Helps for using coconut flour in baking:
To reduce the "eggy-ness" of coconut flour pancakes or other baked goods, you can substitute ground chia seeds for 1 of the eggs, about 1 Tbsp. for 1 egg. You need to let the batter sit about 5 minutes for the chia "flour" to absorb the moisture and become mucogonous.
Use an old-fashioned rotary beater to make fast work of frothing eggs; about 30 seconds!
Also, separate the egg yolks from the whites and beat the whites separately, folding them in at the end. This guarantees fluff!
Use full-fat coconut flour. My preferred brand is Wilderness Family Naturals.
Sour cream works equally well for the liquid if it is thinned down some with cream or milk, but I love full-fat coconut milk! Also, don't forget that you can use stock for a savory "bread" side to a nice meal; add herbs to compliment the main dish.
Coconut flour is very high in insoluble fiber which, for some, causes impaction of the colon. Additionally there is very little actual nutrient intake with coconut flour, so you're not really getting a lot out of the pancakes other than taste and satiety, but that counts for something, doesn't it? My alternative are pancakes made with green plantains ("Paleo"), which are also very yummy.
Coconut Flour Pancakes or Muffins
Dry: 1/2 cup full-fat coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Wet: 4 eggs, separated
1 cup milk/stock/cream/yogurt (or combination thereof)
1 Tbsp. raw honey or maple syrup
! Tbsp. melted butter, ghee, lard or coconut oil (bacon fat is great for a savory pancake or muffin)
Mix the wet ingredients together in one bowl, the dry in another. If substituting ground chia for 1 of the eggs, add this first to the dry ingredients. Whisk egg whites until stiff. Add wet to dry, then the fat, and lastly fold in the egg whites. Drop by spoonfuls onto a medium low greased skillet (or fill lined muffin tins if making muffins). Flatten out the pancakes some initially and flip after about 2 minutes. For muffins, bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, pop out of pans to cool.
Grain-Free Zucchini Bread
Dry Mix:
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
3 Tbsp. ground chia seeds
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Wet Mix:
4 eggs, separated
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/4-1/2 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
Fats:
1/4 cup 50/50 mix coconut oil or lard & butter or ghee
Separate the eggs and mix yolks with wet ingredients. Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl and set aside. Mix the dry ingredients, add wet to dry, and then melted fats. Fold the stiffly beaten egg whites to the rest and pour into a greased loaf pan. Note: if you line the pan with parchment paper it will be easy to turn out from the pan when done.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, let cool on a wire rack. That's it! Enjoy!
Dry Mix:
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
3 Tbsp. ground chia seeds
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Wet Mix:
4 eggs, separated
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/4-1/2 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
Fats:
1/4 cup 50/50 mix coconut oil or lard & butter or ghee
Separate the eggs and mix yolks with wet ingredients. Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl and set aside. Mix the dry ingredients, add wet to dry, and then melted fats. Fold the stiffly beaten egg whites to the rest and pour into a greased loaf pan. Note: if you line the pan with parchment paper it will be easy to turn out from the pan when done.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, let cool on a wire rack. That's it! Enjoy!
Grain/Gluten/Starch-free Flour Mix
This is the mix which I designed to use for gut-healing in my family. It works well for Paloe, GAPS, SCD, and LCHF diets. It is very important that you choose blanched almond flour as opposed to "natural", as there are compounds within the skin of the almond which can be quite irritating to the gut, thus preventing healing while possibly doing some damage.
7 cups Anthony's or Honeyville blanched almond flour (it is very important that use only the blanched)
2 cups coconut flour (or you may instead use 9 cups of the above almond flour to replace the coconut flour)
1 cup chia seeds, ground fine
Use cup for cup to make any variety of cakes, cookies, pancakes, muffins, waffles, etc. My basic formula is this:
3 cups mix
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2-2 cups milk, cream, buttermilk, sour milk, coconut milk, or even stock (with herbs for a savory taste)
4 medium eggs
1 tsp-1 Tbsp raw honey (optional)
3 Tbsp. melted fats (lard, butter, coconut oil, and/or ghee)
Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately while gently melting the fats. Add wet to dry, whisk together well and add the fats. For muffins, drop into muffin tins, preferably lined, and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. For cakes or bread, reduce the oven temp by ten degrees and pour into a greasedcake or loaf pan, bake for 30 minutes. Add savory herbs for a dinner or sandwich bread. For sweets, increase the amount of honey and add vanilla and/or other flavorings. Pancakes or waffles, just cook accordingly. Beating the egg whites separately and folding in lastly creates light and fluffy waffles or cakes. There is no end to the flavors you can create with this basic formula!
This is the mix which I designed to use for gut-healing in my family. It works well for Paloe, GAPS, SCD, and LCHF diets. It is very important that you choose blanched almond flour as opposed to "natural", as there are compounds within the skin of the almond which can be quite irritating to the gut, thus preventing healing while possibly doing some damage.
7 cups Anthony's or Honeyville blanched almond flour (it is very important that use only the blanched)
2 cups coconut flour (or you may instead use 9 cups of the above almond flour to replace the coconut flour)
1 cup chia seeds, ground fine
Use cup for cup to make any variety of cakes, cookies, pancakes, muffins, waffles, etc. My basic formula is this:
3 cups mix
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2-2 cups milk, cream, buttermilk, sour milk, coconut milk, or even stock (with herbs for a savory taste)
4 medium eggs
1 tsp-1 Tbsp raw honey (optional)
3 Tbsp. melted fats (lard, butter, coconut oil, and/or ghee)
Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately while gently melting the fats. Add wet to dry, whisk together well and add the fats. For muffins, drop into muffin tins, preferably lined, and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. For cakes or bread, reduce the oven temp by ten degrees and pour into a greasedcake or loaf pan, bake for 30 minutes. Add savory herbs for a dinner or sandwich bread. For sweets, increase the amount of honey and add vanilla and/or other flavorings. Pancakes or waffles, just cook accordingly. Beating the egg whites separately and folding in lastly creates light and fluffy waffles or cakes. There is no end to the flavors you can create with this basic formula!
Apple/Pear Chutney
Maureen's original recipe for a delicious, digestion-enhancing and nutritious fermented chutney. Try some with pork, chicken, or as a breakfast side. Makes 1 quart.
About 6 ripe, firm combined apples & pears, diced
2 Tablespoons muscavado sugar
2 Tablespoons whey
2 teaspoons good quality, unrefined salt
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
3-4 star anise pods
1 sweet cinnamon stick, broken
Combine everything in a large bowl. Pour all into a quart jar, adding pure water if needed to fill within 1 1/2". Let ferment at room temp for 2 days, burping the closed jar daily (or use an airlock), refrigerate.
Maureen's original recipe for a delicious, digestion-enhancing and nutritious fermented chutney. Try some with pork, chicken, or as a breakfast side. Makes 1 quart.
About 6 ripe, firm combined apples & pears, diced
2 Tablespoons muscavado sugar
2 Tablespoons whey
2 teaspoons good quality, unrefined salt
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
3-4 star anise pods
1 sweet cinnamon stick, broken
Combine everything in a large bowl. Pour all into a quart jar, adding pure water if needed to fill within 1 1/2". Let ferment at room temp for 2 days, burping the closed jar daily (or use an airlock), refrigerate.
Coconut Panacotta
1 can coconut milk (not lite!)
2 Tbsp. raw honey
2 1/2 tsp gelatin
1 tsp vanilla extract *
Sprinkle gelatin over the surface of the coconut milk in a small sauce pan. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to soften, then gently warm, stirring to dissolve all of the gelatin. Once all traces of gelatin are dissolved, take off the heat and add the honey and vanilla. Note: I usually divide the coconut milk, only heating half, then adding the other half for a more rapid set.
Pour into ramekins, a shallow dish, parfait glasses, whatever you would like, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for an hour or two. Serve as is or topped with lemon curd, toasted coconut, shaved chocolate, fresh berries, whatever you fancy!
*Homemade vanilla extract recipe below!
1 can coconut milk (not lite!)
2 Tbsp. raw honey
2 1/2 tsp gelatin
1 tsp vanilla extract *
Sprinkle gelatin over the surface of the coconut milk in a small sauce pan. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to soften, then gently warm, stirring to dissolve all of the gelatin. Once all traces of gelatin are dissolved, take off the heat and add the honey and vanilla. Note: I usually divide the coconut milk, only heating half, then adding the other half for a more rapid set.
Pour into ramekins, a shallow dish, parfait glasses, whatever you would like, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for an hour or two. Serve as is or topped with lemon curd, toasted coconut, shaved chocolate, fresh berries, whatever you fancy!
*Homemade vanilla extract recipe below!
My extracts occupy a place of honor in my kitchen!
Double-Strength Vanilla Extract
8 vanilla beans (Beanilla is my absolute favorite source, and the Madagascar are by far my most favorite bean!)
1 cup 80 proof plain vodka, dark rum, or grain alcohol.
1/2 cup water
Split the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape out the tiny seeds. Toss everything, seeds, pods , vodka & water, into a glass jar, seal tightly, and let sit for 6-8 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain off into a suitable glass bottle, add a couple more beans, the alcohol, water, shake it all up, and have at it again!
8 vanilla beans (Beanilla is my absolute favorite source, and the Madagascar are by far my most favorite bean!)
1 cup 80 proof plain vodka, dark rum, or grain alcohol.
1/2 cup water
Split the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape out the tiny seeds. Toss everything, seeds, pods , vodka & water, into a glass jar, seal tightly, and let sit for 6-8 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain off into a suitable glass bottle, add a couple more beans, the alcohol, water, shake it all up, and have at it again!