Coconut Flour Double-Chocolate Brownies, Gluten Free

 

Coconut Flour Double Chocolate Brownies. Gluten Free, Low Carb Decadence!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted… and there are several reasons for that.. but instead of going into details with this initial return post, I figured I’d just give you all some chocolate first!

Isn’t that the best way to kiss and make up??
A little chocolate brownie action to ease re-entry to the blogosphere 🙂

The reason for this recipe, is that after a long while following Wheat Belly, I realized that my system doesn’t do all that well with the straight almond flour recipes. I can have a little here and there, but with digestive issues, I’ve been working on alternatives. Coconut flour is great for this, as its density works well with the texture of a brownie. Instead of going for light like I do in my muffin recipes, this is a more dense texture, and depending how long you choose to bake it, even a bit on the gooey side!

I realize that 6TB doesn’t seem like much flour, but remember that coconut flour is much more absorbent than other grain and nut flours. It cannot be substituted, recipes need to be crafted specifically for coconut flour. If you wish to make this recipe dairy free, substitute coconut oil for the butter, perhaps adding a pinch of salt.

Coconut Flour Double-Chocolate Brownies
(about 72g net carbs for entire recipe; 16 servings 4.5g each,
32 servings 2.25 each. Add more for additional ingredients)

• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  

  Ready to bake!

• 6 TB butter
• 1/4 C cashew butter
• 1 TB vanilla
• 1/2-3/4C sweetener such as Swerve or Truvia
  if you prefer more or less sweet, adjust to your taste
  
• 3 large eggs
• 2 TB maple syrup or sugar free syrup if you prefer
• 6 TB coconut flour, sifted
• 1/2 tsp baking powder, sifted
• 2 TB cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/2 C chopped walnuts, pecans, or nut of choice
• 1/2 xanthan gum (optional!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a loaf pan by lining with buttered baking parchment, or use a non-stick pan such as the silicone loaf pan I show here.

Combine first 3 ingredients and either melt together in the microwave, or heat over low in a pan on the stovetop, stirring until all ingredients are softened and combined. Remove from heat, transfer to medium mixing bowl and cool slightly. Stir in vanilla, sweetener, eggs and syrup.

Sift together coconut flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and xanthan gum (if using.) Stir dry ingredients into wet mixture. Add chopped nuts. (I sometimes add dark chocolate chips or dried berries, but realize this will raise carb count.)

Spoon mixture into loaf pan, patting top to even it out. Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes depending on your oven and level of doneness you prefer. I use a convection oven, and 18 minutes gives me a gooey center, 20 is firm, 22 is a bit stiff and crumbly. Allow to cool slightly and eat, or refrigerate. If desired, frost with cream cheese frosting.

 

March 27th… IT’S OUR WHEAT-FREE ANNIVERSARY! Thank you Dr. Davis!

March 27^th… IT’S OUR WHEAT-FREE ANNIVERSARY!
Thank you Dr. Davis!

One year ago today, I posted THIS to Dr Davis’ Wheat Belly Blog to talk about the decision my family had made to go wheat-free. It has been an amazing year. I think my husband is more excited about our anniversary of being wheat-free than he ever has been about our wedding anniversary! Kinda sad, but true 😉  But who can blame him with all of the amazing changes that have taken place (and LASTED) over the past 365 days?! I can say though, to his credit, that he thanks me each and every day for changing his life forever.

And in turn, I thank Dr. Davis. So here we go again… THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

You have changed my life, my husband’s life, my son’s life, my parent’s lives, lives of people that we know here in the real world and the people I have been lucky enough to call my friends online. You have helped me to start a chapter of my life that has real meaning by being able to reach all the people who read my blog about delicious recipes and living this lifestyle more easily in a world that is still new to the idea that wheat is a common and powerful toxin.

For those who just look at the WB way of living as just a diet to lose weight, you are missing the point! Go ahead and do it to drop those extra 30+ lbs, because it’s a great plan for that, but it’s about MUCH more than a number on the scale. If you read the book and use the cookbook, and if you visit the Wheat Belly blog or the Wheat Belly page on Facebook, you will see that my story is NOT an exception. It is common to find people who have experienced the major improvements in health that we have, along with other benefits that I have not listed. In fact, the more time that passes, and the more testimonials I read,  the more I am convinced that there is very little in the way of health issues that is NOT related to chronic consumption of wheat, excess carbohydrates and sugars, along with food additives, GMOs and our live stock being hopped up on meds. Our food supply has been tampered with in ways too numerous to mention, and it DOES matter.

Now that we have a year under our belt, it’s time to look back and talk a bit about the major changes we have experienced in our health.

Here are some health highlights in OUR year of being free of wheat:

• My husband and I have lost a combined 70lbs in the past year! (Him 38, Me 32)
  That’s more than 2 BIG bags of dog food! It makes hugging much nicer, by the way!
  Most weight was dropped in the first 4 months, and we have kept it off. He has reached his goal weight and feels better in his own skin and with his body than he EVER has in his lifetime. He is confident, excited, feels younger and has much more energy. He promotes this way of eating to everyone he knows, and they can see the proof by just looking at him!
  Being a mid-40’s female, I am still working towards my goal weight, but do so knowing that I have the tools to maintain where I am now, and from here on out I can tweak with exercise and fine-tune  the plan to fit what works for me. I’ve gone from a size 18 to a 12-14, and I’m feeling really good! I have noticed that most men on this plan ZOOM right down to where they need to be without too many bumps along the way, but some women do seem to encounter more plateaus. There are the complicated issues such as hormones, thyroid, and other metabolic challenges to work through, especially over 40, but this is still the BEST place to start in my opinion. All this while eating real, whole foods, and NOT being hungry. How much money would the people of this nation save on diet programs and pharmaceuticals if we just eliminated wheat?? How many lives would be saved because of decreased risk of heart disease and diabetes??

• My chronic joint pain decreased by probably 90% in the FIRST WEEK.
  I began having a lot of body pain in my late 30’s that grew increasingly annoying over the next 5+ years. I couldn’t understand why my elbows, knees, shoulders and hips hurt so much. Why getting up out of a chair at 40 yrs old took so much care, and why getting out of bed was always accompanied by pain as my feet hit the floor… not to mention the journey down the stairs with every step being measured and painful. People would say things like “Welcome to middle age!” or “That’s just part of getting older, sorry.” As it turns out, the strong inflammatory properties of wheat were the cause, period. As soon as I eliminated gluten, the pain was gone in a WEEK. This was well before losing any weight or going to an overall low-carb diet. So to those who say that the decreased pain was due to less weight stressing my body, WRONG. Now, the lighter Me certainly puts less strain on my joints, but the pain was due to INFLAMMATION, which in my opinion is the WORST effect of wheat consumption, and it takes many forms. How many patients would doctors lose if we no longer had to go in because of joint pain?? How many fewer prescription pain killers and anti-inflammatory medications would be needed?? How many people would not feel OLD for their age??

• I was able to say goodbye to the SEVERE and CHRONIC (mysterious) HEADACHES that plagued me from the time I was probably 14 or 15.
  If you are someone who suffers from headaches like this, where 3 or 4 times a week you get a headache so bad that you can barely think, and that each of those sometimes last for DAYS, you know what I’m talking about! I could hardly believe it when the headaches stopped. It wasn’t apparent immediately, a little time went by, a week or so, before I realized that my head didn’t hurt. I used to LIVE on Motrin and off-brand ibuprofen. I’m talking buying the industrial-sized bottles at Wal-Mart because I had a handful several times a day. It didn’t fix anything, but it took the edge off. Doctors had been no help over the years, even with brain scans to rule out tumor and the array of heavy drugs they had prescribed (that I wouldn’t take more than once because I felt disconnected from the world when I took them.) It had become my normal state to hurt and just deal with pain. Not anymore. I still get a headache now and then, probably sinus related, but NOTHING like they were before. More like a regular person now 🙂  I also attribute this to inflammation due to wheat. How much different would the world be for those who suffer from chronic headaches if they found that wheat was the problem?? How much pain and suffering is totally unnecessary?? How many take heavy drugs to combat a dietary toxin??

• My husband’s acid reflux is GONE.
  He used to deal with painful reflux after most meals. As soon as we went wheat-free, this disappeared! In the beginning of our journey, he was willing to give up wheat in food, but didn’t want to commit to giving up his occasional beer. Then he noticed a couple weeks in, that the acid reflux would return as soon as he had a brew, but that it never happened with our food alone. Hmmm. Well, he decided that he’d had enough beer in his lifetime, and that he knew just what it tasted like; he didn’t need anymore! That was the end of his reflux, period. In the past he had blamed the reflux on rich foods, on red wine; on cheese… you name it. But it turned out it was one ingredient, WHEAT. Again, inflammation. Think of all the people who take meds for acid reflux on a daily basis and how many end up having medical procedures resulting from the long-term damage caused by it; how much pain and money would be saved?? How much money would the pharmaceutical companies lose out on if we no longer had to purchase their meds to combat the food we are eating??

• Food cravings are gone; we’ve learned what actual hunger feels like.
  We now eat because we are fueling our bodies, not because of some phantom urge telling us we are hungry, when we clearly aren’t. This is a freedom that we are so thankful for, because we truly never knew the difference! Wheat is a powerful appetite stimulant, something that Dr. Davis talks about frequently. This is one example of how wheat consumption affects the brain. Dr. Davis says that wheat causes people on average to consume an additional 440 calories per day, every day! The kicker here is that once you go wheat-free, you realize how many products contain wheat that have nothing to do with breads, pastas, and cereals. It’s a cheap filler and it causes us to want to eat MORE carbohydrates. So glad to be liberated from this compulsion!  How many people would never have been overweight in the first place if it wasn’t for this notorious effect of wheat?? How many have spent their entire lives trying in vain to combat this appetite stimulant with low-fat or reduced calorie diets, only to be hungry all the time, and then give up??

• Dramatic improvement in my IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) over time.
  This is one that has taken time; it wasn’t one of the immediate improvements. Long term ingestion of wheat causes all sorts of havoc within the digestive system, especially the small intestine that becomes irritated, inflamed, and permeable (leaky-gut.) It takes time for many of us to heal from the assault of wheat and grain products. Now that I have reached the year mark, I would say it is probably 70% better than it was. This is also something that I had been suffering with from the time I was a teenager. In this case, wheat and grains are not the only culprits for me, bad oils (hydrogenated and vegetable oils) also do a number on me, as does too much heavy cream. The gut needs a balance of good bacteria to be healthy, and between the consumption of wheat, handfuls of ibuprofen and too many antibiotics, mine needed serious healing. Taking a good pro-biotic can help, along with staying completely away from trigger foods. How many people have gone to the doctor time after time with these symptoms, only to be given a sad nod and a prescription for meds to take for the duration of their entire lives?? How much gluten intolerance is masquerading as IBS??

• Speaking of antibiotics… my family of 3 has not had a prescription for antibiotics once in the past year or so.
  That may not seem like a big deal to some, but in my house, my son and I were prone to strep throat 2-3 times a year, a couple upper respiratory infections for all 3 of us, and I had UTIs probably 3 times per year as well. That’s a lot of penicillin and cephalaxin! To go from that, to ZERO is something that I wholly attribute to being wheat-free and not eating sugar. It is my belief that wheat puts such a powerful assault on our bodies that our immune systems are working full-time just to deal with the toxins that are coming from the foods we are eating, and that there is very little left to fight off infections and sickness. Take away the wheat and our immune systems function the way they were meant to. Add to that the acid state created within our bodies from eating too many carbs and sugars, and you have a breeding ground for the bad stuff. We still got sick a couple times, but a little home remedy of ACV (organic apple cider vinegar) and baking soda in water 3X a day was enough to knock it out.  How much of our overuse of antibiotics is due to wheat?? How much antibiotic resistance has been created because we are using them to battle on behalf of our compromised immune systems due to toxic food consumption??

• My son’s bleeding eczema on his hands did not happen this winter, for the first time EVER.
  Like clockwork, every winter my son’s already some-what dry hands would get scaly, crack and bleed. I used medicated salves from the doctor that didn’t help; I made home remedies of shea butter, coconut oil and vitamin E that did help with constant use. But it wasn’t until we eliminated wheat that this problem just went away. This may sound like a small issue, but when it’s you or your child that suffers not only the pain, but the embarrassment of a skin condition like this, you know it’s a real concern. In our case wheat was the allergen causing this condition; how many others have eczema or long-term rashes that might be treated by omitting wheat?? How much money could be saved by not having to purchase all the expensive prescription salves that mostly end up being ineffective??

• My son’s ADHD has much improved, as have his grades this school year.
  It’s not the easiest thing to talk about when you have a child with real ADHD. It’s not an easy decision to make to medicate them. It’s not easy; in fact it can be downright heartbreaking. I wish I never would have had to medicate my son, but the truth is that it has made all the difference in the world to help us manage this condition that seems to be hitting an inordinately high number of children and adults in today’s society. The meds did help, but it was never enough, and every year there have been calls from teachers who thought he was a bright and wonderful child, but they struggled to teach him or struggled to get his distracted behavior in line in the classroom. When we decided to go off wheat, my son (then 13) made the decision to do it with us. I didn’t force him, I just educated him about the reasons I wanted to try it, and he jumped right on board. This past school year has been the first EVER that I haven’t had frantic calls, emails or requests for special meetings with teachers. EVER. What an unexpected blessing! Yes, he still has ADHD, and yes he is still on medication, but he has a much more balanced mental state and is able to think more clearly. He is less distracted and more able to focus.  He has an enhanced awareness about his condition and chooses to be proactive about it. He still has his challenges with certain classes, but he is excelling in others! He is educated about why we are wheat-free and he challenges the friends who would make fun of him, instead of giving into peer pressure to eat teen favorite wheat-containing foods like pizza. He does it for himself! If you asked him, he would tell you that it helps him manage his ADHD and that it also helps to get rid of the joint pain he had been experiencing in the past couple years (which we had attributed to growing pains.) I am so proud of my son for being capable of critical thinking and questioning the mantra of “healthy whole grains” that is taught in Science and Health classes. Proud of him for standing up to peer pressure, and instead telling others that wheat is no longer the plant it once was, and that it is now damaging to our bodies, so his family chooses not to eat it. To stand up when others tell him that he can’t “survive without wheat”!  I don’t know what causes ADHD in our society, but I have a gut feeling that our chronic consumption of cereal grains, sugars and carbohydrates along with overzealous vaccination protocols has a lot to do with it. Regardless of what causes it, I strongly suggest a whole food diet free from grains to combat the effects. If I had known, we would have been eating this way forever! How many children and adults with ADHD could be helped by elimination of wheat and adhering to a whole food diet??

I am one full year into an entirely new way of eating, and a new, better phase of health. I continue to read, discuss and research about personal health responsibility, nutrition and ways to make this way of eating pleasurable as well as good for my body. I imagine that over time, there will be more benefits, some I may never see because they take place below the surface. I urge anyone who is considering this lifestyle to do the reading, ask the questions and make a real honest effort, because it IS WORTH IT. It has its challenges, but most anything worth doing, usually does.

We are pioneers of personal responsibility for our health in an age where profits and greed and convenience are taking precedence over what is right. No one can do this for you. Others can share their stories and their recipes, but only you can make the time to prepare healthy meals and find sources of healthy foods. Once you commit to this way of eating, it gets easier. Having peer support, whether in person or online makes this easier. It’s available to those who desire change. Can you lose weight on this diet? More than likely, yes! But please don’t overlook the vast array of other benefits to be found by eliminating this monster toxin from your diet.

Cheers to a lifetime free from Wheat!!!

 

One Year Wheat-Free! A List of 45 Things I Have Learned Along the Way!

That’s right! It’s been one full year that my entire family has been eating wheat-free! Thanks to a friend who introduced me to the concept, and thank you to Dr. Davis, author of “Wheat Belly”, my life has changed for the better! A little later on today I will post an article I am writing about some of the biggest health benefits my family has experienced, but for now I want to post a list of 45 things I have learned during the past 365 days.

Before I do that, I’d like to thank YOU, my readers, who have helped to make this year an amazing one for me. Writing and blogging was completely new to me when I posted my first blurb last March, and it’s been a journey of sharing and learning that I could not have anticipated. So whether you are subscribed to my blog, post comments and banter with me about food, have shared your personal story, or just read quietly and scan the recipes, I am thankful you have been a part of it!

As of this morning:

• I have 305 people following my blog!
• I’ve had 74,807 page visits!
• This is my 96th post!
• I’ve had visitors from 124 countries!

So to continue with the numbers… here is a list of:
45 Things I Have Learned This Year

1. It’s not always easy to go against the grain (pun intended :)) but it IS worth it.
2. My family is awesome, and I am very grateful that we all do this together!
3. Wheat is a toxic, manipulated substance, and NOT a food fit for human consumption.
4. Large corporations do NOT have your best interests in mind, so be proactive and educate yourself.
5. Wheat Belly, Primal, and Paleo ways of eating have more in common than not.
6. When in doubt, eat food without labels.
7. Stay away from the Gluten-free aisle at the grocery store; it’s a Carbohydrate Hell Hole.
8. Just because the USDA or the FDA approves something, does NOT mean it’s healthy.
9. Men seem to lose weight more quickly on this diet (any diet?) than women.
10. Brussels sprouts are an awesome food, and I am very sorry I hated them my whole life.
11. The scale is a tool, not a God. Remember to use a tape measure too.
12. It takes time for your body image to catch up with reality when you’ve lost weight.
13. Almond flour is awesome, but for those trying to lose weight, moderation is the key.
14. The friends I’ve made online who also eat grain-free are an invaluable source of support and information, and I am very thankful to know them!
15. Conventional wisdom regarding nutrition is deeply flawed; many dieticians are brainwashed and many doctors care nothing at all about nutrition.
16. I enjoy writing and blogging and think it’s one of the best things I have ever done!
17. Weight loss doesn’t usually occur in straight line, and plateaus can be valuable for learning how to maintain.
18. One size does not fit all; we need to tweak and experiment and be open-minded.
19. Dark chocolate is one of the best things in the whole world. (OK I already knew that one ;))
20. There will be people who are hungry for the message, so share freely.
21. There will be people who need the message most who are not open to it. Move on.
22. Learning the language of the body is an art, and it takes time to fully interpret what it has to say.
23. Don’t be surprised if wheat isn’t the only thing that you need to eliminate to feel your best.
24. Headaches and joint pain are NOT caused by a deficiency of Motrin.
25. Chronic inflammation is the cause of MOST chronic complaints, and it’s mainly caused by diet.
26. You will have good days and bad days, congratulate yourself and forgive yourself.
27. What works for a friend may or may not work for you. We all arrive at today with different health backgrounds and genetics.
28. There is wheat in places you would never think to look; avoiding all packages is best.
29. There is no natural sweetener that tastes like sugar to me, but some do a decent job.
30. My Ninja blender kicks butt and I use it nearly every day.
31. Zucchini “noodles” are awesome.
32. Sometimes losing weight makes wrinkles appear… smile so that they blend in!
33. We go through more eggs now than I ever thought possible.
34. Cholesterol is no more responsible for heart disease than a Band-Aid is responsible for the burn it covers.
35. Coconut oil is one of the most versatile substances! For sautéing, for baking, for skin, for hair… it rocks.
36. Avocadoes and cauliflower are able to be virtually neutral and can be used in ways I never thought of before.
37. Having an ice cream maker is a GREAT thing.
38. Thrift stores and consignment shops are a valuable source for clothing when you are dropping sizes and don’t want to spend a fortune.
39. Giving up wheat didn’t cure my resistance to exercise (gasp!) I guess this year I will work on that!
40. Enjoying dining out is possible, just be careful and ask a lot of questions. Most servers have no clue.
41. It’s best to focus on all the great things you CAN eat, rather than what you can’t.
42. Most recipes can be tweaked to be wheat-free and low-carb if you are creative enough.
43. Parmesan cheese and almond flour as a “breading” is yummier than Panko ever was.
44. Even dogs do better on a grain-free diet.
45. There are some people who will think you are completely insane. That’s more than OK! 😀
    

I know I missed a bunch… so what would YOU add to this list?

 

Gretchen’s Green Goddess and Carrot Ginger Dressings {Gluten-free, Low-carb}

Green Goddess and Fresh Cucumbers

Making your own dressings is a much simpler endeavor than many people realize.You not only have absolute control over your ingredients which assures that there won’t be any allergens or unwanted additives, it’s also 100% better tasting and you can tweak it to your own personal tastes! Most will last a week in the fridge, and if you eat as many salads and veggies as we do, you’ll get through it in plenty of time!

GREEN GODDESS: Traditional Green Goddess dressing is actually not made with avocados, but when you have something as green, creamy and full of nutritional goodness as an avocado is, why not include it! This dressing is pretty zingy from the green onion and garlic, so if you prefer something a little calmer, just use less. My son is a huge fan of ranch dressing, and he LOVES this one. I used fresh parsley as the herb because that’s what I had on hand, but when my herb garden is flourishing this summer, I would also add tarragon, chives, or perhaps even make a version with Basil, as the Barefoot Contessa has done here, though I would still add my beloved avocado 😉 And speaking of ingredients, I’ve discovered that not all sour cream is created equally (or healthfully!) Many have a long list of ingredients which include additives. The commercial brand I buy is Daisy, which contains only Grade A cultured cream. Yay, Daisy!! They get an A+ from me, and they get my business!!

Gretchen’s Green Goddess Dressing

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/2 C mayonnaise
• 1/2 C sour cream
• 2 tsp anchovy paste
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 C chopped green onions (white and light green parts)
• 1/2 C chopped fresh parsley (or blend of herbs such as tarragon, basil)
  
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• pepper to taste
• 1/4 C half and half if needed for consistency

Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor and process until smooth. Store in refrigerator in airtight container up to one week. Makes about 2 cups. (10g net carb per batch, 1.25g net carb per 1/4C)

Green Goddess, Carrot Ginger and Simple Salad

CARROT GINGER: Most of us who have been to sushi or hibachi restaurants have tried their simple iceberg salad with a Carrot Ginger dressing (most likely eaten with chopsticks!). I’ve always enjoyed the color and spirited flavors, and decided to give this one a try as well. I did steam the carrots slightly to make them easier to blend in my Ninja, but if your machine is powerful enough, you could just use them raw. I don’t think this is an exact replica of the dressing, but we sure enjoyed it last night on a simple salad to accompany a Broccoli Beef stir fry! I use light olive oil in this recipe because extra virgin olive oil has a much stronger taste that I do not prefer with the other flavors. Of course, use whichever olive oil you like. I prefer to get the flavor from a little bit of sesame oil… just be aware, sesame oil has a very strong flavor, and a little goes a long ways!

Carrot Ginger Dressing

• 3/4 C chopped carrot, lightly steamed
• 1/2 C onion, diced
• 2 Tb fresh ginger, diced
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 1/2 light olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 5Tb rice vinegar
• 1Tb tamari
• 1/2 tsp sweetener (optional, I used Truvia)
• 2Tb lemon juice

Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Store in airtight container in refrigerator up to one week. Makes about 1.5 cups. (22g net carb for batch, about 1g net carb per Tb.) 

Carrot Ginger Dressing

 

Fast Lunch! Spinach Patty with Sauteed Greens… Happy Spring! (even with all this Michigan snow)

Spinach Patty and Sauteed Greens

What says **Spring** more than fresh greens? Well, green grass might be nice, but since all we have in Michigan is snow, this green-based lunch will have to do for now 😉

Swiss chard and baby bok choy

 

I LOVE growing greens in my garden, though I admit I am still learning what they like best to thrive. These greens are from the supermarket (I was lucky enough to find organic on sale, less expensive than regular produce prices… be sure to look at the organic section, don’t assume it’s *always* pricier!)

 

 

Spinach patties cooling

So this lunch is not only pretty, it was super-quick! Yesterday I made a batch of the spinach balls that I posted on St. Patrick’s Day (omitted the bacon and reduced butter by half this time) and I made some of them into patties. (Patties were my husband’s idea! We thought they might make nice buns, but even though sturdy, they were a bit  heavy for that.) So today, I was looking at some of the pretty greens in my fridge, and thought that a quick saute of baby bok choy and a couple leaves of swiss chard (in coconut oil and a splash of vinegar) would be a perfect complement to the patty with a little melted cheese, tomato and gomasio!

It was delicious! I’m thinking that I’ll make this for dinner soon, keeping it light with a few shrimp or a bit of fish.

Spinach Patty and Greens!

 

St. Patty’s Day Trifle with Dark Chocolate Cake, Mint Avocado Cream and Whipped Cream {Gluten-free and Low-carb}

Chocolate Mint Trifle… Gluten-free and Low-carb

 

How pretty is this?! Simple too 🙂 I used my Dark Chocolate Cake as a base, added some yummy mint avocado cream filling and whipped cream…. Layered in a simple glass container, it was perfect for a festive gathering with friends!

Chocolate Mint Trifle {GF and LC}

• 1 recipe of Dark Chocolate Cake
• 1 C whipping cream, whipped and sweetened to taste (I used Truvia)
• 2 avocados, ripe and soft
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3Tb coconut oil (I used Nutiva)
• 1/3C whipping cream
• 1/4C Truvia (or sweetener to taste)
• 1/2 tsp peppermint oil (or to taste)

Directions: Prepare chocolate cake recipe per directions. (I added the nuts and chocolate chips to the top instead of mixing inside, hoping for a better presentation.) Let cool. Make whipped cream in the bowl of a stand blender (or with hand mixer), sweeten to taste and chill. Combine avocados, cream cheese, coconut oil, 1/3C whipping cream, 1/4C Truvia and peppermint oil in a blender or food processor until very smooth. (I used my Ninja.) Chill.
When all elements are cooled completely, layer into a clear glass dish as desired. I started with cake on the bottom (just break it into pieces to fill the space), topped with avocado mint cream, whipped cream, cake, avocado, whipped cream and topped with cake.

Avocado Mint Cream Filling

Low-carb Dark Chocolate Cake with Nut and Chocolate Chips

Layers of chocolate cake, avocado cream and whipped cream

 

 

 

Spinach Balls for St. Patty’s Day {Gluten-free, Low-carb}

Gluten-free Spinach Balls, a great appetizer for St. Patrick’s Day or any time!

I’m coming up on my one-year anniversary of being totally wheat-free, but it was last year at a dear friend’s annual St. Patrick’s Day party that I first heard a story from a mutual friend about how how her health and life had been transformed by getting rid of “gluten.”

Gluten??? I didn’t even know what it was… except that I had seen it sold in the baking sections of grocery stores, and I knew it was sometimes added into flours to make better bread. Hmmmm.

She told me how her headaches were gone, her general wellness had improved, she dropped weight, had less hunger, and basically just felt fantastic! I was intrigued to say the least. I had been fighting chronic headaches since my teens, so if there was ANY chance that getting rid of this mysterious GLUTEN could make me feel better, I was 100% open to it. This year, I was able to give her a big hug and tell her that our conversation last year had changed my LIFE, the lives of my guys, and that I had even started a food and health blog which was helping to spread the word to even MORE people! She was touched and happy to have made a real difference. I know just how she feels because I have that warm feeling with every comment I get from readers who let me know that they appreciate this blog!

At last year’s shindig, she browsed the fantastic spread of food, looking for options that were gluten-free. I had brought my traditional spinach balls (made with stuffing mix), and she obviously couldn’t eat those. She settled on some cheese, veggies and dip, and some of the corned beef and vegetables, but the vast majority of foods that people had brought to share were off-limits.

This year I was deciding what to take, and decided to MODIFY my spinach balls to make them gluten-free and low-carb! (I adapted this base recipe.) I replaced the stuffing mix with some extra cheese, smashed pork rinds and a little coconut flour… Success!! They disappeared just as quickly as the original version, and satisfied the growing number of people who were gluten-free! Last year there were a couple people who did not eat gluten… this year there were probably 6 of us, and on top of that, our friends who still eat wheat had taken our needs into consideration and had made some things that were safe as well. What progress!! In addition to the corned beef and cabbage provided by our most fabulous hosts and dear friends, there were the spinach balls, a chocolate cake mint trifle (that I will be posting next 🙂 ), peanut butter cookies, bacon-wrapped BBQ water chestnuts, a variety of cheeses including an amazing Irish goat cheese with herbs, spinach artichoke dip, shrimp cocktail, and a variety of crackers. While not everything was low-carb, it was still fair game for a party in my opinion, and I enjoyed a bit of everything!

Gluten-free Spinach Balls

• 

  Ready to steam in microwave

  20oz frozen spinach

• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 2Tb coconut flour, sifted
• 1C Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1C mozzarella cheese, grated
• 2C plain pork rinds, well-chopped
• 3/4C butter, melted
• 1/4C fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 

  Draining excess water

  1 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp salt
• pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb Cooked crumbled bacon

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place spinach, onion and garlic in a microwave safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and cook at full power for about 6 minutes or until the spinach is cooked and onions and garlic is steamed. (Carefully remove plastic wrap to prevent steam burns.)

Spinach mixture

Remove excess water from spinach by pressing through a fine sieve with the back of a spoon or with your hands if cool enough. Alternately, you could wrap spinach mixture in good quality paper towels and “wring out”  the excess juice. After spinach is drained, combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl, making sure to thoroughly mix together. Make balls 3/4″ to 1″ in size, placing on cookie sheet to bake. Bake approximately 10-12 minutes or until firm and lightly browned at bottom edges.

Ready to cook on silicone cooking mat

All done! My son is already asking for me to make these again, when I WON’T be taking them to a party 🙂

 

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Spinach, Mushrooms and Goat Cheese, Wrapped in Bacon {Gluten-free, Low-carb}

Bacon-wrapped stuffed chicken

I don’t know if low-carb, grain-free eating gets much better than this! Beautiful skinless, boneless chicken breasts stuffed with soft chevrie goat cheese, spinach, mushrooms, walnuts and wrapped in bacon… ohmygosh! And to top it off, it’s easy-peasy 🙂 I enjoy recipes that use ingredients that I typically have on hand, or that can be modified easily.

This was a meal that I shared just with my husband on a weekend night at home while our son was spending time with friends, so we used ingredients we really enjoy like mushroom and spinach. (Yay, kitchen time together!)…I think next time I make this for all of us, I will let my son decide what to put inside his, so that he can enjoy as well. Why does pepperoni, tomato, basil and mozzarella come to mind?! 😉   Good for 2 of us, I also think that it would be great for a primal-ish dinner party, or even cut up in sections as an appetizer.

Normally, I do keep the skin *on* my chicken as a source of healthy fats, but in this case, I was happy to go without in exchange for some bacon-y goodness!! The filling was easy and could be tweaked in many ways to your own personal tastes (and pantry). I took several pictures along the way to show the process, but to be honest, the recipe amounts will just be a guess, as I made it up as I went along (as usual.) In other words, stuff it with whatever you want! The amount of stuffing you need will vary by the size of the chicken breast, so keep that in mind if you need to add a little more. The minced pork rinds are a great substitute for bread crumbs as a binder in stuffing recipes.

 

Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Wrapped in Bacon (serves 2-4)

Spinach, garlic, mushrooms, onion, and walnuts for the filling

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (butterflied open)
• coconut oil or butter
• 1/2 C frozen chopped spinach
• 1/2 small onion, diced (1/4C or so)
  
• 3 mushrooms, sliced thinly (used crimini, baby bellas)
  
• 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  
• 1/4C pork rinds, finely chopped
• 1/4C chopped walnuts
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3oz soft goat cheese such as chevrie
• 6-8 slices raw bacon

Chicken breasts: butterflied and filled.

Directions: Preheat oven to 400. Prepare filling ingredients: I put the frozen spinach and chopped onion in a microwave-safe bowl, salt lightly, cover with wrap and microwave on high for about 5 minutes and then drain, but you can saute if you choose not to use a microwave (I just like the gentle sweetness of the onions steamed this way, and I can multi-task.) Meanwhile, saute the mushrooms and garlic in butter or coconut oil until done. Add the cooked spinach and onion, heat through, add the walnuts and pork rinds to complete the stuffing.

Wrapping in bacon

Lay out each butterflied chicken breast, salt and pepper to taste. Use 1/4 of the cheese on each breast, placing it near the center. Top each with 1/2 the stuffing mixture and the remaining cheese (if you have too much stuffing, don’t use it all.). Carefully fold each breast in half, keeping the stuffing in place with your fingers. Carefully wrap each breast in bacon strips, one at a time, spiraling around, making sure to cover all the stuffing. Bake on a cookie sheet (I used a silicone mat on mine) for about 20-25 minutes, (flipped chicken halfway through bake time.) I then broiled the tops for about 3 minutes per side to ensure bacon was cooked completely, but you may find that baking alone is fine.

 

In the pictures shown, I have a side salad of fresh spinach, tomatoes, swiss cheese topped with a simple vinaigrette of 2Tb warm bacon fat, 2Tb balsamic vinegar and 1Tb orange juice with a touch of tarragon, salt and pepper.

 

Low-carb Dark Chocolate Nut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting {Grain-free, Gluten-free, Low-carb}

Low-carb chocolate nut cake with cream cheese frosting

 

This recipe has been awhile in the tweaking stage, but I think I’ve got a winner now 🙂

I do love dark chocolate. I always have, but perhaps even more so since ditching the wheat and going low-carb… as dark chocolate is one of the few sweet indulgences I still make in my healthy lifestyle. This cake is moist, rich, tasty, low in carbs and delicious enough to have for special occasions, while being simple enough to prepare for no reason at all!

 

Grain-free, low-carbers, Rejoice! 16 pieces will give you:

• About 3g net carbs per slice without chocolate chips
  (4.25g with cream cheese frosting )
• About 6g net carbs with chocolate chips
  (7.25 with cream cheese frosting)

The recipe is one that I evolved from my Pumpkin Maple Spice Muffins (which are truly awesome by the way, if you haven’t tried them yet!) The nut butter and pumpkin puree in the batter seem to really add to the moistness. I threw in some walnuts and a few chocolate chips, which made it even yummier, but those are optional of course. These would also work great as cupcakes or muffins, but I rarely make cake, so am happy having a slice with my coffee this morning 😀 While this was yummy when fresh, I find it’s much better when it’s been refrigerated overnight, as the frosting firms up and the cake takes on a fudge-y richness. It reminds me of the zucchini fudge cake my mom used to make back in the wheating days 😉

Low-carb Chocolate Nut Cake

Adding wet ingredients into dry

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 C almond flour
• 2 Tb coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 C dark cocoa powder
• 6 Tb Truvia or other sweetener to taste

Prepared pan

Wet Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 C nut butter (I have used both cashew and almond butters)
• 1/4 C mayonnaise
• 1/4 C sour cream
• 2/3 C pumpkin puree
• 1/4 C half-n-half, coconut milk or almond milk
• 1/4 C melted butter or coconut oil
• 1 Tb vanilla extract

Smooth batter on top

Add-Ins:

• 1/2 C dark chocolate chips (I used 60% cocoa Ghirardelli)
• 1 C chopped walnuts, pecans or nuts of your choice

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake pan or cupcake pan with liners. (Note: I used a 10″ springform pan, greased with butter, the bottom lined with a parchment round, and dusted with gluten-free flour to prevent sticking.) In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients; set aside. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, and add other wet ingredients one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add wet ingredients into dry, and combine completely.

Cooling before frosting

Stir in nuts and chocolate chips if using them. Fill cake pan with batter, taking care to smooth out the top a bit, as this batter is not self-leveling. Bake for a total of 35-45 minutes, rotating pan halfway through bake time to ensure even cooking. Remove to rack to cool. If splitting one cake into 2 layers as I have done, cool completely before attempting to cut cake. Frost with Cream Cheese frosting or serve plain.

 

 

Rich, thick cream cheese frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 3/4 C butter, softened
• 1/4 C Truvia or other sweetener to taste
• 2 blocks cream cheese, softened (16 oz total)
• 1 Tb vanilla extract
• 1-2 Tb half-n-half or cream if needed

Directions: In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat butter until lightened. Add sweetener and beat until well mixed and light. Add cream cheese, one block at a time, beating completely to ensure a fluffy frosting. Mix in 1Tb vanilla if desired. Add liquid if needed for desired consistency, and mix well. Be sure cake is cooled completely before frosting.

Very moist, rich and filling!

 

COCONUT FLOUR TORTILLA! {Grain-free, Gluten-free}

Coconut flour tortilla with cheeseburger filling for lunch, YES!

 

I don’t do a lot of bread replacements, but I will definitely be using this one again. In fact, after I cooked it, and it was a success, I looked at it –blankly– for a bit, trying to figure out what to put in it, because my mind doesn’t even *think* in terms of sandwiches anymore!!

This is a recipe from www.freecoconutrecipes.com which is part of the Tropical Traditions coconut product website. I will probably tweak this a little after I have made it a few times, but as a basic recipe to work from, it ROCKS! I want to share this now because there are some who rely a lot on tortillas and wraps, and this might make your day a little easier and the switch to grain-free eating a little less scary.

 

Coconut flour tortilla

Click for COCONUT FLOUR TORTILLA RECIPE.

It’s somewhere between a tortilla and a crepe, and was even sturdy enough for burger fillings! There’s no question it would be good with sweet dessert-type fillings as well, like sweetened cream cheese and berries, mmmm. I’ve been wanting to focus more on using coconut flour because almond flour can be a little harsh for my digestion, so this is perfect. KEEPER, thank you to my Facebook friend for posting this on her page, made my day!