Young Thai Coconuts 

I use coconuts a lot in my diet. Coconut meat, coconut water, coconut milk, shredded coconut, coconut flour....I think you get the idea. In Costa Rica, the ticos and ticas (natives) call the young coconuts "pipa". A young coconut has "water" inside. A mature coconut has "milk" inside. Water is mainly used to drink. There is a little bit of meat, but it is kind of slimy to just eat plain. I sometimes scrape it out and freeze it to add to smoothies along with the coconut water. If I'm not feeling that ambitious, I just give it to the dog and chickens. Milk and meat from mature coconuts is used for a wide variety of things: coconut cream, shredded coconut, coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut flour, etc.

I wanted to share what I do with the coconut water from young Thai coconuts. I freeze the water in ice cube trays to use in smoothies instead of actual ice cubes. I like to buy a box of  9 coconuts from a local Asian market (way less expensive than the health food stores). If you do this, please remember they have to be kept refrigerated until you use them. This is what you will need to start. 

Use the knife like a machete to whack away at the coconut on one side. When you have macheted out a  spot, you can use the point of the knife to cut out the coconut meat from the hole.

Flip the coconut over and let it drain out into a pitcher or bowl like this.

Pour into ice cube trays and freeze. This is about what things look like when I'm done with the "freezing" portion. I like to chop the coconut open on the plastic wrap that was around it, then wad the thing up an throw it away in a neat little package.

Next is to break open the coconuts and get the meat out. 

So, take your hammer and bang away. Hit it next to the hole. It is weakest at this point. Then hit it next to that hole you just made. This should break it open pretty good. Just give it a few hard whacks slamming it down against the ground until it breaks through. Oh yeah, doing this on concrete works best. 

Use a spoon to scoop out the meat; it's quite tender and easy to do, unlike the mature coconuts. That meat is really thick!

From here you can put it in a smoothie, or freeze for later use.

Organic Dessert Pizza

Basically, this is a giant sugar cookie, with frosting and fruit...well, and chocolate chips of course. My son despises fruit so I knew he wouldn't get any dessert on Thanksgiving if fruits were included. And since I made the desserts, I made sure he was able to indulge also. His slice was one with chocolate chips. This was a huge hit with all the children, and most of the adults also.

So, begin with a sugar cookie recipe. I used the following from my Better Homes & Gardens cook book:

2/3 C Organic Butter, Softened
3/4 C Organic Sugar
1 t Aluminum Free Baking Powder
1/4 t Sea Salt
1 Range Free Egg
1 T Raw Milk or Coconut Milk
1 T Organic Vanilla
2 C Organic Flour

Beat butter until creamy. Add sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla until smooth. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer then stir in any remaining flour.

Lightly flour baking stone and turn dough onto stone. Press down with hands to make a circle and press out as much as possible with your hands. Use a rolling pin to get dough out close to the edges.

Bake at 375 for approximately 15 minutes or until cookie is lightly browned. Let cool completely.

Frosting:
1 - 8 oz Organic Cream Cheese, Softened
1/2 C Organic Powdered Sugar
Blend together well and spread on cookie

Top with whatever kinds of fruits you like. I used strawberries, raspberries, oranges, blueberries and chocolate chips.

Organic Dinner Rolls

 I’ve made these a lot over the years. They work best with organic white flour. A mixture of whole wheat flour works nicely also, but just doesn’t rise as well. One year when I was at my brother-in-law’s home I made these with yeast that hadn’t been refrigerated. Not a good idea. Not my yeast.  No rising involved, yikes! So, instead of making a trip to the store, we kind of shocked them into rising. I remembered that one of my girlfriends doesn’t raise her pizza dough before baking; she just bakes at a very high temperature. So I thought about that and decided it was worth a try. I baked the rolls at 420 or so, and it worked. Not perfectly, but they did rise pretty well and turned out decent. It’s kind of a bummer when you have it all planned out, and, it’s for a big event and then there’s a disaster. Luckily this disaster ended up working out well.

 

 

```Warm the following in a saucepan until butter almost melts:

1/3 C. Organic Butter

1 C. Raw Milk

¼ C. Organic Sugar

Dash of Sea Salt

```In a medium sized bowl stir together:

1-1/4 C. Organic Flour

2 Packages Active Dry Yeast

```Add the warmed mixture and one egg to the flour mixture. Beat on low speed 30 seconds scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. With a wooden spoon, stir in 2 to 2 ¼ C. more organic flour.

```Turn dough onto a clean surface and knead for a couple minutes till dough has a nice, smooth consistency. Place approximately 1 T. Olive Oil in a bowl and put the dough in it.  Flip it over once and cover in a warm place. Let rise until doubled.

 

```Punch dough down in bowl (my favorite part) and turn out onto floured surface. Cut dough in two equal parts and let rest for ten minutes. Roll out each part into 12 inch circles. Brush with very soft or melted butter. Cut into pizza slices. Roll up each “slice” starting with the wide end.

 

```Place in a greased baking dish, cover and let rise until doubled in size. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Cover with tin foil after baking ten minutes so tops don’t burn. Brush tops of rolls with butter after taking out of oven for a soft roll.

```You can make whatever shape roll you like. I usually do the crescents, but you could also do cloverleafs, parker house,  rosettes, etc.

Organic Gluten Free Peanut Butter Play Dough
1 C. Creamy Peanut Butter (I make mine in my blender)
1 C. Raw Honey
1 C. Organic Coconut Flour
Wax Paper

 Mix peanut butter and honey together, then mix in the coconut flour. You can add in whatever mix-ins you’d like: raisins, chocolate chips, coconut, etc., or leave it plain. Once this is mixed well, take tablespoonfuls and roll in a ball. Wrap in wax paper and keep in the frig for an anytime snack. 

 This may make your hands a bit greasy, but will not stick so it’s a fun thing to make with kids. It’s also full of protein and good enzymes from the raw honey. I got this recipe from a girl who works at Real Foods Market in Orem.

Organic Pumpkin Dessert Surprise

1 - 16 oz. Can Organic Pumpkin
1 - 12 oz. Can Evaporated Milk
1 C. Organic Sugar
1 t. Organic Cinnamon
1/4 t. Organic Nutmeg
4 Free Range Eggs
1/2 C. Organic Butter
1 Organic Yellow Cake Mix (no pudding in the mix)
Organic Whipping Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream

Mix together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and eggs. Pour into an ungreased 9X13 glass pan.


Cut butter into cake mix and sprinkle on top of pumpkin mixture in glass pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Done when cake mix is slightly browned. Serve with whip cream or ice cream.

Aunt Suzanne's Chocolate Cheesecake

I grew up knowing this as "Chocolate Cheesecake". I've heard it called "Better Than Robert Redford" or "Better Than Sex". I'm not going to comment on either of those, just know that it's one of the yummiest desserts I've ever had. And, I can thank my Aunt Suzanne for the recipe. It's also quite easy to make so don't be afraid of all the layers...
I made this along with three other desserts for Thanksgiving: dessert pizza, apple pie and pumpkin dessert surprise. I also made dinner rolls, mmmm good! Anyway, on with the chocolate cheesecake!

Bottom Layer : 1 1/4 C. Organic Flour, 1 Cube Melted Organic Butter, 1 C. Finely Chopped Pecans. Mix all of this together and press into a 9X13 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Second Layer: 1 C. Organic Powdered Sugar, 16 oz Organic Whipping Cream Whipped, 8 oz Organic Cream Cheese. Beat together and spread on cooled nut layer.

Third Layer: 2 Small Packages Chocolate Instand Pudding, 3 C. Raw Milk. Beat together and spread on top of second layer.

Fourth Layer: 16 oz whipped whipping cream beat with 3 T. Organic Sugar. Spread on top of third layer.

 

Top with chocolate shavings.

 

Store refrigerated until ready to serve. Serves a lot!

 

Gluten Free Organic Granola
7 C. Organic Oats
1 C. Chopped Raw Almonds
1 ½ C. Organic Shredded Coconut
1 C. Organic Oat or Spelt Flour*
1 t. Organic Cinnamon
½ t. Organic Nutmeg
½ t. Organic Cloves
1 t. Sea Salt
½ C. Organic Sesame Seeds
1 ½ T. Hemp Seeds
2 T. Organic Maca Powder

1 C. Raw Agave, Brown Rice Syrup or Honey

½ C. Organic Olive Oil or Raw Coconut Oil
2 T. Organic Vanilla
1/3 C. Water

1 C. Organic Dried Fruit (raisins, dates, pineapple)

1 Package Chocolate Chips (I prefer Enjoy Life®)

 

Mix dry ingredients in an 11x17 glass dish. Mix together wet ingredients and pour over dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Put in a 225˚ oven for 4-8 hours stirring each hour. Or, you can bake at 300° for 40 minutes stirring every ten minutes. Add dried fruit and chocolate chips after baking. How long you bake it depends on how crunchy and crispy you want it. I prefer not cooking the full amount of time so it's not quite so dry. Enjoy with raw milk or greek yogurt. Stores well in an airtight container for a couple months.
Happy Baking!

*Spelt flour may safely be consumed and still be considered gluten free by most who have gluten sensitivity.

Gluten Free Raw Organic Oatmeal

My daughter prefers to eat oatmeal this way. I just put the oatmeal in a bowl with honey and milk. It’s actually quite good! And the part I like? No cooking involved!

1 C. Raw Organic Rolled Oats

1 C. Raw Milk
1 T. Raw Honey

Gluten Free Organic Steel Cut Oats
Eat this yummy, filling breakfast. It’s especially good on a cold morning to make you feel toasty inside. The 4 g of fiber, paired with a surprising 6 g of protein in every cup of cooked oatmeal, helps you feel full. The complex carbohydrates will also give you plenty of energy to burn calories later in the day. I never thought I’d like it, but I love to add a serving of blueberries or strawberries.

Place the following in a medium sized sauce pan and soak overnight. Add a couple T. Greek yogurt. Give it a little stir and cover the pan so you don’t get any unwanted critters in your oats. (Soaking overnight releases the enzyme inhibitors in the grain.) 

  1 C. Organic Steel Cut Oats

 3 C. Good Water
 2 T. Greek Yogurt

 Dash of Sea Salt  

 Optional Toppings:
 Fresh Organic Fruit (strawberries, blueberries)

                    Raw Honey or Organic Brown Sugar & Cinnamon

                    Chopped Organic Walnuts
                    Organic Unsalted Butter
 

 

Bring to a boil, then turn to simmer for approximately 45 minutes – one hour with the lid off. Stir occasionally. Make sure to scrape oats from bottom of pan when you stir so they don’t stick.

          Place in a bowl with organic fresh fruit, sweetener (raw honey, organic cinnamon & brown sugar), walnuts, butter and/or raw milk (if desired).

Serves 3.

Organic Monster Eyeballs

This is a very simple recipe. My son brought a Halloween cookbook home from the library last week so we could make some treats. I adapted this from a recipe in that book. Easy, fun, the kids love to roll and dip these!!!

Blend following ingredients together well until nice and creamy. Roll into 1” balls and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour:

1 C. Organic Creamy Peanut Butter 

4 T. Organic Butter at Room Temperature

2 C. Organic Powdered Sugar

1 t. Organic Vanilla Extract

Melt the following in a double boiler until melted, stir often.

1 C. Chocolate Chips (I love Enjoy Life® brand)

1 T. Raw Organic Cacao Butter

Remove chilled balls and dip in melted chocolate. I used a fondue stick and rocked the ball side to side to leave an uncovered spot on the top. Place in a pan on wax paper. Place eyeball colored candy on the part not covered by chocolate and press. But gently, or you’ll crack the ball. I used Wonka® Mini Chewy SweeTarts®, but you could also use something like M&M’s® MINIS®. It just needs to be small enough to fit in the space. Place back in the frig for a couple hours to make sure the chocolate hardens nicely.

Makes approximately 40 eyeballs.



 

 

Organic Gluten Free Banana Bread

Grease Pans. Bake at 350° for 35-40 min, or until knife inserted comes out clean.

 2 C. Organic Rice or Quinoa Flour

1 ½ t. Aluminum Free Baking Powder
½ t. Aluminum Free Baking Soda
1 t. Ground Organic Cinnamon
½ t. Ground Organic Nutmeg
2 Free Range Eggs, Beaten
2 C. Mashed Organic Bananas
1 C. Organic Sucanat
½ C. Organic Applesauce
¼ C. Chopped Raw Organic Walnuts (optional)

(Frosting optional, see below)

Combine dry ingredients except the sugar. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.

Mix eggs well. Add applesauce, bananas and sugar and mix well.

Pour egg mixture into flour mixture. Mix just enough so flour is moistened. Pour into greased pans*.

 *I like to use a few small pans of different shapes and sizes instead of one large bread sized pan. It’s more fun and you can freeze some for later. I used 4-5 small tins and baking dishes of different shapes. It averaged out to be 5 dishes. Banana bread thaws out nicely, but just be sure to wrap it good so there isn’t freezer burn. And don't forget to label it!

Frosting:

Blend 8 oz. softened Organic Cream Cheese with 1 t. Organic Vanilla and 1 C. Organic Powdered Sugar**. Spread on top of loaves after they have cooled completely. This is my husband’s absolute favorite cake: “Banana nut bread with cream cheese frosting”.

** I made my own powdered sugar by blending 2 C. Organic Evaporated Cane Juice ‘til powdered and then adding ½ C. Tapioca Flour and blending a little more. It turned out pretty good. A lot less expensive than buying it outright.  

Organic No Bakes

 My cousins made these when I was a kid and now as an adult I’ve re-visited their chocolaty peanut buttery-ness. My daughter begs for them. But then again, she’s easy to please and loves all kinds of food.

Bring to a boil and stir just until sugar is dissolved:

2 C. Organic Evaporated Cane Juice

3 T. Raw Cacao Powder

½ C. Organic Butter

½ C. Raw Milk

Pinch of Sea Salt 

Add In:

3 C. Organic Rolled Oats

½ C. Organic Raw Peanut Butter (I blend my own*)

1 t. Organic Vanilla 

Drop onto wax paper by the spoonful. Put in refrigerator and cool 'til hard.

*I buy roasted salted peanuts from the Nutty Guys through a local vendor. I prefer these to the peanut butter stock type of peanuts. It has a much better flavor.

 

Enjoy! Happy Baking!

 

Organic Vegetable Cheddar Quiche

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8” x 8” glass casserole dish.

5 oz. Organic Fresh Spinach, Chopped
4 T. Organic Butter
2 Small Organic Potatoes, Diced
4-5 Mushrooms Cut up
1-1/2 C. Raw Cheddar Cheese
1 Large Organic Green Onion, Chopped
8 Range Free Eggs, Beaten

Heat 3 T. butter in a large frying pan. Add the potatoes first and let cook on medium high heat approx. five minutes. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook a few more minutes until mushrooms reduce. Remove to a small dish.

Add the last T. butter and spinach all at once and stir just until the spinach is wilted. Transfer spinach to the glass dish, spreading it around so the entire bottom of the dish is covered. Layer the grated cheese (I like Sonnet Farms brand) and potato mixture on top of the spinach.

Beat the eggs and pour in the glass dish. Use a fork to gently stir so everything is just combined.

Bake about 35 minutes or until the mixture is completely set and starting to lightly brown. Let cool a few minutes before cutting. The quiche will settle down some as it cools. Serve hot.

This is good with plain greek yogurt and fresh salsa! (I suggest Fage Total yogurt.)

Makes 6 servings

Organic Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies With Quinoa

 I really love quinoa. It is actually a seed and is gluten free. It is also a great source of protein. Besides making quinoa as a side dish like I would as with rice, I grind it into flour to use in baking. If I use it in breads, my husband thinks it tastes bitter. I've heard that about quinoa, but I never taste the bitter flavor. But, when I use it in cookies, I get no complaints! Just substitute regular white flour in your cookies with quinoa flour. It has a nice consistency and kind of a nutty flavor, something maybe a little like a granola bar.

·       Blend together: 1 C. Softened Organic Butter, 1 C. Organic Evaporated Cane Juice (white sugar) and 1/2 C. Organic Brown Sugar (I use *sucanat).

 

·       Add: 2 Free Range Eggs and 2 t. Organic Vanilla. 

·       Mix and add: 3 C. Organic Quinoa Flour, 1 t. Sea Salt, 1 t. Aluminum Free Baking Soda. 

·       After dough is blended, stir in: 1/2 C. Raw Chopped Nuts (optional), 1-1/2 C. Organic Rolled Oats, 6 oz. Chocolate Chips (I use **Enjoy Life® brand). 

I actually prefer raisins instead of chocolate chips so I'll half the batter adding chips to one half and raisins to the other. They make for a richer, sweet salty flavor in the cookies.  

·       Drop by spoonfuls on a baking stone and bake at 350° for about ten minutes. 

*I like using sucanat because it hasn’t been processed as much as brown sugar. And, you can substitute it for white or brown sugar. I do blend it though first before using or it doesn’t mix in or dissolve as quickly. I’ll buy a bag and blend the whole thing and then store it in the cupboard.

**I use Enjoy Life® baking chips or chunks. These are the only chocolate chips I have found, or any chocolate for that matter except raw cacao powder, that does not contain soy/soy lecithin. (They are also gluten and dairy free.) Soy is in so many foods we purchase, especially anything containing chocolate, and most baked goods. Soy in our diets can make us estrogen dominant which can lead to breast issues for women (maybe for men also, I’ve never looked into that). Soy is safe in a fermented state. Ancient cultures only used fermented soy.

I love baking stones. I'd love to have my pantry full of stone baking dishes. I have ones from Pampered Chef, Target and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Organic Chocolate Graham Cracker Cookies

I remember my Mom would make these when I was a kid. I still love them and now so do my kids. They are so easy to make and keep nicely in the frig for over a week.

Ingredients:
Graham Crackers (I use Erewhon Organic Honey Grahams)
3 C. Organic Powdered Sugar
1 C. Raw Cacao Powder
4 T. Organic Butter
Approx ½ C. Raw Milk, added a tablespoon at a time
1 t. Organic Vanilla

I start with the powdered sugar, cacao powder and butter and get them mixed together nicely. Then I add a tablespoon or two of milk and the vanilla. I work it all together for a consistency I like, then I go for taste. If it’s not sweet enough or not chocolaty enough I add more powdered sugar or cacao powder. If it’s way too thick I add more milk, etc. until I like the end product. You’re looking for a creamy, moist  spreadability.

Break graham crackers in half, spread on a gob of frosting, top with the other half and you’re done.

I keep them in the refrigerator. This helps the frosting set up a bit and makes the crackers a little soft.

˜˜˜For a vanilla version that tastes like Mother’s Circus Animal Cookies, you know the pink and white ones? Omit the cacao powder and add more powdered sugar. SO YUMMY!

 

**All ingredient quantities are approximates. I really don’t have hard fast amounts for the ingredients in this recipe.  I mix and blend, mix and blend until I get the consistency and taste I want. I’ve only ever used Erewhon brand graham crackers. I haven’t seen other organic brands in the stores near where I live.

Organic Egg Burritos
1 Flour Tortilla
2 Free Range Eggs
Organic Garlic Salt
Organic Butter

My son is quite a picky eater. He has within the last year or so given up eggs, and just when I got chickens, agh! Anyway, he will eat them if I scramble them, sprinkle them with garlic salt and wrap them in a tortilla. This has been his breakfast lately. It's nice also because he can eat it on the go!

So, scramble (country scramble or however you like) the eggs in butter. Sprinkle with a little garlic salt and wrap in a tortilla. I then cut the tortilla in two pieces and wrap each piece in half of a paper towel. This way the egg doesn't fall out the bottom.

Happy Baking!

Organic Gluten Free Black Bean Brownies
15.5 oz Can Organic Refried Black Beans
3 Range Free Eggs
3 T. Organic Olive Oil, Coconut Oil or Palm Oil
½. C. Cacao Powder
Pinch of Salt
1 t. Organic Vanilla
¾ C. Organic Sugar (I like Sucanat)
½ C. Chocolate Chips – Soy Free (Enjoy Life Brand) Optional
Raw Nuts – Optional
Organic Powdered Sugar - Optional

Mix ingredients in a bowl and pour into an 8”x8” greased pan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes until the top is dry and brownies start to pull from the edges. A toothpick inserted should come out almost clean. Top with powdered sugar, chocolate chips and nuts.

These brownies have a more cake-like texture than the normal gooey, thick brownies. If eaten warm they kind of fall apart. Great on ice cream…They are great because they use no flour at all.

I found a chocolate chip that is completely soy free, and gluten free, from a company called Enjoy Life®. Soy should only be consumed in a fermented state: soy sauce, miso, tempe. If not, it can create estrogen dominance in your body. But that’s a whole different story. Happy Baking!