cranberry-bliz-barz January 30, 2010

everyone loves the corner piece

my dad *LOVES* starbuck’s cranberry bliss bars. i think he looks forward to the colder winter months just because he knows he can only buy these special treats seasonally. people love these things! (i’m convinced they put crack in them..) i’ve eaten one before, a few years back. i really enjoyed it, i remember exactly what it tastes like, and i can appreciate the flavors that make it desirable. -of course, we all know about my deeply rooted disapproval of buying mass-produced “pastry” and baked “goods” (i used the quotations to implicate my snobbery). i find no unique quality to things that come from a box, no “personal touch”, nothing special, no variety, which is the spice of life. -i find these things very important when indulging in something decadent. the way i see it, if you’re gonna eat something indulgent, make it something special.

since my quest for cracking all grain-laiden baked goods continues with full force, it only took me a few days to wrap my head around how to do this. -how would i make a grain free version of this cranberry bliss bar i keep hearing so much about?, -this seasonal treat that seems so special to my dad… i made these for his birthday, and gave them to him last weekend. i could tell that they were addictive because half the batch disappeared after the first few hours they were given to him. they are not a replica of the bliss bar, just inspired by them. yes, these are a much healthier version. about 250 cals and 5 gm protein per bar, loaded with good fats from the almonds, and using no refined sugars..  -much, much, much healthier, but that is not the point here.

the point is this:

these are delicious. they are a slightly stickier, cake-like version of the bliss bar. -the bliss bar is sort of cookie like in comparison. studded with cranberries and candied ginger, they are not unlike gingerbread. i made the cake base with almond butter instead of a wheat based shortbread. as they came out of the oven, i could not resist the warm crumbs that broke away from the sides of the pan when i was slicing them. -brian and i happily snatched up the cribbly bits that stuck to the knife. make these with caution: you will eat all of them before they even make it to the frosting stage. i am very pleased with the way they turned out. again, i wasn’t looking for a replica here. just a unique version, with my own personal touch, something special for my dad.

since i wouldn’t want to impose on starbucks appropriately naming theirs the “cranberry bliss bar”, i’ve cleverly named my bars similarly, but slightly misspelled. see how i did that? see? aren’t i clever?

cranberry-bliz-barz

makes roughly 20 bars

bar ingredients:

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp dried ginger

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 16oz. jar almond butter*

1 cup honey

2 eggs

1/4 cup chopped candied ginger

1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries

for the frosting & topping:

8 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries

zest half of a lemon

white chocolate chips (optional)

method for bars:

preheat oven to 325f. grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13 pyrex baking dish.

whisk together baking soda, salt, ginger, and set aside. separately, mix together almond butter, vanilla, eggs, & honey. combine these 2 mixtures. stir in cranberries and ginger. do not over mix.

pour into baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes. remove from oven, and cool in pan for at least an hour (several hours would be ideal, if you can stand to wait) before carefully cutting into squares and triangels -i sliced mine diagonally and every which way but loose.

method for frosting & topping:

whip honey, cream cheese, and vanilla until it’s well combined and kinda fluffy.

spread over bars. sprinkle cranberries, zest, and white chocolate chips over the tops of the bars.

these can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or so, and on the counter top for a matter of hours before they get eaten up!

*if you want your bars a little lighter-colored, use raw (non-roasted) almond butter.

german’s chocolate cake January 22, 2010

another thank you to elana’s pantry for yet another delicious yum-yum recipe!

i made this beautiful cake for my father in law’s birthday last weekend, and was really happy with the way it turned out. i’ve made the chocolate cake base a few times before, and had problems in the past with too spongy a texture. this time, i cut 5 minutes off the bake time, which resulted in more of a traditional crumb, so there was no notice that it was grain free. it had the texture and appearance of a chocolate cake made from wheat flour. -dead ringer.

bake this cake a night before frosting and serving for a deeper, dark-chocolateier taste.

the coconut pecan filling/topping was a little labor intensive, but not challenging. it was very tasty, though i think i’ll leave it in the freezer for a few more minutes before i whip it next time. it was very coconutty. i was happy to use unsweetened coconut in this recipe, where many call for sweetened. it was also much easier than the traditional filling/topping, which typically calls for tempering egg yolks with cream and butter. the batch makes enough to cover the entire cake, but i saved half and rolled it into coconut truffles. yum.

i much enjoy the chocolate frosting. it’s very rich like ganache, but as light to spread as chocolate mousse. again it is very easy to execute, but leaving it in the freezer until it almost solidifies is crucial. if left in the freezer too long (until the point where it is a chocolate ice cube), it could be left at room temperature for half an hour or more, until it slightly softens. the batch, again, is enough to cover the entire cake, but i saved half and rolled it into truffles… covered in white chocolate… and nuts.. nom nom nom…….

i adjusted the recipe slightly for my taste (less oil in the coconut pecan filling), but you can follow the original recipe in all it’s glory here, at elana’s pantry.

german’s chocolate cake

cake base

3/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

10 eggs

1 cup grapeseed oil

1 1/2 cups agave nectar

1 tbsp vanilla

method:

preheat oven to 350f. oil and parchment 2 9″ cake pans, set aside.

sift dry ingredients into large bowl, whisk them to mix.

with hand mixer, blend wet ingredients together until well combined.

pour dry ingredients into wet, and continue to mix with hand mixer until just combined.

pour batter into 2 pans. bake for 35 minutes, maybe a little more, until cakes no longer jiggle. remember, this recipe is full of eggs and coconuts, 2 ingredients notorious for burning. keep a close eye (and nose) on to be sure they don’t get burnt.

let cakes cool for a couple hours, then loosen from sides of pans with knife, and invert onto wire rack. if you are storing over night, put into 2 giant freezer zip-lock bags and stick in the fridge.

coconut pecan filling & topping

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup agave nectar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 pinch sea salt

5 tsp arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)

1 tbsp water

1 cup coconut oil

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut

1 1/2 cups toasted and chopped pecans

method:

in saucepan, over medium heat, simmer coconut milk, agave, vanilla, and salt. let it simmer gently for 10 minutes or so.

in small bowl, stir arrowroot and water together to form thick paste. you may need a tiny more water than called for, no more than a few drops or so.

over continuous heat, pour arrowroot paste into coconut milk mixture, and whisk vigorously. bring mixture to a boil for a minute or so. remove from heat.

stir in coconut oil, until completely combined. place pot into freezer for 40 minutes, or until it sets up. it will turn white.

after it solidifies, remove from freezer.  transfer to a big bowl. using hand mixer, blend until it becomes fluffy and light. stir in pecans and coconut until completely combined.

spread over bottom layer of cake. stack second layer on, and spread onto top layer. again, you’ll probably only be using half of the entire batch, since you will be frosting the sides with chocolate frosting.

chocolate frosting:

1 cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped bar)

1/2 cup grapeseed oil (yes, olive oil works)

1-2 tbsp agave nectar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

method:

over very low heat, melt chocolate and oil, stirring well.

stir in agave, vanilla and salt. be sure it is very well combined.

remove from heat, stick in freezer for 15-30 minutes.

remove from freezer. transfer solid mixture to large bowl. using hand mixer, blend well until fluffy and whipped. it will whip up very nicely, like butter-cream. if it is too warm, it will not get fluffy. stick back in the freezer for a few minutes and try again.

spread over the sides of assembled cake as desired.

again, this frosting makes a really lovely truffle, so i strongly recommend reserving any extra to get creative with. i stuck all the extra in the refrigerator so i could make the candy a few days later.

almond scones January 18, 2010

sparkly maple syrup tops these sweet breakfast treats

i made these for brunch with brian’s parents yesterday, and i couldn’t wait to post the recipe. i’d been looking forward to making them all week! i enjoy scones very much, and haven’t eaten any since i’d given up grains in the summer, so they were a very special treat for me! i am happy with the way these turned out. they look beautiful, and taste amazing. they are moist, crumbly and tender, like a delicate cookie.

this recipe is based on one i found by ginger lemon girl, though i can’t find the recipe on her blog! i am often inspired by the many beautiful sweets she produces, and i’m glad i finally took the plunge and tried making one of her recipes. i did make a few changes, and my recipe reflects those differences. her’s calls for blueberries, but since they’re not in season for several months, i stirred in almonds instead. among other changes, i also gave these a thin coating of cinnamon maple syrup, and twice baked them. the second round of baking helped make the scones sturdy, and also crisped up the cinnamon maple syrup to give the top a delightful crunch. i think this recipe could easily be converted into a savory one with a few adjustments. -omitting the sugar, extracts, and sliced almonds,. maybe adding cheddar or rosemary?

ingredients:

3 cups almond flour*

3/4 cup arrowroot

1/2 cup sugar**

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup coconut oil or butter, at room temp or cold

1 egg

2/3 cup coconut milk***

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/4 cup maple syrup + 1/2 tsp cinnamon combined

method:

preheat oven to 350f. cut round or square of parchment to fit 9″ (round or square) cake pan, and grease sides of cake pan.

in a large bowl, combine almond flour, arrowroot, salt, sugar, and baking powder with a whisk, and set aside.

in separate bowl, combine egg, milk, and extracts.

with pastry cutter or fork and knife, press coconut oil (or butter) into flour mixture, creating pea sized balls into the dough. continue until large clumps are no longer visible. make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

pour wet ingredients into well, and with a rubber spatula, gently fold ingredients together until just combined.

briefly fold almonds into mixture, then pour batter into prepared pan.

bake for 25 minutes, until top looks set and toothpick comes out mostly clean. some crumbs will cling to toothpick, this is ok.

remove from oven. let it cool for 5 minutes or so. invert onto cutting board. using very sharp knife, carefully cut as many even slices as you can manage (8-12) most of the way through, without making too many crumbles. let it cool like this for 15 minutes.

gently transfer slices to large pizza or cookie sheet lined with clean parchment. spread ‘em out. using clean pastry or silicone brush, paint maple syrup mixture on the tops and sides of scones, (you could sprinkle some sugar on, too) and bake for an additional 5 minutes. remove from oven and let cool on sheet until they are pretty firm. i served them with some pear jam on the side, and although they are very tasty on their own, they are irresistible dipped in coffee.

*i used bob’s red mill brand almond flour without issue. you could also grind your own blanched almonds into a flour in the food processor.

**i always use raw organic cane sugar. you may want to add more or less than the amount i listed. taste the batter and add as you go.

***any dairy or non-dairy milk would do

one thick breakfast treat!

in the kitchen January 11, 2010

madhur jaffrey's "world vegetarian", alice water's "the art of simple food", barbara fairchild's "the bon appétit cookbook", vegetarian time's "vegetarian complete cookbook", canyon ranch "nourish, jamie oliver's "jamie at home"

(yes, i organize my books by color even though my husband is a librarian.. he must be appalled)

i do a lot of reading. no matter what kind of shape i’m in at bed-time, i read for at least 30 minutes before i fall asleep. i’d admit that a good 94% of the subject material is about food. i have managed to successfully saturate my life with food or food related reading material. i currently subscribe to “bon appétit” magazine and “clean eating” magazine, and flip through them until there is nothing left to read. i keep magazines for years(!) and re-read them until i have the ads memorized. my collection is more of a sickness than a right to brag, believe me.

i love cookbooks, and i actually read them from front to back, as you would a novel. i’m not sure how else to read a cookbook. maybe you are supposed to look up recipes on an as needed basis? all i know, is that i wouldn’t know what the book has to offer me unless i read it fully, beginning to end, then refer back to it later when i want to make something.

since i use this information, and appreciate it so, i thought i better give “props” to my references, at least the ones i am currently obsessed with.

brian and i use these books endlessly. if i had to pinpoint a most frequented book, i’d say we pick on alice waters most often. we are constantly pulling it out of “the rainbow”, as i call it, for quick references. i especially love and utilize her simple, ad hoc approach to preparing meat.

a gift card got me this beautiful and well written cookbook, thomas keller's "ad hoc at home". (my mom bought me the quilt!)

speaking of ad hoc, christmas was especially good to us, culinarily speaking, this year! thanks to everyone who’s gifts made such wonderful and useful additions to the kitchen.

staub french oven

i also received the above french oven. we have used it many times already for braising shoulders, making beautiful stews, short-ribs, and plenty of other fatty, tasty dishes.

the "V" mandolin slicer

this slicer was purchased with a gift card. i bought it so i could make health foods from scratch, such as potato chips.

as per a request from a commenter, i would like to explain this mandolin a little. i went in to the store with the intent to purchase a mandolin slicer, thinking i would probably pick out the most expensive one available (simply because i had a gift card and i have expensive taste). after toying with quite a few without looking at prices, i chose the “de Buyer Korba” slicer. unbeknownst to me, it happened to be the least expensive (on sale for $50), and very well rated on several websites. i chose it because i wanted the “v” shape. the shape of the blade ensures that the food doesn’t get stuck when it hits the blade. this problem is notorious (and enraging) with many slicers with flat shaped blades. the thickness is adjustable from 5mm to paper-thin. every time i use it i’m impressed with the beautiful, quick, thin slices it produces. i don’t expect the blade to dull any time within the next few years, though when it does, $50 is a reasonable price to pay to replace it! also, i appreciate the sleek design over the models that required to be propped up on a stand. i’m finicky like that. click here to see it on williams-sonoma.

silpat, for making cookies (more healthfood)

i tried explaining (bragging) to my grandmother about my new silpat, and how it will help in my journey toward perfect non-stick cookies with burn free bottoms. her response was “i’ve had one of those for a long time!”… she one-upped me.

anyhow, i wanted to drop a big fat thank you to all who decked our halls with all this awesome new stuff! there is more (much more), but i haven’t gotten to their photo-shoots yet.

salad: my comfort food January 9, 2010

salad: no longer a diet food.

since this is one of my favorite meals, i wanted to share it. i eat a salad for lunch 6/7 days a week. i love leafy greens. i love cheeses, and fruits, and seeds, and nuts.. what a better way to combine all of these things, and benefit from the nutritional values of these foods? mix them all together. i’m lucky that my farmer’s market supplies all (yes ALL) of these items. even in the winter. salads are for all times of the year. it may sound boring, but i eat the exact same salad every day, depending on what fruit or greens are in season. for the past few months, this the salad my farmer’s market supplies me with.

i think the colors of this salad are beautiful, the flavors are perfect, and it is nutritionally well balanced. even down to the dressing. i never, ever buy salad dressing. i think it is yucky and has strange things in it. -corn syrup in salad dressing? is this necessary?! plus, it is easy and very inexpensive to make your own. i tend toward balsamic vinegar because i like it’s sour and sweet flavor. vinegar is always tossed around as a nutritious “food”. balsamic vinegar, because it is made from fermented grapes, contains antioxidants that can combat cell damage, and boost immune system. -red wine is known for the same thing. polyphenols in the vinegar boosts the activity of the digestive enzyme, pepsin. pepsin helps break proteins down into amino acids. better amino acid absorbtion aids in immune system function, cell repair, and building muscle. vinegar is also being researched for it’s ability to improve metabolism. and it tastes real good.

ingredients:

for the dressing:

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp fig or apricot jam (or any tasty jam)

method:

in a re-purposed squeeze bottle, like a honey bottle, shake up jam and vinegar. viola! salad dressing!

for the salad:

1 big handful of salad greens

1/2 bartlett pear, cubed

small handful of dried cranberries

1 oz of cheddar (i use goat’s milk cheese)

1/4 cup salted and hulled sunflower seeds

method:

mix all that stuff up and eat it! it’s good for you because it’s salad.

chocolate peanut butter tart January 2, 2010

because there were so many friends from out of town for the holidays, we had a small cocktail party for new year’s eve. just a small gathering, since we’re old now, mainly so we could catch up with everyone. we had our guests bring their own stuff for drinks, which ended up working out perfectly. dirty martinis, side cars, tom collins, gin bucks, and many more choices in the alcohol department. we also had plenty of champagne for the midnight toast, which was extra cool because my mom had given me a jar of hibiscus flowers in sugar syrup to put in the flutes. they not only looked beautiful with bubbles dancing around the petals, but tasted delicious! (click here to see!) their flavor and texture is a little like fruit leather (or fruit roll ups, for you generation-x kids). just be sure to serve champagne with a generous side of ibuprofen…. ugh.

we had lots of hours d’evours to graze over. brian and i were busy making potato chips all day, to accompany our other foods: prosciutto wrapped sweet potatoes, dry roasted vegetables, goat cheese with walnuts and cranberries, marinated olives, locally raised italian sausage (arranged in the shape “2010″), tomato and mozzarella pesto salad, and a chocolate peanut butter tart. i would have loved to have hosted a sit-down dinner, but serving “finger foods” is a little more appropriate for guests arriving at different times, and easier to socialize and mingle.

earlier this year, i happened upon an article on peanut butter. i believe it was in bon appetit magazine, where the writer was proposing that peanut butter should be used as an elegant dessert, not just as a nostalgic novelty ingredient. many times, as a dessert ingredient, peanut butter is used as a playful addition to already candy-like sweets. peanut butter cups, peanut butter blondies, buckeyes, you get the idea. so i wanted to use peanut butter as a playful ingredient in an “elegant” dessert. i find tarts to be very elegant and fancy., like the adult version of pie. i loved the way this recipe read on elana’s pantry. it was very simple to make, tasted amazing, and less importantly it looked beautiful. the crust tastes like a peanut butter cookie, only it’s a tad more crumbly, like short crust. the filling is so delicious and creamy. it firms up perfectly, and isn’t too rich to eat a big slice. i love this tart, and will certainly make it again. i decided to double the crust, since my tart pan is closer to 10″, rather than 8″. i also spread a peanut butter and honey creation on the top. it would be fun to add a caramel filling under the chocolate next time. this is obviously grain free, and is also vegan/dairy free. it is high protein, and more importantly, very very yummy. eat it for breakfast? why not?

this is my version of the recipe. if your tart pan is 8″, you could cut the crust recipe in half. if you don’t have yacon syrup, i’m sure you could use molasses. it’s flavor and texture is very similar. if you don’t have stevia, you can use sugar, but you’ll have to use a few tablespoons. taste it filling and season accordingly.

ingredients:

for the shell:

3 cups roasted & salted peanuts

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 tbsp oil

4 tbsp yacon syrup

2 tbsp vanilla extract

method: preheat oven to 350f.

combine vanilla, oil and syrup in a bowl and set aside. grind peanuts in food processor until they make a crumbly meal. add in dry ingredients and pulse a few times. add wet ingredients, and mix in processor until thick dough forms. don’t over process, or it will turn into a liquidy peanut butter.

press dough into tart pan. bake for 8-10 minutes, until it smells like a giant amazing cookie. it should appear golden brown, not too dark, or it will taste burnt. cool for several hours before filling.

chocolate filling:

1 can coconut milk (14oz)

pinch of sea salt

2 tbsp arrowroot powder

3 tbsp yacon syrup

1 tbsp agave nectar

1/2 tsp dry stevia

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup dark chocolate chips

method: in saucepan, heat coconut milk and salt over medium. once it comes to gentle boil, sift in arrowroot powder and whisk vigorously. it will thicken, and should be relatively smooth. whisk in agave, yacon, vanilla, and stevia. remove from heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.

whisk in chocolate until it melts. whisk, whisk, whisk.

chill (pudding) for 5 minutes.

stir again, then pour into cooled pastry shell.

chill for at least an hour. tart should become firm.

peanut butter and honey topping:

combine 1/2 cup natural (yes, the kind you have to stir) crunchy peanut butter and 1/2 cup honey. pour over top of cooled & set tart filling just before cutting to serve.

your friends are gonna like this, i promise. -unless they are allergic to peanuts, or are downers in general.

coconut flour linzer cookies December 29, 2009

dusted with sparkly sugar and filled with sweet jam

i have been a neglectful blogger (once again), but assure my readers that it is only because i’ve been spending tons of time with family and friends, putting my feet up, and enjoying the holiday season in general. in preparation for said holidays, i spent most of november and december in a mad scramble to find a good grain free linzer tart cookie recipe. a mission that i expected would be fruitless ended up being well worth my time. i thought this one would be a total flop, a shot in the dark. but to my surprise, it was perfect. perfectly flavored, simple, great texture. i loved the crunch of the almonds in the dough. a friend tipped me off to the link on tastespotting.com, so i feel like i probably owe her a dozen. a good cookie recipe is worth it’s weight in gold.

since these have a coconut flour base (which i thought was impossible), they have a delicate texture, almost like a melt away. they are pretty sturdy once they are baked, but need lots of care when being handled when they are being rolled and cut out. they are quite a pretty cookie, too.

i chose to brush the top cookie with maple syrup, then dust it with sugar. this gave it some extra sweetness and a really fun crispy crunch. i highly recommend going through the extra effort for this effect. i simply brushed the tops with maple syrup after i had transferred to cookie sheet, dusted with sugar, then baked them.

i bought the finest strawberry jam i could find at wholefoods, not because i am a sucker, but because i have high standards for jam. -no added sugar, organic and such. last year we made our own strawberry jam, but this year we ran out of time! i imagine that you could get really creative and put some traditional wintery fruit in the middle, like fig jam or what have you. i also ended up adding a few extra tbsp sugar to the dough, and a few drops  (a tsp or so) of almond extract. these cookies are amazing as-is, but these modifications really took them over the top.

here is my barely modified version of the recipe.

ingredients:

1 3/4 cups coconut flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup room temp butter

1/4 cup coconut solid coconut oil

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds (i used silvered almonds)

10 oz or so of your favorite jam (be picky)

method:

preheat oven to 350. line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

mix together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

cream together butter, coconut oil and sugar. add eggs one at a time, add vanilla extract. add almonds followed by flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time.

roll dough out between 2 sheets of wax or parchment paper and cut into circles (i used hearts). cut a smaller shape into half the cookies, so you have equal parts tops and bottom cookies.

transfer very carefully to prepared cookie sheets and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. these burn fast. as soon as they are golden, they are done. move to wire racks to cool.

when completely cool, assemble. place a small teaspoon or so of jam on the bottom cookie, spread it to the edge, then place the windowed cookie on top. store these in the fridge for a week, room temp for 4 days or so, or do like i did and freeze giant batches to give to your family.

this recipe can be found in it’s original glory at tropical traditions.

finally, waffles! December 13, 2009

fluffy waffles swimming in apples and syrup

since my recent success with pancakes, i’d been searching high and low for a grain free waffle recipe, to no avail. i really love waffles. i feel like they are the perfect carrier for tasty and healthy toppings, with built-in pockets for filling with syrup, nut butters, or jam. i love the crisp outer shell that encases soft, fluffy dough. we received a waffle maker as a wedding gift last year, and since going grain free, i hadn’t been able to use it. what a shame.

so i decided to use my pancake recipe as a base. this meant that i would have myself a healthy waffle recipe, as well as a multipurpose one. i made a few small changes from the pancake recipe to make it a workable batter for a waffle iron. mostly just a tiny bit more fat, so they wouldn’t dry out while cooking. they turned out perfectly! i see blueberries, chocolate chips, and bananas in their future!

as i mentioned above, these are just about as healthy as it gets, as far as anything sweet is concerned. again, i’ve calculated this as a 2 serving recipe. each serving is just over 300 cals and 14 grams of protein. again, pretty remarkable for waffles.

i used a belgian waffle maker. i poured the entirety of the batter into the maker and it didn’t quite fill all squares completely. i’m thinking this would completely fill a round waffle maker, with no room for add-ins.

waffles

ingredients:

3 eggs

1 tsp maple syrup, agave, or honey

1 tbsp oil

2 tsp vanilla ext

2 tbsp coconut flour

4 tbsp almond meal

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

pinch of cinnamon

method:

preheat waffle iron by plugging it in 10 minutes ahead of time.

sift coconut flour into a bowl. add the remaining dry ingredients and mix.

whisk all wet ingredients together, being sure it is completely smooth (no egg lumps).

combine all ingredients together.

pour all of the batter into waffle maker, and cook according to manufactures instruction. i close the lid and let it cook for 3 minutes exactly. this gives them a crisp outer crust without drying out the inside.

i saute apples while i’m making up the batter to top the waffles with, adding butter and syrup when it’s time to serve. oh, and a side of bacon. duh.

*edit: i added 1/4 frozen blueberries to the batter today, cooked it for 3 minutes like usual, and they came out perfectly. next time: chocolate chips.

chocolate cake December 6, 2009

so, i’ve been venturing into the realm of chocolate cakes lately. to be honest, i’ve never been a huge fan of chocolate cakes. -i know, i know… i don’t know what it is. i love chocolate, and i love cake. but bringing two good things together doesn’t always make perfect math. i think part of the issue is this: the characteristic i enjoy most of chocolate is it’s deep fudgyness. cake, more specifically a layer cake, is, well, cakey. the flavor of chocolate is distributed thinly about the batter. for me, it’s like having a watered down version of something i enjoy very much. more often, i enjoy things like nut based cakes with deep chocolate frosting, or carrot cake with tangy cream cheese. the one exception is flourless, single-layer chocolate cake. it’s like eating a piece of chocolate. but i’m talking about a sponge type cake for layering.

so i had decided to make my friend a chocolate birthday cake, you know, to give chocolate cake a chance.

i found a recipe from a very reputable (grain-free) website for chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. it looked, and was, simple to put together. after tasting the raw batter, i decided that the cake would need more depth, so upon a suggestion i had seen in the past, i added cinnamon for more of a “mexican hot chocolate” feel. i baked the cake, frosted it, and made hazelnut praline to press into the sides. it wasn’t my best decision. although it looked lovely, and the praline was great, the cinnamon in the cake made the flavor very complex, which is not what i want when i’m eating chocolate cake. i want simple, unadulterated chocolate.

i was about to give up on chocolate cake forever.

i decided to give it another try, and leave the recipe alone.

just make the cake, frost it, eat it, and get on with it.

i made it, frosted it, put some toasted pecans on it, and i liked it!

the cake is somewhat distinguishable from flour based cake due to its consistency. it’s just a touch like a sponge cake, but the flavor is very deep chocolate. there is not much of a “crumb” to speak of, but the cake is so moist, the “sponge” goes unnoticed (unless you are very critical of cake, like me).

the recipe is from elana’s pantry. i make a lot of goodies from her site because her recipes are modest and uncomplicated.

i recommend following the instructions without getting cocky. the only change i made was doubling the vanilla, which is reflected in my script of the recipe. also, i did not use any orange zest. the frosting recipe is very, very good, and dairy free.

yes, the recipe calls for 10 eggs! remember that with coconut flour, you need very little of the dry ingredients and very much of the wet. there is not “eggyness” in the cake, so don’t worry. for best results with any chocolate cake, make it a day ahead of time to let the flavor develop.

chocolate cake

ingredients:

3/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

10 eggs

1 cup grapeseed oil

1 1/2 cups agave nectar

2 tbsp vanilla ext

method:

preheat oven to 325f.

prep 2 9″ cake pans with rounds of parchment on the bottoms and butter and coconut flour dusted on the sides.

sift dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

with mixer (stand or hand), beat together all wet ingredients for a minute or so.

combine all ingredients into mixer bowl and mix slowly until everything is incorporated. the batter will appear to be very thin.

pour batter into pans, and bake for 35-40 minutes. the cakes will rise quite high, and look pretty ugly. they will stop rising when they are cooked. they should not jiggle throughout once finished.

use toothpick to test for doneness.

cool for half an hour before running thin knife along edge of pan to release and invert them. cool for a few hours before frosting.

chocolate frosting

ingredients:

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup grapeseed oil

2 tbsp agave nectar

1 tbsp vanilla ext

pinch of salt

method:

in small saucepan, combine chocolate and oil over low heat. stir continuously until chocolate is completely melted. remove from heat. stir in the remaining ingredients and mix very well.

place saucepan in freezer for 15 minutes.

remove from freezer and dump into mixer bowl. beat until it becomes thick and fluffy. it should look like frosting. do not beat too long or the heat from the mixer will heat up the chocolate again.

spread over first layer of cake for filling, then to finish frosting the cake.

decorate with as you see fit. i had mister hare decorate it for me with some toasted pecans.

orange buck for the flu December 6, 2009

we have to face it, it’s cold and flu season. i sometimes get sick, but more often, poor brian gets it.

since we refuse to take nyquil or other night-time, over the counter medications due to funny ingredients, we make our own night-time elixirs. -booze based elixirs. they help you sleep.

for a cold, i always make a hot toddy. the heat is very soothing to the throat and aids with congestion.

for the flu, i make a ginger and oj drink, because ginger helps settle the stomach, and oj just tastes good when you’re sick.. oh yeah, and the vitamin c thing.

anyhow, we strongly adultify our elixirs to make them extra soothing and help us sleep extra well. but if you want to skip the booze, this is still a very refreshing drink to have when you are sick, and very simple to make.

mr. hare makes this recipe when we have people over for drinks, usually during the summer season because it is so refreshing. it’s his “signature drink”. we always buy whole food’s 365 brand ginger ale, and always keep very fine gin in the house… you know, for when we’re sick.

orange buck

2 oz gin

4 oz orange juice

6 oz ginger ale

combine all ingredients and pour over ice. squeeze some fresh lime juice into the drink, if you so desire.

drink, and be merry! -i mean healthy!