Apple Cinnamon Coconut Flour Muffins

I've been spending a lot of time cooking other people's recipes that I haven't been making any of my own! I am fortunate enough to have a lot of fabulous cookbooks, and I have been enjoying trying new things. For instance, I made Grandma's Easy Pork BBQ from Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint cookbook. I adapted the recipe for the slow cooker...meaning I just thew all the ingredients (not the oil to brown the meat in...didn't bother to brown it) in my crockpot with little care and came home to an awesome dinner. I am going to start preparing more meals like this because on Tuesday and Thursday I have yoga class right after being on campus all day and I want to eat immediately when I get home. I used a 1.5 lb pork sirloin instead of the cuts he suggested because that's what I had on hand. I didn't carefully alter the proportions of ingredients I just kind of winged it. I also added paprika, which was not in the original recipe (I have to have paprika with bbq!). Next time I will add a good amount black pepper, because I think it would be a nice addition. It made an amazing, fast dinner.

Afterwards I decided to catch up on some much-needed apartment tidying up. This week has been really busy for me, but honestly the thing I've been wanting to do most is bake. I seldom bake, and not for the fact that I don't eat grains, but because I make a huge mess. I have tried to train myself to clean as I go, and I am getting better at it. For instance, last night I succumbed to my urge to bake and made some apple cinnamon muffins out of coconut flour. I at least tried to get all the ingredients put away and all the dishes in the sink before the timer went off so I'd have some place to set down the hot pan when I took it out of the stove. I am notorious for stacking things everywhere, then having no place to set my hot pan...which results in me quickly pushing things aside before the heat transfers through my oven mitt. In the process I make an even huger mess...which would probably be funny to watch. But if you were at my place and watching me with a hot pan and not helping me out with it, you're not really my friend anyway! (no baked goods for you!)

I haven't had muffins in so long I kind of took an obsessive number of macro shots...I won't overload you, so I am only posting one.

I have been cooking a lot with coconut flour, only you haven't seen it because the reaction I've given most of the things I've made is "meh." If that's the reaction I have with anything I've made, I don't post it on here. I only post things that I think are worthwhile to make. The only coconut flour creation that hasn't been "meh" has been my Chocolate Coconut Cake. It's taken a lot of experimentation to come up with this muffin recipe. Some coconut flour recipes come out so springy, others have a really fibrous texture. Some recipes crumble and fall apart! With trial and error, I have learned a few things about working with coconut flour. Below are my personal observations, which may differ depending on the climate you are baking in:

-Assuming you aren't cutting the flour with almond meal or other nut meal, the perfect ratio for flour:eggs when you are making approximately 10-12 muffins in 1/2 cup coconut flour to 6 eggs
-Always sift the flour before you use it because any lumps do not work out when you stir the batter...you will get a really crumbly product
-Coconut flour stays freshest when stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container
- Allow all baked goods to cool to room temperature before putting them in a storage container
-Baked goods should stay at room temperature no longer than 24 hours. After that, store them in the refrigerator because they sour easily
-Coconut flour can hold a lot of liquid, so if the batter seems really stiff, don't be afraid to add more liquid. All the coconut fiber soaks up any moisture rather readily

So if you have been working out some coconut flour recipes, I hope these few observations help you. After some practice, I was finally able to make one of my favorite muffin flavors of all time: apple cinnamon. I used a Granny Smith apple because to me it has the strongest "true apple" flavor in baked goods--as in, the flavor doesn't dissipate. I love the little specks of chartreuse peel in the muffins, too. I added both walnuts and pecans for texture. The raisins are for a little extra sweetness, and...why not add them? They were sitting next to the walnuts and pecans, so I just chucked some in. I couldn't believe how moist and how close they mimic traditional apple cinnamon muffins. The texture and flavor are right on...not too fiber-y, heavy, or dry, like some of my previous experiments were! I'm proud to post this recipe because it took a lot of practice to make exactly what I wanted.

My breakfast this morning: muffin with nitrate-free, uncured bacon. It was awesome!

A nice change from my usual breakfast!

Apple Cinnamon Coconut Flour Muffins
Printable Recipe

4 tbsp virgin coconut oil, melted but not hot (plus more, for greasing)
4 tbsp honey
6 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sifted coconut flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 Granny Smith apple, grated with the peel on
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used approximately equal parts unsalted walnuts and pecans)
2 tbsp raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Blend the coconut oil with the honey. Blend in each egg one at a time, along with the vanilla extract. The coconut oil may curdle, but that's ok.
3. Fold in the coconut flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. It may clump a bit, but just use a wire whisk to whip the mixture about 10 times, or until the batter smooths out.
4. Fold in the apple (including any juice that may have come out), nuts, and raisins.
5. Lightly grease 12 paper muffin cups with coconut oil. Place one into each cup of a 12-cup muffin tin. Divide the batter evenly amongst each cup and smooth over with the back of a spoon.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

• Servings per recipe: 12
• Per serving:
• Calories: 144
• Fat: 9.4 g
• Saturated fat: 4,8 g
• Cholesterol: 92.5 mg
• Sodium: 104.3 mg
• Carbohydrates: 12.5 g
• Fiber: 2.7 g
• Sugar: 8.0 g
• Protein: 4.1 g

Beef Taco Salad with Avocado-Cilantro-Lime Dressing

I'm so excited about the fact that my local Sprouts market started carrying grass-fed beef! It does cost a little more, however several articles, including one from Mark's Daily Apple have helped me to realize that grass-fed beef is more healthful. The reason why it is advisable to choose grass-fed meat is because of a difference in the fat profile. Gras-fed cows have a higher volume omega-3 fatty acids, whereas grain-fed cows have a relatively nonexistent amount due to their diet. Basically, grain-fed cows have a poorer o-6:o-3 ratio fat compared to grass-fed. It is important to consume o-3s because it is an essential fatty acid---our bodies can't make it---so we must get it from outside sources.

I used my grass-fed beef to satisfy a craving I had for taco salad. A taco salad is easy to make Paleo, all you have to do is take away the tortilla bowl, the shredded cheddar cheese, and the sour cream. What you're left with is still pretty good, but I decided to jazz my salad up by making a pseudo-sour cream ranch dressing hybrid. It has all the tang of sour cream or ranch but without the dairy. Plus it adds the garlicky hit that ranch dressing has. Based from whipped avocado, it adds all the creaminess you would miss from the sour cream. This dressing can be made in a food processor, but I prefer and immersion blender to add a lot of air into the dressing to make it velvety-soft. For me, I normally don't prefer iceberg lettuce, but the cool crunchiness is necessary for a good taco salad, in my opinion. Just looking at these pictures makes me want to prepare this salad again! I really enjoyed this hearty salad, and thanks to the protein and healthy fats, it will keep you full for a long time.

Beef Taco Salad with Avocado-Cilantro-Lime Dressing
Printable Recipe

For the meat:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1 lb ground beef (preferably grass-fed)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
4 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper, to taste

For the salad:

1 head iceberg lettuce, coarsely shredded
2 large tomatoes, diced
2 2.25-oz can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 cup prepared salsa

For the dressing:

1 small ripe avocado
juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp water
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the garlic, onion, and beef. If the beef is very lean, you may need to add some oil of your choice to help the meat brown and the vegetables to soften. Cook the mixture until the meat is about 75% of the way cooked, then sprinkle over the cumin, coriander, paprika, chili powder, and salt and pepper. Cook the meat through and toss in the cilantro.
2. While the meat is cooking, prepare the salad: arrange the lettuce, tomato, olives, and salsa decoratively between 4 dinner plates. Set aside while preparing the dressing.
3. For the dressing: add all the ingredients to a bowl of a food processor or the container that your immersion blender comes with. Blend the mixture until very smooth. Set aside.
4. Finally, place the meat in the center of each salad and add thick drizzles of the avocado dressing all around. Cilantro makes a pretty garnish.

• Servings per recipe: 4 generous servings
• Per serving:
• Calories: 565.9
• Fat: 44 g
• Saturated fat: 12.3 g
• Cholesterol: 84.8 mg
• Sodium: 651.1 mg
• Carbohydrate: 22 g
• Fiber: 8.9 g
• Sugars: 3.9 g
• Protein: 24.7 g

Pumpkin Casserole

Even though pumpkins are more associated with autumn and the holiday season, I love them year round. I have actually acquired a love for all types of squash, so I like to find as many ways to use each variety! For instance, last night I had some spontaneous pumpkin cookie baking so I could have some treats to eat during this first full week of classes. I know I shouldn't eat a whole bunch of these at once, but it's nice to have a little prepared snack in case I get into a rush and need a little something to eat. I used the Pumpkin Spice Cookies recipe from The Food Lovers' Primal Palate. I suggest you check out both their website and their book because every recipe I've tried so far (and I've been making several a week since I got their cookbook for Christmas) have been amazing. As my mom has instructed me, I try to cook each recipe exactly as it says the first time, and then the second time I make it I can alter it. It's actually really hard for me to do that! For instance, last night I had the impulse to add an egg to the cookie batter because I couldn't imagine how it could become cohesive. Well I'm glad I didn't because these were great! A little crispy and slightly chewy in the very center. They called for flaked coconut for the bar version, but not the cookies, however I just folded a handful in because I thought it would taste good and add nice texture. I added a couple of handfuls of raisins...I couldn't help myself. I didn't think it would alter the recipe too much. I used to make pumpkin cookies with chocolate chips, oats, and raisins which were pretty much the best cookies I had ever had, but these make a great grain-free substitute.
 
Now here is another application of one of my favorite ingredients: I first prepared this pumpkin side dish for Christmas dinner because I wanted something slightly sweet to go with the meal. The good thing about this pumpkin casserole is that it's not so sweet that it couldn't be considered a side dish, but if you would like, it could be served as a dessert.

Pumpkin Casserole in the back of the plate at Christmas dinner

This recipe is particularly easy because you use canned pumpkin, so you don't have to roast a whole squash yourself. The latest time I made this, I didn't anticipate making a dessert, but I always have these ingredients on hand so this is nice to throw together at the last minute. I prefer this with pecans, but the last time I made it I used sliced almonds, which were also nice. Another option that I have not tried is dried coconut flakes, which I bet would be really nice too!

Pumpkin Casserole
Printable Recipe

1 egg (preferably omega-3-enhanced/free-range), well beaten
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
dash ground cloves
1 14.5-oz can pure pumpkin puree
1/4 cup chopped nuts (pecans are the best)
1 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Butter a 1.5-qt baking dish and set aside.
3. Blend the beaten egg and honey in a medium bowl. Fold in the spices and pumpkin. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pan.
4. Sprinkle the nuts over the pumpkin mixture and dot with butter. Add a small dash of ground cloves on top as a final garnish.
5. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes or until the edges are slightly firm. Serve warm or room temperature.

• Makes 4 servings
• Per serving:
• Makes 4 servings
• Per serving:
• Calories: 137.1
• Fat: 9.8 g
• Saturated fat: 2.8 g
• Cholesterol: 54 mg
• Sodium: 62.5 mg
• Carbohydrate: 10.7 g
• Fiber: 4.3 g
• Sugars: 4.1 g
• Protein: 3.5 g

Herbed Potluck Meatballs

I was in a bit of a hurry when I took this photo so it's a bit blurry

This past week was our new graduate student potluck that we host every new semester. I enjoy meeting new people but all the while I try to bring something substantial for myself because I never know what people will bring. I like having something good for me that everyone can enjoy. I also like something easy to prepare. For this potluck I made meatballs. Last time I made pulled pork and had about 3 servings of leftovers, so I thought this would be the case for my meatballs. I should have made more because at the end of dinner there were only 2 meatballs left! These were so simple and so good I even made another smaller batch this weekend. There's not a huge list of ingredients, with most of the flavor coming from taking the extra step to roast the meatballs before putting them into the slow cooker.

This recipe was made even easier by using store-bought sauce. I read a lot of labels before selecting Ragu, which happened to have a relatively short ingredient list plus it was pretty cheap. I selected a no sugar added version. I was surprised by how many sauces had soybean oil...I figured they'd use olive oil because they're pasta sauces, but again you have to be careful with the labels.

Inexpensive, plus the list of ingredients seem pretty natural

Herbed Potluck Meatballs
Printable Recipe

2 1/2 lbs ground sirloin
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup finely diced onion
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cups marinara sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
small amount of olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a large baking pan with foil for easy cleanup and lightly brush with olive oil.
3. In a large bowl mix the meat, garlic, onion, herbs, and some salt and pepper. Your hands are the best tool for this. Form meatballs from about a tablespoonful of meat. I managed to make 51 meatballs. Line them up on the baking pan.
4. Bake the meatballs for 18 minutes (longer if you make larger meatballs).
5. Add about 1/2 cup of sauce to the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a single layer of meatballs, adding a little sauce on top of them. Continue layering meatballs and sauce. Turn the slow cooker on low and cook for 2-4 hours, just long enough to allow the meat and sauce to blend in flavor. Serve warm.

• Makes about 12 appetizer servings
• Per serving:
• Calories: 195.1
• Fat: 9.5 g
• Saturated fat: 3.8 g
• Cholesterol: 52.2 mg
• Sodium: 279.5 mg
• Carbohydrate: 4.9 g
• Fiber: 0.9 g
• Sugars: 3 g
• Protein: 20.8 g

Grain-Free Banana Nut Pancakes

I normally eat a omelet or some other derivation of eggs for breakfast, but frankly that can get kind of boring at times. For a change of pace, I decided to make my first batch of almond flour-based pancakes in order to use up some ripened bananas. The bananas add enough sweetness so not other sweeteners are needed. This recipe was derived from the book The 90 Day Paleo Diet Revolution by Margarete McCallahan and Dr. Thomas Ross. They use apples or blueberries in their recipe, but I thought mashed bananas would be perfect as well. I was really pleased with the fluffy texture and that their surfaces became the same golden brown color as regular pancakes. While they don't taste like IHOP pancakes, they are good in their own right with a dab of butter, maple syrup, and a few pecans sprinkled on top. I might try and make a fruit-free version to use as "bread" in sandwiches!

Grain-Free Banana Nut Pancakes
Printable Recipe

2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
dash nutmeg
dash salt
1 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Blend all the ingredients together.
2. Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly oil the pan with the oil of your choice. Drop 1/8th-cup fulls of the batter for 3" diameter pancakes. Allow the pancakes to sit until the edges are slightly cooked and the tops are bubbling before flipping to cook on the second side. Makes about 12 silver dollar-style pancakes.

• For 1/12th of the recipe:
• Calories: 101.4
• Fat: 7.1 g
• Saturated fat: 0.6 g
• Cholesterol: 46.3 mg
• Sodium: 30.6 mg
• Carbohydrates: 6.3 g
• Fiber: 1.7 g
• Sugar: 2.9 g
• Protein: 3.6 g