{Berry Coconut Yogurt}

I finally made coconut yogurt!!!!!!! I have been craving this stuff so long!! I used to eat coconut yogurt everyday until I cut out all grains, because the conventional companies use rice starch as a binder. Ugh! So for about 2 years, I have been craving yogurt, drooling whenever my brother eats his Yoplait, dreaming of the coconut yogurt I used to have. 


But now I've made it and the wait is over! "Yum" is not enough to describe the joy I felt when I took a savory bite of my yogurt this morning. Maybe sweet victory is closer...

Using a Christmas gift of Great Lakes grass-fed gelatin, I was finally able to make my coconut yogurt. I've been researching a lot about gelatin and how to make allergy-friendly yogurts, and this brand kept popping up. So far, my body is loving it! I also made fruit gummies the other day. They weren't as delicious as my yogurt, but they sure were a nice snacky treat. Though this yogurt doesn't have cultures (because frankly, they are way out of my budget), the gelatin is said to help digestion, along with strengthening and supporting joints. As a runner, I need all the joint support I can get! :)

Furthermore, this yogurt does not require a fancy yogurt maker. All you need is a saucepan and a food processor!  

Another thing that makes this yogurt so great is that it is sugar and sweetener free!! If you are able to have sweeteners, add a bit of honey. But if you're like me and avoiding sugar like the plague, you may just jump for joy. :)

For my yogurt, I blended in berries, but you can certainly omit that step and have plain yogurt. Other options include sprinkling your favorite granola on top, making parfaits, adding a bit of vanilla extract for a vanilla version, or add some seeds and shredded coconut for an extra protein punch. Be creative- it is your grain-free, unprocessed, homemade yogurt! Be proud! :)

{BERRY COCONUT YOGURT}

for a single serving 

INGREDIENTS:

 1 cup coconut milk (I used Trader Joes' canned light coconut milk), divided

1- 1.5 teaspoons gelatin (depending on desired thickness)

Juice of 1/2 a lime 

1/4 cup berries, frozen or fresh

INSTRUCTIONS:
 

Heat 3/4 cup of the coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. In a bowl, combine the gelatin and rest of the coconut milk (1/4 cup) until it forms a smooth paste. Add the paste and lime juice to the coconut milk in the sauce pan, constantly whisking the ingredients until they are smooth and thoroughly combined. 

Pour the coconut yogurt into a container and let it chill in the refrigerator for one hour up to overnight. 

Once chilled, place the yogurt and the berries in a food processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Serve and enjoy immediately with toppings or as is.

*If the coconut yogurt is too thick for your taste once is chilled, add water until it reaches desired consistency.  

 

{Perfectly Pumpkin Bagels}

I am so excited to finally have a bagel recipe!!!!! Really, jumping-up-and-down excited!!!!

Bagels optimize my inner struggle with my complicated food lifestyle. For 99% of the time, I truly enjoy my diet and love making new creations loaded with vegetables and good healthy nutirents. But sometimes I just want a warm, chewy, scrumptious bagel, lathered in rich cream cheese. I can dream, can't I?

I even wrote a college essay on my "bagels" in life and in running- the time where it is tempting to give up and go for the easier and more temporarily satisfying decision instead of doing what is right for me and my training. Learning to say no to bagels. Sounds like a good book title.

Until now, every time I tried to create a bagel-type of bread, they came out mushy, doughy bites that tasted like flaxseed meal. Not the bagel I had dreamed of.

But now I can say- no,  shout YES to bagels. The secret? A little bit of tapioca starch for the  classic bagel chewiness, chia seed meal for the "egg" (I've found make chia meal "eggs" actually work better than the classic flaxseed meal egg in my baking experiments), and coconut milk for extra moisture. 

 

 

I ate mine with a little bit of Trader Joe's delicious pumpkin butter. Although I didn't try it, I thought of making a little bit of coconut whipped cream, sprinkling some cinnamon and some pumpkin butter in it to make pumpkin "cream cheese" to put on top. 

 

 I hope that you enjoy these lovely creations as much as I do!  

 

  {PERFECTLY PUMPKIN BAGELS}

Ingredients:

1.5 Tablespoons chia meal (chia seeds ground in a coffee grinder)
3 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons coconut milk

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (*omit for AIP)
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder (* make sure it is corn-free. Or better yet, make your own)


Instructions:

1.  Add chia seed meal, pumpkin puree, water, apple cider vinegar,xanthan gum, and coconut milk in an electric blender. In order, add coconut oil, then flours and spices, then baking soda and baking powder, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat until a dough-like mass begins to form.

2. Forming the dough into large balls, depending on how large you want them. I made mini bagels forming balls of dough about the size of two tablespoons. To make larger bagels, I'd suggest forming dough the size of your fist. Poke a hole in the middle of the dough ball and shape to form a bagel using dry hands. Place the bagels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, depending on size of bagels. I made mini bagels, and cooked them for 15 minutes. Allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!




Variation Ideas:

 *I will be making a few of these shortly and posting them. That said, these are just my ideas, so they haven't been proven yet. But feel free to experiment- it's fun!!!

For all recipe variation ideas, omit pumpkin puree and either replace with unsweetened applesauce or 3 Tablespoons more of coconut milk

Cinnamon Raisin- add 1/4 cup of raisins and 1/2 teaspoon more of cinnamon
Cranberry Orange- add 1/4 cup of dried cranberries (or Trader Joe's orange cranberries) with 1/2   teaspoon of orange zest
Chocolate-zucchini- Add 1/4 cup of shredded zucchini and 2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder
Chocolate chip-  add 1/4 cup of EnjoyLife mini   chocolate chips
Apple-cinnamon- increase cinnamon, add 1/4 chopped apples. 

The Best {and Most Dangerous} Granola Bars EVER!

Sometimes, I just want a snack. And sometimes I'm tired of an apple. And sometimes I want something a little sweet. And sometimes I have time and I make this, and I am satisfied. 

 I came across a variation of this recipe on bakergal.com,  and HAD to try it! I changed it up a bit to fit my tastes (so of course, I took out A LOT of coconut!) and came up with this. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Your sweet tooth can thank me later. 

I think what impressed me most about this creation is that it really did make granola bars. Some other recipes I've come across claim to make granola bars, yet end up being over-sized granola chunks. I tried and re-tried those recipes over and over. I baked them longer,  I added more liquid, I mixed more thoroughly, but all I ended up with was too much granola.  But this granola really does make granola bars!! Little did I know the trick was in such a simple appliance- the refrigerator!

And its so versatile, it can be made into granola chunks too for coconut yogurt, a smaller snack, or whatever you want.  Feel free to make a 1/4, 1/2, or  double recipe. It is so easy!

Disclaimer: This contains a lot of sugar, especially if you add in more dried fruit. Though it has lots of nuts, coconut, and seeds, it still can cause an unhealthy blood sugar swing. If you have a low tolerance to sugar (like me), I'd make a smaller batch and eat in small chunks.

~The Best Granola Bars Ever!!!~

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups almonds
3/4 cups sunflower seeds
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut flakes

1/3 cup honey or syrup {I tried it both ways successfully. Feel free to mix it up!}
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt

Instructions:

Mix the dried fruit, coconut, and chia seeds in a medium bowl. Chop almonds into small, bite-sized pieces. Place 1/4 cup of the almonds in with the fruit, and place the remaining nuts into a food processor with the sunflower seeds. Grind the almonds and seeds until they reach the consistency of coarse meal. Mix in with the rest of the dry ingredients and set aside.

Place the honey or syrup with the coconut oil. cinnamon, and salt in a small saucepan, and bring to a low boil. Remove from heat immediately, and pour over the fruit and nut mixture. Mix thoroughly with a spatula until it cools off enough to use your hands to incorporate better. 

Place the granola in a greased 9"x13" baking dish. Press down firmly {this part is really important, for if you don't press hard enough, the granola bars won't be "bar-y"}. Set the granola in the refrigerator for at least an hour, then cut into desired size.


To store, if you want to keep them as bars, leave them in an airtight container, or in the baking dish covered with cling wrap. If you're ok with granola chunks, simply place granola in an airtight container at room temperature.

*Feel free to change it up and make it your favorite way. Add flaxseeds, raisins, cashewJust make sure to keep the ratios of nuts:berries:liquid the same, otherwise they won't be bars!

Kind of KIND Bars

After a hard track workout consisting of a 4 mile run followed by ten hill repeats on a hot and beautiful day, it was time to experiment with a good recovery snack. I'm always looking for new ways to get more protein in my diet, especially as a competitive runner. Since I'm trying to limit my sugar and fruit intake, granola is not a great option. Yet when I was only gluten free, I really enjoyed KIND bars, even though I'm not a bar type of gal. So I set out to make less fruity and sugary, but mega healthy and quick snack bar. Thus, the "Kind of KIND Bars:"

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons flax seeds
1/2 Tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1.5 cups almonds
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 Tablespoon  organic cocoa powder
1/3 cup  maple syrup

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Mix the seeds, nuts, coconut, and dried fruit together in a medium sized bowl. 
Combine the cocoa and maple syrup in a seperate smaller bowl. 
Pour maple syrup mixture with the fruits and nuts, and combine with a fork. 
Press into a 8x8 or other smaller glass baking dish greased with olive oil and place into the over for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 45 minutes, or until weel cooled and hardened.
Cut into bars or crumble up into granola-sized pieces.




Feel free to experiment on your own- add in a variety of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or other additions. Just be sure to keep the liquid to dry ingredient ratio consistent.