Coconut Oil

Chewy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

As you may already know, my main goal in making GF recipes is foolproof-ness; I don’t want it to just look like their gluten cousins, they have to taste like them too.

I think this cookie really nails that. Not only does it look exactly like the classic wheat flour chocolate chip cookie, it tastes just like it too. Even the cookie dough is great. The baked cookie though is moist, chewy, slight crisp outside and that wheat-like bite. An experienced taste bud may pick up on the slight gritty texture of the brown rice flour but unless you’re thinking about it and know what brown rice flour is like you’d never know. If the slight grittiness bothers you, try sifting the flour through a very fine sieve before measuring.

When you watch the video below and read the recipe you’ll see that I have unsalted butter and salt listed in the ingredient list. Well, you don’t *need* to use unsalted butter. I usually just do salted butter and omit the salt.

So, are you hungry for cookies yet? Let the video take you through the whole process, then whip up a batch yourself (and let us know what you think). And if you decide not to tell anyone else these are GF, then that’s okay. They’ll never know. But it is kinda cool to see their faces if you do decide to tell them after they’ve devoured more then their share…

Enjoy!

Sarah:)

Chewy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

These cookies are excellent. They’re perfectly crisp on the outside, and chewy on the inside. It’s hard to tell that they’re not made from wheat!

Servings: approx. 3 dozen cookies
Preparation Time: 15 minutes, plus 1/2 – 1 hour chilling time

8 oz unsalted butter, melted (you can use part palm shortening if desired)
2 oz coconut flour
1/2 oz tapioca flour/starch
1 1/4 oz corn starch
9 oz brown rice flour
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 oz granulated sugar
8 ounces brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
9 – 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Pour melted butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

In a separate bowl, stir the coconut flour, tapioca, cornstarch, rice flour, salt, xanthan gum, and baking soda together. Set aside.

Add the sugars to butter and cream together on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add egg, egg yolk, milk and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined. Add flour mixture by heaping 1/4 cupfuls until well combined. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Chill the dough in the refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper

Shape the dough into approximately 1 oz balls and place on prepared cookie sheets. Flatten tops slightly if desired.

Bake for 7 – 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking for even browning. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 2 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Variation: Add about 1 1/2 cups of dried, unsweetened flaked coconut to the dough for Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies.

Recipe courtesy Sarah Shilhavy

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Rhubarb Strawberry Pie with Coconut Oil Pie Crust

Photo by recipe author

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Coconut Oil Pie Crust:

2 cups whole grain spelt flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup coconut oil (cold)
9 tablespoons cold water

Pie Filling:

1/2 cup organic unbleached flour
1 cup organic whole sugar
1 pound fresh strawberries, halved
1 pound fresh rhubarb, chopped

Recipe: For Coconut Oil Pie Crust:

Sift together flour and salt. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender until pieces are size of small peas. Sprinkle water, a tablespoon at a time, over part of mixture. Gently mix with fork; push to one side of bowl. Sprinkle next tablespoon water over dry part; mix lightly. Repeat until all is moistened.

Form into a ball and divide dough in half. Flatten slightly and roll on floured board. Repeat with other half.

For Pie Filling:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, mix flour and sugar. Add strawberries and chopped rhubarb. Toss with sugar and flour and let stand for 30 minutes.

3. Pour filling into pie crust. Seal edges of top and bottom crust with water.

4. Cut small holes in top to let steam escape.

5. Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C), for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly and brown. Cool on rack.

Recipe submitted by Selena, Bark River, MI

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Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

Photo by recipe author

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

For shrimp:

1 lb raw, deveined, and peeled shrimp
1 sliced red onion
1 tablespoons coconut oil
1-2 teaspoon green or red Thai curry paste
1 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon fish sauce, if desired
1/2 cup coconut milk*
1/4 cup chopped basil

For rice:

1 cup uncooked basmati rice (or other type of rice if preferred)
1 cup coconut milk*
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Sauté shrimp and onion in 1 tablespoon coconut oil until shrimp are just becoming opaque. Stir in curry paste and cook for one minute.

Stir in tomatoes, lime juice, and fish sauce. Heat to boiling. Simmer for one minute.

Stir in 1/2 cup coconut milk and basil. Heat over low heat until hot. Set shrimp mixture aside and keep warm.

In a saucepan, combine all the rice ingredients. Heat to boiling, and then reduce heat to low. Simmer about 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Serve shrimp over coconut rice.

* For the freshest coconut milk make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

Recipe submitted by Julie, Rogers, AZ

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No-Bake Coconut Oil Flaxseed Cookies

Photo by recipe author

These are a 3 ingredient, 5-minute, no-bake wonder! They’re healthy as cookies go; filled with good fats, filling yet light, not too sweet but sweet enough…I really enjoy them!

Servings: 4 cookies
Preparation Time: 5 minutes

1 cup flax seeds
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup

Grind flax seeds in a food processor or blender. (I used toasted flax which will gave the cookies a slight peanut buttery flavor, even though there’s no actual PB in the recipe).

Add remaining ingredients except raisins. Blend/Grind Again

Take out and mold into 4 cookies

Optional: Drizzle with syrup and garnish with raisins!

Other options include: garnishing with nuts, fresh or dried fruit, chocolate or carob chips, nut butter, cashew cream, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the batch, you name it, go for it…

And if you make a double-batch, they wrap up realllly well for out-n-about snacks. Enjoy!

Recipe submitted by Averie, Phoenix, AZ

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Gluten Free Coconut Almond Cookies

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

1 egg (optional)
1/2 cup coconut oil, soft
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup carob chips (optional)
1 3/4 cups almond meal
1/4 cup shredded dried coconut
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup organic whole sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Combine egg (room temp), coconut oil, honey, almond extract and vanilla extract and mix well. Add carob chips if using. Then add dry ingredients and mix well with wooden spoon.

Roll into walnut sized balls and bake for 5 minutes on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Use a fork to flatten and bake for 10-18 more minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Recipe submitted by Sandy, Ogden, UT

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Gluten Free Black Bean Brownies

Photo by recipe author

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 10 min.

1 15 1/2 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed very well
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons coconut oil, plus more for pan
3/4 cup organic sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee mixed in 2 tablespoons of milk (optional)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1/2 cup mini organic chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8 X 8-inch baking pan with extra coconut oil and set aside.

2. Place the black beans in the bowl of a food processor; process until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, coffee (optional), baking powder, and salt and process until smooth. Add the chocolate chips and pulse a few times until the chips are broken up a bit.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.

4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges start to pull away from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before slicing. They taste even better after sitting in the fridge over night!

Recipe submitted by Mysti, Dallas, TX

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Traditional Coconut Buttermilk Gravy

Photo by recipe author

This is the traditional recipe from a southern state in India, Kerala, which is named after coconuts. The name of the state Kerala is derived from Kera which means coconuts in the native language Malayalam and is called Land of Coconuts. So, ideally any recipe from Kerala has coconut as one of the main ingredients.

This dish usually goes well with rice and is considered as one of the major unavoidable constituent of any South Indian Lunch. The main ingredients of this dish are buttermilk, coconut and spices.

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 15 Minutes

2 cups dried coconut (either grated or powdered)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1-5 teaspoons dried red chili – (depending on how spicy your tastebuds can afford)
4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
1 red chili
Salt – as per taste

Grind coconut, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and red chilies very well in a mixer/grinder by adding little buttermilk to make a smooth paste. Once this mixture is very well ground, add the remaining buttermilk and blend it well. Now, the gravy is ready. Add salt as required.

Heat a cooking pan, add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Once the oil gets warmed, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and 1 red chili. Wait until the mustard seed splutters. Pour the gravy into the pan and let it warm for a few seconds (do not allow it to boil). Turn off the heat.

The coconut buttermilk gravy is ready to be served with steamed rice.

Recipe submitted by Aswathy, North Port, FL

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Three-Cheese Tomato Garlic Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Photo by recipe author

Wonderful with tomato soup, this is the perfect cozy, comforting and healthy meal! Coconut oil is a fantastic alternative to the traditional butter and produces perfectly crisp, mouth-watering results. We love all that good for you, delicious garlic in these, but feel free to adjust according to taste!

Servings: 2
Preparation Time: 10 min

4 slices hearty sprouted grain bread
2 large slices (or enough small ones to cover 2 pieces of bread) raw milk sharp cheddar cheese
4 cloves garlic, finely minced (more or less according to taste)
fresh cracked pepper
seasoning salt and/or steak seasoning of choice
10 organic grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
2 large slices Colby Jack cheese
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Preheat cast iron skillet to medium heat. For each sandwich assemble in this order: bread, cheddar, half the garlic, pepper and seasoning to taste, half the tomatoes face down, colby jack, bread.

Melt the coconut oil in the skillet and cook the sandwiches on one side until the cheese on the bottom half is melted and the bread nicely crisped and golden, then the other side until the same. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe submitted by Lydia, Salem, VA

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