Triple Coconut - Citrus Olive Oil Cake

This is a current redo of a recipe I concocted and posted 4 years ago that I named Mediterranean Olive Oil Cake. I discovered, sadly -AFTER- my trip to Italy, that a lemon version of this is a classic all over Italy and neighboring countries. Wish I had known this in 2005, I would have tried several variations while I was in Florence. It's a not-too-sweet cake perfect for morning coffee or tea, or anytime. . .

Preheat your oven to 350° In a large glass bowl, whisk together:

1c unbleached all purpose flour

1/2c coconut flour

1/2 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
1c shredded, sweetened coconut 

In your blender jar, blend the following on high until smooth:

1 whole seedless lemon
1 whole Cutie type Mandarin orange
~ scrub and cut the lemon and orange in pieces
~ removing the ends, centers and any seeds

3 lg. pasture raised eggs

3/4c coconut sugar
~ or dark brown sugar

1/2c single source EVOO
~ or if you'd rather. . .1/2c melted coconut oil

1/2c coconut milk

~ from a half-gallon carton or canned

3/4t pure vanilla

When the oven is preheated, pour the blender ingredients into the flour mixture in the big glass bowl. Stir and fold together until everything's well combined.

Pour the batter into an 9" x 11" glass baking pan that's been buttered and sugared for a sweet crunch on the crust! Bake at 350° for 35 minutes - check for doneness with a toothpick. Cool before slicing and serving. . .Lin

Just-About-Everything Healthy Muffins

I'm trying to keep gluten and sugar minimized, but the cravings are sneaky and pop up from time to time. Usually when I don't have good healthy options in the house.

Today I typed in a list of ingredients I wanted to use and ~VOILA~ A.I. presented me with a great base recipe to expound upon! Preheat your oven to 375° Put the dry and wet ingredients in two large glass bowls and combine them well within each bowl:

1c unbleached, organic all purpose flour

3/4c organic rye flour

1/2c organic corn flour

1c chopped walnuts

1c unsweetened flaked coconut

2T ground flax seeds

2T chia seeds

1-1/2T baking powder

1-1/2T pumpkin pie spice

3/4t baking soda

3/4t sea salt

3/4c organic granulated cane sugar

2 lg. pasture raised eggs
1/2c raisins

1/2c fresh orange juice (or orange and lemon)

~ using 1 lg. navel orange

1/2c single origin EVOO

3/4c whole milk sour cream

2 whole Cutie Mandarin oranges - finely chopped

1c+ fresh or frozen whole cranberries - finely chopped

1t -1T pure vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375° 

Combine the wet and dry ingredients until totally incorporated, with a heavy silicone spatula. Fill the paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 18-20 minutes until golden brown and they pass the toothpick test. 

Today, at 3pm, when these cooled I decided I was really needing some Fika time — Ginger-Turmeric tea, a little smoked goat cheese and 2 big muffins. They are SO hearty, I should have stopped at 1. I'm normally not an afternoon break person, but I know my Scandinavian ancestors did this every day. . .and these muffins smelled wonderful 😊

Fika is a Swedish term for a mid-morning or afternoon break, alone or with a neighbor or friend.

Today it's just me, but tomorrow these will go with me to my Tuesday morning Bible study. These turned out so well and are a healthy snack. . .Lin

Fruity-Nutty Coconut Granola

Combine everything - except the fruit - in a large glass bowl. I decided against the sesame seeds.

Preheat your oven to 275° and line a large, edged, baking sheet with parchment paper.

2c whole mixed nuts - then chop them

3c organic quick rolled oats

1c unsweetened coconut 

1/2T pumpkin pie spice

1//2 coconut sugar

a good shake (1/4t or so) of salt

1/4c ground flax seed

1T real vanilla or almond extract

1/3-1/2c unrefined solid coconut oil - melted, then measure

2c of your favorite dried fruit(s)

Bake this for about an hour, carefully stirring about half way through. When toasted and cooled to room temperature, add the craisins and tart cherries. Golden raisins, chopped dried apricots, papaya, or mango could also be substituted. Mix together well, then package in zip type bags.

This will be perfect with some plain, whole milk Greek yogurt. It's already pretty fruit-heavy, but, if you want, you could add some big beautiful blueberries now, frozen or fresh. . .Lin

Impossible Coconut Custard Squares

½c all purpose flour

¾t baking powder

¼t salt

1t pumpkin pie spice

2T butter

¾c light brown sugar

4 lg. eggs

1t pure vanilla

1c flaked coconut

1 13.5oz. can coconut milk

Preheat your oven to 400°.  Stir the dry ingredients together in a large bowl making sure to break up and incorporate any lumps.  Sift this if necessary.  In a medium size glass bowl, microwave the butter for about 30 seconds.  When it's melted, whisk in the sugar.  Once that's all smooth, add the eggs one at a time and whisk well.  Add the remaining three ingredients.  Butter an 8' or 9" glass pie pan or square pan.  Once the oven's ready, pour the egg and coconut mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring well, quickly, with a wooden spoon.  Pour into the pan, bake for 25-30 minutes.

Check it at 25 minutes.  If the top is browned and a tooth pick comes out clean when inserted toward the middle, or the top springs back when touched in the middle it's done.  Turn off the oven and leave it for another 5 or 10 minutes.

Cool half an hour before cutting and serving.  Mine was a little underbaked  but it's hard to mess this up.  And, it tastes wonderful! . .Lin

Ginger-Curry-Coconut Orange Vegetable Soup

2-3# carrots and sweet potatoes

1½c celery root or parsley root

1 med.-lg. onion

2 lg. purple shallots

5-6 lg. garlic cloves

1¼" cube of fresh ginger

2T coconut oil

½t finely ground sea salt

½t finely ground black pepper

1t-1T Thai Kitchen red curry paste

1T pumpkin pie spice

1-2T chicken soup base

1-2T honey

4c water

8oz. coconut milk

16oz. half & half

Chop the first 3 and mince the next 3 ingredients, into a 5 qt. pot with the coconut oil, salt and pepper.  Sauté, and stir occasionally while they're cooking, for about 20 minutes.  When the vegetables become softer, add the next 4 ingredients and continue to sauté while stirring to coat everything with the flavors and spices.  Add the water then simmer on low heat, covered, 30-45 minutes.

Leave the ingredients chunky, mash slightly with a potato masher, or use an immersion blender to make the soup smooth.  Check the flavors and make any additions or corrections necessary.  Stir in the coconut milk and half & half, bring heat up to just a tiny bubble and serve.  Sprinkle with pine nuts, choppped pecans, pumpkin or sunflower seeds and a add a dollop of sour cream. . .Lin

Tomato Pesto-Coconut Chicken And Vegetables

1 celery root - skin pared away
1 yellow beet - scrubbed 
1 red and white beet (concentric circles) - scrubbed
(I didn't use the dark red beet)
1-2 green zucchini
1 yellow zucchini
1 lg. purple onion
1 leek - sliced, not spiral cut
2T coconut oil
3/4c chicken broth
1/2c roasted sunflower seeds

Using a spiral slicer, spiral cut as much or little as you want of each vegetable.  Combine in a big cooking pot with the coconut oil and simmer-saute' for 5-15 minutes depending on how crisp or done you like your vegetables.  At the end add a little chicken broth and the sunflower seeds, simmering another 5 minutes.  Serve  as 'spaghetti' with the chicken sauce. . .Lin

1-1/4# chicken breast meat

1-2T coconut oil

1 lg. elephant garlic clove

14.5oz. can petite diced tomatoes

4oz. tomato pesto
4oz. can coconut cream

Cut the chicken in very small pieces and saute' in coconut oil with the chopped garlic until everything starts to brown.  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on low for another 10-15 minutes.

Put the vegetables in the bottom of a 2-3 qt. casserole dish, spoon chicken and sauce over this.  Cover and chill.  When ready to serve, bake at 325° for 30 minutes. . .Lin

Curried Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

1# boneless chicken meat

1-2T finely chopped garlic ~and/or~

1 finely chopped med. onion

2-3c chopped celery and carrot

½c ± wild rice

2T coconut 'oil'

1 can AROY-D yellow curry

1 can coconut milk

Cut raw chicken in small pieces. Saute' in coconut oil (which is solid at room temperature) with garlic/onion, celery, carrot and wild rice. Stir and saute' for 10-15 minutes. Add curry sauce and a couple cans of water. Stir, cover and simmer an hour or longer.

Add the coconut milk, stir this all together. If too watery, thicken with a combination of cornstarch and water stirred together. Check seasonings and adjust if needed. Heat to a small boil and serve. . .Lin

Coconut Macaroons

3 lg. egg whites at room temperature

1/8t salt

1/4t cream of tartar

3/4t almond or vanilla extract

3/4c superfine sugar

14oz shredded sweetened coconut

Beat in large, clean, dry mixing bowl. Add salt and cream of tartar. Beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add vanilla and gradually sprinkle in sugar while continuing to beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold in the coconut being careful not to over mix and deflate the egg whites.

Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper Bake 18-22 minutes, in a preheated 325° oven. Cookies will be lightly browned and set on the outside, soft and chewy inside. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 30, 1-1/2” cookies. . .Lin