... And all things wellness!
Do you enjoy pancakes and eggs? Do you have your old sandwich maker lying around? If the answer is yes, you’re in for a real treat! This Grain-Free Pancake Pocket recipe is simple to make and extremely fun to eat!!! If you can prepare pancake …
I was inspired to make these Stuffed Cassava Balls from a chat I had with my Guyanese friend Anita, who grew up eating yuca/cassava in many exciting ways! She always gives me great authentic recipe ideas. Of course her idea of a recipe is telling …
Looking for a scrumptious, fudgy, brownie recipe? Look no further! These Chocolate Chip Peppermint Brownies are not only AWESOME, they’re gluten, grain, dairy, and soy-free! The peppermint adds an extra holiday feel, but these can be made any time of year! Not a fan of peppermint? Leave it out! These brownies will still be pure chocolate deliciousness!!!
I made these using Otto’s Cassava Flour, a very high quality cassava flour that can easily be swapped into recipes typically made with wheat flour. Cassava (a.k.a. yuca) is naturally grain-free, low glycemic, non-GMO, paleo, Whole30 approved, and autoimmune protocol friendly! Check out Otto’s Cassava Flour here:
Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
Want more info about cassava flour? Check out my page Getting to Know Cassava (Yuca) Flour
Want more info about cooking with yuca? Check out my page Getting to Know Yuca (Cassava)
I created these Chocolate Chip Peppermint Brownies as a little nosh for an essential oils workshop I was hosting. (I MUST bring yuca/cassava wherever I go!) BIG HIT!!! They were an excellent demonstration of how essential oils can be incorporated into our lives, not just topically or through diffusing, but internally as well! (*Note: Not all brands or oil types are safe for consumption.) I used doTerra Peppermint Oil and carefully checked that it was safe to cook with before creating this recipe.
If you’d like more information about incorporating essential oils into your life, email me at CrazyForYuca@gmail.com.
*Click any non-perishable ingredient needed below to quickly and easily order it online.
Ingredients:
-1/2 cup Otto’s Cassava Flour
-1/2 cup organic cocoa powder
-1/2 cup organic maple syrup
-1/2 cup organic coconut oil – melted
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-2 cage-free eggs – room temperature (I use duck eggs since I’m sensitive to chicken eggs. Both work perfectly!)
-1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-Optional: 3-4 drops of doTerra Peppermint essential oil (Email me at crazyforyuca@gmail.com for wholesale pricing)
-1 1/4 cups dairy-free chocolate chips – divided (I use either Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mega Chunks or Pascha Organic 55% Cacao Dark Chocolate Chips. (Both options are free of common allergens such as gluten, dairy, nuts, and soy!)
Instructions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-In a large mixing bowl, cream maple syrup and melted coconut oil (I use an electric beater.)
-Add eggs, vanilla, and 3 drops doTerra peppermint essential oil – If peppermint flavored brownies are desired. (Be careful not to add too much oil. A little goes a long way!) Beat until fully blended.
-Stir in cassava flour, cocoa powder, and pink Himalayan salt. Mix with a spoon until fully combined.
-Mix in 3/4 cup chocolate chips.
-Place in a baking pan (I used an 8″ by 8″ pan covered with parchment paper – makes for easy clean up)
-Place into pre-heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
-Remove from oven. Allow to cool.
-Optional: Melt the additional 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and “ice” the peppermint brownies with the melted chocolate. Because more chocolate is always better!!!!
-Cut into desired sized brownies. Enjoy!
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*By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. I only recommend products that I’ve personally tried, use in my own kitchen, and believe are high quality products. Thank you so much for supporting Crazy For Yuca’s efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
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Looking for a scrumptious, fudgy, brownie recipe? Look no further! These Chocolate Chip Peppermint Brownies are not only AWESOME, they're gluten, grain, dairy, and soy-free! The peppermint adds an extra holiday feel, but these can be made any time of year! Not a fan of peppermint? Leave it out! These brownies will still be pure chocolate deliciousness!!!
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Disclaimer– At Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Nothing says Fall like the smell of apples and cinnamon! And there’s nothing cozier than snuggling up with a baked apple crumble on a chilly day! This Apple Cassava Crumble is so quick and easy to make! Perfect for your next brunch, snack, dessert for Thanksgiving …
Pasta made from cassava flour! Dreams really do come true!!! I couldn’t be more excited to add this homemade Cassava Flour Fresh Pasta to my yuca/cassava repertoire! I’ve been meaning to create a pasta recipe, but I’ve been too caught up in all my other …
Everything is awesome with chocolate – am I right??? These Chocolate SunButter Pinwheel Cookies are a variation of my Strawberry Almond Butter Pinwheel Cookies (which are great even without chocolate!) Not only is this variation gluten, grain, dairy, and soy-free, but can be made nut-free as well! These Pinwheel Cookies are made with Pascha Chocolate, a brand known for their high quality, allergen-free chocolate, and SunButter, which is simply sunflower seeds pulverized into a creamy spread. Rolled into a “pinwheel” design, then topped with roasted sunflower seeds (or nuts,) these cookies are not only scrumptious, they’re full of healthy, “real food” ingredients! Fun, delicious, and a gorgeous treat to serve for your next brunch, or as a dessert any time!
*Any nut butter can be used instead of SunButter if nuts are preferred and tolerated.
*Printer-friendly recipe below*
Click on any needed non-perishable ingredient listed below to order online:
Ingredients for cassava flour dough:
-1 1/2 cups Otto’s Cassava Flour
-2 tablespoons organic 100% maple syrup
-1 organic, cage-free egg (I use duck eggs since I’m sensitive to chicken eggs, but either can be used.)
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
-1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (I use Bob’s Red Mill.)
-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-1/2 cup Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening
-1/2 cup filtered water
It’s available in small specialty markets or online here.
Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening. Click picture below to check it out:
Ingredients for filling:
-1/2 cup Organic SunButter (a nut-free, creamy spread made from pulverized sunflower seeds.) *Almond or peanut butter can also be used if nuts are tolerated.
-1/4 cup sunflower seeds. (I use Trader Joe’s Roasted, Unsalted Sunflower Seeds.)
-1 teaspoon cinnamon – divided (I use Primal Palate Cinnamon.)
-1/2 cup melted chocolate. (I use Pascha Organic Dark Chocolate Baking Chips – either 55% cacao or 85% depending on the palate of my audience.) The higher the cacao, the less sweet the cookie. 55% is most typical of the sweetness of the average chocolate chip. Pascha chocolate chips even come in 100% cacao!
Topping ingredients:
-1 organic cage-free egg (for an egg wash.) Whisk, then brush over rolled-up cookies to give them a golden color when baked.
-1/4 cup sunflower seeds (I use Trader Joe’s Roasted, Unsalted Sunflower Seeds.)
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (I use Primal Palate Cinnamon.)
To make cassava flour dough: In a large bowl, blend Otto’s Cassava Flour, baking soda, xantham gum, and salt. In a second bowl, whisk egg, then add organic maple syrup and water. Combine contents of the two bowls. Add Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening and blend until a dough is formed. Once mixing with a spoon becomes too difficult, use hands to fully incorporate ingredients. (A stand mixer can also be used.)
Making dough into Pinwheel Cookies: Divide dough into 2 equal balls. Roll out each dough ball between 2 pieces of parchment paper to form the base of the Pinwheel Cookies.
Spread half of the Organic SunButter (1/4 cup) on top of each piece of rolled-out dough, leaving a 1/2 inch plain edge along one side. (This will prevent filling from overflowing over the top of the pastry when being rolled up.)
Place half of the melted chocolate (1/4 cup) directly on top of the Sunbutter for each of the two rolled-out pieces of dough.
Sprinkle each rolled-out dough with half of the cinnamon, and half the roasted sunflower seeds (or nuts.)
Starting with the end where the SunButter and chocolate were spread right up to the edge, tightly roll dough from one end to the other like a jelly roll. I find it helpful to lift parchment paper to guide the dough. *Make sure to roll up your pinwheel cookies before allowing the chocolate to dry and become stiff.
Ensure that pinwheel log is rolled-up as tight as possible (no air within the log.)
Wrap Chocolate SunButter Pinwheel Cookie logs tightly in either parchment or plastic wrap and place in freezer for one hour. (I prefer using the same parchment I just used to roll out dough. This prevents waste as well as provides a non-toxic wrap for my logs as compared to plastic wrap.) Placing Pinwheel logs into the freezer is needed to firm up ingredients so they will hold their shape during slicing into individual cookies. This will enable the creation of the pinwheel design. If sliced at room temperature, layers blend together during slicing. If frozen for longer than 1 hour, dough becomes brittle and crumby during slicing. If this occurs, simply leave log out on the counter for a few minutes before continuing to slice.
Remove logs from freezer, unwrap and place on cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice each log into 12 Chocolate SunButter Pinwheel Cookies. Test readiness for slicing by starting at one end (since each end is unlikely to form a perfect pinwheel design.) It’s the proper temperature for slicing when a sharp knife easily slices through log without the dough crumbling or log losing its shape.
Place Pinwheel Cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. (The same piece of parchment can be wiped clean and re-used.)
Whisk an egg and brush top of each cookie with egg wash. Sprinkle with cinnamon and top with sunflower seeds.
Lay each cookie down, pinwheel design facing up (and down) during baking.
Place in a preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until edges begin to brown.
Enjoy as a delectable dessert or as a pastry at your next brunch!
These Chocolate SunButter Pinwheel Cookies freeze well – to be honest my husband and I love eating them right out of the freezer – FROZEN!
By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you, and shipping is always free. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
Everything is awesome with chocolate - am I right??? These Chocolate SunButter Pinwheel Cookies are a variation of my Strawberry Almond Butter Pinwheel Cookies (which are great even without chocolate!) Not only is this variation gluten, grain, dairy, and soy-free, but can be made nut-free as well! They're made with Pascha Chocolate, a brand known for their high quality, allergen-free chocolate, and SunButter, which is simply sunflower seeds pulverized into a creamy spread. (Any nut butter can also be used if nuts are tolerated.) Rolled into a "pinwheel" design, then topped with roasted sunflower seeds (or nuts,) these cookies are not only scrumptious, they're full of healthy, "real food" ingredients! Fun, delicious, and a gorgeous treat to serve for your next brunch, or as a dessert any time!
In a large bowl, blend Otto's Cassava Flour, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt.
In a second bowl, whisk egg, then add organic maple syrup and water.
Combine contents of the two bowls, then add Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening. Blend until a dough is formed. (Once mixing with a spoon becomes too difficult, use hands to fully incorporate ingredients. A stand mixer can also be used.)
Divide dough into 2 equal balls. Roll out each dough ball between 2 pieces of parchment paper to form the base of the Pinwheel Cookies.
Spread half of the Organic SunButter (1/4 cup) on top of each piece of rolled-out dough, leaving a 1/2 inch plain edge along one side. (This will prevent filling from overflowing over the top of the pastry when being rolled up.)
Place half of the melted chocolate (1/4 cup) directly on top of the Sunbutter for each of the two rolled-out pieces of dough.
Sprinkle each rolled-out dough with half of the cinnamon, and half the roasted sunflower seeds (or nuts.)
Starting with the end where the SunButter and chocolate were spread right up to the edge, tightly roll dough from one end to the other like a jelly roll. I find it helpful to lift parchment paper to guide the dough.
Note: Make sure to roll up your pinwheel cookies before allowing the chocolate to dry and become stiff. Ensure that pinwheel log is rolled-up as tight as possible (no air within the log.)
Wrap Chocolate SunButter Pinwheel Cookie logs tightly in either parchment or plastic wrap and place in freezer for one hour.
Remove logs from freezer, unwrap and place on cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice each log into 12 Chocolate SunButter Pinwheel Cookies. Test readiness for slicing by starting at one end (since each end is unlikely to form a perfect pinwheel design.) It's the proper temperature for slicing when a sharp knife easily slices through log without the dough crumbling or log losing its shape.
Place Pinwheel Cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Whisk an egg and brush top of each cookie with egg wash. Sprinkle with cinnamon and top with sunflower seeds.
Lay each cookie down, pinwheel design facing up (and down) during baking.
Place in a preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until edges begin to brown.
Enjoy as a delectable dessert or as a pastry at your next brunch!
Disclaimer– At Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
What do you get when you take cassava flour and a bunch of nuts and seeds? Delicious, nutritious Paleo Nut and Seed Bars!!!! These bars have just enough sweetness, without being overly sweet. Cassava flour is a low-glycemic, non-inflammatory starch, while nuts and seeds provide …
Bring the campfire home with Oven Baked S’mores Bars! These were created as a surprise birthday “cake” for my daughter who is gluten and dairy-free! She isn’t a fan of typical cake so I wanted to come up with something special. (Mission accomplished!!!) Years ago, …
What’s more fun than strawberry shortcake?… Strawberry Short-Crepe Cream on Top!!! This beautiful gluten, diary, and refined sugar-free dessert is made simply by layering Grain-Free Crepes, scrumptious homemade Strawberry Jam, organic fresh strawberries, and Coconut Cream! It’s the perfect dessert, brunch dish, or birthday cake for any healthy eater! So much fun to make and eat!!! While this Strawberry Short-Crepe Cream on Top is super low in sugar, it really satisfies one’s sweet tooth!
This post includes a great recipe for Strawberry Chia Seed Jam by Lexi from LexisCleanKitchen.com. Why buy prepared jellies or jams when homemade, low sugar jam is this simple to make? Thank you Lexi for this incredible, healthy recipe!
Crepe Ingredients: (makes six 8 inch crepes)
-1/2 cup tapioca flour – (I use Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour)
-2 Tbsp Cassava Flour – (I use Otto’s Cassava Flour)
-4 organic, cage-free eggs (I use duck eggs since I’m sensitive to chicken eggs. Both work perfectly!)
-2 Tbsp coconut oil – melted (I use Nutiva Organic, Unrefined, Virgin Coconut Oil)
-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic Pure Vanilla Extract)
-2 Tbsp almond milk (Cow’s milk can be used if a dairy option is preferred.)
-1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt (While any salt can be used, I use pink Himalayan salt because of its high mineral content.)
Strawberry Jam Ingredients:
-organic strawberries
-raw organic honey or maple syrup
-lemon juice
–chia seeds (I use Trader Joe’s Organic Chia Seeds.)
*Check out Lexi’s super simple recipe by clicking here: Strawberry Chia Seed Jam. She also has variations for blueberry and mango! If you haven’t checked out LexisCleanKitchen.com yet, you’re in for a treat!!!
Coconut Cream Ingredients:
-1 13.5 oz can organic coconut cream – chilled in refrigerator overnight or at least 8 hours. (I use Trader Joe’s Organic Coconut Cream) If coconut cream is not available, 2 or 3 cans of full fat coconut milk can also be used. Use only the coconut cream solids. Save coconut milk for another use.
-1 tsp pure vanilla extract (Optional – adds great flavor, but will taint pure white color of cream) (I use Simply Organic Pure Vanilla Extract)
-2 tsp coconut sugar (I use Nutiva Organic Coconut Sugar)
Simply click on the ingredients listed in recipe above to be brought to that pantry item on Amazon. By purchasing products through our affiliate links we get a small commission which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca at no additional cost to you. All recommended products are ones that meet my high standards for quality, and are used in my own kitchen. Thank you for supporting the efforts of CrazyForYuca.com to bring you the lastest yuca/cassava recipes when you shop online through our site!
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Crepe Instructions:
Melt coconut oil.
Place melted coconut oil into mixing bowl along with eggs, vanilla, and almond milk. Blend thoroughly.
Heat a frying pan on medium heat. (No need to use a non-stick pan or oil. These crepes will not stick to pan!)
Pour batter, about 1/4 cup at a time, into ungreased, heated frying pan. In order to make thin, circle-shaped crepes, pour batter slowly into the center of pan and use the back of the spoon or ladle in a circular motion to spread the batter evenly. *Don’t be discouraged if the first crepe sticks to the pan or is irregularly shaped. That is typical until you get the hang of it.
Cook on first side for about 1 minute, until batter solidifies.
7. Flip and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds. Crepes should be slightly browned.
*Note: These crepes can be made ahead and placed in the refrigerator or freezer and later made into your Strawberry Short-Crepe Cream on Top. They can be quickly reheated from frozen in a toaster oven for 3-5 minutes, a microwave for 30-45 seconds, or by being left on counter to defrost.
Check out St. Dalfour brand strawberry fruit spread by clicking the picture below. It’s made with all natural ingredients including strawberries, sweetened only with grape and date juice concentrates, fruit pectin, and lemon juice.
Coconut Cream is quick and easy to make. It’s an awesome option for Vegan and dairy-free eaters who enjoy a dollop of whipped cream on their desserts!
Coconut Cream Instructions:
3. Spoon coconut cream solids into chilled bowl (leaving behind any liquid coconut milk.)
4. Using an electric mixer with chilled beaters, gradually increase speed from low to high. Beat until peaks form. This takes about 3-4 minutes.
5. Add sugar and vanilla, and beat until fully combined. 
1. Place one crepe on desired serving plate.
2. Spread jelly and cut-up organic strawberries on top of crepe.
3. Place a second crepe on top, and spread coconut cream and fresh strawberries on second crepe.
4. Alternate layers of crepes, strawberry jam, and coconut cream until you run out of crepes.
5. Top with additional strawberry jam, fresh strawberries, and a dollop of coconut cream.
Note: Use a very thin, sharp knife to cut into servings.
Enjoy!
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for healthy pantry items, yuca snacks, and kitchen gadgets I personally use to make Crazy For Yuca recipes in my kitchen!
All personally taste tested and approved by myself and my family! For a detailed description of recommended yuca/cassava chips, see my post The Perfect Yuca Chip!
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What's more fun than strawberry shortcake?... Strawberry Short-Crepe Cream on Top!!! This beautiful gluten, diary, and refined sugar-free dessert is made simply by layering Grain-Free Crepes, scrumptious homemade Strawberry Jam, organic fresh strawberries, and Coconut Cream! It's the perfect dessert, brunch dish, or birthday cake for any healthy eater! So much fun to make and eat!!! While this Strawberry Short-Crepe Cream on Top is super low in sugar, it really satisfies one's sweet tooth!
Spoon coconut cream solids (not any liquid coconut milk) into chilled bowl.
Using an electric mixer with chilled beaters, gradually increase speed to high, and beat until peaks form. This takes about 3-4 minutes.
Add sugar and vanilla and beat until fully combined.
Place one crepe on desired serving plate.
Spread jelly and cut-up organic strawberries on top of crepe.
Place a second crepe on top, and spread coconut cream and fresh strawberries on second crepe.
Alternate layers of crepes, strawberry jam, and coconut cream until you run out of crepes.
Top with additional strawberry jam, fresh strawberries, and a dollop of coconut cream.
Enjoy!
Note: Use a very thin, sharp knife to cut into servings.
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Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Grain-Free Crepes are quick and easy to prepare, and lots of fun to eat! They can be filled with almost anything – whether sweet or savory! With a fruit filling, such as strawberry jam, they’re perfect for entertaining guests for brunch, or as a sweet …
Who doesn’t love a salty hot pretzel??? As a gluten-free eater I thought I’d never have one again, until now! These Grain-Free Soft Pretzels are THE REAL DEAL!!! They’re made with Otto’s Cassava Flour, so they’re naturally gluten and grain-free! With all “real” whole …
Nothing says Easter like decorated eggs! And nothing says “fun celebration” like hand pies!!! Did you love Pop-tarts as a kid? If the answer is “yes”, you’ll adore these Easter Egg Hand Pies – with a delectable flakey crust on the outside, and sweet fruit spread on the inside!!! Don’t be fooled by the beautiful colors, these hand pies are decorated with colorings found in nature such as beets, turmeric, and spirulina! (Absolutely no chemical colorings!) Since they’re made with cassava flour, they’re both gluten and grain-free! They’re also dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free and low in sugar, but you’d never know it! These Easter Egg Hand Pies are SCRUMPTIOUS, FUN, and GOOD FOR YOU!!!
These Easter Egg Hand Pies are made with Otto’s Cassava Flour (a gluten-free, grain-free, non-GMO, non-inflammatory, whole-food, amazingly delicious flour!) If you don’t have any on hand, it can be found in some specialty markets or online by clicking below.
Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
By ordering Otto’s Cassava Flour or other recommended products through our website, we get a small commission which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
Click link: Getting to Know Cassava (yuca) Flour.
Dough Ingredients: (Full printer-friendly recipe below)
-1 1/2 cups Otto’s Cassava Flour
-2 tablespoons organic maple syrup
-1 cage-free egg
-1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt (I use pink Himalayan salt for all my cooking and baking because of its high mineral content.)
-1/2 cup Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening (or pastured butter if you tolerate dairy.)
-1/2 cup filtered water
Filling:
-Fruit spread (flavor of choice.) I used St. Dalfour Strawberry Fruit Spread. It’s made with only strawberries, grape and date fruit juice concentrate, pectin, and lemon juice. (Click link below to check it out.)
Icing: (With these hand pies you control the amount of sugar by deciding how much icing to put on top. Other than the icing, the only added sugar in 15 hand pies is 2 tablespoons of pure organic maple syrup.)
-1 cup powdered sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 tablespoon water. (If icing is too thick, add additional water 1 teaspoon at a time.)
-natural food coloring. I used Color Kitchen Decorative Food Colors From Nature. (Click link below to check it out.)
In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add maple syrup and thoroughly blend. Then add Otto’s Cassava Flour, xantham gum, pink Himalayan salt, baking soda, vegetable shortening (or butter for a dairy option,) and water. Blend with a spoon. When dough gets crumbly and difficult to mix, use your hands to fully incorporate ingredients into dough.
Roll out half the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper and cut into oval shapes. (Since my craft store was out of oval cookie cutters, I used a plastic disposable cup while gently bending it into an oval shape. It worked perfectly!) These will be the bottom halves of the hand pies.
Transfer each cut-out pastry bottom onto a parchment lined baking sheet and fill with a heaping tablespoon of fruit spread. (Be sure to leave a rim around the entire perimeter so the top and bottom pastries can be pinched together without fruit spread between them.)
Roll out second half of dough into matching sizes and shapes for the pastry tops. Then dip finger in water and run wet finger along the perimeter of each pastry bottom. Carefully lay each pastry top over the bottom pastry and filling. Press down along edges to seal.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until edges begin to brown.
Place cooked pasties on a rack to cool.
Make decorative icing (if desired) by combining powdered sugar, water, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add desired coloring and blend thoroughly. Decorate cooled Easter Egg Hand Pies any way desired – like these adorable hatching chicks!!!
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Did you love Pop-tarts as a kid? If the answer is "yes", you'll adore these Easter Egg Hand Pies - with a delectable flakey crust on the outside, and sweet fruit spread on the inside!!! Don't be fooled by the beautiful colors, these hand pies are decorated with only colorings found in nature such as beets, turmeric, and spirulina! Since they're made with cassava flour, they're gluten and grain-free! They're also dairy-free and low in sugar. But don't let the fact that these are healthy fool you, they're gorgeous, fun, and delicious!!!
In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add maple syrup and thoroughly blend. Add Otto’s Cassava Flour, xantham gum, pink Himalayan salt, baking soda, vegetable shortening (or butter,) and water. Blend with a spoon. When it gets all crumbly and difficult to mix, use your hands to fully incorporate ingredients into dough.
Add Otto’s Cassava Flour, xantham gum, pink Himalayan salt, baking soda, vegetable shortening (or butter,) and water. Blend with a spoon. When it gets all crumbly and difficult to mix, use your hands to fully incorporate ingredients into dough.
Roll out half the dough onto parchment paper and cut into oval shapes. (Since my craft store was out of oval cookie cutters, I used a plastic disposable cup while gently bending it into an oval shape. It worked perfectly!) These will be the bottom halves of the hand pies.
Transfer each cut-out pastry bottom onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Place a heaping tablespoon of fruit spread on each cut-out pastry.
Roll out second half of dough into matching sizes and shapes for the pastry tops.
Dip finger in water and run wet finger along the perimeter of each pastry bottom. (This will help pastry layers adhere to each other.)
Carefully lay each pastry top over the bottom pastry and filling. Press down along edges to seal.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until edges begin to brown.
Once cooked, place cooked pasties on a rack to cool.
While cooling, make icing (if desired) by combining powdered sugar, water, and vanilla until smooth. Add desired coloring.
Once cooled, use icing to decorate the Easter Egg Hand Pies any way desired.
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
I call this recipe Mandel Bread / Biscotti because there’s little (if any) difference between these 2 cookies. I want everyone to feel free to enjoy them – no matter one’s heritage, or holiday celebrating. With both Passover and Easter coming within the next week, …
It’s time to plan your Passover menu! Why not decrease the grains this holiday with Grain-Free Cassava Flour Matzo Balls? They will be adored by your gluten-eating and gluten-free guests alike! (I had a little trouble stopping myself from eating them all before getting a …
I’m making this banana bread as I type up this post, and the incredible aroma as it’s baking has taken over the house! I can’t wait for it to cool off so I can take my blog pictures and dig in!!! Whether made into muffins or loaves, this recipe is the perfect gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, dairy-free, soy-free, healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert any time! They’re just sweet enough, without being overly sweet. This banana bread is my husband’s absolute favorite! I like to make a batch, then throw them in the freezer so they’re available any time.
Go Nuts with Gluten-Free Grain-Free Banana Bread / Muffins!
While this recipe is amazing without nuts, adding your favorite nut is a great way to boost the protein, Omega-3 fats, fiber, and minerals in your diet, all while enjoying a scrumptious piece of banana bread or muffin!
If you haven’t tried cassava flour yet, you’re missing out! (FYI – yuca and cassava are different names for the same root vegetable.) Cassava flour is a relatively new flour that has emerged in the gluten-free, Paleo, and autoimmune protocol worlds in recent years. It’s a whole-food, non-GMO flour made simply by drying and grinding the white flesh of the peeled yuca root. Since yuca has a low glycemic index of 46, it will not spike blood sugar the way many other gluten-free flours can. It’s therefore considered safe for diabetics.
It can be used in place of wheat flour in most recipes to create grain-free treats with all the goodness expected of wheat flour. It has a neutral taste and a texture similar to wheat flour (not grainy like some nut flours.) It’s finer than wheat flour; a bit like powdered sugar in that if mixed too vigorously it creates a “flour cloud” over the bowl. It’s dryer than wheat flour, so recipes often need a bit more liquid.
I use Otto’s Cassava Flour for all of my baking since it tastes great, is certified gluten-free, non-GMO and Paleo, and is made upholding the highest standards. See About Cassava (Yuca) Flour for more information.
By ordering Otto’s Cassava Flour through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
This recipe makes 20 muffins or 2 loaves
Ingredients:
-2 cups Otto’s Cassava Flour
-2 tablespoons organic coconut flour (I use NOW Foods Organic Coconut Flour.)
-1 teaspoon baking soda (I typically use Bob’s Red Mill baking soda because they mine their sodium bicarbonate directly from the ground in it’s natural state, while many other brands use a chemical reaction process (1.))
-¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt (I use pink Himilayan sea salt for all cooking and baking because of its high mineral content.)
-4 cage-free eggs – room temperature (I use duck eggs since I’m sensitive to chicken eggs. Both chicken and duck eggs work perfectly!)
-2 cups mashed, ripe organic bananas (About 4-5 bananas)
1 cup organic maple syrup -room temperature
-½ cup organic applesauce – no sugar added
-1/3 cup organic coconut oil – melted ( I use Nutiva Organic Coconut oil)
-1 tsp organic vanilla extract
–baking cups – If making muffins.
parchment paper – If making loaves
-Optional: Add pecans and/or walnuts – reserving some to sprinkle on top of muffin or loaf.
How nutty are you??
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl blend dry ingredients including Otto’s Cassava Flour, coconut flour, baking soda and pink Himalayan sea salt . In a second bowl, combine wet ingredients including eggs, mashed bananas, maple syrup, applesauce, coconut oil, and vanilla. Combine ingredients from the 2 bowls by adding wet ingredients to the dry, then stir just until moistened. (*Over-blending may cause your banana bread to be gummy.)
Optional – Add chopped pecans and/or walnuts, stirring just enough to blend.
Spoon batter into muffin tins lined with baking cups or into 2 loaf pans lined with parchment paper.
Optional: Sprinkle additional nuts on top for added crunch and a truly spectacular looking muffin or loaf!
For muffins: Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until a fork inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
For loaves: Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.
Notes: These freeze well.
Gluten-Free Grain-Free Banana Bread
Gluten-Free Grain-Free Banana Muffins (With and Without Nuts)
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Whether made into muffins or loaves, this recipe is the perfect gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, dairy-free, healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert any time! They're just sweet enough, without being overly sweet. Go nuts and add pecans and/or walnuts to boost the protein, Omega-3 fats, fiber, and minerals of this delicious treat! Make a batch, then throw them in the freezer so they're available any time.
In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients including Otto's Cassava Flour, coconut flour, baking soda and pink Himalayan sea salt until well combined.
In a second bowl combine eggs, mashed bananas, maple syrup, applesauce, coconut oil, and vanilla.
Place blended wet ingredients into dry ingredient bowl and stir just until moistened. (*Over-blending may cause your banana bread to be gummy.)
Spoon batter into muffin tins lined with baking cups or 2 loaf pans lined with parchment paper.
If desired, sprinkle additional nuts on top for added crunch and a truly spectacular looking muffin!
Bake muffins at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, and loaves for 45-55 minutes, or until a fork inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes: Freeze well. Defrost quickly at room temperature or in microwave for about 30 seconds.
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Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Why should the gluten-free be denied scrumptious almond cookies from the Chinese restaurant? (After all, we already can’t have most Chinese food!) My daughter, who is gluten and dairy-free, had a hankering for almond cookies and asked me to create this recipe using cassava flour. …
This is no ordinary chocolate chip cookie! While it has chocolate chips, it also has dried cherries, cinnamon, and is made from naturally gluten-free cassava flour! They’re soft-baked, with a melt-in-your-mouth crumbly texture, and just enough maple syrup sweetness. These are my go-to cookie when …
Many panic when they find out they need to be gluten and/or dairy-free! I think one of the main reasons is fear of giving up their comfort foods. This Grain-Free Chicken Pot Pie recipe is true comfort food at its best! It’s proof positive that gluten and dairy are not needed to create a hearty, flavorful pot pie filling topped with a mouth-watering, flaky crust!
Chicken Pot Pie was one of my FAVORITE dishes growing up! If it was on the menu at a restaurant, or ready-made in my freezer, that’s what I picked!!! I’m beyond excited to have it back in my life now that I’ve created this gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, incredibly satisfying recipe!
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While at the supermarket, I recently read the ingredients on the label of a popular brand of frozen chicken pot pie. I was shocked to find that there was way more than just chicken, vegetables, and seasonings in it! It had “isolated soy protein product,” modified corn and potato starch,” “modified whey,” caramel color, “flavors”, and ” interesterified soybean oil!” – That’s not a typo!!! I looked it up! According to wikepedia:
Why would any food manufacturer put that in a chicken pot pie??? There’s no deep frying in this recipe! Why not just use a fat that’s naturally stable at high temperatures, like ghee, avocado oil, or coconut oil? The only reason I can think of is because “interesterified” soybean oil is cheap!
Understanding the reality of what’s in most processed foods, and how these ingredients affect our bodies and health is truly terrifying! This is what motivates me to cook simple, “real” food recipes filled with all the flavor and none of the crap! I have no formal culinary training. I’m just a working wife and mother whose health had been compromised as a result of the Standard American Diet. I’m continuing to heal myself and preserve the health of my family by consuming only “real” food ingredients. None of my recipes require any special skill to make.
For 4 servings: 2 cups of pre-cooked, diced or shredded chicken is needed. I use my Easy Go-to Crockpot Chicken, but any pre-cooked chicken can be used, such as store-bought rotisserie chicken or leftovers. If needed, chicken breasts can be quickly cut into chunks and cooked in a pan covered with chicken broth or bone broth for a few minutes.
Add lots of diced vegetables: There’s no rule as to what vegetables need to be in chicken pot pie, so use what you enjoy or have on hand. In the printable full recipe below I list onions, celery, carrots, string beans, and peas (omit for Paleo version) because that’s what is classically found in chicken pot pie. When I made this recipe for my family the other night, I also added leeks, orange peppers, broccoli, and tricolor carrots (I try to eat the rainbow everyday if possible.)
Chop raw vegetables and saute, along with minced garlic, in 1 tablespoon ghee or avocado oil. (See Healthy Eating Tip below to learn about ghee.) If using frozen peas and string beans add them at the very end so they don’t get over-cooked.
Add chicken broth or both broth: Once raw vegetables soften (about 5 minutes) add chicken or bone broth and bring to a simmer.
To thicken sauce: In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder with 1 tablespoon cold water to form a slurry. Slowly add slurry to the pan, blending thoroughly into sauce.
Season: Add rosemary, thyme, Himalayan sea salt and black pepper.
Add cooked chicken along with frozen string beans and peas (omit for Paleo version.) Mix well.
Divide pot pie filling into 4 individual oven-safe ramekins. I use my small round and oval Corningware. This recipe can also be made into one large, family-sized pot pie if desired.
Cassava flour is a grain-free, Paleo, nonGMO, whole-food flour made from grated and dried cassava/yuca. It’s a true miracle flour for gluten-free people, or for those who choose to avoid grain. It creates baked goods with all the positive characteristics of wheat flour, but none of the negatives (such as gluten, GMOs, inflammation, and risk of developing a leaky gut.) See: Getting to Know Cassava (yuca) Flour.
By ordering Otto’s Cassava flour through Crazy For Yuca we get a small commission which helps support the maintenance of the website. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
In a large mixing bowl blend Otto’s Cassava Flour, baking soda, and salt. In a second bowl, blend Spectrum Organic Palm Shortening and one egg with an electric mixer. Combine contents of both bowls, add water, and continue to mix until a dough is formed. Divide dough into 4 equal sized balls. On parchment paper, roll out each dough ball to fit the size and shape of each ramekin.
Lay each crust over each filled ramekin. Pinch crust all along the edge to seal in filling. This will prevent filling from overflowing during baking.
Egg wash: In a small bowl, crack and whisk an egg. Brush egg wash on top of each pot pie crust. This will create a nice golden brown color when baked.
Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before eating.
Enjoy this deliciously satisfying Grain-Free Chicken Pot Pie and comment below to tell me what you think!
Ghee, also known as clarified butter, is a dairy-free cooking fat that’s made by extracting the water, lactose and casein from butter. It tastes like butter, only with an even stronger buttery flavor. It originated in India thousands of years ago and has been gaining popularity within the healthy eating community in recent years in the US. Ghee made from naturally raised, grass-fed cows has an excellent fat profile, and contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and butyrate, both of which have tremendous health benefits. CLA is a fatty acid that has been associated with tumor reduction, weight loss, lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, and decreased inflammation. Butyrates aid in digestion and promote healthy bacterial growth in the intestines, which supports colon health. Butyrates are also alkalinizing, anti-inflammatory, supportive of healthy insulin levels, and may even be beneficial for people with IBS, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Ghee is high in vitamins A, D, and E. It’s safe for cooking at high temperatures because of its high smoke point. This is very important because when oils are heated to temperatures above their smoke point they break down, increasing free radical production and destroying their beneficial phytonutrients (1, 2.)
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This Grain-Free Chicken Pot Pie recipe is true comfort food at its best! It's proof positive that gluten and dairy are not needed to create a hearty, flavorful pot pie filling with mouth-watering, flaky crust!! I can't think of anything I'd rather have for dinner on a cold, winter night!
Place a Tbsp of ghee or avocado oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add chopped onions, celery, carrots, minced garlic (and any other desired raw vegetables) and saute until tender (about 5 minutes.)
Add chicken broth (or bone broth) and bring to a simmer.
In a small bowl, blend arrowroot powder with a tablespoon of cold water to make a slurry. Add it to saucepan with vegetables and broth, stirring until the broth thickens.
Add rosemary, thyme, peas, string beans, ½ tsp sea salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
Add cooked chicken and blend all ingredients together.
Divide Chicken Pot Pie filling evenly and place into 4 ramekins or oven-safe ceramic bowls. (I use my small, white oval or round Corningware.)
In a large bowl mix cassava flour, baking soda, and sea salt.
In a second bowl, use an electric mixer to blend Spectrum Organic Palm Shortening and one egg.
Combine contents of both bowls, add water, and continue to blend until a dough is formed.
Divide dough into 4 equal sized balls.
Roll out each dough ball on parchment paper to fit the size and shape of each ramekin.
Lay each crust over each filled ramekin. Pinch crust all around the edge of ramekin to seal in filling. This will prevent filling from leaking out during baking.
Egg wash: In a small bowl, crack and whisk an egg. Brush egg on top of each crust to create a golden color upon baking.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, until crusts have lightly browned.
This recipe makes 4 top crusts to cover 4 Chicken Pot Pies. If top and bottom crusts are desired, simply double recipe, roll out 8 crusts, and line each ramekin with a crust before placing filling inside. Then continue following recipe above.
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Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Valentine’s Day Cassava Flour Cake Pops The time has come for the gluten-free and gluten-eating alike to enjoy cake pops together for all occasions!!! These pops are so incredible, no one will ever guess they’re gluten-free! Not to mention grain-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and nonGMO!!! I …
Being gluten-free doesn’t mean missing out on the fun of holiday cookie baking! With cassava flour, you can make scrumptious gluten-free, whole-food sugar cookies that taste just like those made from wheat flour! If you haven’t discovered cassava flour yet, these Cassava Flour Holiday Sugar …
Have you tried baking with cassava flour yet? If not, this is the perfect cookie recipe to get you started! Whether you’re gluten-free, or just want to eat less grain, these cassava flour Strawberry Almond Butter Pinwheel Cookies are fun to make and to eat! They’re sweet, but not too sweet. A perfect pastry to serve to guests at your next dinner party or brunch, or to accompany your afternoon coffee or tea.
Cassava flour is a whole-food flour made simply by drying and grinding the white flesh of the peeled cassava root. (Cassava is also known as yuca.) Nothing is added or removed. It’s a pure, natural foundation for baking.
Cassava flour is a relatively new flour that’s gaining popularity within the healthy eating community. And why not? It’s gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, soy-free, Paleo, Vegan, easily digested, and Autoimmune Protocol friendly! If that’s not enough to entice you, consider that cassava flour can replace wheat flour in a 1:1 ratio in most recipes, so it’s super easy to incorporate into your baking!!!
Making the swap to cassava flour adds wholesome, real-food goodness to your recipe without any sacrifice to the quality of your dish. The only things you have to lose are:
Cassava flour has a neutral taste and a texture similar to wheat flour (not grainy like some nut flours.)
If you are gluten-free, adding cassava flour (and yuca) into your repertoire is really a “no-brainer.” It will add so much back into your diet that you thought was lost forever.
*See additional yuca/cassava recipes in the recipe dropdown menu located at the top of this post. Discover how you can live happy, healthy and gluten-free with CrazyForYuca.com! Your days of feeling deprived are over!!!
For more information on the nutritional value of Cassava Flour see: Getting To Know Cassava (Yuca) Flour
There are many reasons for this choice. First – it tastes great, practically indistinguishable from wheat flour! It has no fillers and is not enriched with anything. The only ingredients are cassava/yuca and water. Otto’s Cassava Flour is certified non-GMO, gluten-free, and Paleo. Many other cassava flours are made by peeling and then sun-drying the root. This allows fermentation which can create a sour tasting and musty smelling flour. Otto’s Cassava Flour is made in Brazil, (not Africa like some brands) where it’s peeled and baked according to their proprietary method – with no fermentation or opportunity for mold growth. As someone with autoimmune issues, avoiding mold is a top priority. Otto’s is the highest quality, cleanest tasting flour. If you tried a different brand of cassava flour and didn’t like the taste of your recipe, don’t give up before trying Otto’s. You won’t be sorry.
Otto’s Cassava Flour is available in small specialty markets or online here!
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Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
*Printer-friendly recipe below*
Ingredients for cassava flour dough:
-1 1/2 cups Otto’s Cassava Flour
-2 tablespoons organic 100% maple syrup
-1 organic, cage-free egg (I use duck eggs since I’m sensitive to chicken eggs, but either can be used.)
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda (I use Bob’s Red Mill Baking Soda)
-1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-1/2 cup Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening
-1/2 cup filtered water
What makes this crust so flakey and delicious?
Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening. Click below to check it out:
Ingredients for filling:
-1/2 cup raw almond butter – divided (I use Trader Joe’s Raw Unsalted Almond Butter)
-1/2 cup fruit spread – I use St. Dalfour Strawberry 100% Fruit Spread (Sweetened only with real fruit and concentrated grape juice.)
(-1/2 cup chopped raw or dry roasted pecans – divided (I use Trader Joe’s Dry Toasted Pecan Pieces)
-1 teaspoon cinnamon – divided (I use Primal Palate Cinnamon)
Check out St. Dalfour 100% Fruit Spread by clicking below:
Topping ingredients:
-1 organic cage-free egg – whisked for use as egg wash
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (I use Primal Palate Cinnamon.)
-1/4 cup chopped raw or dry roasted pecans (I use Trader Joe’s Dry Toasted Pecan Pieces)
To make cassava flour dough: In a large bowl, blend Otto’s Cassava Flour, baking soda, xantham gum, and salt. In a second bowl, whisk egg and add organic maple syrup and water. Combine contents of the two bowls. Add Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening and blend until a dough is formed. Once mixing with a spoon becomes too difficult, use your hands to fully incorporate ingredients into a dough. (A stand mixer can also be used.)
Divide dough into 2 equal balls. Roll out each dough ball between 2 pieces of parchment paper to form the base of the Pinwheel Cookies.
Spread half of the almond butter (1/4 cup) on top of each piece of rolled-out dough, leaving a 1/2 inch plain edge along one side. (This will prevent filling from overflowing over the top of the pastry when being rolled up.)
Place half of the strawberry fruit spread (1/4 cup) on top of the almond butter, for each of the two rolled-out pieces of dough. Any preferred fruit spread flavor can be used for these Pinwheel Cookies. Some great options include apricot, blueberry, mixed berry, raspberry, or peach!
Spread fruit preserves evenly over almond butter, remembering to leave 1/2 plain edge on one side.
Sprinkle each rolled-out dough with half of the cinnamon and chopped pecans (or other preferred chopped nut.)
Starting with the end where the almond butter and fruit spread were spread right up to the edge, tightly roll dough from one end to the other into a jelly roll. I find it helpful to lift parchment paper to guide the dough. (Note: In the picture below I didn’t leave enough of a plain edge to prevent almond butter and jam from overflowing at the top. Oops! Live and learn! )
Ensure that pinwheel log is rolled-up as tight as possible (no air within the log.)
Rolled-up Strawberry Almond Butter Pinwheel Cookie log.
Wrap Strawberry Almond Butter Pinwheel Cookie logs tightly in either parchment or plastic wrap and place in freezer for one hour. (I prefer using the same parchment I just used to roll out dough. This prevents waste as well as provides a non-toxic wrap for my logs as compared to plastic wrap.) Placing Pinwheel logs into the freezer is needed to firm up ingredients so they will hold their shape during slicing into individual cookies. This will enable the creation of the pinwheel design. If sliced at room temperature, layers blend together during slicing. If frozen for longer than 1 hour, dough becomes brittle and crumby when slicing into cookies. If this occurs, simply leave log out on the counter for a few minutes before continuing to slice.
Remove logs from freezer, unwrap and place on cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice each log into 12 Strawberry Almond Butter Pinwheel Cookies. Test readiness for slicing by starting at one end (since each end is unlikely to form a perfect pinwheel design.) It’s the proper temperature for slicing when a sharp knife easily slices through log without the dough crumbling or log losing its shape.
Place Pinwheel Cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. (The same piece of parchment can be wiped clean and re-used.)
Whisk an egg and brush top of each cookie with egg wash. Sprinkle with cinnamon and chopped pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until edges begin to brown.
Enjoy as a delectable dessert or as a pastry at your next brunch!
Chocolate Variation! Everything is delicious with chocolate – am I right???
For the chocolate version, simply swap 1/2 cup melted chocolate in place of the strawberry jam, and immediately roll after spreading chocolate and sprinkling cinnamon and nuts. Rolling will be hampered if chocolate is left to cool and harden.
I use Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels. I prefer dark chocolate because it’s lower in sugar. Enjoy Life dark and semi-sweet chocolate chips are both gluten, dairy, nut and soy-free as well as non-GMO verified. If you like your cookies sweet then you may prefer using semi-sweet chocolate. Click link below to check out Enjoy Life Morsels.
By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you, and shipping is always free. Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
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Healthy Eating Tip: Choose almond butter over peanut butter!
Both peanuts and almonds are a good source of protein, have heart healthy monounsaturated fats, have similar amounts of calories, contain fiber, and have vitamins and minerals such as potassium, biotin, magnesium, and zinc. However, there are a few big reasons to choose almond butter over peanut butter for optimal health.
One of the main reasons I limit my intake of peanuts is because they can be inflammatory within the body. Systemic inflammation is believed to be an underlying cause of many debilitating illnesses including heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disease, irritable bowl syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and chronic pain. Omega 6 fats cause inflammation, while Omega 3 fats reduce it. Peanut butter contains too much Omega 6 fats, which can disturb the healthy balance between Omega 3 and 6 fats within the body. While a 2:1 ratio between Omega 6 and Omega 3 fats is recommended, as a result of the Standard American Diet the ratio is more often about 20:1 (1.)
The second reason I choose almond butter is because almonds are alkalizing while peanuts are acidic within the body. We are susceptible to illness when the body is in an acidic state. Our blood should be slightly alkaline (just higher than a ph of 7.) Since most Americans consume an overabundance of acidic foods such as meat, dairy, wheat, sugar, alcohol, and coffee, it’s important to find areas to make swaps to more alkaline foods whenever possible to keep our bodies in balance (2, 3.)
A further problem with peanuts is that they are prone to mold growth. This is a major trigger for asthma, allergic reactions, as well as autoimmune disease (1.)
As compared to peanut butter, almond butter has significantly more iron, calcium, and vitamin E (an antioxidant that can stop the development of plaque within the arteries,) as well as 25% more monounsaturated fats (a further link to a reduction of heart disease.) Almond butter also has half the saturated fat as peanut butter (4.)
Overall, almond butter has clear advantages over peanut butter. If peanut butter is eaten, be sure to choose an organic brand with no additives, hydrogenated oils or added sugar. The ingredients should simply be peanuts or peanuts and salt. Choose peanut butter made with Valencia peanuts since they’re grown in a way that doesn’t promote mold growth. While eating peanut butter, eat foods or take supplements that contain Omega 3 fats to keep the Omega 6:3 ratio in balance (.1)
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Ditch the grain with these incredible gluten and grain-free Strawberry Almond Butter Pinwheel Cookies made with cassava flour. You'll never miss the grain! They're the perfect to accompany your afternoon coffee or tea, brunch item, or dessert. They're sweetened with only a touch of maple syrup and strawberry jam. Who says unprocessed, "real" food can't be a scrumptious treat???
In a large bowl, blend cassava flour, xantham gum, salt, and baking soda.
In a small bowl, whisk egg. Add maple syrup and water and fully combine.
Combine the wet and dry ingredient bowl contents and add Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening. Blend into a dough, first by mixing with a spoon and then using hands to fully incorporate ingredients. If dough is too dry, add additional water - 1 Tbsp at a time. If dough is too wet, add additional cassava flour - 1 Tbsp at a time.
Split dough into 2 equal sized balls.
Place dough balls, one at a time, on a piece of parchment paper.
Roll out each of the 2 dough balls between 2 pieces of parchment paper until they're about 1/4 inch thick.
Remove top piece of parchment paper and place each rolled-out dough, with bottom parchment, onto a baking sheet.
Spread half of the almond butter (1/4 cup) onto each of the 2 pieces of rolled-out dough, leaving a 1/2 inch plain edge along one side. (This will prevent filling from overflowing at the top of the pastry when rolled up.)
Spread half of the strawberry jam (1/4 cup) to fully cover almond butter. (Any preferred jam flavor can be used such as raspberry, apricot, peach, blueberry, mixed berry, etc.)
Sprinkle 1/2 tsp cinnamon evenly over each of the 2 rolled-out pastries.
Sprinkle half of the chopped pecans (1/4 cup) over each of the 2 rolled-out pastries.
Starting with the end where the almond butter and jam were spread right to the edge, roll dough into a tight jelly roll. (I find it helpful to lift parchment to help guide the dough. See picture in body of post.)
Wrap each of the 2 individual Pinwheel Cookie logs tightly in either parchment or plastic wrap and place in freezer for one hour. (Placing logs in freezer is needed to firm up ingredients so they hold their shape during slicing - allowing for the pinwheel design.) The log is ready for slicing when a sharp knife easily slices through log without the dough losing its shape or crumbling. If crumbling occurs, the log froze excessively. Simply leave log out on counter for a few minutes before slicing.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place individual Strawberry Almond Butter Pinwheel Cookie slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (The same parchment can be used.)
In a small bowl, crack and whisk an egg.
Brush the top of each cookie with egg wash.
Sprinkle a touch of cinnamon on top of each cookie.
Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of each cookie.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until edges begin to brown.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!!
Chocolate Variation: Substitute 1/2 cup melted chocolate for the strawberry jam in the recipe above. Melt and then spread chocolate directly over the almond butter on the rolled-out dough. Be sure to roll up the pinwheels immediately after spreading chocolate. Once chocolate cools it will harden and hamper rolling. All other instruction steps are the same for both variations. Use dark chocolate for a dairy-free, less sweet version or dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate for a sweeter cookie. I use Enjoy Life brand chocolate chips, as they are gluten, dairy, nut and soy-free as well as non-GMO verified.
*These freeze perfectly.
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Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
Otto’s Cassava Flour If you haven’t tried Otto’s Cassava Flour yet, what are you waiting for?? Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 PoundCassava flour is a relatively new flour that is starting to become popular in the healthy …
If you’re anything like me, “Pop-Tarts” were a staple of your childhood. When I was little my mother would leave a box of them in a lower cabinet so my brother and I could get breakfast for ourselves on weekends, and she and my dad …
Whether right out of the pan or filled with your favorite toppings, these tortilla wraps are outstanding! While cooking up a batch I literally have to stop myself from eating them all before I finish making them. They’re sooooo yummy on their own… especially warm! These tortilla wraps do so much more for your meal than just hold it together!
Knowing these delicious, gluten-free, grain-free tortilla wraps are always in my freezer gives me comfort that any member of my family can throw together a whole-food, satisfying meal in minutes!
Here are some ways my family enjoys these tortilla wraps. (See Yuca Pairing recipe links below.)
This recipe was developed by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne of ThePaleoMom.com (See her full recipe link below.) A big thank you to her for creating such AWESOME tortillas!
All it takes is a few simple ingredients and about 30 minutes of your time.
Ingredients:
-cream of tartar
-baking soda
-warm water
Simply mix dry ingredients together, add oil and water, then blend until a dough forms. Toward the end it may be easier to knead with your hands into a large ball of dough.
Divide dough ball into smaller balls, depending on the number and size of tortilla wraps desired.
Roll out each ball with a rolling pin on parchment paper, or use a tortilla press if you’re lucky enough to have one. (A tortilla press is DEFINITELY on my wish list!) ThePaleoMom uses one in her video and her tortillas come out PERFECT in a fraction of the time! Click here for full recipe and video from Thepaleomom.com.
Place each rolled-out tortilla wrap in an UN-GREASED, preheated frying pan and cook on medium heat for 1-2 minutes until bubbles begin to form.
Flip and cook the second side for 30-60 seconds. Each side should cook enough to form brown spots as seen below.
Stack each tortilla wrap on a plate, with parchment paper between each layer to prevent them from sticking together. They’re now ready to be filled with your favorite toppings. Once cooled they can also be frozen this way in a sealed plastic bag.
Otto’s Cassava Flour is available in some specialty markets or can be purchased by clicking the link below!
Otto’s Naturals 100% Natural Cassava Flour Made from Yuca Root Bag, 2 Pound
No time to make these Cassava Flour Tortilla Wraps, but want to try a great ready-made version? I highly recommend Siete Cassava and Coconut Tortillas. These are YUMMY!!!
*By ordering recommended products through our website we get a small percentage of the sale which helps to support the maintenance of Crazy For Yuca. There’s absolutely no additional charge to you. I only recommend products that I’ve personally tried, use in my own kitchen, and believe are high quality ingredients or products. Thank you so much for supporting Crazy For Yuca’s efforts to bring you the latest yuca/cassava recipes!
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Healthy Eating Tip: Double your batch and freeze them for a quick, satisfying meal in minutes! These tortillas freeze perfectly! I make about a dozen and freeze them with parchment paper between them in a large zippered plastic bag. They’re then ready to be pulled out whenever a family member wants to make a quick breakfast wrap, salad wrap, taco, fajita, etc. They also hit the spot when you need a quick snack and would otherwise grab cookies or chips. For a soft bendable wrap, just heat frozen tortilla wrap in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds or bake in the oven/toaster oven for 1-2 minutes. They can also be toasted (whole or first cut into wedges) for more of a crunchy cracker. Eat plain or dip into guacamole or hummus for a healthy snack or side dish. They are so versatile!
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Click here for Veggie Egg recipe
Click here for Taco Meat recipe
Click here for Zesty Chicken Salad Dijonnaise
Click here for Easy Go-To Crockpot Chicken recipe.
Having cooked chicken or taco meat on hand ensures a healthy wrap can be thrown together in minutes any time!
How do you like your tortilla wraps? Comment below and let me know what you think of these tortilla wraps and about your own unique creations!
Disclaimer– In Crazy for Yuca I write about my own personal health and diet journey. My experience and recipes are not to be considered expert advice or suggestive that anyone follow any particular diet protocol. Each person’s body and medical issues are individual and need to be evaluated by a medical professional. If you have any concerns due to your specific diagnoses, please consult your doctor before eating yuca.
“Yuca-ta” Try These Cassava Flour Pancakes got their name because no one can believe they’re made with anything other than wheat flour! The taste is truly indistinguishable! These pancakes have been taste tasted on my husband, my kids, and a bunch of their friends with …
Welcome to the first post of the new blog Crazy For Yuca! What is yuca??? It’s the key to living happy, healthy and gluten-free! ***** First, let’s answer the basic question on everybody’s mind – “What is yuca???” Yuca (pronounced yoo-ka) is an incredibly …
