WIAW #27 Baked Coconut Salmon Cakes and Fall Goals

Hello again and welcome to another fabulous round of What I Ate Wednesday! Thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons, we can all enjoy seeing what each other ate on Wednesday (but realistically any other day but Wednesday since we post before the day starts!). Go check out her blog for some tasty recipes, life thoughts, and just to see what's up.

Today is my first day back to work after the Labor Day weekend and taking off on Tuesday.  Kelley and I planned on going kayaking at a nearby lake on our day off, but then she had to have a faulty root canal re-worked on, of course, the day we requested off from work.

She's a trooper though, she woke up and drove herself to have the work done and drove herself back.  She only had local anesthetic, if you were wondering, and I would've drove but I think it was one of those "too proud" things.  You know, I do the same thing too.  Anyway, they gave her pain pills and muscle relaxers to help get through the day. I'm writing this with the few hours we have on our day off and she's out from the relaxers.  She refuses to take pain pills; what a trooper of a wife.  That, among the plethora of other reasons, is why I love her so much.

I busted out the old digital 8mm tapes I have from when we first met (almost 10 years ago) and it's crazy to watch ourselves back then.  We just celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary and I can't believe how the time has passed.  WTF!?

Being the health-obsessed foodie I am, it's crazy to see back to just ten years ago when I'd eat fast food, drink a lot of beer, and mindlessly choose packaged, processed food strictly because it "tastes good." Over the years I have gone from eating whatever tasted good with no regards to ingredients or calories, to avoiding any place you order food and obsessing over every detail of a packaged product before choosing to buy it or put it back.  For this reason, I cook a lot virtually all of my meals.

Why am I telling you all of this? Well, the cooking and hours of food prep cuts into precious family time.  I constantly fear we will not have any food prepared and can always find something I "need" to make, but it's at the expense of time with Kelley.  So, as part of this month's "FALL into good habits" theme, I am making it a goal to find a better balance.

Cooking is a must, in my mind, but it doesn't always have to be pretty....just healthy.  So I'll be make a lot of double batch recipes and steamed frozen bean and veggie mixes that can cook be done in under 30 minutes. I've been trying this already, but I need to try harder, so I'll update you next week with how it's progressing.

Another good habit I'd like to FALL into is changing some food in my diet to hopefully rid my constant bloating and stomach cramps.  I posted last week about going gluten-free for a while and removing dairy from my diet too. Well, I seem to feel worse than before and, pardon my forwardness, more gasy.  Sorry, everyone around me.

I've decided to add cultured dairy (Yay! Welcome back, Chobani!) with the thought that my stomach needs the extra bacteria for digestion. Hopefully I'll have good news on this change (back) next week too.

In the meantime, gluten-free is staying with me through this month.  Let me add, this is not the paleo diet; I will not remove food groups in their entirety, just not my cup of tea I don't like it. Luckily, I have help using Let's Do Organic Coconut Flour to create healthy and delicious treats and meals. I posted this gluten-free coconut protein granola yesterday, and today I bring you something on the savory side; baked coconut salmon cakes!

The recipe, which you must try, is at the bottom of this post.  But first, let's have at my eats since that is the whole reason for today....

Breakfast

Navitas Naturals (review and giveaway in the future) Cocao French Press Coffee; steamed Spaghetti squash with tuna and steamed veggies

Snack

Baby carrots with Artisana Foods Walnut Butter

Lunch

Coconut Salmon Cakes on a bed of steamed veggies; no-bake quinoa almond protein bar

Dinner and Healthy Treat

Big salad with extra roasted cauliflower (by mistake), homemade garlic salsa (no kissing after this stuff!), more veggies, and tuna; green chocolate protein smoothie with homemade chocolate granola; more coconut protein granola

Let’s Do Organic Coconut Salmon Cakes





by RC Liley





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Ingredients (8 - 9 Muffin-sized Cakes)


2 (5oz) cans wild salmon in water, drained (canned tuna or crab works too)
1/2 cup Let’s Do Organic Coconut Flour; you might need another tablespoon or 2 if it’s too runny
1 tsp each of cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 T Dijon mustard
3 egg whites or 3 flax/chia eggs
4 T Of your favorite salsa
1 T each dried basil and dill
Pepper to taste







Instructions



Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees



Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix well to incorporate. You can also mix everything in a food processor if desired. If mixture seems too runny, add oats or coconut flour 1 tablespoon at a time until thick enough to hold together.



Scoop the mix into a lightly oiled 12 cup muffin pan (I filled 9 of the 12 cups) and bake in pre-heated oven for 25 -30 minutes, depending how toasted you want the top. It should have a beautiful golden crust on top.



Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes.



Top each cake with your favorite mustard, salsa, or even a yogurt sauce like Tzatziki; I like them plain too.



Serve on a bed of steamed veggies, brown rice, quinoa, or just a plate!



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Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday and gets through the rest of the work/school/whatever week without issues!  Be sure to check out my giveaway for Let's Do Organic Coconut Flour and enter to win today.  Two people can each win a bag of their own, so tell your friends!

Let's Do Organic Coconut Flour: Recipes, Review, and a Giveaway!

"Gluten Free - Low Fat - High Fiber"....and not from a grain!

If coconut and peanut flour were competing to be the best flour or kitchen "necessity" for me, it'd be a close race!  Before trying Let's Do Organic Coconut flour, I thought nothing could knock my beloved peanut flour off its totem pole.

Besides the fact that I don't really have a totem pole for my flour to begin with, I'm finding new and flavorful ways to the coconut flour that Let's Do Organic (owned by Edward & Son's) graciously sent me to review.  How have I not tried this stuff for so long?!

Here's some information worth reading about the health-minded company:

• Edward & Sons Trading Co is family owned and run. Founded in 1978.
• Our motto is "Convenience without Compromise" ®
• We do not tolerate artificial ingredients in packaged foods so Edward & Sons™ products will never contain artificial flavors or colors, chemical preservatives or hydrogenated fats
• All of our items are vegetarian and most are suitable for vegans
• We offer many options for those with food allergies and special diets such as Gluten Free or Kosher
• Our product family encompasses several brands, including Edward & Sons ™, Native Forest®, Let's Do...Organic®, The Wizard's®, Premier Japan®, Let's Do...® and Road's End Organics®

I definitely enjoy whole grain flour for baking, but sometimes I feel like something without using a grain flour.  Thanks to Let's Do Organic, I had the chance to make some delicious, gluten and sugar free treats as well as a savory meal for work lunch.

Upon opening the bag, you receive the welcoming scent of coconut flooding your nostrils and an instant desire to eat any and all things coconut!  First thing I did was whip up a protein smoothie with vanilla protein powder, frozen papaya, squash and carrot puree, and coconut flour.

WOW! I used 2 heaping tablespoons in the smoothie and the first sip was like a mini coconut grenade exploding on my tongue and encompassing my mouth with it's wonderful flavor.  Whoever says they don't like coconut, well, too bad you'll never know this great flavor.

I've been adding the coconut flour to almost every smoothie since, but not as much as the first and love the flavorful thickness it creates.  I like to eat my smoothies with a spoon, so it's basically coconut, veggie, fruit, and protein "ice cream" I guess.  Whatever it is, I'm A-D-D-I-C-T-E-D.

Unlike regular flour from grain, you don't have to cook this coconut flour, so it's a splendid ingredient in the plethora of no-bake recipes found all over the internet. I want to use it in my Quinoa Almond Protein Cookies next; can't wait!

With nutritional stats like these, why wouldn't you use it? 
Besides being allergic...

What I did use it in and create recipes for are my new favorite lunch items, baked coconut salmon cakes, and a crunchy new treat, gluten-free protein granola.  The flour absorbs liquid more than others which makes it great in the salmon cakes and as mentioned earlier, to thicken smoothies.

My bag of Let's Do Organic Coconut Flour is almost empty, and that makes me sad, but I will surely be getting more soon.  Would you like to try some for yourself? Yes? What if you could try for free? YES?

Well okay then, check out this gluten free granola recipe to get you excited about trying the gem of a flour, and enter to win one of 2 bags.  The salmon cake recipe will be posted soon, most likely tomorrow.

Gluten-free Coconut Protein Granola



by RC Liley

Cook Time: 30 min








Ingredients

2 cups puffed corn cereal; I used Arrowhead Mills
2 cups puffed millet cereal; again, Arrowhead Mills
1 T Cinnamon; I like it very cinnamon-intense, add only 1/2 a tablespoon if you like
2 scoops vanilla protein powder; I use egg white protein sweetened with stevia
1/2 cup Let’s Do Organic Coconut Flour
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 cup oat bran
1/2 cup pumpkin puree; mashed ripe banana is excellent too
2 T non-dairy milk or water
1 T Coconut oil or butter
3 packets of stevia powder or 25 drops of liquid stevia; this could be sweeter, but I don’t like it too sweet
1 tsp Vanilla
Optional: 2 T honey, agave, or molasses for personal preference (I did not use these and can’t attest to the outcome).




Instructions

Preheat oven to 325.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl using a wire whisk.

In a separate mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree with 2 T milk or water.

Melt the coconut oil/butter and mix into pumpkin mixture.

Add the wet to the dry and stir until well combined; this takes a while, be patient

On a parchment lined cookie sheet spread the mixture out evenly and bake for 30 – 35 minutes.  Every 10-15 minutes stir and break up the granola for even baking.

Remove from oven once you see granola turning a deep golden color.

Allow to cool and enjoy however you would.

The clusters make excellent portable snacks and smaller pieces can be used for your milk/yogurt “dressing”.


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Now, for that giveaway..... 2 people will have the chance to win a bag of Let's Do Organic Coconut Flour to make their own delicious treats.  I recommend this recipe or the salmon cakes; coming soon!

This contest has ended; keep checking back for the next giveaway!!

You can enter up to 6 times by doing each of the following action items and leaving a separate comment for each:

Tell me your favorite coconut flour recipe or how you would use it.

Follow Edward and Son's on Twitter

Like Edward and Son's on Facebook

Follow Just Add Cayenne on Twitter and Tweet the following – "I entered to win coconut flour from @EdwardandSons with @I_Love_Cayenne! Enter for your chance too!  "

“LIKE” Just Add Cayenne on Facebook. If you already “Like” Just Add Cayenne, leave a comment letting me know.

 Help support Just Add Cayenne and subscribe to my blog. Just post a comment if you are already subscribed.

The contest will end on Friday, September 14th and I will announce the winners soon after.

I want to thank Hannah from Edward & Son's who agreed to send me the coconut flour and for me host a giveaway for 2 of my readers! This is a wonderful product to have in any home, even if you can have gobs of gluten, and I will keep my pantry stocked with the stuff.

Good luck and thanks for reading!