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  • Faux Sweet Potato Pie GAPS Legal

    Faux Sweet Potato Pie GAPS Legal

    Faux Sweet Potato Pie

    I asked on my Facebook fan page if there were any Thanksgiving recipes that folks were looking to replace because they are on GAPS. I was able to find substitutes for several of the requests, but not for Sweet Potato pie. And so I set out to see if I could invent a Sweet Potato Pie substitute. There was only one small problem… I’ve not eaten Sweet Potato Pie enough in my life to know what it’s supposed to taste like. Luckily I happen to work with some of the nicest people who are willing to sacrifice their taste buds to try my GAPS legal goodies.

    My first task was to determine what to substitute for the sweet potatoes. I’ve heard that pumpkin [affiliate link] pie is very similar to Sweet Potato pie, but obviously those who love Sweet Potato pie aren’t going to be satisfied with pumpkin pie. For one thing, the color is off. Right? Sweet potatoes are usually a bright pretty orange color. I decided to ask Google what could I substitute for sweet potatoes.

    Google told me carrots. Yes, carrots.

    Now when I did the taste testing at work, I told my guinea pigs – er, my coworkers that I could not reveal to them the secret ingredient until they tasted the pie. I needed an honest opinion, I told them, on whether this pie could pass for a Sweet Potato Pie. I received a thumbs up from ten people who know what Sweet Potato pie is supposed to taste like.

    There was some surprise that the secret ingredient was carrots. My taste testers admitted they might have been swayed in the tasting process had I revealed they were eating Carrot Pie. It just doesn’t conjure up the right taste in your mouth, unless you’re Bugs Bunny. 😉

    So my advice to you is to keep the secret ingredient secret, if at all possible, until your family has tasted this magnificent pie.

    If you have been following GAPS for a while and your taste buds have adjusted to having less sweets, use the “extreme” version amounts for honey [affiliate link]. The baking time is a slightly less for the smaller amount of honey. The pie is perfectly delicious with less honey. However, if you are trying to please family and friends who are accustomed to eating lots of sweets, I recommend using the full amounts of honey.

    And one more note before I share the recipe – this pie freezes nicely. It would be best to freeze the pie without the meringue as the meringue became “sloppy” once thawed. It takes about four hours to thaw at room temperature, and I would make the meringue on the day you are planning to serve the pie.

    Faux Sweet Potato Pie

    This recipe works in a 9-1/2″ pie plate.

    Pie Filling

    • 2-1/2 cups of carrots (2 pounds of carrots; after peeling and removing tops they weighed 1# 10 ounces)
    • 1/2 cup honey* (reduce to 2 tablespoons for the extreme version)
    • 1/4 cup melted butter
    • 2 large eggs [affiliate link]
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla [affiliate link]
    • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt [affiliate link]
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon [affiliate link]
    • 1/4 teaspoon ginger [affiliate link]
    • 1/2 cup coconut milk [affiliate link]

    Peel and trim the tops and bottoms from two pounds of carrots. Cut into 1-1/2 to 2″ pieces.

    Steam above the level of the water for 25 minutes, or until fork tender. I used Costco’s large organic carrots and they were perfect for this recipe.

    Add the cooked carrots, honey, melted butter and eggs to your blender. I used my Magic Bullet Blender and split up the ingredients into three batches.

    Blend until completely smooth and creamy. The mixture will be thick like pudding.

    Remove to a mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix together.

    Pie Crust

    • 1-1/2 cups blanched almond flour [affiliate link], tamped down and measured with a knife flat across the top of the cup measurement
    • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1/4 cup palm shortening or butter, soft and at room temperature
    • ice water

    Add almond flour into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add in the salt, and mix together to spread evenly throughout. Add butter and using a Pastry Blender (or two knives) cut the butter into the flour. When the mixture looks crumbly, add one teaspoon of ice water and gently fold using a fork. Add one to two more teaspoons of ice water, each time gently lifting the flour and folding over so that all flour is moistened. The mixture should look crumbly.

    Take about 2/3rds of the mixture and sprinkle it evenly into the pie plate. Begin pressing gently with your fingers and heel of your hand along the bottom of the pie plate. When you have the dough pressed evenly across the bottom and slightly going up the sides of the pie plate, add the remaining 1/3 evenly around the sides. Now begin working the dough up the side of the pie plate, gently pressing until even in all areas. I find this method works well with almond flour, rather than trying to roll out between parchment paper.

    You may wish to decorate the edges with the tines of a fork pressed gently into the rim.

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Add the pie filling to the pie crust. Smooth the pie filling to the edges and smooth the top until it is level.

    The crust will need to be covered with either a ring fashioned from aluminum foil, or if you have a pie crust protector like this one I recently found which previously I never knew existed: Norpro Silicone Pie Crust Shield

    Bake for 40 minutes and check for doneness. I had to bake this pie for 50 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the outer edges came out clean, but the center was still a little bit sticky when I took it out. Remove from oven and it will continue baking for just a little while and the center will firm up.

    Bake the extreme version for 35 minutes at 350°F.

    Meringue Topping

    If you need super sweet GAPS Legal topping, please follow the original recipe, found here at Cara’s: Health, Home and Happiness Simple Meringue Frosting.

    For my taste testers, I used Cara’s recipe, and used my husband’s torch to toast the top. If you do not have a Kitchen Torch you can put the pie into the oven at 400°F and bake for 3 to 5 minutes until the peaks are browned.

    • 1/4 cup honey (2 tablespoons for the extreme version)
    • 2 egg whites
    • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

    Carefully separate egg yolks from egg whites. Place the egg whites into a bowl with the salt. Using a hand mixer whip at high speed for 1 minute and 30 seconds until stiff peaks are formed. Place the honey in a small saucepan and heat at medium heat until the honey boils and begins to slightly turn a darker color. If you have a thermometer, boil until the honey reaches 245°F.

    Return to the egg whites, turn the mixer back on high and begin slowly drizzling the boiling hot honey into the egg whites. Continue to whip the egg whites for 2-3 minutes longer until the mixture has cooled to the touch.

    Faux Sweet Potato Pie

    Faux Sweet Potato Pie

     

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    Faux Sweet Potato Pie GAPS Legal
    Author: 
    Recipe type: Dessert, Pie
    Cuisine: Southern
    Prep time: 
    Cook time: 
    Total time: 
    Serves: 8
     
    This Sweet Potato pie is adapted from Paula Deen’s Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie except this version is GAPS legal, and contains no sweet potatoes. Use the lesser amounts of honey for a less sweet version.
    Ingredients
    • Pie Filling:
    • 2-1/2 cups of carrots (2 pounds of carrots; after peeling and removing tops they weighed 1# 10 ounces)
    • ½ cup honey (reduce to 2 tablespoons for the extreme version)
    • ¼ cup melted butter
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ginger
    • ½ cup coconut milk (I use Natural Value, they now have an organic, BPA-free can with no additives whatsoever)
    • Pie Crust:
    • 1-1/2 cups blanched almond flour, tamped down and measured with a knife flat across the top of the cup measurement
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ cup butter, soft and at room temperature
    • ice water
    • Meringue Topping:
    • ¼ cup honey (2 tablespoons for the extreme version)
    • 2 egg whites
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
    Instructions
    1. Pie Filling Instructions: Peel and trim the tops and bottoms from two pounds of carrots. Cut into 1-1/2 to 2″ pieces.
    2. Steam above the level of the water for 25 minutes, or until fork tender.
    3. Add the cooked carrots, honey, melted butter and eggs to your blender.
    4. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. The mixture will be thick like pudding.
    5. Remove to a mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients.
    6. Mix together.
    7. Pour into pie shell and smooth to edges.
    8. Bake for 40 minutes and check for doneness. I had to bake this pie for 50 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the outer edges came out clean, but the center was still a little bit sticky when I took it out. Remove from oven and it will continue baking for just a little while and the center will firm up.
    9. Bake the extreme version for 35 minutes at 350°F.
    10. Pie Crust Instructions: Add almond flour into a medium sized mixing bowl.
    11. Add in the salt, and mix together to spread evenly throughout.
    12. Add butter and using a pastry blender (or two knives) cut the butter into the flour.
    13. When the mixture looks crumbly, add one teaspoon of ice water and gently fold using a fork.
    14. Add one to two more teaspoons of ice water, each time gently lifting the flour and folding over so that all flour is moistened.
    15. The mixture should be in small clumps.
    16. Take about ⅔rds of the mixture and sprinkle it evenly into the pie plate.
    17. Begin pressing gently with your fingers and heel of your hand along the bottom of the pie plate.
    18. When you have the dough pressed evenly across the bottom and slightly going up the sides of the pie plate, add the remaining ⅓ evenly around the sides.
    19. Now begin working the dough up the side of the pie plate, gently pressing until even in all areas. I find this method works well with almond flour, rather than trying to roll out between parchment paper.
    20. You may wish to decorate the edges with the tines of a fork pressed gently into the rim.
    21. Preheat oven to 350°F. Add the pie filling to the pie crust. Smooth the pie filling to the edges and smooth the top until it is level.
    22. The crust will need to be covered with either a ring fashioned from aluminum foil, or use a Norpro Silicone Pie Crust Shield.
    23. Meringue Topping Instructions: If you need super sweet GAPS Legal topping, please follow the original recipe, Simple Meringue Frosting found at Health, Home and Happiness.
    24. Carefully separate egg yolks from egg whites.
    25. Place the egg whites into a bowl with the salt.
    26. Using a hand mixer whip at high speed for 1 minute and 30 seconds until stiff peaks are formed.
    27. Place the honey in a small saucepan and heat at medium heat until the honey boils and begins to slightly turn a darker color.
    28. If you have a thermometer, boil until the honey reaches 245°F.
    29. Return to the egg whites, turn the mixer back on high and begin slowly drizzling the boiling hot honey into the egg whites.
    30. Continue to whip the egg whites for 2-3 minutes longer until the mixture has cooled to the touch.
    31. Smooth over the pie.
    32. Use a kitchen torch to brown the peaks of the pie, otherwise bake at 400°F for 3 to 5 minutes until the peaks are browned.
    Notes
    This pie freezes well (sans meringue). Thaw at room temperature for four hours prior to serving. Make meringue frosting the day you serve the pie for best results.
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    *If you order from Tropical Traditions by clicking on any of my Tropical Traditions links and are a brand new customer, you will receive this free book: Virgin Coconut Oil : How it Has Changed People’s Lives, and How it Can Change Yours, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you. Thank you!

     

    GAPS DIET JOURNEY is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON.COM. GAPS DIET JOURNEY is an affiliate for several companies and may be compensated through advertising and marketing channels. Therefore, this post may contain affiliate links.

  • Review: Thankgiving Menu Planner from Heart of Cooking + Coconut Bread Stuffing Recipe

    Review: Thankgiving Menu Planner from Heart of Cooking + Coconut Bread Stuffing Recipe

     

    My 1st GAPS Thanksgiving 2010

    I started GAPS in December of 2009 just a couple weeks after Thanksgiving and so my very first Thanksgiving was after I’d been on GAPS almost one full year.

    I was anxious to be able to have some of the meals to which I’d grown accustomed for the forty-some previous Thanksgiving dinners prior to my starting on GAPS and I was thrilled when I found this menu planner by Sarah Schatz.

    There are twenty-four recipes in this 24 page e-book which I know from past experience will make your holiday so very enjoyable. Almost every single recipe is GAPS legal, save for a couple which I’ve notated with an asterisk.

    Snacks

    • Crispy Pecans
    • Pumpkin [affiliate link] Dip with Apple Slices (contains cashews and sunflower seeds)

    Dinner

    • Roasted Turkey

    Vegetables

    • Lemony Green Beans with Almonds [affiliate link] (almonds are optional)
    • Green Bean Casserole (Sarah shares this recipe at her blog) (contains cashews)
    • Butternut Squash with Apples
    • Mashed New Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary*
    • Mashed Garlic Cauliflower

    Condiments

    • Spiced Cranberry Sauce
    • Mushroom Gravy (contains cashews)
    • Lacto-Fermented Sauerkraut

    Breads/Stuffings

    • Coconut Savory Rolls (contains eggs)
    • Coconut Bread Stuffing (contains eggs)
    • Wild Rice Pecan Stuffing* (you could try substituting riced cauliflower for the rice) (egg-free and gluten-free)

    Desserts

    • Pumpkin Bars (contains almonds and eggs)
    • Pumpkin Pie (Sarah shares this recipe at her blog) (contains eggs)
    • Egg-Free Pumpkin Pie (contains almonds)
    • Egg-Free Apple-Apricot Pie (contains almonds)
    • Pecan Pie (contains nuts and eggs)

    Pie Crusts and Dessert Toppings

    • Gluten-Free Almond Pie Crust (contains almonds)
    • Nut-free Coconut Pie Crust (contains coconut)
    • Cashew Date Frosting (contains cashews)
    • Coconut Whipped Cream (contains coconut)
    •  Coconut Icing (contains coconut)

    Almost every recipe comes with nutrition information (calories, fat, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, cholesterol and sodium) and a Shopping List is also included so your trip to the store will be easy to plan. There are also helpful tips and substitution suggestions.

    Sarah has graciously given me permission to share her Coconut Bread Stuffing recipe, you can see it in the photo below. Doesn’t that look delicious?! I am so excited to be able to share this recipe with you!

    My 1st GAPS Thanksgiving 2010 Coconut Bread Stuffing
    The star of the show: Coconut Bread Stuffing!

    Here is one of my tips for broth on Thanksgiving Day – if you are baking a turkey. Remove the gizzard, liver, heart and neck and place in a pot. Add your favorite broth vegetables – mine are celery, onions [affiliate link], carrots and garlic. Add four cups of water and simmer for an hour or two. Voila! And afterwards, don’t forget to boil the turkey carcass for a lot of great broth! And now, on to Sarah’s recipe.

    COCONUT BREAD STUFFING

    Servings: 12

    Prep + Cook = 55 minutes

    Adapted from Joy of Cooking

    • 3-4 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
    • 1 to 1-1/2 cups chicken broth (or turkey broth if you use Starlene’s tip!)
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 1-2 ribs celery, chopped
    • 1-2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
    • 5-6 cups (or 1 loaf) cubed coconut bread (recipe follows)
    • 1-1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 Tablespoon freshly chopped
    • 1 teaspoon dried sage or 1 Tablespoon freshly chopped
    • 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley [affiliate link]
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper [affiliate link]
    • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg [affiliate link]
    • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves [affiliate link]
    • 1 egg, well beaten (optional)

    Steps:

    1. Preheat oven to 400°F. When hot, toast the cubed bread on a dry cookie sheet until brown, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside. Bring down the heat of the oven to 350°F.

    2. At medium heat in a skillet, sauté the onion with one tablespoon butter or olive oil until it is soft and translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add the celery and cook for a few more minutes until it is cooked through. Add the herbs, spices, salt and pepper. Turn off the heat.

    3. Heat the broth and remaining butter until melted. In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, vegetable-herb mixture, and chopped apples. Pour the chicken stock over the mixture and stir until well combined. Adjust the seasonings until it is to your liking. You can add a well-beaten egg to the mixture which will make the stuffing more firm.

    4. Stuff the turkey or bake in a covered dish alongside the turkey, about 25-40 minutes, or until top forms a crust. (If you like it to get a little crispy, remove the cover a little before it’s done baking).

    COCONUT FLOUR [affiliate link] BREAD

    Servings: 12

    Prep + Cook = 60 minutes

    This bread recipe makes great sandwich bread. It was adapted from Cooking with Coconut Flour by Bruce Fife.

    • 6 eggs, at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup coconut oil [affiliate link] or butter, melted
    • 2 tablespoons honey, or other preferred sweetener
    • 2/3- 3/4 cups coconut flour, sifted
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder, corn and gluten free; delete for GAPS

    Steps:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

    2. It is best to sift the coconut flour first. Then, blend all ingredients in a food processor, mixer or use a whisk until there are no lumps. Start with less flour at first. You are looking for a thick but moist batter. Add an additional egg and/or more oil if needed.

    3. Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until firm and golden brown on top.

    Substitutions:

    Coconut: Coconut flour cannot be substituted in other recipes part for part. Use another recipe if you can’t eat coconut.

    Eggs: this recipe needs eggs to work. Use another recipe if you can’t eat eggs

    Baking powder:  Sarah says she has made this recipe many times without baking powder or baking soda [affiliate link] and it turned out great, she says “You can use baking soda instead of baking powder. But you would use less (1/2 tsp) and add 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.)”

    Nutritional Info: Per Serving: 184 Calories; 13g Fat (65.6% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 129mg Cholesterol; 86mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

    GAPS DIET JOURNEY is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON.COM. GAPS DIET JOURNEY is an affiliate for several companies and may be compensated through advertising and marketing channels. Therefore, this post may contain affiliate links.

  • Pumpkin Poppers Gluten-Free Grain-Free

    Pumpkin Poppers with Cinnamon ToppingThis recipe was adapted from: Craving Chronicles Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes which was adapted from: Tasty Kitchen Pumpkin Spice Donut Muffins.

    Something about the weather cooling down brings out the pumpkin [affiliate link] lover in me.  In my twenties when my children were very little, we always roasted a big Jack-o-Lantern pumpkin, usually after we’d carved it earlier in the day. However, when I started gardening seriously in my 30s I learned that the big pumpkins are apparently not actually meant for human consumption, and to make the best pumpkin pie you should use the special (expensive) little pie pumpkins. Purportedly the big pumpkins are less sweet and can have a grainy texture, and are mostly fed to livestock.

    I was shopping at one of the local discount food stores and they had a large supply of Jack-o-Lantern pumpkins for $1.99, and they were all larger than a basketball. We had been invited to a potluck and I called to ask the hostess if she would like me to buy a couple for her to use as decorations. And then I bought two for myself.

    We never did carve the pumpkins, and I got to thinking that less sweetness is probably a good thing for those of us on GAPS. And winter squash has been so expensive so far this year. I decided that I was going to try roasting one of the big pumpkins and I was happy with the result. I did find that the pumpkin texture had a slight bit of crunch, but that was not enough of a deterrent to finding ways to use them.

    I was browsing around the Internet and I found these cute little pumpkin bites (see attribution links above) which were made with regular white flour, sugar and other non-GAPS allowed ingredients, so I decided to test my coconut flour [affiliate link] conversion skills.

    I brought these to work with me on Halloween to share with my coworkers and my boss liked them so much that she requested that I bring them to our Christmas potluck.

    Baker's Dozen Pumpkin Treats

    These remind me of cake doughnut holes… they are moist and delicious with a hot cup of tea or GAPS Friendly Hot Chocolate. They also freeze perfectly well so you can make ahead of time – just remember to thaw to room temperature which will take about two hours. You will find a printable version of this recipe at the bottom of the post.

    Oh, and one more thing: These are dairy-free, but of course butter is legal on GAPS. If you do not have to avoid butter, you may want to substitute the cinnamon [affiliate link] topping mixture with butter instead of coconut oil [affiliate link]. It is quite delicious.

    Yields: 18

    Pumpkin Poppers

    Be sure to get an exact 1/2 cup of coconut flour by using the back of a straight edged knife to level off the flour even with the top edge of the measuring cup. Measure all dry ingredients (coconut flour down to ginger) in a large mixing bowl. If you freeze your coconut flour (like I do with mine to keep it moist and fresh), you may sift after measuring to make sure there are no little hard clumps.

    Mix together.

    Pumpkin Poppers Dry Ingredients
    Place 3 eggs into your Magic Bullet [affiliate link], blender or food processor with 1/2 cup of cooked carrots and 1/2 cup pumpkin. Feel free to use any kind of winter squash or any combination of pumpkin, winter squash or carrots.

    Blend until completely smooth.

    Place melted coconut oil, honey and vanilla [affiliate link] into a small bowl. Add the winter squash and eggs mixture into the bowl and whisk.Pumpkin Poppers Wet Ingredients

    Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Using a hand mixer, blend for 1-2 minutes until completely mixed. As the coconut flour absorbs the liquids the mixture will go from a very runny consistency to a thicker consistency.

    Pumpkin Poppers Batter
    Allow the batter to sit for 5 minutes so that the coconut flour can absorb the liquids.

    Preheat oven to 325°F.

    Pumpkin Poppers Batter

    Use coconut oil to grease a mini muffin tin.

    Lightly sprinkle coconut flour into the bottom of each muffin cup.

    Measure out two tablespoons of batter for each popper. It would be awesome to have one of these:Norpro 703 Grip-EZ 2-Tablespoon Stainless Scoop

    The batter should be of the consistency where you can pick it up in your hands and form into a little ball. If you have to use a tablespoon measurement like me, be sure that you completely meld the two parts together, otherwise when they bake you will end up with little splits and fissures where you placed them together. If by chance your batter is not thick enough, add in coconut flour by the teaspoon waiting a minute or two in between adding more. If your batter is too thick, you could try adding more pumpkin.

    Drop into the muffin tins. I don’t advise using cupcake papers for this recipe – in the last step you will drizzle a liquid cinnamon topping which will make a sticky mess of the papers so it is best to just put them bare naked into the muffin tin.

    Pumpkin Poppers in the Mini Muffin Tin
    Bake for 20 minutes.

    For the topping mix 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil (or butter) with 1 tablespoon honey and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

    When the poppers are done, as soon as you remove them from the oven using a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon drizzle 1/4 teaspoon of the topping mixture on each popper.

    The topping will melt into the popper and will also spill down and soak into the bottom.

    Carefully remove each popper, they should not stick because of the coconut flour placed under each one but I had a couple that were still a little stubborn and didn’t want to come loose.

     

    Pumpkin Poppers with Cinnamon Topping

    Click here to discover how to Mastering the Art of Baking with Coconut Flour

    Mastering the Art of Baking with Coconut Flour

    And if you love pumpkin… you need to get my e-book Pumpkin Treats! Baker's Dozen Pumpkin Treats

    Happy baking!

    4.9 from 8 reviews
    Save Print
    Pumpkin Poppers made with Coconut Flour
    Author: 
    Recipe type: Dessert
    Cuisine: Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-free
    Prep time: 
    Cook time: 
    Total time: 
    Serves: 18
     
    These little pumpkin bites are moist and delicious with a hint of cinnamon.
    Ingredients
    • ½ cup coconut flour, firmly packed (I used Tropical Traditions)
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon + ½ teaspoon cinnamon, divided use
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ½ teaspoon allspice
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
    • 3 large eggs
    • ½ cup cooked pumpkin and ½ cup carrots (canned pumpkin will work also)
    • ⅓ cup virgin coconut oil, melted + 1 Tablespoon coconut oil (or butter), divided use
    • ¼ cup raw honey + 1 Tablespoon honey, divided use
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    Instructions
    1. Be sure to get an exact ½ cup of coconut flour by using the back of a straight edged knife to level off the flour even with the top edge of the measuring cup. Measure all dry ingredients (coconut flour down to ginger) in a large mixing bowl. If you freeze your coconut flour (like I do with mine to keep it moist and fresh), you may sift after measuring to make sure there are no little hard clumps.
    2. Mix together.
    3. Place 3 eggs into your Magic Bullet, blender or food processor with the 1 cup of winter squash.
    4. Blend until completely smooth.
    5. Place melted coconut oil, honey and vanilla into a small bowl. Add the winter squash and eggs mixture into the bowl and whisk.
    6. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.
    7. Using a hand mixer, blend for 1-2 minutes until completely mixed. As the coconut flour absorbs the liquids the mixture will go from a very runny consistency to a thicker consistency.
    8. Allow the batter to sit for 5 minutes so that the coconut flour can absorb the liquids.
    9. Preheat oven to 325°F.
    10. Use coconut oil to grease a mini muffin tin.
    11. Lightly sprinkle coconut flour into the bottom of each muffin cup.
    12. Measure out two tablespoons of batter for each popper.
    13. The batter should be of the consistency where you can pick it up in your hands and form into a little ball.
    14. Drop into the muffin tins. I don’t advise using cupcake papers for this recipe.
    15. Bake for 20 minutes.
    16. For the topping mix 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil with 1 tablespoon honey and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
    17. When the poppers are done, as soon as you remove them from the oven using a ¼ teaspoon measuring spoon drizzle ¼ teaspoon of the topping mixture on each popper. The topping will melt into the popper and will also spill down and soak into the bottom.
    Notes
    You may use all pumpkin or winter squash – I used ½ carrots for more orange color since my pumpkin was not orange enough for my liking. These freeze well and are just as delicious once brought to room temperature (about 2 hours). Also, if you can have butter, consider using butter for the drizzled topping instead of coconut oil.
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    GAPS DIET JOURNEY is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON.COM. GAPS DIET JOURNEY is an affiliate for several companies and may be compensated through advertising and marketing channels. Therefore, this post may contain affiliate links.

  • Werewolf Fingers Halloween Cookies GAPS Friendly

    Werewolf Fingers Halloween Cookies GAPS Friendly

    Werewolf Fingers

    I found this simple recipe at my friend Crystal’s blog and with one easy substitution (raw honey [affiliate link] instead of sugar) instead of Witch’s Fingers, we have GAPS Friendly Werewolf Fingers.

    Werewolf Fingers

    • 1 cup smooth peanut butter [affiliate link]
    • 1/4 cup raw honey
    • 1 large whole egg
    • Sliced almonds [affiliate link] (for the fingernails)

    Preheat oven to 350°F.

    Scramble the egg until thoroughly blended. I like to use my Magic Bullet Blender.

    Mix the egg with the honey.

    Mix in the peanut butter with a spoon. As you mix the ingredients together they will coagulate and thicken. The resulting dough will be pliable and easy to work with.

    Remove rings and watches, and children wash your hands using the proper technique! (At 32 seconds into the video as Matthew demonstrates the cherry pitter).

    Divide the dough into 10 or 12 sections.

    Roll each section into a log about 3 inches long.

    Place on a greased cookie sheet and complete the finger there.

    Flatten and round the ends. Place a sliced almond at the tip for the fingernail.

    Take a spoon and indent the knuckles.

    Bake for 12-15 minutes until firm to the touch and the bottom is browned.

    Carefully remove the fingers with a spatula to a cooling rack.

    This recipe was included at Fat Tuesday.

    Werewolf Fingers

    4.0 from 1 reviews
    Save Print
    Werewolf Fingers Halloween Cookies GAPS Friendly
    Author: 
    Recipe type: Halloween Cookies
    Prep time: 
    Cook time: 
    Total time: 
    Serves: 10
     
    These fingers look really creepy.
    Ingredients
    • 1 cup smooth peanut butter
    • ¼ cup raw honey
    • 1 large whole egg
    • Sliced almonds (for the fingernails)
    Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
    2. Scramble the egg until thoroughly blended.
    3. Mix the egg with the honey.
    4. Mix in the peanut butter with a spoon. As you mix the ingredients together they will coagulate and thicken. The resulting dough will be pliable and easy to work with.
    5. Remove rings and watches, and children wash your hands.
    6. Divide the dough into 10 or 12 sections.
    7. Roll each section into a log about 3 inches long.
    8. Place on a greased cookie sheet and complete the finger there.
    9. Flatten and round the ends. Place a sliced almond at the tip for the fingernail.
    10. Take a spoon and indent the knuckles.
    11. Bake for 12-15 minutes until firm to the touch and the bottom is browned.
    12. Carefully remove the fingers with a spatula to a cooling rack.
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  • Halloween Candy GAPS Friendly

    Halloween Candy GAPS Friendly

    Over the past almost three years I’ve created several GAPS friendly candy treats that would work great for Halloween. Here they are all in one place, I would love to hear if you get a chance to try any of these! I especially love the Sesame Chocolate Nutty Bites because they are wrapped and so festive looking!

    Sesame Chocolate Nutty Bites made with sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, cashews, raw honey, walnuts [affiliate link], cocoa powder [affiliate link], almond butter [affiliate link], pumpkin [affiliate link] seeds, and shredded coconut.

    Sesame Chocolate Nutty Bites

    Coconut Peanut Butter Balls made with coconut cream [affiliate link] concentrate, shredded coconut, nut butter, raw honey and salt.

    Coconut Peanut Butter Balls

    Mango Coconut Date Ball Fudge Babies made with dates, walnuts, freeze dried mango, vanilla [affiliate link], shredded coconut.

    Mango Coconut Walnut Date Balls

    Coconut Almond Candy Clusters made with coconut cream (harvested from canned coconut milk [affiliate link]), raw honey, egg yolks, vanilla, almonds [affiliate link] and flaked coconut.

    Coconut Almond Candy Clusters GAPS Legal

    Banana Bread Fudge Babies made with dates, crushed banana chips, and walnuts.

    Pacific Island Fudge Babies made with dates, coconut flakes [affiliate link], macadamia nuts [affiliate link], papaya, pineapple, walnuts, vanilla and coconut cream concentrate.

     GAPS Friendly Chocolate

    Chocolate Turtles

    Dark Chocolate with Pecans

    Homemade Chocolate

    You might also like Werewolf Fingers

    Werewolf Fingers

    This post was shared at GAPS Friendly Friday #16.

    GAPS DIET JOURNEY is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON.COM. GAPS DIET JOURNEY is an affiliate for several companies and may be compensated through advertising and marketing channels. Therefore, this post may contain affiliate links.

  • Pumpkin Bread Gluten/Grain/Dairy/Sugar-Free GAPS Friendly

    Pumpkin Bread Gluten/Grain/Dairy/Sugar-Free GAPS Friendly

    It’s getting to be that time of the year and we’re beginning to be bombarded by pumpkin [affiliate link] this and pumpkin that. Pumpkin pies, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin ice cream smoothies, pumpkin bread. Since you’re doing GAPS, does that mean you have to be left out? No! This pumpkin bread is my answer to your cravings. I taste tested this recipe at my job and the overwhelming response was “Oh, this is so moist!”

    It was so delicious I ate nearly half of it before I banned it to the refrigerator so that I could take it to work and share with everyone.

    Please note that I list name brands because I want you to know exactly what products I used in case your recipe doesn’t turn out exactly the same it could be due to using a different brand. For example, I find that Tropical Traditions coconut flour [affiliate link] seems to be more finely ground, more like flour, than other brands, and it is also moister, depending on how long I’ve had it. If first learned about flour and aging and moistness and dryness with regular wheat flour when making flour tortillas. The recipe would use more water depending on how dry the flour had become. I notice the same with coconut flour [affiliate link]. When I first get it from Tropical Traditions, it clumps and has a smooth moist quality to it. If I keep it tightly sealed and in the freezer, it maintains this moist quality. However, if I happen to leave the bag open and sitting on the counter a few days, it will dry out. Coconut flour requires a lot of liquid ingredients to start with, and if the product is more dry, the recipe can turn out dramatically different. I used the honey from Tropical Traditions as well, and it is so thick and smooth and creamy I wonder if it is sweeter than typical honey. At any rate, I’m very pleased that this fairly large loaf only contains 1/2 cup of honey.

    Once mixed, the batter for this recipe is somewhat like cookie dough, but a bit more fluffy in texture.

    By the way, I learned several years ago that most canned pumpkin is actually butternut squash! Feel free to use pumpkin or any winter squash in this recipe. You can find an easy to print recipe format at the bottom of this post.

    Wet Ingredients:
    1-3/4 cup baked cooled butternut squash (or pumpkin, or winter squash)
    ½ cup Tropical Traditions coconut oil, melted*
    ½ cup Tropical Traditions raw, organic honey*
    6 whole large eggs
    1 cup carrots, peeled, shredded and riced (3 large carrots)

    Dry Ingredients:
    1 cup Tropical Traditions coconut flour*
    1 teaspoon sea salt [affiliate link]
    1 teaspoon baking soda [affiliate link]**
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon [affiliate link]
    1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg [affiliate link]
    1/8 teaspoon ground allspice [affiliate link]
    1/8 teaspoon ground cloves [affiliate link]

    The winter squash should be baked ahead of time. Remove stem from squash, cut in half. Remove seeds and strings using a melon baller. Lie face down in a large flat casserole dish and bake at 350°F until fork tender. This will take about 30 minutes. Scrape the flesh from the skin and cool. At this point I like to portion into one cup amounts and freeze for later use.

    Preheat oven to 325°F.

    Grease a glass loaf pan (I used this one: Pyrex 213 Glass 1.5 Quart Loaf Bakeware Dish – 8 1/2 inches x 4 1/2 inches x 2 1/2 inches) and line with Unbleached Parchment Paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper. This makes removing the loaf simple and ensures that it will remain intact.

    The ingredients in this recipe will blend together best if everything is at room temperature; otherwise, the coconut oil [affiliate link] may clump.

    In a large mixing bowl place squash, 1/2 cup coconut oil, 1/2 cup honey and eggs. Using a mixer, whip until all ingredients are mixed together thoroughly.

    Peel 3 carrots. Shred and place in food processor, pulsing until the carrots are in very small pieces, similar to rice. Add the raw carrots to the wet ingredients.

    In one bowl place all the dry ingredients. Mix together with a whisk so that the spices are mixed throughout.

    Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, using your mixer blend together until thoroughly mixed. The mixture will thicken as the coconut flour absorbs the fluids.

    Allow to set for 5 minutes.

    Spoon the thick batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top. Ideally your batter fills the loaf pan right to the top, it will rise just a small amount, about 1/2″.

    Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until browned on top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

    I also used my thermometer to test for doneness and the outer wall of the loaf was at 209°F while the middle was at 190°F.

    Allow to rest about 10 minutes before carefully removing to a cooling rack.

    *Remember, if you have never ordered from Tropical Traditions before and order by clicking on any of my Tropical Traditions links, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you. Thank you for thinking of me!
    **Baking soda, as long as it is pure bicarbonate of soda is approved for GAPS in baking according to Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride’s revised version of her book Gut and Psychology Syndrome.
    Here are my other pumpkin recipes:
    Here are some other GAPS Friendly pumpkin recipes from my fellow bloggers in the Nourished Living Network:

    This post has been included at GAPS Friendly Friday #15 at The Liberated Kitchen.

    This recipe has been included at Fat Tuesday.

    5.0 from 1 reviews
    Save Print
    Recipe: Pumpkin Bread Gluten/Grain/Dairy/Sugar-Free GAPS Friendly
    Author: 
    Recipe type: Breads
    Cuisine: Seasonal Fall
    Prep time: 
    Cook time: 
    Total time: 
     
    This pumpkin bread has pretty little orange speckles from the carrots and is moist and delicious!
    Ingredients
    • Wet Ingredients:
    • 1-3/4 cup baked cooled butternut squash (or pumpkin, or winter squash)
    • ½ cup Tropical Traditions coconut oil, melted
    • ½ cup Tropical Traditions raw, organic honey
    • 6 whole large eggs
    • 1 cup carrots, peeled, shredded and riced (3 large carrots)
    • Dry Ingredients:
    • 1 cup Tropical Traditions coconut flour
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
    Instructions
    1. The winter squash should be baked ahead of time. Remove stem from squash, cut in half. Remove seeds and strings using a melon baller. Lie face down in a large flat casserole dish and bake at 350°F until fork tender. This will take about 30 minutes. Scrape the flesh from the skin and cool. At this point I like to portion into one cup amounts and freeze for later use.
    2. Preheat oven to 325°F.
    3. Grease a glass loaf pan 8.5″ x 4.5″ x 2.5″ (1.5 quart), and line with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper. This makes removing the loaf simple and ensures that it will remain intact.
    4. The ingredients in this recipe will blend together best if everything is at room temperature; otherwise, the coconut oil may clump.
    5. In a large mixing bowl place squash, ½ cup coconut oil, ½ cup honey and eggs. Using a mixer, whip until all ingredients are mixed together thoroughly.
    6. Peel 3 carrots. Shred and place in food processor, pulsing until the carrots are in very small pieces, similar to rice. Add the carrots to the wet ingredients.
    7. In one bowl place all the dry ingredients. Mix together with a whisk so that the spices are mixed throughout.
    8. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, using your mixer blend together until thoroughly mixed. The mixture will thicken as the coconut flour absorbs the fluids.
    9. Allow to set for 5 minutes.
    10. Spoon the thick batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top. Ideally your batter fills the loaf pan right to the top, it will rise just a small amount, about ½”.
    11. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until browned on top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
    12. I also used my thermometer to test for doneness and the outer wall of the loaf was at 209°F while the middle was at 190°F.
    13. Allow to rest about 10 minutes before carefully removing to a cooling rack.
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    If you love desserts like this, I have two cookbooks you really need to check out ASAP! Naturally Sweetened Treats for gluten-free dessert needs and Baker’s Dozen  Volume 2 Pumpkin Treats.

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    GAPS DIET JOURNEY is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON.COM. GAPS DIET JOURNEY is an affiliate for several companies and may be compensated through advertising and marketing channels. Therefore, this post may contain affiliate links.