Wrestling: Blueberry

Showing posts with label Blueberry. Show all posts

Berry Coconut Pie (AIP, Paleo, Coconut-free)

Continuing my pie-making-spree and just in time for the 4th of July holiday is this berry pomegranate pie. It’s a rift off my Patriotic Panna Cotta Pie from 2015, but this one can be made coconut-free, in case of coconut allergies or dislike of coconut.

Making the crust is probably the most challenging part of the dessert, but after that, it’s super easy! I tested this filling recipe last 4th of July, and brought a couple pies to a pool party with friends. There were ZERO leftovers —kids and non-AIP/Paleo people alike all gobbled it up :)

In these photos, I used leftover Lard Cassava Pie Crust (Paleo), but if you need an AIP pie crust that is also coconut-free, I’ve got an AIP Pâte Brisée recipe in my e-book Holiday Sweet Treats (though does use palm shortening)--I would recommend doubling that recipe to ensure enough dough for a 9" pie. You may be able to find other coconut-free AIP pie crust recipes online, but I haven't tried any of them.

**As with most of my recipes, I’ve only tested this recipe using the grams measurements included. I’ve figured out volume measurements with math, but have not personally tested them. I HIGHLY recommend using a kitchen scale + grams measurements to ensure the most successful end product.**

Berry Pomegranate Pie (AIP, Paleo, Coconut-free)
yield’s one 9-inch pie (approximately 8 servings)

9-inch AIP/Paleo crust, baked (see instructions below)—I used my Lard Cassava Pie Crust (Paleo), but in the past I’ve also used Martine from Eat Heal Thrive’s Sweet and Savory Pie Crust (AIP, but not coconut free)
383 grams (1 1/2 cup) organic pomegranate juice
24 grams (1 tablespoon) honey
11 g (1 tablespoon) gelatin
1/8 tsp vanilla bean powder (optional)
2 cups (250 to 275 grams) berries—I used a mix of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries & I cut most everything in half

Blind Baking Instructions for the Lard Cassava Pie Cr ust (Paleo):

Roll the dough between parchment paper until it is a circle approximately 12 to 13 inches in diameter. Use the parchment paper to help transfer the dough to a 9-inch glass pie pan. Gently press the dough into the pan. Crimp the edges as desired. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Line the chilled shell with parchment paper & place beans or rice on the parchment to act as weights (NOTE: the beans/rice are NOT eaten). Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Then, carefully remove the parchment with the beans/rice & place the pie shell back in the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
Cool completely before using.

Blind Baking Instructions for the Sweet and Savory Crust (AIP) from Eat Heal Thrive:

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Make the crust as directed in the recipe.
Press the dough into a 9-inch glass pan. Do NOT pierce the bottom with a fork.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden around the edges.

To make the filling:

Pour the pomegranate juice into a medium sauce pan. Drizzle in the honey. Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the juice. Allow the gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the berries by cutting them in half (or quarters for strawberries) & placing them in the baked & cooled pie shell. For ease of transport in and out of the refrigerator, place the pie pan onto a quarter sheet pan.
After the gelatin has bloomed, add the vanilla powder. Heat the sauce pan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the gelatin melts.
Carefully pour the pomegranate mixture in the berry-filled pie shell. Transfer to the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
Cover any leftovers and store them in the refrigerator. The pie is best consumed within 24 to 36 hours, or else the crust begins to get soggy.

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Stovetop Peach Blueberry Crisp (Paleo & Vegan)

“...the girls put their wits to work,

and necessity being the mother of invention,

made whatever they needed.”

-Louisa May Alcott, Little Women.

Since we don’t have a working oven at my family’s lake cabin in Minnesota, I had to be a little creative when it came to planning meals & treats. We made use of the stove top, outside grill, microwave & slow cooker for the main dishes & vegetables, but dessert was a little more challenging, especially considering my Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) dietary parameters.

There’s something about being around water all day that makes a person extra hungry. And, of course, the “I’m-on-vacation-and-am-allowed-to-splurge-a-little” thinking. In past years, splurging would have meant driving to the nearby gas station for half a gallon of ice cream & a can of Hershey’s syrup, or making s’mores around a beach fire, or eating packages of cookies. But thankfully, my family has been oh so understanding about what I can and cannot eat & they were on board with some AIP & Paleo splurges instead of our normal treats. We brought along some Coconut Milk Ice Cream , and I also made coconut milk panna cotta (with nectarines instead of berries).

Then one day, when the weather was grey, windy & rainy, I wanted to create a dessert that leaned more towards warmth and comfort than to cold & refreshing. We had some peaches that were nearly over-ripe & a bag of frozen blueberries that were originally slated for making smoothies. Almost immediately, the thought of a crisp/crumble came to mind….

But how do you make a crisp without the oven? Easy. First, toast the topping in a skillet, then, once the topping is done & moved to a bowl, cook the fruit on the stovetop. Spoon the cooked fruit into bowls & top with the previously made crumble. Voila, fruit crisp, sans oven :)

I’ve previously made gluten free crisps & crumbles (like this one and this one), but grain free baking is still a new territory to me. I’m still cautious about working with different ingredients, like liquid sweeteners (i.e honey & maple syrup), arrowroot starch, coconut flour, and even coconut oil, but I am attempting to be more brave in my experimentation. It looks like I’ll probably be following some version of Paleo for the rest of my life, so I might as well get use to it :) Fortunately, crisps and crumbles are a bit more forgiving & don’t require quite as much scientific precision as say a cake or cookie needs.

Since I am in the reintroduction phase of the Autoimmune Protocol & almonds seem to be ok (just in not giant quantities), I used a mixture of coconut flour & almond flour in the topping, but if you’re not yet to reintroducing almonds, using more coconut flour would also work. As I toasted the topping on the stove, several family members could smell its fragrance & came over to see what I was concocting--that’s always a good sign.

When we were ready to eat dessert, I spooned the thickened fruit into bowls & let each person top their own dish with as much crumble as he or she wanted. I’m usually a fan of ice cream on my crisp (or whipped cream), but this time, I splashed a little coconut milk to mimic the creaminess. We were all satisfied by how delicious it was & no one felt deprived by this “healthier” dessert. I’ll be remembering this stovetop method in the future for times when it simply is too hot to turn on the oven :)

Stovetop Peach Blueberry Crisp

serves 4

42g / 5 Tbl Coconut Flour

56 g / 1/2 c Almond Flour (AIP Modification: omit almond flour & increase coconut flour instead)

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

42 g / 3 Tbl Coconut oil, melted

1.5 oz / 2 Tbl Honey

300 g / 1.5 c Frozen Blueberries (may substitute fresh, but add a little water too)

2 medium-large peaches (around 400g), cut into thin slices, peeling is optional

2.75 oz / 4 Tbl Pure Maple Syrup

1 Tbl Lemon Juice

1 Tbl Arrowroot Starch

Coconut Milk, for serving

To make the crumble topping: combine the coconut flour, almond flour, sea salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Drizzle in the coconut oil & honey. Mix with a fork until crumbly.
Toast the crumble in a large skillet over medium high heat, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes, or until the crumble begins to brown slightly & smell toasty. Remove from the skillet & set aside. Give the skillet a quick rinse.
To make the filling: add the blueberries and peaches to the skillet. Drizzle with maple syrup and lemon juice Cook over medium heat until the juices begin to boil. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to a simmer & cook until the peaches are tender--approximately 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, as needed. Taste & add additional maple syrup if the filling isn’t sweet enough.
Remove 1/2 c of liquid from the pan & place into a small bowl. Into the liquid, stir in the arrowroot, making sure there are no lumps. Add the mixture back to the skillet and cook for an additional minute to allow the fruit to thicken & to cook out any starch flavor from the arrowroot. Remove from the heat.
Just before serving, spoon the fruit into bowls & sprinkle with the crumble topping (note: there may be leftover crumble topping). Top with a splash of coconut milk or a scoop of coconut milk ice cream.
Store any leftover fruit filling in the refrigerator. Keep any leftover crumble topping tightly covered at room temperature.

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Patriotic Panna Cotta (AIP, Low FODMAP)

Update 7-31-15: a low FODMAP variation is now listed at the bottom of the recipe!

Most every 4th of July (Independence Day for the US) of my childhood was spent at my family's lake cabin. Sometimes we were on our own, just my parents, sisters, grandparents and me. Sometimes friends joined us.

The morning was spent getting up early and decorating our boat (as well as ourselves) with patriotic red-white-and-blue decorations before participating in the lake-wide boat parade where all the other decked out boats would lazily motor around our smallish lake. Our portion of the beach would be filled with many smaller American flags we stuck into the sand.

The food choices for the day would vary, but there was always a giant spread with many. Sometimes burgers, sometimes fish & even for several years, before the oven in the beloved vintage stove quite working, roasted a turkey with all the trimmings.

Once we kids were old enough to stay up, sparklers and fireworks became an important part of the evening. We would douce ourselves in bug spray & cover up as much skin as possible to ward off the mosquitos. When the sparklers were all used, we would move on to the smaller fireworks & then to a few bigger ones. My grandma would sit on the screened-in porch (blissfully mosquito free) and take notes on which particular fireworks we liked the best, so that we would know which ones to buy the following year.

Somewhere throughout the years, I started making a patriotic dessert. I'm fairly sure the first year's dessert was a fruit salad containing un-pitted cherries…. Luckily, my skills (and forethought) improved as the years progressed. Many desserts were inspired by things I'd seen in Martha Stewart Living magazine. One year, the cover of MSL featured the most gorgeous fruit tart, decorated to look like an American flag. While I couldn't make it exactly like the cover image, due to ingredient unavailability, my version became a favorite among family & friends. Pastry crust, chocolate, cream cheese/whipped cream filling, fresh berries…. I make some sort of variation on it nearly every year (you can find my recipe here).

As I was brainstorming something to make this year, I thought a bit sadly about my favorite fruit tart. Pretty much the only component of that tart I'm able to eat this year is the berries…. Nothing against berries, I just eat them most every day & thus have a hard time seeing them as a special Independence Day treat. Then I thought of panna cotta & how easy it would be to make a panna cotta out of coconut milk & add berries to it, sort of similar to the nectarine buttermilk panna cotta I made last year. While I might be mourning my fruit tarts just a little bit, I'm consoling myself with the realization that this dessert is *much* faster to prepare (and less mess) and it's actually good for me!

Patriotic Panna Cotta / Coconut Panna Cotta with berries
yields approximately 4-6 servings, depending on how big your vessels are

1 can (13.5 oz) Organic Coconut Milk (full fat)
1 Tbl (7g) grass-fed gelatin (like this one)
1 Tbl / 31g Organic Honey (local, if you can find it)
1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste (optional for AIP)
around 1.5 c / 200g mixed organic berries (I used blueberries, strawberries & raspberries)

Place the coconut milk nto a small sauce pan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the coconut milk & mix gently--I usually use my fingers & break up any clumps that I can. Set aside & allow the gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare your vessels & berries. Place the vessels onto a pan (for easy transport). Fill each cup approximately 1/3 to 1/2 full of berries (either whole berries or cut).
Heat the sauce pan over medium heat & whisk constantly until all the gelatin just melts. Remove from the heat and immediately add the honey & vanilla.
Give the coconut mixture a stir & then portion equally into the berry-filled vessels.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. The panna cotta may be made a day or two in advance, just cover the dishes with plastic wrap & store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Note:

Right now I'm trying to incorporate lots of gelatin into my life (it's full of protein, can help heal your gut, and is good for hair/nails/skin, just to name a few benefits), so I've made this panna cotta a bit more firm than usual. If you like, reduce the gelatin by half to produce a softer "custard."
This recipe could be easily doubled or tripled for a crowd.

Low FODMAP Variation

1 can (13.5 oz) Coconut Milk, full fat & free from additives
1 Tbl (7g) grass-fed Gelatin
1 Tbl / 31g Organic Grade B Maple Syrup (optional, could be omitted for SIBO protocols)
1/8 tsp Vanilla Powder
around 1.5 c / 200g mixed organic Low FODMAP berries (I used blueberries, strawberries & raspberries)

follow the same instructions as above, substituting the maple syrup for the honey & ensuring to use only low FODMAP fruits.

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Coconut Whipped Cream (AIP)

I have a love/hate relationship with coconut whipped cream. Ideally, one is supposed to be able to refrigerate a can of coconut milk overnight, open the can, scoop off the solids & whip them into amazing “whipped cream.” This is NOT always the case.

As you can see in this picture I posted on Instagram a couple weeks ago, I’ve had my fair share of coconut whipped cream failures... I asked others what they did to ensure that the coconut milk would actually whip into usable cream & I received some good tips. Two pieces of advice that I took to heart were 1) to use Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream (which is *still* unsweetened) and 2) to open the can from the bottom, after the refrigeration process.

Using those words of wisdom, I made a successful batch of Coconut Whipped Cream that fit with my detox specifications and felt like a decadent treat, when spooned on top of berries. I found my berries were sweet enough that I left my “cream” unsweetened (whether through stevia, or, if you’re not on a detox diet, powdered sugar).

Coconut Whipped Cream

1 can of Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste/extract (omit for AIP)

optional: sweetener of choice, such as honey or maple syrup

Chill the can of Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream in the refrigerator overnight.
The following day, flip the can upside down & open the can from the bottom. Drain out any liquid & use it in something else (like add it to a smoothie). Scoop the remaining solids into a bowl.
Using a hand-held mixer, whip the solids for a couple minutes, or until the cream forms soft peaks.
Add the Vanilla Bean Paste & optional sweeteners & mix to combine. If a more firm texture is desired, re-refrigerate for 10 minutes before serving.
Use as you would use regular whipped cream--here, I spooned it over some berries.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days, though re-whipping may be required.

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Pear Blueberry Smoothie (AIP)

Detox. It usually isn’t a “fun” word. Customarily, it means giving something up--often an unhealthy something--to make life a little better (dare I say “healthier”) in the future. I usually follow the Julia Child quote “Everything in moderation… including moderation.” But sometimes our bodies have different plans...

I haven’t written in great detail about my current personal health struggles. If you know me in real life, chances are I’ve mentioned them to you (and if for some reason I haven’t, please feel free to ask). I’m just not certain I’m ready to write about it... Joy the Baker has an excellent post that references qualms with sharing personal information online. Those who have been readers of “Sweet Treats” for a while have probably noticed many of my recipes are now gluten free, mostly because I find that I feel better on a GF diet. But now I’m taking things even further and doing a major food/lifestyle detox under the supervision of a doctor.

Not just no gluten, but no grains at all either. Also, no sugars/sweeteners. No dairy. No eggs. No corn. No nuts/seeds. No pork. What am I eating, you may ask? Basically, I’m eating an extreme paleo diet of meat, certain fruits & veggies, coconut, and olive oil, plus supplements. Lots of supplements. And this detox will last 3 to 6 weeks at minimum.

Sounds pretty radical, right? It is, especially for a pastry person like I am. But really, you get tired of shuttling from one specialist to the next & STILL not feeling well, even though your prescription list is a mile long. You get to a point where you’re willing to try anything to feel better.

I’m not going to say this detox journey has been easy--I’m a little more than 2 weeks in at this point. Some days are hard (especially at the beginning), but more days are less hard. This detox does require time, both in planning & the prep of meals & snacks. Trust me, you don’t ever want to find your self hangry (hungry + angry) because you forgot to plan a snack.....

Having the support of my husband & family & friends has been key too. They’ve gone along with my new plan & had the discipline not to eat things in front of me that I can’t eat. They’ve encouraged me when I felt like giving up.

Some of these lifestyle & dietary changes may become permanent (which is still a very scary concept), but I guess we’ll see how my body reacts once this detox process ends. Really, one of my top goals is to help my body heal itself through nutrition. I’m happy to say that I’m already starting to feel better!

In the mean time, this blog will also be following my detox plan, which may result in some rather unusual items. I understand that not all readers may be a fan, but my first loyalty has to be to myself and my health. I’m afraid that if I deviate from my detox, even just for a blog post, I’ll be too tempted to make further exceptions that won’t make the detox as successful. My limited list of “allowed” foods has forced me to stretch my recipe writing creativity, and I’m not disappointed with the results.

So welcome to this new chapter of Sweet Treats. I’m excited to see where it goes!

Note: I am not a doctor, nor a healthcare professional. I do not suggest you follow these extreme dietary measures unless your doctor tells you to (and gives you the proper supplements). If you’re interested in doing a free, less-intense diet-based detox, I suggest you check out Whole30.

Pear Blueberry Smoothie
Serves 1; This smoothie is designed to fit in the Ninja Professional Blender single-serve cups. The recipe could be doubled (or tripled) for a larger blender.

Pre-detox, I was really a cereal-for-breakfast sort of a girl. Now I’m totally hooked on smoothies instead! Many smoothies include bananas, but tropical fruits (i.e. high glycemic) are not on my allowed list. So I’ve found that a very ripe pear makes a lovely stand-in. Smoothies really aren’t rocket science, so don’t fret too much over the ingredient amounts--they’re really more like guidelines than anything. Just make sure you don’t overfill the blender cup :)

1 medium to large very ripe Pear, organic, if possible, cored--mine weighed approximately 6.5 oz AFTER coring
2/3 c (approximately 3.4 oz) frozen Blueberries, organic, if possible,
2/3 c (approximately 6.3 oz) Unsweetened Coconut Milk (organic if possible)
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (optional), or substitute Collagen Hydrolysate (if AIP)

Cut the organic pear in half & remove the seeds/stem/blossom. place each pear half cut side down & slice pear into small cubes. Place cubes into the blender cup & mash down a little to ensure more fruit will fit.
Add frozen blueberries on top of pears, making sure not to add anything above the “Max Fill” line.
Pour over the unsweetened coconut milk, also making sure not to exceed the “Max Fill” line. Optional: pour in the protein powder.
Screw on the bladed top & tighten. Flip the cup upside down, and fit into the blender base.
Pulse a few times, or until the smoothie is well blended.
Remove the blade top (rinse immediately). Add a straw & enjoy immediately.

Note:

Many varieties of pears will work. I usually use whatever kind of organic pear is the cheapest. The riper the pear, the sweeter the smoothie will be.
As much as I love wild blueberries in other applications, I do not recommend them here because they make a much pulpier smoothie. They work in a pinch, but will drastically change the texture.

This post contains affiliate links. Though, Ninja has never heard of me--I just like their blender.

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International Waffle Day 2014

Happy International Waffle Day! Not be confused with National Waffle Day in the US--that’s celebrated in August. Perplexed much? Me too. But I’ll take whatever excuse necessary to celebrate waffles!

I’ve been out of town and/or sick the past week, so in lieu of a new recipe, I thought I’d post a waffle round up. We really like waffles around these parts. I make them at least once a month. Just because you may have missed out on celebrating International Waffle Day for breakfast doesn’t mean you have to miss out entirely--you can always fire up the waffle iron for “brannier” (aka breakfast-for-dinner).

One final note before we get to the main event (copious amounts of waffles), not all these recipes were originally gluten free, but if you’ve made a batch of Jeanne’s GF AP flour mix, you can substitute that in equal amounts for the AP flour in any recipe to make that recipe GF. Pretty nifty. And vice versa.... if you’re not GF but the recipe is, just substitute regular AP flour for the GF flour and you’ll be all set.

Confetti Waffle s a la mode