You guys know I’m big on eliminating wheat, processed sugar, and just about anything white from my diet, which I’m convinced has me looking and feeling decades younger than I really am. While not specifically paleo, the principles of Dr. William Davis’ Wheat Belly follows many of the same principles. I was thrilled when his publicist reached out to us, just in time to enjoy fall food offerings.

•  Pumpkin Spice Muffins (makes 12):
2 cups ground almonds
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup ground golden flaxseed
Sweetener such as Truvia or stevia extract equivalent to 3/4 cup sucrose
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash of fine sea salt
1 can (15 ounces) unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sour cream or canned coconut milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup walnut oil
melted coconut oil or extra-light olive oil.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Stir together the almond meal, walnuts, flaxseed, sweetener, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir together the pumpkin, sour cream or coconut milk, eggs, and oil in another large bowl. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the almond meal mixture and mix thoroughly. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about half full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out dry, about 45 minutes. Cool the muffins in the pans 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

•  Wheat-free Cauliflower Mushroom Dressing:
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 pound loose ground pork sausage
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 head cauliflower
1 green pepper, chopped
4-ounce can/jar roasted red peppers
8 ounces Portabella mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons ground golden flaxseed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon ground tarragon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring approximately 12 ounces water to a boil in sauce pan. Toss in porcini mushrooms and turn heat down to maintain below boiling. Stir every couple of minutes for 20 minutes. In deep sauce pan, sauté sausage in 1 tablespoon olive oil, along with celery and onions, until sausage is cooked. Drain excess oil. Place saucepan back on low heat. Break cauliflower into small florets and add to sausage mix. Toss in drained porcini mushrooms along with approximately 4 ounces of the porcini broth, remainder of olive oil, green pepper, roasted red peppers, Portabella mushrooms and flaxseed. Add onion powder, sage, thyme, tarragon, salt and black pepper and stir. Transfer to baking dish and place in oven. Bake for 45 minutes.

About Dr. William Davis

William Davis, MD is a cardiologist and author of several books that have sold more than 2 million copies, including the No.1 New York Times bestseller “Wheat Belly.” He has appeared on major national media including the Dr. Oz Show, CBS This Morning, National Public Radio, and Live! with Kelly.. Davis has built a substantial online presence on his Wheat Belly Blog, (www.wheatbellyblog.com), with more than 300,000 visits per month. He is a graduate of the St. Louis University School of Medicine, with training in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease at the Ohio State University Hospitals. A Case Western Reserve University Hospitals, he served as Director of the Cardiovascular Fellowship and Assistant Professor of Medicine.