The ideal macaroon is a light ball of toasted coconut goodness with a slightly chewy center. It took seven tries but I finally got a recipe and technique for the perfect macaroon.
Macaroons are a great option for gifts because they fit into most diets. This macaroon recipe is gluten free, grain free, vegetarian, naturally sweetened, and paleo! If you are following along on my Wahls Diet journey these macaroons also follow her diet. But are they delicious? Yes, I wouldn’t put them in my Christmas cookie tins if they weren’t.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use a food processor, mixer or, if you want an arm work out, a whisk to combine the coconut butter, honey, egg whites, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. The mixture will be the texture of warm peanut butter.
Next fold in the sweetened and unsweetened coconut so it is evenly moist. The goal is to mix everything together without compressing to keep the batter light.
Using a scale measure out half ounce increments of dough and use wet fingertips to shape into loose balls. If you don’t have a scale you are aiming for about a tablespoon.
Place each ball onto the parchment paper. Macaroons don’t rise, so you can place them close together. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown, rotating the cookie sheet at 8 minutes.
Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet a couple minutes so they set before moving them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
This is a delightfully creamy and smooth chia seed pudding that is also quite versatile! Full of probiotics and good fats, it would make a great breakfast or grab-and-go snack.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir together until smooth. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 12 hours. Enjoy!
These little bites are a nice treat when you don’t want to turn on your oven. Mix these no bake cookies up in about five minutes or so and then put them in the fridge for about 10. Viola!
Since discovering that several members of our family are gluten sensitive, we have been experimenting more with grain-free and gluten-free recipes. Now that it’s summer and 100+ degrees outside, we turn on the oven less. I love other no-bake cookie recipes and wanted to create something that my seven year old daughter could make by herself, since I’m not comfortable with her reaching into the oven just yet. This recipe is simple and delicious. Perfect for kids to make on their own.
You could even make other flavors by adding in lemon, lime or orange zest and playing with the seasonings. My daughter said that next time she wants to try dipping them in melted dark chocolate. Yum!
Combine coconut, almond flout and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together with a fork to get out any lumps.
Add remaining ingredients, except for milk. Stir together until the ingredients are well combined and start to stick together.
Test a piece of dough by lightly squeezing a pinch of it in your fist. If it holds together well, you’re done. If you need it, add the milk until it will hold it’s shape.
Roll into small balls or scoop with a cookie scoop and place on parchment lined baking sheets.
Refrigerate about 10 minutes to set.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
This lovely and delicious pie is made from fresh, halved peaches. Only one crust is used. Served with real whipped cream, this is summertime Heaven!
Prepare the pie shell from your favorite pie crust recipe. Place in 9-inch pie pan and flute the edges.
Combine Rapadura, butter and flour to make crumbs.
Sprinkle half of the crumbs into unbaked pie shell.
To peel the peaches, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, plunge into cold water, peel, cut in half and pit the fresh peaches.
Place them cut side up in the pie shell.
Cover with the rest of the crumb mixture.
Sprinkle lemon juice over the top.
Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 40 - 45 minutes. (Runny liquid should be gone when it is done baking.)
Allow to cool completely before serving.
This recipe calls for only 1/4 cup of honey to sweeten an apple pie! I promise you, you will not be disappointed. It is very nice. Serve it with a slice of cheddar cheese on the side… my father used to say, “Apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze!”
Stir all the ingredients together thoroughly.
Pour into a 9 inch pie plate lined with pie crust of your choice.
Top with a vented pie crust (cut a few slits in the top) and flute the edges.
Bake at 350 F for approximately 1 hour
After baking the pie for 60 minutes, insert a small sharp knife into one of the vents in the top crust and test to see if the apples are done. They should be very soft, and this time can vary with the variety of apples you use. If they are still a little firm, you will need to bake it longer.
Allow to cool well before serving.
I wanted to make cookies for my family one night as a special treat, but as I looked at my pantry and my refrigerator it became apparent that I was out of many ingredients. I decided to try and whip something up anyway with things I had on hand and they came out great! The taste was delicious. The texture is crunchy, rather than chewy, but for no eggs or butter I was happy. I will remember these particular almond flour cookies to make for some friends who have dairy, egg, gluten allergies and those eating only honey sweetened desserts. Fast and delicious!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Mix together dry ingredients with a fork. Add remaining ingredients except chocolate chips* and combine thoroughly. Let the dough rest for five minutes.
Fold in chocolate chunks or chips. (I just chop up my favorite dark chocolate candy bar).
Roll into small balls and place on the parchment paper. Use the bottom of a glass to gently press down the cookies. If the glass is sticking too much, wet it with water on the bottom.
Bake for 8-9 minutes. Cookies will not brown much. Slide parchment onto wire racks to cool. Allow to cool on a wire rack before removing from parchment.
*Feel free to sub carob chips if you don’t eat chocolate.
Our local peaches are coming into the farmer’s markets now. Oh my! Fresh peaches are SO heavenly… the trouble is, they ripen quickly and then the season is past… Of course, they can be frozen, but then what happens when the power goes out? I like to can my extra peaches and I do it with no added sugar or anything else. They are delicious!
Each bushel of peaches will yield approximately 21 quarts, or 42 pints of canned peaches. It is easiest to use wide-mouth jars, but you can use regular-mouth jars if you need to.
Set up your system thus… You will need a water bath canner, a large saucepan for scalding the peaches, a “jar lifter,” a small saucepan for scalding the caps, jars, new caps, a damp wash rag for wiping the rims of the jars, a large slotted spoon and something to remove the hot caps from the hot water when placing them on the jars. You can purchase a little magnetized wand for this or simply fish them out with a fork.
Fill the large saucepan 2/3 full of water and bring to a boil on the stove. Meanwhile, fill a sink or large dishpan 1/2 full of cold water. Place the new caps in the small saucepan cover them with water, and put them on medium/low heat on the stove. Fill your canner with sufficient water to cover the jars when you add them and begin heating it on low heat, covered, on the stove. Do NOT get in a hurry and turn the heat up high. When you add the filled jars of peaches, the boiling water might crack the jars!
A few at a time, lower the ripe peaches into the boiling water. Leave them there for about 20 seconds and using the slotted spoon, carefully remove them and transfer them to cold water in the sink. You can do as few or as many as you wish at a time. I try to figure out how many peaches will fill the jars that fit in the water bath canner and scald that many at a time.
Using a small sharp paring knife, cut the peaches to the pit, around the middle where the “rib” is. Remove the skin and twist the peach open. Remove the pit.
Next, cut side down, place the peaches into the jars. Using careful pressure from your hand, push the peaches down until they make enough juice to fill all the empty space in the jar. Only fill the jars to within 1 inch of the rim. Continue until all your jars are filled that will fit into the canner.
Carefully wipe the rims of the glass jars clean with a damp rag. Fish a hot cap out of the small saucepan, put it on the jar and put on the canning ring. Tighten firmly, but don’t get carried away!
Using a “jar lifter,” place each jar carefully into the canner- it needs to have a rack in the bottom. Do not put the jars directly on the bottom of the pot. If you do not have a rack, use a folded dish towel.
When all the jars are filled, and in the canner, be sure they are covered well with water, put on the lid and turn the burner to “high.” Bring the water to a full boil, and then you can begin timing the processing. Keep the water boiling well 25 minutes for pints and 30 minutes for quarts.
Turn off the stove. Using the jar lifter, remove the jars and set them on a folded dish towel on the counter to cool. Be careful not to do this in a draft. It can break the jars. Allow them to cool 24 hours and then if you wish, you may remove the rings.
This deliciously creamy, rich, decadent treat, free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugar can be eaten warm or chilled. I suggest freezing leftovers in individual servings. Tuck them into packed lunches and by the time you’re ready to enjoy your meal, it will be thawed just enough for it to have a frozen custard effect.
In a large sauce pan, bring water to a boil. Turn off heat, add tapioca pearls, stir, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
While tapioca soaks, separate eggs. Beat egg whites with maple syrup and beat yolks in a separate bowl. Start measuring other ingredients while you wait for the tapioca to finish soaking.
Add milk and salt to soaked tapioca and whisk in egg yolks. Whisk constantly over medium heat until it thickens and is brought to a boil. It’s important to use a whisk to separate any tapioca clumps. Reduce heat and simmer another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Slowly pour 2 cups hot tapioca into the egg white mixture as you whisk vigorously. Now whisk in egg white mixture with the rest off the tapioca. Whisk 3 more minutes over low heat. Add vanilla. Serve warm or chilled. Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on top of each serving if desired.
Poppy seeds are rich in B vitamins and minerals including iron. Soaking them in a sourdough batter helps deactivate anti-nutrients. This lovely little cake, low in sugar, and served with lightly sweetened milk kefir soft cheese is perfect for an outdoor summer tea party!
In a glass bowl, combine the flour, sourdough starter, poppy seeds and milk. Stir well and cover. Let rest at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 12.
Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. Pre-heat oven to 350.
In another bowl, combine the honey and softened butter. Beat together well.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
Add the lemon juice or vanilla, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, soda and baking powder and beat well.
Stir in raisins.
Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake until the center springs back when touched lightly with your finger, about 25 - 30 minutes.
Remove from oven. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn the cake out onto a metal cooling rack.
Sauce:
Stir together the milk kefir soft cheese and the honey thoroughly.
Place the cake on a plate and cut into wedges. Serve each wedge with a spoonful of the topping.
The cake, if carefully wrapped, freezes well, but the topping will need to be made fresh.
These little squares are a treat. The coconut and crispy cashews create a lovely texture. They are moist, chewy and rather sweet. The original recipe that this was adapted from called for 2 cups of sugar! Needless to say, this recipe is significantly reduced, but still on the sweet side, so I wouldn’t make them too often. They are a great treat to bring to potlucks or share with friends over herbal tea.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 inch square dish or line one with parchment paper.
Using a whisk, beat the eggs until they are foamy. This is a critical step. Make sure the eggs are good and foamy. Then, beat in the sweetener salt and vanilla.
Stir in the shredded coconut and crispy cashews, then sift the coconut flour on top of the mixture. Stir the coconut flour in lightly.
Spread the batter into the pan and bake for about 15 minutes. Cool in the pan for an additional 10-15 minutes before cutting into squares.
*Crispy cashews are made by soaking 4 cups raw cashews overnight in enough filtered water to cover, plus 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Drain and dehydrate at 150 degrees for 12-24 hours or until completely crisp. Preparing any nuts this way will increase nutrients and make them easier to digest.
Fresh strawberry pie is a delightful early summer treat! Made with wholesome ingredients, it is also a wonderful way to add the health benefits of fresh strawberries to your family’s cuisine!
To make the pie shell:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and butter. Pulse until mixed well and crumbly.
Add cold raw milk, a little at a time, while the processor is running. When the dough forms a ball, it is ready.
On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle large enough to cover the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate, with a little extra hanging over the edge.
Carefully transfer dough to pie plate.
Flute the edges and then prick the bottom of the pie shell all over with a floured fork. This will prevent the dough from puffing up when you bake it.
Bake the pie shell for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you prepare the rest of the pie.
To make the glaze, combine the fruit juice, stevia, sucanat, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon juice (except if you are using pineapple juice, omit this), and corn starch or arrowroot in a blender. Blend together well.
Pour the liquid into a small saucepan, and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Boil gently, continuing to stir, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
Wash the strawberries and remove the green caps. Drain well. Pour them into the pie shell.
Pour the glaze evenly over the berries.
Refrigerate the pie and chill thoroughly.
If you wish, you can serve this with a little heavy cream, sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.
Editor’s Note: For occasional treats like pie, many who eat a real food diet make a concession to use unbleached flour for the crust to achieve the perfect texture. If you are unwilling to compromise even occasionally, try using a grain-free crust like the one in this Almost Raw Grain-free Apple Pie or a crust made with sprouted flour in this Healthier Whole Wheat Pie Crust Shell.
If you make whole grain bread, you know how it is. The heels of the bread are marvelous when the bread is very fresh, but after that, no one wants to eat them. So, they sit in the bread bag until the bread ends up in the refrigerator so it won’t get moldy. Of course, the stale bread makes marvelous toast at that point, but only the most intrepid will willingly choose the stale heels of bread. So, they sit there, making one feel guilty. To compost or what? Here is my solution. I’ve been making “Bread Pudding” since our children were all young and still living at home. It is delicious, warm with milk or cream, or even after it’s been chilled, it is still good. It can be re-heated, of course.
Butter an 8 inch square glass baking dish.
Break the bread into little pieces into the dish.
Sprinkle the raisins over the bread and stir down into the bread pieces with your fingers.
In a blender, combine the milk, vanilla, sucanat, cinnamon, nutmeg and eggs. Blend together thoroughly.
Pour the milk mixture over the bread and raisins.
Start preheating the oven to 325 degrees F. after the pudding is all in the dish.
When the oven is pre-heated, place the dish of pudding into a larger dish and pour enough water into the outer dish to come up halfway on the inner dish. (See pictures on my blog.)
Place in the oven, and bake until when you insert a sharp knife in the middle, it comes out clean.
Start checking after 30 minutes.
Serve warm with cold milk or cream, or serve cold!