I used to LOVE strawberry shortcake when I was a kid! But I am sure I would cringe now to see the ingredients of those pre-packaged little cakes and that cloyingly sweet pre-made strawberry filling (which is dyed such an unnatural red color, yuck!) The good news is that this recipe for paleo autoimmune protocol (AIP) strawberry shortcake bites is super easy to make and have very little added sweetener.
This recipe is shared with permission from my friend Jennifer Robin's new book The Paleo Kids Cookbook, which releases on Sept 6th. And guys, you REALLY need to get your hands on this cookbook if you enjoy eating fun food! I don't care if you have no kids, you will still enjoy these recipes.
I mean c'mon, who doesn't love pizza, pretzels, animal crackers, chocolate cake, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, cereal, and GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES??! And yes: ALL of that is 100% Paleo - no grains, legumes, or dairy. Many recipes are also egg-free and nut-free to make them free of the top 8 allergens since it is a kid-focused book. There are a good portion of recipes that either are or can be made strict AIP or would be great AIP reintros. Here are the recipes that caught my eye that are AIP or easily adapted:
- Double Chocolate Layer Cake (AIP chocolate reintro)
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Toasted Pastry aka POP TARTS (use gelatin egg to make AIP)
- "Peanot" Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (sunflower seed reintro; can use carob chips instead of chocolate)
- Marshmallows
- Brownies (AIP chocolate and/or sunflower seed reintro - sub coconut butter for the sunbutter OR carob for the chocolate, or sub both for strict AIP)
- Dairy-Free Butter
- Ranch Dressing (egg yolk reintro)
- Weeknight Paleo Tortillas
- All of the smoothies
- Vanilla wafers
- Banana pudding
- Teriyaki Meatballs + Daikon Noodles
- Lots of tasty fruit and veggie snacks and healing gummies
If you are in the strictest phase of AIP, this book probably won't give you the most bang for your buck, but if you are the type who likes to experiment in the kitchen then I think a LOT more of the recipes inside could be tweaked to make them AIP or AIP reintro recipes.
And, of course, if you have any kids in your life who need to avoid the Top 8 allergens then you DEFINITELY need to get this book!! The recipes are very approachable and even have notes "for little hands" explaining how you can have the kids help make each dish.
If you hurry and take advantage of the pre-order on Amazon, you can snag the super low price on this cookbook! That also means you'll be the first to get your hands on this gorgeous, creative, and fun cookbook!
Click on the button to place your pre-order :-)
I am really looking forward to cooking more recipes from this cookbook (that grilled "cheese" sandwich has my name on it!!!) but I can tell you now that the egg-free BROWNIES are out of this world delicious and so easy to make. I love that Jennifer had the genius idea to put marshmallows and sprinkles on top of them - why didn't I ever think of that in the past??
Strawberry Shortcake Bites (AIP, Paleo)
Published 08/14/2016
If your kiddo is more a fruity dessert lover, these Strawberry Shortcake Bites will really hit the spot. No eggs, nuts, dairy or gluten but lots of naturally sweet goodness!
Ingredients
For the crust:- ½ cup (48 g) coconut flour
- 1 tbsp (7 g) tapioca starch
- 1 tbsp (7 g) grass-fed beef gelatin(the variety that congeals)
- ⅓ cup (80 g) sustainable palm shortening, melted
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) pure maple syrup
- Pinch sea salt
- ½ cup (75 g) diced strawberries
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) maple sugar
- coconut whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C).
- Combine all the crust ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. If needed, you can add a bit extra liquid like water or dairy-free milk. This will be determined by the brand of coconut flour you use, as some are thirstier than others. You should be able to handle the dough and press it into the tartlet reservoirs easily. Divide the dough evenly among eight reservoirs in your mini tartlet pan. Press the dough into the tartlet molds, creating a dip in the center where for the strawberry mixture. Bake for about 8 minutes and remove from oven.
- Now combine the maple sugar and diced strawberries in a bowl. Spoon the diced strawberries into the center and top with Coconut Whipped Cream if desired.
- FOR LITTLE HANDS: Allow your child to help chop the strawberries with a child-safe knife. Your little helper can also help stir the crust ingredients, fill the dough in the mini tartlet pan and help top them all with coconut whipped cream.
Cook time: 00 hrs. 08 mins.
Total time: 13 mins.
Tags: paleo, AIP, dessert, gluten-free