Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Pancakes

I have been trying to find the perfect gluten free pancake for a long time now. I read recipes online about mixing eggs with bananas alone, which worked out pretty decently texture-wise, but I felt like it was too eggy of a flavor for me. I also tried adding a little coconut flour or almond flour to the mix but I still wasn't satisfied with the results.

Finally I decided to try something different, sweet potatoes! They added a nice sweet flavor, and the texture worked out beautifully. Is it the perfect pancake? No, probably not. However, they are the first gluten free pancake I've had that actually tasted like a pancake and I really enjoyed eating. They had a slightly spongy-like texture and the perfect balance of sweet and spice. I did use regular whole milk in the recipe, but I think coconut or almond milk would also work to moisten the batter if you are trying to go dairy free. With fall just around the corner, this is a great breakfast for the season. :)

Chocolate Cake Roll with Strawberry Cream Filling

I made myself a mixture of avocado, strawberries, and lemon juice together to go with my lunch at work yesterday. It was actually quite tasty, so I thought I would try to incorporate avocado and strawberries together into a dessert somehow. I had a couple of cans of coconut milk chilled already in the fridge, so I wanted to incorporate those into the mix as well. I decided to stick with a chocolate base, since...well...chocolate just makes everything taste better!

While this dessert doesn't really feature the avocado as much as I originally planned, you can still taste a slight hint of it within the cake. The main features are chocolate, strawberries, and creamy coconut flavors. I will warn you though, it's not as sweet as it looks. I did not use any baking soda or baking powder either, so it's not very fluffy. But overall, it still tasted pretty good. Not the best cake in the world, but certainly not the worst. Plus it's gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, contains no leavening agents, and is made with real wholesome ingredients! Now I don't have to feel so guilty when I have a slice. :)

Chocolate Swirled Banana Bread

Okay, so my husband has been asking me for weeks to make him some banana bread, but we've been eating so many bananas lately that they never got ripe enough to work with! I just noticed yesterday that there were 3 overly ripe bananas that needed to be used, so I figured banana bread would be the perfect way to do it!

I tried to switch it up by adding two different flavors swirled together; one chocolate and the other cinnamon. I didn't exactly get the swirled effect I was hoping for, but you can sort of tell there are two different flavors in there...anyway it still tastes good, and that's what matters anyway! It is also quite fluffy for a coconut flour loaf. It is a little dry, but I found it went very well with some fresh banana slices and a glass of milk!

The version I made is mix-in free, but I think it would be lovely with some walnuts or raisins mixed in. I'd also like to note that I prefer a slightly bitter taste to my chocolate, so if you have a sweet tooth you may want to add in some extra honey. Adjust the recipe to fit your personal preference, there's no rules in the kitchen. :)

Chocolate Pomegranate Cake with Coconut Caramel Icing

So when browsing the grocery store a couple days ago I saw that pomegranates were on sale. Believe it or not, I had never actually had a pomegranate before now. I've had the juice before, so I had a pretty good idea of what they tasted like. But WOW! I never would have guessed the seeds would be so juicy and delicious. They just release a wonderful burst of flavor in your mouth when you bite down on one. Oh yes, and they are definitely a wonderful compliment to caramel and chocolate (but then again what doesn't compliment chocolate??)

Since this was my first pomegranate experience, I actually had no idea how to prepare one! So, after doing some research online, I found several people suggesting the best way to prepare them is by scooping out the seeds under water. How cool is that? I read several pages talking about how the seeds badly stain clothes and counter tops, so I am glad I researched it before diving right in!!

You'll see in the recipe below I also used some of the water from soaking the pomegranate seeds in my cake and icing. It didn't make a whole lot of difference flavor wise, so feel free to use regular water if you prepare your pomegranates using a different method, or if you buy pomegranate seeds alone.

And for those of you who may be wondering, this cake is actually not as dense as most coconut flour cakes. It is lighter than a pound cake, but heavier than an angel food cake. Its a very nice weight and tastes decadent and moist.

 I really had a lot of fun with this recipe! As you may be able to tell from all of the pictures in this post...I just couldn't help myself. Pomegranate seeds are just so lovely, almost like tiny rubies! They are so fun to decorate with, and definitely fun to eat. :)

Breakfast Tomato and Egg Half-Loaf

I realized a few weeks ago that I have never actually owned a loaf pan. I always see such wonderful recipes for loaves that I want to try, but I usually end up turning them into muffins instead. Somehow I just couldn't justify spending $15 on a piece of cookware that essentially just turns bread into a different shape. I mean when you have a muffin tin and cake tins, is there really a need?
 
Well, since I've started experimenting more in the kitchen lately, I didn't really care if I needed it. I just knew I wanted it. :) Then my wonderful parent-in-laws gave me a Target gift card as an early birthday present! I decided I was going to use that as an excuse to go cookware shopping! I mean, why not? Everything is usually on sale this time of year anyway, and at the moment I didn't really need anything else. So...I broke down and bought me a loaf pan finally, among other cookware goodies you can expect to see in future posts!

But enough about my pan, I'm sure you don't care about that.On to the food!

I was craving eggs one morning, but  I didn't want something boring like an omelet or scrambled eggs. Then I remembered, ohhh, I have my new loaf pan! So I decided I would make an egg loaf with some tomatoes, herbs, and diced peppers. I thought it was delicious! But I have to admit, it was not a hit with the hubby. He's not really a fan of eggs, so it was to be expected. This loaf does have a pretty eggy flavor, so if you are looking for straight up bread, you won't find it here.

You will find, however, a soft and juicy loaf of peppery egg goodness!