Check Out My [Paleo] Buns

There’s been a heck of a lot going on at the Tiny Kitchen household, and I haven’t been experimenting with paleo recipes as much as I’ve wanted to. Until this week. I knew we were going to have lamb burgers, and even though I’d saved a big, beautiful collard green leaf from my bi-weekly basket from Alegría Farms, I was wanting a bun.

Yes, a BUN. You know, to wrap your burger around and soak up all the flavors. Unlike the gluten-free gang, I can’t use rice flour, and definitely not cornmeal. So then I got an idea—I know, it’s shocking, but there you go. I’d seen a recipe for paleo scones and I thought: Hey, maybe a few scones could work like a burger bun! And I’ve got that muffin-top pan…god knows why I bought that thing, but it’s going to come in handy today.

But then I got smart and checked out a great savory muffin recipe at Simply Living Healthy (which has now become my new favorite blogger). EUREKA! These would make great buns, especially for a lamb burger. I had to make a few amendments, but for the most part, all the credit should go to SLH, and I thank her heartily for it! The burger was delicious. DEE-licious, I tell you! And not least because the lamb was from my absolute fave meat source, Da-Le Ranch. Really, more paleo people in SoCal should get hip to this farm. Everyone who has tried something from their farm has gone gaga over it. Seriously.

Then, the next day, I used one of the buns to make a tuna sandwich. Do you know how long it’s been since I had a SANDWICH? Well, probably the same amount of time it had been since I’d had a burger. But you get me. It had been a real long time.

Now, I don’t recommend using these as your daily sandwich buns, as that’s a heck of a lot of nuts in each bun. I’m just warning you—this is not a low-cal bun! I don’t think. It can’t be. It’s too tasty.

So, here’s the recipe for both the lamb burger and the buns. If you’re paleo, this is a recipe not to be missed! The Husband says so. I can’t wait to try this recipe with some cumin instead of the rosemary…I think there can be a lot of variation!

Lovely vegans and vegetarians, if you’ve got a problem with grains, use your fave burger sub with this, like a grilled portobella mushroom—that would be pretty awesome with this bun!

Paleo Burger Buns

Makes 6 buns

2 1/4 cups blanched almond flour
1 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
6 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, grated finely
1/4 cup ground flax seed
4 large eggs
2 egg whites
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease a muffin-top pan with coconut oil.

In a large mixing bowl combine almond flour, ground flax seed, sea salt, baking soda and black pepper, set aside.  In a separate bowl whisk together olive oil, garlic, eggs and egg whites until frothy.  Blend the wet mixture into the dry mixture using a whisk until thoroughly combined, fold in chives and rosemary.  Divide evenly between the muffin-top pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. If you’ve made them right, you’ll be able to carefully split them in two to make a bun.  Enjoy!

Lamb Burgers

1 lb ground lamb
3 cloves garlic, grated finely
1 jalapeño, finely chopped
1 egg
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients thoroughly, divide into three or four burgers, depending on how hungry you are. Use an egg ring to make them look all professional, and then let them sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Ask/make your husband grill them to perfection.

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