Gluten-free

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

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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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Gluten Free Toasted Coconut Ginger Blondies

Ahhh….the recipe you’ve all been waiting for. Well, maybe not all of you but some of you for sure.

When I posted the first Toasted Coconut Ginger Blondies recipe I promised a gluten free version. So here it is. I was very happy at how they turned out; creamy and moist with a nice chewy texture and toasty crunch from the toasted coconut on top. My mouth is full of said blondies as I type. Seriously.

You can use something else instead of ginger (like chocolate chips or nuts).But that’s up to you. I just wanted to get rid of the rest of our candied ginger, so in they went.

Were you waiting for this recipe? Are you going to make it now? Tell me, I’d love to hear from you!

Sarah:)

Gluten Free Toasted Coconut Ginger Blondies

Gluten Free Toasted Coconut Ginger Blondies

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

Servings: 20 bars
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 stick) salted butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 teaspoons organic raw whole milk or coconut milk*
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups flour mix (see below)
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 – 1 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 7×11 inch pan with coconut oil.

Mix melted butter and sugar together in a medium sized bowl. Beat in vanilla, eggs and milk until well blended.

Mix remaining ingredients except for the flaked coconut into the egg mix until well blended. Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top out. Sprinkle with flaked coconut.

Bake blondies until golden brown and coconut is toasted, about 20 minutes.

Gluten Free Flour Mix:

1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum

Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Use as directed.

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

Recipe courtesy Sarah Shilhavy

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Chocolate Coconut Banana Protein Shake

If you workout then you probably already know the importance of taking protein powder to help “refuel” after a strenuous workout. Taking just the same thing all the time though gets boring, so I’ve come up with some different ways to jazz up a regular old protein shake.

This is one that I really like, using the Double Bonded Chocolate Protein Powder. The frozen banana adds a wonderfully creamy texture and the xanthan and guar gums help thicken the shake almost to a pudding-like thickness. I like to eat it with a spoon sometimes. If you don’t have any of the gums on hand though taking them out won’t hurt too much. And oh, another thing: this isn’t a very icy shake without the ice. So if you like your protein shakes icy be sure to include the ice (go by taste, I like to use anywhere from 5 cubes to a large handful).

If you’re taking this for breakfast or as a post-workout drink I totally recommend adding the coconut oil as it’ll give you that extra energy boost. This protein shake may be a little extra fuss then the normal water/milk + powder but it’s worth it.

Let me know what you think if you try it!

Sarah:)

Chocolate Coconut Banana Protein Shake

Chocolate Coconut Banana Protein Shake

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy,
Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

Servings: 1
Preparation Time: 3 minutes

1-2 heaping scoops double bonded chocolate protein powder
1 teaspoon cocoa
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon guar gum
1 frozen banana
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup coconut milk* or organic raw whole milk
5 ice cubes, optional (more or less as desired)
1-3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

Add all ingredients except coconut oil to blender and blend, pouring the coconut oil in slowly. Continue blending until smooth and enjoy.

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

Recipe courtesy Sarah Shilhavy

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Gluten Free Poppy Seed Apple Coconut Loaf

Photo by recipe author

Servings: 10
Preparation Time: 10

3 eggs
1/8 cup Coconut Cream Concentrate, melted
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup Poppy Seeds, heaping
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 pinch salt
1/8 cup coconut flakes
zest of 1 lemon
1/8 cup dried pomegranate
1/8 cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat eggs with a hand mixer until they are very frothy, then add all other ingredients. Mix well and simply pour into your greased and coconut dusted 4 1/2 by 8 1/2 inch loaf pan.

Bake for 30 minutes and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes prior to serving.

If you don’t like the dried fruit, you can substitute it by adding the juice of half a lemon.

Recipe submitted by Josephine, Scottsdale, AZ

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Gluten Free Coconut Brownies

I honestly don’t know what exactly I was expecting when I baked these, but they weren’t what I thought they’d be. They totally surprised me.

The texture is light, almost creamy, very coconutty, and moist. The “bite” and overall texture is like a wheat brownie. The appearance even, is just like a wheat brownie. Even the top baked up shiny and flakey. What’s more, they popped right out of the glass pan without any fuss. I like that.

The batter will mix and come together easily if you soften the Coconut Cream Concentrate to peanut butter consistency first. It also helps to bring the eggs to room temperature as well. Depending on how warm your CCC is, you may or may not end up with stubborn little lumps that will refuse to totally mix in. Don’t let it get to you. They’ll still be delicious.

Mine have little lumps. And they’re delicious.

I haven’t tried the blondie version yet but I can assure you it’s just as delicious as the brownies.

Which one will you make?

Sarah:)

Gluten Free Coconut Brownies (or Blondies)

Gluten Free Coconut Brownies

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

Servings: 18 squares
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

1 cup Coconut Cream Concentrate
2-3 eggs*
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup**
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 1/2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract
1/4 cup organic cocoa***
1/3 cup chocolate chips, optional
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees (300 for convection oven). Grease a 9×9 or 12×8 pan.

2. In a large bowl measure out all ingredients and mix until combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes. Try not to over bake; the top will be slightly crispy and the middle is fudgey.

* I usually use 2 eggs to achieve a silky, ribbon-y look, but sometimes I have to use 3 eggs to completely emulsify the batter.

** I prefer a less sweet brownie, especially since I always put chocolate chips into my brownies, so I actually only use 1/3 cup of honey, but I find that when I bake for others they are used to a sweeter baked good.

***For Blondies, omit cocoa. This will have a stronger coconut flavor than the brownies.

Recipe submitted by Marisa, San Jose, CA

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