Coconut Oil

Coconut Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

photo by recipe author

Servings: 20-24
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cupcakes:

6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1 1/3 cups organic whole sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour OR 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour OR 1 1/4 cups coconut flour*
1 cup milk

Peanut Butter Frosting:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup butter, at room temp
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut flour
3 tablespoons milk

Filling:

1 cup jelly of your choice. DO NOT USE spreadable fruit or a chunky style of jam. The smoother the consistency, the easier it will be to fill.

Cupcake:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Insert 20-24 liners into a medium cupcake pan(s).

In a large bowl, cream together butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well. Mix in the vanilla. Add the baking powder and salt and mix well.

If using all purpose flour, mix it into the peanut butter mixture, one cup at a time, alternating with the milk. If using either whole wheat or coconut flour, add it in 1/4 cup at a time.

Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks carefully. Cool completely.

Frosting:

Combine the peanut butter, butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in remaining ingredients. You can add more additional amounts of any of the ingredients to alter the taste and consistency to meet your personal preference.

Assembly Directions:

The easiest method to fill cupcakes is a piping bag and round tip. Fill the piping bag with 1/2 cup of jelly at a time. Insert the pointed tip into the top of the cupcake and slowly squeeze out the jelly. Each cupcake can hold about 3 teaspoons of jelly before it “explodes.” Once you have dispensed the jelly, slowly pull out the tip. It is ok if the jelly oozes out onto the top of the cupcake. The frosting will cover it.

Top cupcakes with frosting using a decorating tip or simply spread on with a spatula.

*If using coconut flour or whole wheat flour, you may not need to use the entire amount listed. Stop adding flour when the batter begins to get “stiff.” You can always add a little more milk to make the consistency more cupcake-like.

Recipe submitted by Jennifer, Orangevale, CA

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Gluten Free Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

photo by recipe author

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8

Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg
2 teaspoons maple syrup

Cake:

6 eggs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease one 8-inch round cake pan.

2. Beat together all ingredients for cream cheese filling. Set aside.

3. Combine the first five ingredients for cake then add the dry ingredients through the salt. Mix well.

4. Toss pecans, cinnamon and maple syrup together in a separate bowl.

5. Pour cake batter into pan and drop bits of the pecan mixture throughout batter.

6. Top with cream cheese filling and use a knife or tooth pick to swirl it around.

7. Bake for 25 minutes and let cool before slicing.

Recipe submitted by Carrol, Huntington Beach, CA

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Whole Wheat Sourdough Red Palm Oil Bread

photo by recipe author

Servings: 2 loaves

2 cups fed whole wheat sourdough starter
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast (optional)
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons red palm oil
1 tablespoon coconut oil
5-6 cups whole wheat flour

Mix starter, water and yeast, letting proof for five to ten minutes. When done, add in salt and oils. When mixed, add in three cups of flour and mix well. Add in enough flour to make a stiff, kneadable dough. Knead until it is nice and elastic, and springs back when you poke it with your finger, about ten minutes. (I’ve found you’ll need to knead sourdough breads a little longer than just regular yeast breads. Another study for me…) When the kneading is done, put the dough in an oiled bowl. Let it rise until double, about two hours, give or take on your location.

When it’s risen, punch down and shape into loaves, and place in greased loaf pans (or if you’re doing round, free-form loaves, a greased stone baking sheet). Let rise again until double, about 1-1/2 hours.

About twenty minutes before it is done rising, heat the oven to 350 degrees. When finished rising, score with a serrated knife if you did free-form loaves and bake. Remove from oven when done and let cool before slicing.

Recipe submitted by Rachel, Costa Rica

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Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkles

It’s that time of the year again. Well seasoned and not-so-well seasoned cooks are pulling out (maybe even dusting) their cookie sheets and getting ready to bake up a storm of cookies.

If you’re one of them, Chocolate Crinkles must be on your list of to-bakes. Seriously. Their soft, fudgy, chocolate-y, rolled-in-powdered-sugar goodness is just too hard to pass up.

Watch the video here:

Now that wasn’t too hard was it? And aren’t they pretty? It looks like snow.

These cookies are both gluten and dairy free, but they are not limited to those who are gluten and dairy intolerant. They’re really yummy, anyone will enjoy them.

Remember to adjust the bake time on these cookies depending on how large you roll the dough. If they’re smaller then 1 inch, start out at 8 minutes. You want them to be slightly under-baked when you take them out so they can finish cooking all the way while sitting on the cookie sheet. So keep your greedy little fingers to yourself and let them cool (if that’s even possible).

Enjoy everyone!

Sarah:)

Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkles

Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkles Cookies

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

Servings: yields 3 dozen cookies
Preparation Time: 10 minutes plus chilling time

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups gluten free flour mix*
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Powdered sugar

Transfer melted chocolate to a medium sized bowl. Whisk in oil and sugar. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Whisk the vanilla in. Mixture should be thick.

Add the flour mix, xanthan gum, salt and baking powder. Mix everything together (should be the consistency of brownie batter). Refrigerate for an hour or more, until the mixture has firmed up.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place powdered sugar into a small bowl. Roll dough into small balls (dough should be stiff) and roll in powdered sugar. Place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet greased with palm shortening, and bake for 10-12 minutes (just until tops feel slightly firm). Let cool on sheet for 3 minutes before removing to wire rack.

*Gluten Free Flour Mix:

Makes 3 cups

2 cups brown rice flour
2/3 cup tapioca starch/flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Mix all ingredients together and use as directed.

Recipe by Sarah Shilhavy

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Pecan Coconut Chocolate Milk

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy
Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

Servings: 1 serving
Preparation Time: 2 minutes

1-2 tablespoons raw honey
1/4 cup pecans
2 tablespoons organic cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups organic whole milk
3 tablespoons virgin or expeller pressed coconut oil

Add all ingredients except coconut oil to blender. Blend until smooth. With blender still running, slowly drizzle melted/cool coconut oil into mix. Pour into a frosty mug or a large glass, fill with ice and enjoy.

Recipe submitted by Carmen, Clovis, NM

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Pumpkin Gingerbread

Gingerbread is great. It has sugar and spice and everything nice. And since pumpkin is nice, it belongs in this bread.

This bread is incredibly moist, mostly thanks to the pumpkin. It also has a nice amount of spice and sugar. You can probably use 100% whole wheat flour if you want, but I haven’t tried that yet.

By the way, you can add some nutmeg or cloves in here if it suites your fancy. I didn’t even think about that when I was making it. Neither did I miss it, but you might.

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you all enjoy the bread.

Sarah:)

Pumpkin Gingerbread

Pumpkin Gingerbread

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

Servings: 1 loaf
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup organic unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan with extra coconut oil

In a medium sized bowl, oil, sugars and egg. Whisk until smooth. Add milk to blend. Whisk in pumpkin and spices.

In another bowl combine remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Add to pumpkin mixture and whisk just until blended, but still on the lumpy side.

Pour batter into pan and bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Recipe courtesy Sarah Shilhavy

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Gluten Free Coconut Flour Pie Crust

This gluten free pie crust isn’t like a regular, flaky pie crust (I’m still working on that one). It’s more like a cookie….almost. It has a bit of crunch, a little sweetness, and buttery all around.

It’s multipurpose too. The picture here shows a pumpkin pie filling, but you can use it in any recipe that calls for pie crust. If using it in a sweet recipe, you can add more honey to taste if you like. If you’re going for a savory filling, leave the honey be.

While you’re making this, mold it into the pie plate almost like you would like a graham cracker crust. The dough is going to be soft and delicate so you’ll need to press it into shape. And by the way, the 1/2 cup of shredded coconut can be taken out if you don’t want that extra “coconuttyness.”

Oh, and if you need a pre-baked pie crust, bake this at 350 degrees F for about….15 minutes maybe? Just keep an eye on it and take it out when it’s a nice light golden color. It’ll vary from oven to oven.

I have another fall recipe coming very soon, so stay tuned!

Sarah:)

Gluten Free Coconut Flour Pie Crust

Gluten Free Coconut Flour Pie Crust

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

1/4 cup cold butter
2 tablespoons Virgin Coconut Oil, solid
1 cup coconut flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon honey
pinch of Himalayan salt
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 tablespoon water
1 egg white-beaten

In a medium sized bowl cut the butter and coconut oil into the coconut flour until mixture resembles irregular pea sized clumps. Add remaining ingredients except egg white. Mix together with your hands until a soft dough has formed. Pat dough into a 9 inch pie pan. When you are done forming the crust, take the egg white and beat it with a fork until frothy. With a pastry brush, brush the crust with the egg white just before filling.

Recipe by Sarah Shilhavy

Turkey Stuffing

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

Servings: 6 Preparation
Time: 15 minutes

2-4 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup butter
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 onion, diced small
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
salt & pepper to taste
4 cups chicken stock
6 cups dried bread stuffing cubes*
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat coconut oil and butter in a pan over medium heat. Add celery and onion, sauté until onion is soft. Add seasonings and chicken stock and heat until warm.

Place bread cubes in a large bowl and pour chicken stock over it, stirring to mix (bread should soak up all the liquid). Add egg and mix well. Adjust bread and/or stock amount as needed.

Place stuffing in a greased glass pan and bake in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes.

*For gluten free stuffing use gluten free bread.

Recipe courtesy Sarah Shilhavy

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