When you're almost out of almond flour...

In this house, it is a BAD thing.

But, when almost out of almond flour, have hope.  And scones.  Or something.


Raisin Scones   Pancakes   PanScones
(I say they're scones, the children say they're pancakes that don't need syrup)


Ingredients
1 cup raisins
3 apples, cored (I use granny smith)
6 eggs
1/2 c sugar
1 T cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/3 c brown rice flour
1/2 cup butter

Method
Preheat oven to 325°.  Line a pan with parchment paper.

Put all the ingredients in a food processor.  Whirl it for AT LEAST 5 minutes, or until everything is completely pureed. Dollop about 1/3 cup batter onto prepared pan, bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until done.  Let cool on the pan, or quickly invert the pan onto a cooling ran.  Either way, they are too soft to remove with a spatula while they are warm.

Makes about 20 PanScones
17 gms carbohydrate per scone, 3 gms starch per scone

mmmm, peanut butter

What do you get when you take THIS:



plus THIS?


You get THIS.


Peanut Butter Surprise Muffins
Ingredients
6 eggs
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup peanut butter chips
peanut butter

Method
Beat eggs until thick and light-colored. Whisk in coconut flour. Add butter, almond flour, light cream, vanilla, sugar, and baking soda. Whisk well to blend. Add peanut butter chips.

Place a scant 1/2 cup of batter into muffin tins. Place about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter on top of each muffin, and press lightly into the batter. You just want to push it down a tiny bit so that it doesn't slide off when it hits the heat of the oven, you're not pushing it all the way into the batter.

Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until done. Makes approximately 18 muffins, with about 1 gram of starch each.

Starch Free Fauxtmeal

This recipe is totally cool, mostly because it's not a recipe. But it has a great photo, so there's that, at least.




Fauxtmeal (faux-t-meal)
TVP (plain, non-flavored)
Milk (whatever kind floats your boat)
sugar (or stevia or agave or whatever you like)**
cinnamon or other spices
fruit, perhaps, or raisins, or anything else you can think of**


Combine equal parts TVP and milk. Add sugar and spice(s) and fruit to taste... all of this is completely optional. Add whatever you like!!! Place the whole lot in a cake pan or a pie plate or a 9x13 pan or any pan that you like. The only important part is that your mixture should be somewhere around an inch thick.

Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, or until done. Add extra liquid when serving if you prefer your oatmeal to have that "soupy" quality.

That's it, and that is a non-recipe recipe if I ever saw one! Oh, and it's starch free.

*remember, honey has maltose, so don't use that if you're maltose-intolerant
** don't be silly and add potatoes or taro with your raisins, 'cause then it's not starch-free anymore

-----------------------------
After I posted this recipe, it occurred to me that some people might not know what TVP is. For this recipe, it's important to get the Plain variety, because it can come in different flavors, and I don't imagine that chicken- or beef-flavored oatmeal would be very tasty. I get mine in the bulk bins of my local WholeFoodMart, but Bob's Red Mill sells it in ~1lb packages.

Here is a linky to Bob's TVP on their website:
Bob's TVP

Apple Fritters, yo!

So I was at the store getting some milk...isn't that how all good love stories start?

...Anyway, so I was at the store getting some milk when out of the corner of my eye this unassuming little package beckoned. Bedecked with a garish orange sign, it was proclaimed that Apple Fritters Were on Sale!!

I picked up the package. Mulled it over, put it back. Thought about it some more, picked it up...

oh, I really wanted some apple fritters!

Then it occurred to me that I could just make some. And while they wouldn't have a shelf-life of at least a week, with any luck and a bit of skill that wouldn't matter. I grabbed my milk and high-tailed it out of the store and into the kitchen and Apple-y Frittery Heaven.

Apple Fritters

Ingredients
1 1/2 qts oil, for frying
3 cups chopped apples, use a good mix of sweet and tart
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 teaspoon coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar

Cinnamon Sugar

"Powered" Sugar Glaze
bakers or superfine sugar
vanilla extract
milk

Method
Beat eggs well. Whisk in coconut flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Mix in almond flour. Stir in apples. Let batter rest 5-10 minutes before frying for best results.

Heat the oil to 350-375° Using a scoop or some other implement, place 1/4c to 1/3c dollops of batter into the oil. Don't crowd the pan or the oil temp will drop too much and they'll be greasy. Fry about 5 minutes or until they are the dark golden (well, light-ish brown) and cooked through.

Remove cooling rack and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, glaze, or both.

To make the glaze: To about 1 cup of superfine sugar add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla (or to taste) and enough milk to make a thick glaze. Use a spoon to drizzle over the fritters, if desired.



This recipe makes about 2 dozen, depending on size. I'm not sure because I ran several "quality checks" and I lost count.

They are totally- no kidding, totally- starch free.
*see this post regarding possible starch content in the apples.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

Hi Blog! Long time no... well... write, I guess. I know that's completely my fault. There's been this annoying thing called a thesis that has been taking up all my time, and also a bit of the flu. Anyway....


There is no actual pie in these muffins. There isn't any oatmeal either. There is pumpkin, and there are raisins.... and effectively no starch.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

Ingredients

6 eggs
1/2 cup ground flax seed/meal
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon *each* allspice, nutmeg, ground cloves
4 cups almond flour
1 15ounce can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups raisins
1 teaspoon baking soda

Method

Add eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer (a hand mixer also works, but it may take longer). Using a whisk attachment, beat at high speed for at least 5 minutes, or until the eggs are lighter, foamy, and have doubled in size. Add flax meal, beat another 2 minutes or so. Add sugar, beat another 2-5 minutes. **

Add pumpkin, beat a minute or so, then add almond flour.

As soon as the almond flour is completely incorporated, add the butter, and vanilla. Then add the raisins. After the raisins are completely incorporated, add the baking soda and salt. Beat just long enough to incorporate the last two ingredients.

Bake at 325° for 25 minutes or until done.

**It may seem like nothing is happening, but all this whisking time is adding air to the batter, helping to ensure that the muffins are nice and light.

Disappearing Act

Thesis writing is not the funnest thing in the world. Funnest isn't a real word.

Both of these things are cured by Cinnamon Rolls.






Cinnamon Rolls

These have a different form than traditional cinnamon rolls out of necessity, but they have all the important components: roll, filling, and frosting. And they are scrumptious.

Ingredients

Roll
6 eggs
1/3 c butter, melted and cooled
1/2 c sugar
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3 c almond flour

Filling
1/2 c sugar
1 T cinnamon
2 T whipping cream

Frosting
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 t vanilla

Method
Beat eggs until light colored and foamy. Slowly beat in sugar and butter. Add remaining ingredients, and beat on high for 30 seconds. Portion into muffin cups.

Combine filling ingredients and place into a zip-top bag. Pipe a small amount into the center of each muffin. Bake at 325° for 25-30 minutes.

While muffin/rolls are baking, place cream cheese and butter into a mixing bowl and beat until fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients, and beat on high several minutes until frosting is fluffy.

Place frosting into a zip-top bag, and pipe onto muffin/rolls. Then, watch them disappear.

Best of all, there is NO starch in these cinnamon rolls.

Left to Right: Unfrosted, Frosted, and one showing off its yummy filling.

Innumerable Berry Pancakes

My children are not big breakfast eaters. Around here, lunch has always been the biggest meal of the day. With that in mind, this is a typical conversation that we have when these pancakes are on the agenda.

me: "Children! Breakfast is Ready!"
chorus: I'm nooottt huuungry
me: "Just have one pancake"
chorus: sigh.... "ooookkaaay"
....
Over a dozen eggs, innumerable "Can I have more please!" and 4 batches of pancakes later, I always end up rethinking the wisdom of that conversation when I make these pancakes.

So if you plan to make these, I'd advise that you have plenty of time and ingredients on hand.



Berry Pancakes

Ingredients
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 eggs
4 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup milk

1/2 bag frozen berries, about 6 ounces (any berries work, chop them slightly to ensure that no berries or berry pieces are larger than about 1/4")

Method
Whisk together all ingredients except the berries. Fold in the berries.

Cook on Med/MedLow (about level "4" on my stove) for about 5 minutes on side, flip and cook for about 2 minutes on the other side.

"buttermilk" muffins

Doughnuts in muffin form.

What else is there to say?

"Buttermilk" Muffins

ingredients
3 cups almond flour
1/2 cup oat flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup lemon juice

method
Separate the eggs, and beat the whites until stiff peaks form. Add the remaining ingredients, including the yolks. Fold gently, but mix well.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until done. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen muffins.

There are approximately 3 grams of starch per muffin.

Giant Cranberry Cookies

These giant morsels of awesome are somewhere between a giant cookie and a scone- perfect for breakfast, snacks, dessert, or just because. They are not too sweet and wonderfully coconutty, with just a hint of cranberry. Best of all, these are really easy!



Giant Cranberry Cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
4 eggs
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract, optional
3/4 cup craisins

2 cups almond flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 scant teaspoon salt
1/4 cup craisins
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Method
Preheat oven to 325°

Combine the first seven ingredients in the bowl of a food processor- blend until pureed.

In a second bowl, mix together the last five ingredients. Add the craisin paste, mix well.

On parchment lined pan, place 1/4 cup scoops of batter 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 20 minutes, cool for 2-3 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. You could also make these a more traditional cookie size. To do that, place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter a couple inches apart, and bake at 350° for about 10 minutes or until done. Either way, Enjoy!

Doughnut Pancakes

Okay, Doughnuts aren't really Good for you.

My taste buds take issue with that statement.

Thus, a dilemma.

After my son was diagnosed with his starch intolerance, we started to try many different pancake variations, as you can see on this blog. Over time, we started to view pancakes as flat-round-tasteless-vehicles-for-syrup. Sometimes, our quest for THE pancake resulted in a happy accident.

We recently had another happy accident. The pancakes look like yellow-box starch-filled vehicles for maple-flavored corn syrup, but they taste...

like....

(cue angels singing)

DOUGHNUTS.

Yes, my friends. You too can bring doughnuts back into your life. Let me show you how.

Doughnuts

Ingredients

6 eggs, separated
1 TBSP butter
1 8oz package cream cheese
1/4 cup flax seed meal
2 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
dash salt

Method

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

In another bowl, warm the cream cheese slightly with the butter (I use the microwave, and mine only needs about 15 seconds). Add the egg yolks, and mash everything together really well with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the egg whites).

After the eggs are ready, whisk in the cream cheese mixture.

Warm your pan or griddle or other cooking surface to medium-low.

Ladel or scoop or spoon (or even levitate, if you're into that kind of thing) approximately 1/3 cup batter onto your pan. Cook a few minutes on each side or until golden brown. If you cook them too quickly, they won't cook through so make sure that your temperature is low enough. The best way to do this is to make about half a dozen, eating each to ensure your pan is cooking them consistently.

Makes about 6 pancakes, plus about 6 "tester" pancakes.

Awesome Chocolate Chip Bread

This is a delicious version of a chocolate chip quick bread, and it almost is like a coffee cake. Not too sweet, it makes an excellent breakfast treat- even the "starch eaters" around here devour it!

Chocolate Chip Bread

Bowl #1
6 egg whites

Bowl #2
6 egg yolks
1 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

Bowl #3
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown rice flour or oat flour**
2 1/2 cups almond flour

Bowl #4
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips


Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.

Beat egg whites to stiff peaks in a large bowl. Add the contents of bowl #2, then add the contents of bowl #3. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips. Bake for 25 minutes until lightly golden brown. Cool in the pan at least 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

**I don't always add the rice or oat flour.  Sometimes I leave it out completely, and though the texture is a little softer, the bread is still quite yummy.

Makes about 12 servings, about 2" square. Each serving has ~4 grams of starch, unless you omit the rice/oat flour and then it is effectively starch free.


----
Update 4-1-2012

After months and months (and months!) of making this almost everyday, I've streamlined the process a little. You can make it as written, or:

Place eggs (not separated) in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip until doubled, light colored, and thicken. This should take about 5 minutes.

Add all the other ingredients except the chocolate chips. Whip on high for about a minute. Add the chocolate chips, whip for about 30 seconds.

Place the batter in a parchment-lined pan and bake as directed.

Apple Dutch Baby

This is a really yummy cake/pancake/coffee cake. It's not overly sweet if you use a tart apple, and is nicely filling with the protein from the almond meal. It doesn't taste at all like a raisin bread, even though there is a full cup of raisins in the cake. The raisins help stabilize the cake, and add a very subtle flavor.

There are two options given for sweetening the topping. Honey is rather high in maltose, and if you opt to use honey there is over 300 mg of maltose per serving. If maltose or honey isn't an issue, either sweetener is delicious. If you have trouble with either maltose or honey, I'd recommend using the brown sugar option.


(Shown made with a mixture of Jonagold and Granny Smith Apples, brown sugar mixture used to sweeten topping)

Apple Dutch Baby

Pancake:
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup flax seed
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine


Topping:
4 large apples, diced
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon cornstarch or tapioca starch
*1/2 cup honey
*2 teaspoons cold water
OR
*1/3 cup brown sugar
*scant 1/4 cup white sugar
*1 tablespoon cold water

Directions:
Preheat at 300 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, combine the almond meal, flax seed, sugar, xantham gum and baking soda. In a food processor, puree raisins and eggs. Combine raisin puree, almond mixture and milk, mix until smooth.

Place butter in a 10-in. ovenproof skillet. Heat tilt over medium heat until butter is melted, swirl pan to coat bottom and sides. Pour batter into hot skillet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and center is cooked through. Let pancake rest at least 10 minutes before topping with apple mixture.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, saute apples in butter until lightly browned. Combine topping ingredients, add to apple mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and slightly syrupy. Set aside until pancake is ready.

To serve: Spoon topping over pancake, cut into 8 slices.

There is just under one gram of starch per serving when made with cornstarch, slightly more if you substitute tapioca starch. If you omit the cornstarch and choose to thicken the topping by simmering it for a few minutes, it is effectively starch free, though not entirely starch free as the raisins add about 4.5 grams of starch to the recipe (approximately 1/2 gram of starch per serving).

Crepes...

... more or less.


I tried to cook these on the stove similar to pancakes. However, they were just too fragile and didn't hold up. Baking them in the oven solved this. You may notice that this is very similar to my recipe for strawberry shortcake. In fact, aside from the fillings and the time of day that you'd typically serve them, they are nearly the same. The base "cake" (that was invented when I was trying to make a new version of pancakes) is very versatile!

Crepes

Crepe Base

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 Tbsp butter (melted)
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp xantham gum
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 cup potato flour (not starch)
1/8 cup flax seed
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking soda

Filling
6 ounces marscapone cheese (you can modify this amount somewhat based on the package size available)
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
sugar, to taste (about a tablespoon is probably plenty)

Fresh fruit of your choice


Preheat oven to 350°. Line one 13x19 jelly roll pans with parchment paper.

Combine the liquid ingredients. Slowly whisk in the flours. Whisk in the flax seed, let batter rest for 10-15 minutes. Whisk in the baking soda, pour into prepared pan, spread into a thin layer.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until done. It should be cooked through (a toothpick tester should have no crumbs) but it should not have browned very much.

Invert pan onto a cooling rack, leave parchment on cake and let cool. When cool, remove parchment.

While the crepe base is cooling, using a stand mixer or a heavy-duty whip marscapone, cream cheese, vanilla and sugar until fluffy. Be careful not to add too much sugar- this shouldn't be a sweet filling.


To assemble:

Cut crepe base into nice sections. Place one section on a plate, top with filling and fresh fruit. Fold in half, serve.

Makes 9 servings, with 2.5 grams of starch per serving (depending on filling choice).

Pear "Pancakes"

Looking at the ingredient list, one might think that this is really an omelet. However, though it doesn't taste like a Bisquick-style pancake it tastes more like like a pancake than anything else. While it's in a category of its own, it's delicious and I hope you'll love it as much as we do! It is also delicious made with a granny smith apple (our most frequently served version) and I think it might be really yummy made with plums as well.

Pear Pancakes

1 pear, slightly under ripe
2 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract


Grate pear, and squeeze all the juice you can out of the grated pear, discard juice. In separate bowl, beat eggs well. Add the remaining ingredients, beat well. Stir in grated pear.

In a large heavy saute pan, heat a small amount of oil over medium heat(if you are using a non-stick pan you need just a scant amount). Pour in egg mixture, and pat/press mixture into an even layer about 1/2" thick. It will be about 7" in diameter.

Cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes or until nicely browned. Flip, carefully, and cook another 3 minutes or until browned on the other side. Serve with syrup, jam, sour cream, or just plain.

Pancakes

Once you make these, you'll never miss starchy pancakes again. These are best in a 10 to 12 inch cast iron pan, though a heavy non-stick or a well oiled stainless steel pan also works fine. These pancakes are completely starch free too! I alternate these with the Coconutty Pancakes- my kiddos love both versions.

Pancakes
6 eggs, divided
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons flax meal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon maple extract


Set pan over medium-low heat while you prepare the batter.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, add egg yolks and remaining ingredients and beat for 15 seconds.

Pour into pan, cook for 5-8 minutes. Run a butter knife along the edge of pancake to release it, place a plate upside down over the top of the pan as if it were a lid. Holding plate and pan firmly together, flip, and slide pancake back into pan (you've now placed the uncooked side down).

Cook another 5 minutes or until done. Use a sharp knife and cut into 3-6 pieces, serve.

(unknown)

Carrot Cake.... scones?

I'm not sure what to call these. Scones? Cookies? Biscuits? Any of those labels could fit, but not perfectly. Send me your name suggestions so these little bits of carroty goodness can finally have a name!



Carrot Cake Scones
(working title, to be changed when I have a better name)

4 eggs
1 cup raisins, divided
5-6 carrots
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place eggs and 1/2 cup raisins in a food processor. Puree.

Peel and grate carrots. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the grated carrots. Add 1/2 cup of the grated carrots to the raisin/egg puree, puree completely.

In a mixing bowl, combine grated carrots, remaining raisins, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Add puree, mix well. Place about 1/2 cup of batter onto parchment lined baking sheets, bake at 325° for 15-20 minutes or until they are no longer sticky to the touch. Let cool about 5 minutes before serving.

These are delicious served plain, but they would be yummy with a simple cream cheese glaze.

Breakfast cookies

Mmmm, when you have cookies for breakfast how can you go wrong? These are relatively healthy, about as healthy as any of the muffins or pancakes you'll find here (and much healthier than any "store-bought" muffins). They are also a great snack or addition to a lunch meal- slightly sweet and very satisfying.

For these cookies, a stand mixer is nice, but not a necessity. However, a food processor or a blender is a must. There are about 2 grams of starch per delicious cookie.



Yummy Breakfast Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey or molasses or agave syrup
1 cup raisins
5 eggs, divided
3 cups almond flour
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon guar gum
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
1 cup dried coconut (non-sweetened works best)
1/2 cup craisins (dried sweetened cranberries, any dried fruit works well)
1/2 cup chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 275°, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer until fluffy. Add honey, 3 of the eggs and the flax seed, beat well.

Meanwhile, combine the raisins and the remaining 2 eggs in the work bowl of a food processor or a blender, and puree until a paste is formed (it does not need to be completely smooth, but the smoother the better). You can add a small amount of water or milk to the paste during this step if needed, but don't add more than about 1/8 of a cup.

Add raisin paste to the butter/egg mixture, beat well. Add next 8 ingredients, mix for 2-5 minutes until well combined.

Add final 3 ingredients, mix well.


Drop 1/4 cup batter onto parchment lined pans, flattening slightly, and spacing cookies at least 3" apart. Bake at 275° for 25 minutes (250° for 30 minutes if using agave) and remove to a cooling rack. Cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. These cookies will only keep about 24 hours in a tightly sealed container, and are best eaten the same day.

My kids haven't found this to be a problem. :)

Coconutty Pancakes

These pancakes are O-M-G good. I grew up on Bisquick pancakes, and these pancakes put the yellow box to shame. They are better than any pancakes (starch free, gluten free, or "regular") that I've ever made.

But the real test....

I made these for my carb-loving "weird" food disliking picky husband.

And he loved them.


I have one comment about these before you get started: Without the starch helping to hold these together they are a bugger to turn over. It helps to have the temperature low so they cook slower, it helps to have a wide spatula, and it helps to have a lot of space between them as they cook. But the biggest thing that helps is to have a metal spatula instead of a non-stick one, and to work fast. Think of that trick with the magician pulling a table cloth off a table without disturbing the place settings- you're doing that in reverse. And non-stick or coated spatulas tend to get caught up, so try to use a thin, flexible, metal spatula.

Something like this Spatula (brand doesn't matter, of course).

Anyway, on to the recipe!

Coconutty Pancakes

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/8 cup brown rice flour
5 eggs
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2/3 tsp guar gum (1/2 tsp plus a scant 1/4 tsp, if you don't have this size measuring spoon)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 tsp vanilla creme stevia
OR
1 Tbsp sugar plus 1 tsp vanilla extract


Combine all ingredients except buttermilk, mix very well, ideally with a whisk. Add half of the buttermilk, mix very well. Repeat with the remaining buttermilk. Even if you are using a stand mixer, adding the milk slowly will help prevent lumps and the batter becoming too thin as a result.

Let the batter rest a minute or two while you preheat the pan.

Preheat pan to medium-low.

Pour about 1/4 cup batter into pan, cook for about 5 minutes before turning. These pancakes will not be dry-looking or be covered with bubbles like regular pancakes, so you'll just have to make a few to determine the best cooking time for your particular stove.

Flip (see note about flipping these pancakes above) and cook another 3-5 minutes. They should be golden, just like a "regular" pancake.

Serve, ideally with my mom's peach cobbler syrup... if you can get some. :)

Makes about 1 dozen pancakes, each pancake has 1.17 grams of starch.

Almost Oatmeal

There is no need to give up oatmeal just because you can't have starch. This recipe falls between traditional oatmeal and rice pudding, and it's just plain delicious.

Almost Oatmeal

2C TVP granules
1/4 cup flax seed (optional, makes it more creamy)
1 quart milk or water
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon maple extract (or to taste)

Optional add-ins:
raisins
craisins
dried blueberries
chunky applesauce (our favorite, decrease the liquid by up to one cup)


Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a simmer and reduce heat to med/low. Simmer about 40 minutes, until done. Add more milk and stir more often during cooking if you prefer your "oatmeal" creamier. This can be made the night before by putting all the ingredients in the crockpot and setting it on low, though I've only used this method with water. The longer and slower it cooks the more it resembles "regular" oatmeal.

Ridiculous Chocolate Chip Muffins

These are totally starch free. These are totally fantastic. They taste Just Like Regular Muffins.

Seriously.

I'm not kidding.

They are ridiculously good.



Chocolate Chip Muffins

1/2 cup butter
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup flax seed
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour (Bob's Red Mill works the best)
3/4 cup sugar*
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon guar gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt
1 cup mini chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 300°.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter, add eggs, vanilla, and flax seed.

Add almond flour and sugar, mix until slightly fluffy.

Add baking powder, baking soda, sugar, guar gum and salt. Mix very well.

Add buttermilk alternating with coconut flour, beat until fluffy. Add chocolate chips, mix well.

Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin cups. Bake 20-30 minutes or until done, rotating pans after 10 minutes. Let cool in muffin pans 5-10 minutes before enjoying. Makes 3 dozen.

* We prefer our muffins on the not-so-sweet side. If you prefer your muffins sweeter, increase sugar (or stevia equivalent) to a generous cup. Follow all other directions as written.

** If you read this recipe in the first few days of its posting, you might notice that I made a small change to the directions. After another dozen batches, I decided that it would work better if I added the coconut flour later. The ingredients are exactly the same.