Coconut Flour Snickerdoodles

While at the market picking up my usual bag of full-gluten-no-fiber-just-like-your-grandma's-flour I saw a pretty little bag of organic coconut flour. And while I had zero idea what I would do with it, I figured coconuts are delicious so flour from it has got to be good for something. So I got both bags and sort of forgot about it until I found it hiding in the back of the pantry looking sad, since my reg flour was still very much in the spotlight around here. The kids were sick at home and I needed to get them doing something besides watch tv, so baking with coconut flour was happening. I found this recipe on Goop and had all but one of the ingredients, but it being so healthful all my expectations were pretty low. My other forays into "healthy" baking have not been great. But I have to say, these are AMAZING. Seriously, make them and be wowed and pat yourself on the back with alternative flour greatness. Nothing can replace real flour and butter, but these are a great second place.  

                   

Coconut Flour Snickerdoodles

Goop

Makes 14 small cookies

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon flaky salt (use any though if you do not have)

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup coconut sugar (I used regular sugar)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. To make the dough, stir together the almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the egg and mix to combine. Add the salt, coconut flour, and baking powder and mix well.

3. Combine the coconut sugar and ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Roll the dough into 14 equal balls, then coat each cookie in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

4. Press the cookies down slightly, then pop in the oven and bake for 12 minutes.

5. Cool to room temperature before eating.

Enjoy! xo Erin 

Cozy Chicken & Quinoa Casserole

A heavy hearted weekend filled with Prayers for Paris, extra snuggles from those we love, and questions about humanity that have no answers, calls for some comfort on this Monday. This recipe is from the archives on the old site and it is the perfect pre-feasting dinner. It tastes just like thanksgiving, without the guilt. It can be made in advance, travels well, and freezes well. Pretty much perfect. I make more than one every time and pop one in the freezer to have on hand for a lazy winter night. The recipe is simple, delicious, and full of healthy ingredients. Feel free to make this with ground turkey and leave out the mushrooms if the kids are not into them. Add in any other veggies you like as well. 

Chicken & Quinoa Casserole 
serves 8

1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 cremini (or white) mushrooms, thinly sliced
2/3 cup cup acorn squash, large dice (about one small squash)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb ground chicken or turkey
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups quinoa (look by the grains or pasta in your market)
2 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
1 1/2 cup reduced fat Monterrey jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet, saute onion in olive oil on medium high heat for 5 minutes or until translucent.

Add mushrooms, squash and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add chicken, breaking into small pieced as it browns, about 5 minutes.

Add poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, stock and quinoa and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer ten minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley and 1 cup of the cheese. Transfer ingredients from pan into 9 x 9 casserole dish or baking pan. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of casserole and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Serve warm.

To make in advance, cook casserole all the way through the recipe. Then refrigerate and reheat at 350 degrees until warmed through. You can also freeze it. And either thaw or put straight in the oven frozen at 350 degrees. It will take about 1 hour to reheat. 

xo
Erin

Skinny Pancakes

I have been wanting to try making the no flour/no sugar/gluten free pancakes that are all over Pinterest for awhile. And while I will not be retiring my tried and true classic pancake, these are a nice break during the indulgence of the season. 

 I have modified the recipes I have seen a bit since we are not a gluten free house and added just a bit of whole wheat flour, but you can omit the flour if you want (some recipes use coconut flour if you want to try that). 

These pancakes are loved by the kids and full of protein. Bonus is they comes together in seconds and no sticky syrup fingers because they do not even need it. 

Skinny Pancakes

Imperfect Polish 2014

serves 2-3 people 

2 ripe bananas (use those over ripe ones too, even better)

3 eggs

1 tablespoon whole wheat flour (I like pastry flour, but any will do)

few dashes of cinnamon

coconut oil spray (or use any oil you have, like Pam)

Preheat a griddle or large pan to Medium low heat and spray with oil. 

In a blender, magic bullet, or Vitamix combine the rest of the ingredients until smooth. 

Pour batter onto how griddle and cook on one side until bubbling. Flip and cook until well set and just browned. Just like regular pancakes! 

Serve warm with syrup, honey, or nothing at all. the bananas keep them sweet. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin