230. Paleo Sandwich Bread

The end of BBQ season is in sight, or else I’d call these “Paleo Burger Buns.”  But it’s almost time to start thinking about packing school lunches, so I went with the less seasonal “sandwich bread” – because this really does make a lovely sandwich.  And a burger bun.  I’ve tried it both ways and I have to say that I haven’t enjoyed food this much (since I got sick) until I started eating grain and dairy free.    🙂

This recipe is basically the coconut flour Paleo English Muffin by Grain Free Groupie, but I got tired of looking at the link I posted, could only remember 3 of the ingredients, and I wanted a flatter, thinner bread.  We’re having burgers tonight, so I’m going to do this again in about 30 minutes.  The weather is absolutely gorgeous today so I’m sitting on the patio and we’ll likely dine al fresco tonight, too.  Tans outside?  Voluntarily?  Hog wild, people, hog wild.

Paleo Sandwich Bread [Grain Free]
based on GrainFreeGroupie’s Egg McMuffin

1 egg
1.5 Tbsp coconut flour
1.5 Tbsp water

Mix well.  Pour into a greased glass loaf pan, or a similar microwaveable dish with a suitable surface area for 2 “slices” of bread.  Microwave for around 2 minutes. Let it cool a bit, cut into 2 and make your sammy!

229. Flourless “Nutella” Bars [Gluten Free and Vegan]

The fact that I’m writing this post is an act of faith. Right now the “trial run” FNBs are cooling on the stove and setting up. Hopefully. They came out of the oven smelling great but soft. They taste wonderful in a Nutella molten lava cake sort of way, but I want to make something that can be enjoyed at room temperature since I’m hoping this works so I can bring them to The Gym tomorrow.

Tomorrow is my last day at my new PT place (“The Gym”) and I wanted to make something allergy-friendly. I fell asleep by accident yesterday for most of the afternoon, and had a good rest at night, too, so I was raring to go before 7 this morning. So I practiced making PBJ bars – you’ll see the recipe next week – but then I went to do my duty on the Alter-G and received intel that peanuts are actually on the allergy/intolerance list. Pfewf!! Good thing I asked.

But hazelnuts are free game so I immediately started concocting some “Nutella” bars in my head. I tried to rest my back and take a nap like a good girl but I only lasted 10 minutes before I HAD to get up and start throwing things in the Vitamix. I’m paying the price now so I’m resting before dinner. I’m going to just write this recipe down then I’m going to lie on the bed for a few minutes, promise. This is the quandary of my Recovery – my mind is more than ready to do things, but my body hasn’t caught up yet.

Anyhoo…I’m going to try another batch of bars and pray that they turn out okay. I’m not kidding about praying – that’s how I found The Gym in the first place, so it’s in keeping with my general practice. When I bring the “Nutella” bars in tomorrow I’ll bring a thank you note, too:

Dear [The Gym],

Thank you so much for letting me use the Alter-G this summer. I prayed for the opportunity to use an anti-gravity treadmill while I visited my sister and I found [The Gym] – and it couldn’t be closer or more convenient – we are in this area daily.

My left side did not behave as expected this summer (I found out that being away from my acupuncture doctor is NOT good), so it was especially important that I was able to use the Alter-G in a PT environment where people actually know what they’re doing. If left to my own devices the situation might very well have deteriorated rapidly. (The first place Google directed me to was a running company, not a PT practice.) As it was, I saw regression, especially in my left leg, but I was still able to build some stamina and my gait is better for having been able to exercise with you.

Thank you for everything 🙂 atnt.

Update: I tweaked the recipe and this 2^nd batch came out like a moist brownie!

Flourless “Nutella” Bars
Gluten Free & Vegan
Grease an 8×8 pan and preheat the oven to 350

• 1 c hazelnuts
• 1 flax egg
• ¼ c agave
• splash of vanilla
• ½ c + ½ c non-dairy milk

• ½ c cocoa
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ c coconut flour

In a small bowl, combine the cocoa, baking soda and coconut flour. In your blender (I use a high-speed blender [I ❤ Vitamix] – since there’s a full cup of liquid in this I’d try it in the regular blender or food processor, too – feel free, I’m sorry I haven’t done it myself. ) combine the hazelnuts, flax egg, agave, vanilla, ½ cup of the milk, and half of the dry ingredients. Puree. Add the other half of the dry ingredients and pour your second ½ c of milk over the mixture. Puree some more. You’ll probably have to use the tamper and/or stir by hand a little to get everything well combined. Pour into a smallish square dish (greased), e.g. a 8×8 and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Do you just want a dip or a schmear?

210. So Simple: Paleo English Muffins [Grain/Dairy Free], Almond or Coconut Flour

I love English Muffins…or any kind of muffin, really.  But at present I’m most interested in grain-free breakfast items that are not borderline desserts.  Ask me tomorrow, though, and I might very well be back on the giant muffin train – but for now I’ll point you in the direction of 2 options:  (1) Almond flour (recipe by Fitcupcaker)  and (2) Coconut flour (recipe from Grain Free Groupie).  The choice is up to you!

I used TJ’s just almond meal (I don’t think it’s the blanched variety many people recommend) – that’s why it’s speckled.  But I like the speckles 🙂

I smeared my muffin with chocolate-hazelnut spread (“nutella”) I made in the Vitamix.  Yummy for my tummy!  The drink is an iced latte with no-strain hazelnut milk.  I love how the coffee just sits on top of the ice and the bottom layer is still milky white.  My colleague, C, had a coffee-drink calendar at her desk (2011) and I used to study the different drink pictures every month.  I was never able to achieve this striated effect except now, accidentally.
Both options are single-serving microwave recipes, so if you are anti-microwave, sorry – this ain’t for you.  But if you are not opposed to microwave usage these are great grain-free breakfast options that come together fast.

Another microwave, grain/dairy free option:

171. PB2 Mug Cake

And if you didn’t click on the milk link…

205. No Strain DF Milk

189. Coconut Flour Banana Bread [Grain/Dairy Free, No Sugar Added]

We have some more bananas languishing away in the fruit basket downstairs so this probably isn’t the only time you’ll see bananas this week. I love bananas – so much so that I try to monitor my banana consumption because they are sweet. Yes, it’s natural sugar, but it’s still something I try to watch out for. But when we have bananas to use up I either want to freeze or bake them rather than waste them. I suppose I love banana bread bc Mommy makes a WONDERFUL hummingbird loaf. She translated this banana/pineapple treat into Ed’s birthday cake in 2012. It was covered in cream cheese frosting and since it was Easter, crowned with Peeps. See?

Since I’m abstaining from the flour/sugar delights I enjoy so much I decided to try a coconut flour version of banana bread. I googled it and happened upon a Spark Recipe. I had to make some adjustments and it turned out well. I used a pastry cutter to mash the bananas and it worked well – it was easy to hold and did the job creditably. I liked the bread even better on day 2, both straight from the fridge as a snack and toasted for breakfast. (Of course, I didn’t actually eat anything while standing in front of the fridge because standing in front of the fridge is enough physical effort. Chewing and swallowing while doing this would likely end badly for me, but if this is your custom, go for it! It used to be mine.) Also, coconut flour has a lighter, spongier texture than the baked goods I’m accustomed to, but I quite like the results, and I hope you do, too.

Banana Bread
Grain Free, No Sugar Added, with Coconut Flour…oh yeah, this is Dairy Free, too!
Grease a loaf pan and preheat oven to 350
adapted from SparkRecipe’s “Primal” Banana Bread

3 ripe mashed bananas
1/3 c coconut oil, melted
4 eggs + 2 whites
splash of vanilla
1/2 c coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
handful of nuts (optional)

Mix your wet ingredients, add your dry ingredients and mix very well. Sorry, I know it’s better baking method to mix wet/dry separately and then combine in some order I can’t remember, but I’m going for minimal bowl usage here, and the less I have to dump things from one bowl to another the better (there’s one less opportunity to spill). Pour into your loaf pan, bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

More banana-based yumminess!

171. PB2 Mug Cake

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186. So Simple: Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars [from delighted momma]

I was craving cookies on Saturday so I mixed these up really quickly and put them in the toaster oven and voila!  They were done before lunchtime.  Yes, I wanted cookies right after eating breakfast.  Being me, I chose to press the dough into a pan to make bars, although Delighted Momma’s original recipe is for cookies.  Very good looking cookies, I might add.  Scooping cookies out is doable for me, but fitting an appropriate baking tray into the toaster oven isn’t, so I opted for bars.  I also only had 1/4 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut on hand instead of the full 1/2 and the taste was still fabulous.  I only added a squirt of agave instead of the 3 TB of raw honey and the taste was plenty sweet for me.  Side note:   The chocolate chip and coconut combination is like a Mounds bar – score!

I’m still trying to use up the little bag of coconut flour that Mommy bought, and these were so good that I might have to start buying coconut flour in earnest.  The good part is that most recipes only use a little bit of it, so a little goes a long way because it’s really absorbent.  How do I know?  Elana says so.  These cookies/bars call for a full cup, but I might decrease it next time, especially if I add the full amount of coconut.  I already added some splashes of almond milk to help me mix this time, and I think the batter’s texture might benefit from some more moisture, but we’ll see.  As it was, I was very happy with the results.  So happy, in fact, that it was a good thing that RSKL came to visit, because I gave the majority of the bars to her (my GF friend), otherwise they would have all ended up in my tummy!

If you prefer no-holds barred baking:

34. (Tough) Cookie Monster

Did you catch my update on my ENT appointment yesterday?

Ed had a great time at the ENT’s office…