Cinnamon Coconut Pancakes with Coconut Cream Sauce (Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Paleo)

Pancakes conjure up memories of my Saturday mornings as a child. My parents would be in the kitchen cooking up a storm on the griddle. Pancake after pancake hit the plate, drowned in butter and syrup. It was something I so enjoyed; I would eat until I could no longer eat anymore. While I still cherish the memory, I also know that Bisquick pancake mix and Hungry Jack syrup aren’t exactly a tradition I want to continue in my kitchen! But when the pancake pang strikes, it’s great to have a healthy equivalent. Enter Cinnamon Coconut Pancakes…

Let’s just face facts for a second: coconut is amazing. I eat some form of coconut every single day, and each time I do it not only makes me happy because it tastes so darn good, but because I know how nutritionally beneficial it is as well. Coconut has some pretty amazing stuff going on — good fats, lauric acid, caprylic acid; supports digestion, fat loss, keeps you full and reduces inflammation… and that taste? So indulgent.

Sugar-Free Coconut Cashew Chia Pudding

Valentine’s Day is around the corner. Though a somewhat cliche holiday, I love taking part in the festivities in one way or another. Usually it’s with themed baked goodies or chocolate covered strawberries and champagne, but this year I’m on such a strict anti-candida diet that those activities are quite unfortunately a no-go. So for all you candida sufferers out there, consider this my Valentine’s gift to you.

Instead, here’s the tasty treat that’s been keeping me sane. It’s made with chia seeds, a good source of omega-3 fatty acids (“good fats”), fiber, calcium, and even protein. Mixed with coconut milk, it’s a creamy, delicious dish that’ll keep you satisfied throughout the day.

Even if you don’t make this for Valentine’s, it’s a great dessert to have on hand when cravings strike! Let it set in a small canning jar and you’ll have the perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack. So tasty, so versatile — all you need is a spoon.

Paleoats: Grain-Free Cauliflower Oatmeal

Imagine with me for a second: it’s a cold, rainy morning. You get out of bed, put your slippers on, and shuffle into the kitchen to put on a pot of tea. Your stomach rumbles a bit. There’s a slight chill in the air. You seek the comfort of something warm and sweet. Suddenly, the craving kicks in: oatmeal.

Sounds pretty good, right? Well, what if you can’t have oats? Then what? An increasing number of people are following a Paleolithic or other type of grain-free diet, be it for health or personal reasons. For example, I’m currently on a restrictive anti-candida diet that allows no gluten (many oats are grown in wheat fields — I make sure to buy certified gluten-free oats when I do!), and very minimal grains, only about 1/4 cup per meal. I don’t know about you, but I can’t just eat a measly 1/4 cup of oatmeal! Enter cauliflower…

Black Caramel Coffee Cake – Gluten and Dairy Free

Caramel. Coffee. Cake. These are a few of my favorite things — and in this yummy recipe, the three come together as one! I originally made this as my boyfriend’s post-birthday cake (his birthday falls between Christmas and New Year’s, so unfortunately I rarely bake him one of the day of because we’re pre-occupied with other plans… bad girlfriend, I know!). The “black” caramel in this recipe is actually just caramel that is flavored with coffee grounds. Grind them up as fine as you can to avoid any crunchiness (though the boiling step should remedy most of that). Though there are three parts to this cake, I wouldn’t call it labor intensive — it should take only about 30 minutes to prepare. It’s definitely more of a dessert, but for if you want a sweet something for breakfast, I won’t tell. It is a coffee cake after all ;-)

This recipe is:

• Gluten-free
• Grain-free
• Dairy-free
• Casein-free
• Soy-free
• Refined sugar-free

Fresh Cranberry Cake: Dairy-free, Easy Gluten-free Option

The Kitchn, though more of a “traditional” recipe site (full gluten, dairy, etc.) is one of my favorites for recipe and cooking design inspiration, and one of my favorite tools in my never-ending quest for delicious GFDF recipe ideas. This recipe was inspired by Faith’s own Cranberry Cake recipe, which can be found here. The flavor of the fresh cranberries really pop against the sweet crumb of the cake. I’ve made this cake twice now, once using spelt flour (not gluten-free, but lower in gluten than traditional flour for those that can tolerate it) and coconut sugar, which yields a slightly darker cake, and once using Jules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour and organic cane sugar. Both turned out deliciously, so whichever flour or sugar suits your dietary needs is the one I suggest you use! To make the bread dairy-free, I used Earth Balance Soy-Free Buttery Spread.

Though the original recipe says it yields 10-12 cups, I’ve found it makes about 8-9, so keep that in mind when you select your choice of pans. Though titled a cake, I feel this is more of a sweetly flavored bread as it’s slightly denser than a cake. Whatever you decide to call it, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

This recipe is:
• Gluten-free (with GF flour option)
• Dairy-free
• Casein-free
• Soy-free