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Posts Tagged ‘Coconut Oil’

Perfect Pumpkin Bars with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted in Dessert, tagged , , , , , , , on November 24, 2014| 7 Comments »

Perfect Pumpkin Bars with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting | Relishing ItI’ll admit it, one of the main reasons I’m writing this post is so next year, when I’m craving a perfect pumpkin bar, I’ll know exactly where to look.  But that doesn’t mean they’re not for you, too.  They make an excellent dessert alternative for Thanksgiving.  I like pumpkin bars that are thick– I have no time for those weak, thin and flimsy ones. I suppose one could even say that this is more a pumpkin cake, but the fact that I swoop into the pan and eat this treat with my hands, makes me comfortable with the bar title.

Perfect Pumpkin Bars with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting | Relishing It

Perfect Pumpkin Bars with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting | Relishing ItOne of things that makes these bars stand out is the use of virgin coconut oil.  I try to swap out vegetable or canola oil whenever I can.  I find the smell and taste of those to be somewhat off-putting.  And aside from the better flavor, coconut oil is much healthier.  Both the coconut oil and the pumpkin make these bars stay moist for days and days.  The maple cream cheese frosting is the perfect way to top them.

Perfect Pumpkin Bars with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting | Relishing It

Perfect Pumpkin Bars with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting | Relishing It

These bars would be fantastic on your Thanksgiving table for those guests who aren’t into pie so much.  They can be left in a regular cake pan, or to fancy things up a bit, put them on a festive platter.  Using parchment paper in the pan makes them really easy to lift out.  However you decide to serve them, I know your friends and family are going to love them.  Enjoy!

Perfect Pumpkin Bars with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting | Relishing It

The Recipe: Perfect Pumpkin Bars with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

(makes a 9 x 13 pan)

2 cups (9 ounces) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup coconut oil, melted, then cooled a bit

4 eggs, room temperature

1 15- ounce can plain pumpkin purée

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Frosting:

3 cups confectioners sugar (about 12 ounces), sifted

8 ounce package of cream cheese (full fat)

1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons real maple syrup

toasted walnuts, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line 9 x 13 cake pan with parchment paper (let enough hang over the edges to be able to grasp and lift the cake out with) and coat with non-stick cooking spray (if wanting to remove from pan in one large piece) or just grease pan with coconut oil, butter, or spray.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.  Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer (or using a regular bowl and wooden spoon) fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the coconut oil and sugars together until blended well.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until somewhat creamy, 3 minutes or so.  Then add the pumpkin puree and blend until uniform.

Sprinkle the dry ingredients on top of the wet and use a spatula to fold everything until moistened, (this will prevent a big cloud of flour from landing on your countertop), then using the paddle attachment again mix until just combined.  Do not over mix.  Bake for 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

While the cake is cooling, make the frosting.  Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer (or a hand mixer, or wooden spoon) mix all of the ingredients together, except the confectioners sugar, until smooth and creamy. Then add the sifted confectioners sugar and mix until smooth.

Remove cake from pan once it has cooled, if desired.  Or frost it in the pan. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts, if you like.  Keeps well for days covered at room temperature.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It!

Laurie

 

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Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 13, 2013| 26 Comments »

Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Muffins | Relishing It

As you know I sent my little girl off to Pre-Kindergarten on Monday– and she is absolutely loving it.  I sometimes like to bake treats for their lunch boxes, or for an after-school sweet when they get home.  I distinctly recall getting off the school bus as a kid and walking into the house to the smell of something wonderful that my mom had made during the day.  She’d have batches of cookies ready, or even racks (yes, racks) of pies on the counter.  And she always timed it out so they were ready when my brother and I walked through the door.  However… I’m a little hesitant to bake such delights using all of that sugar on a daily– or even weekly– basis.  Don’t get me wrong, my kids get their share of sugar, but it’s nice to be able to put something a little healthier, something more substantial, into their little growing bodies.

Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Muffins | Relishing It

Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Muffins | Relishing It

Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Muffins | Relishing It

I was able to create a healthy muffin recipe that was made with whole grains, healthy coconut oil, and no processed sugar (alright, there are chocolate chips, but they’re optional…kind of.  You’ll want them in there).  These muffins are also loaded with vegetables, and your kids will be none the wiser!  What more could one want?  They are perfectly chocolate-y, but not overly sweet.  They stay very moist– quite like a small cake.  I really have no guilt about giving this treat to my kids, or eating it myself for that matter.  I hope you like them as much as we do!

Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Muffins | Relishing It

Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Muffins | Relishing It

The Recipe:  Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

(makes 12)

1 cup white whole wheat flour (whole wheat pastry flour works, too)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil (warmed to the liquid state, but not hot)

1/2 cup honey

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (about 1 medium)

3/4 cup chocolate chips (Ghirardelli 60 % Cacao Bittersweet are the best, in my opinion)

Note:  The coarsely grated zucchini is definitely visible in these muffins, which is how I prefer them.  If you don’t fancy that, simply grate the zucchini finer.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Spray or butter a 12-cup muffin tin.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift, then whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa.   Toss the chocolate chips into the mixture. Set aside.

In another large bowl, thoroughly mix the honey, coconut oil, vanilla, and eggs together until uniform.  Add the zucchini and mix until evenly coated.

Combine the two bowls together, mix until everything is wet.  Do not over mix. Evenly distribute the batter–1/4 cup per muffin is about right.  Bake for about 18 minutes, or until a tester inserted into a muffin comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool for about 3 – 5 minutes before removing from the pan.  Keeps well for days in an airtight container.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It!

Laurie

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Healthy Banana Bread

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on June 26, 2013| 3 Comments »

Healthy Banana Bread via Relishing it

I figure it’s finally time to share my favorite banana bread with all of you.  Really, what’s a food blog without a banana bread recipe, right?  I bet I make banana bread at least every couple of weeks.  My freezer is packed with bananas that don’t get eaten right away.  I just keep adding to the pile…one here, one there.  This recipe is a bit unusual because it calls for six bananas– so start saving up!

Healthy Banana Bread via Relishing It

Since we eat banana bread so often, I really wanted my version to be healthy.  I tweaked and tweaked and finally arrived at this recipe a while ago. It’s exactly what I wanted it to be.  Since over-ripe bananas are sweeter, you’ll only need a little bit of honey to get the sweetness just right.  No sugar added here.  The larger number of bananas really gives this bread deep flavor, as well as keeps it moist without much fat.  And speaking of fat,  I used a healthier virgin coconut oil in it.  The flavor combines perfectly with the bananas and chocolate.  I used a mixture of oat flour and whole wheat pastry flour for the base.  Combined, they give the bread a perfect texture– just slightly lighter than ordinary banana bread, but with enough heft to be satisfying.

Cacao Nibs for Healthy Banana Bread via Relishing It

Healthy Banana Bread via Relishing It

When it comes to the chocolate, you have a decision to make.  I prefer adding cacao nibs, but my kids/husband like chocolate chunks.  If you aren’t familiar with cacao nibs, they’re crushed cacao beans.  They are unsweetened and have a bit of a crunch that adds a nice texture.  They’re also loaded with antioxidants.  Alone they are somewhat bitter, but adding them to sweet things makes them delicious. Try throwing them into your next smoothie!  And lastly, I added chia seeds for more health benefits, because why not?

Healthy Banana Bread via Relishing It

A few reminders:  First, make sure to use really over-ripe bananas.  You’ll want that extra sweetness since you won’t be adding sugar.  I’m talking the blacker, the better.  Also, make sure you bake your banana bread long enough.  There is nothing worse than under-baked banana bread.  A longer bake time is better.  There are so many bananas in there that the chances of it being dry are very slim.  Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Healthy Banana Bread via Relishing It

The Recipe:  Healthy Banana Bread

(makes one loaf)

1/3 cup virgin coconut oil

1/4 cup honey

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 smashed over-ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cup — a tablespoon or two extra is fine)

1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) oat flour

1  1/4 cup (7 ounces) whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup cacao nibs  OR  1 cup chocolate chunks

1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the oat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, chia seeds, salt, and baking powder with a whisk.  Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer (or regular bowl if mixing by hand), add the honey and coconut oil.  Combine for a minute on medium speed until somewhat creamy.  Add the eggs and vanilla.  Mix for another minute, or so.  Then add the fork-smashed bananas.  Mix until well combined and somewhat smooth.  Next, sift the flour mixture over the wet ingredients.  Combine on low just until all of the ingredients are moistened.  Do not over-mix.  Add the cocoa nibs or chocolate chunks and fold in with a rubber spatula.  Scoop mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake for 45-48 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean from the middle of the loaf.  The center should feel somewhat firm when you feel it.  Let cool in pan for about 20 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and gently remove from pan.  Continue to let cool on a cooling rack.  For best results, after cutting into it, place the cut side down on a cutting board and leave the rest of the bread uncovered for the first day.  The texture will remain true this way.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing it!  Hope you all are having a lovely Summer, so far!

Laurie

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Whole Grain Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Posted in Breakfast, tagged , , , , , , on May 6, 2013| 9 Comments »

Whole Grain Lemon Ricotta Pancakes via Relishing It

Mother’s Day is less than a week away, so I thought I’d give you a breakfast recipe to help you treat that special lady right this Sunday.  These pancakes are the perfect “something special” to show your mom, grandma, or wife just how much they mean to you.  And if you make sure to clean up once everything is made, she’ll appreciate it all the more.

Whole Grain Lemon Ricotta Pancakes via Relishing It

Lemon ricotta pancakes are one of our favorite Spring breakfast dishes.  The flavors here combine to give a fresh twist on the old pancake routine.  As usual, I’ve tossed in a few tricks from my “make things more healthy” repetoire.  Using white whole wheat flour not only makes these more healthy, but it adds a bit more substance than you’ll find in a typical lemon ricotta pancake, which tends to be feather-light.  I’ve also used coconut oil throughout the recipe– both in the pancakes, as well as for the frying oil.  The coconut flavor pairs beautifully with the lemon here.  Just a quick side note, I love coconut oil.  Absolutely love it.  I try to use it as a substitute whenever the dish allows.   I used just a touch of honey as the sweetener in these pancakes,  since I don’t like them overly sweet.  Add a bit more, if you like.  Or top them with a lovely fruit purée.  The ricotta gives them a wonderful, creamy texture, and the lemon– well it’s simply fabulous.

Whole Grain Lemon Ricotta Pancakes via Relishing it

I’m lucky enough to have two beautiful women in my life that I get to honor on Mother’s Day– my Mom and my Mother-in-Law. Both are strong, compassionate, women who have helped guide and nurture me and my family.  They’re incredible grandmothers to my children, and that means the world to me.  (I love you both!)  I’ll be traveling to North Dakota later this week with my kiddos to celebrate with my Mom– so I’ll be back here at Relishing It next week. I hope all of you Moms have a great, sun-filled day surrounded by your loved ones!

Whole Grain Lemon Ricotta Pancakes via Relishing It

The Recipe:  Whole Grain Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

2 cups white whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Juice and zest of 3 smallish lemons

2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, melted

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons honey, or more to taste

1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

virgin coconut oil, for frying

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, combine the coconut oil, lemon juice/zest, ricotta cheese, honey, eggs, vanilla, and 1 1/4 cup milk.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredient and combine them using a wooden spoon.  Add a bit more milk, if necessary.  Be careful not to over mix.  Let the batter rest for a few minutes.

Heat some coconut oil in a large skillet.  When it is hot enough, ladle batter into the pan– make the pancakes as big, or as small as you like.  When they begin to get speckled with “holes”, it’s time to flip them over.  Repeat the procedure, adding more coconut oil to the pan each time.  Serve with your favorite pancake toppings.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It!  xo

Laurie

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Homemade Granola

Posted in Breakfast, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on April 18, 2012| 20 Comments »

As promised, here is the granola recipe I mentioned when we chatted about homemade yogurt earlier this week.  It’s the perfect crunch to top that tart yogurt.  And it’s just sweet enough that you won’t need to add anything else.  And even if you don’t make it as a yogurt topper, it’s a perfect stand-alone snack.

Again, the advantage of making your own granola is that you have control over what goes into it.  I use not only organic ingredients, but more interesting, healthy additions that you won’t find in a typical store-bought granola blend.  Quinoa, chia seeds, flaxseed meal– all of these are phenomenal, nutritious foods.  Uncooked steel-cut oats in granola?  You bet!  They add such a nice texture.  It’s also nice to be able to choose the type of fat to use.  Olive oil works perfectly here, and is so good for you.  I also love using coconut oil (you remember my coconut oil obsession, right?), it imparts such a lovely flavor.

If you don’t have all of these ingredients, or you want to try something else, by all means, do so.  Maple syrup comes to mind.  Or if you want a chunkier granola, increase the rolled oats and add less steel cut oats or quinoa.  Dark chocolate, cinnamon, or unsweetened coconut flakes, anyone?  See what I mean?  Have fun with this. Just remember to try to keep the ratio of dry/wet ingredients the same when substituting.  Pack it for a snack at work, or take it for your kids’ events.  If you make it– they will eat it.

The Recipes:  Homemade Granola Two Ways

Homemade Granola with Coconut Oil, Vanilla, Dried Blueberries and Cherries:

1 cup rolled oats, dry

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/3 cup pepitas

1/2 cup steel cut oats, dry

1/2 cup quinoa, dry

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup dried blueberries

3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil

1/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of kosher salt

Homemade Granola with Olive Oil, Ginger, Almond, and Dried Cherries:

(As shown in the photographs)

1 cup rolled oats, dry

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds

1/3 cup pepitas

1/2 cup steel cut oats, dry

1/2 cup quinoa, dry

1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, finely chopped

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup dried currants

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

2 tablespoons chia seeds

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon almond extract

pinch of kosher salt

Preheat an oven to 250°F.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.  In a large bowl mix all of the dry ingredients together, with the exception of the salt and dried fruit.  In a small bowl, mix together the oil (if using coconut oil, be sure to melt it in a small saucepan first, so it can liquify) honey, and extract.  Mix the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients together.  Here is where you need to make a decision — you can either mix the dried fruit into this mixture and bake it for two hours or you can mix it in during the last 10 minutes of baking.  Doing so right away will yield a very chewy fruit, which some people tend to enjoy.  Doing so later, will keep the fruit more soft and tender.  The choice is yours.  I enjoy both ways.

Spread the mixture onto the lined pan and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Bake in the oven for two hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes, or so.  The grains will get evenly toasted this way.  After 2 hours, remove from the oven and let the granola sit, untouched, for a bit to cool and firm up.  When it’s cool, you can break it into chunks.  Keeps well for days in a sealed container with a lid.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It — hope you enjoy the granola!

Laurie

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Chocolate, Walnut, and Oatmeal Cookies with Browned Butter and Coconut Oil

Posted in Dessert, tagged , , , , , , , on March 9, 2012| 10 Comments »

I know, I know, could I possible have a more lengthy title for a recipe?  I could.  I didn’t mention the whole wheat flour.  You get the idea.  This is a cookie recipe I’ve been playing around with for the last few weeks.  You already know that I’m a cookie fiend, so this one is for me (and hopefully you).  It has all of my favorite  flavors that make-up a perfect cookie.

Let’s break this down.  First, I wanted to create a cookie that contains coconut oil.  You can read a bit about it here on my friend Amy’s blog.  Not only do I love the health factor, but the flavor is phenomenal.  Use virgin coconut oil as opposed to regular, as it has a more noticeable coconut flavor.   Then there’s the browned butter.  Is there anything that brown butter does not make better?  Of course not.  It adds a deep caramel-like flavor that is unforgettable.  The toasted walnuts add a brilliant crunch.  Now cookies are obviously not going to be terribly healthy, but I slipped in whole wheat flour and rolled oats for fiber.   Finally, we get to the chocolate chips.  Use good quality chocolate, or even go the chunk route and chop your own.

All of these elements come together to make this delicious cookie.  It’s loaded with great ingredients and has wonderful texture– crisp on the very edges and soft in the middle.  Now that’s what I’m talking about.  My husband declared this the best cookie he’s ever eaten.  So, that’s something, right?!  I hope you enjoy these little morsels as much as I have!

The Recipe:  Chocolate Chip, Walnut, and Oatmeal Cookies with Browned Butter and Coconut Oil

(Makes 24-26 cookies)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, browned

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup (5 ounces) whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup chocolate chips (Ghirardelli 60 % cacao chips are my favorite)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small saucepan over medium heat add the butter.  Stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, cook the butter until it becomes a beautiful medium colored brown, just a few minutes.   Too little will not have enough flavor, and too much will taste burnt.  It will smell fragrant and somewhat caramel-like.  Remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool for at least 10 minutes.

In a small sauté  pan over medium heat add the walnuts.  Stirring frequently, toast them until they become fragrant, just a few minutes.  Keep a watchful eye, as they can burn quickly.  Remove from heat and pour onto a plate to cool for 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (a hand mixer or bowl and wooden spoon can also be used), add the coconut oil, browned butter (brown bits, too), and brown sugar.  Cream the mixture on medium speed for about 2 minutes.  Mix the beaten egg and vanilla together and pour that into the bowl.  Continue to cream for about 3-4 more minutes, or until the mixture has gained a little volume and has become pale in color (Note: it won’t have as much volume as cookies with room temperature butter). Add the flour mixture and mix until combined.  Turn the machine off and stir in the oats, chocolate chips and walnuts by hand.

Roll into balls by hand or use a small scoop.  Use a bit of pressure to make the mixture form a solid ball.  Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes, the edges should just be starting to turn golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool on pan for a couple of minutes.  Remove from pan and place on a cooling rack.  The cookies will keep for a few days in an airtight container.  Enjoy!

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!  Be sure to check back next week — something exciting will be happening on Relishing It!

Laurie

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Oatcakes

Posted in Breakfast, tagged , , , , , , , , , on June 6, 2011| 20 Comments »

Notice anything different?  Look at the URL (and blog title) above.  That’s right, my blog is now ‘Relishing It’, with the profanity in my web address (though it provided a few chuckles) now gone.  Let me know what you think.

On to today’s post.  Oatcakes?  No doubt the title of this recipe alone is so inviting that you can’t wait to try it.  Alright, it may not sound exciting, but these little creations are incredible.  I want implore you to make them to prove that even with a title like ‘oatcakes’, these are delicious.  Did I mention that they’re also easy and convenient?   I stumbled across these hearty cakes in another recently published cookbook, Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson.  Heidi authors the blog 101 Cookbooks  , which I’ve been following for some time.  This book is fantastic, with a concentration on healthy and vegetarian foods.  I’ve made these oatcakes several times over the last couple of weeks, as my family (mostly my husband) devours them.  These are most certainly not muffins.  To be honest, I’m not really a muffin fan.  While they’re sweet and cake-like, I find that I always choose something else if given the option.  Yes, these oatcakes have that tell-tale ‘muffin shape’, but the comparison ends there.  These are very dense, hearty, and flavorful, though not particularly sweet.  Even better, they’re filled with ingredients that are nutricious and tasty.  You’ll see that the recipe contains a few items that you may not have on hand.  Don’t let that stop you from making them.  My guess is that once you have the ingredients on-hand, you’ll make this recipe again and again.

Whole grains, oatmeal, and whole wheat pastry flour provide the heft here.  The original recipe also called for whole flax seeds, though my variation relies on flax meal.  Whole flax seeds are too hard for your body to break down.  They simply pass through, without giving you the healthy benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and antioxidants that you get in the ground form.  Whether you use whole seeds or ground meal, store them in the refrigerator once opened.  Heart-healthy walnuts add a nutty crunch to the cakes, and also contain omega-3 fatty acids that are good for you.  The cakes are sweetened with raw cane sugar, honey, and maple syrup– a sublime combination.  Here I deviated from the original recipe as well, as it called for just the maple syrup and sugar.  I was feeling a bit stingy about my dwindling maple syrup supply being depleted by another 3/4 cup, so I substituted half with honey.  It really paid off, as the honey and oat combination is heavenly.  There are also two different oils that keep the cakes moist– butter and extra virgin coconut oil.  The latter is emerging as a healthy alternative oil that’s seeing more use in cooking and baking.  You can read about some of it’s health benefits here.  When you go to purchase it, take note that it will not be a liquid.  It will be white and solid.

These oatcakes are a perfect snack for your busy summer.  They keep well and transport easily.  Take them on walks, bike rides, camping, or for a simple morning breakfast.  They are very filling, and they’ll satisfy your hunger for longer than you think.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

The Recipe: Oatcakes

(makes 1 dozen)

3 cups rolled oats

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or spelt flour

1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 cup flax meal

3/4 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup  (Note:  just to be clear — 3/4 cup total of equal parts maple syrup and honey)

1/2 cup raw cane sugar or natural cane sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the top third of the oven.  Butter a standard 12-cup muffin pan.

Combine the oats, flour, baking powder, salt, flax meal, and walnuts in a large mixing bowl.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the coconut oil, butter, honey, maple syrup, and sugar and slowly melt together.  Stir just until the butter melts and sugar has dissolved, but don’t let the mixture get too hot.  And if it does, let it cool a bit – you don’t want it to cook the eggs in the next step.

Pour the coconut oil mixture over the oat mixture.  Stir a bit with a fork, add the eggs, and stir again until everything comes together into a wet dough.  Spoon the dough into muffin cups, nearly filling them.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges of each oatcake are deeply golden.  Remove pan from oven and let cool for a couple of minutes.  Then run a knife around the edges of the cakes and tip them out onto a cooling rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  They are especially good with a smear of butter and a drizzle of honey.  Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Super Natural Every Day Cookbook by Heidi Swanson

Thanks again for stopping by!

Laurie

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