Sanding Sugar on top of the cookies to make them look like decorated Christmas trees. This topping contains only sugar, vegetable color, and carnauba wax. It’s not as fancy as putting lots of brightly colored candy balls on it, but it’s a whole lot “cleaner.”
The next vegetable I used was beets in attempt to make a nice holiday red! I figured beets would be perfect since every time I cook with them my fingers turn bright red!
Avoiding the red dyes in food coloring (specifically Red 40 and Red 3) seems particularly worthwhile since they’ve been among the most questionable dyes in terms of possible negative health effects in recent years (along with yellow 5.) The FDA doesn’t maintain that currently approved red food colorings are definitively safe, only that there’s a standard of “reasonable safety of no harm”(1.) I’d rather be safe than sorry!
To make my beet colored icing, I placed 1/3 of a peeled fresh beet into my juicer and then mixed beet juice into the white icing. Two teaspoons of beet juice created a rich pink color. (See first picture below.) Adding 2 additional teaspoons of beet juice created a deeper reddish-pink icing. (See second picture below.) The amount of beet juice used can be adjusted until desired color is reached. This is a great coloring option for those who enjoy the sweet taste of beets, as the beets not only colored, but also flavored the icing.
Icing with 2 tsp beet juice
Since I’m not a huge beet lover, I decided to try making red icing with organic frozen strawberries. I placed a few berries into a saucepan and heated them until they defrosted and became soft and broken down. When heated, a nice amount of juice gets extracted from frozen berries. I then spooned out a few teaspoons of strawberry juice and mixed it into the white icing. (Pictured on the left below.) To get the most juice out of the strawberries, without adding strawberry fragments to the icing, straining it through a cheesecloth would likely have worked really well. (I’ll definitely try that next time. If you try it – leave a comment below and let me know how it goes!) The color of this icing was a true red, but a bit translucent compared to the beet colored icing. It tasted delicious, with the fresh strawberry flavor completely infusing the icing!
Strawberry Icing Beet Icing
I used the strawberry colored icing to color the hats of my snowman cookies! (Sorry – not the best quality picture.) Here’s another word of warning – when making naturally decorated snowman cookies – DON’T USE REAL CARROTS FOR THE NOSE! As you can see in this picture, the moisture from the carrot diffused into the icing and damaged it. A better option would have been dried fruit like mangos or apricots. Live and learn!
Next I used the same process that I used for the strawberries with blueberries. I was hoping to make blue icing to use for Chanuka sugar cookies. In hindsight, I guess I should have anticipated the color would be more purple than blue. (See picture below.) This purple blueberry icing was still yummy! For a truly smooth icing, strain extracted blueberry juice through a cheesecloth before adding it to the white icing to avoid the blueberry fragments seen in the picture below.
Probably the best combination in terms of taste and color came with the addition of 2 teaspoons of cinnamon to the white icing! I made these adorable reindeer using it. The light brown is the cinnamon icing and the dark brown antlers and eyes were made with Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips. They are gluten, dairy, nut and soy free!
In order to make a yellow icing, I used powdered turmeric. Like beets, I assumed it would be a good coloring since it dyes my hands and kitchen towels yellow if I’m not careful when cooking with it. I added 3/4 teaspoon turmeric to the white icing base recipe to make the yellow in the picture below. The turmeric didn’t overpower the sweet taste of the icing so they tasted great!. Turmeric made a perfect yellow-gold color for the flames on the candles of my Chanukah menorah cookies!
Since my blueberry icing wasn’t a true blue, and blue is absolutely necessary for Chanukah sugar cookies, I did some research and found ColorKitchen Real Food Decorative Coloring in blue. The only ingredient is “spirulina color” which is a natural colorant. It came as a powder packet, which I added to my white icing base to make the color seen in the picture below. (Note: The powder didn’t fully dissolve in the icing and some speckles are apparant.)
*Tip – This type of icing dries out after a few hours. If decorating cookies over many hours place a wet cloth or paper towel over each bowl of icing to keep it moist. Even dried out icing can be brought back to life with a drip of water and a little mixing. (Use a very small amount of water and add additional if needed so the icing doesn’t become watered down.)
*****
*****
Healthy Eating Tip: Consider removing foods from your diet that contain artificial food dyes.
Did you know that there are only 9 artificial colorings still certified by the FDA for use in food? It seems that every few years another one is linked to cancer or other health problems, and then banned! The most controversial dyes today are Red No. 40 and Yellow No. 5. Research suggests that Yellow No. 5 may cause migraines, anxiety, and even cancer (1.) Red 40 has been shown to cause allergic reactions and hyperactivity in some children (2.) In mice, research demonstrated that Red 40 decreases survival, reproductive success, brain weight, as well as parental and offspring weight. Evidence of both physical and behavioral toxicity were evident (3.)
FDA certified colorings are required to be listed on product labels. The FDA standard states that there’s a “reasonable safety of no harm” when used properly (1960 Color Additive Amendments.) That’s not the same thing as declaring they’re perfectly safe (4). Different colorings are only approved for use in specific foods, and in certain amounts (although most package labels don’t disclose how much is actually in the food!) The list of certified dyes below is taken from the FDA website (5) and states the foods for which each dye is approved.
In pre-industrial times, colorings were made naturally from flowers, roots, fruits, and vegetables. After the Industrial Revolution, companies started using additional colorings to increase the attractiveness of their products and many people had toxic reactions. The government then funded research to specifically investigate the safety of colorants used, which led to the The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. They actually used dangerous metals such as mercury, copper and arsenic (6) as food coloring in those days! In 1907, the Agriculture Department issued the Food Inspection Decision (F.I.D.) 76 which decreased the number of allowed synthetic colors from several hundred to only seven (7!) Four of the 7 are still being used today (4.) Later, derivatives of coal tar were used to create dyes. Today, many color additives are still synthesized from coal and petroleum sources (8) allowing scientists to create vibrant, attractive colors in the lab with chemicals.
Food manufacturers use these chemical colorings like artists use paint, to artificially make our food look more appealing. It’s time to become aware of what is put into processed food and either eliminate it completely, or avoid those products with potentially harmful dyes and additives. It’s safer, and a lot more fun to be your own artist and color your icing naturally.
*****
*****
*****
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.
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 PoundCassava flour is a relatively new flour that is starting to become popular in the healthy …
Not sure what to do with your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers? Sick of eating plain, dry turkey? This Turkey Bacon Yuca Salad will forever change your perception of leftover turkey. Think potato salad mixed with chicken salad – only way better!!! The addition of organic turkey …
If you haven’t tried yuca (a.k.a. cassava) yet, you are in for a treat! Yuca is in many ways similar to a potato in that it’s white, has a very mild taste, and takes on the flavor of the sauces and spices within which it is cooked. It has the amazing ability of being transformed into a number of exciting things like flatbreads, pizza and pie crusts, tortillas, cookies, pancakes, and dough that can be used to make any number of things – such as Yuca Empanadas! Check out the recipe tab above for lots of exciting ideas!
This Roasted Root Vegetable With Yuca recipe makes a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving! It’s especially good for those avoiding stuffing as a result of a gluten-free, grain-free, or Paleo diet. Yuca adds an additional texture to this dish. It’s slightly more firm and chewy (in a good way) as compared to the other vegetables. It’s hard to describe, but trust me it’s good!!! If you try it, please comment below and let me know what you think!
***
*Full Printable Recipe Below*
Ingredients:
-3/4 pound fresh or frozen yuca/cassava (the fresh yuca pictured below is about 3/4 pound)
-4 organic carrots – sliced (I enjoy using organic tricolor carrots from Trader Joe’s)
-1 organic beet (Note: the beet color bleeds onto the other vegetables. This isn’t a problem, but omit if this will bother you.)
-2 large organic sweet potatoes – chopped
-2 large parsnips – sliced
-1 turnip – chopped
-1 organic leek or onion – chopped
-1 organic red pepper – chopped
-4-6 large organic garlic cloves – minced
-1 tablespoon fresh organic rosemary
-1 tablespoon fresh organic thyme
-3 tablespoons avocado oil – (I use ChosenFoods 100% Pure avocado oil)
-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-black pepper to taste
Instructions:
This dish can be made with fresh or frozen yuca. If using fresh yuca, it must first be peeled and cut into a few pieces before boiling. Frozen yuca is already peeled and cut into pieces. Both fresh and frozen yuca must be boiled for 15-20 minutes before roasting in the oven with the other vegetables.
This is what fresh yuca looks like. Fresh yuca can often be found in Asian, Latin and other specialty markets. I sometimes find it in large supermarkets as well.
See: About Yuca: How to Peel Fresh Yuca if using fresh yuca and are in need of detailed instructions on how to peel it.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the yuca.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
While the yuca is boiling, peel and chop the other vegetables so they will all be ready to go into the oven at the same time.
There are a wide variety of root vegetables that can be used in this recipe! I like to use sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and beets. Turnips, celeriac, white potatoes, and rutabaga can also be used. Chose what you like, or what you have available. I also like to add leeks or onions, as well as peppers and garlic for more flavor and nutritional value. Rosemary and thyme add that familiar flavor that one expects from a good Thanksgiving side dish.
Once yuca is boiled, drain in colander, and allow to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, cut each piece of yuca in half to remove the stem that runs through the center. Cut boiled yuca into chunks.
In a large bowl, place all cut vegetables, along with oil, herbs, salt and pepper. Blend thoroughly.
Place onto a baking pan or oven safe baking dish.
Place into preheated oven for 45 minutes. Mix vegetables halfway through to ensure even cooking.
While great for Thanksgiving, these Roasted Root Vegetables With Yuca are great for any day of the year, or for any meal! I often make a big portion and eat it all week for breakfast with my eggs! It’s like healthier hash browns. When I break the yolk of these sunny side up eggs and it drips all over the vegetables, it’s pure heaven!!! This dish is also great for brunches!
***
Healthy Eating Tip: Add yuca to your diet! Yuca is an excellent source of vitamin C, and a good source of manganese, potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins. In our mineral deplete world, it’s also nice to know that yuca provides some copper, zinc, calcium, and iron! Yuca is high in carbs and not particularly high in protein, so it’s best to eat it alongside a healthy source of protein to be considered a complete meal. But don’t be scared off by the fact that it is a carb (which has become a nasty 4-letter word!) Yuca is a whole-food, non-inflammatory, non-GMO source of carbs, and it’s lower in carbohydrate than wheat, rice, yellow corn, or sorghum! It’s gluten and grain free and has a low glycemic index of 46! This means it releases glucose into the bloodstream at a slow, steady rate without causing blood sugar spikes. This is why it’s recommended for diabetics! Yuca also contains a significant amount of resistant starch, a type of insoluble fiber which makes its way all the way to the large intestines undigested (which means those calories don’t count!) It then becomes food for beneficial probiotic bacteria in the colon, thereby supporting colon health (10,11, 12.) Within the large intestines it ferments into short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate, which provide numerous potential health benefits including:
So eat yuca!!!!!
See: About Yuca: Yuca (Cassava) Nutrition Facts for more information on the nutritional value of yuca.
See: Getting to Know Yuca (Cassava)
***
***
***
This recipe can be made with whatever root vegetables you enjoy! As long as yuca (a.k.a. cassava) is included, it will be delicious and satisfying. Other root vegetable options include sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, parsnips, turnips, celery root, and rutabagas. Choose what you like, or what is available, and enjoy!
Preheat oven to 425 degress.
In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Meanwhile, if using fresh yuca, remove peel and cut into 3 or 4 pieces. See: About Yuca: How to Peel Fresh Yuca for step by step directions if needed. If using frozen yuca, it is already peeled, cut, and ready to be boiled.
Place peeled, cut yuca into boiling water and boil for 15 minutes - until fork tender. Ensure that water fully covers yuca throughout boiling.
While yuca is boiling, cut up the other vegetables. Place them into a baking dish lined with parchment paper (greatly aids clean up and prevents food from sticking to the pan.)
Once yuca is fork tender, drain water.
Once cool enough to handle, place yuca on a cutting board. Cut each piece in half vertically to remove the stick-like stem that runs through the center.
Once stems are removed, chop boiled yuca into chunks and place into the baking dish with the other root vegetables.
Add avocado oil, and mix well ensuring all vegetables are coated evenly.
Add rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper, and mix to fully combine.
Bake for 45 minutes, turning vegetables halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Enjoy as part of your Thanksgiving feast, or any other meal.
***
***
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
This is not your typical, dry Thanksgiving turkey! This bird is moist and flavorful and is made a day ahead so it can soak up its juices overnight and free you up to enjoy your guests. It makes a scrumptious main meal and side dish …
If you’re anything like me, “Pop-Tarts” were a staple of your childhood. When I was little my mother would leave a box of them in a lower cabinet so my brother and I could get breakfast for ourselves on weekends, and she and my dad …
This recipe takes chicken salad to a whole new level! I typically make Zesty Dijonnaise Dressing every week or two so it’s always on hand to use as a sauce, salad dressing, or mayo substitute. With this fresh, home-made dressing available, I can easily throw together this chicken salad for a quick, healthy, delicious meal any time. Knowing it’s waiting for me in the fridge makes me excited for lunchtime!
While I typically make my Zesty Dijonnaise Chicken Salad using my Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken recipe that I’ve outlined in this post, it can be made using store-bought organic rotisserie chicken, roasted chicken, chicken breast, or any leftover chicken you have. No matter what kind of chicken you use, the flavor of the dressing will make your tastebuds dance! Who said healthy eating has to be tasteless or take a long time to prepare!
***
For Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken, (Full printer-friendly recipe below) simply remove chicken skin, wash chicken, and place it into a crockpot. Sprinkle with Himalayan sea salt, black pepper, dried mustard, lemon juice and water. Set crockpot to either the low or high setting and cook for 8 or 4 hours respectively. Then go about the day knowing the chicken will be ready at the desired time. Once cooked, cool, de-bone, and mix with Zesty Dijonnaise Dressing. It’s that simple!
*****
Consider pairing Zesty Chicken Salad Dijonnaise with Cassava Flour Tortilla Wraps.
These Cassava Flour Tortilla Wraps were made with Otto’s Cassava Flour. These tortilla wraps are soft, a bit chewy, and are actually delicious even on their own – especially when warm!! (Click here to see how to make them.)
Otto’s Cassava Flour is available in some specialty markets and online by clicking the link below.
Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
By ordering recommended products through links on our website we get a small commission which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
***
Healthy Eating Tip: Freeze Chicken Bones. If making this Zesty Chicken Salad Dijonnaise from scratch, consider freezing the bones in an air-tight freezer bag to make bone broth at a later date. There is little that can rival bone broth for supporting so many of our body systems. Bone broth is full of readily absorbable minerals, collagen, and amino acids. It supports gut health and healing, joint health, immune system function, detoxification, metabolism and skin health. Delicious bone broth recipes will be coming soon so get ready and save the bones from 2 organic chickens! (And don’t let the name “bone broth” turn you off. It is just amazingly delicious, extra healthy chicken stock.) More to come on this topic……..
***
***
***
This chicken salad is bursting with fresh flavor! Eat it right out of the bowl, on a salad, or wrapped in a warm Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap for a delicious meal any time. This recipe brings chicken salad to a whole new level! Any organic cooked chicken could be used. I've included a delicious recipe for my Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken, but feel free to use store-bought organic rotisserie chicken, a whole roasted chicken, chicken breast, or chicken leftovers. This Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken will cook in either 4 or 8 hours, depending on the crockpot setting chosen. Spend 5 minutes throwing ingredients into the pot and go about your day.
Remove skin and visible fat from a whole organic chicken. Wash thoroughly.
Place washed chicken into crockpot
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and ground mustard. Add lemon juice and water over the top of the seasoned chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 8 or high for 4 hours, depending on desired timing.
Allow cooked chicken to cool.
De-bone chicken. Cut chicken meat into chunks. Mix with Zesty Dijonnaise Dressing. Enjoy over a Cassava Flour Tortilla Wrap, salad, or right out of the bowl!
***
***
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
This 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 …
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.)
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:
-cream of tartar
-baking soda
-warm water
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.
Divide dough ball into smaller balls, depending on the number and size of tortilla wraps desired.
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.
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.
Flip and cook the second side for 30-60 seconds. Each side should cook enough to form brown spots as seen below.
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.
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 Tortillas. These are YUMMY!!!
*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 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!
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
If you’re 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 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 …
Yuca (pronounced yoo-ka) is an incredibly versatile root vegetable that can do anything wheat or potatoes can do, only in a much healthier way!
It’s truly the chameleon of foods!
Peeled yuca can be boiled, baked, mashed, roasted, fried, dried or fermented and transformed into breads, fries, chips, tortillas, pancakes, pizzas, empanadas, pie crusts, cookies, cakes, you name it!
Yuca is also called cassava or manioc, depending on where you are in the world. While many Americans haven’t heard of it, yuca is eaten regularly throughout Latin America, Asia and Africa. Ask anyone from these parts of the world and they will enthusiastically tell you about a traditional yuca family recipe that they love! The big question is – “Why have Americans been left out of the worldwide yuca party?” It’s my mission to bring yuca/cassava into the kitchens of every American (not just the gluten-free) as it’s just that delicious and impressive!!!
Yuca is full of immune-boosting vitamin C and resistant starch (a type of fiber that is highly beneficial to the good bacteria of the colon.) The resistant starch in yuca actually goes through most of the digestive tract undigested, so about 20% of yuca’s carbs and calories don’t count!!!! – You heard that right! Yuca just keeps getting better and better!!
If that doesn’t pique your interest – yuca is not only gluten-free, it’s Paleo, Vegan, Whole30 approved, non-GMO, and considered safe for those following an Autoimmune Protocol!
Yuca is literally THE perfect carb!!!
I’d like to take you on a little journey to explain how my obsession with yuca came to be. Along the way, I’ll share the 5 core recipes that started it all!
Who knows?……. Once you try them, you too may become Crazy For Yuca!
Feel free to click on the recipes and links along the way. They’ll likely answer all of your yuca questions and get you totally psyched to make your first fries, flatbread, empanadas, tortilla wraps, and pancakes – all out of yuca! I’m telling you – you will never miss the grain!!!
Once you make these recipes for yourself, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the basics of cooking with yuca – the most versatile food you may never have known existed!
These 5 basic recipes will forever change your cooking repertoire!
This past March (2017) I went to a Costa Rican restaurant with my family for my birthday and we shared “Chili over Crispy Yuca Fries” as an appetizer. We didn’t even know what yuca was! But since it was labeled gluten-free (which 3 of us are) we gave it a try. We all LOVED it!
That was the initial spark. My curiosity was piqued!
I went home and immediately started researching all about yuca. Is it really gluten free? What else can I make with it? What kinds of nutrients does it contain? Why had I never heard of it before? For the answers to all of these questions and more, see: About Yuca: Getting to Know Yuca (Cassava) and About Yuca: Yuca (Cassava) Nutrition Facts on this site.
Who could have known that this one appetizer would lead to the launching of a blog a few months later?…. A move that is TOTALLY out of character for me! I’m not a social media person, and I already have a job that keeps me really busy!
I made my first batch of yuca fries at home using a bag of Goya frozen yuca. They were AWESOME!!! My husband, daughter and I gobbled them up! I was so proud of my creation that I “plated” them in a basket, took a picture, and sent it to my older daughter with great enthusiasm! (Picture shown on the right.) This one picture is where it all began!
After playing around with a few variations, I came up with these Baked Yuca Fries. No need to immerse in oil. Just a light coating of avocado oil and you have fries that are perfectly crispy on the outside and satisfyingly soft and chewy on the inside. They hold their own as a delicious appetizer, side dish or snack, or make a perfect pair with some chili on top.
While the fries are amazing, fries alone could never have propelled me to put all this time and effort into creating a blog! I must credit Jennifer Robbins of PredominantlyPaleo.com for this next discovery. It was her recipe for basic “yuca dough” that totally triggered my OBSESSION with yuca!
After making “yuca dough” into flatbread just once, I’ve been obsessing day and night jotting down ideas, making and revising recipes, and laughing at ridiculous yuca puns with my husband such as – Welcome to my “Yuca-teria!,” “yuca-ta” try this recipe!, and “yuca-n” make this without grain! He keeps calling me the “yuca-lady” (which in case it isn’t obvious is funny because it sounds like yukalele. Say it out loud. It’s really fun to say!) It has gotten really out of control at my house!!!!!!! I’ve been forcing yuca upon everyone who comes over! I literally can’t stop talking about yuca!!! I’m REALLY annoying!!! I either needed to get myself some serious professional help, or channel my new passion into a blog – hence the name – “Crazy” For Yuca!!!
Back to chatting about this flatbread – As a person who has been gluten-free for over 5 years, I have learned to live without a number of foods and food-related emotional experiences. This type of deprivation is something I happily accept in exchange for feeling well. Honestly, I didn’t even realize how much I missed the sensation of biting into a warm, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside piece of garlic bread until I bit into this flatbread right out of the oven! It’s true comfort food…… Like I get filled up with this deep feeling of joy and satisfaction while eating it! I can’t think of any other food that ever made me feel like that! DEPRIVATION NO MORE!!!
I must warn you – Don’t make more than you want to eat!!! IT”S ADDICTIVE!!!
The good news is – once you master this basic dough, the possibilities for seasoning variations and applications to other dishes that traditionally use grain are endless!!!!!!!!!!!………
Say good-bye to feeling deprived! You really can have it all!
***The basic dough that was used to make this delicious garlic flatbread can be used to make an endless number of incredible things!….. Such as my family’s favorite…. EMPANADAS!!! Trust me when I tell you, every member of your family will be happy with dinner on empanada night!
I must admit that I don’t think I ever had an empanada before making them out of yuca. But I do remember watching a group of people devouring an amazing-looking plate of them at a friend’s house a few summers ago and thinking, “since I’m gluten-free I’ll never know what it’s like to bite into one of those.” 🙁 I just sat there listening to everyone’s moans of sheer ecstasy as they bit into that crunchy crust and praising the woman who made them. (I’m pretty good at not feeling bad for myself for being gluten-free, but that moment was a toughy!) Luckily, thanks to yuca dough, my days of deprivation are over. HELLO EMPANADAS!!
I have to say -these empanadas are THE recipe that made my family go “Crazy For Yuca” right along with me!…… as well as both sides of my extended family and all the members of my Recipe Swap Club!…. (the gluten and dairy-free healthy eating group that I run.) I can always count on Yuca Empanadas being a hit!
* * * * *
Cassava flour is a relatively new flour that has emerged on the healthy eating scene in the past few years. Its existence opens up a new world of possibilities for the gluten-free, Paleo, nut-free, and all-around healthy eater! It’s also a great option for anyone who just wants to decrease grain consumption.
Cassava flour is simply made by drying and grinding peeled cassava/yuca root into flour. It isn’t stripped of its nutrients by processing the way many flours are, and therefore retains its natural fiber, vitamins and minerals. This pure, whole-food flour looks like wheat flour, tastes very similar to wheat flour, and can replace wheat flour in a 1:1 ratio in many recipes (although if rising is required, a mixture of cassava and other gluten-free flours may be needed.)
For more info see: About Yuca: Getting to Know Cassava Flour
I use Otto’s Cassava Flour and have had nothing but amazingly delicious results! Cassava flour is not typically available in supermarkets, although it can be found in small organic markets or online.
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!
***
The first thing I made using Otto’s Cassava Flour was tortillas wraps!
Honestly, tortilla wraps never excited me before discovering this recipe. I always thought wraps added a slightly unpleasant taste to my food. Their only purpose was to hold the food together. By the end of my meal I’d usually unroll my wrap and just eat whatever was inside.
I experimented with cassava flour tortillas simply to decrease my daughter’s grain consumption, since she eats wraps daily (she isn’t even gluten-free!) I played around with a bunch of different variations, but many lacked the proper “bendability” required of a good wrap.
Then I came across Dr. Sarah Ballantyne’s Paleo Flour Tortillas (AIP Friendly!) from ThePaleoMom.com. These cassava flour tortilla wraps are truly OUTSTANDING! My family and I love them so much that I decided to stop trying to “re-invent the wheel!” We are adopting these as our family’s tortilla wraps! I can’t make them without eating at least one right out of the pan! I make them with Otto’s Cassava Flour.
For ThePaleoMom’s full recipe and a great video demo check out Paleo Flour Tortillas (AIP Friendly!)
These wraps not only do a perfect job of holding food together, they add deliciousness to whatever is in them. Click here for my Cassava Flour Tortilla Post and see some ways my family enjoys these wraps.
Once I saw how great the tortillas were, I started wondering…. “What else can I make with my new cassava flour that I’d previously cut out of my diet when going gluten-free? (Obsessing about this stuff literally keeps me up at night these days!!)
The next recipe was obvious – pancakes!
You may wonder why pancakes would be so high on my list since there are many gluten-free flours and nut flours that can be used to make pancakes? I didn’t eat gluten-free pancakes much because gluten-free flours spike my blood sugar, leaving me with low energy, muscle aches, and extreme brain fog! I struggle with blood sugar instability and blood tests show that I’m pre-diabetic when I eat sugar and grain (so I rarely do.) Yuca/cassava is a whole-food source of carbohydrate with a low glycemic index. Foods with a low glycemic index release glucose into the bloodstream at a slow, steady rate without causing blood sugar spikes. Yuca has even been recommended as a good starch for diabetics! See: About Yuca: Yuca (Cassava) Nutrition Facts for more info.
As far as making pancakes with almond flour, the grainy texture just doesn’t cut it for me. Also, I’m honestly sick of making EVERYTHING out of almond flour! (If you are gluten-free or Paleo you know exactly what I mean!!) How many almonds can a person eat in one day?! If I eat almonds in my breakfast, and then eat nuts or an apple with almond buttr as a snack in the afternoon, I get a stomachache! I’d much rather have my cassava flour pancakes (made with a bunch of cage-free eggs) with fresh berries on top as my deliciously perfect, blood-sugar stabilizing breakfast, and save my nuts for a snack later in the day. One ounce of nuts per days is actually the recommended daily serving, which is only about 23 almonds, 5 cashews, 7 whole walnuts, or 15 pecan halves! While incredibly healthy, too many nuts can add up quickly in terms of fat and calories.
With these Cassava Flour Pancakes you won’t miss the grain! These pancakes have been tested on my husband, kids, and even my daughter’s friends (who are not used to healthy eating) with rave reviews! And not one leftover pancake! I use Otto’s Cassava Flour when making these pancakes.
Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
Feel free to leave a comment below. I look forward to having an engaged community of yuca enthusiasts asking questions, making comments, and inspiring new directions for the blog.
***
Thanks for reading my first post about the evolution of my obsession with yuca (cassava!) Once you try a recipe or 2 you’ll likely find yourself inspired by this incredibly transformative root vegetable as well! I have soooo… many deliciously satisfying, whole-food yuca recipes to share! Enter your email at the top, right corner of this post to join the Crazy For Yuca community. You’ll receive free recipes sent right to your inbox, along with tips for cooking easy, healthy, “real” food. I hope you will join us!
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 require personal guidance from a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
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 …
The Perfect Yuca Chip! I’ve been busily perfecting my yuca chips! I tried fresh vs. frozen yuca, paper thin vs. slightly thicker slices, pan frying vs. oven baking, and 4 different seasoning variations! If you ask me, they’re all pretty terrific! But if I had …
Making yuca fries is super easy! It’s a perfect recipe to try when first experimenting with yuca (a.k.a. cassava.)
These fries are baked in the oven (not fried) so their fat content is low – yet their taste satisfaction is high!! They’re crispy on the outside and soft and deliciously chewy on the inside! It’s a slightly different experience than eating a french fried potato, but if you love one you’ll likely enjoy both!
You may wonder, “Why make fries out of yuca when I can just make them out of potato?”
While both potato and yuca fries are great, there are a few definite benefits to using yuca. The biggest difference has to do with how each affects blood sugar. White potatoes have a high glycemic index (GI), with french fries having a GI of 75. Values above 70 are considered high. Yuca (cassava) has a GI of 46, with values below 55 being considered low.
High glycemic foods cause blood sugar to surge, followed by a crash. This crash causes hunger to resume soon after eating, as well as cravings for more carbs, which can lead to weight gain. Low glycemic foods like yuca, release glucose into the blood slowly, providing a steady flow of energy over a period of time. Consuming yuca has been shown to keep people feeling full, and has been associated with weight loss. (See: About Yuca: Yuca (Cassava) Nutrition Facts.) As a result of their affect on blood sugar, potatoes are not recommended for diabetics, yet yuca is! If following a Paleo diet, potatoes are a “no-no” for most people, yet yuca is allowed! Yuca is even Whole30 approved! Potatoes are considered part of the “nightshade” family of vegetables, which for some people with digestive problems, food sensitivities, and autoimmune conditions could be contributing to their distress. In addition, unless potatoes are organic, they’re known to contain high levels of pesticide.
Yuca is a non-GMO, non-inflammatory, low glycemic, whole-food alternative to potatoes. Yuca is a win-win! Great taste and great for you!
Now you can eat fries without guilt!!
(*Full printer-friendly version below*)
Ingredients:
-1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen yuca. This is one bag of Goya Frozen Yuca or 2 small to medium sized fresh roots. Your fries will be equally delicious no matter which is used. Frozen yuca comes already peeled and cut into pieces so it’s a quicker alternative if you’re crunched for time. There’s no need to defrost frozen yuca before boiling.
-3 tablespoons fresh organic lemon or lime juice
-1 tablespoon avocado oil (I use Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil)
-2 teaspoons pink Himalayan salt
–lemon pepper – to taste (I use Trader Joe’s lemon pepper.)
Seasoning Variations:
1. If you’re a spice lover – get crazy and add a pinch or two of ground cayenne pepper! *Note: adding cayenne pepper would prevent these fries from being autoimmune protocol approved.
2. Trader Joe’s Onion Salt– is a perfect combo of minced and granulated onion, green onion, kosher salt and chives. Yummmm!! This gives a sour cream and onion flavoring to your fries. Try 1 -2 teaspoons along with 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt. Check it out by clicking below!
3. Jada Spices Chicken Salt Lime – is my newest discovery and it’s AWESOME on fries!!! It gives fries a salty lime flavor. And contrary to its name, is Vegan! It’s name is the result of it being a very popular spice in Australia to season chicken. Use 1-2 teaspoons. Check it out clicking below!
4. Do your own thing! Experiment with the spice variations you love and comment below. I’d love to hear all about your creations!!!
*If using fresh yuca, it must be peeled before it’s cooked. See: About Yuca: How To Peel Fresh Yuca (Cassava) to learn how to do this quickly and easily. After peeling, cut fresh yuca into 3 pieces.
If using frozen yuca, it’s already peeled, cut into pieces, and ready to be boiled.
The next step is to boil your fresh or frozen yuca in salted lemon (or lime) water. This gives your fries a hint of added flavor infused throughout.
Once fork tender (about 15-30 minutes depending on the size of the yuca chunks), drain and allow to stand until it’s cool enough to handle.
It’s important to remove the stick-like core that runs through the center of each piece of yuca. It won’t be pleasant if these are in your fries. Place each piece on a cutting board and slice it in half lengthwise to expose the stem so it can be removed.
Cut each yuca piece into fry shapes. You can choose how thick or thin to make them. I usually make mine about 1/2″ – 3/4″ thick. Place cut fries into a large bowl, add avocado oil and mix until all the fries are coated in oil. (I do this with my hands so I can feel when all the fries are well-coated.)
Place the oiled fries onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Sprinkle with pink Himalayan salt and lemon pepper (or any other preferred seasoning.)
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Then flip fries with a metal spatula and cook for another 15 minutes. Eat immediately!
In case of leftovers (which is unlikely) these fries reheat well and even taste great cold right out of the fridge!
Enjoy every bite with no guilt! Yuca is a truly healthy starch!
Yuca Fry Nachos make the perfect appetizer to bring out the smiles of your party guests! They also make a super fun meal – just ask my kids! These Yuca Fry Nachos are made with a combination of 3 simple recipes from Crazy For Yuca – Baked Yuca Fries, Taco Meat, and Guacamole. plus the addition of your favorite organic salsa! (I used Brad’s Organic Salsa – Mild.) YUMMY!!!
for pantry items and kitchen gadgets needed to make Baked Yuca Fries or any other Crazy For Yuca recipe. I personally use all recommended products in my own kitchen!
All yuca/cassava snacks have been taste tested and approved by myself and my family! For a discussion of recommended yuca/cassava chips, see my post The Perfect Yuca Chip!
*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!
***
Healthy Eating Tip: Use parchment paper to line your baking sheets and pans for easy clean up and healthier food! Since parchment paper is a non-stick surface, no additional oil is needed to prevent food from sticking to the pan. Parchment is a perfectly safe, non-toxic liner for baking. Never use aluminum foil for any cooking or baking involving heat. Foil has been proven to leach aluminum into food, with greater leaching in higher heat, with acidic solutions, and with foods which have added salt and spices. (1) Parchment paper is the mess-free, time-saving solution to healthy cooking and baking. It’s a critical staple in my kitchen pantry. I use Costco’s Kirland Signature brand. Check it out below to get these extra large rolls in a 2 pack and save money.
Kirkland Signature Parchment Paper
After having these yuca fries you'll never go back to potatoes again! I love how they're perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. They're such a satisfying side dish or snack. Of course, you can always put some chili on top and make a meal out of them!
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, along with 1 tsp Himalayan sea salt and the juice of a lemon or lime (about 3 Tbsp.)
If using fresh yuca - the peel must first be fully removed. (See: About yuca: How to peel fresh yuca.) Cut each peeled yuca root into 3 pieces (cut horizontally.) If using frozen, simply place frozen yuca into boiling water.
Ensure that yuca is completely covered by boiling water. Once water returns to a boil, cook yuca for 15 minutes (until just fork tender.) Do not over-cook. (Over-cooked yuca will be mushy and will not hold its fry shape well.) Drain water.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Once cool to the touch, cut each piece of yuca in half lengthwise (vertically) to remove stick-like center.
Cut into fry shapes and place into a large mixing bowl.
Add avocado oil and blend until fries are well coated.
Place oiled fries onto a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with 1 tsp Himalayan sea salt and lemon pepper to taste. (Or any seasoning variation you enjoy.)
Bake for 15 minutes. Flip fries over using a metal spatula and bake another 15 minutes.
Eat immediately!
These fries can be made with any number of seasoning variations.
If you're a spice lover - get crazy and add a pinch or two of ground cayenne pepper!
Trader Joe's Onion Salt is a perfect combo of minced and granulated onion, green onion, kosher salt and chives. It tastes like sour cream and onion flavor!
Jada Chicken Salt Lime gives these fries a salty flavor with a hint of lime. Delish!
Try any seasoning combination that you like!
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.
