almond flour

Almond Flour Trail Mix Scones

~ beckijuice ~ Leave a comment

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Scones, in their traditional form, are pretty much devoid of nutrients and are high in carbs, making them a less than desirable breakfast option.  They are, however, undeniably delicious and go quite nicely with your morning coffee or tea.  These almond flour scones make for a much more nutritionally dense option that is higher in protein as well as heart-disease fighting plant sterols and Vitamin E.  You can choose any dried fruit and nut combination you like.  Enjoy these with a pat of grass fed butter!

Makes 10 small scones

 2 cups almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons honey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, combine almond flour, baking soda and sea salt.  Mix in the dried fruit and nuts.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and honey,  then add the wet ingredients to the dry.  The mixture will seem too dry at first, but just keep stirring until the dough comes together. Form dough into a ball, then shape into a square, about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into 10 triangles.  Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Almond Flour Strawberry Shortcake

~ beckijuice ~ Leave a comment

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I suppose this post might have been most useful pre-Valentine’s Day, but heck, I had leftover strawberries.  This dessert is simple and requires few ingredients, so its a cinch to whip up for a romantic dinner for two, with leftovers of course.  I really love the addition of black pepper, I think it adds a great layer to any strawberry dessert.  You can omit it, of course, if you’re feeling more traditional.

I used a heart cookie cutter to form the almond flour biscuits, but you could choose another shape or do a simple round biscuit by forming it in your hands.

What really makes this dessert is the homemade whipped cream, which is so simple that there’s no reason to every buy the storebought variety again.  You want a heavy whipping cream, full fat. Use a local, organic variety if at all possible. In Houston, I like Mill-King and it is readily available at Whole Foods.

Serves 4-6

For the biscuits:
2  cups almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
1 Tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
For the strawberry topping:
1 large container organic strawberries
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the fresh whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream, plus 2 Tablespoons
1 Tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl mix together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and sea salt. Whisk together the honey and melted butter or coconut oil, then add in the eggs and vanilla until well combined.  Stir the wet mixture into the dry until incorporated.  Shape the dough into a ball and chill for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, make the whipped cream.  Add the first two tablespoons of heavy cream to the bowl of a standing mixer along with the honey and vanilla and blend on high speed.  Add in the remaining cup of cream and continue to mix on high until stiff peaks form.  Place in the refrigerator in a sealed container until ready to use.

When the dough is chilled, take out of the fridge and divide into six parts.  Shape into balls and place each one on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then flatten to about an inch thick.  Or, if you prefer, roll out the dough and cut into desired shapes.  Bake 10-12 minutes until golden.  Allow to cool.

While biscuits are cooling, prepare the strawberry topping.  Stem and slice the strawberries and place in a bowl with the maple syrup, vanilla and black pepper.

Cut the biscuits in half, then layer with the fresh whipped cream and sliced strawberries.  Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Protein Pancakes

~ beckijuice ~ 2 Comments

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Pancakes, though delicious, are traditionally pretty much devoid of nutrients, and thus rarely make an appearance at my breakfast table. White flour, white rice, white sugar, even white potatoes don’t really stand a chance in my kitchen. Even the whole grain varieties of pancakes are lacking substantial protein, essential to a good breakfast. These pancakes are a super yum way to add more protein to your breakfast, while still satisfying a pancake craving. They are grain free and made with almond meal, apple sauce and protein powder.  I cooked them in grass fed ghee to give them a little extra healthy fat boost, then topped them with caramelized apples and local honey.

Makes about 12 medium sized pancakes, or 3-4 servings

For the pancakes:

4 eggs
2/3 cup apple sauce, unsweetened
1/2 cup almond meal
1 scoop plain grass fed whey protein, or your protein powder of your choice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon maple syrup or honey

1 teaspoon grass fed butter or coconut oil, for cooking

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, then add the applesauce, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. Add in the almond flour, protein powder and baking powder and mix until thoroughly combined.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium. Add a small amount of butter or coconut oil . Once heated, pour in about 3-4 Tablespoons of batter. Cook 2-3 minutes per side, turning once bubbles start to form and the pancakes are firm enough to be flipped. Please note, these pancakes are a little more delicate than normal pancakes, so be careful when flipping!  Repeat with the remaining batter.

For the apple topping:
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 teaspoon grass fed butter or coconut oil
2-3 Tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
squeeze lemon juice
In a small saucepan, combine the apples, butter, maple syrup or honey, lemon juice and cinnamon. Heat over medium heat until bubbling, then lower the heat and cook 10-15 minutes until apples soften and liquid thickens. Pour over pancakes and serve hot!

Brown Rice + Herb Crackers

~ beckijuice ~ 3 Comments

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These little gluten free crackers are super versatile and surprisingly easy to make.  A combination of brown rice and almond flour are flecked with sesame seeds, fresh herbs, nutritional yeast and sea salt for a cracker that can stand alone or be eaten with virtually any dip or topping.  If you can find dulse flakes at your local grocery store, throw some of those in for some added mineral content and depth of flavor.

These crackers contain more fiber, protein and healthy fat than your typical boxed crackers and deliver way more flavor.  Plus, you can add them to your repertoire of “party tricks” to impress your friends…pretty much a win, win situation in my book.

Note: I have sage, rosemary and thyme growing in my garden at virtually all times. You can substitute the same quantity of any fresh herb you choose, OR use 1/2 the amount of dried herbs if you don’t have access to fresh!

1/2 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup almond flour
2 Tablespoons ground flax
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds 
1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped finely 
1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped finely 
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped finely 
1 teaspoon dulse flakes
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup water
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

 In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix well until incorporated. Knead by hand until you can easily shape the dough into a ball with little to no crumbling.

Shape the dough into a ball and place between two sheets of parchment paper.  Roll out to 1/8th of an inch thickness using a rolling pin…or a wine bottle, like I do.

Using a pizza slicer or sharp knife, slice into 1 inch squares.  This recipe also works well with cookie cutters for a little extra fun.

Bake for 16-18 minutes until golden brown.  Allow to cool and store in an airtight container, if they last that long!