coconut

Breakfast, Gluten Free

COCONUT + ALMOND FLOUR PANCAKES

Coconut & Almond Flour Pancakes . Sprouted Kitchen

I was skimming a goop article last week (I have a love hate with all things goop - I appreciate the health angle, but I don't like that the average advertised clothing article is $480. You had me at hormone balancing but I disconnected with the suggestion of using $50 bath salts). Anyway. I liked the interview in the article and I jotted down this line to remember:

"The goal is to gain greater awareness of yourself on every level: what makes you tick and what makes you sick, what your passion and purpose are, what you want to express in your lifetime, and what makes you most fulfilled" ... "When you wake up to the awareness of who and what you are, you can discover the confidence to live your way, the courage to make choices that serve you best, and the compassion to be kind to yourself along the way—a compassion that inevitably ripples outward to others." - Dr. Frank Lipman

Both Hugh and I are trying to be proactive about growing/changing our businesses this year, and it has begged the question to explore what I actually like doing. I need to make a living, but if I am going to steer my ship towards something, where are we going? I make money in a number of different ways, where can I focus and do better, or perhaps expand? Or do we reroute completely? I think lulls in workflow are good for recalibrating, though honestly, I am mostly just super anxious :)

I listened to a recent One Part Plant podcast with Candice Kumai, and Jessica Murnane, the host, remarked on how confident Candice was, and asked if she came by that naturally. She responded that she believes we all have that in us, that the disclaimers and insecurity are there as masks to cover it up. What are you really good at, and you know it, but you're not making the most of it? How can you pursue those strengths and be a better boss lady, mom, giver, artist, worker, whatever? These questions are tough! But I am asking them. I thought I may find one of you in a similar place, in the midst of a recalibration. 

On food. Maybe you already make your pancakes in a blender, but I swear it makes the thought of making them feel like much less of a project. No clumps, not even a dirty spoon, and I can pour into the pan straight from the blender. These flapjacks (they really are quite thin) below have a decent amount of protein and good fats from the almond meal so they keep me full longer. 


ALMOND + COCONUT FLOUR PANCAKES

Makes 12 small pancakes

As it goes with gluten free things that don't have any gums in them, these are super tender and delicate. I love them for that, I don't like a heavy baked good first thing in the morning. The trick to getting them to not break on the flip, is letting them cook through more on one side than you would a traditional wheat pancake that goes about 50/50 each side. I cook these about 70% through on the first side, so when I flip, they are pretty strudy and mostly cooked through.  I do not have an egg replacement I can pass on confidently, though I have had decent luck with one medium overripe banana mashed with 2 Tbsp. flaxmeal in their place. However, VERY delicate.

  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup almond milk or whatever milk you use
  • 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp. avocado or melted coconut oil or ghee, plus more for cooking
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • pinch of salt

Into a blender, combine all of the ingredients. Run it until combined, about 30 seconds. This can also be done by hand, mix all the wet ingredients first, then mix in the dry to combine. Let the mixture hydrate for a minute.  Warm a skillet over medium heat. Use ghee or coconut oil to grease the pan. Make small, 3" pancakes. Cook them most of the way on one side, about 2 minutes, flip, and cook for another minute. Transfer to your plate. I like mine with plain coconut yogurt, berries and maple. Garnish as you wish!


Print This Recipe

Breakfast, Entrée, Spring

OATMEAL SOUFFLE

I am months behind on reading the food magazines but am working my way backwards. I love the content towards the beginning of the year because it's the lighter, vegetable focused stuff that is nowhere to be found in all the holiday issues. I was obsessed with this piece in the March issue of Food + Wine about the "new healthy" kinds of foods - which, surprise, is just real food. It was shot by a favorite food photographer and stylist and if you can grab an issue, it's worth it. I will likely try each of the recipes but this one struck me first as I desperately need some new life in my breakfast routine. With the whipped egg white situation and the 20ish minute baking time, this may be more of a weekend thing, but I love it. The original recipe is written with whole milk but I tried a coconut milk version to keep it dairy free (operation baby gas issues over here, you use what you prefer). The texture is lighter with the souffle element,  making it a perfect dish for a brunch or part of a buffet of other breakfast goods. I also felt like the bit of extra protein made this breakfast stay with me longer, if only in my head, and Curran liked it too, so there's that. Breakfast can become a "short order" meal and I'm not always up for that. In the Southern California area, fresh berries are available, not great ones, but available. You could use some sauteed apples or pears or pomegranate and persimmons if that is what tastes fresh near you. 

OATMEAL SOUFFLE // Serves 4-6

Recipe lightly adapted from Food + Wine magazine

I opted for a dairy free version here which while it works, tastes a little cloudy as coconut milk can. Replace the liquid with 3 cups whole milk if you'd rather. To get ahead, you could do the oat and milk cooking step in advance and loosen that up with a bit more milk when you are ready to complete the recipe. You'll want to enjoy it fairly soon after baking.

1 cup thick cut rolled oats
1 14 oz. can coconut milk
1 cup almond milk
pinch of salt
2 Tbsp. turbinado sugar
seeds of half a vanilla bean
3 large eggs, separated
zest of one lemon
2 cups mixed berries, fresh or frozen, chopped
pure maple syrup, to finish
toasted coconut, hemp seeds, granola etc., for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350' and grease a 2 qt. baking dish (or comprable smaller dishes). 

In a large saucepan, combine the oats, coconut milk, almond milk, salt, sugar and vanilla bean. Bring it to a gentle simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until the oats soften and the mixture begins to thicken. Remove the pot from the heat. 

Separate the eggs. Once the oats have cooled slightly, mix in the yolks completely. With a stand or electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites and lemon zest into the oat mixture until incorporated but not over mixed. Fold in a handful of the berries.

Pour the mixture into your prepared pan(s) and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is just puffed and golden. 

Pour a bit of maple on top (I liberally brushed some on) and garnish the top with fresh berries, toasted coconut or goodies of choice. 

Print This Recipe

Dessert, gluten free

ROASTED BANANA COCONUT ICE CREAM

Roasted Banana Coconut Ice Cream . Sprouted Kitchen
Roasted Banana Coconut Ice Cream . Sprouted Kitchen

I've stalled halfway through Brene Brown's book, Daring Greatly, a week after my book club already met about the book. It would have been helpful to finish it prior to the get together but I just didn't. I kept meaning to but such is life. I intend to finish the book eventually. Anyway, she tells this story about her daughter being in grade school and a girlfriend telling one of her secrets in class and how embarrassed and disappointed she was. The metaphor Brene uses to speak with her daughter is comparing friends to a marble jar; like the sort teachers keep in class that they add marbles to when the class is good or take marbles out of when kids misbehave - encouraging good behavior with a reward to be had if the marble jar becomes full. Friends can be people who we trust while some others say hurtful things at times, but they live on somewhat of an invisible marble system in our heads. You can think of the friends who have earned lots of marbles, the ones who listen and respect your secrets in this case, and those are the friends who it is most safe to be honest and vulnerable with. I just keep thinking about that image, of being a person who earns marbles for and from people I care deeply about, and I feel incredibly accountable for my actions and words in a good way. I understand that is not the big picture of the book but halfway through, I keep thinking about being a marble friend. 

I have been slowly paging through Anna's book, A Modern Way to Eat, because so much of her style is what I want to cook. She has just the right amount of Nigel Slater-ness where measurements and directions are sometimes left to the cook and I love that sort of responsibility. I know some folks think it is vague recipe writing but I enjoy it. I had great luck with one of her pancake recipes, am anxious to try the California Wraps and will absolutely make this ice cream again. It has no dairy, a very subtle, natural sweetness, and still feels like a treat. I've been having a thing with McConnell's Eureka Lemon and Marionberry Ice Cream (you guys, if you're a lemon person you MUST try) and this feels necessarily less decadent. My chocolate shavings addition here is because I couldn't imagine it otherwise but perhaps you're more virtuous than I. Her next book, A Modern Way to Cook, is out in the UK if you're that direction and I can't wait to see that beauty as well. 

Also! We are heading back to Seattle in October to host a photography workshop with the lovely Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle et Vanille at her beautiful studio. It was such a nice group of people last visit and I felt like I came out of the weekend more inspired than I went in so we're excited to go back. There are more details on her site and a few more spots if you're interested. 

I hope your weekend involves ice cream in some capacity. xo

Roasted Banana Coconut Ice Cream . Sprouted Kitchen
Roasted Banana Coconut Ice Cream . Sprouted Kitchen
Roasted Banana Coconut Ice Cream . Sprouted Kitchen
Roasted Banana Coconut Ice Cream . Sprouted Kitchen

ROASTED BANANA COCONUT ICE CREAM // Makes 1 pint

Recipe adapted from A Modern Way to Eat by Anna Jones

  • 3 medium, ripe bananas
  • honey (I used about 3 Tbsp.)
  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • juice of half a lemon
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 ounces grated dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350'.

Slice the bananas into 1/2 - 3/4 inch pieces and toss them with the honey on a parchment lined baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once during baking, until the bananas are browned and cooked through. Scrape the bananas and any syrup into a blender or food processor. Add the coconut milk, lemon juice, pinch of salt and vanilla and puree until smooth. 

Chill the mixture in the fridge until cool. Process the mixture in your ice cream maker, scraping down the sides as needed. In the last minutes, pour in the grated chocolate and give it one more churn to incorporate. Transfer it to a container and stir occasionally until frozen. If you like it softer, serve it after only an hour in the freezer, if you want it firmer, let it sit overnight. It will be scoopable after sitting at room temperature for a few minutes. 

Garnish the ice cream with some chopped pistachios, toasted coconut or more grate chocolate. 

Roasted Banana Coconut Ice Cream . Sprouted Kitchen
Roasted Banana Coconut Ice Cream . Sprouted Kitchen
Print This Recipe