• Home
  • Blog
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Free e-books!
  • Children’s Behavior
  • Women’s Health
  • About
    • Meet Jaclyn
    • Contact

Search Results for: baking powder

Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest

July 9, 2019

Insect Bite Remedy: The best natural ways to treat bites and stings

Looking for an insect bite remedy? You’re in luck! Below you’ll find some effective and natural ways to treat bites and stings.

Insect Bite Remedy: Natural ways to treat bites and stings | The Family That Heals Together

It’s summer time, which means your kiddos are probably spending time outdoors exploring and playing in water. All that warm weather fun is awesome, but what’s not awesome are bug bites and stings. We’ll help you find the right insect bite remedy so you or your kiddo can relieve the pain, swelling, and itching fast!

Bites vs stings

How do you know if you’re dealing with a bite or a sting? The two are often used interchangeably: “Mom, I got bit by a bee!” or “Mom, a mosquito stung me!”

Insects that bite include mosquitoes, spiders, ants, ticks, flies, and chiggers. Those that sting include bees, wasps, hornets, some ants, and scorpions.

Regardless of which it is, you’ll find these natural ways to treat bites and stings will help regardless.

What is the best thing for insect bites?

For a minor bite or sting, a quick application of herbal salve or an essential oil roller can provide instant relief.

You can try this salve recipe which uses both herbs and essential oils. Whip up a batch and store it in a jar or tins to keep on hand for when bug bites and stings pop up.

Good oils to use in roller bottles are Better Than Kisses (get the oil here and the pre-made diluted roller here), basil, and lavender. If you apply an insect bite remedy quickly, the odds of symptoms getting worse go down.

How do you know if a bug bite is serious?

Sometimes, even when quick action is taken, a bug bite or sting can become more serious. 

Symptoms you should be concerned about:

  • vomiting
  • dizziness
  • fever
  • trouble breathing

Although it is not abnormal for a bug bite to have redness and swelling, keep an eye on bites that swell excessively, are hot to the touch, ooze or weep, or have redness that extends from the site of the bite or sting.

How long does it take for an insect bite to heal?

Most bites and stings will heal within a week or two. Using the below tips will help bites and stings to heal more quickly.

Natural ways to treat bites and stings

You know what they say about an ounce of prevention… In order to prevent bug bites and stings, try an insect-repelling essential oil blend like this.

Shield Me KidSafe Essential Oil 10 mL

Price: $9.95
Buy Now

 

 

 

If you forget your prevention and find yourself in need of an insect bite remedy, we’ve got you covered.

How do you get bug bites to go away fast?

The best way to treat a bite or sting and get instant results is to use an essential oil roller or salve. Treating at the site of the bite will provide quick relief. However, it’s still prudent to use internal medicine in order to prevent further discomfort or if symptoms persist.

Best essential oils for bug bites and stings

→ Lavender– a soothing oil that’s known for calming skin irritations like stings and burns, lavender is a perfect insect bite remedy to apply to a bug bite or sting. Get organic lavender essential oil here.

→ Chamomile– like lavender, chamomile is soothing. As a bonus, chamomile can help calm a child who is upset about a sting and help him rest if need be. Get chamomile essential oil here.

→ Better Than Kisses– a blend designed to help soothe bites, cuts, stings, burns, and more, this blend is a must for a mama with active kiddos! It’s a Kidsafe blend that helps to ease pain, reduce redness, and keep the affected area clean. Get the pre-diluted Better Than Kisses roller here or stock up on the blend in bulk to make your own rollers here.

→ Manuka– yes, that plant that provides the wonderful medicinal honey we all love also provides an equally amazing essential oil! Manuka essential oil is perfect for calming red, inflamed areas and soothing irritation caused by nature’s pests. Get the Kidsafe oil here.

What is the best cream for insect bites?

We love a good homemade herbal salve for minor issues like bites, stings, scrapes, and burns. Try the recipe below.

Print Recipe

Homemade Salve Recipe

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1.5 oz dried herbs (we like comfrey, plantain, and calendula and suggest a combination of the three.)
  • .5 oz beeswax pellets
  • 20-30 drops essential oils (we like lavender, manuka, chamomile, or the Better Than Kisses blend.)

Instructions

  • 1. In a small saucepan, simmer olive oil and dried herbs for about 20 minutes. Use a sieve to filter out the herbs, then return the oil to the saucepan.
  • 2. Add the beeswax pellets to the oil and melt over low heat. Remove from heat once beeswax is completely melted.
  • 3. Add essential oils of choice and give oil a gentle stir.
  • 4. Transfer mixture to a small tin or jar and affix lid. Allow to cool and solidify before using.

Notes

Find organic dried comfrey leaves here.
Find organic dried plantain here.
Find organic dried calendula here.

Insect Bite Remedy: Natural ways to treat bites and stings | The Family That Heals Together

Other natural ways to treat bites and stings

If you’re still looking for an insect bite remedy, here are a few more things to try.

Baking soda paste- make a paste of baking soda and water and apply to the bite to draw out poison and sooth skin.

Black drawing salve- add a capsule of activated charcoal to the above salve recipe to create a drawing salve, which will draw out the poison from bites and stings.

Chewing tobacco- chew or mash tobacco to make a paste and apply to the sting in order to draw out poison.

Homeopathy as an insect bite remedy

Homeopathy can be a wonderful treatment for insect bites and stings, as it helps the body heal itself. Read more about how homeopathy works here.

  • Apis mellifica is good for stinging and swelling, and when the affected area is warm to the touch; it is also good for hives. Get it here.
  • Ledum good for bites and stings from bees, mosquitoes, wasps, or spiders; can be effective if bite presents with bullseye rash. Get it here.
  • Urtica urens is good for red, swollen bites that itch and sting. Can also treat hives. Get it here.
  • Hypericum is good for bites that produce sharp, shooting pains and/or those that occur in sensitive areas, such as at the ends of fingers or toes. Get it here.
  • Staphysagria is good for large, itchy bites that may create large welts. Get it here.

You can also get a homeopathic cream to apply topically like this.

Insect Bite Remedy: Natural ways to treat bites and stings | The Family That Heals Together

Is Benadryl good for insect bites?

It can be. If your child is experiencing swelling that is not going down or you suspect an allergic reaction, Benadryl may help to ease symptoms.

Of course, no over the counter medication is without risk of side effects, so you can always explore natural anti-histamines. We really like D-Hist Jr, a children’s allergy medicine with herbal ingredients like quercetin and stinging nettle, as well as vitamin C and other ingredients designed to break down histamines in the body. Get it here.

How do you stop a bite from itching?

There’s also an essential oil for that. 😉 Try this Kidsafe Itch Away blend.

In addition, making a paste of baking soda and water can soothe itching caused by insect bites, as well as adding baking soda or colloidal oatmeal to a bath.

Of course, the best way to get a bite to stop itching is to not scratch it! Sometimes that’s easier said than done with little ones, so covering it with a bandage along with some salve or an essential oil blend can help to ease the itch quicker.

Why do I have such a bad reaction to bug bites?

If you find yourself responding to bites with an allergic reaction, or if your skin tends to swell more than normal, you are likely dealing with an immune system problem.

If your immune system overreacts to bug bites and stings, you need to look to gut health. Focus on nourishing foods; remove inflammatory foods like gluten, dairy, and sugar.

In addition, try adding a gentle probiotic (totally safe for kids!) like this.

Overreactions to bug bites are your body’s gentle nudge that something is off and should be addressed.

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Blog, Remedies

April 15, 2019

Paleo White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie Easy to Cook Recipe

You’ll find several versions of chocolate chip cookies here on the site, mainly because, no matter how strict I’m eating, I will always find a way to make my favorite treat. Below is an updated version of my best ever paleo chocolate chip cookies. Please enjoy my Paleo White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie Recipe!

Paleo White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie Recipe | The Family That Heals Together

The truth is, I’ve always preferred vanilla to chocolate. Whether we’re talking about ice cream, blondies vs. brownies, frosting, or white chocolate vs chocolate chocolate, I prefer the creaminess of vanilla and white chocolate flavors.

So it only made sense that I would update my favorite chocolate chip cookies as a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie recipe. They also happen to be Mr. Incredible’s favorite cookie as well.

Personally, I’m a fan of pecans, but the Mister really loves macadamia nuts. Let’s just say he was in hog heaven on our recent trip to Maui! 

Paleo White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie Recipe | The Family That Heals Together

While the sites, hiking, and general adventure were so much fun, it was really all about the food for me. Stay tuned for a full post on eating gluten-free and paleo-style foods in (on?) Maui! In the meantime, enjoy a piece of island flavor with the white chocolate macadamia nut cookie recipe you’ll find below.

Paleo White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie Recipe | The Family That Heals Together

Notes on how to source the healthiest ingredients

While I chose paleo-friendly sweeteners for these cookies, sourcing paleo-friendly white chocolate chips is a little more challenging. It’s fairly easy these days to find organic white chocolate chips, but they will typically contain milk powder.

If you want to source dairy-free white chocolate chips, it’s a little more challenging, but they do exist! You can try these rice milk organic white chocolate chips or try making your own.

Also, I had trouble finding organic macadamia nuts locally, so if that’s important to you, try these organic macadamia nuts. Macadamia nuts do tend to be pricier than other nuts, so I stash them away for these white chocolate macadamia nut cookies (along with the white chocolate chips).

Paleo White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies | The Family That Heals Together

Paleo White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies
Print Recipe

Paleo White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time12 minutes mins
Total Time27 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Servings: 36 cookies
Author: Jaclyn

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup  salted butter softened (or replace with fat of choice for strict paleo)
  • 1/3 cup  palm shortening
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/3 cup tapioca flour
  • 2/3 cup  coconut flour
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup macadamia nuts

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
  • Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Using a hand mixer, put butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl and cream together.
  • Add coconut sugar and honey and mix once more.
  • Add the eggs, baking soda, and vanilla and mix on high until ingredients are combined well and smooth.
  • Carefully add tapioca flour a little at a time and mix as you go, then add coconut flour and finish combining with the hand mixer on high.
  • Add the chocolate chips and macadamia nuts and mix once more until distributed.
  • Let the dough rest for about 15 minutes.
  • Place tablespoon-sized balls of dough about two inches apart on the cookie sheets. I like to only bake one sheet at a time because the bottom rack always cooks a little differently, so I could in two batches.
  • Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes (ovens vary). They will begin to brown on the edges when they are done.
  • When you remove them from the oven, they will be a bit crumbly. Let them sit on the cookie sheet undisturbed for about ten minutes before transferring to a cooling rack, otherwise they will not hold up as well.

Paleo White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie Recipe | The Family That Heals Together

Which do you prefer- regular chocolate chip cookies or white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies?

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Recipes · Tagged: cookies, dessert, gluten-free, macadamia nuts, paleo, white chocolate

January 14, 2019

How To Cure A UTI At Home Naturally

Wondering how to cure a UTI at home or if it’s even possible? While an occasional kidney detox is a good idea if you tend to get recurring UTI infections, Danielle shares straightforward UTI remedies that you can use right now to ease pain and feel better.

How To Cure A UTI At Home Naturally | The Family That Heals Together

What is a UTI?

A UTI, or urinary tract infections, forms when bacteria is introduced into the urinary tract via the urethra, up to the bladder.

Your kidneys filter urine, sending it through your ureter to your bladder, and your urethra carries it out of the body.

UTIs mostly affect women, children, and the elderly. In women, the two most common ways to introduce unwanted bacteria to the urethra:

  1. Not wiping from front to back
  2. Sex

Many women experience a UTI after having sex and not urinating for hours, which gets the bacteria-laden urine out of the bladder. It’s a good idea to wipe from the front to the back of your pubic area everytime you urinate, as well as urinating and cleaning yourself after sex.

Men can also have UTIs. Sometimes the bacteria that cause a UTI attach to a physical structure, like a catheter or kidney stone. Other causes may be a suppressed immune system or antibiotic use.

If you’re a woman who has experienced a UTI, you don’t need to me to tell you that it’s extremely uncomfortable and painful. When you have a UTI, you typically know.

Look for these symptoms that signal a UTI is present:

  • Frequent urination with a strong urge
  • Painful, burning feeling when you urinate
  • Pain in the lower back
  • Cloudy, dark, or smelly urine
  • A fever or ache, signaling an infection

Can a UTI go away on its own?

Sure, it could. But, it’s not likely and let’s face it – this isn’t something you want to wait out.

A urinary tract infection is very painful and disrupts daily life. Plus, a long term infection of the area could spread to your kidneys. That’s not something you want.

The bacteria aren’t playing around, and neither should you.

How to cure a UTI naturally at home

Normal treatment at the doctor includes a urine sample and antibiotics.

However, medical research shows that at least one in five women will not be cured of their UTI with antibiotics.

This is normally explained as the bacteria causing the infection does not respond to the antibiotic prescribed (so why don’t they match it?) or that the bacteria have become resistant to antibiotics, which is not a situation you want in your bladder. Many of these cases turn into long term infections.

No thanks!

The medical response to that is prescribing a long term, low dose antibiotic, or a single-dose antibiotic after sex (what!? every time?), and having a home test kit.

I do think the home test kit is a good idea, especially when you can get a test like this one.

While antibiotics are great for specific cases and in some situations lifesaving, you don’t want to be on them all the time. You certainly want to avoid them when not necessary or they could create a long term problem.

With antibiotic resistance and recurring UTIs, doctors know this too.

We also know that antibiotics damage the gut, which leads to long-term health problems.

Follow these tips on how to cure a UTI

Can you get rid of UTI without antibiotics?

Luckily, women have been dealing with UTIs for ages and there’s a whole host of natural cures in the natural healing toolbag. Ones that don’t include antibiotic resistance and reoccurring infections.

So, that’s a big yes!

Here’s how to cure a UTI without antibiotic use:

  1. D-mannose. One of the best treatments for treating UTIs naturally is d-mannose. It is a type of sugar found in a number of fruits and has been well-researched for curing UTIs even better (yes, better) than antibiotics. Better yet, you can grab this beauty for $15 at your local health food store. Take 500 mg every 2-3 hours, until 2-3 days after symptoms have subsided. You can try an inexpensive D-mannose like this, or look into a corn-free one made in the USA like this if you have food allergies or other concerns.
  2. Baking soda has also been used to treat UTIs. Many use baking soda to neutralize the acid from the infection in the bladder and stop the infection from spreading to the kidneys.
  3. Uva ursi. Known to treat UTIs in a flash, uva ursi stops inflammation and also kills bacteria. It’s been used to help with overall kidney issues, as well. The herb is available as a capsule (found here) or tincture, but is stronger as a tincture (found here).
  4. Homeopathy is also a good idea. Be sure to match the symptom to the remedy: Cantharis for burning urine (find it here), Apis mellifica for stinging pain (find it here), Equisetum for severe but dull pain (find it here), and Staphysigaria for suppressed anger or a recent invasive procedure.
  5. Vitamin C is always a good idea to add, especially naturally sourced types such as camu camu powder or rose hips.
  6. Vitamin D. In animal studies, vitamin D deficiency can lead to more invasive UTIs. This makes sense since vitamin D does so much to support the immune health.

Serious UTIs may benefit from a stronger combination of herbs and other natural remedies. U.T. Vibrance contains high doses of d-mannose, as well as herbs targeted for urinary health and to fight infection. Find it here.

How about UTI and cranberry juice, does it really work?

Cranberry has been touted as a UTI cure forever, and for good reason.

It holds a tannin that is said to stop E. coli and other bacteria from attaching to the bladder wall where it can grow and lead to an infection.

It also has d-mannose.

However, some report it does not help them. One would suspect that has to do with how soon it is taken from the first signs of an infection, or which bacteria you have.

It is estimated that 90% of UTIs are from E. coli. However, if you fall in the 10% that is not from E. coli, Lauricidin can stave off other bacteria.

I have personally used cranberry juice to ward off a beginning UTI with great success. I’ve also had a UTI that I would categorize as “too far gone for cranberry juice alone by the time I got out of bed” and I chose to add additional herbs to heal from that one. Both times I was able to heal naturally.

If you choose to try cranberry juice, look for pure, organic cranberry juice with no additional ingredients.

How long does it take to get over a urinary tract infection?

Most UTIs will resolve within 5 days with natural treatments.

However, if yours does not resolve within 5 days, it’s time to see your doctor.

If you experience fever, chills, or lower back pain, you likely have a kidney infection and should see your doctor. At that point, antibiotics are a route to consider seriously.

If you are pregnant and have UTI or kidney infection symptoms, you should contact your health professional immediately.

How To Cure A UTI At Home Naturally | The Family That Heals Together

Why do I keep getting UTIs?

Reoccurring UTIs could be from lifestyle or eating choices.

Be sure to cut back on sugar, drink plenty of water, and limit stress. Clean yourself before and after sex, and always wipe after urinating or a bowel movement from the front to back. Urinate when you need to; do not hold it!

If you are using oral contraceptives, diaphragms, or spermicides, discontinue use. These may be causing your UTIs.

If you have recurring UTIs, consider taking a kidney/urinary supplement or tincture with horsetail, uva ursi, and marshmallow root.  Loading up on teas of these herbs will help.

Take a probiotic that is specifically formulated for bladder or female health, and work on healing any bacteria disturbances in your body by limiting gluten and dairy, or even following a GAPs diet.

A natural UTI cure makes sense.

Antibiotics aren’t the most effective therapy and antibiotic resistance is a big public health concern. Beyond that, you’ll find that in most cases, natural UTI cures work quickly.

Have you tried a natural UTI cure? Share in the comments!

By: Danielle · Filed Under: Blog, healing, health, Remedies · Tagged: acute, bladder, bladder infection, chronic, herbal remedies, kidney, remedies, urinary track infection, UTI

December 15, 2018

Paleo Meringue Cookie Recipe

Holiday treats never get old… but making sure to stay with your clean eating plan can grow tiresome. It can be especially hard to keep kids away from food dyes, refined sugars, and gluten. That’s why this paleo meringue cookie recipe is perfect (& easy!) to whip up for holiday gatherings.
Paleo Meringue Cookie Recipe | Jaclyn Harwell

Listen, I admit I can be a bit of a grinch. I feel pretty strongly about not lying to kids about Santa. And sorry, but I would never go to the trouble of moving a toy elf every night (#aintnobodygottimeforthat). But when it comes to holiday food, well, obviously, I’m not going to skimp on that.

After all, I wrote a whole cookbook with holiday recipes to help those on a strict diet enjoy all the holiday foods they love!

You can make a healthier version of almost anything!

My four sons know that when it comes to making goodies at the holidays, mom’s gonna deliver. Last year we made these paleo gingerbread houses… twice. It’s already on the agenda this year, but I wanted to expand our gluten-free, dairy-free, dye-free options. So, I decided to try my hand at a paleo version of a meringue cookie recipe.

Backstory: my five-year-old and I really enjoy watching cake/cookie/macaron/meringue decorating videos together. He’s quick to exclaim “that’s not healfy” when we see all the lovely and colorful treats.

He’s right. We do not eat food dye in our family. After learning my children respond poorly to food dyes, we cut them out and never looked back.

Thankfully, lots of innovative companies have emerged with dye-free sprinkles and food colors, so I took advantage to jazz up my meringue pops. Before we get into those details though, lets discuss the ins and outs of meringue.

Paleo Meringue Cookie Recipe | Jaclyn Harwell

 

What are the 3 types of meringue?

There are three types of meringue, as described by Fine Cooking:

French Meringue is an uncooked meringue in which the sugar is gradually beaten into the egg whites once they have reached soft peaks, and then the mixture is whipped to firm peaks. This type of meringue is the least stable.

Italian Meringue is most stable of all the meringues, and is made with a sugar syrup that has been heated to the soft-ball stage. The hot sugar syrup is gradually beaten into the egg whites after soft peaks have formed and then whipped to firm glossy peaks. Its stability and smooth texture make it great for egg white buttercreams and mousses.

Swiss Meringue is firm and slightly denser than the others, and is made by stirring sugar and egg whites together over a pot of simmering water until the sugar is dissolved. The early addition of the sugar prevents the egg whites from increasing as much in volume as they do in the other meringues, but adds to its fine texture. Swiss meringue is good for topping pies.

A Swiss Meringue is used for this paleo meringue cookie recipe, which is kept a little healthier with a less-refined sweetener.

Paleo Meringue Cookie Recipe | Jaclyn Harwell

Paleo Meringue Cookie Recipe | Jaclyn Harwell

If you’re new to meringue making, here are some answers to common questions

Can you over whip meringue? It is possible, but not likely due to the high sugar content of meringue. However, if your egg whites have started to look a bit grainy and are losing their luster, you’ve gone too far.

Why do you use cream of tartar in meringue? Cream of tartar is an optional ingredient in meringue. The acid in cream of tartar helps to stabilize the egg whites. A splash of lemon juice can accomplish the same thing.

Can I open the oven when cooking meringue? It’s best to minimize exposing meringues to drastic temperature changes. However, in my experience, this meringue cookie recipe holds up fine to checking and shifting cookie trays.

Why are my meringue cookies chewy? If your meringue is still chewy, there is still too much moisture and it needs to dry out more, either by resting in the oven or cooking longer. For best results, plan ahead to allow the meringue to rest overnight in the oven.

How long do meringue cookies last? This meringue cookie recipe will stay good for up to two weeks at room temperature, though if your family is anything like mine, they won’t make it a day!

Note: I turned my meringue cookies into the fun and trendy “meringue pops.” Kids think it’s more fun to eat things on sticks. *shrug* If you’d like to use this meringue cookie recipe to make meringue pops, grab some sticks like this or these cute and colorful ones.

Paleo Meringue Cookie Recipe | Jaclyn Harwell

Meringue cookie recipe: how to keep things healthy

Now that we’ve got some meringue basics out of the way, let’s talk about how to health-ify meringue to make this meringue cookie recipe.

It turns out, you can work with just about any sweetener to make a meringue. For my meringue pops, I used maple sugar. It’s similar in texture to table sugar, making these pops no fuss. Maple sugar also has a delightfully rich flavor.

Maple sugar is also a less refined, healthier, and paleo-friendly alternative to white sugar.

A note on dyes

Food dyes are non-negotiable in our family. They have been linked to migraines, mood swings, and, most importantly, behavioral challenges in children. It was for this reason our family originally eliminated food dyes and we have never looked back.

There are some great options for cute, naturally-colored sprinkles, which I used to make these meringue pops more festive.

Note: I tried a batch with a natural food color, but due to the amount of liquid it took to make an impact on the color, the meringue turned into a liquid-y mess. It’s sensitive to moisture like that.

A powder-based color might work, but I decided to cut my losses and take advantage of these adorable holiday-themed sprinkles. The green ones I used are found here. These are also cute and very Frozen-inspired for the Frozen fans out there.

Paleo Meringue Cookie Recipe | Jaclyn Harwell

Paleo Meringue Cookie Recipe | Jaclyn Harwell
Print Recipe

Paleo Meringue Cookie Recipe

Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time2 hours hrs
Total Time10 hours hrs
Course: Dessert
Keyword: Paleo
Servings: 2 dozen

Equipment

  • Stand mixer
  • Frosting piping bag and tip of choice (we like a large star-shaped tip).

Ingredients

  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 cup maple sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar or lemon juice optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 200*. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Fill a medium saucepan with a couple of inches of water and bring it to a boil on the stovetop, then turn heat off.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine egg whites and maple sugar. Place bowl over the pan of hot water and use a hand whisk to combine the egg whites and maple sugar until the maple sugar is dissolved, about 2-4 minutes.
  • Move the bowl to the stand mixer and turn mixer on medium-high. As whites begin to whip up, add vanilla extract.
  • Whip for approximately 6-8 minutes until egg whites are cool, thick, and lighter in color and have formed stiff peaks.
  • Transfer meringue to piping bag fitted with a large, star-shaped tip. Pipe desired shapes onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with dye-free sprinkles if desired.
    If you would like to use sticks to turn the cookies into pops, pipe about an inch of meringue onto the parchment, then place the stick on the meringue and pipe the shape over the stick.
  • Place the baking sheets in the oven and set a timer for an hour. At one hour, rotate sheets and set timer for another hour.
    For best results, after the meringues have cooked, turn the oven off and allow them to rest for 6-8 hours or overnight to finish drying out and setting up. Skipping this step is likely to result in chewy meringue pops.

Paleo Meringue Cookie Recipe | Jaclyn Harwell

Paleo Meringue Cookie Recipe | Jaclyn Harwell

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Blog, Recipes

December 10, 2018

Paleo Gingerbread House Recipe

I absolutely love baking holiday treats with my kids, and even though we avoid grains, dairy, and artificial ingredients, we get creative to make some pretty fun treats, like these paleo gingerbread houses!

Paleo Gingerbread House Recipe | The Family That Heals Together

When I wrote my healthy holiday cookbook Nourishing Holiday a couple of years ago, I knew it had to include a gingerbread man cookie recipe. I started off by creating these fun gingerdoodles cookies, then adapted them to create gingerbread men, which is the finished recipe you’ll find in my cookbook.

I don’t know why I’ve never thought to make gingerbread houses out of the dough, but this year, we were determined to find a way to make paleo gingerbread houses. It worked perfectly, and I found some better/healthier choices for frosting and candy decorations. Basically, this is probably the most fun my kids have had with food since we overhauled our diet, so I’m feeling like a million bucks.

Paleo gingerbread houses: worth the mess!

Paleo Gingerbread House Recipe | The Family That Heals Together

I know I’m not the only mom who typically avoids messes and big projects. I don’t consider myself a super fun mom. But I want to be, and I want to be more joyful in general, so I’m ending this year with a bang by letting my kids get covered in frosting and put together these cute little houses. We might even make them again before Christmas.

After recently learning that laughter actually boosts your immune system, I’ve determined to laugh more this next year. It doesn’t come naturally, to be honest. Having a child with complex medical and behavioral problems, and just being stretched thin in general as a mom, I think it’s easy to move through the every day hustle and bustle, some days without even so much as smiling.

I really like what one of my favorite companies, The Crowning Jewels, has to say about laughter here: “Laughter unlocks the seeds of purpose. Laughter is good for us. The Bible tells us that a joyful heart is good medicine (Proverbs 17:22).”

I want my kids to remember me being joyful, laughing, and not being too uptight.

I want to say yes more.

So when my kids started asking last week if we could make gingerbread houses, I said “Yes!” I quickly and easily found cookie cutters on Amazon, and you know I Prime-shipped those babies to get them here pronto. 😉

These Paleo Gingerbread Houses are not only paleo-friendly because they’re grain, gluten, dairy, and sugar-free, but they’re also GAPS diet-friendly if you omit the molasses. I actually prefer to make them with butter, but if you’re strictly dairy-free, you can make them with palm shortening. (Note: the cookie part is paleo and GAPS-friendly, read more about the frosting below.)

I’ve sweetened them with dates for optimal digestibility and to add health benefits like vitamins and minerals and fiber. They blend up easily in a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, or a food processor and give the dough some stickiness. You might be able to get away with an egg replacement in this recipe thanks to the stickiness of the dates, though I haven’t tried it yet.

Paleo Gingerbread House Recipe | The Family That Heals Together

A note on gingerbread house cookie cutters & more

I used this set of cookie cutters because they were very simple. After some trial and error, it seems the smaller pieces go on the sides and the bigger pieces are the roof. This recipe will make 2-3 houses with this set of cutters. There are also templates online that you can print out and trace onto the dough, but having the cutters sure made for tidy lines and quick, easy cutting.

We used organic frosting from the store. It has some powdered sugar in it, so it’s not 100% paleo-friendly, but I’m ok with that. You could also try making your own frosting with homemade coconut or maple powdered sugar, but I was all about keeping things easy this time.

I found naturally-colored holiday candies that don’t contain artificial ingredients, and I felt pretty good about using them, especially for how festive they look! We used these and these.

Paleo Gingerbread House Recipe | The Family That Heals Together

Really, you could use anything to decorate them, like nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or chocolate chips, but to be honest, getting a stiff enough frosting will be tricky unless you’re willing to keep it refrigerated. Either way, make these paleo gingerbread houses your own and have fun and laugh with your kids!

Paleo Gingerbread House Recipe
Print Recipe

Paleo Gingerbread House Recipe

Prep Time30 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Servings: 2 Houses
Author: Jaclyn

Ingredients

  • 2 cups blanched finely ground almond flour
  • 1 cup pecans or walnuts
  • 1/2 cup pitted dates
  • 1/3 cup coconut flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup butter or palm shortening room temp
  • 1 tsbp molasses omit for GAPS diet
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350*.
  • In the container of a high-powered blender or food processor, combine nuts, dates, molasses, eggs, butter, vanilla, ginger, and cinnamon. Blend on high until smooth, using the tamper or scraping the sides as you go.
  • Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt, and stir until a thick, sticky dough forms.
  • Chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
  • Turn dough out onto large piece of parchment paper or floured surface (tapioca/arrowroot starches are paleo-friendly choices). Place another piece of parchment paper on top, or lightly dust with starch before using a rolling pin to roll dough to 1/4" thickness. (You can divide dough in 2-3 balls to do this in order to have less dough to work with.)
  • Use gingerbread house cutters like this to cut out two of each shape: two walls, two roof pieces, and two pointed front and back pieces. 
  • Transfer to a lined cookie sheet, then ball up remaining dough and repeat. 
  • Bake 15-18 minutes, until cookies begin to brown on edges.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before assembling and decorating.

To put houses together and decorate:

  • Fill a piping bag, fixed with a small/medium tip or with a small hole cut in the tip, with frosting. We used this organic frosting and it worked well, though it will not get stiff like conventional frosting. It was thick enough to hold things together though. You could try a buttercream made with honey and keep it refrigerated in order to avoid sugar, but it will be hard to get a stiff enough frosting without starch or sugar.
  • Use frosting to attach the smaller rectangle pieces on the sides of each of the tall, pointed front and back pieces. Place the larger rectangle pieces on either upper side as the roof. Fill in any gaps with frosting.
  • Use the frosting to decorate the houses and affix dye-free candies to them. We used these and these. You could also use nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and chocolate chips to be more GAPS- or paleo-friendly, as candy still contains sugar, even if it's dye-free and organic!

Paleo Gingerbread House Recipe | The Family That Heals Together

Paleo Gingerbread House Recipe | The Family That Heals Together

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Blog, Recipes · Tagged: candy, cookies, dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, kid food, paleo, primal, sweets, treats

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Next Page »

Recent Posts

  • Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe | Paleo / GAPS / Gluten-Free
  • The PANDAS Parent Starter Kit (Where to start after a PANDAS diagnosis- or if you suspect it)
  • Paleo Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies (Healthy Pumpkin Spice Cookies!)

Copyright © 2023 · Hello CEO by Hello You Designs

Copyright © 2023 · Hello CEO on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in