Deep, Dark Brownies (THM - S) - and a bit of chatting about coconut flour

These are a result of me combining a couple Paleo recipes I found in the blogosphere. I really, REALLY prefer baking with coconut flour over almond for a few reasons.  It’s more affordable: it costs less per pound, plus you use much less of it; it’s a lot more absorbent than almond flour, though, so plan to use more eggs and liquid.  Almond flour is also very calorie dense and can contribute to stalling out on weight loss (using it occasionally is fine, but making almond flour biscuits to go with your dinner every night may not be the best idea.  We don't count calories on THM, but you still need to respect them).  That being said, coconut flour has a bit more of a natural sweetness to it, which is fine with these brownies, but if I’m making something savory I rely more on almond flour.

One last comment: the THM book has a recipe called “Special Agent Brownie Cake” (pg 382) that includes beans.  In the comments, Pearl says, “I know it sound strange to admit, but sometimes I love to eat a big piece of this cake for breakfast along with my coffee.  I get full, and it’s a good protein source, so why not?”  May I draw your attention to the phrase GOOD PROTEIN SOURCE?  I see many people on the Facebook boards commenting about eating dessert for breakfast – not the worst thing in the world, but remember, your body really needs protein, so I wouldn’t recommend regularly chowing on these brownies (or most of the other THM dessert recipes you may find) to kick-start your day.

 

Deep, Dark Brownies (S) – makes 12 brownies

1/4 c coconut flour (purchased, not ground up coconut flakes)

3/4 c cocoa powder

1/2 c Truvia (or 1/4 c THM Sweet Blend) + a few shakes of Stevia powder to get to desired sweetness*

1/2 tsp grey Celtic or pink Himalayan salt

4 large eggs

3/4 c almond milk (unsweetened. I prefer Silk brand as it does not contain carrageenan)

1 tsp instant coffee granules

2 tsp vanilla

1/3 c butter, melted (coconut oil would be fine, too)

Whatever add-ins you desire: I used two squares of 85% dark chocolate** (chopped) and a scant 1/4 cup of walnuts

Preheat oven to 350, and grease an 8x8 pan.  In a medium sized bowl, blend together the first four ingredients, and use a fork to press out any lumps.  In another container, mix together the eggs, almond milk, coffee, vanilla, and butter (I use the glass measuring cup that I melted the butter in – anything to minimize dishes!).  Pour the liquid ingreds into the dry, and mix well. Let sit for five minutes or so, then blend again, and pour into prepared pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes (until center is completely set).  Let cool before slicing – I know it’s hard to wait, but they really need to set.  Store covered in the fridge.

*Sweetness is SOOOO subjective, especially with chocolate items.  I know it’s annoying when people don’t give you exact amounts, but it really depends on how bitter your cocoa powder is, plus your personal palate. I live on the edge and taste raw dough (yes, I know there’s a slight risk of salmonella poisoning from the raw eggs) – if this makes you uncomfortable, you can always microwave a Tbsp of the batter for a taste test before baking the whole pan.

** This is considered on-plan (in small amounts) even though it has some added sugar.  I found I still could not use it for the first six months or so, though, as it would still trigger sugar cravings, but I no longer have that issue.  Just something to keep in mind...

A few other comments: I think this is better after it's been in the fridge overnight.  It's also really good with frosting (what isn't?!?) Serene's Superfood Chocolate Icing on page 385 of the book is reeeeeaaaaallllly good - super rich & fudgy. It does have a noticeable coconut flavor, though (a can of coconut milk is the base, after all). I like to mix up a batch of this and keep it in the fridge. It's great on strawberries, or a spoon. Just being real :)

Berry Peach Cobbler Baked Oatmeal (THM – E)

I stumbled onto a recipe for a single serving peach cobbler baked oatmeal, and used that as inspiration to make a larger version.  This is family approved, and I love that this single pan feeds us for two full days, plus two additional servings. Wow!  It's also inexpensive - double win :)

Berry Peach Cobbler Baked Oatmeal (THM – E)

5 large or 6 medium peaches

2 c berries (if using a frozen blend, no need to defrost)

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 scoops protein powder

--

3 c oats, ground into flour (using a blender or coffee grinder)

1/3 c Truvia

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt (grey Celtic or pink Himalayan)

2 c old-fashioned oats (NOT quick cooking) – soaked with ACV for 12-24 hours, drained and rinsed *

2 c almond milk

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350. Roughly chop peaches (I leave the skins on) and place in large bowl.  Gently toss with berries, spices and protein powder, then pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Wipe out bowl, then dump in the dry topping ingredients (the next 6 items in the list: ground oats - salt) and stir together.  Add the remaining wet ingredients and mix well.  Pour over fruit. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until topping is set and there’s some light browning.

Store in fridge.  Makes 10 surprisingly filling servings (I score it into ten sections after it's cooled) – I like to have mine with a dollop of Greek yogurt (with vanilla and a bit of stevia stirred in) and a drizzle of almond milk.  

*more info on soaking grains such as oatmeal HERE 

Blintz Breakfast Bake (THM - S)

A few weeks ago, a friend on FB shared a Blintz Breakfast Casserole, and as I looked at the recipe, I thought, "I could totally THM-ify that!" I tried out a half batch (8x8 pan) and shared it with the THM group, and it was very well received :) I've made it twice since, and can confirm that it does freeze/reheat well, so here's the full sized version.  I also took additional pictures of the process, as some ladies mentioned they were having difficulty with the layers, but hopefully the photos make it easier to understand.  It's a nice option when you want something "fancy" for breakfast, but with very affordable ingredients.  Add some more sweetener, and it can easily become a dessert.

Blintz Breakfast Bake (S)

Topping:
1 cup cottage cheese
8 oz package of neufchatel (reduced fat cream cheese), at room temp
1 tsp vanilla
2 doonks* of pure white stevia powder
2 eggs

Base:
1/4 c coconut flour
1/3 c golden flax meal (slightly heaping)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used nonfat, but higher fat would be fine, too)
1/4 c Truvia (or erythritol or xylitol)**
1/2 c butter, softened
1 tsp almond extract (or another extract of your choice; the original recipe called for orange juice so I initially used orange extract, but I actually prefer the almond)
1/2 c almond milk
8 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 if using a glass pan, or 350 if using a metal pan, and grease 9x13 pan. Pour topping ingredients into blender and puree, then set aside. In a bowl, combine the first 4 base ingredients, and use a fork to remove any clumps. Add all remaining ingredients and stir together (a few small lumps are OK). Pour into pan, then gently pour/spoon topping over (it will swirl together somewhat, and that’s fine). Bake for about 50 minutes, until center is set, then let stand for at least 5 minutes. Top with on-plan jam or fresh berries.

*most pure stevia powders come with a teensy little scoop that measures 1/32 tsp, which somehow came to be called a doonk

**you could use stevia here as well, just microwave a Tbsp or so of the batter so you can taste it before baking and adjust sweetness as desired.

January

Just checking in as we head into the first full week of January.

I have been THM'ing for about 4 months now, and am down 30 pounds.  Made it through 2 weeks of traveling/staying with family/holiday goodies without gaining.  As mentioned in my previous post, this is the first year in a verrrrrry long time that I'm not feeling overwhelmed about my weight; I know I still have a long journey ahead of me, but that's OK.  I'm not focusing on the end result, but just taking it one meal at a time and making good choices.  And if I screw up, that's OK, too.... but rather than getting down on myself and writing off the rest of the day/week/month, I'll get back "on plan" with the next meal.

I put these jeans on today; they technically fit, but were uncomfortably snug when I started making changes.  I now have 4-5" of extra fabric (and that's fresh out of the dryer, too!)

To "celebrate" thought I'd share one of my recent diet meals, LOL. Backstory: my Mom attended a baby or wedding shower at least 25 years ago, and the hostess served spinach quiche.  My mom got the recipe, and it became a family favorite; in fact, this even became my traditional birthday dinner.  Played around with the recipe this weekend, and came up with this version.  Under the THM guidelines, this is an S meal - "satisfying" since it's using fat as its fuel source (as opposed to "E" for energizing when it's all about the carbs)


Spinach Cheese Bake
1 pound ground beef
1 med onion, chopped
16 oz package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and pressed dry
8 oz block Neufchatel cheese, softened
2 c shredded mozzarella
10 oz cottage cheese
8 eggs
1 Tbsp oregano
½ tsp salt

 Preheat oven to 350. Brown ground beef, then use same pan to sauté onions. Stir all ingredients together, and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake approx 50 minutes, or until middle is bubbling and edges are lightly browned. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

French Dip Sandwiches (Crock pot)

3-4 lb chuck roast
1 can french onion soup
2 cups reduced sodium beef broth
1 c dried mushrooms + 1 c hot water
1 large onion sliced


Trim fat from roast. Brown on both sides (wiht a Tb or 2 of olive oil). Once browned, place in crock pot along with soup, broth, and mushrooms if desired. Saute onions in the pan you used for the roast with the same oil/drippings, then place on top of roast. Cook on high for 6 hours. Shred meat and place on rolls, then top with cheese of your choice (hubby & I like provolone, kids like American)

Shortcut cheesy veggies: Dump together 16 oz frozen California blend and a bag of cheesy veggies (Green Giant & Bird's Eye each have their own version).  Heat on stove top or microwave until heated through.Still plenty of cheesy goodness to satisfy the kids :)

This officially concludes the transferring of recipes (for full explanation, see HERE). Seriously, I promise this is not a cooking blog!

Hot Wing Pizza

Combine shredded precooked chicken*, bottled hot wing sauce - dump onto a premade crust and add cheese. If you let your kids help, then your pizza may end up very, very cheesy like this one Add a salad and call everyone for dinner!

*I usually snatch up chicken thighs when they're marked down on expiration day, then come home and bake up a whole bunch, then break down into 1 lb bags and freeze

Crockpot Gyros

Used this recipe. 

I made them with ground lamb & chicken. Decent flavor, but meat was kind of dry. Also needs a bit more salt either with the tzatziki or the meat.

Sweet & Tangy Meatballs

1-2 pounds of meatballs
18 poz bottle BBQ sauce (I'm partial to Sweet Baby Ray's)
20 oz can pineapple chunks with juice
1 onion (sliced)
1 green pepper cut into strips
other veggies if desired (I added green beans tonight, also good with carrots or zucchini)
Dump into pan and cook until heated through. Serve over rice.  
(Can also be done in crockpot)

Cod & Lima Beans in foil

I have never eaten lima beans other than in mixed veggies (and honestly, I thought they were pretty nasty, so specifically buy the kind that DOESN'T have them in there) but ANYWAY, I've discovered that lima beans are actually really tasty! Piled slightly less than a cup (used frozen kind) onto the foil, then added a lemon slice and fresh flat leaf parsley. Covered with a cod fillet (these happened to be pre-marinated, which is why I didn't add anything else to the beans), folded up the little pouch and baked. I will definitely be making some version of this again in the future. (Sorry for the lousy pic, I had already started eating the cod when I remembered to take a pic!)

THM - E (just make sure that if you're using premarinated fish that it's less than 5 g fat per serving)

Inspired by Giada

Shrimp Mei Fun

We celebrated Chinese New Year with shrimp mei fun (a/k/a clean out the veggie drawer) - Stir fried carrots, onion, green pepper, and cabbage, along with garlic, scrambled egg and frozen peas at the end. Added approx 1/4 c soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, a good squirt of sriracha, enough water just to loosen it up, frozen precooked shrimp, and rice noodles (cooked separately)

SImple pasta with chicken and spinach

Chopped 5 roma tomatoes and simmered with chicken breast, olive oil, chopped onion, minced garlic, and about 1 Tb dried Italian seasoning. Added 3 Tb butter, 1 cup pasta water, fresh spinach, and a bit more minced garlic before stirring into cooked pasta and throwing a bit of fresh mozzarella on top.

Chicken & Olive Tamale-ish Baked Thingee :)

(I expect a call from Food Network any day now based solely on my food naming ability!)

Preheat oven to 400. Boil 1 1/4 c water, and whisk in 1/2 c cornmeal. Once it's all incorporated, stir in 1 can (14 3/4 oz) creamed corn and allow to cook on low for a few minutes (basically while assembling everything else). Mix approx 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken together with 1 can (15 oz) enchilada sauce, and 1 c green olives. Dump chicken mixture into pan (I used 9x13, but it will fit in a smaller au gratin type dish, too), then pour corn mixture over top. Bake about 20-25 minutes (until thoroughly heated and top beginning to brown), then pull out and top with salsa and queso (or fresh cilantro, tomato, tomatilla, onion, whatever!) and bake for another 5 minutes.

Mini Meatloaves, white beans & spinach

Recipe here.

I used a mix of lamb & beef for the loaves- it was really good, but the kids thought the balsamic was a bit too strong (might leave it out of the topping next time). I *love* the idea of pre-making these and freezing the individual loaves; they cook up pretty quickly. I used frozen spinach for the side dish and added some onion, but though it was still pretty flat. D suggested it would be much tastier with some bacon :)

Radish and Pea Salad

I just call this "Christmas Salad" because of the colors Chop up fresh snow peas (can blanch or microwave for a minute or two to soften if they're really large), radishes, and 2-3 scallions (white & green parts). Whisk together 1/4 c rice vinegar, 2 tsp sugar (or substitute) and 1 Tb olive oil, then pour over and refrigerate a couple hours for best flavor

(I believe I found this recipe in an Ellie Krieger cookbook)

Creamy Pasta Bake

Cook 1 lb pasta (I used angel hair) and drain. Brown 1-2 pounds ground meat (I used straight beef this time - could use turkey, pork, or even beans), and add to sauce of your choice (try 1 jar + a can of plain tomato sauce or diced tomatoes if you want more texture). Season up with basil, oregano and rosemary. In a separate bowl, combine 16 oz sour cream, 8 oz cream cheese (I used light for both), 2 eggs, and 8 oz shredded cheddar. Mix well. Layer a bit of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 pan, and then heap on the pasta, cheese mixture, and sauce. I layered here, but you really can't tell. Top with a bit of mozzarella and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes (until it's hot and bubbly). Add salad and possibly bread, and you'll get at least 2 meals out of it.

Cabbage wraps with pork

This is a great meal for a hot summer's night - very little stove time required, and the leftovers are fantastic, too.

THM - this is an S meal

Remove approx 8 leaves from cabbage head. Trim out toughest part of stem, then cook for 1-2 min in boiling water, just enough to soften. Set aside.

In large bowl, whisk together: 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 Tb ginger (I used dried, but I'm sure fresh grated would be much better), 2 Tb white vinegar, generous 1/4 c soy sauce (overflow the measuring cup a bit, LOL), and 2 Tb olive oil. Add: 1-2 cucumbers (seeded and diced), approx 2 c finely chopped cabbage, 1/2 c chopped or grated carrot, and chopped cilantro to taste. Add 1-2 c diced cooked pork* and stir. Add a few shakes of hot chili sesame oil to taste.

Lay a cabbage leaf down on the plate, lay a line of filling down - we also added a bit of chopped roasted peanuts at this point - roll into as neat a package as possible and eat up!

 *(I used leftover grilled pork fajita - I had gotten a deal on some premarinated loin ends and I wasn't sure how the flavors could come together, but thankfully it was great) 

Adapted from Sandra Lee's recipe

Greek Salad

When we were up in PA, my SIL made a Greek salad that both hubby and I enjoyed, and she said it was a Barefoot Contessa recipe.  I got home, tracked it down, and tweaked it a bit for our family:

Whisk together in large bowl:

• 1/2 c olive oil
• 1/4 c red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• black pepper to taste

Now start dumping - I used 1 cucumber (de-seeded ), 1 green pepper, 6 roma tomatoes, 2 c green beans (blanched), about 1/4 c diced onion, 4 oz crumbled feta cheese, and 1/2 c chopped kalamata olives. I'm thinking it would also work well with fresh zucchini or portabella mushrooms.

Tasted even better the next day :)

Warning: lots of recipes ahead

A local friend-of-a-friend started a "What's for Dinner" group on FB because she said she was bored with her family's dinnertime routine and was looking for ideas.  Basically, we take a pic of our dinner and share recipes.  Simple, and pretty fun.  I don't do it every night, and I'm being reminded about just how many people rely on prepackaged food ("I made roasted chicken and vegetables!  Go me!  What, a recipe?  Oh, I bought the seasoning packet for $5.99 that includes fresh marjorcurryam and 16 spice powder. Yummo!") Anyway, I do tend to try out a lot of new recipes, and I was scrolling back through posts, thinking, "Man, I wish it were easier to find my stuff!"  Oh, if only I had a place to record such things.

Well, duh.

Hubby went out for red snapper back over Easter weekend (friend's hubby has a boat - hooray!) and caught his limit in less than an hour.  Which meant we ended with a large pile of red snapper fillets in the freezer.  And while I consider myself a fair-to-middlin' cook, I'd never once touched red snapper simply because it's generally too expensive.  Anyway, I searched online and came across this really great recipe that I've now prepared a couple times.

Red Snapper, linguine with olive sauce

Cover red snapper with approx 1 tsp soy sauce and 1/4 c olive oil - marinate for 30 min (mine sat for probably 15, and was still good). Bake at 400 for about 8 minutes (depending on how thick the fillet is) and finish off under the broiler to desired crispiness. Cook pasta. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1/4 c olive oil. When it's hot, toss in 2-3 cloves minced garlic. Allow to cook only for a minute or so (you don't want it too sweet) then add 2 - 4.25 oz cans chopped black olives, 1 - 6 oz can tomato paste, 3/4 c white wine (I used one of those little 187 ml bottles, could sub low sodium chicken broth), 1 tsp lemon juice and approx 1 c water. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring. Season to taste (I added garlic powder and freshly ground black pepper). May also add a bit of the pasta water if you want a looser sauce.  Spoon sauce over pasta and fish, then serve! (I know the sauce isn't on the fish in my picture, but I did eat it together ;)

*If any of my "real life" FB friends would like to be added to the dinner group, just let me know!

Oatmeal Pancakes!

I have this really awesome cookbook that I purchased at a yard sale back while I was in high school - if I recall correctly, it was $5 for a whole box (and I still have the Scandinavian cookbook that was in there, too!) It's the Second Edition, published in 1956, and I still use it at least once a month.

I generally make the "Favorite Pancakes" on page 87, but I'd been eyeing up the Oatmeal Pancakes from Mrs. Robert Rypinski of Pasadena, California who says, "My two boys love them.  They're not a bit rich, but they taste so delicious everyone raves about them."  I love reading old cookbooks!

I made them on Saturday morning, and they were a big hit with the whole family!  They were very filling (my kids usually eat 3-4 regular pancakes, but only had 2 of these) - I've been microwaving the leftovers and having a leisurely breakfast the past two mornings after taking the kiddos to school ;)  They went together pretty easily; the batter was kind of a strange consistency, and I was worried that the oatmeal would give it a strange lumpy texture, but no worries.


Oatmeal Pancakes
Combine:
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
2 cups buttermilk
Allow to sit for 10 min or so, then beat in:
1/2 c flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp b. soda
1 twp salt
2 eggs, beaten

Makes approximately twelve 4" pancakes.

I ate mine with bananas, almonds, and maple flavored agave syrup.  Yum!

Orzo & Rice Mediterranean Salad

Had some friends over for dinner last night, and I concocted this salad loosely based on a couple different recipes.  It was quite tasty if I do say so myself, and just wanted to document it so I can remember how I made it when my hubby asks for it in the future :)

1 box Uncle Ben's long grain & wild rice, prepared according to package directions
1 pkg orzo, cooked and drained (this is pasta that's shaped like big pieces of rice - I did 16 oz because I wanted a big bowl)
3 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped
1/2 c green pepper, chopped
1/4 c onion, chopped
2 Tb capers
2 Tb slivered almonds
10-12 oz of marinated artichoke hearts with oil
3 oz goat cheese (this was the last thing I added - it was still tasty, but the goat cheese added a perfect note of creaminess)
black pepper
Olive oil and/or vinegar if desired

Dump it all together and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.  I happened to have a jar of marinated veggies that included not only artichokes, but also roasted red peppers, hearts of palm, & baby corn.  It would also be really good with mushrooms or olives, but I didn't happen to have either on hand.