A foodie's quest to turn up the heat through strength and conditioning with whole food and a hungry mind.

Showing posts with label granola. Show all posts
Showing posts with label granola. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

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!

    Tuesday, August 21, 2012

    WIAW #25 Homemade Protein Granola Sans Gluten


    I have a new addiction. It's the sugar and oil free protein granola I've been making almost daily. I just posted about the peanut butter version, but have made a chocolate, cinnamon ginger, and vanilla version since.

    Wonder why so much awesome granola? Besides the fact I prefer to make as much of my own food as possible, I wanted something crunchy and gluten-free for my nightly treats-in-a-cup.  I normally have Greek yogurt, pureed veggies with stevia and frozen fruit plus protein powder, nut butters and nuts, and Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Cereal.

    Still wondering?  Probably because I haven't really answered yet....sorry.  I've been going to the doctor a lot lately and my blood test results plus the fact that I'm constantly worn out and have stomach bloating lead me to think I am gluten intolerant.  Maybe Celiac's, but I'd rather have it confirmed before I go off spouting I have that.

    Therefore, I am laying off the gluten to see how I feel.  This means no Ezekiel in almond milk; there's just something comforting about it.  So, to fill the crunchy void, I'm making this granola with gluten-free ingredients. I definitely enjoy my new homemade granola and see this becoming an instant staple. Or I guess it already is a staple now....you get the point.

    Since cutting out most of the gluten, I have felt a little better in the stomach area, but need more time before I decide on anything.  Gluten-free isn't really a major change for me since most of my diet revolves around veggies, fruit, fish, and non-gluten grains like quinoa, millet, oats, corn and rice. I guess I'll just have to wait for my next doctor's visit before getting any closer to an actual diagnosis.Until then, I guess I'll just force this deliciously crunchy and healthy granola. No Problem!

    For fun fitness, Kelley and I just bought new hybrid bikes that are mostly road, but can handle an easy trail too. We have only ridden together a few times, but enjoy each other's company when we do.  I see this becoming a great routine to get our fitness and spend quality time together. Very important in a marriage!!

    Along with biking, we're still following the Supreme 90 Day Workouts and can feel how well it works everything in your body. I swear, after this one video, my bicep should have its own mini bicep from doing so many different types of curls. Most of the videos leave me with a soaked shirt and shorts dripping of sweat. And to think I used to make fun of workout dvds; guess I put my foot in my mouth there!

    So, lets all give Jenn at Peas and Crayons a great big thanks for putting What I Ate Wednesday together and have a look at my eats. Thank you, Jenn!




    {B} Microwave eggwhite omelette with mixed veggies, a tad bit of Artisana coconut butter, and Melinda's Chipotle Sauce + baby carrots on the side. {L} Green bean and black-eyed pea quinoa salad + homemade pb protein granola clusters for snacking. {D} Same big salad with steamed Brussels, mushrooms, and homemade green salsa dressing + PB Protein Banana Bread with more PB. {D2/Healthy Treats} No-bake Almond Oat and Millet Protein bars (made using my Quinoa Almond Cookie recipe) + Green protein smoothie with more pb banana bread, Plain Greek yogurt, and PB on top.

    Pretty good day of eats if you ask me! See, omitting gluten isn't so hard, and it will open your eyes (stomach?) to a wonderful world of different and delicious food.

    Have you ever had to make a sudden dietary change due to unforseen circumstances/events?

    Have a Happy WIAW and wonderful week right into the weekend!

    Monday, August 20, 2012

    Sugar Free Peanut Butter Protein Granola: No Oil and All Natural



    Hello and welcome to Monday! Kelley and I are taking to day off from work to spend the day together.  It was our 5 year wedding anniversary last Friday, August 17th, but we've been too busy to spend quality time together until now. Hopefully couple's massages will make their way into our day!!

    But first, I have to make a not-so-romantic stop at the doctor; then we'll be on our way to a wonderful day! I only half-way meant to rhyme there.....promise.

    In essence of time, I'm cutting this post short; I guess I'm really still on a blog break anyway.  I just wanted to take the time to share this recipe quickie I came up with on the fly.  You ever do that? Just start throwing things together in a bowl (dry in one and wet in the other), mix, and then bake/microwave/pan fry/etc to see what you can make?

    My body has been feeling run down and bloated a lot, and I'm starting to think I have an intolerance to something.  I don't like self-diagnosing things, but I'm guessing gluten might be a culprit.  That sucks if so; the only cereal we buy and love is pretty gluten not free!

    Being one who loves crunch in his cereal, I just turned on the oven and started mixing gluten free oats and other goodies to create a delicious crunchy cereal I can have.  Instead of oil, I just added a touch of peanut butter and pumpkin puree, and stevia is the only sweetener.

    Wow! I ate the entire batch in one day.  Now I have to make more already. I'm sorry for ever questioning the purpose of having two ovens in a home as a kid; I totally get it now!

    This recipe is not exact and it doesn't need to be; that's the beauty of the whole thing! With a few changes you can make sugar free chocolate protein granola, or even pumpkin spice for the coming season.  The mix can get thick, and it would make a great healthy oatmeal cookie if you formed it into circles.

    I'm too impatient for that, plus I like snacking on clusters more than cookies. Give this satisfying granola recipe a try and maybe you'll stop buying the small bag of "gourmet" granola for $10+. Maybe..


    Sugar and Oil Free Peanut Butter Protein Granola
    by RC Liley
    Prep Time: 10 min
    Cook Time: 35 min
    Ingredients
    • 2 cups Organic Rolled Oats
    • 2 tsp Cinnamon
    • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder; I use whey protein sweetened with stevia
    • 1/2 cup peanut flour; or 2 more scoops protein powder plus 1 T natural peanut butter
    • 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
    • 1/4 cup oat bran
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree; mashed ripe banana is excellent too
    • 2 packets of stevia powder or 20 drops of liquid stevia
    • 1 tsp Vanilla
    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.
    Add the wet to the dry and stir until well combined.
    On a parchment lined cookie sheet spread the mixture out evenly and bake for 30 – 35 minutes. Every 10-15 minutes stir the granola for even baking.
    Remove from oven one oats are crisping and turning a deep golden color.
    Allow to cool and enjoy however you would granola. These turn more into clusters that make them excellent for snacking at and away from home.
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    Most granola recipes have a dried fruit and nuts added, but I don't care for all of that jazz.  If I want fruit, I'll add it fresh with the granola; likewise for nuts and seeds. Plus, this does have peanut butter baked into each little crunchy golden nugget.
    
    
    
    
    I went through about 4 cups full of this green smoothie, plain Greek yogurt, and granola mix without even thinking about it. Consider this your warning....it's addicting!
    
    
    I urge anyone reading to bake this granola as soon as possible and change it up to suit your tastes/needs.  Comment to let me know how it turns out please!
    
    
    Have a marvelous Monday!
    
    
    Oh yeah, congrats to Christy from Chocolate Covered Diamonds for winning the Artisana Foods Giveaway!