summer harms: coconut flour

Showing posts with label coconut flour. Show all posts

March 6, 2013

Juicy Orange Vanilla Cake

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If it's March and it's still snowing and blowing, 'tis the season....

To make an orange vanilla cake. A small, golden slab of citrus.

Or borrow the Anne of Green Gables dvd from the library.

Or call your mom.

Or line your table with newspaper and find out if an art project is possible with your 20-month old.

Or try making something new for dinner. (Last night I tried this fajita chicken marinade)

Or re-read Pride & Prejudice or The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Or both.

Or clean the bathroom and clip your finger nails.

Or follow the Iditarod (Happening right now! Isn't it crazy? This is real!) and pick your favorite musher to root for.

Or go to bed at 8:30, after re-watching an old episode of Parks & Rec and having a piece of this cake with your husband.

All things I've been doing/done lately and really enjoying March so far. The end-of-winter days are turning out to be awfully cozy here. And surprisingly, I still look at our weather forecast hoping to see snow in the coming days. Winter hasn't lost its luster for me yet, and I've still got a couple good blizzards in me.

This cake is meant for March. And by that I mean, it's cold and wet. And by that I mean, it's soaked with bright, sweet freshly-squeezed orange juice, mellowed with fragrant vanilla, and stored in the fridge, because that's where it is perfected. It's adapted from this grain-free version (coconut flour only) and my husband pronounced it "awesome."

Juicy Orange Vanilla Cake

gluten-free, makes 1 8x8 inch square pan

3 large eggs

1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or butter)

1/4 cup coconut milk, full-fat (from the can, not a carton)

6 T. vanilla-infused honey (or regular honey)

2 tsp. vanilla extract*

zest and juice of 2 oranges, divided

1/4 cup + 1 T. coconut flour

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. sea salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt coconut oil in a small pot, then stir in coconut milk and honey. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, vanilla, and zest of both oranges, and blend in the warm ingredients (oil, milk, honey) from the pot. Add coconut flour to the bowl by pouring it through a fine strainer and breaking up any clumps that are caught. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour into a greased pan and bake 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean.

When cake is still warm, poke all over with a toothpick or fork. Juice the 2 oranges and drizzle juice over top of cake. We like our cake extra "soaked" so I used all of the juice, feel free to use less if you prefer. Once the cake is room temperature, cover and store in the fridge. Serve once it's fully chilled.
*Add an extra teaspoon of vanilla if using regular honey.

This would make a realllly good breakfast, too.

How are you enjoying the end-of-winter days?

categories:at my house,coconut flour,dairy free,everyday adventures,gluten free,listing,recipes | 7 comments

January 30, 2013

Gluten-free Banana Bread

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This week I like:
1. Listening to the Sleepless in Seattle soundtrack on repeat.
2. That tomorrow the weather forecast for our town is a high of -8*. Brrr! Stay warm, neighbors!
3. Being safe. We had a scare while driving the icy country roads on our way to church on Sunday. Praise the Lord for His safekeeping.
4. The Endless Alphabet app. One of the few apps to keep her attention. Something that she'll come sit (and stay) on my lap for! We love to play this to keep her mind off growing molars. It's free for a limited time.
5. The John Piper Daily Devotional app. For the past few years I've read Spurgeon's Morning & Evening every day, but this year we've discovered this app and LOVE IT. It's really wonderful. The devotionals are short, sharp, and penetrating. I feel like I'm really learning new things, which is a feeling I miss. I recommend it. (Go get it! It's awesome!)
6. It's snowing and blowing this minute. School was 2 hours late because of the roads yesterday.. perhaps more school closings in the near future?? (I'm hoping so hard for this.)
7. Chicken thighs + roasted carrots & sweet potatoes. This meal, all the time.
8. (from Hadley) Monsters, Inc. Oranges. Hugs.
9. Warm banana bread for the cold, dark days. (see recipe below!)
10. Taxes are filed. New stocks bought. Lots of things to discuss at the dinner table.
11. Throwing on my clothes in front of the blasting space heater every morning.
12. NBC's Parenthood. I've been slowly making my way through old seasons of this show with our Amazon Prime. Does anyone know where I can find Season 4 for free?

Oh, dear. I feel like I'm always posting about banana bread. Here's the thing, I usually bake once a week, and 75% of the time I choose to make banana bread. So it's on my mind quite often. :) I love it so much that I worry if I make something else, I'll just end up wishing it were banana bread. Now you know. And you know that I've got plenty more banana bread posts in me.

This recipe is my favorite of the past year, but I tweaked it the other night. I added rice flour to the mix and reduced the coconut flour, making a taller loaf that is slightly more fluffy. That meant I could cut back on the eggs. I also omitted the coconut milk, because my batter looked wet enough without it. It came out luscious and nutty and just way too good. I kept cutting slivers away from the loaf, because I made myself stop after a couple pieces.. but I couldn't stop.

Gluten Free Banana Nut Bread

4 large ripe bananas, mashed

4 eggs

1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or butter)

1/3 cup honey (or raw/coconut sugar)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup rice flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt, heaping

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a small pot, melt together the coconut oil and honey. Let cool for a minute. In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, honey & oil mixture, and vanilla. Sift coconut flour into the bowl and add in remaining dry ingredients. Blend well. Scoop into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350* for 45 to 55 minutes.

p.s. Thanks to everyone who commented yesterday and gave me things to think about for the shop! You are so encouraging! Love you guys!

categories:coconut flour,gluten free,listing,recipes,this week i like | 9 comments

October 29, 2012

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread (coconut flour version)

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Currently, all baking at my house takes place during nap time.
(Because me facing the kitchen counter and not facing my baby girl is a short-lived situation.) Do you know what it's like to bake during naptime? I'm sure a lot of you do. It's fun, but it's very stealthy.

Her eyes are closed and her door is shut. You sneak about 10 steps away to the kitchen.
You peek into cupboard doors and start snatching bowls and supplies.You figure out how you can grab that wooden spoon from underneath the layer of kitchen utensils in the drawer without causing a commotion. You wrap the pan with foil as gingerly as possible, because people, foil is loud! Everything is taking about twice as long because you are tip-toeing-it around the kitchen, being careful.. so careful. Because it's really not the big noises that will wake her up, it's the tiniest little clatter.You're sure that any such clink or clang could be the one that breaks the spell. You open the oven, silently slide in the pan, close the oven door with bated breath. You wait... you listen.. no crying. Done! Success.
Now your deft hands can start on the dishes. :)

Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

adapted from the Best Banana Nut Bread
grain and dairy free

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

6 eggs, separated

3/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/4 cup coconut milk

1/2 to 3/4 cup honey (adjust to your taste)

2 tsp. vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup + 1 T. coconut flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg, ginger

1/8 tsp. allspice

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips*

*I used some Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips and I love them!! They're dairy, soy, and gluten free!

Set eggs on counter and let come to room temp. Separate the whites into a small bowl, add salt, and whip until frothy. In a large bowl, combine egg yolks, pumpkin, melted oil, coconut milk, vinegar, honey and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients and blend into the wet. Make sure to add coconut flour to the bowl through a fine strainer to get rid of any clumps. Stir in egg whites and chocolate chips. Scoop batter into a greased loaf pan.

1. Cover pan with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

2. Uncover, continue baking for 15 minutes more.

3. Turn off oven, but leave the bread in for another 30 minutes to allow the middle to finish cooking.
Serve with butter or some cream cheese with cinnamon and honey.

This bread turned out rich and dense and pleasantly spicy. The fact that it's flecked with chocolate makes it 10x better. I'm not pumpkin-crazed in general, although I think it's wonderfully fragrant and cozy and nostalgic. But if you marry it with a little deep, dark chocolate.. yeah. I'm totally in. These two flavors belong together everywhere, in everything.

Make this for yourself so that you aren't tempted by candy in a couple days. :)

I guarantee you will not care about a fun size snickers bar if you have a slice of this in your hands, spread liberally with butter or cream cheese.

categories:at my house,coconut flour,dairy free,gluten free,grain free,recipes | 2 comments

October 15, 2012

Best Coconut Flour Banana Nut Bread

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Did you read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books growing up? I did. Several times. Oh, I love those sweet stories! I especially love all the parts about their food. I still remember reading about kettles of steaming maple sugar, freshly churned butter, attics filled with pumpkins, carrots, turnips and onions, homemade doughnuts, roast goose, johnny cake and salt pork, apple pies, and loaves of sourdough. The idea of living off the land seemed quaint and refreshing and enchanting, even to my little girl mind. I couldn't wait to get to another description of what was on their table!
The thought would sometimes cross my mind, though, of what they didn't have. I remember thinking, "Laura never tasted peanut butter and jelly! If only they had had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, they would've come in so handy when they were traveling in their wagon!"(This was, essentially, a tragedy to a child like me.) And what about pineapple? Did they have watermelon? And.... no bananas. Imagine. A world without bananas. I still find myself pitying them sometimes. No bananas means no banana bread, and that is something I can't fathom. Let it always a lesson to me: Be grateful for your banana bread! Laura Ingalls didn't have it.

Although we can and do enjoy banana bread any time of year now (thank you, modern grocery stores!) I think it's particularly suited to the fall, don't you? It's not pumpkiny, nor is it gingerbready. But it's such a homey flavor. It must be the cinnamon and walnuts. All I know is that the other morning I found myself with a bite of banana bread, watching leaves tumble off trees, listening to the Harry Potter soundtrack, Hadley carrying crayons back and forth in the living room, the heat wafting in our house, and I felt it: FALL. I wanted to stop time. It was a quintessential fall moment. Have you felt it? Does that mean I'll be making more banana bread? Most likely. For Laura's sake.

Coconut Flour Banana Nut Bread

So, I was making this banana bread with coconut flour before, but I recently adapted it. and I will never go back! This new loaf is nuttier, tastier, taller, with more depth of flavor ... essentially, the best so far. I'm sure there will be other banana breads in my future, but for the time being, this one has my heart. Not only did I tweak the ingredients, but also the baking method, so pay close attention to the new trick! It's a no-brainer, but I needed to see it for myself.

4 medium bananas, mashed

6 eggs, separated
3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup melted coconut oil or butter

1/4 cup coconut milk

1/3 cup honey

2 tsp. vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup + 1 T. coconut flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Set eggs out and let them come to room temp. Separate the whites into a small bowl, add salt, and whip until frothy. In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, egg yolks, melted coconut oil, coconut milk, vinegar, honey, and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients and blend into the wet ingredients. Stir in egg whites and walnuts and scoop batter into a greased loaf pan.
1. Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
2. Uncover, continue baking for 15-20 minutes.
3. Turn off oven, but leave the bread in for another 30 minutes to allow the middle to finish cooking.

Cut a few slices to enjoy while it's still warm!!

categories:coconut flour,dairy free,gluten free,grain free,recipes | 10 comments

October 10, 2012

Blueberry Lemon Coconut Flour Muffins

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You've probably noticed, I'm still doing a lot of my baking with coconut flour these days.
Why am I using coconut flour? For several months last year I was on the GAPS diet to heal my gut and needed to keep all of my baking grain-free, so I bought a stash of coconut flour. Even though I'm off of GAPS now and do have some grains, I still don't eat a ton of them and I'm not having gluten for a little while longer, to continue healing my gut. I choose coconut flour over other gluten-free options because I like the taste and texture, especially for muffins and quick breads. I feel like coconut flour keeps things really simple and digestible and most importantly- delicious.

If you've never used coconut flour before, don't be afraid. It is more dense than wheat flour and requires a lot of eggs to accompany it, but it bakes really nicely and has a lovely naturally sweet flavor. I keep mine in the freezer or fridge in a ziploc bag and I always pour it through a fine strainer when adding it to my mixing bowl- to catch and sift any clumps.

I used frozen blueberries in these muffins, and neglected to coat them with flour or something smart like that, so they bled out quite a bit. But I kinda like it!

Blueberry Lemon Muffins with Coconut Flour

dairy-free, grain-free

6 eggs, separated

3. T. melted coconut oil

3 T. coconut milk

2 tsp. vinegar

6 T. honey

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 cup sifted coconut flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/3 cup blueberries

zest of one lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend all ingredients, except for the egg whites and blueberries, in a blender or with a hand mixer until very smooth. (Don't skip the sifting step for the coconut flour, which likes to clump!) Whip egg whites until very fluffy and fold into the batter. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners and drop a few berries into each cup. Spoon batter evenly into the cups and top each with a few more berries. Bake for 12-15 minutes and enjoy warm.

categories:breakfast,coconut flour,gluten free,grain free,recipes | 3 comments

September 24, 2012

Orange Coconut Cake Bars

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I was going to save this recipe for December or sometime when oranges are actually in season- but I will not torment myself. I had a stray orange in my fridge and it was needing to be baked in a cake. Orangey baked goods are always surprisingly awesome. You forget about them, maybe, or they don't sound as irresistible as something with chocolate/peanut butter/bacon... but watch out, the orange goods may steal your heart. They quench a sweet tooth like none other. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you haven't tried these orange scones.

These cake bars could be really great muffins, but I didn't feel like scooping the batter out little by little, so I just spread it all into a square pan and called it good. They're dense like a quick bread and the right amount of sweet to be dessert or breakfast-y. Perfect for a morning coffee break, if you are into taking those. (What a great idea! We should all take one today!) I drizzled mine with an orange juice glaze and dappled it with coconut oil, which turns into a pretty white drizzle when it's chilled. Store in the fridge, please! They are worlds better when eaten cold.

Orange Coconut Cake Bars

slightly adapted from Nourishing Days
makes 1 8x8 inch square pan

6 eggs (room temperature)
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut milk, full-fat
6 T. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
zest and juice of one orange, divided
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt

In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, milk, honey, vanilla, and zest of 1/2 the orange. Add coconut flour into the bowl by pouring it through a fine strainer, breaking up any clumps that are caught. Add baking powder and sea salt, and mix well. Pour the batter into a greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
When the cake is still a bit warm, poke holes all over with a toothpick or fork. Juice 1/2 of the orange right over the whole cake.
Glaze: Stir together remaining orange zest and juice, a teaspoon of coconut flour, and a spoonful of honey/coconut sugar. I happened to have coconut sugar on hand, so that's what I used. Adjust all ingredients to taste and texture preference. Drizzle over top of cake and then follow with a drizzle of coconut oil. Store in the fridge and serve chilled.

categories:breakfast,coconut flour,gaps friendly,gluten free,grain free,recipes | 5 comments

May 15, 2012

my birthday cake

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(it's not my birthday. it happened a few weeks ago, but it's never too late to talk about cake.)

I spend an inordinate amount of time collecting recipes that could possibly be my birthday cake. This year I picked a classy, grown-up german chocolate. A true german chocolate with the coconut pecan stuff that I used to think was so gross only grown-ups could stomach it. Of course now, I think it's pretty amazing.

Although I had some dietary restrictions to consider, I was determined my cake wouldn't be abused. It would not be "health food." I wanted to keep it simple, with familiar ingredients. That's the way to a realfood dessert that doesn't disappoint. The result was this naturally sweet, grain-free tower of chocolate that you would never know wasn't totally "normal." I can honestly say it's my favorite birthday cake yet! Completely indulgent. Even people other than me can testify to this.

I baked the rich cake in 2 extra-thick layers, drizzled it with velvety smooth chocolate syrup, and stacked them together with sticky, nutty, sweet coconut pecan goodness. Then I put it all into the fridge to chill, because in my house, cake will be served cold.
What kind of cake will you pick for your next birthday?
Okay, this recipe looks forever long! But it feels very simple when you're actually doing it.

German Chocolate Coconut Cake
grain free. makes one 9-inch round or 2 smaller rounds.

6 T. coconut flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life brand)
5 eggs (room temp, if you can)
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (or butter)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup crushed dates

Combine dry ingredients and chocolate chips in a small bowl and sift well. Using a hand mixer, blend eggs, vanilla, oil, honey and dates. Add dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and blend well. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or 2 smaller round baking dishes. I used some 4-cup glass pyrex dishes that we usually put leftovers in. Pour batter into pans and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until center is just set (it will still be a bit loose/wiggly). Do not over bake. Allow cake to cool, then remove from pan and pile the coconut pecan topping on top of cooled cake. If you're really look for the lap of luxury, feel free to make the chocolate sauce to drizzle on top of cake, or use as a garnish when serving individual pieces.

Coconut Pecan Topping
1/2-3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup crushed dates*
2-3 T. coconut oil
pinch of sea salt
In a small bowl or the bowl of a food processor, combine dates with coconut and pecans and a bit of coconut oil and salt. Feel free to play around with the amounts to fit the taste and texture you're looking for.
*To make the crushed dates, here's what I do: put a 4 or 5 ounce package of dates into a small pot with about 1/2 inch of water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. It doesn't really matter how long, just gets them a bit soft. Put into a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.

** Summer's Dairy-Free Chocolate Sauce, optional
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 T. cocoa
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
2 T. honey or maple syrup
While cakes are cooling, combine chocolate sauce ingredients in a 1 or 2 cup measuring glass and place in a pot of simmering water. Heat, stirring, until everything is melted and well combined. Spoon sauce over cooled cakes, with lots of poked holes.

categories:coconut flour,recipes | 267 comments

Juicy Orange Vanilla Cake

Gluten-free Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread (coconut flour version)

Best Coconut Flour Banana Nut Bread

Blueberry Lemon Coconut Flour Muffins

Orange Coconut Cake Bars

my birthday cake

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