Coconut Flour Muffins: Recipe development begins with learning about the leavening of coconut flour. This test suggests that I should keep experimenting. Right now, white flour remains in the recipe but I'll experiment again to reduce it to nothing while still retaining flavor.

As these stand now? Amazing.

1/2 c butter
1/2 c coconut crystals (plus 5t for finishing)
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 t salt
1 c ricotta cheese
1 c skimmed milk
2 t baking powder
1 c all purpose flour
1/2 c coconut secret coconut flour

optional: 1c chocolate chips or fresh cranberries or raisins or blueberries.

1. Melt butter and set aside to cool to room temp.
2. Whisk together coconut crystals, eggs, vanilla, salt, ricotta cheese, milk. Add melted cooled butter.
3. Combine wet and dry ingredients till just incorporated. Do not overmix.
4. Line cupcake tin with papers. Fill, sprinkle tops with remaining coconut crystals.
5. Cook for about 25 minutes at 375 degrees.

Remove and cool. Makes about 1 dozen.

Pots De Creme

There's nothing like a friend with some dietary restrictions to inspire a twist on a classic. This recipe could have low dairy (depending on the chocolate you use) or no dairy. It still has a creamy velvety texture as the Pots de Creme recipes made with cream and whole milk. I like to serve them in these little glass jars, reused from some delicious yet expensive yogurt. (I now can justify the cost of the yogurt in defense of now having super cute serving dishes?)

Bonus: Gluten free! 



Ingredients:
9 oz semi sweet chocolate (I use Guittard brand super-chips)
2 oz dark chocolate (I use 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate baking bar, like Ghiradelli)
6 egg yolks
5T coconut crystals
1/4t salt
2.5 cups coconut milk (about 1 13.5 oz can)

2t vanilla
2t instant espresso crystals

1. Set up a double boiler to melt the chocolate. Keep heat on a gentle simmer level to melt both chocolates. You can leave this to melt on its own while moving on to step 2.

2. Make the custard:
In a stand mixer, beat the eggs with the whisk attachment for a minute or two till their color turns to a lighter buttery yellow.Add the coconut sugar and salt and mix till fluffy then slowly add the coconut milk. 

Pour the mixture into a heavy bottom cooking pan and on low heat edging on medium, slowly warm the mixture till it steams and barely, if at all, begins to simmer. Stir the whole time and do this slowly so the eggs don't scramble on you. Add the vanilla and espresso crystals. By this point, your chocolate is fully melted.

Turn the heat on the egg/coconut mixture to extra low and add the melted chocolate. Mix in completely.

Pour the mixture into tea cups, little jars like those pictured, or some other small vessel. Serving size is only about 1/4-1/2c, as this is very rich. 

Let cool down to room temperature before moving them to the fridge (about 1 hour on the counter). Move to fridge and serve after chilled with some berries.

Here are nutrition facts based on entering the recipe into myfitnesspal:

Nutrition Facts
Servings 8.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 374
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 29 g	45 %
Saturated Fat 21 g	103 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 138 mg	46 %
Sodium 96 mg	4 %
Potassium 172 mg	5 %
Total Carbohydrate 31 g	10 %
Dietary Fiber 7 g	29 %
Sugars 25 g
Protein 6 g	12 %
Vitamin A	4 %
Vitamin C	1 %
Calcium	3 %
Iron	16 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Cauliflower-Mash Brussel Sprout Pizza

I had something similar to this at the restaurant Jane in NYC. My version includes the quinoa crust, providing a crunchy delivery of the peppery and salty goodness sitting on top. I generally make the cauliflower mash for dinner on a different night, then use the leftovers for a quick pizza that doesn't taste at all like a dinner using leftovers.

Ingredients:
Cauliflower mash --click here for recipe--
4oz of cubed pancetta, sauteed*
1-2c chiffonade-cut raw brussel sprouts (about 5-8 brussel sprouts)
       **substitute chopped kale if you don't have brussel sprouts.
Either: 1 recipe of quinoa pizza dough click here for recipe
 Or:  1 recipe of whole wheat pizza dough --click here for traditional dough recipe--

*Veg substitute for the meat: 1/4c chopped sun dried tomatoes packed in oil; drained)

Directions (for quinoa crust):
1. Make the crust but about 5 minutes prior to the second side's cooking time, take out to add the other ingredients. While it's cooking, brown the pancetta, chiffonade the brussel sprouts, and warm up the cauliflower mash.
2. Keeping crust in pan, spread about 1-2 cups of the mash evenly (depending on how thick you like it). Then pile on the brussel sprouts and scatter the pancetta or sun dried tomatoes.
3. Return to oven for 10 minutes more

Serve!

Directions (for whole wheat flat bread):
1. Make the crust but about 5 minutes prior to the second side's cooking time, take out to add the other ingredients. While it's cooking, brown the pancetta, chiffonade the brussel sprouts, and warm up the cauliflower mash.
2. Keeping crust in pan, spread about 1-2 cups of the mash evenly (depending on how thick you like it). Then pile on the brussel sprouts and scatter the pancetta or sun dried tomatoes.
3. Return to oven for 10 minutes more

Grace asks for seconds on this one!

Here's a shot of the whole wheat flatbread dough with kale as a sub for the sprouts:

Cauliflower Mash

This is not a sub for mashed potatoes because this peppery velvety mash is way better.

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, chunked into large cubes (about 2-3")
1 russet potato scrubbed and chunked into about 2" cubes
3/4t white pepper (white. NOT black pepper)
1/2-1t salt (to taste); plus 1/8c salt for cooking water
1/8 c olive oil
1T lemon juice
1/8c-1/4c cooking liquid

Directions:
1. Fill a large pot (about 6-8qt capacity) with water plus 1/8c salt, leaving room for volume when you add the cauliflower and potato.  Bring to a boil. Add the cut cauliflower and potato and cook till the potato chunks are fork-tender (about 10-15 minutes). Drain, but save some of the cooking liquid.

2. Put cauliflower and potato plus a few tablespoons of the reserved cooking water in a large capacity food processor and begin processing. Slowly add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and white pepper. If too thick, add a bit more of the cooking water (see below picture for consistency illustration).

Makes about 8 1-cup servings.

Nutrition Facts
Servings 8.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 92
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 7 g	11 %
Saturated Fat 1 g	5 %
Monounsaturated Fat 5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0 %
Sodium 22 mg	1 %
Potassium 295 mg	8 %
Total Carbohydrate 5 g	2 %
Dietary Fiber 2 g	8 %
Sugars 2 g
Protein 2 g	4 %
Vitamin A	0 %
Vitamin C	61 %
Calcium	2 %
Iron	3 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Quinoa Pizza Crust

I've tried the recipes that have water as the liquid to make the crust. The result is a crust that is a bit rubbery (not chewy in the "real" pizza crust way crust can be chewy) and tastes like water! This recipe is more calories because of the use of olive oil, but it makes a very tasty crusty crunchy crust. I don't like this leftover, the crunch goes away. It's definitely something to make and eat when hot out of the oven.

Even though you have to soak the quinoa for about 8 hours, this is super easy!

8 hours prior to needing the crust:
3/4c quinoa in a bowl. Cover with water (no measuring necessary; just use a bowl big enough to have 2 inches of water above the quinoa line then another inch or two above the water line. I usually use a small mixing bowl or 4-cup capacity liquid measuring cup (like a Pyrex style liquid cup measure).


When ready to make:
preheat oven to 425 degrees

Ingredients
8-hour soaked quinoa (that began as 3/4c of dried)
1/4c olive oil
3/4 t salt
1-1/2t baking powder
spray oil

Drain the quinoa (some water is going to be "stuck" and that's just fine).
Dump the quinoa in a food processor and begin to process.
While processing, slowly add the oil. Pause to scrape sides. Resume processing and add the salt and baking powder. The mixture will be pasty.

Coat the cold pan with spray oil (I use a caste iron 10" skillet)
Dump the mixture in the pan and spread evenly (I use a silicon spatula. It is very sticky and as you spread, you'll get holes. Just fill them in with a chunk of mixture).

Place in upper rack in oven for 12 minutes. Flip, return to upper rack for another 12 minutes.

Top with your favorite pizza toppings. Return to oven about 8-10 minutes (or till cheese is bubbly; if that's the kind you're making).

Makes 1 8-10" pizza

Yamcakes

These are a whole grain, high fiber twist on the traditional white sugar, white flour pancake recipe. They're so flavorful that we don't even use syrup on them. I freeze extras and toast them for a quick midweek breakfast.

1 yam (250g, which is about the size of a large fist)
1/2 cup coconut crystals (I use Coconut Secret raw coconut crystals)
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or plain milk with 1T of lemon juice or 1T white vinegar)
5 tablespoons melted butter, cooled (optional substitution either canola oil or melted and cooled coconut oil)
1 t salt
1 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon (optional)

1/3 cup dry course cornmeal (uncooked)
1-1/3 cups whole wheat flour
2T baking powder

Optional: 2 cups Blueberries (then I'd use the cinnamon) or 1 cup chocolate chips


1. Cut the cleaned, UNpeeled, raw yam into 5 or 6 course cubes. Using a food processor, finely grind the yam.

2. One ingredient at a time, add and food process with the yam:
    the coconut crystals,
    eggs,
    buttermilk,
    melted cooled butter,
    salt, vanilla, and cinnamon (if using) [I add salt to wet ingredients so it dissolves evenly]

3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, whole wheat flour, and baking powder
 
4. Fold in the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and just before the dry/wet ingredients are fully incorporated, add the blueberries or chocolate chips.  Do not over mix.

5. The mixture is thick. I use a large icecream scoop to make cakes that are about 5-6" in diameter. Scoop the mixture onto lightly greased cast iron or heavy bottom pan and spread out with the back of the scoop so the cakes are desired thickness (about 1/4-3/8"). Use medium high heat*, flip after about 2-3 minutes per side or until browned on each side. The cakes will start to show cooked color around the edges when ready to flip unlike traditional white flour pancakes, which get a bunch of bubbles popping when it's time to flip them.
*my cooktop is a professional grade and has extremely hot burners, so I use a medium-to-low heat. Adjust heat until it takes about 2-3 minutes per side.

Makes about a 12-15 pancakes.
Nutrition, assuming 15 pancakes, each is: 149 calories, 22 carbs, 5 fat, 4 protein, 66 sodium, 7 sugar

Cranberry Lemon Ricotta Muffins

Mix together thoroughly:
1 c. Ricotta cheese
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c melted butter
2 eggs
1 t lemon extract
2 T lemon juice
zest of one lemon
1/2 c coconut crystals (e.g., Coconut Secret raw coconut crystals)
1/2 t salt

Dry ingredients:
1 c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda

Sift together the all purpose flour with baking soda and powder, then incorporate the whole wheat flour (don't sift the whole wheat flour- doing so removes the courser parts of it).

Combine dry ingredients into wet ones till just combined.

Add 1 bag of raw whole cranberries (about 3 cups).

Scoop into about 15-18 greased muffin tins.
Sprinkle about 1/4 t of coconut crystals on top of each.
375 degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Based on 15 muffins: 183 calories, 19 carbs, 9 fat, 5 protein, 6 sugar, 88 sodium

Change to chocolate chip muffins by:
dropping cranberries and lemon extract, juice, and zest; adding 2t vanilla, 1c chocolate chips.