If you have not yet subscribed to Cooks Illustrated, get on it. It is my go-to source for recipes. Why? Because they're flawless. Every time. America’s Test Kitchen publishes Cooks Illustrated magazine every two months. But you can also access all of the recipes online at www.cooksillustrated.com.  

I wouldn't generally describe Cooks Illustrated recipes as simple. Many of them call for unexpected steps and ingredients. Their recipe for turkey burgers, for example, calls for grinding whole turkey thighs and adding beef gelatin. I'm sure it's delicious, but jeez.

Their mashed sweet potato recipe is an exception: 3 ingredients, 1 pot, 30 minutes. I especially love that it doesn't involve a big pot of boiling water. Instead, you simply braise the potatoes with a little butter and heavy cream. I’ve adapted the recipe to make it Whole30 compliant by substituting with ghee and coconut milk. This dish is deeply sweet and satisfying.

Coconut Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Yield: 4 servings
This recipe can be doubled in a Dutch oven; the cooking time will need to be doubled as well.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons ghee
4 tablespoons coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 large), quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices***

Procedure:
    1. Combine ghee, coconut milk, salt, and sweet potatoes in 3 to 4 quart saucepan; cook, covered,
        over low heat, stirring occasionally, until potatoes fall apart when poked with fork, 35 to 45
        minutes.

    2. Off heat, mash sweet potatoes in saucepan with potato masher, or transfer mixture to food mill
        and process into serving bowl.

*** Cutting the sweet potatoes into slices of even thickness is important in getting them to cook at the same rate. Here are step-by-step pictures:

Ghee is butter that has been cooked slowly to separate the pure butterfat from the milk solids. Because the milk solids have been removed, ghee has a higher smoke point than butter. It's also the reason ghee is Whole30 approved - the milk solids can cause an inflammatory reaction in those sensitive to dairy.

Try to find "Pasture-Raised" or "Grass-Fed" ghee (and butter). Cows that are allowed to graze on grass produce milk that is higher in heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids as well as  vitamins A and K.

It also tastes better.

I turned 30 on February 22nd. Two days later, my husband and I moved from New York City to Madison, Wisconsin. I decided to embrace this new phase of my life by setting some goals for myself:

                                                     1.  Write a blog - check!
                                                     2.  Start meditating
                                                     3.  Stop feeling like crap every day

I've made significant progress on number two, having downloaded a Mindfulness app on my Iphone and purchased "Meditation for Dummies." Now all I have to do is start meditating!

That last one has proven more of a challenge because, you see, I don't actually know why I feel like crap every day. Even with a healthy diet, I have experienced GI distress for most of my adult life. My main complaints including, but not limited to, heartburn, gas and constipation. I've seen several doctors who all give me the same useless diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which essentially translates to: you’ve got stomach issues but we really don’t know why and there’s nothing we can do to help you.

In my constant search for a cure, I came across the Whole30 program. Developed by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig (a radiantly healthy-looking couple), the Whole30 is essentially a restrictive version of the Paleo diet. For thirty days you cut out potentially unhealthy, hormone-unbalancing, gut-disrupting, inflammatory food groups and let your body recover from whatever effects those foods may be causing. Then, after thirty days, you slowly reintroduce those foods back into your diet to find out which ones are affecting you. Here it is in a nutshell:

The hardest part for me was simply starting. I had been thinking about doing this for nearly six months. And then one day in March, after we had settled into our new home, I just went for it. I stocked the fridge with Whole30 staples and begrudgingly accepted that I would be drinking my coffee black for the next month. I almost backed out that first Friday when we were invited out for a Wisconsin tradition: Fish Fry and Old Fashioneds. But I stuck with it, and by week two, I started feeling better. I had more energy in the morning, felt less bloated throughout the day, and fit better in my favorite jeans.

I'm on Day 33 now which means I'm in the reintroduction phase. Tomorrow I'll include some form of gluten in all of my meals. I won't lie and say I haven't been dreaming of this day for the past month. There's a muffin with my name on it in the morning. And I must admit that the milkshake I inhaled on dairy day might have been worth the bloating it produced. At least now I know.

Stay tuned in the days to come for easy, delicious, Whole30 approved recipes!

As a former Girl Scout and daughter of a dedicated troop leader, I consider myself something of a cookie connoisseur. For one month every spring, our dining room was piled high with boxes of the iconic treats. My mother would agree that I was not the most motivated seller, but I like to believe I would have earned a badge (had it existed) for the most committed consumer. Here was a typical day for me during cookie season: Trefoils with milk for breakfast; Tagalongs and the Brady Bunch after school; and Thin Mints before bed (they left my mouth so minty fresh!).

But most of all, I loved Samoas (aka Caramel deLites, apparently). Chewy, chocolaty, coconut packed rounds of awesomeness. Appealing to both young and sophisticated palates alike, they remain my all time favorite.  And if you try to tell me Do-si-dos trump Samoas, we cannot be friends. Because that is just wrong.

My love of Samoas has not faded over time, but my eating habits have. As a health foods chef who tries to avoid anything artificial, I’ve had to forgo the much anticipated spring cookie binge. Luckily, I have found an alternative: Chocolate Coconut Macaroons. These guys hit all the same notes as the Samoas without all the preservatives and corn syrup. I call these Grown-Up Samoas but they go over well with younger crowds too.

These macaroons take about ten minutes to make and require no baking. Better yet, they are gluten/dairy-free, and Paleo friendly. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE COCONUT MACAROONS
Yield: approximately 30 golf ball sized macaroons

Toasting really intensifies coconut’s flavor. Be sure to do it in a moderately low oven (around 325 degrees) and keep a careful eye on the coconut as it can go from beautifully browned to burnt in a matter of seconds.

Procedure:

   1.  In a large bowl combine shredded coconut, cocoa powder, and coconut flour.

   2.  In a saucepan over medium heat, melt together maple syrup, coconut oil, salt and vanilla extract.
        Pour over coconut mixture and combine.

   3.  Form into golf-ball sized rounds and place on a parchment lined sheet pan. Place in the freezer
        for 10-15 minutes, or until firm.

If you’re looking for the real thing (no judgments), you can track them down on the Girl Scout’s website. Here’s a list of locations in Madison, WI. There’s even a Cookie Finder App!