Fried Egg Topped Salad

For those that don't know, I've been dairy-free for 4 months now... since I've had my daughter.  I am breastfeeding her and she does not tolerate dairy well at all.  It's pretty much pure torture for her.  So I've had to make a lot of adjustments to my diet to suit her needs.

My favorite salad dressing is homemade ranch, but of course this has dairy in it.  I was making homemade honey mustard dressing there for awhile and would also use vinegar and oil (which has kind of become my new favorite, actually) quite often, but they both get old after awhile.  Especially with as many salads as I consumed (and still am consuming) this year with our delicious salad greens from our CSA. 

So I started using fried eggs on my salads.  I just cook the egg whites and keep the yolk runny.  The yolk then becomes my salad dressing.  This picture was taken one of the first couple times I made them like this and only has one egg on it.  I actually usually use one whole egg plus another yolk now.  It makes such a delicious salad dressing and it is SUPER nutritious!  Give it a try the next time you make a salad. 


This post is linked to:
Simple Lives Thursday @ GNOWFGLINS
Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager
Monday Mania @ Healthy Home Economist

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

While I was so sick last year when I was pregnant with my daughter, my husband was doing the grocery shopping.  He pretty much did most of the grocery shopping for the majority of my pregnancy.  And he didn't always stick to the lists I would give him.  A certain popular brand of chocolate syrup became a staple in our refrigerator and on my husband's shopping list.  Kevin has always loved chocolate syrup and he introduced our son to it last year... and got him on a kick where he'd only drink chocolate milk.  I didn't have the energy to fight them on it and figured it could be worse... at least he was putting the chocolate syrup into raw cow's milk.  ;-P 

Once I started feeling a little better and started cooking again, one of the first things I did was to look up a recipe for homemade chocolate syrup.  Ok, so I know this is totally not paleo, nor is it nourishing... but it is a pretty yummy treat that is better for you to make yourself than to buy at the store.  The store-bought versions are laden with high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors.  This homemade version is made from ingredients most people always have on hand.  And guess what?  It tastes exactly the same as the store-bought kind... only I feel way better using this for an ice cream topping or to make chocolate milk.  I wish I could remember where I found this recipe.  I tried another recipe first and wasn't too crazy about it, then tried this one and it has stuck.  I have finally transitioned both my husband and son out of the "need" to only drink chocolate milk.  So this isn't a staple in our refrigerator anymore, but I do still make it for treats here and there.  It is very easy and quick to make and will last in your refrigerator for quite awhile. 

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

1 1/2 cups sucanat (or cane sugar)

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or carob powder (I tend to do 1/2 cup cocoa powder and 1/4 cup carob powder)

1 cup water

dash of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla, preferably homemade

In a small saucepan, add sucanat, cocoa/carob, and salt.  Whisk together gently.  Add water.  Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and cook 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Cool.  Store in the refrigerator.