My Dad is 5

Posted on 04/13/2011 by WholesomeGal

Gluten-Free Brownies

My dad has a sweet tooth like a 5 year old! When I visit, I go straight to his kitchen to see if he’s been eating right. Which he is for the most part….except for the sweets. When I open up his cupboards, I usually see something like this: Maple Pop-Tarts, Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls, Strawberry Cheerios, and Keebler Elf Striped Cookies. I’m not kidding. But the man won’t admit he has a sweet tooth. So I’m going up to visit him today in Bloomsburg, Pa, and thought I’d bake him a healthy treat! -And then go throw out all the bad snacks when he’s not looking. Continue reading →

Tea + Cookies for Two

Posted on 04/05/2011 by WholesomeGal

Gluten-Free Carob Chip Cookies

For this rainy day, I thought I’d break my afternoon up and whip up some chocolate chip cookies to put a smile on my face. So I pulled Dan away from his work for a couple of minutes and we both sat and enjoyed some tea & cookies while watching the rain fall. Continue reading →

Cookie Break

Posted on 03/24/2011 by WholesomeGal

Coconut + Toasted Pine Nut Cookies

I made up this recipe today because I was craving some really good coconut cookies. The toasted pine nuts adds a little Italian flare to them and a yummy crunchiness.

Ingredients

1 C Coconut Flour

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t sea salt

1/4 t xanthan gum

1 C shredded dried unsweetened coconut

3/4 C toasted pine nuts (4 oz)

1/2 C extra shredded coconut + 1 Tbsp raw cane sugar

3/4 C butter (12 Tbsp) *Melted*

2 eggs

1 1/4 t coconut extract

1/4 t lemon extract

1/2 t vanilla extract

3/4 C Agave Nectar-Dark

Process

Mix all the dry ingredients together: coconut flour, baking soda, sea salt, xanthan gum, shredded coconut, pine nuts.

Mix all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl: melted butter, 2 eggs, coconut-lemon-vanilla extracts, agave nectar.

Mix the dry and wet ingredients together until a dough forms.

Mix the extra shredded coconut and raw cane sugar together. Roll dough into tablespoon sized balls, flatten and lightly coat in coconut +sugar.

Bake in the oven at 350 for 13-15 min until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Kelly

Gluten-Free, But Not Flavor-Free

Posted on 03/04/2011 by WholesomeGal

Coconut Flour Banana Muffins

I have dabbled in the Gluten-Free world now for a couple of weeks. First, it was to help me lose weight. So no bread, pastas, anything that would contain gluten. And then I started to notice some things. My energy level was through the roof, my spirits were up again, and I know this sounds weird, but my skin wasn’t itching anymore (that’s a sign of a gluten allergy) and I didn’t feel bloated anymore either. So I went to Wholefoods Market to try and find some really good gluten-free snacks, because I’m not going to stop eating cookies and muffins! I’m by birth a southern and sugar runs through my veins! I was bummed to find that everything I bought was, well, tasteless and boring. The cookies were hard, and I couldn’t even find muffins. So I decided to venture on my own and create some tasty treats for myself. First try, I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour and was not impressed, a little disappointed actually since it’s a highly popular product. I just did not like it for cookies or muffins.(Although it is great for making pie dough!)

Long and behold I went to Wholefoods the next day to find another product and there was a cooking class going on about… what else?? Gluten-Free baking with….Coconut Flour! Who knew? So I sat in and watched the wonderful Holly Shelowitz (Nutritionist and Life Coach) bake up some scrumptious brownies and muffins. I was amazed!! I ran to the isle’s and grabbed all necessary items to go and start baking! I felt like I was on some Top Chef competition mission! So, these muffins are the first Gluten-Free thing I have made with Coconut Flour. When I was done, I sat quietly by myself with my Banana Muffin that had a wonderful slab of butter on it in one hand and a hot tea in the other. I took a bite…..and felt like I had just found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. YAY!! I can eat muffins again!!

*Hint* Don’t worry, if you use Coconut Flour in baking, it will not come out tasting like coconuts:) It gives whatever you’re making a strikingly similar taste to All Purpose White Flour.(I use Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Flour).

ingredients:

1 Cup Organic Coconut Flour

1 tsp. aluminum-free Baking Powder

6 Eggs

2 Ripe Banana’s (mashed)—*If you bananas aren’t ripe enough, peel and stick in the microwave for 45 seconds to soften them*

2 Tbsp. Melted Butter

2 Tbsp. Melted Coconut Oil

1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut (unsweetened)

2 Tbsp. Coconut Milk

3 Tbsp. Honey or Agave Nectar

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/8 tsp. Salt (celtic sea salt)

1 tsp. Cardamom

**IF YOU CAN’T FIND COCONUT OIL JUST SUBSTITUTE WITH BUTTER.

process

PRE-HEAT OVEN AT 350 F

Mix 1 C coconut Flour and 1 tsp. baking powder (put in separate bowl).

Beat 6 Eggs

…then add 2 Tbsp. of Coconut Milk to the eggs.

Add the vanilla, salt, and cardamom…(if you don’t have cardamom use *Allspice*)

Melt your Butter and Coconut Oil together next.

Add to egg mixture…mix well.

Mash the Bananas!!!

Add the banana’s to the egg mixture.

Gently fold in the Coconut Flour mixture from the other bowl into the Egg and Banana mixture.

*hint hint* DON’T over-mix the two together or the result will be a very dense muffin. So fold in just enough so the flour is incorporated.

Grease a 12 muffin pan with butter or coconut oil.

Fill muffin pan with batter and sprinkle with Raw Coconut Sugar

Bake for 25-30 min. at 350 F.

Enjoy right out of the oven with a big slab of butter! YUM