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I love this grain-free blueberry bread! I crave summer and this bitter cold has made me crave it even more. I am so happy to have access to frozen blueberries so even though it’s the dead of winter, I can still bake with them!

My first attempt at this recipe was a semi-fail. I was going off of the grain-free banana bread recipe I posted last week and though it would need more liquid to compensate for not having bananas in it. I added 1/2 cup milk to it and there was way too much moisture. It took a long time to bake and fell apart when cutting. We ate it in bowls with vanilla ice cream and it was divine! That’s why it was only a semi-fail! 🙂

Working with coconut flour can be tricky. You have to get the moisture right or the end result will either be too dry or too wet. My second attempt yielded a moist bread that did not fall apart as easily. My taste testers said try number two was the winner!

Can you make these into muffins? I don’t know because I haven’t tried. If I do, I will update with the results. 

I add gelatin hydrolysate to everything I can. It doesn’t gel but it does add nutrients to whatever it is added to. 

As always, for your convenience I have included links in the recipe for where to buy ingredients easily. 

​Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl mix coconut flour with the remaining dry ingredients and add eggs.
3. Add applesauce, vanilla, maple syrup (or honey), and coconut oil.
4. Mix thoroughly and let sit for about 5 minutes.
5. Smooth out any lumps and gently fold in blueberries (batter will be thick).
6. Scoop into prepared loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (mine took 1 hr 15 mins).
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a baking rack.
8. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.
9. Goes well paired with fresh whipped cream (or coconut milk whipped cream) or homemade ice cream!

I love the balance of flavors from the vanilla and almond extracts along with the rich sweetness of the blueberries and maple syrup. It’s the perfect combination for the perfect breakfast, snack or dessert.

Want more recipes that contain blueberries? Take a look at these!
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• Paleo Blueberry Banana Bread from The Skinny Pear
• Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins from Five Little Homesteaders
• Quinoa Blueberry Mini Loaves  and Ice Cream Cookies from Scratch Mommy
• Spectacular Blueberry Scones  and Real Food Blueberry Muffins from Real Food Girl: Unmodified 

​Be nourished. Be happy.
Enjoy!

  

They multiply like bananas and I need to find things to do with them. I like making zucchini noodles like these Nettle-Basil Pesto Noodles, or Sautéed Zucchini.

Zucchini is very versatile. It will take on the flavor of whatever you cook it with so it can be used in savory or sweet dishes. Sweet is what I have been wanting since I have been off of all sugars (and grains), even fruit for three months to heal my adrenals.

Now that I can have a *little* maple syrup here and there, I used a small amount in my grain free chocolate zucchini bread recipe to give it just a hint of sweetness. It doesn’t take much after going cold turkey off sugar to be highly sensitive to sweet! I also used homemade applesauce made without any added sugar to give it a little extra sweetness.
 
If you are completely off all sugars, you can substitute stevia. Add it little by little as the last thing you put in, and do it to taste. 

Can’t have eggs? That’s ok! Use chia or flax seed as a substitute. To make a chia or flax seed egg substitute, simply put a few tablespoons of the seeds in a jar. Cover with water. The seeds will turn into a gel-like substance that you can add to a recipe in place of eggs. I use a heaping tablespoon per one egg.

I like using coconut flour for my fruit-based, grain free breads like my banana bread or blueberry bread. I use almond flour quite often for other breakfast items like our favorite grain free waffles, or these amazing lemon pancakes, and lunch wraps or flat bread. I like to mix it up so I’m not eating too much of one thing.

The zucchini I used in this recipe was so huge that I was able to make 3 loaves and still have a quarter of it left. You only need a cup of shredded zucchini per loaf so it can easily be stretched. Great for the budget!

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​This recipe makes one loaf. If you want to double it, you can. I like to double the recipe but not double the eggs. The photo above shows a doubles recipe with 4 eggs and 4 TBS chia seed “gel”.
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Instructions:
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add wet ingredients one by one.
3. Add zucchini last.
4. Stir well after each addition.
5. Let mixture sit for at least five minutes.
6. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
7. Pour batter into pan.
8. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes to an hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Allow to cool in pan for at least 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
10. This bread will be crumbly so handle gently when transferring and slicing.
11. Can be stored in the refrigerator.

​

 When working with coconut flour, be sure to measure precisely. Also, letting the mixture sit for at least five minutes will allow the dense coconut flour to absorb the moisture and be less “gritty”.

This batter will be fairly thick (almost crumbly, but wet) like a cookie batter. It’s not smooth or runny like a cake batter. Does that make sense?
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The end result is a moist, dense cake-like bread that is wonderful paired with a cup of tea, or Swiss water decaf coffee, or a tall glass of raw milk!


​What’s your favorite way to eat zucchini? 


Be nourished. Be happy.
Enjoy!

It’s peach season!

In years past, if I wasn’t canning them (learn how to can peaches without sugar here), I was making things like peach tart, or peach pie crock pot oatmeal with them. Now that I’m grain free (and loving the possibilities)  I am always looking for ways to use them up in grain free recipes.

Grain free peach bread with cinnamon and cardamom is a variation of my other grain free breads on the blog: zucchini, banana, and blueberry. It’s a great base recipe and so far has been very versatile.
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I’m fortunate to have access to spray-free peaches and lots of them. Peaches are high in pesticides if grown conventionally so be sure to look for organic or no-spray when purchasing.
​

Instructions:
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add wet ingredients one by one.
3. Add peaches last.
4. Stir well after each addition.
5. Let mixture sit for at least five minutes.
6. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
7. Pour batter into pan.
8. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes to an hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Allow to cool in pan for at least 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
10. This bread will be crumbly so handle gently when transferring and slicing.
11. Can be stored in the refrigerator.

​

We usually eat this for breakfast but it makes a great snack as well. It’s great to make the night before for a quick morning breakfast.

I love the subtle taste of cardamom in this recipe. It’s perfectly balanced by the peaches and cinnamon. It’s great paired with bacon and a glass of raw milk!

​
Be nourished. Be happy.
Enjoy!

 

​We eat a ton of pumpkins, apples, and squash when they’re in season. I get no-spray apples at a very reasonable price locally so I’m busy baking up plenty of fall goodness for all! *If you’re in the West Jersey area, visit Cheyenne’s Road Market for the best organically grown produce around!*

If you’re busy like me then you know that making breakfast the night before can be a huge timesaver. I LOVE breakfast breads for their convenience and potential nutrient-density. They are simple to make, cool, and refrigerate for easy eating in the morning. 

Fruit breads are naturally sweet and require little to no additional sweetening. This is good for those of us limiting our sugar intake! I like to use maple syrup or honey if needed. 
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This time, I’m making a grain-free apple cinnamon bread. Feel free to search my site for peach bread, banana bread, blueberry bread, and pumpkin bread!
​

One of my favorite spices is Cinnamon. I put it in tea, coffee, pancakes, waffles…everything, when the season is right. My favorite cinnamon flavor-wise is Vietnamese cinnamon. My second choice is Ceylon cinnamon. 
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I also added apple pie spice to this bread. Apple pie spice is NOT an artificial flavoring. It is simply a delicious blend of cinnamon, fenugreek, lemon peel, ginger, cloves, nutmeg. I like this brand. 

​
Instructions:
​

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add wet ingredients one by one.
3. Add apples last.
4. Stir well after each addition.
5. Let mixture sit for at least five minutes.
6. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
7. Pour batter into pan.
8. Lay sliced apples on top and sprinkle with extra cinnamon or apple pie spice.
9. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes to an hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Allow to cool in pan for at least 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
11. This bread may be crumbly so handle gently when transferring and slicing.
12. Can be stored in the refrigerator.

Be nourished. Be happy.
​Enjoy!

My favorite cake to make over the last 10 years is Nigella Lawson’s Lemon Madeira Cake.

I get a little nostalgic every time I make it because I used to bring it to my Grandparents’ house before they passed away. They always enjoyed it, and it felt good to bring something to them for a change after all they brought to me through the years.

Since I’ve been joyfully baking grain free this year, I wanted to covert this traditional recipe to a grain free version. I did not want to sacrifice texture or flavor so I went to work modifying and am very happy with the results. I wish my Grandparents were still here to have some with me!

There’s something about lemon cake that draws me in! It’s so fresh and light, bringing bold flavor to any batter it’s added to. My family loves it to so adding this grain free lemon medeira cake to our breakfast or dessert repertoire makes everyone very happy!

As with my grain free banana and grain free blueberry breads, I add gelatin hydrosylate for some added nutrients. It doesn’t change the texture at all and is completely optional.
​

Instructions:
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1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper.
3. Combine dry ingredients.
4. Add wet ingredients and mix well.
5. Allow mixture to sit for at least 5 minutes.
6. Spoon into baking dish - batter will be cookie batter consistency.
7. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean.
8. Remove to a cooling rack.
9. Cool slightly before cutting.

​

While not as dense as a pound cake, grain free lemon medeira cake has a moist, springy texture without being overly heavy. It’s deliciously lemony and sure to become one of your favorite cakes!

I think my Grandparents would be proud!
​
Be nourished. Be happy.
Enjoy!

One caveat to this recipe: you all know I am very strict with sugar. There is quite a bit of sugar in this recipe. Natural or not, sugar is sugar. It’s ok to use less than the recipe calls for. I know I prefer a less sweet cake. Remember, this is a special occasion treat!

​Cassava Chocolate Cake – by Erin Smith

Before I’d gotten on the real food bandwagon, someone at work brought a store-bought, gluten-free cake.

Most coworkers kept their distance, making snide remarks like “If I’m gonna eat the calories….”

I was among the brave who tried it, and I wish I hadn’t. Terrible, disgusting, flavorless. Contrary to popular belief, chocolate DOES NOT cover all else.

In other words, I know what a bad chocolate cake tastes like, and this ain’t it.

In order to achieve “gluten-free” status, I used cassava flour (it’s all the rage amongst the real foodies). It’s a starchy root, kind of like a potato. Just don’t imagine that it tastes like you’re adding potato flakes, because that would be gross.

Cassava flour has a slight earthy taste to it, but in a good way. It is extremely nutritious, containing good sources of potassium, vitamin C, fiber, and even some protein, iron, and magnesium.

The beautiful part is that you can trade it out in a 1:1 ratio with flour, and still keep a similar consistency. I’d say it’s slightly denser than normal cake, but it just makes it a little fudgier… so no complaints here.

A couple weeks ago, it was our Little Man’s 2nd birthday, which is crazy and insane. He’s not much of a dessert eater – he signs “grapes” or “strawberries” pretty much at every meal. He needed a little encouragement to dig into his chocolate cassava flour cake, but once he did, that stuff got ate.
​

Along with the cassava flour, you’ll see that I’ve used sucanat, organic sugar, and other healthier ingredients. I wouldn’t call this a weight loss meal, but it sure beats processed, GMO ingredients that provide no nutritional benefit or even block other nutrients from entering your system.

In other words, it’s a dessert you can be confident your family will like, and you can sit back, arms crossed, smiling at your achievement. You can check out our date cake and brownie recipe too if those sound tasty to you.

Enjoy your cake!

For Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line bottom of 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper and butter.
2. Cream Sucanat, sugar, softened butter.
3. Add cacao, warm water, and vanilla.
4. Mix in eggs one at a time until combined. Do not over-mix or your cake will come out flat.
5. In separate bowl, sift together cacao, flour, soda, and salt. 
6. Slowly add flour mixture to wet mixture and mix until combined.
7. Pour half of the mixture into cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until edges look crisp and knife comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
8. Immediately after taking pan out of oven, run a knife around the edge of the pan. After about 10 minutes, remove from pan and let cool on a cooling rack.
9. Repeat baking process for second layer.

For Frosting:

1. Combine powdered sugar, butter, cacao, and vanilla.
2. Add small amounts of milk until desired consistency is reached, usually very fluffy and not runny or your cake will slide all over. You probably won’t need the entire 2/3 Cup just FYI!
3. After cake layers are cool, frost the top of one layer, add the top layer and frost the top then the sides. Store covered so the cake doesn’t dry out.

​

Chicken Nuggets are such a fun finger food. Both kids and adults love them. 

Many of us adults grew up eating lots of chicken nuggets, usually from not-so-great sources. We’ve grown up in a generation or culture where everything is so processed. Cooking real food has become a lost art. 

Chicken nuggets are still as popular as ever. They’re jam packed in grocery store freezer isles and on almost every restaurant menu. Of course they’re on fast food menus too.
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The thought of that makes me cringe a little. I haven’t had any of those versions since I was a very young child. But I still love chicken nuggets. 

Skip the processed, packaged ones and make your own instead. Homemade chicken nuggets are so much healthier too!

This version is free of grains, uses a super healthy fat to cook the chicken in {avocado oil} and only has a few simple ingredients. Bonus … they taste so good too! My family goes crazy for these chicken nuggets. They disappear so fast, it seems like we never make enough. 

So grab yourself some organic chicken and make up a batch or two of chicken nuggets. Make sure to serve them with some yummy sauce and dip those perfect little crispy bites in some honey mustard, ketchup or any other homemade sauce. 
​

1. Cut chicken into 1″ pieces with kitchen scissors or a sharp knife. Set aside. 
2. In a shallow dish, combine arrowroot flour, sea salt, garlic powered, and thyme. Stir to combine. [Note: If you have a spice grinder or blender like a Twister Jar, you can throw all of these ingredients in and pulse it really quick to finely grind up all ingredients. I like to do this in Twister Jar, it helps turn the thyme into a powder. This is completely optional.] 
3. Add pieces of chicken, one at a time, to the flour mixture. Toss them around until they are evenly coated on each side. Set aside.
4. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add avocado oil, about 1/4-1/3″ inch deep. Allow avocado oil to get hot, about 2 minutes. Add a single layer of chicken, being sure not to crowd them and reduce heat to medium. Fry on each side over medium heat until golden brown and completely cooked through. Depending on the size of your sauté pan, you might have to do this in two batches. (Note: If you like them extra crispy, like my family does, cook the chicken nuggets a little longer.) 
5. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

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• Servings: 2-3
• Serving Suggestions: Serve with you favorite dipping sauce like honey mustard, BBQ sauce, organic ketchup or homemade ranch. My family loves to eat these with honey mustard dipping sauce.
• How to Make a Simple Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce: Combine equal parts raw honey and organic Dijon mustard {or horseradish mustard}. Stir until fully incorporated.

Recipe by Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri, founder and author of Recipes to Nourish