Sunday's Recipe Share -- French Macarons

I have a bad habit of trying new recipes for parties or when we have friends over.  So, for my son's college graduation party, I decided to have a go at making French Macarons.  I wanted to make these a little selfishly after discovering they were gluten free.  I almost chickened out though after reading about how hard they could be to make, but figured, if they didn't turn out, I had other things for back up.

Are these healthy?  Not exactly, but they are made from egg whites, almond flour and sugar--not horrible, and they are small--at least mine were.

Well, I got lucky and they came out pretty darn good. (much better than the picture shows)  Do they look like the those on Food Network?  No, but that's why they get paid the big bucks and I don't.

I followed the recipe from Food Network Magazine.  I did make two gutsy substitutions--I didn't have any superfine sugar, so I just ran what I had through a sieve (which really did nothing), and (after much research on the subject) I decided to use liquid egg whites--they whipped up beautifully.  Next time I want to experiment further and try making them with powdered coconut sugar--a choice I personally prefer over refined white sugar.

I also learned the difference between macaroons (which I also made) and macrarons in this article:  Macaroons vs Macarons

I used orange gel food coloring (mixed into the egg whites before whipping) and blackberry preserves for the filling (I was trying to go with the Illini theme). I was going to make a second batch in blue with apricot filling, but ran out of time.

I made them a couple days ahead (the entire filled cookie) and froze them.  They had that outside crunch and inside chew that a macaron should have--they were really delicious. I will definitely make these again.

One note that every source I looked at mentioned was this, "Do NOT skip the sifting--it is really important!"  So, I didn't.

Here's the recipe:  French Macarons (although they spell it Macaroons in the recipe).

Sunday's Recipe Share -- Grain/Gluten Free Chocolate Mousse Pie/Tart

This was another dessert that I made for Easter because I just had to have something chocolate.

Once again I forgot to take a picture before diving in!

I adapted this pie/tart from a couple of different recipes.  Here's what I came up with:

Chocolate Mousse Filling:

1 14 oz can full fat coconut milk
1/4 c pure maple syrup
1/4 c cocoa powder (I used fair trade dark chocolate)
pinch of salt
1/2 a carton of whipping cream

Topping
remaining 1/2 carton of whipping cream
1 T of honey or more to taste

In a medium saucepan, mix the coconut milk, maple syrup, cocoa powder and salt together.  Bring this to a boil then turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 15-25 minutes depending on your stove.  When ready, the mixture should coat the back of a wooden spoon.  It will thicken as it cools.  Transfer this into a medium to large bowl.  Place plastic wrap directly onto surface. Once it's cooled a bit, put in the fridge for at least 1 hour to overnight.

Put a small to medium sized bowl and beaters into the freezer.  While pudding cools, make crust.

Crust:

1 cup of almond meal
1/4 c. of melted butter

I didn't add any sweetener to the crust--if you want it sweeter, add a tablespoon or two of coconut sugar or honey to it.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine crust ingredients in a bowl, if it's too wet, add more almond meal.  Press into tart or pie pan.

Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Put aside to cool.

Place 1/2 of the whipping cream into the bowl that was in the freezer.  Whip until stiff peaks form. Fold this into the pudding.  Spoon this into the baked crust.  Refrigerate 1 hour to overnight.

After washing, put the same bowl and beaters back into the freezer.

When ready to make topping, place the rest of the whipping cream and whip it same as above.  Add the honey and whip again.  You can frost the entire top of the pie/tart or dollop it on like I did in the photo.

Sunday's Recipe Share -- Grain Free Carrot Cake Cheesecake

For Easter, I made the most delicious Grain Free Carrot Cake Cheesecake!!!  It was inspired by a cheesecake that Rick had when we were at the Cheesecake Factory for Jeff's birthday.

I found several recipes on Pinterest and decided to make a grain free version because yes I'm selfish and I wanted to be able to eat it without having an upset stomach afterward.

Like I said, if you want a version with wheat flour--you can find several on Pinterest.

I really have to remember to start taking pictures of everything I make that I might want to share.  This picture wasn't taken until the next day:

It's a bit time consuming, but totally worth the effort.  It's also almost entirely free of white sugar (just a bit in the cheesecake)  I used honey and coconut sugar instead.

CHEESECAKE
16 ounces cream cheese (at room temp) (I used full fat)
1/4  cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tablespoon almond flour
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

GRAIN FREE CARROT CAKE
1/4 pound carrots, finely grated (It was about 2 cups worth)

2 eggs

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt (I used high fat)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup raw honey

2 cups almond flour

1/2 cup coconut sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

4 oz of cream cheese (again full fat)

1/2 cup of full fat coconut milk (cream from top of a refrigerated can)

1/4 cup of coconut sugar (you can add more if you want it sweeter)  You could also add some crushed pineapple or shredded coconut to it if you like that kind of topping.  I would have loved to have added some coconut but I know my mom doesn't like it so...

Directions 

To make cheesecake, 

In large bowl of electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugars until smooth. 
Beat in flour, eggs (1 at a time) and vanilla until smooth. It will not be very thick.  Set aside. 

To make carrot cake

In a large bowl beat the eggs with yogurt, oil, vanilla and honey.
In another bowl combine flour, coconut sugar, baking powder,salt,  pumpkin spice and cinnamon. Add to the egg mixture and mix well. Stir in carrots.

Spread 1 1/2 cups carrot cake batter over bottom of greased 9-or 9 1/2-inch springform pan (I used 10). 
Drop large spoonfuls of cream cheese batter over carrot cake batter; top with large spoonfuls of remaining carrot cake batter. 
Repeat with remaining cream cheese batter, spreading evenly with a knife. 
Do not marble with a knife. 

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50-65 or until center is set but not real firm (like you would a plain cheesecake) (I used a convention bake setting--so it was 325 degrees)  If it cracks--you baked it too long--good thing there;or frosting!

Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. 

To make frosting

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.  Whip with a mixer until light and fluffy.  Put a layer just on the top of the cake--you may or may not have extra.

Sunday's Recipe Share --Versatile Grain Free Crepes/Tortillas

I was so happy when I found this recipe! When I gave up gluten (and grains most of the time), I thought I'd never be able to enjoy things like manicotti, enchiladas, fajitas or crepes.  Happily, I was wrong.  This versatile recipe can play all those roles deliciously.

This is what they look like:

I have used them instead of the homemade "noodles" in my 3-Cheese Manicotti.  Delish! (sorry I had to)

I have used them instead of flour tortillas to make chicken fajitas (I just pan fry them a second time to crisp them up a bit), and enchiladas (your choice of fillings).

And more recently I used them as crepes.  I had some filling leftover from my chicken pot pies, as well as some leftover kale so......

I created these.  I sprinkled a little cheese on top, popped them into the microwave and...there you have it, a great nutritious lunch. A couple of dollops of full fat Greek yogurt finishes them off.  

The next day, I wanted something sweet, so I decided to make strawberry blintzes.  I took some cream cheese (full fat), added a dollop of Greek yogurt (full fat) and mixed in some leftover cut up strawberries and peaches....

a few more cut up strawberries and some pure maple syrup on top and presto, another great meal or a healthy dessert!

Here's the recipe for the crepes/tortillas:

Ingredients:

2/3 cup tapioca starch

1/3 cup coconut flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

large pinch salt

2 eggs

1-1/2 cups coconut or almond milk -- I used almond milk You may need to add more for thinner crepes

1 Tbls. olive oil or coconut oil (melted)--I used olive + more oil for cooking (I used a non-stick pan so I didn't need this)

Combine all dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients and mix well. If using a cast iron or stainless steel pan, heat a little coconut oil in an 8 inch skillet. Again, I used non-stick so I didn't need this. You may need to repeat this after each crepe or every other depending on how seasoned you pan is.

I use a measuring cup (1/4 cup) to add the batter to the pan. Immediately swirl the batter to coat the pan. Let this cook for a minute or two--it will easily release from the pan when it's ready to flip. Flip after lightly browned and continue cooking until the other side is brown. Continue this process until all of the batter is used.

If you are making sweet crepes, you can add a bit of honey or maple syrup and a touch of vanilla to the batter. If you are making savory crepes or using as tortillas, you can add herbs like cilantro or oregano to taste.  

The recipe makes 10-12 crepes depending on how thick you make them.

Sunday's Recipe Share -- Healthy Chocolate Pudding

Okay, there's no question, I am a chocoholic.  It is one thing that I will never give up.  Thankfully, dark chocolate isn't considered bad, it's even considered good for you.  YAY!!!  However some desserts that are made with this healthy ingredient have some other not so healthy ingredients added to them.

I recently pinned a link to 24 Decadent Valentine's Day Desserts (grain free)--you can follow me on Pinterest by going to the link on the left.  This recipe was one of those 24 desserts.

It is for Chocolate Avocado Pudding.  Yes, I didn't name it that in the title because I wanted you to keep reading.  It is gluten free, grain free and dairy free--I used fair trade baking cocoa and almond milk in the recipe I made.

Doesn't it look yummy?

I had all the ingredients, so I thought I'd give it a try.  The results were so much better than I expected.  Thanks to the healthy avocado, it had the creaminess and mouth feel of chocolate pudding that was cooked on the stove for what seems like hours.   This took just a matter of minutes in my magic bullet.   

 It doesn't make a whole lot--it says two servings--really I could have eaten the whole thing in one sitting.  The above picture shows all of it.  I spooned half of it into a cute glass and added some sliced strawberries to garnish.  It was rich and delicious.  I will definitely be making this again--but probably a double recipe.  :)  The link to the recipe is below the last picture.

Enjoy!!!

 Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Sunday's Recipe Share -- Food for the Big Game

It's Super Bowl Sunday--the second biggest eating day behind Thanksgiving.  What will you be serving?

I thought I'd share a couple of recipes here.

The first one is for zucchini mini quiches/fritters.  They are gluten and grain free are quite yummy and very easy to make.  I made these last week as a side, but they would make great finger food for the big game.  Mine were more quiche-like.  These could be made a bit ahead of time and served at room temperature.

Here's the recipe:

Makes 12

1 medium zucchini, grated
2 T. coconut flour
2 T. grated Parmesan
2 lg. eggs, beaten
1 t. lemon zest
1 t. garlic, minced
salt, pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375.  Grease a mini muffin pan with coconut oil.

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, stirring well.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing the mixture until it is well compacted.

Bake for 17-25 minutes (17 minutes will produce more quiche-like bites, longer will produce crispier, fritter-like bites).

Then, you've got to have chicken wings.  I just make a sauce with melted butter and Frank's hot sauce and marinate the wings in the sauce, then bake them and then pour more (not the marinate) sauce over the top.  Serve them with celery and carrot sticks and bleu cheese dressing of course.

I usually make a big pot of chili and corn dogs, but now that I'm following the paleo diet, I'm going to make my "corn" muffins in a mini pan and put a piece of hot dog in them.  Here's the recipe for the muffins:

Paleo Cornbread Muffins

Yield: 6-8 muffins

Ingredients

• (Double recipe if desired)
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, butter or real lard, liquified
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 Tbs. unsweetened applesauce
• 1 Tbs. raw honey
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Line 6 muffin cups with liners. Mix together the coconut flour and oil until smooth, then beat in the eggs until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.
2. Divide between the prepared cups and bake about 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed.

I would use a greased mini muffin pan instead and bake for 10-15 minutes. Here's how they would look:

For dessert, I suggest chocolate "ice cream" shooters--also gluten/grain free.

I'd use the recipe for non-dairy chocolate "ice cream" but serve it in shot glasses and top with a bit of whipped cream.  Note--this has to be done at least 6-8 hours in advance so the "cream" can set up.

Here's a link to that recipe:  Dairy Free Ice Cream

Note--I don't use that much coffee when I make mine--I use maybe 1 Tbls and I really like coffee.  The first time I made it, I used the 3 Tbls. and it was too much.  And, make sure the coffee is really finely ground, or use a high powered blender or food processor to mix.  I use my nutri-bullet.

Here's how I would serve it (these are pumpkin pie shots, but you get the idea):

Sunday's Recipe Share -- Baileys (Kahlua) Cheesecake Bites

Had a super busy weekend--too busy to post yesterday.  I'll post a bonus stretch at the end.

Today I'm going to share an incredibly yummy recipe that I made for dessert last week for my mom's birthday party.  I did get a small cake surrounded by cupcakes, but since I'm not eating grains, I decided to make this so I could indulge in dessert as well!

It is based on this recipe from Things My Belly Likes, but I changed it from Bailey's Cheesecake Bites to Kahlua Cheesecake Bites (that was the only substitution I made to the recipe posted) and added a layer of chocolate ganache to the top.  Oh my goodness, were they good!!!  They are completely grain free.  Click on the link below for the cheesecake recipe.

Baileys Cheesecake Bites

For the chocolate ganache, I warmed up a 1/2 cup of canned coconut milk until it started to bubble--you could sub with any other type of milk you'd like.  In a glass bowl I had 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips and a tablespoon of butter.  I poured the warm milk over the chocolate and butter and whisked until smooth.  I then refrigerated this for about 20 minutes so that it would thicken up a bit, but still be pourable.  I poured this over the top of the cooled cheesecake (I made the cheesecake the day before) and smoothed it out.  I then put it back in the fridge to set--it's beautifully smooth and glossy. Another option is to put the ganache into a pastry bag and then leave it in the fridge a bit longer until it's thick enough to pipe onto the cake in patterns--a criss-cross diamond grid, stars or swirls, whatever you like.

Here's what mine looked like:

Mine did crack as it cooled, but with the ganache topping, you couldn't tell.  I think I'm going to make Rumchata bites next!  I have some eggnog and pumpkin flavored cream liquors as well--I think they'll make for some tasty experiments as well!

Here's the bonus stretch video to make up for yesterday:  Stretches for Low Back and Sciatica Pain