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.

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.

Starch Free Granola Bars

Commercial Granola Bars are full of... Granola. Which is made of oats. Which is full of starch (and often gluten too).

Bummer.

But my kids kept asking, and I persevered, and so I present to you....

Starch Free Granola Bars!!! Which, granted, aren't granola bars because they don't have any granola, but I'm a baker and not a namer-of-things.

Before you start, be sure to read the recipe through carefully, and do ALL the prep work ahead of time.




Starch Free....Bars

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup water
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

12-16 ounces of mixed nuts
24 ounces of dried fruit (I used apricots and cranberries)

1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional

butter or oil

Method
Coarsely chop the nuts and fruits, place into a large bowl. Measure out the chocolate chips, set aside.

Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.

Butter a cutting board, or a the backside of a smaller sheet pan. Set aside.

Get a large bowl scraper or spoon, set aside with the parchment-lined pan.

Place the first 5 ingredients into a 3 qt pot. Use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature, and cook to 300°. Watch carefully and do not go above 300° (soft crack stage). Remove the thermometer.

Working very, very quickly, pour the fruit and nuts into the sugar, stir well, and pour onto the parchment-lined pan. Press flat with the buttered cutting board.

If desired, sprinkle chocolate chips over the bars, and press again with the board (no need to butter it again).

Let cool about 5 minutes, no longer, and cut into bars with a pizza cutter or a sharp knife. Let cool completely, and store in an airtight container.

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.

"Granola" Bars

1 lb (approximately 1 1/3 cups) honey**
8 ounces sesame seed
6 ounces golden flax seed (whole seeds, not meal)
2 ounces hemp seed
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/8 teaspoon orange extract
6 ounces dried fruit (I used a "berry blend")

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface.

Combine honey and orange peel in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil (the longer you boil it the more firm the bars will be). Add seeds stir well- as soon as it returns to a boil stir in orange extract and pour onto parchment. Spread it out until it is approximately 1/4" thick, sprinkle dried fruit over top and press it into the seed mixture. Be careful it's hot- use a silicone spatula or some other tool for this.

Let cool to room temperature. Leave on parchment and cut into pieces. Peel off parchment when you serve it.

Variations- you can leave out the fruit, or change the seed ratio, or add other "toppings" like chocolate or peanut butter chips. You can also change, or omit, the peel/extract combo, or use a strongly flavored honey to change the flavor. There are as many variations as you could imagine!

Here are some ideas:
Replace fruit with 1/3 cup each peanut butter, semisweet, and white chocolate chips

Omit extract, replace fruit with 1/3 cup each cranberries and chocolate chips.

Omit extract and peel. Add 1 teaspoon "apple pie spice". With seeds, stir in 6-8 ounces chopped dried apple. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup caramel chips.

**While this is starch free, it is very high in maltose. If you have difficulty with honey or maltose, agave syrup is a good substitute.

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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.

Open-faced Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Apple

My kiddos call these sandwiches "Applies" for short. They are much more filling than they first appear, and quite delicious. It's important to cook these on parchment paper or a silicone mat to prevent them from sticking to the pan.

Open Faced Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

"Bread"
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
2 eggs
1-2 tablespoons milk, more as needed

Toppings
1 Granny Smith Apple, cored and thinly sliced
4 oz. Cacique Quesadilla cheese, white cheddar cheese, or other cheese of your choice, diced


Preheat oven to 250°, line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Combine all bread ingredients, dough should the consistency of mashed potatoes. Divide into thirds, spread thinly on prepared pan- each circle should be approx. 6 inches in diameter.

Bake for 20 minutes or until bread is firm to the touch and very lightly browned. Remove from oven, set oven to broil.

Spread one third of apples and cheese over each bread circle. Place under broiler just until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 1-2 minutes (watch extra carefully if using parchment paper).

My children especially love this when I serve it with strawberry yogurt for dipping.

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. :)

Witches Fingers

These are fantastic party favors for any Halloween-themed party. They are based on Cheese Crackers, and everyone- including starch and gluten will ooh and aah and love these! There are about 1.7 grams of starch per "finger".




Witches Fingers

6 ounces butter
4 eggs
10 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated (white or orange)
½ cup oat flour
½ cup coconut flour
1 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Pepperoni slices or sliced almonds
½ teaspoon rosemary (optional, for a more grown-up version)

Preheat oven to 300°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Beat butter in a stand mixer until soft. Add oat and coconut flour, beat on medium speed 1-2 minutes. Add eggs, beat until fluffy (at least 2 minutes). Add almond flour, salt, baking powder, and cayenne if using. Mix on medium another 1-2 minutes, add cheese and mix another 1-2 minutes. The slow incorporation of ingredients and the long mixing time really helps to ensure that the crackers aren’t dense, so it is important not to skip these steps.
Take 1 tablespoon dough and roll it loosely into a finger shape. Don’t roll it perfectly because real fingers have knuckles, of course. Take 1 slice pepperoni and cut it into sixths, place a sliver of pepperoni onto the tip of the “finger” as a fingernail. Or, you can take slivered almonds, dye them red with food coloring, and use those as the "fingernail". Place a few leaves of rosemary on the knuckle if making the grown-up version. Bake 15-17 minutes or until done, make 3 dozen fingers.

Cheese Crackers

Long ago, my kids and I discovered a recipe for cheese crackers that were shaped like Pac-Man, and having to give up these (and other) crackers was very sad when we had to eliminate starches from our diet. After all, things like cheerios and goldfish crackers are practically a staple for small children! Although these crackers aren’t shaped like Pac-Man or a goldfish, they are so tasty that any kid (or grown-up) won’t care. There are about 1.7 grams of starch in each cracker.



Cheese Crackers

6 ounces butter
4 eggs
10 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated (white or orange)
½ cup oat flour
½ cup coconut flour
1 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for a more grown-up version)

Preheat oven to 300°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Beat butter in a stand mixer until soft. Add oat and coconut flour, beat on medium speed 1-2 minutes. Add eggs, beat until fluffy (at least 2 minutes). Add almond flour, salt, baking powder, and cayenne if using. Mix on medium another 1-2 minutes, add cheese and mix another 1-2 minutes. The slow incorporation of ingredients and the long mixing time really helps to ensure that the crackers aren’t dense, so it is important not to skip these steps.

Drop small mounds of batter onto pan, about 1 tablespoon’s worth for each cracker, flatten slightly. Alternately, use a #50 ice cream scoop. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until done, makes 3 dozen crackers. Try this with tomato soup... delish!!!