If you make bread on a regular basis for your family, you know you almost always end up with some stale pieces. Toast, croutons, bread pudding and now these nice “Piedras” are all excellent ways to avoid wasting your good breads!
Using a food processor, make fine bread crumbs from leftover stale heels and slices of bread. Measure out 4.5 cups into a mixing bowl.
Add the flour, sucanat, soda and baking powder and mix well.
Melt the butter and add to the dry mixture.
Work the butter in thoroughly with your hand.
Begin adding milk, a little at a time and squishing and kneading it over and over with your hand, until it is a nice soft, moist dough. Continue to work it with your hand. It should be like cookie dough.
Add vanilla and work that in well.
Place 1/2 cup sunflower seed kernels in a dry cast iron skillet. Place it on medium heat on your kitchen stove, and stirring, cook until fragrant and several of the seeds have turned brown. Do not burn them. Add them to the bowl.
Add the raisins, and again, working it with your hand, combine thoroughly.
Cover bowl and place in the refrigerator overnight. When you are ready to bake, the next day, leave it out on the counter for at least 1 hour to warm up. It needs to be soft enough to scoop out.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cover baking a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Use a 2.5-inch ice cream scoop to measure out the Piedras dough. Place the scoops 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. If you have a scoop with a mechanism that slides and removes the contents, use that, but if not, dip the scoop in water between each Piedra. Alternately, you can use a big spoon and just form them with your hands.
Mix 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon into 2 Tablespoons of Sucanant and sprinkle a little of that over each Piedra before baking.
Bake for about 20 minutes at 350. They should be set and the bottoms beginning to turn brown.
Remove to a clean dish towel on the counter to cool.
This recipe is versatile. Feel free to add other nuts, seeds, chopped dried fruits, etc. Just don’t add too much or the Piedras will not hold together well. 1 cup total of additions is about right. Cinnamon and vanilla are optional. You may also increase or decrease the sweetening to your taste.
These may be frozen. If you flash freeze them, and store in an airtight container in the freezer, you can add one to a lunch box at the last minute and it will thaw nicely by lunch time.
I have tried many grain-free and gluten-free pizza crust recipes, but none of them quite measured up. Either they were too eggy, too fragile, or too crumbly and dry. This grain-free pizza crust has an excellent texture though. It is springy, soft, holds up to toppings, can be thin-ish or thick, and when cooked on a pizza stone, it is crispy on the bottom. The taste is great as well, especially with the added herbs. Most people would not know that it isn’t made with white flour.
The batter is versatile and would be a wonderful base for a breakfast strata, made into rounds for a flatbread to sandwich just about anything, or poured on top of veggies to make pot pies or other quick casseroles. I imagine you could also sweeten the batter a bit and top a cobbler that way. Hope you enjoy!
Preheat oven and a pizza stone (if you have one) to 425 degrees.
If you do not have a pizza stone, line a large jelly roll pan or round pizza pan with parchment paper. If you do have a pizza stone, simply place a piece of parchment slightly larger than you want your pizza on top of a bread peel or cutting board.
In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients until no lumps remain and ingredients are well mixed.
Add beaten eggs and milk of choice. Stir until a thick batter forms, being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Pour the batter onto the parchment paper in a large round or rectangle, whichever you prefer. Use the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula to even to batter out to the thickness and shape that you prefer. Remember, it will rise.
If using a stone, pick up your baking peel or cutting board to transfer your parchment to the over. Quickly open the oven pick up a corner of the parchment. Slide it directly onto the hot stone. Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on thickness until slightly golden.
Remove from the oven by sliding the parchment back onto the peel or cutting board. Top with sauce and toppings of choice and bake an additional 10-15 minutes; watch the bottom of the crust to make sure it is not burning.
If using a parchment lined pan, place in the hot oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven, top with sauce and toppings of choice and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.
Makes a moist, airy squash pancake with a phenomenal taste. Add lots of butter and berries on top!
In a medium size mixing bowl, add in squash and eggs and mix until creamy using a Hand Blender if you have one.
Then add in peanut butter, salt and cinnamon and mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
Lastly, add 3/4 cup water and mix. If it needs a little more water, add the last 1/4 cup in very slowly. It’s hard to remove water after its mixed in!
Use the following directions on how to fry the perfect pancake and enjoy! http://www.wellnesshammock.com/2012/05/how-do-you-fry-the-perfect-pancake/
Move over Eggo! 😉 These waffles are wonderful and simple to make. They freeze and re-heat well.
The night before, in a medium-sized bowl, combine the sourdough starter, sucanat, water and flour.
Stir well and cover. Let sit on counter overnight.
In the morning, add the salt, eggs, melted butter and baking soda and mix thoroughly.
Start heating your waffle iron. When it is good and hot, spray with pan spray, just for the first waffle, on both surfaces.
Scoop out 1/2 cup of the batter and pour it onto the waffle iron, close it and set a timer for 2 minutes. Then check to see how it is doing. Depending on your equipment, it could take 2 - 5 minutes.
When the waffle is nicely brown, using a fork, transfer it to a plate. Then continue baking the waffles, one at a time.
These take a while to cook, but once you figure out the time and temperature, you can set your timer and walk away and do other things while they bake.
These freeze well, and can be reheated in an oven or in a toaster.
Coffee cake usually has some sort of a crumbly topping, but this lil’ dish o’ goodness needs no such thing. It’s already plenty sweet and satisfying on it’s own, and simplicity is the name of the game. No one would ever guess it’s made with almond flour; even the gluten-free-wary can’t help but delight in a square. Or two.
Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 9×13 pan.
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients but the apples and beat on high for about 1 minute. Add grated apples and stir on low just until incorporated.
Scrape batter into greased pan and bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are brown and the middle doesn’t wiggle. Cool for about 10 minutes and serve warm.
These muffins are sweet and spicy with small patches of sour rhubarb sprinkled through out the muffin. These make an excellent breakfast on the go and can be frozen for a later time.
Mix the flour and buttermilk in a medium size bowl. Let the mixture soak over night in a warm place.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Mix the flour/buttermilk mixture with the vanilla, salt, baking powder, flax, honey bee pollen, ginger root, honey, applesauce, eggs, and rhubarb. Stir well.
Place the paper liners in the muffin tin.
Ladle the muffin batter into the paper lined muffin tin filling each hole 3/4 full.
Bake the muffins for 25-30 minutes on the center rack or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffins comes out clean.
These grain-free, dairy-free muffins are a tasty, springtime treat; a great way to enjoy fresh strawberries! If you can tolerate dairy, top with plenty of grass-fed butter or whipped cream and fresh strawberries!
Beat eggs with coconut oil, maple syrup, almond milk, stevia, and strawberry extract. Mix dry ingredients together in a smaller bowl, breaking up any lumps. Stir into the egg mixture, then add strawberries until well combined. Drop about 1/4 c. at a time into a paper-lined muffin pan and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool.
This is a super-fast, easy breakfast that is chock full of protein and good fats! Serve with a bit of sucanat or honey for a special treat.
Preheat oven to 450. Place coconut oil in a 10-in. cast iron skillet and place in the oven to melt and heat up. Whirl eggs and coconut milk in the blender for about 30 seconds, until whipped and frothy. Add almond flour, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon and whiz for another 30 seconds or so. Pour into hot skillet and arrange apple slices over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 10 minutes, and then lower heat to 350 and bake another 5-10 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.
Sprouted pasta can be expensive, but these yummy egg noodles are quick and easy to prepare from sprouted wheat flour. They may be cooked immediately or dried for later use. Excellent as a base for pasta sauce or in chicken and noodles, or throw a few into other stock-based soups.
These noodles may be made in a bowl, stirring with a fork, or in a food processor with a plastic blade. I prefer to use the food processor as it is easier.
In the processor bowl, combine the eggs, salt, and 1/2 cup flour. Pulse a few times to mix. Add more flour, 2 Tablespoons at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the mixture holds together in a firm but moist dough.
Turn the dough out onto a surface sprinkled with more sprouted flour. Cut the dough in half.
Roll each half out, using more flour to prevent sticking, to about 1/8 inch thickness.
Cut into noodle strips with a pizza cutter. Other shapes may be made also, of course.
Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Cook in soup or boiling water immediately, OR, hang to dry and then store in an airtight container in the freezer until you are ready to cook them.
5 minutes in boiling liquid is sufficient to cook them thoroughly if the noodles are fresh.
If you decide to dry them, they need to boil for 12 minutes, approximately to cook.
Aebleskivers are a traditional type of Danish pancakes that are baked in a special pan on top of the stove. They are spherical in shape and typically made with beaten egg whites added to make them nice and poofy. They are also typically made with white flour and rather sweet. My recipe uses a whole wheat sourdough, and so are nice a fluffy and served with real maple syrup ~ they are a delight! They don’t last long around here. Being made from sourdough batter, they keep well in the refrigerator and may be reheated.
You will need an Aebleskiver pan.
You will also need a skewer or a small knitting needle for turning the Aebleskivers over in the pan.
The night before you plan to make your Aebleskivers, in a medium-sized bowl, combine the sourdough starter, Sucanat, warm water and enough whole wheat flour to make the batter like very heavy cream.
Stir well, cover and let sit on the kitchen counter overnight.
In the morning, lightly grease and then begin heating your Aebleskiver pan over medium/low heat.
To the sourdough batter, add the eggs, salt, melted butter and baking soda and stir well.
Fill each cup in the pan half-way with batter, using a spoon.
Watch them carefully. When the edges begin to look done, and there are bubbles on top, carefully insert your skewer into each Aebleskiver near the edge (check photos on my blog for this) and flip them over.
You can check to see if the bottom is nice and brown also, and then they are done. Remove them using the skewer and place them in a bowl.
Serve warm with real maple syrup!
Aebleskiver Pan: You’re not limited to making Aebleskivers in these pans. Any sort of batter can be cooked up in this, really. Cake pops, anyone??
Babka bread originally came to this country from Poland and is traditionally served at Easter. There are many recipes available. This is my super-healthy adaptation.
Grease 2 medium-sized loaf pans with coconut oil.
Measure the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the salt.
Pour milk into a small saucepan and scald (heat gently until bubbles form all around the edges) and add the coconut oil to allow it to melt. Add the honey and when the mixture is lukewarm, add the eggs and beat together.
Heat 1/4 cup water to 110 – 115 degrees F. Sprinkle the yeast onto the warm water and stir with a fork.
Add the milk mixture, 1 3/4 cups more water and the yeast/water mixture to the bowl containing the flour and salt.
Stir thoroughly, and if need be, add more sprouted whole wheat flour to make a soft kneadable dough.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, adding more bits of flour to prevent sticking.
Wash and dry the bowl and grease well with more coconut oil.
When the dough is springy and elastic, place it in the greased bowl, rub a little more coconut oil over the top and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap.
Allow to raise until it doubles in bulk in a warm place. (80 degrees F.) You can tell when it is double if when you poke it with your finger, it “sighs” and the hole does not fill back in. Watch it carefully. You don’t want it to rise beyond that point.
Press the dough down to release the gas, re-cover, place in your warm place again and allow it to raise for 30 more minutes.
Flour your work surface (continue to use the sprouted wheat flour) and pour the dough out. Do not handle the dough anymore than necessary. Cut it in half and place the extra piece back in the bowl.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle, approximately 20 by 10 inches.
Combine the Rapadura, cocoa and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the dough rectangle.
Check my blog for pictures to explain all of this. (link at the top)
Now… working from one short end, “accordion – fold” the dough, trying to get the individual folds to be about 3 inches in height. When you get near to the end of the dough piece, use the unfolded part to wrap across the top of the folds. Pinch it along underneath, pinch and tuck the ends under and place it in a bread pan, seam side down.
Repeat with the second piece of dough.
The reason you should not handle it anymore than necessary, is that as it raises, gas bubbles are formed in little pockets of gluten fibers. You want to maintain those little pockets and not rip them apart. This is particularly important when using dough made from sprouted wheat flour, as it is more tender.
Start pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees F. Set the 2 loaf pans on top of the stove.
Allow to raise until it doubles, and is springy when you poke it.
Place both loaves in the oven and bake for 50 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Slice thickly and serve with plenty of nice butter!
If you like, you may add raisins or other dried fruits and/or chopped crispy nuts when you sprinkle on the Rapadura/cocoa/cinnamon mixture.
Perfect for a special brunch, this tender sweet cake melts in your mouth! Served with real butter… dreamy!
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8″ x 8″ glass baking dish. (I use more coconut oil for this.) Sift together: Flour, baking powder, Rapadura, salt and cinnamon. Combine milk, egg and oil and beat well. Stir the walnuts and raisins into the flour mixture. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture all at once and stir gently with a fork until all the flour is damp. Pour the batter into the greased dish and spread evenly. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. When you tap the center, lightly, with your finger, it should spring back. Then it is done. Remove from oven, sprinkle the Rapadura and cinnamon over the top, and serve warm with butter. When I was young, “coffee cake” was served, obviously, with coffee, to guests. I do not hear that term any more, and I don’t happen to drink coffee, but we still call it that. 🙂