Snacks

Gluten Free Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffins

I am crazy about coconut flour baking! Coconut Flour is low carb, gluten free, contains protein, iron, fiber, and healthy fats, and scores low on the glycemic index. Of course all these attributes are fine, but who cares if the finished product isn’t very palatable. But coconut flour makes a fantastic muffin! Scroll down to see the photos of the one I have split open. I wish you could smell them, but you can see the texture! This particular recipe is bursting with blueberries! So, if you are a true blue classic blueberry muffin fan, this is for you!

Gluten Free Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffins

Are you a ship that is staying safe in your harbor? Branch out! Take a plunge and follow a dream. Try something new you have been dying to try but aren’t sure about. Step out of your comfort zone and blossom into the greatness you deserve and are capable of!

Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffins

Gluten Free Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffins

Preheat your oven to 350º degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with non-stick muffin papers and set aside.

Ingredients:

6 Pastured Eggs

1/2 Cup of Coconut Flour (here)

2 Black Spotted Bananas

1/4 Cup of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1 Tablespoon of fresh squeezed Lemon Juice

1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1 Pint of Fresh Blueberries or 1 1/2 Cups of Frozen

Directions: In a food processor with a blade attachment, blend the eggs and banana until the banana is smooth. Add in the rest of the ingredients except the blueberries, and blend for two minutes. Fold in the blueberries, reserving 1/4 cup for the tops if desired. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, and sprinkle with the reserved blueberries. Let sit for 5 minutes on the counter to allow the coconut flour to soak up the liquid in your batter. Then, bake for 25 to 30 minutes in your preheated oven, or until the tops spring back and they are cooked through. Remove from the oven, and cool for five minutes before removing from the pan and cooling on a wire rack. I give you permission to eat one hot! :-)))

Makes a dozen muffins

Blueberry Muffin.JPG

Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffins Hot From the Oven

Three Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Dates are a great addition to your diet! I like to throw a couple in a smoothie to add natural sweetness in whole food form or use them to make energy bites with things like nuts and berries in them. These balls are made up of raw cacao, peanut butter (or a nut or seed butter of your choice) and dates. They are healthy and satisfying! I like to pop in these super quick and easy sweet treats when I have a craving for something chewy and chocolate. The raw cacao is loaded with antioxidants and magnesium and is a natural mood elevator. Dates are full of fiber, vitamins and essential minerals and are a whole food, natural sweetener eaten for centuries. The fat in the peanut butter or nut butter of your choice is satiating, and nuts contain protein. Use a peanut butter or nut butter with no added sugar, just salt.

Three Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls – Yummy!

Three Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups of Soft Medjool Dates (pits removed, if they are not soft between your fingers, soak them for five minutes in warm water)

1/3 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons of Raw Cacao Powder (like this)

6 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter (no sugar added)

Directions: Place the dates in a food processor with a blade attachment, and puree. Add in 1/3 Cup of Raw Cacao Powder and the Peanut Butter or nut butter. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor as needed with a rubber spatula. Place the remaining two tablespoons of Raw Cacao Powder in a bowl. With a tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the mixture into balls, roll them between your hands to form a round globe, and roll in cocoa powder. The balls can be stored at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or freezer depending on your preference. Pop these in when you need a healthy chocolate fix or a energy boost!

Three Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Eat Your Nutrients!

Coconut Flour Orange Quick Bread or Muffins

I am enjoying the Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins I shared so much that I decided to make an Orange Muffin version that can also be made into a loaf, because I like choices! These healthy muffins are fantastic because the texture is fine and moist and without the grains and refined carbs. When baking with coconut flour, recipes require more liquid, because coconut flour is highly absorbent. So eggs are perfect, because they give the muffins protein and healthy fat from the yolks. Eggs in baking are great for leavening and texture as well.

Coconut Flour Orange Muffins

The orange zest really bumps up the orange flavor, and fresh squeezed orange juice is used to enhance the texture, flavor and brightness of the muffin. I find muffins so cheery when I sit down to relax and read about something exciting like travel or planning a new garden! Hmmmmmm, not sure why, but it puts me in my happy place! 🙂 So here is a photo of the loaf, and keep scrolling for another muffin picture and the recipe!

Coconut Flour Orange Quick Bread

Coconut Flour Orange Muffins

Coconut Flour Orange Quick Bread or Muffins

Preheat the oven to 325º degrees F. Set out a 12 cup muffin pan, or medium loaf pan if making the bread. Line the muffin pan with muffin papers, and if making the loaf, grease the pan and line it with parchment paper.

Ingredients:

6 Eggs

2 Bananas (ripe with some black spots)

1/2 Cup of Coconut Flour

1/3 Cup of Olive Oil (or Coconut Oil)

1/4 Cup of Collagen (optional but great for hair, skin, nails and digestion)

1/4 Cup of Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

2 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Tablespoon of Orange Zest (make sure you have a fantastic peel for the most flavor)

1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

If making the loaf – Thin Orange Slices including the peel, halved.

Directions: In a food processor, blend the bananas and eggs until no chunks remain and you have a creamy yellow mixture. Add the remaining ingredients, and process for two minutes. Scraping the sides of the processor once. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes. Scoop the batter into 12 muffin cups, or pour into your prepared loaf pan. If making the loaf, add the orange slices on the top decoratively. (See photo)

Bake in your preheated oven for 35 minutes if you are making the muffins, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched with your finger. For the loaf, bake for 65 to 70 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool five minutes before removing the muffins or loaf from their pans to cool completely. Well, you can eat a warm muffin, but please cool the loaf completely…..it’s the baker in me. Add some decorative zested orange to the tops of your muffins if desired.

Happy Muffining! I know that’s not a word, but I like it!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Smooth and Peachy Coconut Milk Ice Cream

When Spring is getting close and the days are lengthening, I start craving fresh fruity flavors. The beauty of freeze dried fruit is the flavor is intensified, because it is concentrated. So, it is easy to make a fruit forward ice cream or cookie off season. I really like Karen’s Naturals freeze dried fruit. They are organic and contain just fruit, no additives or preservatives. This is a pretty straight forward recipe using just a few quality ingredients to make a smooth and peachy, dairy free, ice cream that tastes fresh, even when peaches are not in season!

Smooth and Peachy Coconut Milk Ice Cream, Dairy Free, Paleo and AIP

Smooth and Peachy Coconut Milk Ice Cream

This recipe makes enough for four generous servings of ice cream. It is dairy free, gluten free and honey sweetened. The squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens the ice cream and gives it the perfect tang.

Serving Up Smooth and Peachy Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Smooth and Peachy Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Full Fat Coconut Milk

1 Bag of Just Organic Freeze Dried Peaches (here)

1/2 Cup of Quality Honey (I use local)

2 Tablespoons of Pure Vanilla Extract (use 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder for AIP)

1 Tablespoon of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1/8 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Directions: In a high speed blender, puree all the ingredients. Chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Churn in an ice cream maker. I use this one.

Enjoy! You can store leftover ice cream in the freezer. It is easy to scoop straight from the freezer because of the higher vanilla content. Have a blast of peach before peach season to celebrate the coming of Spring!

If you want to make a fresh peach ice cream that is dairy free in peach season, check out my recipe for fresh and simple peach ice cream here!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins (Dairy and Gluten Free)

I have been joking lately that I have a house full of chimps. I have had a difficult time getting a few black spotted bananas to bake with because my family is eating them so fast. I am not sure what has caused this sudden rise in banana consumption, but I am not going to complain too loudly when bananas are being chosen. I simply have learned to hide some so they get a chance to reach that black spotted stage that makes them perfect for baking!

Grain Free Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

I have been craving a chocolate chip banana muffin, and this one fits the bill perfectly. They are simple to whip up in a food processor, have protein from six eggs, healthy fat from olive oil (they make muffins very moist!) are mostly sweetened with bananas and just a touch of honey, and sprinkled with some dairy free chocolate chips. Heavenly! Scroll down for the recipe which makes an even dozen.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins – Dairy Free

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins (Dairy and Grain Free)

Preheat your oven to 350º degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with non-stick muffin papers and set aside.

Ingredients:

6 Pastured Eggs

1/2 Cup of Coconut Flour (here)

2 Black Spotted Bananas

1/4 Cup of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1 Teaspoon of Lemon Juice

1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/2 Cup of Mini Chocolate Chips plus more for sprinkling (I use these dairy and gluten free ones)

Directions: In a food processor with a blade attachment, blend the eggs and banana until the banana is smooth. Add in the rest of the ingredients except the chocolate chips and blend for two minutes. Add in 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips and pulse six times just until the chocolate chips are incorporated but not broken up. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups and sprinkle with some extra chocolate chips. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in your preheated oven until the tops spring back. Remove from the oven, and cool for five minutes before removing from the pan and cooling on a wire rack.

These keep at room temperature for three days. I only know this because I hid one, otherwise my son would have eaten them all. 🙂

Enjoy your day!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Moist and Grain Free Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

Here’s a delish and dairy free Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe just in time for Super Bowl Sunday! It is dairy free, creamy and “cheesy”. Take it to your next shindig. It is the best ever! Serve it with crudites like carrots, red peppers, and healthy chips for dipping. I made my own baked chips using almond flour grain free tortillas cut into wedges and baked in the oven to crisp them up. Brown rice wraps work well also. Use your favorite or what works for you. You will need to soak some cashews for 2 hours before assembling the dip. This makes it very creamy!

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip – Dairy and Gluten Free

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

Preheat your oven to 350º degrees F. Grease a 1.25 quart baking dish lightly with olive oil.

Ingredients:

1 – 11 oz. container of Fresh Spinach

1 – 14 oz. can of quartered Artichoke Hearts, drained (I used Native Forest)

1 Cup of Raw Cashews, soaked 2 hours in water at room temperature

1/2 Cup of Quality Mayonnaise (I like Avocado Oil Mayo)

2 Tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast (this makes it cheesy and is a good source of B vitamins too. Read more about the benefits here.

2 Tablespoons of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

2 Tablespoons of Garlic Olive Oil or 2 cloves of minced garlic and olive oil)

2 Teaspoons of Honey

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Onion Powder

Directions: In a skillet, cook your spinach with the olive oil and a large pinch of sea salt. Set aside. In a food processor with a blade attachment, add the cashews, artichoke hearts, lemon juice, onion powder, sea salt, nutritional yeast, honey, and mayonnaise. Blend until the cashews are very smooth. Add in the cooked spinach and pulse just until it is broken up but not completely mixed in. It takes five or six pulses. You should still see the creamy dip and the spinach should stand out. Think marbled effect.

Spoon the mixture into your prepared baking dish, and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven, and serve with your accompaniments of choice!

Assemble this ahead of time, then just bake on game day!

Happy Eating!

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip – Dairy Free

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip – Gluten Free, Dairy Free

This Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip is as delicious as the classic, but it is without the dairy. Paleo, Gluten Free and Dairy Free. Perfect for a party!

Vanilla Pear Bread made with Coconut Flour

Looking for a pretty, yummy bread recipe? This pear bread is moist and low in carbohydrates. It has a subtle vanilla flavor and lovely delicate sweetness because of the ripe pears incorporated into the batter. I found that just two tablespoons of honey gave it the perfect sweetness!

sliced-vanilla-pear-bread-coconut-flour

Coconut flour makes really delicious quick breads and cakes, in addition it is low carb and a very good source of fiber. The eggs and olive oil in the recipe bestows the loaf with healthy fat. You need healthy fats in your diet for many reasons, including shiny hair and healthy skin! I don’t know about you, but I am always wanting that! You will need two to three ripe pears for this recipe! Ready? You’re gonna love it!

vanilla-pear-bread-coconut-flour

Vanilla Pear Bread Made with Coconut Flour

Preheat your oven to 325º degrees. Grease a 5″ x 7″ Loaf Pan and line it with parchment. I like to cut a piece to fit the long sides of the pan with some extra over the edges so I can simply lift it out of the pan. See photo below.

Ingredients:

6 Eggs

1/2 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons of Coconut Flour, scooped and leveled (I use this brand)

1 Cup of Chopped Pear, packed and very ripe

1/3 Cup of Good Olive Oil

1/4 Cup of Grass Fed Collagen (optional but great for skin, hair, nails and gut) (I like this kind)

2 Tablespoons of Local Honey (Clover if Lower FodMap)

2 Teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract

1 Teaspoon of Fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/8 Teaspoon of Mace (you may substitute nutmeg, mace is the outside of the nutmeg) (here)

1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1 Ripe Pear for the Top of the Loaf

Directions:

In a food processor with a blade, put your chopped pear and eggs and turn it on until pureed. Add the Coconut Flour and remaining ingredients, except the pear for the top, and process for about two minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl a couple times with a rubber spatula. The coconut flour will start absorbing the liquid and be a nice cake-like batter. With a rubber spatula, scrape all the batter into your prepared loaf pan, and rap the pan on your counter a couple times to level the batter somewhat. Take your nicely ripened pear, and cut it into 3/4″ inch slices from stem to bottom. Choose your prettiest two slices and lay them on top of the loaf, gently pressing the pear a bit into the batter, but keep the pear completely visible. Bake in the oven for 55 minutes keeping a close eye on the bread at the end. It is done when the loaf springs back in the center when touched with your finger.

Vanilla Pear Bread Gluten Free Grain Free

pear-bread-fresh-from-the-oven

Cool for five minutes, then remove from the pan, and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing!

Eat Your Nutrients!

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Honey Cherry Macaroons

I am a fan of macaroons and cherries, so I thought, why not come up with a cherry macaroon? They are a perfect two bite cookie with a toasted outside and a moist, chewy interior. The way to get a tart cherry flavor and have these macaroons work is to use crushed, freeze dried cherries. The ingredients are simple and clean with no refined sugar. These cookies should definitely go on your holiday tray! They also make a very pretty packaged gift!

festive-cherry-macaroons

Cherry Macaroons

Ingredients:

5 oz. (1 1/2 Cup) of Unsweetened Finely Shredded Coconut (I like this kind)

1/2 Cup of Coconut Cream (also know as coconut butter, here’s my favorite)

1/3 Cup of Freeze Dried Cherries (this kind)

1/3 Cup of Good Honey (I use local)

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Milk (full fat)

2 Egg Whites

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt (I am a big fan of Himalayan Pink for it’s minerals)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325º degrees.

In a clean dry bowl, beat the egg whites and salt on high with a hand-held electric mixer until you have medium-firm peaks. Set aside.

egg-whites-medium-peaks

Put the cherries in a ziplock bag and crush them finely with a rolling pin. In a medium bowl, combined the shredded coconut and crushed cherries.

Coconut and Crushed Cherries

Add the honey, coconut cream (softened in the microwave), vanilla extract and coconut milk. Beat with a hand mixer until thoroughly creamed.

Carefully fold in the egg whites. Now, scoop with a tablespoon cookie scoop onto two parchment lined cookie sheets.

cherry-macaroon-dough

Bake in your preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the outside is a pretty golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool.

macaroons-with-cherries-paleo

Makes 20 Macaroons. They will keep at room temperature for a week or more.

Eat Your Nutrients!

Rum Raisin Ice Cream (Dairy Free)

For all those of you who have been missing Rum Raisin Ice Cream, here is a clean ingredient recipe! Rum Raisin Ice Cream was one of my favorites when I was a teenager. It is a classic flavor and perfect anytime of year, but I really like it in the Autumn. The rum flavor and raisins remind me of my Grandmother’s Plum Pudding with Hard Sauce she always made for the holidays with her recipe from “the old country”, as she used to say. She meant England. She had a very old recipe from my Great, Great, Great Grandmother that I want to try and revamp into a gluten free version. But for now, ice cream!

Rum Raisin Bowl of Dairy Free Ice Cream

This is a simple and delicious recipe of this classic that is dairy and egg free! If you are low fodmap, you can substitute currants for the raisins, and it will be simply delicious!

Rum Raisin Ice Cream (Dairy Free)

Now for the recipe!

Rum Raisin Ice Cream (Dairy Free)

Ingredients:

2 Cans of Coconut Milk (Full Fat)

1/2 Cup of Honey (use Clover Honey if Low FodMap)

1/2 Cup of Raisins (substitute currants if making Low FodMap)

1/4 Cup of Gelatin (Collagen not the Thickening Kind Here great for your hair, skin, nails and tummy)

2 Tablespoons of White Rum

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1/8 Teaspoon of Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

Whisk all the ingredients together except the raisins. Stir in the raisins. Refrigerate for 4 hours to let the raisins plump and absorb some of the flavors and get the mixture chilled. Churn in an ice cream maker. Serve!

One of the things I like about adding rum to a non-dairy ice cream is, if you have leftovers and freeze them, the ice cream is easy to scoop right from the freezer.

8 Servings

Eat Your Nutrients!

Blueberry Frozen Yogurt (Made with Sheep’s Milk Yogurt)

I feel like I just won a prize! I recently found plain Sheep’s Milk yogurt at my local food co-op. Sheep’s Milk Yogurt is easily digestible, similar to goat’s milk, and many who don’t tolerate dairy in the form of cow’s milk or goat’s milk, can tolerate sheep’s milk, as it is very close to human breast milk. Sheep’s milk has a very high fat content naturally, so it is super creamy and requires no thickner’s or stabilizers. Another bonus if you are not a goat’s dairy fan because of the stronger flavor, sheep’s milk is very mild tasting. There are a lot of nutritional benefits to sheep’s milk and it has been consumed by humans for thousands of years. Read more about it here!

blueberry-frozen-yogurt-paleo-friendly

I am so thrilled about finding this yogurt that I actually tolerate very well, and tastes amazing! I want to eat it every day. I like to have it with a touch of honey and fruit, and even plain. Plus, it works great in savory dips and sauces.

black-sheep-yogurt

But today, I am using it to make a frozen yogurt with only 4 ingredients, and it is super delicious! Before I forget, here is the brand I found that is made in New York State. It is called Black Sheep Yogurt by Old Chatham Sheep Herding Creamery. If you can’t find a good Sheep’s Milk Yogurt where you are, you can buy this brand online and have it shipped directly to you.

blueberry-frozen-yogurt-recipe-honey-sweetened-sheeps-milk-yogurt

Blueberry Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients:

1 16 oz. container of Plain Yogurt (I used Sheep’s Milk)

1/2 Cup of Frozen Blueberries

1/4 Cup of Honey

2 Teaspoons of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

Directions:

Place everything but the yogurt in a small saucepan, and warm together stirring constantly over medium heat to just warm. The honey should be dissolved and the blueberries warmed.

Put the yogurt into a medium bowl. Pour the berries over the top and whisk together.