Coconut Pineapple Bars

Yesterday my friend Ruth coordinated another ladies' craft day and I wanted something new and different to take along so I made these bars. I'd planned on making muffins but ran out of time so they became bars instead.  I pureed a can of pineapple chunks in juice which makes the bars incredibly moist and sweet enough to skip any sweeteners. I used Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Chips because they're large and chewy and I love their texture when baked.  The Coconut Cream Concentrate is solid but can easily be scraped out with a spoon to fill your measuring cup.  It could be melted to soften but I didn't think it was necessary for this recipe.  The white chocolate chips completely melted and vanished in the bars but made for a nice shiny glaze.

Craft day was so fun; Marie and I drove together and we worked on different crafts we'd pinned on Pinterest recently. Here is an example of a coffee filter rose I'd pinned. It was fun, fast and easy and I can't wait for an excuse to make a bunch of beautifully colored roses.  It was a nice and relaxed way to start the weekend.

Later that afternoon Chris, Joe and I headed downtown so Joe could check out his favorite guitar shop. It was such a beautiful day to be out together and Chris and I enjoyed watching Joe check out bass guitar amps and pedals.

This is a great guitar store and we had a blast - love this pic of Joe playing a gorgeous bass.

The rest of the day was spent walking Elle and sitting in the sunshine on the porch.  Pretty much perfect in every way. Today was more of the same but enjoyed with our neighbor friends and a few more of these.

Coconut Pineapple Bars

Heat oven to 400 degrees and grease one 13 x 9 baking sheet with coconut oil.

Mix together:

1 lb. Almond Meal – Trader Joe’s

6 Extra Large Eggs

½ cup Concentrated Coconut Cream – Tropical Traditions

1 20 ounce can Pineapple Chunks in juice, pureed but slightly chunky

1 cup Coconut Chips – Tropical Traditions

1 Tablespoon Gluten Free Vanilla

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt

2 cups White Chocolate Chips

Pour into prepared pan and bake approximately 40 minutes until golden brown and and firm in center.  Let cool and cut into squares.

Enjoy!

Can't Be Beet Bars!

Beets - do you enjoy them? I never really tried until I was well into my forties and was reading through Nourishing Traditions. Now I love them. They seem to be one of those love/hate vegetables. My sons hate them. Really and truly despise them. But they are so healthy and so full of necessary minerals that I had to find a way to sneak them into something they would enjoy. They LOVE these bars.

I remember reading somewhere a long while back that the very first Red Velvet cakes were that deep red color because of beets - not awful artificial dyes - was someone's mom just being sneaky for her kids' health? So chocolate was the obvious choice to combine with the beets. It had been quite a while since I'd made any of my usual almond meal bars/breakfast cakes so I assembled the ingredients and just tweaked a bit. I had canned beets on hand so I used those - of course cooking and pureeing fresh beets would work, too. This is another oil free recipe and I am sure using flax/water for eggs would work well.

My guys know and expect me to add vegetables into just about anything I make and they're happy that I do it.  They'd rather have yummy (yet nutritious) bars than beets on their plates.

Can't Be Beet Bars!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Lightly grease 13 x 9 pan with coconut oil.

In a blender combine until completely pureed:
6 large Eggs
1 can sliced beets (15 ounce, approx.)

Pour into mixing bowl (I use my Kichenaid) with:
1 lb Almond Meal
2/3 cup Organic Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

When thoroughly mixed add:
1 cup White Chocolate Chips
1 cup Dark Chocolate Chips

Stir to blend and spread into baking pan.  Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until firm in center.  Cool completely before cutting.

Enjoy!

Breakfast Cake Redux

In my zeal for my Mini Chocolate Chip Pumpkin & Ginger Muffins; I totally stocked up on canned organic pumpkin. It was at that point I was made painfully aware of the fact that two out of the four of us really, really do not like pumpkin. How can that be? Pumpkin is a fall favorite - so versatile and delicious - not to mention a nutritional powerhouse.  I was surprised and maybe just a bit annoyed but determined to find a way to use it in a way we'd all enjoy.


Several friends have been baking cakes by using a regular box of cake mix and subbing canned pumpkin for the oil, water and eggs called for on the box. I tried that trick with a bag of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Brownie Mix a few weeks ago and everyone loved it. Absolutely delicious with a perfect texture. However, it's a very sweet treat that I would only make occasionally.

I'd played around with my breakfast cake a couple of times and while I liked it my pumpkin phobic loved ones just weren't bowled over. Last night I tried once again and we're all happy with the results. Here's what I did: I left out the oil and used one can of pumpkin puree.  I still used all six eggs for the protein. Then I added a half cup of cocoa. I used white chocolate chips because they're the favorite of my pumpkin disliking son. I'm not above bribing him. The end result was a really moist and chocolaty treat with an almost milk chocolate flavor. This would be a good alternative for those cutting down on oils. The pumpkin flavor is present but it blends so well with the chocolate. Nearly half the pan is gone so I know it's a hit.

Chocolate Pumpkin Breakfast Cake

1 lb. Pkg  Almond Meal

1 can      Organic Pumpkin

6             Eggs

2/3 cup    Sugar, Organic Cane 
1/2 cup    Cocoa

1 T          Vanilla 

½ t          Salt

1 T          Baking Soda

1 cup      White Chocolate Chips

Always double check your ingredients and make sure they're all gluten free.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well incorporated, pour into lightly greased 9 x 13 pan.

Bake at 375 for approximately 40 minutes or until baked through using a toothpick to test. 

Enjoy! 

Le Gravier Apple Tart

      

Tomorrow is my hubby’s birthday and I wanted to bake him a special apple tart for dinner tonight since he’ll be on the road tomorrow. He’s not big on sweets in general and prefers traditional French treats he grew up with much more than the American style birthday cakes and cupcakes that I hold near and dear.  Since he doesn’t have to eat gluten free; I also wanted a gluten free apple tart that would taste every bit as good as its gluten filled counterpart.

His parents owned a house in France called Le Gravier and one of their neighbors was a farmer who made Calvados from the apples on their property.  I wanted to incorporate a splash of Calvados into the tart for sentimental reasons.  Calvados is a very strong apple alcohol but you can easily substitute a splash of apple cider instead.

Gluten free pie/tart crusts have seemed an overwhelming task.  Although I started baking and cooking very young and pie crusts were never my forte even with wheat based recipes.  A gluten free crust, I was sure, would disappoint.  But last week Elana posted a gluten free almond flour tart crust – an absolutely beautiful one at that.  I used almond meal which made for a far more rustic look.  While I plan to make this again just with almond flour, this crust was great as is. The tart pan I picked up this weekend was an inch larger than what was called for in her recipe so it didn’t make it all the way up the side of the tart pan but that was no problem.

An old Le Cordon Bleu cookbook gave me the outline for the tart and I tweaked it just a bit.  The original recipe called for cinnamon, but one of has reactions to it so I didn’t use it and we certainly didn’t miss the flavor. Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced and drizzled with lots of lemon were placed on the unbaked tart crust.

Eggs and an extra egg yolk mixed with heavy cream, sugar and Calvados are poured over the top.  The cream mixture covered the tart completely but soaked into the apples as it baked. I can’t tell you how wonderful the house smelled this afternoon.

Marie came for dinner and brought the perfect wine. She also brought some amazing gluten free chocolates that we're saving for next week! =D

We enjoyed slices with vanilla ice cream.  The crust was savory and crispy.  The filling was sweet but not overly so and I loved the creamy apple texture.   

Chris hasn’t enjoyed a dessert so much in a very long time and came up with a list of several different fillings he’d like to try. I think we’ve found a new family favorite.

EDITED 11/21/17 to correct missing steps.

Le Gravier Apple Tart

Pre heat oven to 325 degrees

Set tart pan with removable bottom on a baking sheet with sides.

Tart Crust

(Adapted from Elana’s Pantry)

2 cups Almond Meal

1 Egg

2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil

½ teaspoon Salt

While Elana’s recipe uses a food processor to mix the crust, I just put everything into my Kitchen Aid Stand mixer and let the paddle attachment mix things up.  Pat the dough into a tart pan – either 9 or 10 inches across – mine was 10 inches. (I've made this many more times since the original post and either almond meal or almond flour work equally well. 11/17)

Tart Filling

4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 16ths.

1 Lemon, juiced

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1/3 cup Sugar

2  Eggs

1 Egg Yolk

1 Tablespoon Calvados or Apple Cider

Prepare apples and pour lemon juice over them in a mixing bowl, continuing to mix the apple slices as you add more.  

Arrange apple slices in tart crust.  

In the same mixing bowl (with remaining lemon juice) combine whipping cream, sugar, eggs and Calvados well. Pour cream mixture over apple slices.  I put the tart pan on a large baking sheet with edges to contain any spillover.  Then I put the baking sheet on the oven rack and topped off the tart with the remaining filling. (11/17)

Bake at 325 degrees for about an hour - depending on your oven and thickness of your tart, it could be closer to an hour and fifteen.

Enjoy!

Happy birthday to the very best husband and quite possibly the most patient man ever!

Mini Chocolate Chip Pumpkin & Ginger Muffins!

Once Labor Day is behind us it really starts to feel like fall to me - even though it's still pretty hot and humid here. We start some of our homeschooling classes in August because our enrichment activities start early.  After Labor Day weekend our full routine is kicks so now it is time for fall and pumpkin! These mini muffins are the kind of breakfast and snack I love - easy to make, easy to grab and packed full of nutrition.

While I made them in a mini muffin pan today, you can make them larger or even spread the batter into a 13 x 9 pan.  Just adjust the baking time accordingly.

Pumpkin not only tastes like everything wonderful about fall, it's packed with nutrition and fiber. No butter or oil is needed because the pumpkin keeps everything moist and delicious. The crystallized ginger sweetens and spices up the muffins at the same time. I minced the chunks of ginger until they were the size of the mini chocolate chips so the flavors would be evenly distributed.  Enjoy Life mini chips are perfectly sized for mini muffins.

Mini Chocolate Chip Pumpkin & Ginger Muffins
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Prepare muffin pan by greasing or lining with paper liners

1 lb. Almond Meal
6 Eggs
1 cup Reed's Crystallized Ginger, very finely minced
1 can Pumpkin (15 ounces)
1 T Honey
1 T Vanilla
1 T Baking Soda
1/2 t Sea Salt
1 cup Chocolate Chips

Mix everything but Chocolate Chips together until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips and spoon into muffin pans.  Four dozen little mini muffins baked in just under 15 minutes in my oven.

Enjoy!

Happily shared on Gluten Free Wednesdays at Gluten Free Easily!

Thumbprint Muffins

Baking something is a nearly daily event in my kitchen and has really become pretty automatic.  It makes life so much easier to have grab and go muffins for breakfasts and snacks.  Baking with almond meal makes for substantial, nutritious muffins that we all love.  As I quickly gather my ingredients, made easier because most of my ingredients are near my Kitchenaid Mixer and the oven, I start deciding which variation to make.  

On Friday I thought of thumbprint cookies and decided to put a dollop of jam or preserves in the center of each muffin.  Ev came over and helped and Gabby and I chatted as we finished making them.  The resulting muffins were easy, messy and yummy.

Thumbprint Muffins

Makes 24 messy muffins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Line muffin tins with 24 paper liners

1 lb.      Pkg  Almond Meal

6           Eggs

3/4 cup  Grapeseed Oil

1 T         Vanilla (I make my own so I know it’s gluten free)

½ cup    Sugar

½ t        Himalayan Salt

1 T        Baking Soda

1 cup    Your favorite low or no sugar, natural preserves

As always double check your ingredients and make sure they're all gluten free.

Mix all ingredients except your preserves until thoroughly blended.  Fill the muffin liners a scant half full and put one teaspoon of preserves in the center of each one.  I used raspberry for one dozen and apricot for the other.  Bake approximately 15 minutes or until just done.  

While baking take time to enjoy some music and play with your pup.  It makes time fly!  

Allow to cool as the preserves will retain heat for several minutes.  Play a game of Memory and they should be just about ready.

Enjoy!

Banana Coconut Bread with Chocolate Chips

Here’s an easy high protein, high fiber yummy banana bread recipe. Coconut and Almond flours are both grain free for those who have trouble digesting grains.  Adding the large quantity of eggs boosts the protein even higher and keeps my local farmer happy because I buy so many each week!  The sugar is kept to a minimum because of the sweet bananas and chocolate chips.  My family prefers banana bread without chopped nuts but if your family enjoys them feel free to throw in your favorite.

I love having things like our breakfast cake, chocolate coconut bars or this banana bread around for quick breakfasts.  A slice is so much more satisfying than a processed gluten free piece of toast or waffle and the protein will hold you over much longer.  They are perfect for an afternoon treat after running through the sprinklers, too.  Just ask my favorite neighbors!

Banana Coconut Bread with Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Makes 2 loaves.

Prepare pans by lightly greasing.

4 Bananas, very ripe and mashed

6  Eggs

3/4 cup Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil

1/2 cup  Tropical Traditions Coconut Flour

1 lb. Almond Meal – Trader Joe’s

1/4 Cup Organic Cane Sugar

1 t Baking Powder

2 cups Chocolate Chips

 Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips until very well incorporated; stir in chocolate chips.

Spread batter into two greased standard loaf pans and bake for 50 minutes.  Alternatively you can spread the batter into into an ungreased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 375 for 40 minutes.   The crust will be brown and the bread will feel a bit soft but a toothpick inserted in the center will be clean.

Gluten Free Valentine's Breakfast

Happy Valentine's Day!  Last night Joe helped me make this morning's breakfast cake.  Since he was pulling ingredients for me I asked him to make suggestions for his own version.  He handed me white chocolate chips (about 2 cups) and decided on a handful of chopped crystallized ginger (1/2 cup).  I cut the sugar down to 1/2 given the sweet additions.  Oh my gosh it's an awesome combination. Literally half the pan is gone and it's only 10:00 a.m.   Wishing a sweet day to everyone.

Chocolate Coconut Bars

This morning I took these bars to a friend's house for a time of coffee and crafting.  It was such a nice way to spend the morning.  Ann, this one is for you!

This is Joe's new favorite bar.  He loves white chocolate chips so I decided to use lots of cocoa for contrast. I love coconut and use it in every form in much of my cooking and baking.  There are so many health benefits and it just tastes wonderful.  A more informative coconut post is in the works but I would encourage you to research and see if coconut oil or other coconut products would be a good addition to your diet.  This gluten free bar is chewy and moist.  Hope you enjoy it.

1 lb. Almond Meal – Trader Joe’s

6 T Finely Milled Golden Flax

1 Cup plus 2 T filtered warm  water

1 Cup Coconut Oil, melted

¾ Cup Cocoa – Hershey’s

2/3 Cup Organic Cane Sugar

½ Cup Coconut Flakes

1 T Gluten Free Vanilla

1 t Baking Powder

½ t sea salt

1 cup Ghirardelli all natural White Chocolate Chips

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips until well incorporated; add white chocolate chips.

Spread into ungreased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 375 for 40 minutes.

In this recipe I use Tropical Traditions virgin coconut oil which has a strong but sweet coconut flavor.  I also use their coconut flakes which are not sweetened. 

Cake for Breakfast!

As anyone who knows me will tell you, I’m not a morning person.  Really, really not a morning person.  I have also never cared much for breakfast because breakfast foods, with the exception of pancakes, just are not that appealing to me.  Almond meal pancakes are good and pancakes made with Pamela’s pancake mix are awesome.  As much as I like them, making them on a weekday rarely happens.

We all know eating a healthy breakfast is important. Hot cereals can be great but they never appealed to my sons.  Cold cereals are fast and easy but according to what I’ve read in Nourishing Traditions and elsewhere even the best of them are not a very healthy choice.  

This cake packs enough nutrition to count as breakfast and it’s a sweet way to start the day.  It’s fast and easy to make and tastes even better by the next morning. It’s grain free and full of heart healthy almonds and protein packed eggs.  Almonds are a stage 2 item in Feingold, so FG friends keep that in mind.  If you would prefer a vegan cake, just sub flax meal for eggs and you’ll be just as happy with the results.

You can’t go wrong with this one, it’s a quick grab and go breakfast for my oldest and something my youngest snacks on throughout the day.  It’s endlessly adaptable by adding dried fruit and nuts and makes great muffins, too. This is the version my family likes the most.

Vanilla Almond Breakfast Cake with Chocolate Chips

1 lb. Pkg  Almond Meal (see Notes)

6              Eggs

1 cup       Grapeseed Oil

2/3 cup    Sugar, Organic Cane (see Notes)

1 T          Vanilla (I make my own so I know it’s gluten free)

½ t          Salt

1 T          Baking Soda

1 cup       Dark Chocolate Chips or roughly chopped dark chocolate

Double check your ingredients and make sure they're all gluten free.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well incorporated, pour into lightly greased 9 x 13 pan.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until golden brown. 

Notes:

I use Trader Joe’s almond meal.  It’s accessible and reasonably priced.  I like the convenient one pound bags and develop most of my almond meal recipes around that weight.

Not everyone would appreciate the fact that there is sugar in this recipe – even such a relatively small amount.  If that’s the case for you, check out Deanna’s recipe for Bossk Brownies at TheMommyBowl.com.  She purees whole dates with boiling water to use as a sweetener.  

It's a creative and fun site and I'm looking forward to trying several of her recipes.  I loved the idea of using the date puree, so I experimented with 1 cup firmly packed dates and 1 cup boiling water pureed in my Vitamix in lieu of the sugar in this recipe and my chocolate coconut bar recipe (will post that soon).  We all loved the results in both recipes and I would definitely use dates again.