Coconut Macaroons

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. line baking sheet with parchment paper

2. Combine in bowl:

• 1 cup fine macaroon coconut (Bob's red mill)
• 1 TBSP red macs powder (pus a little more for consistency)
• 1 TBSP melted coconut oil
• 2 TBSP maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

3. In separate bowl, beat until stiff

• 2 egg whites with pinch of salt

4. Fold stiffened egg whites into coconut mixture.
5. Drop tablespoon size balls onto baking sheet.
6. Bake about 15 minutes.

(mine stuck to parchment paper, so may put some coconut oil on paper next time)

Thai Basi "Pesto"

The perfect use for an overabundance of Thai Basil.  After much searching, I finally found someone who had the same idea.   Mine is the same as the vintage mixer, except she only used 2 cups Thai Basil and 2 TBSP of peanuts and I used at least 3 cups or tbsps of them.  I used brown sugar while she did not specify, and I used sightly less crushed dried red pepper. 

3 cups fresh Thai basil leaves
3 tablespoons dry-roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons dark toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves

Place all ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Spoon into 1 cup glass jar or 2 1/2 cup glass jars.   Freeze or refrigerate for use within two weeks.  

It should go really well with the overabundance of eggplant.   Awesome! 

http://www.thevintagemixer.com/2012/10/thai-basil-pesto-recipe/

Apple "Brownies"

Based on a Martha Stewart recipe, but larger and with some additional and different ingredients.

• 1 stick salted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 2 medium eggs (2.1 ounces each
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 large sweet apples (about 1 pound total), peeled, cored, and cut into cubes (2 3/4 cups)

• 1.25 cup white whole wheat flour 
• 1/2 cup walnut flour (meal)
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 9x13 pan with melted butter.
2. Combine flour and spices, etc, and set aside.
3. Beat butter, applesauce, eggs, sugar and vanilla.
4. Stir in walnuts and apples.
5. Stir in flour mixture briefly - 30 seconds
6. Smooth into pan. Bake about 35 minutes until golden brown and slightly firm.  Cool 30 minutes on a rack before cutting.

Original recipe: 

http://www.marthastewart.com/925923/apple-brownies#Apple%20Recipes|/275039/apple-recipes/@center/276955/seasonal-produce-recipe-guide|925923

Best Coconut Chocolate Cookie Ever

It's been years since I made cookies, but today I had a hankering to make coconut chocolate cookies.  The original recipe came from foodnetwork.com and I made five ingredient changes:  I replaced the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour, replaced 1/4 cup of the flour with almond flour, replaced 1/4 cup of butter with coconut oil, used unsweetened coconut flakes instead of sweetened, and added an additional 1/4 cup of the flaked coconut.  My version made 24 cookies instead of 16.  Phil said it was the best cookie he ever had in his life.

1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup) at room temperature
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover 2 sheet trays with parchment paper or silicone mat.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

Add the butter and sugars to a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg and beat until incorporated. Add the flour mixture in increments, beating until well combined. Briefly beat in the coconut flakes, chocolate chips and pecans until mixed together.

Using a roundish tablespoon measurer, roll the dough into walnut-size balls and drop 12 on each cookie sheet, leaving space between them. Bake 13 minutes (switch upper and lower trays midway). Let cool on the sheet tray 5 minutes.

Original recipe at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/chocolate-coconut-cookies-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Rhubarb Candied Ginger Sorbet

Strongly tart, palate cleansing, and refreshing!  Small tastes.  I served single scoops in paper cupcake wrappers with spoons at work and got many rave reviews.

• 6 cups fresh rhubarb, large dice
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1.5 cups water
• (2 strawberries and/or 1 TBSP organic raspberry jam) Optional
• 1/4 cup plus 2 TBSP (= 6 TBSP) small diced candied ginger.
• 3 TBSP vodka

Simmer first 3 ingredients until most rhubarb dissolved.  If color is not pinkish enough,  add 2 large cut strawberries and/or a tablespoon of organic raspberry jam and simmer until soft or dissolved.
Blend with immersion blender until smooth.

Stir in vodka and candied ginger.  Most will melt, but some small pieced will still be there.  A little bit of rhubarb may there too, which is also fine.

Pour into a bowl with a pour spout. Chill at least 4 hours until cold.

In thoroughly chilled bowl (15 hours in freezer) of ice cream maker, stir on speed 1 for about 10-12 minutes or until it starts slipping.  Pour into two 3-cup containers with lids (or smaller sizes), and chill for at least an hour.

Chocolate Coconut Bars

This should make about 9 candies.

Blend in food processor until it comes together:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened dried coconut 
• 2 T coconut oil (room temp)
• 1 T honey

On parchment paper, press into a rectangle. Place in freezer while making chocolate.

In bowl, mix until smooth:

• 2 T coconut oil, melted
• 2 T maple syrup
• 4 T cocoa powder
• 1/4 t vanilla
• dash of salt
• dash of cayenne pepper

Add a little chocolate to the bottom of mini cupcake/candy paper cups.
Cut coconut bars to fit wrapper.  Press coconut piece into chocolate cups so chocolate comes up sides a little.  Add chocolate to top to cover.
Place in freezer for 10 minutes.

All Cornmeal Cornbread - gluten free

We accidentally have A LOT of organic cornmeal at the moment.  I made up this recipe tonight and it was so good, Phil said I should write it down so I can make it again.  See Update below, which was even better! 

Almost 2 cups of organic cornmeal

• 3 T almond flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t salt

• 1 egg
• 2 T melted coconut oil (I melted this in the pan, bad idea-it leaked)
• 2 T melted butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup low fat greek yogurt plain
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 T honey

Mix wet ingredients into dry mix.
Pour into greased dark grey cake pan with removable sides.
Bake in 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Update:  I made cornbread again last night without looking at this recipe.  I think it came out even better, with a real corn taste with coconut and butter flavors.  No need to add butter for serving!

MY BEST 100% CORNMEAL CORNBREAD (so far)

Preheat Oven to 450 degrees.  Use coconut oil to grease 9 inch round dark cake pan with removable sides.

Mix in small bowl:

• 2 cups organic cornmeal from Co-op (coarse)
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

Mix in large bowl:

• 2 T melted coconut oil (melt in microwave 30 seconds)
• 1 T melted butter
• 2 T honey
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (the last of a container of low-fat greek yogurt is what I had on hand)
• 1.5 cups almond milk (plain)

Pour Dry mix into Wet mix.  It will seem way too liquify, but it is OK.  Let it sit for a few minutes before pouring into pan and baking.

Bake for 25 minutes.  I turned the oven temp down to 400 degrees when I put it in so the heat would not come back on.