Author: Natalie Hanson

I am an anthropologist and user experience (UX) executive. I lead a team that works in the healthcare space on both licensable software and custom client solutions. As an anthropologist, my research has focused on work practices and work environments. I have a special interest in how institutions respond to macro-economic, industry, and regional trends, and how the resulting organizational changes affect the lives of employees. You can learn more about me at http://www.nataliehanson.com.

Lee’s apple pie

Natalie Hanson

A Nissen-Hanson Thanksgiving tradition.

From Lee: “I”m deeply honored to share the apple pie recipe with you, especially because your mom’s apple tarts are such things of beauty and elegance. But there is a certain rustic appeal to a huge pie piled with apples (Don seems to think so anyway).

“I assume you will use the usual pate brise for the crust. I actually always use Julia Child’s recipe … The apple choice is personal. Macintoshes make the pie soft and somewhat creamy, Winesaps make it crisper and tarter. And a mix of various kinds gives a different feel. Use your imagination and go for whatever turns you on. I always try to cram at least 12 apples in the piece to make it really tall, so go for broke.”

12 apples
3/4 cups each if brown and white sugar
A ton of cinnamon – about a 1/4 cup
A pinch of salt

Unsalted butter

  • Mix the peeled, cored, and sliced apples with both brown and white sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
  • Pile the annointed apples in the bottom crust of a nine-inch pan, and dot liberally with butter. Thanksgiving is no time to be worrying about calories!
  • Top with the second crust and cut several vents in the top and sides (very important). I usually use this opportunity to get creative with aspic cutters in the shape of leaves, etc.
  • The pie starts out in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, then 350 for 20 minutes, and 250 degrees. Or 450, 400, 350. If you have a convection oven, use that option at 50-degree lower temps for a more evenly browned crust.
  • Make sure you put a large cookie sheet under the pie pan to catch the drips. This pie is an oven destroyer!
  • Unlike your mom, I don’t use an egg wash on my pies, but feel free to do so if you wish. That’s about it.
  • It’s really a matter of experiment to get the desired end. I’m sure you’ll give it the Hanson twist, so let me know how it goes, I’m experimenting myself every year with different apples!

Lavender shortbread cookies

Natalie Hanson

From a bed and breakfast in Santa Fe.

1 cup of butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp lemon extract
2 cups of flour
1 Tbsp dried lavender flowers
1/8 tsp salt

  • Cream butter, sugar, vanilla, and lemon extract.
  • Add flour; mix until dough is smooth.
  • Add salt and lavender to mixture.
  • Dough should be soft and not sticky!
  • Chill until firm.
  • Pre-heat oven to 325F degrees.
  • Place dough onto lightly floured baking sheet and press into pan.
  • Bake up to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
  • If needed, place foil around edges of pan to avoid burning.
  • Place on cooling rack.
  • Cut into 1-2 inch rectangles while still slightly warm.

Josette’s famous rum balls

Natalie Hanson

A longstanding Christmas Day indulgence from Josette Carter.

1 cup of vanilla wafers
1 cup of powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
1 cup of pecans, finely chopped
2 Tbsp cocoa
2 Tbsp white corn syrup
1/4 cup bourbon (go slow on this)
2 Tbsp white corn syrup

  • Combine wafers, sugar, pecan, and cocoa in the food processor.
  • Gradually blend in the corn syrup and bourbon.
  • Form into balls, and roll in powdered sugar.

Waffle cones

Natalie Hanson

From My Paleo Patisserie, by Jenni Hulet. Yields about 10 small pizzelle-sized cones.

2 Tbsp palm shortening or ghee
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/4 cup (50 g) firmly packed maple sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup (75 g) almond flour
3 Tbsp arrowroot flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

  • Preheat a pizzelle or waffle cone maker.
  • Melt the shortening in a small saucepan and allow to cool slightly.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the whole egg, egg white, sugar, vanilla, and melted shortening until smooth.
  • Add the flours and salt and whisk until smooth again.
  • Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes.
  • Scoop 1 tablespoon of the batter onto the center of the pizzelle / waffle cone maker. Close the lid and cook for 30 to 60 seconds or until the cookie is done.
  • Place the cookie on the countertop and immediately shape it into a cone with a cone roller or by hand. Hold the cone on the roller until it feels like it will hold its shape. It will set quickly as it cools. If it doesn’t crisp up once cooled, then you know it needs to cook longer. If your machine browns the cookie more on one side than the other, flip the cookie halfway through the cooking time for more even browning.
  • The cones are best eaten the day they are made.

Flavor variations:

  • Hazelnut. Replace the almond flour with an equal amount of hazelnut flour.
  • Chocolate. Use just 1 tablespoon of arrowroot flour and add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.

Rosemary shortbread

Natalie Hanson

From The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan, by Dr. Becky Campbell.

1/3 cup (48 g) maple sugar
1 tsp preservative-free vanilla
3/4 cup (92 g) cassava flour; I prefer Otto’s because it’s the only unfermented brand
1 tsp coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup (115 g) cold salted grass-fed butter, cut into chunks

  • Preheat the oven to 325F (163C). Grease a 9-inch (23-cm) round pie pan. I occasionally make a double-batch on cookie sheet, instead.
  • Place the sugar, vanilla, flour, rosemary, and butter into a food processor and pulse for about 10 seconds, or just until everything is combined.
  • Remove the dough from the processor and form it into a ball, making sure everything is sticking together well and that it is not flaky.
  • Place the dough into the prepared pie pan and press it into a thin layer.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until the shortbread is golden on the edges.
  • Let the shortbread cool for 5 minutes before cutting.

A batch of these cookies is 137 grams of carbohydrates, a double batch is 274 grams. I divide the cookie sheet into ~36 cookies, which are about 8 grams of carbs per cookie.

Lemon-ginger energy balls

Natalie Hanson

From The Healing Kitchen, by Alaena Haber and Sarah Ballantyne.

2 ounces crunchy apple chips (about 1 cup)
1 cup of dried Turkish figs
2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp of ginger powder

  • Place all the ingredients in a food process or high powered blender and blend until all the pieces are of a small, consistent size, and they cling together with the coconut oil.
  • Form 8-10 compact balls (I use a tablespoon for consistently-sized scoops) and roll between your palms until rounded and firm.
  • Enjoy immediately or chill in the refrigerator before serving to set the coconut oil.

Cassava crust

Natalie Hanson

This recipe is the AIP Pizza crust from the Autoimmune Wellness website, and it’s supposed to serve 3-4 people as a pizza crust. But I use it primarily to create individually-portioned flatbread – it is so good when it is fresh and warm out of the oven! I prepare the dough ahead of time and chill it, dividing it up into smaller portions so I cook only what I need. I make 8 smaller flatbreads (about 6×6 inches) with this recipe. You can read more, see pictures, and the original recipe here.

1 packet active dry yeast
1½ cups warm water, divided
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups cassava flour
1 cup tapioca starch
1½ teaspoons sea salt
⅔ cup olive oil

  • Preheat oven 500°F; if you plan to cook on a pizza stone, include that in the oven while it preheats.
  • Add the yeast to a glass measuring cup with ½ cup of 115 degree water and honey. Give a quick whisk and set aside someplace warm for about 20 minutes. Once your yeast is active and ready to incorporate, it will double in size and smell yeasty.
  • Combine the cassava flour, tapioca starch and salt in a large bowl and stir to. Add the olive oil and 1 cup of warm water, along with the yeast mixture. Stir until combined.
  • Gently form into a ball with floured hands. Cover with a towel and set someplace warm (about 70-90 degrees is best) for about an hour to rise.
  • Your dough should have risen a couple of inches, perhaps cracking and smelling yeasty.
  • While the oven and baking surface are pre-heating, top the pizza on a pice of parchment paper on a flat baking sheet. First apply your sauce, then meat and vegetable toppings.
  • To make a pizza crust, carefully divide the batter it into two portions, forming each into a puck and then rolling out each into an 11-inch pizza on a piece of parchment paper and adding additional cassava flour to the pin as needed.
  • To make smaller flatbreads, divide each of the two portions in four, resulting in eight smaller balls of dough; each will yield a 6×6 inch flatbread when rolled and cooked.
  • To cook, remove the pre-heated stone or sheet from the oven and slide the crust onto it.
  • Cook for 9-10 minutes, or until just browned on the bottom of the crust.
  • Cool for a few minutes before enjoying.

Stromboli crust

Natalie Hanson

This is the crust from the Rosemary & Prosciutto Stromboli recipe in The Healing Kitchen, by Alaena Haber & Sarah Ballantyne. I use it to make a flexible flatbread crust.

1 cup of cooked and mashed white sweet potato (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp bacon fat (to brush on the crust while baking), or another fat of your choice

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a food processor, combine the mashed sweet potato with 1/4 cup of the tapioca starch at a time.
  • Season with the salt and rosemary; I also add half the bacon fat to the batter, which helps create a uniform texture.
  • Process until smooth.
  • Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet and use your hands to spread it into a rectangle about 1/4 inch sheet.
  • At this point you can fill and roll, or cook as-is to create a flatbread.
  • Brush with half the bacon fat and bake for 30 minutes.
  • If a crispy texture is desired, broil for 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining bacon fat.

Hummus

Natalie Hanson

1 can (15 oz) of organic garbanzo beans
2 Tbsp of Tahini
Juice of one lemon
A whole clove of garlic, roasted
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

Roast the garlic at 400F for 5 minutes or until tender. Process the garbanzo beans and the tahini in a food processor until smooth. Add the lemon juice. Peel and add the whole clove of roasted garlic. Add the olive oil, more if not smooth enough. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Guacamole

Natalie Hanson

1 avocado
1 lime
1 small onion cooked and chopped
1/4 of a cup of cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
A dash of tabasco (if you like spicy food)

Saute the onion in olive oil. Clean and chop the cilantro. Cut the avocado into rough pieces, then sprinkle with lime juice to avoid discoloration. Mash and mix everything together with a fork. Add a dash of olive oil if the guacamole is not too soft.