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Monday, June 16, 2014

My New Favorite Food!

Wow, the one thing you really miss when you eat paleo/healthy meaning "no more junk!" is BREAD.

We can't eat the bread they sell.  Sheesh!   I can't even hardly make my own bread!  I mean you could make it with something other than traditional wheat flour, no extra gluten, but you still can't be using traditional yeast if you're fighting a yeast infection or other health issue now can you?

Well as I delve deeper into the world of What to Eat (sounds like a twisted version of what not to wear, doesn't it?) you discover you CAN eat things you think you can't or shouldn't.

But bread is the tah mahal of what not to eat isn't it?  Well apparently, not anymore.  So I was experimenting with Dana Carpender's new cookbook "Fat Fast Cookbook" and discovered her Coconut Flour Bread.  Let me just say right now, we almost held a ceremony er... I mean funeral for my wonderful food processor.  She had even assured you this wouldn't happen.  Maybe it was just too old.  But that got me hunting for more because the smell of baking bread was a welcome treat and the taste was such a nice reminder of the feelings that only home-baked goodness can conjure.

I realized quickly that we could save the food processor from further abuse and here is my current "bread" for your "ahem"  consumption!



My Version of Gluten-Free Coconut Flour/Flax Bread

Servings: 8-10
Time: 60 minutes
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
  • 1/2 cup flax seeds, ground
  • 1 Tablespoon xanthan gum or 1/2 tablespoon each xanthan and guar gum
  • 1 pinch xylitol (optional but may improve flavor, you decide)
  • 1 /2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • eggs
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/8 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a small loaf pan (73/4" L × 41/2" W × 3" H).
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together.
3. Combine all the wet ingredients.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat well. Batter will be thick.
5. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool completely before slicing.

I make this in the trusty bread maker.  I haven't tried mixing it in there.  I use a whisk till it becomes too stiff and finish adding the dry ingredients with a silicon scraper/spatula.  It's very important to use the xanthan in a no true flour recipe or the results will be very crumbly I'm told.  



This is such a huge hit.  I haven't tried it for sandwiches because I find it too sweet with or without the sweeetener added.  But we serve it with either four-fruit jam (my personal fav. or buttered and topped with cinnamon/xylitol sprinkled on top to which I then add pecans and throw in the toaster oven.

Enjoy!