Semi-OT: Coconut Flour for Low Carb

[Kiralynx]

I've been hearing about coconut flour on the SCD list for awhile, because some folks who are allergic to tree nuts like almonds or pecans do just fine with coconut, which is a whole 'nother species.

I was finally making another order of some coconut oil, which I like for its anti-stick properties when it comes to sauteeing things. I also use a small amount of melted coconut oil as part of the oil when making mayo, as it helps it firm up when it's chilled.

So, I ordered a couple bags. It ain't cheap, but when you consider that it only takes 3/4 of a cup of coconut flour (plus a gazillion eggs) to make a loaf of bread that lasted more than a week (because two thin slices fill me up!), I don't see me running out of it any time soon.

For those wanting to add more fiber to their diets, coconut flour will certainly do it.

Okay, so, I bought a couple of pounds of coconut flour.

Then I had to figure out what to do with it, so I read over a bunch of recipes at the site where I bought the coconut flour, and also purchased Cooking With Coconut Flour(1), by Bruce Fife, ND.

I have established that the basic coconut bread is far denser than the densest pound cake. I have established that when making cheese and bacon muffins, three-quarters full on the muffin cups, especially if you added an extra egg and cheese, is entirely too full, and it will overflow.

I have also established that the Gluten Free Pizza Crust(2) is the best darned thing I've tasted. I did make some changes to it -- used baking soda instead of baking powder, since I can't have baking powder. Used 4 tablespoons of coconut flour instead of 2 of coconut flour and 2 of ground flax seed (this per a suggestion in the comments). My biggie, though, was using provolone cheese rather than mozzarella, since mozzarella is high in lactose. A diabetic friend of fine, whom I alerted to the deliciousness of this crust, says he will probably try aged Swiss.

I made pizza sauce with whole peeled tomatoes which I pureed and added some oregano, thyme, and garlic. I cooked up some homemade Italian sausage (Whole Foods has also been carrying Italian sausage without added sugar). Put provolone on top. Next time, maybe some onions, green peppers, and mushrooms to go with the sausage.

DANG, this was GOOD! And WAY lower in carbs than a wheat crust, which I couldn't have, any way!

I should note that I suspect one could omit the baking soda / baking powder, since the eggs give a good bit of leavening. You sure don't need salt, since the cheese has plenty of that.

I think next time, I definitely want some mushrooms with the sausage.

A few nights after the pizza, I did a variation on the pizza crust.

I used one cup of finely grated sharp cheddar cheese, pressed down lightly, 1 jumbo egg, two tablespoons coconut flour, a dash of salt, and a couple pinches of baking soda.

I mixed this into a slightly sticky dough.

Then I used a single serving omelet pan(3) to cook it. I pre-heated my electric burner, which was set on medium-low, and buttered both sides of the non-stick pan because my experience as been that even with non-stick, you need some fat or oil with these things. I set half the pan on the burner and pressed my dough lightly into the hot half.

I cooked it for about ten minutes, then closed the pan and flipped it, and cooked on the other side about six minutes.

Then I turned it out on a plate and set it in the refrigerator to cool.

I sliced it in half horizontally, and presto, I had a real, live hamburger bun for the first time in almost ten years!

We eat out at a favorite local burger place where they're familiar with my diet, and with me bringing my own salad dressing, and dessert and so forth.

Our waitress, who always waits on us, was fascinated. She brought me my burger with no bun and my salad, and I slipped the burger into my new bun, added some homemade mustard, lettuce, and tomato, and YUM! (Considering how much food was involved, it probably comes as no surprise to hear that half the burger came home with me.)

It occurred to me that I could use aged swiss to make the bun, pile on some thinly sliced turkey, and some avocado slices, lettuce, and tomato, and have one heckuva fine meal!

The next day, I realized that, delicious as my cheesy bun was (and I am of the opinion that there's no such thing as too much cheese!), there are those who can't handle the dairy.

So, I experimented with a non-dairy burger bun since so many folks on my SCD list are non-dairy.

My first experiment involved one ripe avocado, two tablespoons of coconut oil, a jumbo egg, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon salt, blended with a hand blender. Then I used a single serving omelet pan* to cook it. I pre-heated my electric burner, which was set on medium-low, and buttered both sides of the non-stick pan because my experience as been that even with non-stick, you need some fat or oil with these things. I set half the pan on the burner and pressed my dough lightly into the hot half.

I closed the pan and cooked it for about ten minutes, then flipped it, and cooked on the other side about six minutes.

Then I turned it out on a plate and set it in the refrigerator to cool.

What I had was interesting, but it was NOT a hamburger bun.

It was a rather tasty, soft, pudding-textured object that just looked like a hamburger bun. Well, except for the decidedly Martian green hue imparted by the avocado!

I am inclined to think that the next time, I will try half an avocado, because there was definitely too much avocado there for the amount of egg.

However, the texture of this make me wonder if the recipe as originally conceived couldn't have some interesting seasonings added to it, and turn it into a dressing to go under some grilled fish with homemade sauce. I might even try adding some crab meat and Creole seasoning to it for a crab meat dressing -- I've been trying to recreate a favorite recipe from a now deceased restaurant (Catfish Matherne, from Elmo's Cajun Cuisine) and the regular nut flours, almond and pecan, have too distinctive a taste of their own to work well with the crab meat and the catfish. This was surprisingly neutral, and might lend itself to further experimentation.

(See? Even culinary disasters can be turned into a potential plus!)

Okay, having decided I needed to think this out again, and not wanting to have half an avocado sitting around, I went off on another tactic, and tried two eggs, four tablespoons coconut flour, three tablespoons of water (could use coconut milk), 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon salt. I mixed the coconut flour, baking soda and salt, then sifted it over the beaten eggs, water, and coconut oil. I beat this mixture together, then let it sit for about five minutes to let it thicken.

Then I used that incredibly useful single serving omelet pan to cook it. I pre-heated my electric burner, which was gain set on medium-low, and buttered both sides of the non-stick pan because my experience as been that even with non-stick, you need some fat or oil with these things. I set half the pan on the burner and pressed my dough lightly into the hot half.

I closed the pan, and cooked it for about ten minutes, then flipped it, and cooked on the other side about six minutes.

Then I turned it out on a plate and set it in the refrigerator to cool, after which, I sliced it. Yes! It is a hamburger bun!

The next time I make this particular recipe, I believe that I will omit several tablespoons of water, as the bread is much moister than I care for. I will also cook it about eight minutes on the first side, and perhaps six minutes on the second side, as the slight darkening of the mixture indicated that the eggs were slightly over cooked.

But it was definitely, and emphatically, a non-dairy based hamburger bun! And it smells delicious!

In case you haven't figured it out by now, I like to cook experimentally, and, I'm fascinated by the low-carb possibilities of coconut flour! I get it here: http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/glute ... ecipes.htm, but I have no affiliation with these folks. If you have Amazon Prime, it can also be ordered on your Prime membership.

(1)http://tinyurl.com/4yyuywp
(2)http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index ... izza-crust
(3)http://tinyurl.com/6c96xbz

[Julie]

Hi, just saw your note (and am now very hungry) , but it reminded me of something and I wonder if you'd be interested in this link..

http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/s ... 372372.htm

[Kiralynx]

Hi, just saw your note (and am now very hungry) , but it reminded me of something and I wonder if you'd be interested in this link..

http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/s ... 372372.htm

Interesting, and shows the mixups about healthy fats. Especially healthy saturated fats. Coconut got demonized by the vegetable oil school, although olive oil is just fine.

http://www.westonaprice.org/component/f ... rch?q=Fats gives a list of articles about views on fats. I especially recommend "The Oiling of America," because Oilers are doing their best to spread this propaganda.

[Kiralynx]

Oh, yeah... sorry about making you hungry!

[JeffH]

I've been using coconut flour for over a year now. We make pancakes and waffles with it. Also, add a little to ground up pork rids for breading for chicken fried steaks. I've tested my blood sugar after eating these and it really doesn't spike it.

JeffH

[Janknitz]

Yesterday we went to a party where they served store bought platters of turkey cheese sandwiches, vegies and ranch dip, and fruit. I ate the veggies and ranch dip and the scanty innards of two sandwiches (my daughter didn't eat much of hers) but I was still pretty hungry when we came home.

I had a little peanut butter and celery, but I was still hungry. (Hungry is a no no, as long as your satisfy it with protiens and fats instead of carbs). Knowing that it would be hard to catch up with my hunger at that point, I decided to have some yogurt and a few berries. But my husband bought non-fat yogurt for some reason (haven't made my own this week) and I knew that was not going to do the trick.

Coconut oil to the rescue! I warmed it gently in the microwave and mixed it in with the yogurt to up the fat content. It worked, this held me until dinner. It's SO weird to lose weight by eating FAT, but I cannot complain about 8+ pounds lost in the first week. Gotta love it!

[Lizistired]

Kiralynx, Do you need tasters?? Sound like you have a great kitchen imagination!

BYW, How do you heat your milk for yogurt? Double boiler? I'm guessing...

[Kiralynx]

I've been using coconut flour for over a year now. We make pancakes and waffles with it. Also, add a little to ground up pork rids for breading for chicken fried steaks. I've tested my blood sugar after eating these and it really doesn't spike it.

Jeff,

I haven't yet made pancakes or waffles with it, but I have some recipes for them. Your idea of crushed pork rinds and the coconut flour as a breading on chicken-fried steak sounds delicious.

Yeah -- most of the carb in the coconut flour is fiber, and that shouldn't hit your BG much, if at all.

[Kiralynx]

Yesterday we went to a party where they served store bought platters of turkey cheese sandwiches, vegies and ranch dip, and fruit. I ate the veggies and ranch dip and the scanty innards of two sandwiches (my daughter didn't eat much of hers) but I was still pretty hungry when we came home.

I had a little peanut butter and celery, but I was still hungry. (Hungry is a no no, as long as your satisfy it with protiens and fats instead of carbs). Knowing that it would be hard to catch up with my hunger at that point, I decided to have some yogurt and a few berries. But my husband bought non-fat yogurt for some reason (haven't made my own this week) and I knew that was not going to do the trick.

Coconut oil to the rescue! I warmed it gently in the microwave and mixed it in with the yogurt to up the fat content. It worked, this held me until dinner. It's SO weird to lose weight by eating FAT, but I cannot complain about 8+ pounds lost in the first week. Gotta love it!

Believe it or not, some ranch dips have sugar added, which is why I make my own, from well-dripped yogurt made from half & half. I'll just BET you were hungry.

<g> My husband brought home some non-fat yogurt once, before I was making my own. It was for the dachshunds... and they turned up their canine noses at that stuff!

It does seem weird, but on my Specific Carbohydrate Diet, as my gut healed, I lost weight -- 180 pounds. I have more to go, which is why I'm excited about the coconut flour, because almond and pecan flour make stuff which is just too dense for me to eat often.

[Kiralynx]

Kiralynx, Do you need tasters?? Sound like you have a great kitchen imagination!

BYW, How do you heat your milk for yogurt? Double boiler? I'm guessing...

Heh. My SCD list is plotting a kitchen-testing get-together with me as the star cook and teacher. Which means I have to finish my cook book!

Yes, I have a large double boiler which holds 2 quarts of milk. BY heating it on the double boiler, I don't have to worry about it boiling over or scorching.

[Janknitz]

I cheat and heat the milk in a giant pyrex bowl/cup. I make about a quart at a time. I've also been experimenting using an Easiyo with my own ingredients. Seems to work without pre-heating the milk!

[DavidCarolina]

Im glad to see some other topics RELATED to apnea. Diet is huge. Food allergies setting in at middle age is becoming incredibly common--usually an auto immune disease as a result of leaky gut syndrome.

And of course our weight is crucial in snoring and apnea problems.

Keep it coming, i actually think we need a separate forum for correlative apnea issues.

But here's a question: dairy/wheat/gluten are classic food allergies that can cause breathing problems. Are you sure
theyre not a factor in your apneas?

[gasparama]

My DIL has been chicken frying beef cutlets coated with a beaten egg and coconut flour. She fries the meat in coconut oil. My plan is to fry ours in pure lard (not hydrogenated). Can't wait to try it.

[Kiralynx]

I cheat and heat the milk in a giant pyrex bowl/cup. I make about a quart at a time. I've also been experimenting using an Easiyo with my own ingredients. Seems to work without pre-heating the milk!

Microwaving it? Yes, my sister does hers that way. My microwave broke and I haven't gotten around to replacing it. Besides, if I did, where would I store the bags of spices I've got in it now?

[Kiralynx]

Im glad to see some other topics RELATED to apnea. Diet is huge. Food allergies setting in at middle age is becoming incredibly common--usually an auto immune disease as a result of leaky gut syndrome.

And of course our weight is crucial in snoring and apnea problems.

Keep it coming, i actually think we need a separate forum for correlative apnea issues.

But here's a question: dairy/wheat/gluten are classic food allergies that can cause breathing problems. Are you sure
theyre not a factor in your apneas?

What I know is that I don't tolerate grains, other starches, sugar, gums, and a raft of other things. I also don't tolerate non-fermented dairy. That is, I can have lactose free dry curd cottage cheese, aged cheeses, butter, and homemade yogurt, but I can't do fresh milk. These intolerances are directly related to my obesity. When I removed them, I lost 180 pounds without really trying. (Yes, I said 180.) Now if I could get the rest of the weight off.

Interestingly, the symptoms which led to my apnea diagnosis began during the major loss of weight. However, I wasn't diagnosed until seven years later.

I developed the intolerances as a result of taking birth control pills in 1976.