I'm so excited to tell you about my friend Carrie Vitt's new cookbook today! Carrie's blog, Deliciously Organic, began several years ago after she figured out she could overcome her debilitating migraines by switching to an organic diet. After experiencing the power of this change, she once again turned to real food when years later she started dealing with other unexplained health issues.
Shortly after a dental appointment gone wrong, she fell ill, lost all energy, and, worst of all, suddenly had painful hives all over her face and neck. For months she went from doctor to doctor until she eventually found one who agreed to help her figure out the root cause of her illness - instead of just treating her symptoms with prescription drugs. She was diagnosed with a thyroid autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s.
The doctor didn’t provide a very hopeful prognosis and thought she'd be on medication for the rest of her life. So Carrie decided to look elsewhere for solutions and met with a nutritionist who recommended a more holistic approach, which included a grain-free, nutrient-dense diet. She was obviously desperate at this point and willing to try almost anything! And it's a good thing she did.
The Grain-Free Family Table Cookbook
Years later she is now completely symptom-free, pain-free and feeling great. Carrie believes that, "Our bodies have an amazing ability to heal when given the right tools." And Carrie is now sharing her entire story and all the tools and recipes anyone could need to go grain-free in her brand new book The Grain-Free Family Table. Eating grain-free not only helped Carrie overcome her disease, but I've seen so many stories where it's helped others alleviate symptoms from a variety of autoimmune disorders. Not to mention that experimenting with a change in diet is obviously about as low-risk as you can get!
Plus, even if you aren't grain-free - like me! - her book is full of so many tasty looking recipes. Truth be told, I had the hardest time narrowing things down when it came time to decide what to share in today's post, and two of my friends have already tried to steal (okay, borrow!) her book from me. I think that's partially because Carrie herself is quite a talented photographer (did you know she took the food pics for my new book as well?) so it's chock-full of gorgeous color photos of both the recipes and her precious family.
I love that her book has slow cooker recipes, tasty-looking salads, and also kid-friendly recipes. One of my friend's daughters has Celiac disease, and she said making "kid food" is by far her biggest challenge (yes, she's one of the ones who already tried to steal Carrie's book from me)! So today I get to share with you the first recipe I made from the book, which was the Slow Cooker Sunday Roast. It couldn't have been easier to make, and the outcome was so delicious. Plus, I must admit I used the juices that were left in the slow cooker to make a gravy to go on top, and everyone gobbled it up.
Carrie says she loves to pair this roast with a side of Greens with Onion and Bacon and Creamed Cauliflower (both also in her book and pictured below) for a complete meal. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking that gravy from the roast would be good on top of the cauliflower side as well! :) I hope you enjoy this recipe and also check out the other preview recipes available on Amazon. There you'll see what I plan to make next - Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers. Yum!
Thank you Carrie for letting me share your story and recipe today!
Slow Cooker Sunday Roast
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter (unsalted)
- ½ cup honey (raw)
- ½ cup red wine
- ½ cup fermented tamari sauce (or coconut aminos)
- ¼ cup lemon juice (fresh)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons sea salt (celtic)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 4 pound chuck roast (or rump (grass-fed))
Instructions
- Place the butter, honey, wine, tamari, lemon juice, Dijon, hot sauce, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Place the roast in a slow cooker and pour the butter mixture on top. Cover the slow cooker and cook for 8 hours on low heat. Serve.
Ashley leitch says
I made this today then roasted some vegetables in the oven. It was fantastic. And doesn't leave me bloated from too much sodium. Thanks for another recipe that I love
Heather says
Tried this last night. It was amazing! I think it'll end up being a regular for my family. I did use a low sodium tamari for this and some homemade mustard instead of Dijon though.
Melissa in Prague says
Sooo... after I make the sauce, is it a problem if I just pour it in a glass and drink it? #tempted
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
:)
Ambrose Bielecki says
cut back on the hot sauce, especially if you have kids.. I used about a teaspoon instead of four tablespoons... I don't even use four tablespoons of hot sauce in my spicy jambalaya!! The tamari provides a lot of saltiness to the dish, so I'd cut back on the Celtic sea salt as well.. I'm going to cut it half next time... see if it's a slight bit less salty.
I made a flour/butter roux and added the juices to create an unbelievably flavorful gravy to go along with it.
Will definitely make this again.
Amy says
This is quite possibly the best sauce and most flavorful meat I've ever cooked! So easy and delicious and used the leftover crock pot juices to make gravy afterwards. My (southern) fiance said it's the best gravy he's ever had, which is a serious compliment! Thank you so much for sharing :)
Janine Cockes says
What is tamari sauce?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Janine. It is a gluten free soy sauce.
Bob says
It tastes the same as soy sauce but no gluten.
Kerri Somers says
This recipe was so delicious! I added whole wheat flour to the stock and made the most delicious gravy. Thanks for the recipe!
jackiehj says
“Our bodies have an amazing ability to heal when given the right tools.â€
I totally agree with this, and Carrie's photos before and after testify for it!!
Nutrition is one of the basic tools we can use to heal and feel great - along with 7 other ones I discuss in a free ebook available here
Thefarmbarbie says
Carrie is so cute! She even makes cauliflower look yummy. Can I have organic mashed potatoes made with raw butter and cream instead? :-)
Willa Jefferson says
Be sure to check that you didn't get mercury fillings at the dentist's office. Those will cause immediate symptoms like MS, rheumatoid arthritis, and many other diseases. Have the fillings removed as soon as possible. Mercury is poison and should never be used in the mouth.
Lynda Slumpff says
I also went to the dentist and had a large filling removed Jan 29th. By Feb 15th I have had severe arthritis pains, then weakness and extreme fatique, and now diverticulitis and was in the hospital emergency room on Feb. 22nd. I am just now getting my strength and recovering from the diverticulitis.
I could only eat clear liquids for 6 days. Now I have started the Paleo diet, and just yesterday felt normal again.
I just made an appointment to get the other 3 teeth done with crowns and get the mercury (amalgam) fillings out of me. The fillings have been leaking from a crack for a while and my brain was also severely affected. I am having Neuro Integration Therapy and Field testing for toxicity in my body at my chiropractor's office. I'm afraid to have the dentist do 3 more teeth, but I will bounce back quickly with this new diet. Thanks for sharing
Renee says
This blog post could not have come at a better time. I was recently told that I have Hashimoto’s. I can't wait to try this recipe. :) Thank you so much! Blessings to you!
Jenn @ EngineerMommy says
This looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Brittany says
Would Bragg's amino acids work too? I already have some. Also, what can I use in place of the red wine? No alcohol here. Red wine vinegar? Thanks! I'm excited to share as I'm still looking for a great clean eating roast recipe.
Brittany says
So I ended rounding up a half cup of red wine from a friend and used Bragg's liquid aminos because that's what I had :). It smelled great cooking and my son was dying over it. Everyone wasn't super impressed with the final product though. My son described it as tasting like beef jerky and I have to agree. It was a little too spicy, leaving your lips burning and too strong of a flavor for a roast. Now I have quite a bit of leftover meat that I'm not sure what to use in. Anybody have any ideas?
Margaret Anne @ Natural Chow says
Mmmm, this looks so delicious! I can't wait to give it a try.
Leslie tutty says
What are coconut aminos? I have never heard of that before.
Carrie Vitt says
It is a sap from the coconut tree and is a great alternative to soy sauce. I have Dairy-Free/Paleo alternatives for each recipe in my cookbook, so this ingredient is for those who prefer to follow the Paleo diet.
Heather says
This is exciting news. Does it taste like soy sauce? I have a soy allergy and we've been making our own "fake" soy sauce, but this might be a great alternative! Carrie, so happy you were able to figure out what was happening and find a solution!
Carrie Vitt says
I won't say it tastes exactly like soy sauce, but it's pretty darn close! It makes for a great soy-free substitution! :)
LINDA says
What section do I find fermented tamari or coconut aminos in my grocery store?
Amy says
I need to know this too. Is all tamari fermented? My store doesn't carry too many unusual things.
Carrie Vitt says
Not all Tamari is fermented or traditionally prepared. I prefer to purchase Nama Shoyu. It can usually be found at your local health food store, or you can also order it online.
Marie says
Tamari is like soy sauce but without wheat ingredients, so look near the soy sauce. I'm not sure about the other ingredient
Carrie Vitt says
You can usually find them in the Asian section at your local health food store. They are also available on Amazon.
sherry says
That looks like an amazing recipe. I'm trying to figure out what the other pictures are, that looks like mashed cauliflower, but is the green stuff a spinach salad or cooked kale or turnip greens? It ALL looks incredible!
Lindsey @ Simply Lindsey says
This recipe looks delicious! I'm going to have to check her book out!
Kari @ Cooking with Toddlers says
Looks wonderful; something I'll have to try for the meat eaters in my family. Thanks for sharing!
Maryea {happy healthy mama} says
Sunday roast reminds me of my childhood! Thanks for sharing this recipe-it looks fantastic.