Desserts

Strawberry Topped Boston Cream Pie (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo)

February 14, 2013 By SunnyB 4 Comments

It might surprise you to learn that my husband and I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Nope. Never. Not once.

You see, my husband has this thing against a commercially exploited day supposedly designed to tell the person you love that you love them. He believes that love is something to be expressed on a daily basis, that one should surprise and spoil randomly and not have to have a designated day to express love.

Luckily, he follows through this belief in his actions. And even though I do know without a doubt that he loves me; and while I understand where he is coming from, the girl inside of me still wants to be pampered with roses, sweet surprises, dinner dates and all the other things you dream of when Valentine’s is around the corner.

So when we were deciding on the perfect day to schedule our wedding, there seemed to be two main options; 1. Either we get married on my mother’s birthday, February 13^th and he could spoil me that day so I’d never feel a loss on Valentine’s or, 2. We get married in March and we do Valentine’s like all of the other couples we know.

Needless to say, he opted for option #1. Given that he asked me to marry him on his mother’s birthday (her suggestion), it seemed only fitting to be wedded on the day of my mother’s birth.

So in this week filled with love, sweets for your sweet, happy memories and wonderful surprises; we still have plenty of excuses to celebrate…even if we don’t do Valentine’s Day.

This year, my surprise treat for my husband came in the form of one of his favorite gluten and dairy-filled desserts…only, true to my nature, this one is Paleorific.

Boston Cream Pie comes in many ways, topped with a chocolate glaze or ganache, simply sprinkled with powder sugar, and on a more rare occasion, topped with strawberries and frosting.

My husband’s favorite? The latter, more complicated recipe…but the end result is worth every second.

The added drizzle of chocolate sends this cake up over the top, and the leftover ganache can be used to cover any leftover strawberries for you to enjoy separately. Or together. Whichever you prefer.

Most of this cake can be made up to two days ahead of time, although I recommend making the ganache on the day of.

I know this recipe is up too late for your Valentine’s Day celebration, but why not extend your joy and give this to the one you love this weekend. Or next week, or anytime. Just because. I mean, really, doesn’t the one you love deserve a sweet surprise…Valentine’s Day or not?

Enjoy and happy Valentine’s Day!

Strawberry Topped Boston Cream Pie (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo)

Ingredients

Cake

1 c coconut flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
8 eggs
2/3 c coconut oil
½ c honey or palm syrup
4 Tbs vanilla extract

Pastry Cream Filling

2 cups whole-fat canned coconut milk
2 Tbs vanilla extract
6 egg yolks
2/3 c palm or turbinado sugar
¼ c arrowroot powder
1 Tbs coconut oil

Glazed Strawberries

1 lb ripe strawberries, hulled
½ c palm or turbinado sugar
4 ½ tsp arrowroot powder
¼ c cold water
1 tbs coconut oil
2 tsp lemon juice

Vanilla Frosting

2 cups arrowroot powder
2 cups palm or turbinado sugar
½ c palm oil shortening
¼ c whole-fat canned coconut milk
½ tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache

4 oz dairy-free chocolates (I use Enjoy Life brand)
¼ c whole-fat canned coconut milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350f.
Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans, set aside.
Prepare cake by mixing together coconut flour, baking soda and ¼ tsp sea salt in medium sized mixing bowl. Set aside. Using stand or hand mixer, beat 8 eggs until fluffy then mix in remaining coconut oil, palm syrup and vanilla extract. Mix in dry ingredients and blend until no lumps remain. Pour ½ cake mixture into each prepared cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes before removing cakes from pan. Refrigerate up to 48 hours until ready to build cake.
In medium sauce pan, prepare pastry cream filling by bringing 2 cups of whole-fat canned coconut milk to a boil over medium heat, set aside. Whip together egg yolks, palm or turbinado sugar and arrowroot powder until light and fluffy. Slowly add in ½ cup hot milk and whip for approximately 60 seconds before mixing in the remainder of the milk. Return egg and milk mixture to saucepan. Add in coconut oil and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously until thick. Remove from heat and cover. Refrigerate at least two hours until ready to build cake.
Prepare glazed strawberries by mixing palm or turbinado sugar, arrowroot powder and cold water together. In medium sauce pan, bring sugar mixture to a light boil over medium heat and add in coconut oil and lemon juice. Quickly add in hulled strawberries and continue to cook, stirring gently to not smash the strawberries, until sauce becomes thick. Remove from heat and allow to cook. Use immediately or refrigerate up to 24 hours until ready to use.
Prepare frosting by mixing together arrowroot powder and palm or turbinado sugar until powdered sugar texture has been achieved. Set aside. Using an electric or stand mixer, cream palm shortening until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add in 3 cups or sugar, milk and vanilla, mixing until light and fluffy. If necessary, slowly add in remaining cup of powdered sugar until you have achieved your desired consistency. Refrigerate up to 48 hours, removing at least two hours before you are ready to build your cake.
Once you are ready to put your cake together, prepare ganache in medium sauce pan by melting semi-sweet chocolates and ¼ c whole-fat coconut milk over medium-low heat, mixing continually until chocolates are completely melted. Set aside.
Build your cake by placing one layer of cake on to serving platter. Spread pastry cream evenly over the first layer then carefully place the second layer of cake over pastry cream, pressing gently to ensure cake is level. Gently clean off sides, removing any pastry cream that has seeped out during the preparation process. Leaving about a ½ inch gap along the edge, arrange strawberries in one large circle first, filling in the center with the remaining strawberries and spreading any remaining glaze evenly over the strawberries.
Fill in the remaining gap along the top edge of the cake with frosting by preparing piping bag with a coupler and a large closed star, open star or french tip. Fill with frosting and decorate as desired.
Carefully drizzle ganache over the cake, creating a zig-zag or checkered pattern. Use as much or as little of the ganache as you please for this step. I ended up using approximately 3/4th the prepared ganache and used the remaining sauce to cover leftover strawberries which we enjoyed at a later time.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes approximately 8-10 servings

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Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Holidays, Paleo, Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: Cake, Casein Free, Corn Free, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Nut Free, Paleo, Soy Free

One Minute Microwave Lava Cake (Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)

December 28, 2012 By SunnyB 10 Comments

I love my friends.

I love that anyone who knows me in this little town of ours automatically thinks of me when they see something labeled “gluten-free.”

Because of this, I get periodic recipes e-mailed or texted to me on a regular basis and frankly, many of these turn into inspiration for future recipes or meals.

One of my most popular recipes (both in-house and on my website) is my Molten Lava Cake, so when a friend said she saw a recipe for a minute mug gluten-free lava cake, I was intrigued to say the least.

This recipe from PBS Food is naturally gluten-free but needed some additional tweaking before it was just-right for my grain-free, dairy-free and as refined sugar-free as possible household.

Lucky for me, this week’s Elf4Health challenges include making a mug cake!

What better time to perfect this decadent dessert once and for all? Like an inside-out lava cake, this richly decadent treat is refined sugar-free and high in protein but so sweet no one will ever guess how healthy it really is. With just a 30 second cooking time, you’ll have no trouble making enough to share with your whole family!

Happy New Year!

One Minute Microwave Lava Cake (Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)

Ingredients

Adapted from Marc Matsumoto
1 tall ceramic mug
1 tsp coconut oil
1 egg
1 Tbs coconut cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbs cocoa powder
2 Tbs Palm Sugar
¼ tsp grain-free baking powder (I use this recipe with arrowroot powder in place of potato starch)

Instructions

Generously grease the bottoms and sides of a tall mug with the coconut oil, set aside.
In a small bowl, beat the egg then whisk in coconut cream and vanilla. Sprinkle in cocoa powder and palm sugar, continually mixing the batter to prevent any clumps. Sprinkle the grain-free baking powder on top and quickly mix together.
Pour batter into prepared mug and firmly tap the mug on a towel-lined countertop to release any air bubbles.
Set your microwave for 30 seconds and closely watch the cake. It’s done when it rises to about double its original height (mine usually takes the full 30 seconds). Cook it too long and you’ll no longer have a rich, velvety cake draped in chocolate sauce, you’ll have a chewy glob.
Serve immediately in the mug or remove immediately onto a separate plate and top with your favorite fruit or whipped coconut cream.
Makes 1 mug

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Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Main Courses, Paleo, Recipes, Sugar Free, Vegetarian Tagged With: Cake, Casein Free, Corn Free, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Nut Free, Paleo, Soy Free, Sugar-Free

Share the Love with Vegan Carrot Cake Coconut Macaroons

November 7, 2012 By SunnyB 16 Comments

I have some of the greatest friends in the universe.

Really.

So when my beautiful friend Shea from Dixie Chik Cooks asked if I wanted to participate in the Kitchenaid’s Pass the Plate event through BeBetsy, I did not hesitate to say ‘yes!’ even before I knew exactly what it was.

What I have learned since is that this wonderful event not only encourages friends to share with friends, but every time one of these lovely plates is registered and passed, Kitchenaid will donate $5 to Susan G. Koman for the Cure ®.

I’ve yet to meet a woman who has not been touched, in some way by this disease.

For me? My dear great-grandmother, to whom I was extremely close, passed away during her second battle with breast cancer. Two of my aunts have fought and won their battle against the disease. Numerous friends and their family members have also battled this disease, some battles won, some battles lost.

…And the day Shea contacted me, one of my students came to me in tears after learning that her mother was just diagnosed, for a second time, with breast cancer; four years after she had been given a clean bill of health.

Yes, breast cancer touches us all.

So what do you do when offered such a great gift to benefit such a great cause?

Well you make some amazing cookies of course!

One dozen of these macaroons have been sent, along with the Cook for the Cure plate to my friend Heather, the Gluten-Free Cat. I have no doubt that Heather will find the most perfect way to share the plate from here…

Like little cakes melting in your mouth, these macaroons are sure to delight anyone you chose to share them with! Filled with cancer-fighting ingredients, no doubt these cookies are the perfect way to pass this message on.

xoxo

Vegan Carrot Cake Coconut Macaroons with Maple Cream Glaze

Ingredients

Macaroons

2c shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 ¼ c canned coconut milk (whole fat)
½ c finely grated carrots
½ c chopped walnuts
½ c maple syrup (honey works well, too)
2 Tbs coconut flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt

Maple Cream Glaze

½ c raw cashews, soaked 1-3 hours
3 Tbs canned coconut milk
¼ c maple syrup
¼ c arrowroot powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 360f.
Using stand mixer, combine shredded coconut, 1 ¼ c coconut milk, carrots, walnuts, ½ c maple syrup, coconut flour, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla extract, nutmeg and salt.
Scoop macaroon mixture by the tablespoon onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the top is lightly golden while the middle is still soft. Allow cookies to cool completely on the sheet.
Prepare Maple Cream Glaze by draining soaked cashews and placing them in your blender. Add in remaining coconut milk, maple syrup and arrowroot powder. Blend until completely liquefied and transfer to pastry bag. Cut a very small hole at the end of the pastry bag, drizzle glaze over the cookies, using a zig-zag pattern to create the look you desire. Store cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for 48-72 hours or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Makes approximately 36 cookies.

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Need more creative carrot concoctions? Check in with my fellow FoodNetwork Fall Festies for more great ideas!xoxo

Feed Me Phoebe: Root Vegetable and Black Bean Chili

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Carrots With Chile and Agave

Haute Apple Pie: Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

Virtually Homemade: The Silver Palate’s Carrot Orange Soup

From My Corner of Saratoga: Copper Pennies aka Glazed Carrots

The Heritage Cook: Maple Roasted Carrots, Apples and Onions

Made By Michelle: Carrots and Caramelized Onions

Thursday Night Dinner: Braised Carrots

HGTV Gardens: Garden-to-Table: Carrots

FN Dish: Best Carrot Sides for Thanksgiving

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Holidays, Paleo, Recipes, Sugar Free, Vegan Tagged With: Casein Free, Cookies, Corn Free, Dairy Free, Dessert, Egg Free, Fall Fest, Food Network, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Paleo, Soy Free, Sugar-Free, Vegan

Vanilla Pumpkin Swirl Cake with Vanilla Palm Sugar Glaze (Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Paleo)

October 24, 2012 By SunnyB 8 Comments

This is not my prettiest cake by any means, and I thought about remaking it in a number of different pans, but my daughter was so thrilled when she saw the final product that I decided if it was good enough for her, then it was good enough for me.

So many of my projects stem from the creative minds of my children.

After I had pressure canned 6 quarts of squash puree, used some of the leftover puree to make some Pumpkin Spice Steamers for the family, my oldest daughter decided that she wanted a pumpkin cake for her birthday.

She made it clear, however, that she did not want just any ole pumpkin cake… Nope, what she asked for was very specifically a vanilla pumpkin swirl cake, “you know, like the chocolate vanilla marble cakes you make, mommy.”

Now how could I resist that?

Despite the lackluster of the cake itself, my family raved over the result.

And my daughter? A genius for conjuring this up in her head.

Free of grains, nuts, dairy and refined sugar, I hope you enjoy this cake as much as we have.

Vanilla Pumpkin Swirl Cake with Vanilla Palm Sugar Glaze (Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Paleo)

Ingredients

Cake

Vanilla

½ c Coconut Flour
¼ tsp Baking Soda
¼ tsp Sea Salt
4 Large Eggs
1/3 c coconut oil
½ c Palm Syrup
2 Tbs Vanilla Extract

Pumpkin Spice

6 Large Eggs
½ c Palm Syrup
½ c Coconut Oil
½ c Coconut Cream (from a well refrigerated can of whole-fat coconut milk)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 TBS Pumpkin Spice
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking Powder
½ c Coconut Flour
½ c Pumpkin Puree

Vanilla Palm Sugar Glaze

1 c Arrowroot Powder
1 c Palm Sugar
¼- ½ c Canned Coconut Milk (full-fat, preferred)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375f.
Grease and flour (using coconut flour) bunt pan, set aside.
Prepare vanilla cake by mixing together coconut flour, baking soda and sea salt. Whisk in eggs, coconut oil, palm syrup and vanilla extract, set aside.
Prepare pumpkin spice cake by mixing together eggs, palm syrup, coconut oil, coconut cream, vanilla, cinnamon and pumpkin spice. Quickly whisk in coconut flour, pumpkin puree and baking powder.
Slowly layer each cake ½ c at a time throughout the bunt pan. Use a knife to gently mix the batter without completely incorporating the mix, creating a marbleized look.
Bake at 375f for 35-40 minutes.
Prepare the glaze by adding arrowroot powder, palm sugar and vanilla extract to your blender. Over low setting, slowly drizzle in coconut milk until the glaze has achieved the desired thickness (I used less than ½ cup but more than ¼ cup to achieve this). Set aside.
Remove cake from oven, invert and allow to cool to room temperature. Pour glaze evenly over the top and serve.
Makes approximately 16 servings.

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Need more pumpkin inspiration? Be sure to visit (and enter) this month’s Ingredient Challenge Monday, and check in with my favorite Food Network Fall Fest Bloggers and their delicious inspiration below. Have a wonderful week. xoxo

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Chez Us: Pull Apart Pumpkin-Pecan Bread With Maple Bourbon Frosting

Haute Apple Pie: Creamy Pumpkin Penne With Italian Sausage

HGTV Gardens: Garden-to-Table: Pumpkins

From My Corner of Saratoga: Chocolate-Pumpkin Cake

Made By Michelle: Pumpkin Scones

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Stew With Chorizo and Pepitas

Devour: 5 Delicious Ways to Use Pumpkins After Carving

Virtually Homemade: Pumpkin Pancakes With Maple Cream and Candied Vanilla Pecans

The Heritage Cook: Gingery Pumpkin Mousse With Whipped Ginger Cream

Thursday Night Dinner: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pie

Cooking With Books: Pumpkin-Bacon Brussels Sprouts

FN Dish: Primping Up Pumpkin

Feed Me Phoebe: Roasted Pumpkin Wedges With Chili, Lime and Cotija

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Holidays, Paleo, Recipes, Sugar Free, Vegetarian Tagged With: Cake, Casein Free, Corn Free, Dairy Free, Fall Fest, Food Network, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Nut Free, Paleo, Soy Free, Sugar-Free

ICM July Winning Recipe: Berry Almond Crunch by Heather, the Gluten-Free Cat and Challenge-Ingredient Announcement!

October 7, 2012 By SunnyB 4 Comments

I can’t believe we haven’t had an Ingredient Challenge Monday since July, but with the Healthy Lunchbox Series overlapping the 2^nd Monday in both August and September, missing those months just couldn’t be helped!

That being said, with Bountiful Baskets offering blueberries in bulk this summer, I enjoyed the extra time to review and re-review every recipe offered in July’s Ingredient Challenge Monday.

And boy oh boy were there some great options!

Janet’s Blueberry Salmon Teriyaki Spinach Salad was a definite winner, especially with my fish eater. He may not care for green stuff, but he loves fish and this dish was a great way to get him to eat both! Make certain you use either GF-Tamari Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos to keep it safe!

Tessa won me over with her Raw Dark Chocolate Mousse, which is Paleo friendly and really easy to make!

But through the final days of summer, there was one recipe my family requested several times over.

This Berry Almond Crunch from my friend, Heather the Gluten-Free Cat is super simple, lightly sweet and a great alternative to ice cream; when my husband or children insisted something cold and sweet was in order, I was happy to oblige by sharing a bit of this easy dish with them.

What loved most about the July ICM entries was how simple many of them turned out to be. Evidence that the best recipes don’t have to be complicated, we hope you enjoy this dish as much as we have.

Thank you, Heather!

Berry Almond Crunch by Heather, the Gluten-Free Cat

Ingredients:

2 c. frozen mixed berries
1/2 c. raw almonds
1 T. honey or agave nectar

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in the food processor and pulse until chunks stick together when scooped with a spoon.

2. Spoon into bowls and enjoy.

Makes 2 snacks or 4 small desserts

So are you ready to see what challenge I have for you this month?

With a change of season, the fall harvest well on its way coupled with Halloween right around the corner, winter squash of all shapes and sizes are filling the market.

Among my favorites, of course, are Hubbard Squash, Pumpkin and Kabocha (or green pumpkin).

Recently my Squash Lady introduced me to Australian Butter Squash, which looks like a pumpkin but has a lot more flesh and cooks up without any of the string that pumpkins tend to have. After canning 6 quarts of squash yesterday, I believe I have found my new favorite pumpkin pie solution.

So whatever your favorite winter squash may be, have fun! Get creative and link in tomorrow when I reveal my entry into this month’s Ingredient Challenge Monday! xoxo

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Other, Paleo, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: Casein Free, Corn Free, Dairy Free, Dessert, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Ingredient-Challenge Monday, Paleo, Raw, Snack, Soy Free, Vegan

Coconut Flour Apple Crumble (nut-free)

October 2, 2012 By SunnyB 8 Comments

When Phoebe invited me to her Virtual Viewing Party and All-American Potluck, the first thing that popped into my mind was apple pie.

I mean, besides hot dogs, what is more American than apple pie?

Only, I am not a huge fan of apple pie.

Don’t ask me why, I am not 100% certain; I just know that even before being diagnosed with celiac disease, apple pie was never really my thing.

What I do love though is a good apple crumble. Laced with cinnamon and just the right amount of crunch, a good apple crumble always seems to hit the spot.

This dish makes enough for a party. Feel free to half the recipe and bake it in a smaller pan if you must (9X9 square should do), but I love desserts that can feed the crowd and this one is no exception.

Grain-free, nut-free, egg-free and refined sugar-free, you’ll only find good stuff here. Eat it up! xo

Coconut Flour Apple Crumble (nut-free)

Ingredients

Filling

3lbs Apples (organic is best, I prefer Cortland’s for baking)
¼ c Coconut Oil
¼ c Palm Syrup (Honey, Agave or Maple Syrup would work well, too)
1 Tbs Cinnamon
½ Tbs Nutmeg
½ tsp Cloves
¼ tsp Sea Salt

Topping

½ c Coconut Flour
1 c Coconut Flakes
½ c Palm Sugar (Turbandino or other non-refined dry sugar, just not in liquid form)
½ c Coconut Oil
1 tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Sea Salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350f.
Prepare 13x9 in baking pan by greasing generously with coconut oil, set aside.
Prepare apples by washing, coring and slicing each, placing wedges into large mixing bowl. Carefully drizzle ¼ c coconut oil, palm syrup, 1 Tbs cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and sea salt over apple slices, mixing with hands to ensure even coating throughout.
Spread slices evenly throughout pan, set aside.
Prepare topping by mixing coconut flour, coconut flakes, palm sugar, coconut oil, cinnamon and sea salt in medium sized mixing bowl, stirring until an easy crumb is created.
Sprinkle topping evenly over seasoned apple slices.
Bake at 350f for 20 min or until slices are lightly tender and the topping is golden brown.
Serve as-is or with your favorite non-dairy vanilla ice cream.
Makes 8-10 servings

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Be sure to join the rest of this All-American Potluck and enjoy these amazing dishes:

Feed Me Phoebe: Kitchen Sink (Gluten-Free) Mac n’ Cheese
Cooking With Books: Apple Pie Shortcake
The Naptime Chef: Baked Mac & Cheese with Marinara
Creative Culinary: Spiked Apple Crisp
Sarcastic Cooking: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Bacon and Tomato
Umami Girl: All-American Macaroni and Cheese
Flavia’s Flavors: Pumpkin Doughnut Holes
The Promise 365: Grandma Mary’s Baked Beans
Women on Fire: Red, White, and Blue Muddle Sunrise
One Hungry Mama: Dulce de Leche Apple Pie
Mother Would Know: Basil, Sundried Tomato and Goat Cheese Pasta
Ronaldo’s Cucina: Cuban-Inspired Ground Beef
Chef Pippa Calland: Deviled Eggs
Stan Frazier: Shrimp Scampi
Sweet Dreams LA: Fuji Apple Bread Pudding with Southern Whiskey Butter Sauce
Chef Robin Bodwin: Bread and Butter Jalapenos
Rawstachio: Elvis Sandwich 2.0
Chef Cody Utzman: Grilled Rib Eyes with Olive Oil Smashed Potatoes and Sweet Corn Salad

This post is also being shared with: September 2012 GFE Virtual Gluten-Free Support Group

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Holidays, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan Tagged With: Casein Free, Corn Free, Dairy Free, Dessert, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Nut Free, Paleo, Side Dish, Soy Free, Sugar-Free, Vegan

September 13, Blogiversary and Upside Down Pineapple Cake (grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, paleo)

September 13, 2012 By SunnyB 16 Comments

September 13^th may not mean a lot to most, but to the many who have been diagnosed with celiac disease, September 13^th is a day just as important as most any other holiday.

You see, September 13^th has been designated as National Celiac Awareness Day by the United States Senate, and “whereas the majority of people with celiac disease have yet to be diagnosed,” those of us who are lucky enough to have been identified want to help raise awareness and enable millions who are still unidentified to find their way.

Why September 13^th?

As I explained in my inaugural blog post, September 13^th is the birthday of Samuel Gee, the doctor who is credited with being the first person to find a link between celiac disease and diet.

Frankly, I owe my life to Dr. Gee. Quite literally.

It was September, 3 years ago, when I was diagnosed with celiac disease.

For several years before that, I had been ill. So extremely ill that my once morbidly obese build had dropped to a frightening 113 pounds.

At 5’ 11”, 113 pounds is thin. Too thin.

It didn’t matter how much I ate or how high in calories my food was (think junk food), I couldn’t keep most food down and what little food I could keep down went right through me.

I was starving to death.

Oddly enough, the sudden drop in weight was not the only symptom I had, nor was it the first. In fact, I was just as symptomatic when I was morbidly obese, my symptoms had simply magnified when the weight began to drop.

When you read my own living with celiac story, there is no doubt that my life has improved since being diagnosed with celiac.

It is also no coincidence that And Love it, Too! made its debut two years ago today, September 13, 2010.

From the beginning I knew that informing friends, but especially my family about celiac disease was going to be an important part of this venture. Opening my site on this day made perfect sense, and so it is.

As promised last year on my first blogiversary, and because my site opened with a cake, the name itself has been inspired by cake, it is my plan to celebrate this day with a new cake, every year!

A true southern classic, this Pineapple Upside Down Cake has been years in the making!

Really, it took me years to figure out how to make this cake gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free but just as delicious as the stuff my aunt Teena used to make.

My aunt Teena (whose specialties included bread and butter pickles, mustard greens, pinto beans and upside down pineapple cake) always said the key to a good pineapple cake was the cast iron it was cooked in and the caramel that coated the outside.

Having tasted upside down pineapple cakes from all over the US (prior to cd diagnosis), I do believe she was right.

Even without the gluten, grains, sugar and butter that filled my aunt Teena’s cakes, I do believe she would be proud of the recipe I am sharing tonight.

Regardless of all it is missing, this cake is spot-on and truly the perfect dish to be sharing with you this special day.

Enjoy!

Upside Down Pineapple Cake (grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, paleo)

Ingredients

Caramel & Fruit Coating

20 oz can of Unsweetened Pineapple Slices, juice separated and reserved
¼ c Coconut Oil
¼ c Palm Syrup
¼ tsp Sea Salt
7 Red Cherries, pits removed

Cake

½ c Coconut Flour
¼ tsp Baking Soda
¼ tsp Sea Salt
4 Eggs
1/3 c Coconut Oil
½ c Palm Syrup
2 Tbs Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350f.
Using a well-seasoned 12” cast iron skillet, slowly melt ¼ coconut oil over medium heat.
Once melted, whisk in ¼ c palm syrup, sea salt and juice from the 20 oz can of unsweetened pineapple slices. Allow sauce to reduce over medium to medium low heat until a thick caramel has been achieved (about 15-20 min). Remove from heat.
Carefully lay 7 whole pineapple slices on the base of the skillet, six half-slices on the sides of the skillet and then drop 1 pitted cherry in the center of each whole slice. Set aside.
Prepare cake by mixing together coconut flour, baking soda and ¼ tsp sea salt in medium sized mixing bowl. Set aside.
Using stand or hand mixer, beat 4 eggs until fluffy then mix in remaining coconut oil, palm syrup and vanilla extract.
Mix in dry ingredients and blend until no lumps remain.
Carefully pour cake mixture over prepared fruit and caramel.
Bake for 35-40 min or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool slightly (10-15 min, still in skillet)
Place large serving platter or cake stand carefully, upside down, over the skillet.
Holding both the plate/stand and the skillet firmly together, quickly flip the skillet and platter so that the platter is right-side up and the skillet is upside down.
Slowly lift the skillet from the platter, ensuring all pineapple slices remain in place and that cake has separated from the skillet intact.
Serve warm or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes 8-10 servings

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So many wonderful changes have come over the last two years of sharing my story, my recipes and my life with you, I cannot wait to see the changes and the progress that are yet to come.

Thank you for being a part of this dream! It is because of you that I continue to do what I do.

Love to you all! xo

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Holidays, Paleo, Recipes, Sugar Free, Vegetarian Tagged With: Cake, Casein Free, Celiac Awareness, Corn Free, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Nut Free, Paleo, Soy Free, Sugar-Free

Healthy Lunchbox 2012: Gluten-Free Gigi

August 20, 2012 By SunnyB 7 Comments

Have you met my friend, Gluten-Free Gigi? Gigi is a scientist turned health specialist and I simply adore and always learn so much from her “A Side of Science” series.

Gigi was one of the guest-bloggers for last year’s Healthy Lunchbox series where she shared a delicious chocolate chip mini-muffin recipe.

This year she made me smile when she sent me an e-mail saying “Of course, amid all the veggies and healthy deliciousness, you can count on me to make a cookie. ”

To which I replied, “even the healthiest diets deserve a cookie every now and then. ”

No doubt your healthy lunchbox will deserve one of these grain-free, dairy-free, peanut-free and tree-nut free cookies, too!

Thanks, Gigi! Xo

___________________________________________________

What a happy surprise when I opened an email from Sunny inviting me to be part of her Healthy Lunchbox series again this year! It’s a real honor to join Sunny and her awesome bunch of foodies again. I love seeing how each one makes lunchtime a little healthier.

In my home, because we home school, there is no “lunchbox” and lunchtime can happen at any time.

Sometimes our tummies tell us we need a veggie stir-fry at 11AM. When that’s the case, we take advantage of the “teaching moment”. Learning to put together a healthy, in-season veggie dish with what we have on hand, practicing knife skills (slicing and dicing the veggies) and fine-tuning our cooking techniques are important parts of our home school days.

Other times, we’re caught up in activities and projects (as we have been lately creating a hummingbird habitat in our backyard) and lunch comes late in the day. When that happens, we make up funny names like “linner” or “dunch” for that meal that fits neither into the “lunch” or “dinner” category. One of our favorite hearty late lunches is simple roasted chicken with garlic and lime, cauliflower mashed “potatoes”, and spinach salad with a tangy lime vinaigrette.

Regardless of how erratic our lunch schedule, one thing remains constant. We must have dessert. Every day.

Because we are cookie lovers to the core, we spend a lot of time revamping traditional recipes to fit our gluten-, dairy-, soy-, peanut-, tree nut-free household and to make the recipes just a bit more nutritious.

We each have “our” cookies – recipes developed especially for each of us. We also like creating cookies to mark occasions like our giant tooth cookies we leave for the Tooth Fairy and the autumn leaf cookies we make to celebrate the first day of fall each year. And of course, with each new school year, we create a brand new “Back to School” cookie.

To kick off this school year, my Little Chef (she’s 11) and I developed a new (healthier) version of one of her favorite flavor combos – chocolate and peanut butter!

When we created the recipe, I knew it would be perfect for sharing with you. It fits multiple special diets, is grain free and uses very little natural sweetener.

The recipe is so simple to put together and these substantial little cookies bake up moist, chewy, and delish, yet are sturdy enough for packing into a lunchbox to make the school day a little sweeter!

Little Chef’s Gluten Free Back to School Cookies

Grain free, dairy free, peanut free, tree nut free

Ingredients:

1/3 cup sunflower seed butter (I make my own from unsalted roasted sunflower seeds; you can find out how here. You can also substitute any nut or seed butter you like – store-bought or homemade.)

2 Tablespoons organic coconut oil, soft

2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener of your choice, like honey or agave nectar)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (Look for Rodelle brand grain free vanilla.)

4 Tablespoons tapioca flour

3 Tablespoons coconut flour

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips or chunks (We use Enjoy Life Foods gluten free allergen free chocolate.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a baking pan or line with parchment.

2. In a mixing bowl, stir sunflower seed butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, eggs and vanilla together until smooth.

3. Add flours and salt. Stir until smooth.

4. Stir in chocolate pieces.

5. Spoon batter onto prepared pan in 1/2-Tablespoon rounds, about 1 1/2-inches apart. Do not flatten.

6. Bake approximately 10 minutes.

7. Remove pan from oven and allow cookies to cool on the pan.

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Healthy Lunchbox, Other Tagged With: Casein Free, Cookies, Corn Free, Dessert, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Healthy Lunchbox, Nut Free, Paleo, Side Dish, Snack

Healthy Lunchbox 2012: Peachy Coconut Streusel Muffins

August 15, 2012 By SunnyB 17 Comments

When most people think of muffins, they think high-carb, grain-filled, low-nutritional value item.

The last thing I want to feed my children is anything that meets that type of description.

The great thing about grain-free cooking is that a majority of flours (nut, seed and coconut) are naturally high in fabulous fiber, protein and nutrients. Therefore, most anything I make is going to be nutritionally dense, very filling and will provide my family with enough energy to make it through the next meal.

These muffins are no exception.

Mildly sweet and easy to transport, my children love to find goodies like this in their lunchbox.

While not an everyday food, something as nutritional as this is good enough for the main course, delicious enough for a dessert.

Because the skins turn black when they are baked, you may wish to peel yours before dicing. My children don’t seem to notice the color variation, and keeping the peel means keeping the nutrients… so we ‘suffer’ through the color variance and enjoy every tasty morsel.

Peachy Coconut Streusel Muffins

Ingredients

8 large eggs
¼ c Palm Nectar, Honey or Agave
¼ c Whole Fat Canned Coconut Milk
2 Tbs Vanilla Extract
1 c Coconut Flour (4 oz)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp grain-free baking powder (I use Kelly's recipe and sub arrowroot for the potato starch)
½ tsp salt
1 1/2 c Fresh Peaches, diced (about 2 peaches)

Streusel

¼ c Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
2 Tbs Pumpkin or Sunflower Seeds
1 ½ Tbs Coconut Oil
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350f. Line or grease 12 muffin tins, set aside.
In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, palm nectar (or sweetener of choice), coconut milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
In large bowl, blend together coconut flour, baking soda, grain-free baking powder and salt.
Slowly mix in wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
Fold in peaches.
Scoop batter by ¼ c into each tin.
Make streusel by grinding shredded coconut, pumpkin or sunflower seeds and cinnamon in coffee grinder until seeds are almost flour like. Add in coconut oil and mix with a fork until mix resembles large cookie crumbs.
Sprinkle an even amount of streusel onto each muffin.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm.
Makes 12 muffins.

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My contribution to this week’s FoodNetwork Summer Fest and the Healthy Lunchbox Series, I hope these Peachy Coconut Streusel Muffins bring as many smiles to your home as they do mine.

xoxo

Be certain to visit all of the perfectly peachy recipes entered in to this week’s Summer Fest!

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Peach Blackberry Arugula Salad

Cooking With Elise: Streusel Topped Peach Muffins With Peach Butter

Heather Christo Cooks: Peach Coconut Pancakes

Ingredients, Inc: Easy Peach Pie

From My Corner of Saratoga: Grilled Peaches With Caramel-Ginger Sauce and Pound Cake

Dishin & Dishes: Peach Lacquered Chicken Salad

Big Girls Small Kitchen: Easy Peach Limeade

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Fresh Peach and Coconut Cake

Daily*Dishin: Caramelized Grilled Peaches

Delicious Lean: Smokey Peach Chipotle Grilled Chicken

Thursday Night Dinner: Peach Shortbread

Sweet Life Bake: Jicama Tortilla Salad With Peach Dressing

I Am Baker: Cilantro Peach Salsa

Zaika Zabardast: Donut Peach Quesadilla

Daydreamer Desserts: White Peach Margaritas

Cooking Channel: 4 Savory Uses for Peaches

Healthy Eats: What to do With Overripe Peaches

FN Dish: Peaches Move to the Big Kids’ Table

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Healthy Lunchbox, Main Courses, Paleo, Recipes, Side Dishes, Sugar Free, Vegetarian Tagged With: Corn Free, Dairy Free, Dessert, Food Network, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Healthy Lunchbox, Main Dish, Paleo, Side Dish, Soy Free, Summer Fest

Ingredient-Challenge Monday: Very Berry Fruit Bowl with Spiced Whipped Coconut Cream

July 9, 2012 By SunnyB 19 Comments

Happy Ingredient-Challenge Monday, everyone!

I hope you are brimming with excitement…if the recent entries are any indication; I cannot wait to see what you have for us this month.

I don’t know about you, but I have had a great day!

Yes, I know it’s Monday, but this really was a great day.

Why you ask?

My husband, sons and I all began our day with an intense cardio workout at the gym. Only recently have we started all working out together, for a long time it was me working out alone, and I was okay with that…but more recently we decided to make a move that would get us all out the door together. We manage to get up and out the door by 5am together, and our boys are awake and ready without mom or dad having to say a word!

How many 13 year olds do you know who will do that? Especially during summer break?!

Shortly after we got home, my husband updated his facebook status to this:

“I’ve lost 11 pounds in 14 days. Maybe this crazy diet my wife has me on isn’t so bad.”

As you may recall, my husband agreed to join me on my second Whole30, his first.

And he has stuck with it, stopped himself from making poor food decisions and recently told his boss not to purchase lunch for him at their company meeting this Friday, saying that he would rather bring something that is ‘totally safe’ for him right now than have to worry about what a restaurant is going to do.

Seriously, this man is awesome.

The only aspect of the Whole30 he has not been sold on? No weighing in during the entire 30 day process, hence the facebook mention above…

But you know what? If that is the one shortfall he has on this program, I can live with it.

So after all of this, I went in to work for a while.

Yes, even teachers work during the summer.

While I was there, one of my co-workers asked me what I was doing to “lose so much weight,” and earnestly was hoping for some insight and direction.

Now keep in mind, I have no idea how much I have lost. The last time I was weighed was for our campus weight loss challenge back in May where I learned just 11 days in to my first Whole30 that I had dropped 9 pounds (yes, I broke the weigh-in rule my first go-round, too). And frankly, we don’t own a scale and there is no way I am hopping on one that is stationed in middle of our gym…no way.

Really though, it doesn’t matter…I feel better, my clothes fit better, and now other people are noticing!

I don’t know why that matters, but it does.

Anyhow…this has really been a great Monday for me; I hope you can say the same about yours.

Now, on to our Ingredient Challenge for July!

As announced yesterday, this month I am challenging you to share your favorite blueberry recipe.

Why blueberries?

Well let’s start with the fact that one cup, one whole cup of blueberries has only 84 calories. In these 84 calories, you’ll also get 14% of your RDA in fiber, 24% in Vitamin C, and a good dose of Vitamin A, Calcium and Iron. More importantly though, blueberries are rich in anti-oxidants (http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/blueberries.html), so not only will you stay thin and healthy by eating blueberries, you’ll stay young as well!

Sounds like my kind of fruit.

Before I share this recipe, I will say I feel a little guilty over the simplicity of this dish.

My kids suggest that I make a blueberry cobbler, but the main recipe I use has already been shared with you.

My oldest daughter shouted, “MAKE SOME OF YOUR SORBET, MAMA!” To which I said, “I’ve already shared that one, too.”

Then my husband spoke up and said, “make some more of that creamy berry thing you made the other day, that was really, really good.”

Now how could I resist?

So for this Ingredient Challenge Monday, I am proud to share with you the creamy berry thing my husband loved so much.

Enjoy!

Very Berry Fruit Bowl with Spiced Whipped Coconut Cream

Ingredients

1 can Whole-Fat Coconut Milk (I prefer Thai Kitchen)
2 c Fresh Blueberries
8 Strawberries
1 Nectarine, or Peach, really any stone fruit would do well in this recipe.
¼ c Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
¼ tsp Cinnamon
2 pinches of Cardamom
1 tiny pinch of Sea Salt

Instructions

First, refrigerate your coconut milk for several hours, overnight is best. Frankly, I always have at least one can of coconut milk in my fridge, just in case.
Place your whipping bowl in the freezer and allow it to chill while you prepare the fruit and the coconut flakes.
Preheat medium sized cast-iron or any other dry skillet over medium-high heat. Let this warm while you prepare your fruit, you’ll be back to it in just a moment.
Prepare fruit by rinsing, drying and slicing strawberries and nectarine. Divide into two bowls and add one cup of blueberries to each. Gently toss fruit together and set aside.
Pour ¼ c coconut flakes into warm skillet, spreading evenly over the pan. Stir gently until flakes are golden in color. Remove from heat and set aside. Resist the urge to take a bite, once you start on these it is nearly impossible to stop.
Remove whipping bowl from freezer and prepare your whipping tool of choice (I prefer my stand mixer for this). Remove coconut milk from refrigerator, open and remove the firm cream from the coconut water below. Sprinkle in cinnamon, cardamom and the tiny pinch of sea salt. Whip cream until desired consistency is achieved. If the cream is too liquidy, return bowl to freezer for 5-10 minutes, check and either return if still too runny or whip once firm but not frozen.
Top each bowl with ½ spiced whipped coconut cream, sprinkle ½ toasted coconut flakes on to each bowl. Serve immediately.
Serves 2

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Are you ready to share your beloved blueberry best?

It’s easy! Simply link your recipe back to this page, come back and link in with the linky tool below.

Because this blog is a gluten-free and dairy-free blog, I do ask that your recipes also be gluten-free and dairy-free. Please also keep in mind that I want to try your creations in my own home and do my best to make each and every item you share…that being said, as the main cook in the home, the more Paleo-Friendly your recipe is, the more likely I will be able to taste it.

What do I mean by Paleo-Friendly? Well, it must be free of grains (including corn and quinoa), dairy (already a given), legumes (beans and peanuts), and free of refined sugars.

Many naturally gluten-free and dairy-free recipes fit nicely into the paleo lifestyle. Gluten-free vegan foods are welcome, as are gluten-free non-vegan foods. As long as it is free of gluten and dairy, it is welcome here!

That being said, if there is something (like sugar or peanuts) that can easily be substituted without changing the nature of your recipe…and if you are okay with me throwing my own minor tweaks in when I give your recipe a try, please share! I promise to keep my changes minimal as I aim to taste YOUR recipe, not create my own.

So are you ready to have the next ICM featured recipe??

Link it up and have a wonderful week! xoxo

This recipe is also shared with: Wellness Weekends, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday