This is delightfully light and perfectly chocolatey! And with a high amount of eggs, it can even be snuck in as breakfast (or at least part of breakfast.)
Chocolate-Coconut Cake
(adapted from Detoxinista)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While oven is heating, oil a 11×13 inch pan. The cake is purposely thin because I prefer a more moist dense cake than a big fluffy dry one…This can probably be done in an 8×8 I imagine but with fluffier thicker results.
Mix in bowl:
1/2 C coconut flour (shredded unsweetened coconut that’s been ground to an almost powder using the mason jar method: https://sustainablynourished.wordpress.com/?s=mason)
1/2 C cocoa powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
Whisk in these next ingredients until smooth:
6 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup agave, maple syrup, honey
2 TBSP vanilla extract
Pour into 11×13 cake pan, place in over for about 20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and cake is firm to the touch.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes.
Prepare the glaze: Melt about a half bag of chocolate chips of choice on low in saucepan with 1-2 TBS coconut oil until completely smooth.
Spread icing on cake when cool and eat up! I like to store mine covered in the fridge, it keeps it fresher and somehow seems to bring out the flavor even more!
Why use aluminum-laden, paraben-filled store-bought deodorants when you can make your own for cheap? There is evidence for that these common deodorants cause breast cancer, due to the parabens that mimic estrogen by promoting cell growth. The reason parabens are so dangerous in the armpit as opposed to the rest of the body (which I would avoid it for that as well) is because you apply it, then leave it on all day.
The aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, as well as the fact that it actually destroys DNA which results in damaged cells (the first step in cancer). Parabens make a diabolical match for aluminum as it then begins to promote growth of these damaged cells.
I initially switched my family to a more pricey natural deodorant from the health store, but it did not absorb moisture, nor did it cut down on any odor, in fact it sometimes seemed worse than no deodorant at all. Plus, as I said, it was more pricey!
This simple recipe for your own deodorant/anti-perspirant has been proven hands down by one dirty, sweaty, hard-working grown man, me, and my oldest daughter to completely cut out odor (when we sweat it has a pleasant smell of coconut). Also, it absorbs excess moisture when we sweat. This is inexpensive, easy to make, and easy to use!
In the cooler season use these directions: Put all ingredients into small skillet. Warm on medium heat. Stir until blended. Turn off heat and let cool until about room temperature without letting it harden.
Pour into an old deodorant dispenser and put in freezer for an hour, or in ice water to harden. After this you will have a firm stick of wonderful natural odor protection!
In the hot time of year, the coconut oil will be totally liquid. Just mix ingredients in a bowl. Pour into a container and apply with fingers easily. You could of course store in the fridge but that’s not very convenient.
We have used this combo for a while and we LOVE it!
Hooray these are the perfect hearty chocolatey, chewy and crunchy combination for a sweet tooth!
Nutty Chocolate Cookies (Paleo, sugar-free, gluten-free, milk-free)
1 C coconut oil softened
1 C sweetener w ith drizzle of molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-2 1/2 cups nut flour (I made my own mixing peanuts and almonds…yum!)
1/4-1/2 C cocoa powder (depending on how chocolately you want it
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4-1/2 C crushed mixed nuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix wet ingredients together, then mix in flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda until the dough is somewhat firm (you can always add a bit more flour or oil to change consistencty. Place in freezer for 10 minutes to make sure dough is firm. Mix in nuts or chocolate chips or dried fruit or shredded coconut…I just used mixed nuts because that’s what I had:)
Scoop onto greased baking sheet with ice cream scoop. Bake in oven about 15 minutes until toothpick comes out clean from center of cookie. Let cool for a few minutes on pan, then spatula them out onto a plate or cooling rack to let them get crisp and congealed…:)
These are light and fluffy as is the icing! And not too sweet…
Vanilla Mini Cupcakes
(makes about 18 mini cupcakes)
adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie’s doughnut recipe
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup milk of choice
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp oil of choice
1 ½ cup flour of choice
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup agave or honey
2 extra tbsp sweetener
1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350 F
Combine first four ingredients in a small bowl, and whisk well. Grease a mini muffin tin. In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and stir very well. Now pour wet into dry and immediately pour into the pan. Bake 15 minutes, then allow to cool before removing.
Italian Vanilla Buttercream Icing
adapted from food.com
1 TBS water
½ C agave or honey
2 egg whites
1 stick unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Whip egg whites until stiff.
Bring sweetener and water to a boil. Boil for seven minutes over medium heat.
Pour sweetener mixture slowly into egg whites. Beat until bowl is cool to the touch – ten minutes or so.
Cut butter into 1″ pieces, and add them slowly to the sweetener/egg white mixture. The mixture gets more “soupy” as you add the butter, but this is OK.
Add vanilla when butter is mixed in well.
Beat until light and fluffy. It may look a little curdled, but keep beating, and it will become smooth.
Spread on doughnut holes with knife, or pipe out with pastry bag (you can use a ziploc gallon bag with the tip cut off of the corner just as easily;)
I sprinkled mine with a nutmeg cinnamon blend. Ideas to top with are: fresh berries, chocolate chips, powdered sugar, powdered cocoa, shredded coconut, …
I just love having something for my family to grab early on weekend mornings when I don’t particularly feel like cooking right away. These were a total winner…you may have to double the recipe!
I had my daughter mashing the butter into the dough for me which she adores and I detest:))
This is not what you typically get in a dry hard rock scone (I’ve just had too many of them and i’m not a fan.) These are delightfully moist, just sweet enough, and surprisingly filling enough for a breakfast snack!
Chocolate Chip Scones
(adapted from Bon Apetit magazine)
Makes 8 Scones
Ingredients:
2 cups Oat Flour
1/3 cup sweetener of choice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, diced (you can use an alternative but it wont give the same texture)
1 teaspoon (packed) grated lemon peel
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chilled buttermilk or yogurt (for nut milks use the same amount with 1 tsp lemon juice-let sit for 15 minutes to thicken and sour)
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk of choice (for glaze)
Extra sweetener to top with
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Oil and flour baking sheet. Sift 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sweetener, baking powder, baking soda and salt into large bowl.
Add butter and lemon peel; rub in with fingertips until butter is reduced to size of rice grains. Mix in chocolate chips.
Whisk buttermilk, egg yolk and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; mix until dough comes together in moist clumps.
Gather dough into ball. Press dough out on lightly floured surface to 8-inch round; cut round into 8 wedges. Transfer wedges to prepared baking sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Brush scones lightly with milk; sprinkle with about 2 TBS sweetener. Bake until scones are crusty on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.
So much of what we eat and how we treat our teeth actually causes us to lose minerals out of them and wear the enamel down. And the common toothpastes that are out there don’t do much to help, in fact they add all kinds of toxic elements into our mouths and bodies, and yet we still get plaque and cavities.
Now I would argue that our diets contribute to that most of all, but since we do live in a culture where our diets cause problems for our mouths and teeth, we can actually heal our own cavities and re-mineralize our teeth.
My family has been using this mixture for about 2 months and our teeth have never been whiter, cleaner, and plaque doesn’t stay on our teeth as it did before. It tastes yummy and doesn’t give you a strong minty taste so you can brush before and after eating! (If you like a minty taste you can easily add extract to it).
The main ingredient is Bentonite Clay which contains over 70 trace minerals (like calcium, magnesium, and potassium) vital to the health of our teeth and gums. It has been used hundreds of years to de-toxify the body, absorbing toxins in the intestinal walls and eliminating them. When brushed on teeth it is mildly abrasive scrubbing the dirt and germs off, leaving them sparkling clean! Another effect is that these minerals go back into the teeth pushing out the decay.
The second most important ingredient here is Organic Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth. You can read about it in this previous post if you want to know more about it, and where to find it. A main benefit of this taken internally is that it “attracts and absorbs bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses, endotoxins, pesticide and drug residues, E-Coli, and heavy metals. These toxins are trapped and passed out of the body.” –Source: http://www.morethanalive.com/Diatomaceous-Earth-Food-Grade-Powder
Also, it is composed mainly of Silica and “Hardening the enamel, silica prevents cavities and preserves teeth. Silica also prevents bleeding gums, gum atrophy, and recession that causes the loosening of teeth, which could ultimately lead to tooth loss. Silica effectively fights ulceration and the decay of bones and teeth and also lessens inflammation.” –Source: http://www.morethanalive.com/Diatomaceous-Earth-Food-Grade-Powder
The third ingredient we use is: Activated Charcoal Powder. The benefits of it are: “It absorbs (binds to and helps eliminate from the body) poisons, heavy metals, chemicals and intestinal gases that have thousands of times more weight than it has, making it very effective in detoxing and eliminating toxins and poisonous substances from the body”–Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/032570_activated_charcoal_cholesterol.html#ixzz2MnRiBGh
Ground Cinnamon helps eliminate bacteria, yeast, and fungus. GroundCloves are an antiviral, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and anti-fungal agent. Ground Nutmeg is a natural anti-bacterial and has been known to stop halitosis because of this, making it excellent in a tooth powder.
And last but not least is Xylitol Powder, which is a fibrous carbohydrate found in plants that prevents bacteria from sticking to teeth, and helps to keep the pH level in the mouth at a neutral level, inhibiting bacteria from thriving.
This combo seems to be working for us and we would never go back to even the natural toothpastes we were using before. This whole mixture is entirely safe and edible, therefore making it a good choice to put in your mouth:)
Many days we will brush in the morning and not even notice a need to brush again at night. If we are too tired or for whatever reason, our mouths don’t feel horrible if we’ve missed a brushing. The one thing to get used to is it can get a little messy in the sink. Keep your lips together as best you can when brushing to eliminate this;)
HEALING TOOTH POWDER–
4 TBS Bentonite Clay
3 TBS Diatomaceous Earth
1 capsule Activated Charcoal Powder
1 TBS Ground Cinnamon Powder
1 TBS of Ground Cloves
1 TBS Ground Nutmeg
1 TBS Xylitol Powder
Stir together and store in a jar with a lid. Use 1-2 times/day as needed. Enjoy!
I love using lots of eggs in baked goods to make them more filling with protein and good fat;) This way I can get away with grabbing only a fresh baked bar for breakfast and it satisfies me for quite a bit, unlike standard baked goods.
This was a hit!
Crumbly Cinnamon Breakfast Cake
About 12 servings, using a 9″x13″ pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
TOPPING:
2/3 C honey, agave, or choice of sweetener
drizzle of molasses to darken the taste of your sweetener
I just hate the mushy chicken parmesan recipes i’ve tried before, so by placing the chicken tenders on a wire rack and crisping first, then topping with sauce and cheese, I was able to achieve a more crispy, delicious chicken parmesan…hope you love it!
Crispy Chicken Parmesan
(Serves 4)
1cup grated raw parmesan cheese, plus 1-2 cups more for topping after
1cup oat flour, almond meal, etc
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2-2 1/2 lb. of chicken tenders or breats cut into small pieces
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
15 oz. tomato sauce
HEAT oven to 400°F.
MIX cheese, flour and seasonings in shallow dish.
DIP chicken in butter, then in cheese mixture, turning to evenly coat each breast. Place chicken pieces on wire rack over 11×13 pan.
BAKE 25-30 min. or until chicken is done. Meanwhile let tomato sauce warm in sauce pan.
Carefully place chicken strips onto a new clean pan, pour sauce evenly over and top with remaining parmesan cheese. Turn oven heat down and let cheese melt (5-10 minutes).
Next I mixed some organic mixed greens and kale together with grape tomatoes, green onions, roasted sunflower seeds, grated raw parmesan, and sprinkled with salt and pepper.Toss with Homemade Ranch Dressing.
Recipe as follows:
Homemade Ranch Dressing (adapted from Ree Drummond)
Servings:8
Ingredients: 1 clove Garlic 1/4 tsp Salt 1/4 cup Italian Flat-leaf Parsley 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives 1 cup (Real) Mayonnaise (I make my own using only egg yolks, mustard,grapeseed oil, salt, vinegar, and lemon juice–if you want the recipe, let me know in the comments!) 1/2 cup Sour Cream Almond Milk (as Needed To Desired Consistency) Apple Cider Vinegar (optional, To Taste) 1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce 1 tsp. Fresh Dill 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper 1/4 tsp Paprika
Preparation Instructions:
Mince the garlic and then sprinkle salt on it and mash it into a paste with a fork. Chop the parsley, chives and herbs very finely and add to the garlic. Add all other ingredients tasting frequently and adjusting seasonings as needed. Chill for a couple of hours before serving, thin with milk if desired.
This gets pretty thick in the fridge so the milk makes it go farther and drizzle easier:)
Buying good quality flour for cooking and baking is costly, so on a budget, I discovered a wonderful option for buying the whole seed, nut or grain and doing it myself (plus it’s fresher that way.) I have seen the $500 plus Vitamixes that are so commonly used these days but there’s no way i’m dropping that much on something that I believe is unnecessary.
So today, I want to share with you how to use an ordinary blender (I think mine is the cheapest Wal-mart brand that I could find 4 years ago, but still going strong! Apparently when blenders first were designed, the blade was made to fit a standard mason jar! Now this is awesome news because if you try to do this with the plastic blender your mixture will unevenly grind and take forever!
All that’s actually necessary is to have a mason jar and a basic blender. This morning I put my flax seeds in the mason jar, screwed on the blade attachment of the blender, turned it upside down on the blender base and pushed the button for “grind”. Within about 15-30 seconds I have fresh flax meal that I mix in with my oat flour (about 1/4 flax to 3/4 oat) to make a more moist flour and rich in Omega-3 of course. When using this flour I use half the oil or butter in the recipe because of the oil in the flour, and it turns out great!
I do this with my oats as well, and the consistency is just so fine as if a high-powered machine did it!
Another thing is raw sugar, it’s the only sugar (if any) that we use occasionally and sparingly in my home, but the problem is the texture. All I do is pre-grind it with the mason jar method and I have a container of fine powdered raw sugar waiting for me which dissolves very well into any recipe!
Another great use for the mason jar is you can put coconut cream, or raw heavy cream with a sweetener and vanilla, or peppermint, or almond, or chocolate extract inside with the blender blades screwed on top. Flip over onto blender base and press the “whip” button. Within a short time, you have beautifully whipped cream for whatever you desire, and the beauty of this method is that you don’t have to transfer the product out of the blender and waste any of it. Just use right away, or screw on a mason jar lid and put in your cupboard or the fridge.
This method can also be used with nuts for nut flours, and coffee or raw cacao beans for coffee or cocoa powder…the possibilities are broad.
I absolutely love the versatility of the mason jar and a basic blender and I hope you will be blessed by it as well!
I am done craving sweets and bread in the morning as my body needs the energy, but only to feel tired, drained and unsatisfied shortly afterwards. Sometimes I have made eggs and pancakes to try to remedy that but its extra work, extra pans, extra timing coordination…and who wants eggs when there’s pancakes right next to them?
Also, the need for Omega 3 oils is essential for healthy body function. So, I store brown flax seeds in the fridge as they last longer and stay fresher that way. Then I take a mason jar, fill with flax seeds, screw on the blender blade from my standard blender and flip upside down and affix to my blender bottom. Turn on grind or high setting and voila, you have fresh flax meal. I just blend my oats this way too and keep a mixture of these 2 in my cupboard, as well as plain flaw meal in my fridge.
This is an easy way to add those Essential Fatty Acids necessary. Also, flax is a good source of fiber. I use plenty of eggs in my batter to increase the protein content naturally, which almost gives a french toast type feel to them.
Now I have a truly complete breakfast in one meal: fiber, protein, EFAs, probiotics, hoorah! And let me tell you its delicious and the options to customize and add variety are quite broad (add chocolate chips, add fruit into the batter, add spices) there’s almost no end to the possibilities. I have also read about people taking out the sweet elements and adding savory spices to turn these into sandwich type breads–awesome, its so versatile!!
Enjoy:
Flaxmeal-Oat flour Pancakes w cultured sweet cream and fresh fruit compote (gluten-free, milk-free, sugar-free, fiber, protein, probiotic)
Ingredients:
1 Cup Oat Flour
1 Cup Flaxseed Meal
2 TBS honey or agave
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
4 eggs
1-2 Cups Almond Milk
2-4 tsp. Coconut Oil (or other oil for pan frying)
Preheat skillet or pans to medium heat.
Blend all ingredients but the milk until well blended. Blend milk in to desired consistency.
Place a tsp of oil on pan/s and spread with spatula. drop 1/4 cup size dollops of batter to pan and wait till you see bubbles and the edges start turning brown. Flip and press down the other side of pancake.
Keep in between two plates to keep warm until all are cooked.
Dollop with butter, whipped cream, I mixed homemade cream cheese with agave to make a cultured sweet cream. Top with maple syrup (we use raw agave). I took some blueberries and strawberries and warmed them in a pan with agave syrup and poured over the whole thing, yum!
Note: The way to make your own homemade cream cheese is take organic yogurt, set up a strainer with clean dish towel on top, over a glass bowl. Pour in yogurt and cover. Let sit at room temperature for about 5 hours till all the liquid separates from solids. Place wooden spoon on top of dish towel and tie towel around it (careful not to squeeze). Place over a tall glass jar and let the rest of the liquid drip out. When it stops dripping then place the solid (now cream cheese) into a covered glass bowl and store in fridge (will keep for about a month).
Place the liquid (whey) in another covered glass jar and it will keep for about 6 months in fridge.
Use whey to make all kinds of nutritious cultured, lacto-fermented drinks and vegetable (dill pickles, beet kvass, sauerkraut, etc)
Stir some of cream cheese with salt for a typical cream cheese flavor. Stir some with sweetener to taste for the sweet cream topping.
Sustainably Nourished 
