Peach and Blueberry Cobbler (SRC)

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Pies, cobblers, crisps…talk about comfort food! A sweet and cake-y or crumbly topping paired with a warm fruit filling make for the ideal combination of a flavors and textures that scream EAT ME NOW. Cobbler transports me back to vacation days at my grandparent’s in South Carolina…and my cousins, brother and I couldn’t wait to taste grandma’s homemade treat. Topped with her homemade peach ice cream, we all reached food nirvana (and a blissful sugar-induced coma)!

I was thrilled to be assigned Margaret’s Tea and Scones blog for the last hurrah for the Secret Recipe Club! It’s the final reveal for the club, and I want to all the hosts and members for making so many wonderful memories and fantastic recipes 🙂 For the finale, I couldn’t help but choose a “sweet ending” and a dish that evokes a huge heartfelt smile…so when I saw Margaret’s recipe for Peach Cobbler, I was sold.
Originally, I was deciding between Margaret’s Coconut and Salmon Laska Soup or her Chai Spice Scones yet a dessert seemed appropriate for this occasion, and I was not disappointed! I can’t wait to try other fruits and combos as well! A few other recipes that had me still loving fall flavors are her Sweet Potato Praline Brownies, Pumpkin Beer Bread and Sweet Potato Curry Puffs — there’s no denying winter squash and sweet taters are some of my favorite foods. They are most definitely on my list of dishes to try!

peach-blueberry-cobbler1

To make it allergen-friendly, I swapped out the all-purpose flour and whole wheat flours for a combo of oat flour and coconut flour to make it gluten-free. Margaret mentioned the cobbler needed to be a little sweeter so I opted for coconut sugar for the granulated sweetener and added some stevia to bump up the sweetness without a ton of added sugar. I also swapped non-dairy milk and butter-flavored coconut oil for the butter (and canola) to make it dairy-free. I had a few blueberries in the freezer and some leftover ground chia seeds so I tossed them in along with the frozen peaches for some added color, fiber and omega-3s. What a lovely recipe, the blueberry-peach reminded me so much of my sweet grandma! With these ingredients – oats, peaches, berries, coconut oil and chia…this made for a guilt-free yet decadent-tasting breakfast and a sweet AND satisfying dessert.

Peach and Blueberry Cobbler (adapted from Tea and Scones)
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Soy-free, Corn-free, Refined Sugar-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nut-free, Seed-free

Filling
3 large ripe peaches or 3 cups unsweetened frozen sliced peaches, diced into 1 inch cubes
2/3 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (or berries of choice or more peaches)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
4 tsp chia meal/ground chia seeds (or 2 tsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch)
1/8 tsp pure stevia and/or 3-4 tbsp granulated sweetener of choice

Topping
3/4 cup oat flour (I ground gluten-free rolled oats in a magic bullet)
2 Tbsp coconut flour (or 4 more Tbsp oat flour)
¼ cup coconut palm sugar or granulated sweetener of choice
15 drops vanilla-flavored liquid stevia or to taste (can use1/16 tsp powdered stevia or 3 more Tbsp granulated sweetener)
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
1/2 cup non-dairy milk of choice
3 Tbsp coconut oil (I used butter-infused) or earth balance, ghee (if you can tolerate dairy), melted
¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. To make the filling, if using fresh peaches, bring a 4-quart pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. With a paring knife, slice through each peach skin from end to end, but leave the peach intact. Place the peaches in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to the ice water for 30 seconds. Remove the skin from the peaches. Split the peaches in half, remove the pits, and slice each peach into 8 slices.

3. In a large bowl, toss together the sliced peaches, berries, lemon juice, cinnamon, and starch. Add the brown sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, to taste depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Pour the peach mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish.

4. To make the topping, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk, butter, and oil and stir to combine. Distribute spoonfuls of the batter over the peaches, leaving some patches uncovered. Sprinkle with the cinnamon. Bake until golden brown, 25-28 minutes.

Yields 4 large or 6 medium servings
peach-blueberry-cobbler-pan

To view other recipes from this month’s reveal, click the link below!

21Feb2016

Allergy-Friendly Grain-free Waffles (SRC)

Posted in Breads, Breakfast, Dessert, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

As a child, my mom made these Mickey Mouse waffles that I still remember to this day. The waffle iron was in the shape of Mickey’s face and my favorite part was saving his waffle ears to eat last and filling them up with lots of maple syrup…mmm! A good hearty breakfast is right up with there with pizza and brownies on my “top comfort foods list” and waffles are always included.

Not to mention, the smell of waffles cooking is deliciously intoxicating…how can you go wrong with this bread-like goodness that’s fluffy yet crisp on the edges? Plus, you can pile them with toppings from fruit and chocolate chips to savory options like crumbled bacon, scrambled eggs and/or a smear non-dairy cashew cheese (or shredded cheese). YUM!

Allergy-friendly Waffles with eggs

I was assigned Traci’s blog Burnt Apple this month for the Secret Recipe Club, and wow what a fun collection of recipes to search through! Not only does her site contain a delicious repertoire, Traci has a knack for “taking any meal and giving it a healthy makeover.” Her Healthy Pixie Sticks have me intrigued, photos of her gluten-free Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls had me salivating and her Dark Chocolate Thin Mints had dreaming if my old favorite Girl Scout cookies with a fun twist.

I ultimately chose these allergy friendly waffles since I’ve been in a bit of a breakfast funk and I was in the mood for comfort food. The fact that you can roll the waffles with a rolling pin to make a “waffle wrap” also caught my attention! These grain-free beauties use half coconut flour and half tapioca starch which boosts the fiber content, making them chock-ful of healthy fats and balanced carbs.

AIP version of Allergy-friendly Waffles without eggs
I opted to make two batches of waffles: I wanted to test each of Traci’s options – trying both the vegan/AIP (auto-immune protocol recipe) version without eggs and the paleo-friendly version with eggs to see what the difference was in the final product. When struggling with my own health and food allergies, I’ve experimented with AIP recipes so I wanted to give them both a shot. I’m so glad I came across this recipe, it’s a winner! I used coconut milk for the non-dairy milk, coconut oil for the fat and I substituted a sprinkle of stevia (to taste) instead of sugar in both recipes but stuck to the original recipe.

The waffles with eggs were delightful! Crisp on the edges, light and fluffy and filling with a touch of sweet 🙂 When I made the AIP-version of the waffles, they took much longer to cook in the waffle iron than the batter made with eggs, while delicious the result was more gummy and not fluffy like typical waffles. My bananas has light brown specks on them so I think a greenish yellow banana might be better since it’s more starchy and/or increase the amount of coconut flour by 1-2 Tbsp. I will give these a go again! I might even experiment with plantains instead of bananas since they are more starchy in general. Each batch makes about 8 waffles, so feel free to freeze any extras and just pop them into a toaster oven when you want a quick breakfast!

AIP version of Allergy-friendly Waffles without eggs

Allergy Friendly Waffles (lightly adapted from Burnt Apple)
Gluten-free, Grain-free, Soy-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free, Seed-free, Sugar-free, Paleo-friendly, Nightshade-free, Vegetarian, Egg-free option, AIP-option, Yeast-free, Vegan Option

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup non-dairy milk of choice (cow’s milk can be used if you tolerate but won’t be dairy-free)
3 eggs (AIP use two bananas in place of the eggs)
1 tbsp coconut sugar or sugar or a pinch of stevia*
1 tsp alcohol-free pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp coconut oil or neutral oil (can use melted ghee or butter but will not be dairy-free or AIP)
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt

For serving (optional, ideas)

Sliced bananas or fresh berries
Carob chips or chocolate chips or cacao nibs (not AIP-friendly unless homemade)
Maple syrup, drizzle of honey or your favorite jam or jelly
Your favorite nut or seed butter (not AIP-friendly)
Shredded coconut or coconut flakes
Nitrate-free bacon (not vegetarian) or coconut “bacon”
Coconut whipped “cream”

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and butter or oil until smooth. Add in the coconut flour, tapioca or arrowroot flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir just until smooth.
Heat waffle iron according to manufacturers instructions. Brush waffle iron with oil or butter. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of batter onto each waffle iron. (You may need to adjust the amount of batter depending on the size of your waffles). Close and cook according to manufacturers instructions.
Remove waffles from iron (if AIP batter is used, you may need a fork to carefully peel the waffles off the iron), serve immediately or allow waffles to cool to room temperature before placing in an airtight container or Ziploc bag.
To make waffle rollups: While waffle is warm, roll with a rolling pin until flat. Fill with bacon, scrambled eggs, veggies, fresh fruit or any other combination you like. Place toppings in a thin strip along the waffle. Roll up and serve.

Yield: 8 waffles

For AIP-friendly version notes: If your bananas are sweet and speckled with brown, you might consider eliminating the sweetener altogether if you prefer more savory waffles. As I mentioned above, when I made the AIP-version of the waffles, they took MUCH longer to cook in the waffle iron than the batter made with eggs. My bananas has light brown specks on them so a more green banana might be better since it’s more starchy or increase the amount of coconut flour by 1-2 Tbsp.

Grain-free waffles 2 Allergy-friendly Waffles with eggs

For other recipes in this week’s reveal, click the link below!

23Jul2015

(Almost) Instant Mint Berry Carob Bark

Posted in Dessert, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Do you need a quick sweet fix? I don’t know about you, but I can always use a little treat. How about a healthier treat that satisfies, tastes amazing and you can whip up in 5 minutes? Add the fact that this (almost) instant bark requires minimal ingredients and doesn’t require any baking.

mint berry carob bark1

Mint + Chocolate = a perfect pairing in my mind (Mint Chip Ice Cream anyone)? Add berries to this combo and it’s a definite winner! These recipe is crazy easy, and it’s been stand-by in my freezer for the past couple weeks. Yes, it’s caffeine-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free and TASTY! I even fooled my dad into thinking it was sugar-laden, and he’s a hard one to convince 🙂

With all the fresh mint at farmer’s markets and in the stores, I’ve been throwing some into smoothies and bases for ice creams, tossing into chopped fruit and adding to salads for refreshing summer dishes. Next time (probably tonight) I am going to try using finely minced fresh mint in this treat!

(Almost) Instant Mint Berry Carob Bark (adapted from my Make-it-your-own Chocolate Bark)
Grain-free, Gluten-free, Vegan, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar-free, AIP & Paleo Friendly, Candida-Friendly Option, Soy-free, Nut-free, Egg-free

Ingredients
2 1/2 Tbsp softened coconut oil (I used unrefined extra virgin)
3 Tbsp carob powder (or cacao/cocoa powder but won’t be caffeine free)*
pinch of stevia or 1 Tbsp honey, agave or maple syrup or to taste
1/8 tsp pure peppermint oil/extract
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract, optional
pinch of sea salt, optional (but SO good)
1/3 cup frozen mixed berries, chopped into small pieces (I leave blueberries whole), I use the organic antioxidant mix from Costco

Directions

1. Line a small plate or dish with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix the melted coconut oil, carob (or cacao), stevia/sweetener, salt and extracts. Stir well until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust if you want it sweeter.
3. Spoon the mixture onto the parchment paper into two rounds.
4. Sprinkle the frozen fruit over the mixture and watch it start to freeze. Set it freezer for an additional few minutes to harden and enjoy!

Serves 2 or 1 large, generous portion 🙂
Store leftovers in freezer, the frozen fruit will get mushy in the fridge otherwise.

*Carob has a natural sweetness whereas raw cacao or cocoa powder is naturally a bit more bitter so you might need to add more sweetener/stevia to taste for a sweeter bark.

mint berry carob bark 1

25Jan2015

Cranberry Cha-Cha-Chia Muffins (grain-free)

Posted in Breads, Breakfast, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks by naturalnoshing

Happy, HAPPY New Year to you all! I hope the holidays were lovely and that 2015 is off to a super scrumptious start for each and every one of you. I’ve been pretty incognito during the “go-go-go” of the holidays this year, so I am now playing catch-up 🙂 Serious catch-up.

I’ve cooked more new meals and dishes in the last two months than I have in the past year…I must have caught a bit of a cooking bug in the kitchen, and I’ll ride that as long as I can. Trying new ingredients, taste-testing and experimentation have all been so fun…and sharing food with people who you care about just makes it that much better!

While I’ve actually been doing cooking than baking lately, I can’t deny my cravings for homemade goodies and sweets….add that to the fact I had half a bag of cranberries waiting to be used up and these muffins were born…or baked. cranberry chia muffins1

Sweet yet tart, light yet filling, these cranberry chia muffins are not only grain-free and refined-sugar free, but they are high in fiber, nut-free and dairy-free. I ate them for breakfast, a snack slathered with melted coconut oil and for a light dessert (when I wasn’t craving chocolate) after dinner. You can make a batch and freeze some if you’d like. Mmmmm muffins….

Cranberry Cha-Cha-Chia Muffins
Grain-free, Gluten-free, Refined Sugar-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt
2 eggs, whisked (room temperature)
1 egg white, whisked (room temperature)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup honey (or you could probably substitute coconut nectar, maple syrup or other liquid sweetener for a different taste)
1/2 cup non-dairy milk, at room temperature (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
2 Tbsp coconut oil (melted butter or other neutral oil could be substituted if you prefer)
2 Tbsp chia seeds
2/3 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, rough chopped

Optional: feel free to add shredded coconut and/or your favorite chopped nuts for a different texture and a flavor variety.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin pan with liners or grease well and set aside OR use silicone muffin cups and lightly grease.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together coconut flour, baking soda and sea salt.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs through coconut oil and whisk until well combined.
4. Add wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir well until batter is smooth and thickens slightly (coconut flour is really absorbent, causing the batter to thicken as it sits). Stir in cranberries and chia seeds and
5. Spoon batter into prepared muffin liners or muffin cups (mine made 10 muffins, depending on the size of your pan or liners). Bake for 22-25 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove from oven and let cool, then enjoy!

I stored the muffins in the refrigerator, but these also freeze well.

Makes about 9-11 muffins, depending on your pan or cups; my silicone cups

cranberry chia muffin bite