08 Dec Coconut Flour Lemon Cake GF/DF

The beauty of this cake is that it is gluten free, yeast friendly so possible to eat at the end of gut clearing, using erythritol a natural bark sugar means the yeast is not fed by refined sugars.  Coconut flour is a low sugar impact flour high in fibre and gentle on the gut.

Prep and cook time:  1 hour.

Makes 16 2-inch servings
.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 6 free range eggs
• 
½ cup coconut milk
• 
3 tablespoons erythritol
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, best to use pure vanilla Madagascan powder
• 
½ teaspoon lemon zest
• ½ cup coconut flour
• 
½ teaspoon aluminium-free baking powder
• ½ tsp celtic sea salt
• ½ lemon, juiced

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Measure out coconut oil and place in an 8×8-inch pan.  Place pan in oven to melt the coconut oil.  Once the coconut oil is melted (probably 2 minutes or less), remove the pan from the oven and let it cool.

While coconut oil is melting, whisk the eggs, coconut milk, erythritol, vanilla, and lemon zest together.

In a separate bowl, combine coconut flour, baking powder, and salt.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Once pan with melted coconut oil is cooled enough to handle, carefully swirl the coconut oil around the pan, making sure to grease all sides.  Pour the remainder of the coconut oil into the batter and mix until all lumps are gone.

Pour the batter into the greased pan and place on the middle rack of the oven.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until browned on top or skewer comes out clean.

Serve with coconut yoghurt, and berries.

25 Nov Delicious quinoa raw cacao chocolate muffins. GF/DF

Benefit: rich in protein and anti oxidants these really are a guilt free treat – wonderful to put into kiddies snack boxes.  The trouble with most gluten free products is that they are so refined, made with tapioca and potato starch making them very high in refined flours and sugars.

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup raw coconut sugar
• 1 cup raw cacao powder (I like NAVITA products)
• 3/4 cup raw beetroot, grated
• 3/4 cup organic butter, coconut oil
• 1/3 cup coconut milk/nut milk/rice milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt
• Seeds of one vanilla bean pod (or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence)
• 1 tbs ground seeds (chia/flaxseed)

Method

Preheat your oven to 180C.

Line a 12 hole muffin tin with baking paper.

Rinse your quinoa thoroughly.  Bring the quinoa and water to the boil on your stove.  Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for ten minutes.  Turn off the heat and leave the covered saucepan on the stove, lid on, for a further ten minutes.  Fluff with a fork and let it sit to cool.

Combine the coconut milk, eggs and vanilla in a blender with 2 1/3 cups of cooked quinoa.  Let it really blend until it is a beautiful white colour and quinoa is smooth then add in the butter, grated beetroot, coconut sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and ground raw seeds and cacao powder.  Blend again until combined.  Mixture should be nice and thick but not too nutty in texture as the quinoa should be well blended.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer is removed clean.

Place a piece of baking paper over the cup cakes if they are beginning to burn.  Remove from the oven and cool in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack.

Could also make as a chocolate loaf place mixture into lined loaf tin and bake until skewer comes out clean.

Adapted from Loving Earth recipe.

28 Oct Almond Berry Loaf with Lemon Cashew Glaze GF/DF

Benefit: this cake is gluten free, free from refined sugars and rich in good oils to support gut health and brain function.

With the glaze you can make double quantity, and freeze to put over other gluten free cakes.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups almond meal
• ¾ teaspoon gluten free baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup maple syrup/agave/raw honey
• ⅓ cup unsalted butter or coconut oil
• 4 large eggs – room temperature
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped blueberries or cranberries, fresh or frozen, can even use raisins or raw cacoa nibs too.

Glaze

• ¼ cup raw cashews
• 4 teaspoons coconut milk/nut milk
• 3 teaspoons cold pressed coconut oil, melted (I leave mine out at room temp in Singapore, so it is already liquid!)
• 3 teaspoons water
• 2 teaspoons honey, liquid
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly coat an 8×4 loaf pan with coconut oil, then line with parchment paper.

Place all of the loaf ingredients, except the berries, in a blender.  Blend for approximately a minute beginning on low then increase speed.

Mix in the chopped berries by hand, then pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Place the loaf in the oven, then immediately reduce the oven temperature to 325.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the loaf.

Let the loaf cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then gently loosen the sides and remove it from the pan.

Continue to cool until it has reached room temperature.

Meanwhile, make the lemon glaze.

Add all of the ingredients to a small blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Stop to scrape the sides if necessary to get all of the little bits of cashews.

Once the loaf has cooled completely, drizzle the icing over the top.

Store the leftover loaf in the refrigerator.

Adapted from the Author: Danielle Walker – Against All Grain.

25 Jun Raw coconut butter cheesecake with berries GF/DF

This is so delicious and with the benefit of being gluten and dairy free and rich in essential oils, a gorgeous way to enjoy summer fruits.

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 cups raw almonds, pecans, walnuts (or a combination of all)
• 1 cup pitted medjool dates (about 10)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• pinch sea salt/mineral salt

Filling

• cup raw cashews
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 3 to 4 tbs coconut nectar
• 3/4 cup softened coconut butter
• 1 to 2 tsp organic non-alcoholic vanilla/essence
• 1/2 to 1 tsp organic almond flavoring
• Fruit: for the topping choose your favourite berries to arrange on the top, or I love chopped mango and passion fruit.

Method

To make the crust, place the nuts into a food processor fitted with the “s” blade; process until finely ground.

Then add the dates, coconut oil, and sea salt.  Process again until the dates are ground and evenly incorporated into the nuts. It should stick together, if not, add another tablespoon of coconut oil.  If you use all pecans or walnuts in this recipe you probably won’t need any coconut oil.

Pour the crust mixture into a 9 or 10 inch lightly oiled tart pan and evenly press into the bottom and up the sides.

To make the filling, place the cashews, water, orange juice, coconut nectar into a high-powered blender.  Blend until smooth and ultra creamy, stopping and starting the blender if necessary.  Your coconut butter should be soft enough to add if you are living in a hot climate; if not, place the amount called for into a small pan and warm on the lowest heat.

Add the softened coconut butter to the blender along with the vanilla and almond flavouring.  Blend until smooth.  Pour into the crust and spread evenly.

Arrange berries over filling.

Chill, uncovered, until ready to serve.