Apple Spice Coffee Cake

I love fall. The smells, the flavors, the colors, the weather! I love it all! Every year I look forward to the apples and the squash at our local farmer's market. I mean, come on, what's better than a juicy, crunchy, freshly picked apple on a chilly fall day? But it's also my favorite season for baking! The apples and the pumpkin and the spices... Mmmm...

So, imagine my excitement when one of our favorite chemical-free farmer's market vendors had apples! (Thanks Jill!) And so it begins... :D

So, you can pretty much look forward to lots of apple and pumpkin recipes for the next 3 months! I will try to hold off on the pumpkin stuff until closer to October... But we'll see...

This week's recipe is Apple Spice Coffee Cake, and I gotta tell ya, I could eat the WHOLE pan!!!

Apple Spice Coffee Cake

2 granny smith apples, diced

1/3 c coconut sap sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 c honey

2 TBSP coconut sap sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 TBSP vanilla

3/4 tsp salt

1 3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp psyllium husk powder

1 c + 3 TBSP chestnut flour

3 1/2 TBSP coconut flour

3/4 c yogurt

First dice the apple, divide them in half and set both halves aside. In a small bowl combine the 1/3 c of coconut sugar and cinnamon. Stir and set aside.

Place the softened butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low for about 20 seconds (this helps the honey not pool at the bottom). Add the honey and coconut sugar and beat on medium until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly before the next addition. The mixture might begin to look curdled, that's okay. In a small bowl whisk together the rest of the ingredients, except the yogurt. Slowly add the dry mixture and mix thoroughly. Add the yogurt and beat on medium-high for about a minute. Add half of the apples and mix.

Pour the batter into an 8"X8" pan lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture and the remaining apples. Using a butter knife, lightly swirl the apples and cinnamon into the top of the cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (be careful not to hit a pocket of cinnamon sugar!) and the cake springs back when lightly pressed.

And the Bible verse of the week!

"Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you,

Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not

revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.

And so I say to you, you are Peter,

and upon this rock I will build my church,

and the gates of the netherworld shall

not prevail against it.

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound

in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth

shall be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 16:17-19

The Best Paleo Brownies EVER!

I'm afraid I can't take credit for this one. This work of genius is Tammy Credicott's from The Healthy Gluten-Free Life's cookbook Paleo Indulgences! This was actually one of the very first paleo things that I made and is definitely still a go-to for me! It's always a crowd pleaser! I've made a few changes, but the original was quite amazing the way it was! I've tried several of Tammy's other recipes and they have all been delicious!

Enjoy! And I hope you check out Tammy's blog and cookbooks! (And no, she didn't pay me to say all of that!)

Tammy Credicott's Decadent Brownies

2 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

3 TBSP coconut milk (I usually use regular milk)

1/4 c cocoa powder

3 TBSP coconut oil

1/2 c honey (original recipe called for 1/2 c maple syrup)

1/4 c butter or coconut oil, melted (original recipe called for 1/4 c olive oil)

2 eggs

1/4 c pumpkin puree

3 TBSP chestnut flour (original recipe called for 3 TBSP arrowroot)

1/4 c coconut flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

In a small sauce pan over low heat combine the first four ingredients and whisk constantly until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Add the next four ingredients and whisk to combine. In a separate small bowl whisk together dry (the last four) ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture and whisk to combine.

Pour the batter into a parchment lined 8"X8" pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before cutting. Enjoy!

Comfort Food Favorites - Meatloaf

I find that the simple classics are usually the most difficult to convert to paleo. And that's really sad. I mean, isn't missing those dishes what make switching to paleo the hardest? You know, the down-home dishes that grandma used to make? For me one of those dishes was meatloaf. Meatloaf was one of my grandma's most often made dishes. It was quick and easy and my grandpa liked it, and he's pretty fussy. But now meatloaf is one of my favorite foods! It holds so much nostalgia for me, especially the caramelized ketchup on top! Mmmm... Takes me right back to her kitchen table! Anyway, I've finally been able to come up with a recipe that tastes awfully close hers! Caramelized ketchup and all!

Paleo Onion/Mushroom Meatloaf

2 lbs. hamburger

5 TBSP butter

1 1/4 c onion, finely chopped

1 1/4 c button mushrooms, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 TBSP coconut aminos

1/2 tsp onion powder (optional)

1 1/2 - 2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 c water

2 TBSP arrowroot

3 TBSP chestnut flour

Melt half of the butter in a medium saute pan before adding the onions and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook the onions over medium heat, stirring often, until they have softened. Add the rest of the butter, along with the mushrooms and 1/2 tsp salt and continue to cook until the mushrooms have softened and the onions are caramelized. Add the garlic and cook for 20-30 more seconds. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl combine the hamburger, onion/mushroom mixture (butter and all), coconut aminos, eggs, onion powder, and water and mix to combine. (I think it's easiest to use my hands to mix! My grandma always did!) Add the arrowroot and chestnut flour and mix again. Pat the meatloaf in a buttered 8"X8" pan and slather the top with plenty of ketchup. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 10 minute, then shut the oven off and leave it in for another 10 minutes. Enjoy!

And the Bible verse of the week!

At once [Jesus] spoke to them, “Take courage,

it is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you,

command me to come to you on the water.”

He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the

boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.

But when he saw how [strong] the wind was he

became frightened; and, beginning to sink,

he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand

and caught him, and said to him,

“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Matthew 14:27-31

Teriyaki Chicken

This recipe is amazing! It started off as a non-paleo recipe I saw on Facebook, but with a little tweaking... Yum! It reminds me of the Teriyaki chicken skewers I used to get at our local Chinese restaurant. You could serve this with steamed broccoli and quinoa for a fun spin on Chinese take-out!

Teriyaki Chicken
1 lb. chicken legs (or wings)
salt

1 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP ketchup
1/4 c coconut aminos 
6 TBSP honey
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt 

Place the chicken in an 8"X8" pan, skin side up, and sprinkle with salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients and pour the mixture over the chicken. 
Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has caramelized. For best results, open the oven and spoon the sauce over the chicken about every 15 minutes.

Note: We like to make a double batch, pour half over the chicken and put the other half in a sauce pan on the stove and let it reduce until it thickens so we have extra sauce to dip the chicken in. You could also use cut up boneless, skinless chicken thighs and marinade them in the sauce for a few hours. Then saute them (while the marinade is reducing in a sauce pan - don't worry, it will get plenty hot!). When the chicken is done and the sauce has reduced, toss them together in the saute pan for a few minutes to caramelize the sauce a bit.

And the Bible verse of the week!

"When the disciples saw him walking on 
the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” 
they said, and they cried out in fear. 
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; 
do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, 
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat 
and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, 
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Matthew 14:26-31

Banana Bars!

First of all I'd like to apologize for missing last week! We still had family in town, and to be honest, I just completely forgot! Now, on with today's post! 

I'd say this is probably one of my best grain-free recipes ever! You really can't tell that they are grain free! I made them for my graduation party and had several requests for the recipe, so here it is!

Now, I must warn you: If you are not a confident baker this recipe may take some trial and error, or you may just want to pass on this one. Sometimes the amount of flours has to be tweaked, so if you are not familiar with how this kind of batter should look, it might take a few tries to get the texture just right. 
I must also warn you: YOU WILL WANT TO EAT THE WHOLE PAN.

Banana Bars

2 eggs

1/2 c honey

1/4 c coconut sap sugar

1/2 c plain yogurt 

1/4 c melted butter or coconut oil(or a combination) 

3/4 c mashed banana

2 tsp vanilla 

1 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 c + 1/2 TBSP coconut flour

3 TBSP tapioca starch

1 1/2 TBSP arrowroot 

In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the eggs, honey, and coconut sap sugar and beat until well combined. You will want to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl at least once, otherwise the honey and sugar tend to pool at the bottom of the bowl. With the mixer running on low, slowly drizzle in the oil and mix until combined. Add the yogurt, banana, salt, and vanilla and mix again. In a separate, small bowl mix together the baking soda, coconut flour, tapioca starch, and arrowroot; whisk to combine. With the mixer running on low, slowly add the dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides then beat on medium-high for about 20 seconds. Pour the batter into a parchment lined half jelly roll pan (about 8 1/2" X 12").
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean and it springs back to the touch.

Note: when I make them I mix up a batch of my grain-free flour blend (2/3 c coconut flour + 1/3 c tapioca flour + 2 TBSP arrowroot) and use approx. 145-155 grams measured on my kitchen scale. This is how I would recommend do it. If you don't have a kitchen scale, I would recommend getting one. They really are worth getting. 
Also, you wouldn't have to use a stand mixer, I just find it easier.

And the Bible verse of the week!

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart 
and united in love, so that they may have the full 
riches of complete understanding, in order that 
they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,  
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2:2-3

Sloppy Joes - A Family Tradition

Sloppy Joes are a family tradition in my mom's family. As are get-togethers in parks! And we are preparing to do both this weekend for my graduation party! That's why I'm late posting this week. My mind has been occupied with making lists (both material and mental) and checking them twice! Good grief, how does that jolly, old man do it? ;) Anyway, Sloppy Joes! This is an old family recipe that has shown up to many a Baumgartner family gathering! I hope you enjoy it!


Sloppy Joes
4 lbs. hamburger
14 oz. ketchup 
7 oz. water
1/4 c lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
6 TBSP coconut sap sugar
1 tsp coconut aminos 
1 1/2 tsp prepared mustard 
1/4 c butter
1 medium onion, very finely chopped
4 stalks celery, very finely chopped

Saute hamburger and onion and set aside. Combine all of the other ingredients in a large saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the meat and simmer for 4-5 more minutes.

And the Bible verse of the week!

"For I know the plans I have for you,” 
declares the Lord, “plans to prosper 
you and not to harm you, plans 
to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

Home-Made Chinese Takeout (or eat-in rather)

I LOVE Chinese food (or Hy-vee's version of it anyway). We don't really eat out anymore, but sometimes I just get a hankering for chinese-takeout. When that happens, this is my go-to recipe! It's really versatile (see notes below) and super easy! Enjoy! 

Orange Chicken
1 lb. boneless-skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
salt
coconut oil for cooking

Sauce
6 TBSP orange juice
2 TBSP white vinegar
6 TBSP honey
1 tsp coconut aminos (optional) 
1/2 c water 
salt to taste

Liberally salt the chicken. In a large saute pan over medium heat saute the chicken until it is completely cooked through (no longer pink inside). Remove it from the pan and place it on a plate lined with paper towel. 
Add the orange juice, vinegar and water to the hot pan and let it simmer and reduce for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make sure you scrape up all of the little brown bits that the chicken left behind, they add lots of flavor! Add the honey and coconut aminos and let it bubble and reduce for another 6-10 minutes or until it thickens considerably and thoroughly coats a spoon. The bubbles will start to stack on top of one another when the sauce is getting close to being done.
Place the chicken back in the pan for a minute or two to warm it back up and stir to coat chicken with sauce. 
Serve over cooked quinoa or rice.

Notes: You can also substitute lemon juice for the orange juice to make lemon chicken or apple cider vinegar and serve with toasted sesame seeds for sesame chicken. Or to make it less of a Chinese dish, use the apple cider vinegar instead of orange juice and vinegar, and maple syrup instead of honey in the sauce and toast 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans to serve on top of the chicken.

And the Bible verse of the week!

"But now, thus says the LORD,
who created you, Jacob, and formed you, Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name: you are mine."

Isaiah 43:1