Healthful Gluten-Free Waffles

Most of the waffles I have been making lakely have been with a mixture of protein powder and egg whites with with a pinch of baking powder thrown in...  they are really tasty, make up quickly, and have lots of protein... great on mornings when I am in a hurry to get moving.

But sometimes I like to take more time preparing a heartier breakfast... that often turns into brunch, really. That is the case with what I am calling my Healthful Gluten-Free Waffles.  'Healthful' because of the ingredients I have chosen to use in them.  And heartier because they kept me satisfied right through my normal lunch time.

I should also add that The Captain loved them... win win win!

I have had a bag of North Coast Naturals Ultimate Daily Cleanse sitting in my pantry for several months now.  It was in the last shipment of goodies I received to test and I admit to being somewhat intimidated by it... not really knowing what to do with it. But, today, when I thought I would use some ground flax seed in my new waffle mixture, I decided to open that bag and try some of the Ultimate Daily Cleanse instead. I am so glad I did!

It is a mixture of six natural ingredients:

• Ground 100% Canadian prairie flax seed (soluble & insoluble fibre & EFAs)
• Ground psyllium seed husk (soluble & insoluble fibre)
• Inulin fibre from chicory root (prebiotic fibre)
• Ground organic sprouted chia seed (superior nutrients, fibre and EFAs)
• Ground organic sprouted brown rice bran powder (soluble & insoluble fibre)
• Probiotics (1 billion good bacteria cells from non-dairy lactobacillus fermentum; provides the same healthy probiotic goodness associated with yogurt, without the taste or the dairy)

And I should add that it is dairy free, soy free and wheat/gluten free as well.... an all-natural blend that promotes healthy regularity.  You can check it out at North Coast Naturals web site if you are interested.

Okay then...

So as to start out gently and ease into using it, I substituted 2 Tbs of the Ultimate Daily Cleanse for the 2 Tbs of ground flax seed that I would have used in this recipe.  I didn't notice any taste or texture whatsoever.

I used a bit of maple syrup, some banana slices and shredded coconut to dress up my waffles.... so delicious!

Healthful Gluten-Free Waffles

Makes 2 servings

• 4 whole eggs
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze
• 2 Tbs Ultimate Daily Cleanse
• 1/4 cup coconut flour

1. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and beat till fluffy.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat again till the batter is smooth. It will be lumpy. Keep beating.
3. Pour half the mixture into a hot waffle iron and allow to cook about 5 minutes.
4. Remove to plate. Cover to keep warm.
5. Repeat with second half of batter.
6. Serve with your favorite waffle toppings.

Per serving without toppings.

Weight Watchers P+ = 6.

Calories 232; Protein 15g; Carbohydrate 11g; Fat 14g; Fibre 8g.

Keep mixing the batter till the lumps are gone!

Cover the cooked waffles till all the batter has been used.

And then dress them up before serving!

Printable Recipe

I did receive this product free of charge to use in my own kitchen and was under no obligation to review it.

What is your favorite way to get healthy fibre into your daily diet?

Coconut Banana Egg-ffles

Ever since I bought a waffle maker last week I have been playing with ingredients… mostly eggs I admit… but I have been trying to come up with a real ‘waffle’ recipe. So far I have not succeeded, but these Coconut Banana Egg-ffles is honestly one of my better failures!

It is kinda eggy but just  not too eggy so it is worthy of a bit of syrup or a some applesauce or fruit for topping.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.  Next time I would add some cinnamon and a bit of vanilla… yes, there WILL be a next time….

My ingredients made 5 waffle ‘squares’… I just divided them between 2 plates to serve.  And if you are a vegetarian and don’t eat bacon, just don’t use it of course.

Coconut Banana Egg-ffles
Makes 2 servings.

• 4 large fresh eggs
• 1 medium banana
• 1 Tbs coconut flour
• 1 Tbs crumbled bacon

1. Blend eggs, banana and coconut flour in a medium bowl.
2. Pour approximately 1/2 cup of mixture into waffle iron, or the amount recommended for your own waffle iron.
3. Sprinkle with a few bits of crumbled bacon on the top.
4. Cook according to instructions.
5. Remove to plate and keep warm.
6. Repeat until all batter is used.
7. Serve warm with a bit of syrup or fruit.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 179; Protein 14g; Carbohydrate 4g; Fat 11g; Fibre 2g.

I used my immersion blender to mash the banana and mix the ingredients.

I don’t overfill my waffle iron with batter cause I am afraid of messy cleanups!

Revmove from waffle iron and keep warm while the rest cook.

Add some topppings and get ready to dig in.

Printable Recipe

Coconut Flour Thumbprint Cookies

The Captain has always loved Thumbprint Cookies so when this recipe for a gluten free, grain free version arrived in an email from Laura at Mommy Run Fast a couple of weeks ago, I saved it to try for the Holiday Season.

And they did not disappoint!  Thank you, Laura, for doing the work in coming up with this lovely cookie recipe, and for sharing it on your blog, too!

He is not on a gluten free diet, but several of his family members have serious gluten issues so I will always opt for a gluten free version for him when a good one is available.

And I wanted to share it on my own blog so that my Weight Watchers buddies can enjoy it, too. Several of my friends opt for grain free recipes when they can, even if they use a few more P+ from their daily budget.  These recipes are often way more satisfying than a version with wheat flour might be.

If you haven’t worked with coconut flour much, do be patient. It absorbs more liquid than regular wheat flours and you need to stir it a little longer as well. Don’t pack it down when measuring… just scoop it lightly into measuring cup.

These little mouthfuls are sweet and tasty… and they come together pretty quickly.

I did make a couple of small substitutions… white sugar in place of coconut sugar, and I made them with a regular sugar-laden fruit spread… if you could find a low-sugar or even sugar-free version, the calorie count and Weight Watcher’s P+ values would be less, I am sure.  Your choice, of course.  I used strawberry flavor because that is The Captain’s favorite… about 1/4 tsp per cookie.  Laura uses raspberries in hers. 

I kind of think a lemony curd or custard would be nice, too, spooned into the depression after the cookies are baked and cooled.

Click this link to find Laura’s recipe on her original blog post.

I made 20 small cookies from the dough.  Here is the N.I. I calculated for the ingredients I used.

Per cookie.
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 82;  Protein 2g;  Carbohydrate 8g; Fat 5g; Fibre 2.

The dough is quite stiff and rolls well after being chilled for half an hour.

Make small depressions in each cookie for jam filling.

Use about 1/4 tsp jam for each cookie.

Ready to pop into the oven.

Make sure to let them cool after baking so you don’t burn your mouth on the hot jam!

It looks to me like some of the jam ran away!  I wonder if it would be better to bake the cookie and then put the jam in them.  What do you think?

New Grain Free Nut Flour Pancakes

I go back and forth between using almond flour and coconut flour in my baking.  And sometimes when I use almond flour, I end up adding a bit of coconut flour as a thickener.  That’s what happened when I was putting together this recipe.

When we first got up in the morning, we had coffee and then I decided I wanted to get in a short run before we had breakfast… The Captain said he would like to go along, so we both ate small bananas before lacing up our running shoes and heading out.

When it was time to get breakfast together, I knew I wanted to make us some pancakes, because we had these beautiful fresh strawberries to enjoy on top.  But I would normally use a banana in my pancake batter.  We had already eaten a banana so I decided to use some unsweetened applesauce instead.  I  usually have these little individual cups of applesauce on hand.  I buy any of several different brands, depending upon what is on sale.  These happen to be from Wal-mart.  Each container holds approximately 1/2 cup of applesauce.

You can easily double this recipe for more cakes, or even halve it if you are having breakfast alone.  You could also make up the cakes and keep leftovers in the refrigerator to be reheated another day in the mike.

This recipe makes 4 pancakes… enough for 2 for breakfast.

Grain Free Pancakes
Makes 2 servings of 2 cakes each

• 2 eggs
• 1 container (1/2 cup) of unsweetened applesauce
• 4 Tbs almond flour
• dash of vanilla
• sprinkle of cinnamon
• 2 tsp coconut flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

1. Beat the eggs and applesauce together in a medium bowl.
2. Add the almond flour, vanilla, cinnamon and mix till well combined.
3. Add the coconut flour 1 tsp at a time and mix after each addition.
4. Add the baking powder and mix again.
5. Lightly coat a skillet with non-stick spray and set over MEDIUM heat.
6. When the pan is hot, ladle 1/4 of the batter (between 3 and 4 Tbs) into the pan.   Allow to cook about 5 minutes until the edges are somewhat dry and bubbles appear in the centre.
7. Flip and cook the second side about 2 minutes.
8. Remove the cake from the pan to a serving plate and cover to keep warm.
9. Repeat with the rest of the batter until you have 4 pancakes.
10. Garnish as desired and serve warm.

Per serving of 2 cakes.
WW P+ = 5.
Calories 187; Protein 10g; Carbohydrate 11g; Fat 12g; Fibre 4g.

Before garnishing here.  The cakes are about 4 inches in diameter.

I added a bit of Greek yogurt and some sugar free syrup to mine.

The Captain opted for real syrup on his... no yogurt for him.

I think next time I will try them with egg whites instead of whole eggs to keep the fat content down a bit and that will also lower the Weight Watchers P+ values.

Printable Recipe

Are you a nut flour fan, too?

What is your favorite kind of pancakes?

If  you like this recipe, please consider Pinning or Tweeting via @WeCanBegin2Feed. Thanks!

Gluten Free Banana and Raisin Drop Cookies

I don’t seem to do much baking these days and I really wanted to make something for The Captain this weekend.  He has been so supportive of all the ‘extras’ I have taken on lately… so I came up with these cookies as a treat for him.  These Gluten Free Banana and Raisin  Drop Cookies are not only gluten free, but also grain free, and egg free. My goodness, that sounds so boring… but I can tell you they are very taste-full and have a lovely soft texture.

Actually, I am quite excited about how good they really are…. I ate 3 of them myself! And he really likes them too, thank Goodness.

The Captain loved the raisin drop cookies his Mother made when he was a child so I thought I would try to make something similar that he would really like, but in a gluten free, grain free version.  He doesn’t appear to be suffering from any of the ill effects of gluten sensitivity that some members of his family do, but I do make a point of finding gluten free alternatives for him whenever I can. 

The banana subs nicely for lots of fat and sugar that a regular cookie would have, and also for the egg too.  I made 10 cookies out of this batter… you could make more and rework the N.I. accordingly.  And, you would need to bake them for a shorter amount of time, too.

I used North Coast Naturals Organic Soya Protein in this batter. I like that it is both flavor and color neutral when mixed with other ingredients.  I think you could likely use any soy protein, but not sure if the texture would be as good with a whey or a veggie protein, in this recipe. 

Gluten Free Banana and Raisin Drop Cookies
Makes 10 cookies

• 3 Tbs brown sugar
• 3 Tbs soft butter
• 1 ripe medium banana, peeled
• 2 Tbs soy protein powder 
• 2 Tbs coconut flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 Tbs raisins

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with mixer until well combined.
3. Break banana into chunks and add to the bowl. Beat into butter and sugar mixture.
4. Stir in vanilla extract.
5. Add protein powder, coconut flour, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Beat again until batter is smooth.
6. Add raisins and stir in to batter till evenly distributed throughout.
7. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper lined baking sheet.
8. Bake for 10 – 11  minutes.
9. Remove from baking sheet an allow to cool on racks.  Cookies will be very soft until they cool.

Per cookie.
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 82; Protein 1g; Carbohydrate 11g; Fat 4g; Fibre 1g.

Spoon the batter onto parchment paper, into mounds about 2 or 3 inches apart.

They will be quite soft when they come out of the oven.

Be sure to let cool about 15 minutes so that they firm up nicely… if you can wait that long!

Printable Recipe

Coconut and Chia Pancake

This is probably my final pancake creation of the year…. on Christmas Eve morning, I was looking for something a wee bit different from my normal fare. I love my Vanilla and Cinnamon Coconut Pancakes, and this version and this one too, but just wanted something more…

So I added a spoonful of chia seeds to the batter and they not only made it a bit thicker. but really added a nice taste and a bit of crunch, too.  I used 2 eggs in  my batter, but if you want to save a few grams of fat you could use 1/4 cup of egg whites in place of one of the eggs.  Feel free to double the recipe if you want to share with a friend.

Coconut and Chia Pancake
Makes 1 serving

• 2 fresh eggs
• 2 Tbs coconut flour
• 1 Tbs chia seeds
• dash of vanilla
• dash of cinnamon

1. Mix everything together and pour into a non-stick pan set over MEDIUM heat.
2. Allow to cook about 5 to 7 minutes and then flip over and cook second side for about 2 minutes.
3. Serve with fruit or your favorite syrup, honey, nut butter or yogurt.

Per serving, without topping.

Made with 2 eggs:
Weight Watchers P+ = 8.
Calories 264; Protein 20g; Carbohydrate 16g; Fat 21g; Fibre 12g.


Made with 1 egg and 1/4 cup egg white:
Weight Watchers P+ = 7.
Calories 220; Protein 21g; Carbohydrate 16g; Fat 16g; Fibre 12g.

The batter is quite thick and you may need to spread it a bit.

The second side cooks much quicker than the first.

Served with some peaches, strawberries and mango….

and yes, a bit of syrup!

Printable Recipe

Other than the Coconut Pancakes that I have already linked to in the opening paragraph of this post, here are some of the other grain-free pancake recipes I created this year:

Easy Flax Pancakes

Flax-Coconut Pancake

There are lots of other pancake recipes in my FEATURE RECIPES  - BREAKFAST section as well.  

There are some with oats, some with whole wheat flour and some grain-free with protein powder.  There are almond butter pancakes, ‘Oreo’ protein pancakes, strawberry pancakes, pumpkin pancakes and banana pancakes… to name only a few.  Something for everyone!  Really. Cottage cheese anyone?

Are you pancake lover too?

My New Flax-Coconut Pancake… you’ll see why

The main thing on my shopping list when we visited the Trader Joe’s in Silverdale, WA earlier this week, was pumpkin butter.  I love this stuff and I happen to think that TJ’s is the very best.  Each 1 tablespoon serving is only 40 calories, and it’s all carbs… no fat, no protein… but does have lots of Vitamin A. 

It’s not health food, folks.  But it is truly delicious!  And for you fellow Weight Watchers, it is only 1 P+ per serving.  Yes, I have made pumpkin butter and sweet potato butter myself… and it is really easy to do and it is very good.  But when I finally get an opportunity to get across the border and find a TJ’s, especially in the Fall, I do stock up!

In honor of opening the first jar this morning, after our run, I made up a new grain-free pancake!  I wanted to have something tasty to spread that lovely, spicy pumpkin butter over… I thought it would be a little more elegant than just eating it out of the jar with a spoon, or my fingers!

Flax-Coconut Pancake
Makes 1 serving

• 1 Tbs ground flax seeds
• 1 Tbs coconut flour
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup egg whites
• splash of vanilla
• dash of cinnamon

1. Mix all the ingredients till well blended and then pour into prepared skillet over MEDIUM heat.
2. Cook till the mixture bubbles, about 5 minutes.
3. Then flip and cook second side about 2 or 3 minutes.
4. Remove to serving plate and garnish with your favorite toppings.

Per serving, without toppings.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 185; Protein 15g; Carbohydrate 8g; Fat 9g; Fibre 5g.

If you want something a little lower in fat, just replace the whole egg with 1/4 cup of egg whites.  And of course you can double the ingredients... and make two cakes instead of just one!

Printable Recipe

Are you a pumpkin butter or sweet potato butter fan?  Have you ever made it?

If you haven't, but would like to, check out my recipe… it is so easy!  

Coconut Flour Coffee Cake for The Captain's Birthday

When this Coconut Flour Coffee Cake recipe appeared in my Facebook feed this morning I knew it would be just the thing for The Captain’s birthday cake.  July 28th is The Captain's birthday and probably the only day of the year he lets me spoil him all day long.

He told me not to bother baking a cake for him, and that he would be happy with some ice cream after our day’s outing… so I was really happy when I saw the ingredients in this lovely grain free and dairy free cake…. definitely something I could also sample, and share with him to celebrate his special day.

I knew he would love the texture ‘cause it is a heavy cake, very similar to pound cake and he does love that… and he certainly is a fan of coconut, and also ‘carmelly’  crumbly toppings.

The recipe calls for one one ingredient I didn’t have… coconut palm sugar… but after reading through the ingredient list I was pretty sure I could get away with using a dark brown sugar in its place… and it did work… very nicely.  Next time, though, I will solidify the coconut oil somewhat before mixing with the sugar because I think it will produce a drier, more crumbly topping.  I also may bake it for about 5 minutes less.

My Weight Watchers friends will surely balk at trying this recipe due to the N.I. and high P+ value per piece… but, hey, it’s CAKE after all.  And a delicious one at that.  And don't forget you don't HAVE to eat ice cream... bet a nice banana and/or berry 'soft serve' would be really good with this cake.

If grain free and dairy free suits you, do give it a try.  The recipe and instructions can be found here at this link… and some really nice pictures, too.  I calculated the N.I. myself.

I divided the cake into 8 slices… you could cut it into squares if you prefer. And of course you could make them smaller.

Per piece.
Weight Watchers P+ = 6.
Calories 234; Protein 4g; Carbohydrate 18g;  Fat 17g; Fibre 4g.

Folding the coconut flour, egg yolk, honey, vanilla mixture into the beaten egg whites.

Ready to put into the oven.

And cooling on the counter after baking.

Topped with ice cream and a candle, of course…

♪ Happy Birthday, Dear Captain.  Happy Birthday to You. ♪♪

Are you a coconut fan?  

Have you ever baked a grain free cake?

What is your favorite birthday cake?

A New Coconut and Flax Protein Pancake

I have been experimenting a bit with pancake recipes again lately.  Eggs and omelets just don’t cut it every day for breakfast…

I do like the flavor that coconut flour brings to my morning cakes, but today I wanted something a little different so I added a bit of vanilla whey protein powder and ground flax to the mix.  They turned out really well… nice texture and great taste. 

The cake fluffs up quite nicelly, too… no need for baking powder this time.

I served it with a bit of sugar free syrup and some fresh strawberries… if I had thawed frozen berries, I wouldn’t bother with the syrup at all.  You could also top these with your favorite nut butter or a bit of honey or maple syrup too.

Coconut and Flax Protein Pancake
Makes 1 serving

• 1 Tbs milled flax seed
• 1 Tbs coconut flour
• 1 Tbs vanilla whey protein powder
• 1/4 cup egg whites (2 egg whites)
• splash of water
• dash of cinnamon

1. Mix together the flax seed, coconut flour, protein powder and egg whites in a bowl.
2. Add a splash of water and cinnamon and mix again.
3. Pour into a heated non-stick pan and cook for about 3 minutes.
4. Flip and cook the second side for about another 2 minutes.
5. Remove to plate and serve.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 142; Protein 15g; Carbohydrate 8g; Fat 5g; Fibre 5g.

Flipped and cooking the second side.

Plated and ready to enjoy.

There you have it!  Gluten free, grain free, low in carbs and high in protein.  Just right up my alley.  I know my WW buddies will appreciate the N.I. in these especially, and forgive me for the sugar free syrup!

Do you like coconut flour pancakes?

More Grain Free Low-Carb Coconut Pancakes

I love coconut flour pancakes.  Have you tried them yet?

I am so happy to have found coconut flour use instead of wheat flour in various 'batter' recipes.

I made a slight tweak to my usual coconut pancake recipe,  and substituted 1/4 cup of egg whites for the 4th egg in this batch.  It lowers the fat content and raises the protein content slightly, and has the same great taste and texture of my originals.

If you haven't worked with coconut flour before, do flex your patience muscle.  It can very in moisture content from batch to batch... and you may need to add a bit more water to the recipe to get a nice consistency to your batter... but do start with a singe tablespoon and then add more after you mix it all very well, but only if you really need to!

Vanilla and Cinnamon Coconut Pancakes
Makes 4 pancakes

• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup egg whites 
• 1 Tbs water
• 1 Tbs vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Beat eggs and egg white together in a large bowl.
2. Add the coconut flour, water, vanilla and cinnamon, and mix well.
3. Lightly coat a skillet with non-stick spray and set over MEDIUM heat.
4. Use a 1/4 cup measure to spoon the batter into the pan.  Allow to cook 4 to 5 minutes till the edge dries a bit. It will not bubble like a regular pancake. 
5. Flip over and cook the second side for 3 or 4 minutes.
6. Remove to a plate to keep warm while you cook the rest of the cakes.
7. Serve with fresh fruit and a bit of syrup if you like.

Per serving of 2 pancakes without toppings.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 187; Protein 15 g; Carbohydrate 11g; Fat 9g; Fibre 6g

I love to have pancakes for breakfast occasionally and these are a great way to get them in without succumbing to grains!

Have you used coconut flour before?  Any tips to share?

Vanilla and Cinnamon Coconut Pancakes

I have to admit that these pancakes made with coconut flour take a bit of time and patience to make. 

But they are so worth it!

I used to make pancakes with protein powder, and they tend to cook up very quickly.  But since I did my Whole30 Paleo Challenge in January, I have been making a real effort to eat few processed food items… so coconut flour and almond flour have become a lot more prevalent in my cooking and baking.

But coconut flour can be tricky to work with until you get used to it.  Sometimes recipes need a bit more or less liquid than the ingredient lists calls for.  And these pancakes are a bit dense and the batter doesn't bubble up like a normal pancake batter, so you don't see that particular signal to see when they need to be flipped.  Instead,  if you watch the edge, you will see that it is drier and cooking!

The finished pancakes are really tasty and the texture is pretty good, too.  I really like them and so does The Captain, but I only make them when I feel like don’t mind lingering in the kitchen!

These early strawberries were so tasty... with kiwi and banana! Is there a better fruit combo?  Since fruit is about the only sweet thing I eat these days, I have come to really enjoy it so much more and find that vanilla and cinnamon really enhance it.



Vanilla and Cinnamon Coconut Pancakes
Makes 4 pancakes

• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 Tbs water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Beat eggs in a large bowl.
2. Add the coconut flour, water, vanilla and cinnamon, and mix well.
3. Lightly coat a skillet with non-stick spray and set over MEDIUM heat.
4. Use a 1/4 cup measure to spoon the batter into the pan.  Allow to cook 4 to 5 minutes till the edge dries a bit. It will not bubble like a regular pancake. 
5. Flip over and cook the second side for 3 or 4 minutes.
6. Remove to a plate to keep warm while you cook the rest of the cakes.
7. Serve with fresh fruit and a bit of syrup if you like.

Per serving of 2 pancakes, without toppings.
Weight Watchers P+ = 5.
Calories 209; Protein 14g; Carbohydrate 11g; Fat 12g; Fibre 6g.

Each cake will be about 4 inches in diameter.

Served with fresh fruit

The Captain had a bit of syrup on his, too.

Printable Recipe

Are you a coconut flour fan?

What is your favorite combination of fruits?