I love using coconut oil,  it has so many health benefits (will do a page about it I think) you kind of gasp with the high fat content but really its a great healthy fat with lots of healthy benefits inside and out!!  Haircare, skin care, lice treatment (yep thats right, lice treatment, I have used it as a lice treatment and worked a treat).  Lets quickly get off that subject as we dont want to ruin you appetite for this yummy treat lol.   The fat content really isnt that much different to butter anyway, so dont panic over the fat in coconut oil, I promise its so good for you!    Coconut oil increases the body’s metabolism and therefore causes your body to burn more energy (fat) and gives you more energy to do the things you want to do!   Coconut oil is the best food source of lauric acid, second only to mother’s milk! Lauric acid has many wonderful properties, among them anti-bacterial and anti-viral functions. Fats in coconut oil also enhance immune system function and help balance and normalize body lipids. Coconut oil contains health-building medium chain fatty acids.

I even used it to make chocolate today, dairy free and low fodmap!!!  I know right? how cool is that!  Recipe will be up later today.

Strawberry Shortcake

Serves 4

Biscuit:

1 cup brown rice flour (or for a grain free option you can use almond flour)

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

3 Tbsp of maple syrup or rice syrup (if not on low fodmap diet  then honey is fine)

3 Tbsp coconut flour

2 eggs

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

Filling:

small tub of thickened cream or lactose free zymil cream or Liddels  lactose free plain yoghurt (its low fodmap)

1 tsp vanilla

1 punnet strawberries

Preheat oven to 160 degrees.  Line a baking tray with grease proof paper.  In a mixer bowl beat coconut oil, eggs and maple syrup until well combined.   In a seperate bowl  combine dry ingredients and mix together to combine, add to the wet ingredients and beat on a low speed until well combined. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop mounds onto the baking tray, this should make about 4.    Bake for aproximately 18-20 minutes until nice and golden. While these are baking,  slice your strawberries thinly and beat the cream with the vanilla until nice and thick.    Allow your biscuits to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transfering to a wire rack.  When cool slice in half, on the bottom biscuit layer strawberries, dollow with cream (or put your cream in a piping bag with a 1M wilton tip for a pretty swirl). If using yoghurt then mix yoghurt with vanilla. Then layer again with strawberries and place top biscuit ontop.  And enjoy!!

Jordan’s Stawberry jam and cream version

I remember when I was young and every summer we lived on strawberry shortcake… and I mean…lived on it.  Breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner…generally two meals a day.  But it wasn’t like you see in magazines… it was this giant Jiffy mix made bisquity thing in a 13×9…you would cut out a square, cover it in strawberries which we picked that morning, then cover in sugar and milk.  It was a pretty big deal as a kid…this strawberry shortcake season.  Now as an adult we live a mainly gluten free life so that changes things…like strawberry shortcake season.

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So when the opportunity presented itself to go pick up extra strawberries from one farm over, we jumped at it!  Quickly our counters filled up.  I fully intend to make jelly…because my one brother would drink homemade strawberry jelly if given half a chance.  But I still long for the real deal strawberry shortcake… So I experimented last night.  Albeit the cake part did not turn out all crusty and bisquity… it was  springy and amazing.  I mean….amazing…. you see the picture of it sitting out with whip cream and mint sprigged…yeah that is for show.  I have to say that in full disclosure so you don’t think I am being a fake…truth is I ate way too many pieces right over the sink like a barbarian….it was that good.  It was so good that we polished the whole 13×9 off in one night…no joke.  Don’t judge us..remember we are a family of 9, lol.

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It isn’t a sweet cake…so please don’t forget to sprinkle the sugar on it before you put it in the oven… it makes it a touch crispy…so good.  Also, for those who are not gluten free and want to make this…just use some type of pancake mix to substitute….I think you should be okay.

So seize every opportunity to use those strawberries while the season lasts… there is nothing like strawberries which don’t have frequent flyer miles…local are much better!

You know a recipe is good , in this house when I don’t stuff it in the junk drawer…but I paint a recipe card for it. Don’t get me wrong I am still looking for that nostalgic strawberry shortcake… but this Spring Strawberry Quickcake will fill the gap for now!

This shared at 5MinFriday, Jennifer at StudioJRU and PPF. and Homestead Revival. and GNOWFLIGNS and SortaCrunchy.

Instead of making everything from scratch – which was my original plan, I used a Pamela’ Classic Vanilla Cake Mix and I am happy to say the results were amazing!

Here it is; my notes are in italics:

Strawberry Shortcake

1 – 21 oz bag of Pamela’s Classic Vanilla Cake Mix
12 Tbsp. butter, softened to room temperature, not melted, cut into slices
4 eggs - we used duck eggs because we had them on hand
1/3 c water

1 pint of strawberries, rinsed and hulled
3-5 Tbsp. sugar

1 package Vanilla Jell-O Instant Pudding
2 cups Coconut Milk - you can use regular milk -or another type of milk – here too, it would definitely set-up better.
1/2 tub Cool Whip
1/8tsp coconut flour (optional)

If you can, do these steps the night before.  If you can’t, allow enough time for the strawberries to macerate (1-3 hours) and the cupcakes to cool. 

In a medium bowl, add the cake mix, butter, eggs, and water.  Do not follow the pound cake directions on the bag!!! Beat on low for 1-2 minutes.  Stop and scrap down sides.  Continue beating, but at medium to high, just until the large chunks of butter break up (approx. 1-2 minutes).

Fill each liner with 1 1/4 Tbsp. batter - we used our cookie scooper and filled it full once and then half again, pouring only a quarter of the half into each cup. 

Bake at 350* for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and the toothpick comes out clean.

While the cupcakes are baking, slice up the strawberries - we used an egg slicer to quickly slice the strawberries.  As you slice up the berries, place them in a small bowl, layering strawberries and 1 Tbsp. sugar.  Repeat until all the strawberries are sliced.  Top the final layer of strawberries with the remaining sugar.  Cover and either place in the fridge overnight, or leave it on the counter for an hour or two to macerate.

When the cupcakes are done, pull them out and let them cool in the pan.

While they are cooling, pour the pudding mix into a  medium bowl, add milk and coconut flour - If you are using regular milk, do not use the coconut flour.  We added it simply as a thickner.  Whisk together for 2 minutes.  Chill in fridge for 5 minutes, then transfer to the freezer for another 2 minutes - If you are using regular milk, place the bowl in the fridge for 5 minutes. The freezer will help thicken the pudding a little more.

After the pudding has set a little – it may be a bit runny, but don’t worry, the Cool Whip will help, pour 1/2 into a mixer and add Cool Whip. Whip on Medium – Low until combine.  The pudding mixture will begin to thicken up. If it still looks runny, add a bit more Cool Whip and mix again.  The consistency should be close to room-temperature Cool Whip.  Return to the fridge until ready to use.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, and the strawberries are done, using a paring knife cut the cupcakes in half, crosswise.  Place the bottom of the cupcake onto a new cupcake liner, or onto your serving platter.  Take the Jello-Cool Whip cream and spoon a small amount on to the bottom cupcake.  Carefully remove strawberries with a spoon, try not to get too much syrup as it will cause the strawberries to slide off, and add them on top of the cream.

Add the top of the cupcake and place a dollop another drop of cream and add a strawberry on top.

Serve, or set in the fridge for later.

Makes 12-16 Shortcakes with 12-10 left over plain cakes.

Stores in an air tight container, Ziplock, or cupcake cake holder; lasts up to 2 days in the fridge.

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Enjoy!

I discovered this recipe on www.elenaspantry.com. It was fun to make something out of the ordinary, and not only that it tastes delicious as well. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did making it and eating it

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake

Gluten Free Chocolate Biscuits:

• 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons cacao powder
• ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup agave nectar
• 2 cups vanilla coconut creamer, or dairy free creamer
• 2 tablespoon agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

Filling/Topping:

1. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda
2. In a smaller bowl, combine eggs and agave
3. Stir wet ingredients into dry
4. Batter will be wet, so using a 2 tablespoon scoop, scoop batter onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet
5. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes
6. Cool biscuits completely and set aside
7. In a large bowl, whip cream, agave and vanilla
8. Slice biscuits in half horizontally
9. Place bottom halves on a platter; top each one with a dollop of whipped cream and strawberries
10. Top with remaining biscuit halves, and more whipped cream and strawberries

Enjoy!

Fit Chic

This is such a easy recipe that the kids can do it.  In fact my kiddos (7 and 5 years old) did most of this!  Here is the fabulous recipe!

2 cups General Mix *
2 Tbls sugar
1 Tbls baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter or butter substitute
1 egg
1 tsp lemon juice
2/3 cup milk or substitute
3-4 cups strawberries
1 cup whipping cream or substitute

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
Sift all the dry ingredients into a bowl
Cut in the butter until the flour mixture is the consistency of course crumbs
Add egg, lemon juice, and milk

Spread dough in a greased 8×1/2 pan
Bake for 15-18 minutes
Let cake cool for 2-5 minutes in the pan on a rack.
Take out cake and slice into two layers
Alternate the layers of cake, whipping cream, and strawberries

Enjoy!

*You can use MJ’s General Mix for this or make your own mix. Click on the Page entitled “Gluten and Corn Free Mixes”

Gluten-Free Berry Shortcake is the cake for the week. Strawberry shortcake makes me think of summer, big time. Organic strawberries were on sale at the co-op and they seemed to be calling my name. I am a little behind on my entries and about to head off on a road trip to San Diego so this will be a short entry.

I have never made a gluten-free cake and I was apprehensive. The recipe let me know that I could have substituted with regular flour and foregone the gluten-free thing but I am proud to say that I didn’t back down. The oats, although ground were a little coarse but I think that added a nice texture, a contrast to the smooth creamy topping on the berries.

The whipped topping! Whipped topping is really hard to nail down when you are vegan. This recipe really got it right, combining the thick part of a can of coconut milk with some powdered sugar. The consistency was thick, often vegan toppings turn out too runny so I was pleasantly surprised.

I served this cake at a house dinner and it was enjoyed by all.
I just took my next cake out of the oven, more on that one soon!

Strawberries!

Pre-topping, looks very plain.

Finished product

Have Your Cake and Vegan Too by Kris Holechek Gluten-Free Berry Shortcake p. 107

Watched: Drop Dead Diva Season 2

One of my new favorite finds is Bisquick Pancake and Baking Mix Gluten-Free.  It comes in a box (usually in the gluten-free section of your local grocery store) and offers recipes for pancakes, waffles, biscuits, and strawberry shortcake.  Up until finding this…I had all but given up hope of ever eating a real biscuit again.

Thank you Bisquick for saving breakfast!    Although I haven’t tried the waffles or pancakes, the biscuit and strawberry shortcake recipes are divine.  Even my family members who usually detest gluten-free breads LOVE these.

A cold front is settling in to most of the country today, and I’ve been looking for an excuse to turn on the oven and add some extra heat to the house.  I think I hear some Bisquick biscuits calling my name!

Molly blows out the candles on her first gluten-free strawberry shortcake.

Looking back, I can admit that although it tasted like the essence of all of summer’s goodness,  it was never a very beautiful cake, but rather a towering and celebratory ode to Molly, to warm weather,  and to the season’s signature fruit.  If it didn’t look imposing enough on its own, with berries skiing down whipped cream mountains onto the serving plate and the top cake layer occasionally starting to slide off center a bit, weighed down by all the fruit, then the candles certainly canceled out any chance that this was just any ordinary birthday cake.

They’d get poked by various kids into the top of the cream, tilted at crazy angles, and each year, the cake top got brighter as Molly grew older. I’d light the candles before grandly parading into the dining room with the cake held aloft, and the entire family would spontaneously break into song. By the time all three songs are finished (we don’t just do Happy Birthday, there are a couple of other numbers that have gotten tacked on through the years, don’t even ask), the multi-colored candles would be dripping brilliantly hued wax all over the whipped cream and berries.  Some years, the cake looked as if a deranged painter had gone on a Van Gogh-inspired spree, flicking and spattering paint everywhere. But no one – and least of all Molly –expected it to look like an ordinary strawberry shortcake.

We’d cut it up into slabs and everyone would fork down their portion and then proceed to dip their forks into what remained on the serving platter, spearing slices of berry into cake crumbs and then into the whipped cream pooled on the edges of the plate. We’d sit around feasting until everyone was stuffed, and then watch Molly open up her presents, a ritual that she liked to draw out as long as possible, getting up to give kisses to people as she opened their particular gift.

In the rare event that there was a little shortcake left on the platter, I’d overwrap it with plastic and put it in the refrigerator. Over the course of the next day, it would be sliced and eaten surreptitiously, no one ever seeing anyone else eat and yet realizing that the shortcake was shrinking. Until finally, there was nothing left but an empty plate that would still be in the refrigerator to this day if I didn’t take it out and wash it.

And that was really the only time I made strawberry shortcake, since by the time the other summer birthdays rolled around, the strawberry season had passed us by.

That lone June birthday just wasn’t ever going to be the same, I found myself thinking after Molly had been diagnosed with celiac disease and I had to re-order my kitchen and rethink my baking repertoire, which tended to center on the cakes and cookies Molly liked since she had the biggest sweet tooth in the family.

We got through a couple more birthdays before I had to worry about hers. I made her older sister Miranda a cake from a gluten-free cake mix that was so awful that no one commented on it. Everyone sat with their slice in front of them, talking about everything else but the cake and pushing the leaden slices around with a fork. We were on vacation in Rhode Island since Miranda’s birthday falls at the end of August, and it was hot. But not hot enough that even the best ice cream in the world could redeem that leaden cake. Then the fall birthdays went by and I made regular cakes, along with rice pudding for Molly.

By the time we’d come full circle to June, after nearly a year of gluten-free living,

I was wondering how I could give Molly a birthday cake that would not make her miss our grand strawberry cakes. In the end, it was simpler than I thought. Two pints of really good, barely softened ice cream were layered in a pie pan with super ripe, sliced strawberries. Cupfuls of them. I used all vanilla ice cream, although in retrospect I could see the visual benefit of making one of those pints strawberry. Then over the top of the second pint of ice cream went the rich blanket of freshly whipped cream, topped with more sliced berries.  This I made early in the day, froze,  and then took out of the freezer so it could soften up just 15 minutes before we were ready with our trio of birthday songs.

Everyone had toted their presents down to the table. People were getting their cameras ready so we could take the usual pictures of the birthday girl: blowing out the candles, forking up that first bite, posing with a new sweater or shirt. I held up the birthday pie high over my head and tucked a box of candles (multi colored, of course) into my pocket and marched confidently into the dining room. Did we all sing extra loudly that year, the first June with a birthday pie instead of a birthday cake, or did I only imagine it? In the end, the pie was decimated tableside, with everyone double dipping and talking above everyone else, as usual.  And since that birthday, strawberry ice cream pie is how we celebrate Molly’s special occasion and no one seems to miss those crazy lopsided cakes.