Welcome to my crazy world of real food cooking ...

Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Plants. -- Michael Pollan

I wish I could take credit for that because I think it sums up how we should eat. Simply -- eat stuff that really is food, instead of stuff that is food like substance. The supermarket is almost entirely food-like-substances, and, my friends, you should probably never ever eat them.

Fortunately, there is a world of deliciousness out there, and it can all be had in a way that not only doesn't harm your health, but in a way that benefits you hugely.

I think it's important to eat stuff that satisfies you, that keeps your blood sugar stable, and that gives you stuff your body really needs to run optimally.

But baby, it's gotta taste good.

I really like getting experimental in the kitchen. I love cooking, I love layering flavours, and I love coming up with really super yummy food. I have very strong opinions about what constitutes food, and there are a lot of things I won't touch in the kitchen. Bottom line? Pretty much everything I make is ridiculously good for you even if it tastes decadent. Although there are occasional big fat cheats ... but even those stick to real food, my friends.

For food that is usual gluten free, usually free of cane sugar, usually super low on the glycemic index, full of protein, fiber, flavour, and excellent energy, join me and Alice down the rabbit hole.

Every recipe on this blog is my own original effort and idea, so please pass 'em on, giving credit where credit is due.

Many thanks, and come back often. I'm really glad you are here!

:)

Wednesday 9 February 2011

Gluten Free Brownies Again -- Agave Free this time.



The recipe I posted last week for gluten free brownies, while delicious and gluten free, contains some agave. Now, it does only contain a couple of table spoons, but some people are very sensitive to many sweeteners, including agave. For this reason, I've come up with a gluten-free brownie recipe that uses a little coconut nectar, a little coconut sugar, and some dates for sweetness. The texture of these brownies is soft and fluffy and fudgey all at the same time, and they taste rich and chocolatey. For me personally, although I can't eat much agave before I feel it, the quantity in the baked goods I make doesn't usually have any ill-effects on me. However, if you are someone who tends to hypo or hyper glycemia, or if you are just quite sensitive to fructose, this second version might sit better with you.

I've changed the recipe in a few ways, because the flavour would necessarily be different with a different sweetener. I've increased the pecan meal, because pecans and dates do something magical when they are used together in a recipe that, while not quite alchemy, is more than the sum of its parts.

If agave is your sweetener of choice, then the first version is the one for you. But because different folks have different ingredients in their cupboards, and different likes, I'm leaving both recipes in. Enjoy!


ingredients:

14 pitted honey dates (1/2 cup packed)
6 pitted prunes (1/4 cup packed)
1 cup hot water

2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
2 tbsp coconut nectar
2 tbsp coconut sugar

2 xl organic eggs
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp ground vanilla bean, or 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp finely ground chia seeds

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp raw cacao powder

1/2 cup pecan meal
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup coconut flour


directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. pour the hot water over the prunes and dates in your mixing bowl and soak for 10 minutes
2. add the coconut oil, coconut nectar, and coconut sugar
3. puree with a stick blender until smooth
4. when cool enough, add the eggs and vinegar, and puree again
5. stir in the sea salt, cinnamon, and vanilla
6. add the chia seeds, and blend with the stick blender
7. mix in the raw cacao
8. mix in the pecan meal and almond meal
9. mix in the baking soda
10. mix in the coconut flour last
11. scoop the batter into 12 prepared muffin cups
12. sprinkle the tops with a little coconut sugar (optional)
13. bake at 345 for 30 minutes in the upper half of the oven
14. cool in the cups, and then remove to a cooling rack
15. store in an airtight container



3 comments:

stacey said...

Darn these brownies were so good that we went through the whole batch in 24 hours -- fast even for us. So good, that even someone who is not a brownie lover (like me) was dreaming of them. So good. Sooooo goooooood. I'm still dreaming of them now that they are gone ...

The Actors Space said...

I can vouch for how delicious these are. Stacey, you are a wonder. Completely fits into the Paleo diet...Thanks for the treat.

stacey said...

I'm delighted! I'll send you some links to other concoctions that should be okay too. Pretty much all of the gluten free baked goods use no grain ... Thanks so much for posting. Come over for tea some time :)