Coconut mousse pie with berries

Coconut mousse pie with berries

My love affair with coconut butter and all things coconut has hit a glitch in the road. I cannot (at least temporarily) eat the healthy and delicious delights from the coconut tree. That doesn't mean I can't share a recipe for a luscious treat I made before coconut and I parted ways----Coconut Mousse Pie with Berries.

Here I was thinking I had no recipes to share for Valentine's Day. Luckily, I snapped a few photos.

Here is what you need for the filling:

1 cup full-fat coconut milk
2 T. gelatin from grassfed cows (or make it vegan by using agar-agar powder)
1/2 cup coconut butter, softened
Liquid vanilla stevia, to taste
pinch of salt
Topping: fresh or frozen mixed berries, sweetened or not
Optional: Make it lemon flavored by squeezing in the juice of one lemon

Here is what you need for the crust:

1/2 cup finely shredded coconut flakes
1/4 cup coconut oil, softened

Here's what you do:

Use a seven-inch pie pan. Mix the coconut and coconut oil mixture. Spread evenly in the bottom of the pie pan. Place in the fridge to firm up.

In the meantime, make the filling. Place the coconut milk in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin powder on top. Allow to stand for one minute. Whisk in the gelatin and heat the milk until hot but not boiling. Let cool to room temperature.  Place the cooled mixture in your food processor or Vitamix. Add the softened coconut butter, stevia and salt. Blend until everything is evenly distributed and the mixture begins to thicken.

Pour the filling into your pie pan with the crust. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Top with fresh or thawed frozen berries.

Does this look relaxing? It is to pretzel-boy Misha.

Recipe shared with: http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2014/02/12/paleo-aip-recipe-roundtable-14/#more-9164

http://wholenewmom.com/traditional-tuesday/gluten-free-wheat-thin-crackers-olympic-ring-gummies-wheat-destroying-thyroid-chocolate-crunch-balls/

Avocado joy bars

Feline/canine buddies

Thanksgiving is just four days away but right now, I'll have to admit I am more focused on just trying to find things I can eat on a day-to-day basis while following the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol. This elimination diet for individuals with autoimmune disorders can be quite limiting but especially if you throw in the candida/bacterial overgrowth factor.

Avocado JOY bars

Avocado JOY bars are something I can eat right now and not feel overwhelmingly limited by my low starch/low carb/paleo diet. They are patterned after my Lemon Bars http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2013/11/lemon-bars-no-seeds-nuts-grain.html 

Both recipes have lots of good stuff but this latest one has a full avocado added. Avocadoes are great nutrition for anyone but make a nutritious staple for anyone on the anti-candida diet  or autoimmune protocol.

Here's what you need for the crust:

(makes about 6 bars)

3 T. coconut flour
3 T. finely shredded coconut flakes
3 T. coconut oil or coconut oil/coconut butter blend (softened)

Here's what you need for the filling:

1 ripe avocado
2 T. coconut butter (softened)
2-3 T. coconut milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
liquid vanilla stevia, to taste
juice of 1 lemon
1-2 T. coconut flakes (any size, you pick)
extra coconut butter for drizzling on top

 Here's what you do:

Press the filling ingredients into a 5 X 7 loaf pan (silicone works best). Put the loaf pan into the freezer to harden up the crust. In the meantime, blend the avocado, lemon juice, stevia, vanilla, coconut milk and coconut butter in a food processor.

Remove the pan with crust from the freezer. Spread the filling on top of the crust. Sprinkle on coconut flakes and drizzle on additional softened coconut butter. Just as easy as the original lemon bars and no seeds, grains, nuts but with the additional nutrition and flavor of an avocado. You will need to place them in the freezer for a few minutes before cutting into bars.


Recipe contributed to: http://www.rickiheller.com/2013/11/wellness-weekend-november-21-25-2013/

 http://wholenewmom.com/traditional-tuesday/salted-cashew-chewy-bars-gingerbread-marshmallows-cauliflower-broccoli-pie-w-grain-free-crust-and-allergy-free-gf-pumpkin-muffins/

 http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2013/12/04/paleo-aip-recipe-roundtable-5/#more-7795

Lemon bars, no seeds, nuts, grain

Lemon bars, no seeds, nuts or grains

In all my years battling candida, my health care practitioners never explained the difference between low carb and low starch. I was simply told to avoid carbohydrates in the initial phase of the anti-candida diet and then reintroduce some as I moved through the stages of the diet and as symptoms improved. For me, this has never worked. Every time, I up my carb intake to include such foods as seeds, quinoa, legumes, etc., the results have been devastating. The symptoms return with gusto.

Now, I am beginning to get a clue as to why this keeps occurring. Low carb means eating "good carbs" or low glycemic carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, while avoiding simple carbs. With the exception of vegetables, most of these "good carbs" create havoc with my digestive tract.

The amount of starch and types of sugars in these "good carbs" seems to be the problem. I need to eat not only low carbohydrate but also low starch which is a low-starch diet.  All carbohydrates are starches, but not all starches are carbohydrates. Many people cannot digest some starches but in people with intestinal disorders, the digestion of starches is further compromised.

So, that explains it! Every time I've eaten sunbutter, seeds, legumes, whole grains, I am eating starchy carbohydrates that I cannot digest. All this undigested food creates more fun for bad bacteria. The end result is I get an overgrowth.

I have been following the low starch diet for 10 days with positive effects as well as lots of die-off symptoms.  If you want to know more about low starch versus low carbohydrate, go to  http://thepositivepear.com/?s=low+starch+diet

Here's a low starch version of one of my favorites---lemon bars.

You'll need for the crust:

3 T. coconut flour
3 T. unsweetened coconut flakes
2-3 T. melted coconut oil

You'll need for the filling:

2 T. each coconut oil and coconut butter
juice of 1 lemon
vanilla stevia, to taste
1/2 tsp. alcohol-free vanilla extract

Misha rests while waiting for the lemon bars.

Here's what you do:

Press the filling ingredients into a 5 X 7 loaf pan (silicone works best). Put the loaf pan into the freezer to harden up the crust. In the meantime, soften the coconut oil and coconut butter in a small bowl. Squeeze in the lemon juice and stir until mixture is thickened. Stir in the stevia and vanilla.

Remove the pan with crust from the freezer. Spread the filling on top of the crust. Voila, you have lemon bars! So easy and simple to make. You may need to place them in the freezer for a few minutes before cutting into bars.

Recipe contributed to: http://www.rickiheller.com/2013/11/wellness-weekend-november-14-18-2013/#more-21218

 http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2013/11/13/paleo-aip-recipe-roundtable-3/

 http://allergyfreecookery.blogspot.com/2013/11/its-linky-party_15.html

Punkinormous sandwich cookies

I love butternut squash. Wake me when the cookies are ready!

What's not to love about winter squash? My personal favorite is butternut. One serving contains almost 500 percent daily value of Vitamin A, 52 percent of Vitamin C and 15 percent of magnesium. Of course, it also tastes delicious and makes a great puree to use in desserts, like these Punkinormous Sandwich Cookies. Yes, you can use any kind of winter squash in these, including pumpkin, and they are friendly to the paleo autoimmune protocol (AIP).

Punkinormous Sandwich Cookies

Here's what you need:

For the cookies:
1 1/2 cups squash puree, such as pumpkin or butternut
1 cup coconut flakes
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup coconut flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
other spices, as desired
stevia, to taste

For the filling:

1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (such as Natural Value because it comes in a BPA-free can with no added ingredients
1 T. each, coconut butter and coconut oil (softened)
stevia, to taste
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (alcohol-free)

Here's what you do:

Mix all the cookie ingredients in a food processor and pulse until blended. Shape 6-8 large cookies and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the cookies in the fridge until firmed up.

In the meantime, make the filling. Put all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until blended and thickened.

Assemble the cookies by putting a tablespoon of filling between two halves. Return to the fridge to firm up. Cookies can be stored in the freezer but will need to thaw out slightly before eating.

I can sleep like a baby after eating butternut squash.

Recipe contributed to: http://wholenewmom.com/traditional-tuesday/real-food-to-heal-the-thyroid-chocolate-pumpkin-brownies-pumpkies-pumpkin-hummus-apple-cinnamon-gummies-diy-tater-tots/

 http://www.glutenfreecat.com/2013/10/raw-foods-thursdays-halloween-edition-2013/

 http://www.rickiheller.com/2013/10/wellness-weekend-october-31-november-4-2013/#more-21083

 http://allergyfreecookery.blogspot.com/2013/11/its-linky-party.html

Blueberry coconut cups, paleo and raw

Blueberry coconut cups

It's Day 19 of the paleo autoimmune protocol (AIP), an elimination diet to help individuals with autoimmune diseases detect hidden food sensitivities that may be contributing to symptoms. I'm almost two-thirds through the 30 days.

This diet restricts many foods, including grains, seeds/nuts or butters,dairy and eggs, that are frequently used in desserts. What do I turn to for an occasional treat? Berries (especially blueberries), coconut in all forms (flakes, coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut butter and coconut flour), avocadoes, pears and stevia. I know it's not a long list but you can come up with some tasty treats. It doesn't hurt to get an inspiration from someone else as I did with my Blueberry Coconut Cups at
  http://detachedandconnected.tumblr.com/post/64889167720/blueberry-studded-coconut-crunch-cups

 

The original recipe contained nuts, which are off limits. I subbed lots of coconut.

Here's what you need for 6 cups:

For the crust: 1/2 cup coconut flakes, stevia to taste, 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract, 2 T. each coconut butter and coconut oil, 1 T. coconut flour

For the filling: 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (Natural Value in BPA-free can and nothing added or homemade), vanilla extract 1/2 tsp., stevia to taste, 2 T. each coconut butter and coconut oil, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1 T. coconut flour

Here's what you do:

In a medium bowl, mix the crust ingredients. The coconut butter and coconut oil will need to be softened. Press the crust into the bottoms of a six cupcake cells. Stick the pan in the fridge or freezer to harden the crust.

Make the filling by putting all your ingredients, except blueberries, in a food processor. Blend until smooth.

 Now, stir in the blueberries. Divide the filling evenly among the cupcake section. Allow the cupcake cups to firm up for several hours in the fridge. If frozen, the coconut cups will need to be taken out early to thaw out a bit. Garnish with additional blueberries and softened coconut butter for an amazing dessert!

Give me one of those coconut cups, now!

 http://www.rickiheller.com/2013/10/wellness-weekend-october-24-28-2013

 http://www.glutenfreecat.com/2013/10/raw-foods-thursday-october-24-2013/

 http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2013/11/06/paleo-aip-recipe-roundtable-2/

Raw cinnabon bites

Hiking the Boulder-Louie Lake Loop in the Payette National Forest.

Backpacking is one of my favorite late spring, summer and early fall activities. But in late fall, I prefer day hiking. You get to enjoy all the scenery, even snow on the ground, but avoid sleeping in a tent in frigid temperatures.

On a recent hiking/kayaking trip, I packed along raw cinnabon bites, free of grains, nuts/seeds, and in compliance with the paleo autoimmune protocol (AIP). I have reached day 16 of this 30-day elimination diet for individuals with autoimmune disease.

Cinnabon bites

Here's what you need:

2 T. coconut butter (organic and raw Artisana)
2 T. coconut oil
1/4 cup raw coconut flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1/8-1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, non-alcohol
vanilla stevia liquid, to taste
dash of sea salt
glaze: 1 T. coconut butter + 1 T. coconut oil

Here's what you do:

Soften 2 T. each coconut butter and oil. Place in a food processor, along with coconut flour, cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract, stevia and coconut milk. Pulse to mix into a sturdy dough. Shape into 6 balls. Place in the fridge to firm up.

Once the cinnabons are firm, dip them in a glaze, made from 1 T. each softened coconut oil and coconut butter. Return the cinnabon bites to the fridge until glaze firms up.

 

Eat the cinnabon bites as they are or use to garnish a pumpkin spice smoothie, as pictured below.

Get the recipe for the paleo pumpkin smoothie at http://www.tessadomesticdiva.com

Kayaking in McCall, Idaho

Submitted to: http://www.rickiheller.com/2013/10/wellness-weekend-october-24-28-2013/#more-20999
 http://allergyfreecookery.blogspot.com/2013/10/its-linky-party_25.html

 http://www.glutenfreecat.com/2013/10/raw-foods-thursday-october-24-2013/

 http://wholenewmom.com/traditional-tuesday/real-food-to-heal-the-thyroid-chocolate-pumpkin-brownies-pumpkies-pumpkin-hummus-apple-cinnamon-gummies-diy-tater-tots/

http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2013/10/30/paleo-aip-recipe-roundtable-1/

Carrot cake kale chips with coconut butter frosting

Out kayaking on a windy afternoon

I went kayaking! My son gave me a quick lesson and off I went with an inflatable kayak into choppy water. The water sloshed into my little "Firefly" but I kept on paddling. It was great fun except for our encounter with the government shutdown.

What did our kayaking adventure have to do with the government shutdown? We have a lake about 8 miles from our home but it's part of a national wildlife refuge and was closed because of the government shutdown. We didn't know that when we headed out to this nearby lake. Talk about a downer when we discovered it was closed. We were thirsting for kayaking so we drove 100 miles round trip to reach another body of water. What do you think? Should the government compensate us for our extra gas?

Carrot cake kale chips with coconut butter frosting

I had a choppy start to my first kayaking trip but after paddling around for a few hours everything seemed right with the world. Things got even better when I made some Carrot Cake Kale Chips with Coconut Butter Frosting.

 Here's what you need:

2 medium carrots, peeled and steamed
1 bunch kale
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 T. softened coconut oil
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 T. coconut flakes
vanilla stevia, to taste
coconut frosting: 2 T. coconut butter and 2 T. coconut oil

Here's what you do:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Note: As an option, you also could use a dehydrator and raw carrots. Steam and cool carrots. Wash and tear kale into bite-sized pieces. Place the kale in a large bowl.

Puree the carrots with coconut milk, cinnamon, coconut oil, stevia and 1 T. coconut flakes in a food processor. Massage the carrot mixture into the kale with your hands. Try to make sure all the kale pieces are covered.

Place on several large baking sheets covered with parchment paper. Sprinkle with additional coconut flakes and cinnamon, if desired. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes or until kale is crispy.

To serve, place some of the chips on a plate and drizzle with softened coconut butter.

Yes, it was that good!!!!!

Recipe contributed to:
http://www.rickiheller.com/2013/10/wellness-weekend-october-17-21-2013/#more-20950

http://wholenewmom.com/traditional-tuesday/pumpkin-caramel-swirl-brownies-pumpkin-whoopie-pies-sweet-potato-cupcakes-chocolate-pumpkin-brownies-and-kfc-coleslaw-sf/ 

 http://www.glutenfreecat.com/2013/10/raw-foods-thursday-october-24-2013/