Brazilian Influence

In honor of the World Cup starting, here are a few of my favorite Brazilian exports:

1. The concept of Saudade

The term has no direct translation in English. There are various definitions including a bittersweet nostalgia for something lost or that perhaps has not even happened.  At its most basic, saudade is a feeling, a longing for someone, something or some event that one is fond of, which is gone, but might return in a distant future--although the term often carries a fatalist tone that the object of longing might never return no matter how great the desire. So when someone says, "Tenho saudades de você," it's more than "I miss you." It means a longing, a reveling in the pleasure of having loved and felt the warmth of another, all while dutifully accepting the emptiness and pain of loss. Truly a beautiful and complicated concept. 

2. Paolo Coehlo. 

The Alchemist was given to me by someone special and has been a great source of inspiration.  The concept of loving even while letting go to pursue our dreams resonates deeply, especially now.  Like Fatima, I also believe in the idea of "'Maktub," which translates to, "it is written." Basically the idea is that fate will unveil itself and if someone or something is really part of your treasure or personal legend then they will appear or return.

However, as the Alchemist points out, we never lose control of our own destinies...fate and the universe will send omens and the right people into our lives, but ultimately it is up to us to determine our own paths. Our choices, our ability to not lose sight of the little elements that make up the grand scheme, and always listening to our hearts even if it means suffering are what will ultimately lead us to our treasure...our personal legends. 

And to lighten the mood...

3. Pão de queijo

I've written about this yummy little concoction before but cannot praise its perfect blend of crispy savory goodness enough.  It's my go-to gluten-free biscuit/bread of choice. It can be somewhat sticky and tricky to make, but it's definitely worth your time. You can use my recipe or try to find another one online...if you do...make sure to send me your pics and the recipe. I'm always looking to improve.

Right...well on that note...FORZA AZZURRI!!! Looking forward to a great World Cup 2014! 

Day 12- Experimenting in the kitchen

So after a conversation at the gym yesterday about the difficulties of baking primal...I decided to rework one of my favorite gluten-free biscuit recipes into one that is also primal friendly.


The original recipe is for Pão de queijo, which is a very popular Brazilian cheese roll made with tapioca flour. The biscuits when done right are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Because they are made with tapioca flour (from the cassava root), this recipe is naturally gluten free. They are, however, NOT primal due to the cup of milk and two cups of cheese!


So this morning I decided to switch up the recipe a little to see if I couldn't render something savory and primal! 

The original non-Primal Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups tapioca flour
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 beaten eggs

My attempt at Primal: 

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup organic butter
• 1 cup unsweetened original flavor Almond milk
• 2 cups tapioca flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup spinach
• 1 Aidells All Natural Andouille pork sausage (diced)

Baking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Pour olive oil, water, almond milk, and butter into a large saucepan, and place over high heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat immediately, and stir in tapioca flour until smooth. 
3. Stir egg into the tapioca mixture, one at a time, until well combined, the mixture will be chunky like cottage cheese. Add sausage and spinach. 
4. Drop rounded, 1/4 cup-sized balls of the mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake until the tops are lightly browned, approx. 20 minutes

What to try next time:

• So the biscuits came out with the right texture (a major concern I had cooking with almond milk) but they lacked a little flavor. The sausage and spinach were a nice touch but the dough itself was a little bland. I omitted the teaspoon of salt thinking the sausage would add enough, but I was wrong. Perhaps a teaspoon or two of minced garlic or other spice will perk the dough up next time.
• I know those of you on a strict "Paleo" diet cannot eat butter. So I'll try subbing that 1/4 cup butter with either 1/4 cup olive oil or maybe some other paleo oil like flaxseed oil or pumpkin oil. Ghee is also an option.
• The protein count was a little lower than I wanted (only 2g per biscuit) so I might sub the water for low-sodium organic chicken or beef broth. That will bring it up to 3g of protein per biscuit. 

If anyone has any suggestions on how to further tweak this recipe....please please let me know.