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.
I love cherry pie and altered an old recipe to be all natural and organic.
Pre-heat oven at 375 degrees.
Put cherries into a medium sauce pan, cover, and place over heat until the cherries are swimming in their juice.
Mix tapioca flour and sucanat together.
Remove cherries from the heat and mix in the sucanat/tapioca flour mixture.
Return to low heat and cook until thickened. Stir frequently.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Put cooled pie filling in crust lined pie pan. Wet the edge of the bottom pie crust and place top pie crust over cherries. Flute pie crusts together and slit the top pie crust so the steam can escape. Sprinkle the sugar on top.
Bake for 50 minutes.
These adorable cupcakes are made with coconut flour and whipping cream for the frosting. They are gluten free and sugar free!
Cupcakes:
Combine ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting them.
Frosting:
For the frosting I made whipping cream and used this as the base and added the other flavors to it. I made chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.
First get a carton of whipping cream and use a hand mixer to beat it until it is the consistency of whipped cream and forms stiff peaks.
For the strawberry I added some coarsely blended fresh strawberries to the whipped cream. For vanilla I added 1 tsp. vanilla extract and for chocolate I added the chocolate mixture.
For easy application frost cupcakes with a pastry bag and enjoy!
Doughnuts are notorious for being the ultimate “junk food”. With Hanukkah fast approaching, I was wondering if I could actually make a nourishing version of this holiday treat. Yes, it is possible! Made with freshly ground spelt, soaked to reduce phytates, fried in coconut oil, and very lightly sweetened (only 1 tsp. of honey per doughnut!) these are something I actually feel good about serving my family. Not to mention how delicious they are!
In a stand mixer, cream together first 6 ingredients. Dough should be pretty sticky. Cover with a towel and let sit at room temperature for 7-12 hours.
When ready to fry, start heating up your coconut oil in a dutch oven. It should reach about 350-375 degrees.
Add the egg to the soaked dough, along with baking powder and salt. Turn on the mixer, and add unbleached flour a couple tablespoons at a time, until the dough is only slightly sticky. Turn onto a floured surface and roll out to 1/4 in. thickness. Cut with a small glass, and work a hole in the middle with your fingers. Drop one doughnut into the hot oil, to make sure it doesn’t brown too quickly (lower heat if it is too hot). Working in 2 or 3 batches, cook doughnuts for about 3 minutes, flipping halfway through, then remove to a paper-towel lined pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or organic sprinkles, if desired.
The flavors for this Panna Cotta remind me of the holiday season.
Infuse: In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup cream with the maple syrup and stir to dissolve. Add cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean, and nutmeg. Turn off heat and leave spices to infuse for at least 30 minutes. Strain, and return the cream to a saucepan.
Soften the gelatin: In a small, wide bowl, sprinkle the gelatin evenly over 1/4 cup cold milk and let stand about 5 minutes, until softened.
Dissolve the gelatin: Reheat the strained cream and whisk in the softened gelatin and milk until completely dissolved. Turn off heat and let mixture rest until room temperature.
Combine base ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together creme fraiche with the remaining 1/2 cup cream and 3/4 cup milk until smooth.
Add the melted gelatin: Whisk the cooled gelatin-milk mixture into the base mixture.
Strain: Pour the panna cotta mixture through a triple-mesh, sieve into a large glass measuring cup with a pour spout. Then divide into ramekins, dessert glasses, or molds.
Set the gelatin: Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.
Serve: To serve, unmold onto dessert plates or present in ramekins or dessert glasses. Serve with drizzle of maple syrup on top.
Add cherries last minute for chunks, or blend them with the ice cream for a lump-free cherry flavor.
Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor unless you want cherry chunks. If you want chunks, don’t add them to this blend.
Pour into your ice cream maker and when it’s almost firm enough, toss in the cherries.
Need a recipe for all that winter squash you grew this year? Squashes like tromboncino, butternut and acorn make pie as good or better than pumpkin.
For the crust: Cut butter into flour and salt until the butter is the size of peas. Sprinkle in water, 1 T. at a time. Mix with a fork until the flour is moist and it forms a ball. Don’t over mix. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate while you make the filling.
For the filling: Beat the eggs and then beat in the remaining ingredients. Heat oven to 425°. While the oven is heating, remove pastry from the refrigerator, and flatten it on a lightly floured counter or large cutting board. Roll the pastry 2” larger than your pie plate and place into the plate. Trim the edge of the pastry, roll it under and crimp. Place the pastry lined pie plate into your oven and then pour the filling into it to prevent spills. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350°. Bake about 45 minutes longer until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve chilled with real whipped cream.
* from healthy pastured chickens or grass fed cows
This subtly sweet cherry clafoutis is a perfect breakfast dish with hints of maple syrup and buttermilk laced throughout the batter and beautiful sweet black cherries adding a burst of sweetness and beautiful coloring along the top of the clafoutis. This dish will please even the littlest members of your family.
Mix the flour and buttermilk in a small bowl. Cover the bowl and set in a warm place over night.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Mix the eggs, maple syrup, milk, applesauce, vanilla and sea salt in a small bowl.
Slowly incorporate the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Do not over mix.
Pour the batter into a greased pie pan or medium cast iron skillet.
Arrange and place the cherries in the batter. Press down gently to make sure the cherries are fully incorporated into the clafoutis.
Bake the clafoutis for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and separating from the edge of the pan and a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the clafoutis.
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.
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.
Simple. Sugar-Free. Only 2 ingredients! Gotta love that. Refreshing real food for any summer day. keep these stocked in the freezer for a nourishing and satisfying snack. I have no guilt letting my little ones have seconds of these! These frozen watermelon pops are shaped like stars for a special Independence Day treat, but you could use any shape you’d like. I plan on experimenting with flavors soon, like adding lime zest or minced mint to the coating. Yum!
Slice your watermelon into rounds about 1/2″-3/4″ thick. Remove any obvious and visible seeds, but don’t go digging for them and ruin the integrity of the watermelon.
Use your favorite cookie cutter (3″ is a good size) to cut shapes out of the sliced watermelon. Lay the cut watermelon on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Insert Popsicle sticks into the watermelon shapes.
Place in the freezer and freeze until solid, about 4 hours.
Warm your coconut butter (or have a freshly made batch of homemade coconut butter that is still in the liquid state from processing) by placing it in a small jar and floating that jar in a bowl or very hot water. Stir every once in a while. You want the coconut butter to melt back into a thick liquid state. If it is not thinning well, add a little coconut oil to it and stir. Add more hot water as necessary until it melts enough to spread.
Working with one pop at a time, pour a tablespoon or so of the coconut butter on the watermelon shape and use a butter knife to spread it around and on the sides, much like you are “icing” a cake. The coconut butter will harden rather quickly. Place the finished pop back on the parchment to finish hardening. Repeat with remaining pops.
Eat immediately, or store in the freezer in an air-tight container with parchment sheets between layers.
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.