I’ve all the time loved baking with different flours, particularly in growing new cookie recipes for my cookie dough firm, Fittersweet. My coursework from the Academy of Culinary Diet fueled that enjoyable even additional. These days, I’ve been on a little bit of a banana bread kick, and have been experimenting with completely different flour choices for that. Many gluten free baking recipes depend on almond flour, which I like, however I’ve discovered that utilizing all almond flour can typically depart baked items somewhat heavy or oily, so I’ve been attempting to combine it up a bit by baking with coconut flour.
Well being Advantages of Baking With Coconut Flour
Picture: Aline Ponce from Pixabay
I’m unsure how coconut flour has escaped my consciousness till now, however now that I’ve discovered it, I’m completely satisfied to sing its praises. Coconut flour has many distinctive attributes, however essentially the most compelling to me is its excessive stage of dietary fiber.
That is one thing that hasn’t meant lots to me prior to now, however now I’ve lived sufficient life to know the way useful it may be! Coconut flour has the best fiber content material of any flour, and can be excessive in wholesome saturated fat (medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs for brief) that the physique can simply use for vitality and to stabilize blood sugar.
Extra well being advantages of coconut flour embrace:
- Coconut flour has a low glycemic load of solely 3
- Simply two tablespoons can present 10% of your advisable each day protein
- It’s a supply of iron, which helps assist vitality ranges
- It helps many dietary types, together with Paleo, keto, grain-free, vegan and Autoimmune Paleo (AIP)
Suggestions for Baking With Coconut Flour
Regardless of its fantastic health-promoting qualities, baking with coconut flour could be a problem. It readily absorbs liquid, making it not possible to swap out one-to-one for different flours. It’s greatest to seek out recipes which have already been examined moderately than simply incorporating it into one in every of your favorite recipes.
Nonetheless, should you’d prefer to experiment with substituting coconut flour:
- The best way to substitute: Use 1/4 cup of coconut flour instead of 1 cup glutenous flour (or one other gluten-free flour). You’ll additionally want so as to add an additional 1/4 cup of liquid.
Study extra about working with gluten-free flours on this Gluten-Free Flour Information + Substitution Reference.
My Favorite Methods to Use Coconut Flour
Double Chocolate Coconut Flour Banana Bread Recipe
Presently, my favorite approach to make use of coconut flour is on this banana bread recipe. The feel is completely different than commonplace banana bread, however it’s deliciously chocolatey and you may style the goodness of the coconut flour. It’s additionally made with none added sugar, and depends solely on the sweetness of the ripe bananas and darkish chocolate chips. Plus, the fiber within the coconut flour helps forestall any blood sugar spikes.
This chocolate deal with will actually depart you energized!
- 3 very ripe bananas
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup almond butter
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 2 Tbsp cacao powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp wonderful sea salt
- ½ cup darkish chocolate chips (Ghiradelli 72% chocolate chips are fantastic), or coconut sugar sweetened chocolate chips (I like Sante chips by Guittard)
- ½ cup toasted walnuts
- 2 Tbsp cacao nibs, non-compulsory
- Preheat the oven to 350 levels. Grease a loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
- In a mixer bowl, mix bananas, vanilla and almond butter till creamy.
- Add eggs and blend till mixed.
- Stir in coconut flour, baking soda, cacao powder and salt.
- Fold in chocolate chips, toasted walnuts, and cacao nibs, if utilizing.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes.
- Cool in pan for 20 minutes. Invert onto cooling rack and let absolutely cool. (Alternatively, slice into it whereas it’s nonetheless heat and make a multitude. That is what I normally do!)
- Prep Time: quarter-hour
- Cook dinner Time: 35 minutes
Key phrases: banana bread, coconut flour banana bread, gluten-free banana bread, grain-free banana bread, chocolate banana bread, coconut flour
About The Writer: Ericka Thielke
Ericka is a graduate of the 2021 Culinary Diet Knowledgeable Program, and owns Fittersweet Cookie Dough, a nutrient-dense cookie dough that options premium darkish chocolate. She can be a licensed chocolatier and loves combining her new data of culinary diet with chocolate. She spends her free time discovering methods to include chocolate right into a wholesome life.
Ericka teaches piano in Seattle, and lives along with her husband, Stephen, and two daughters who’re in faculty.
Study Extra: www.fittersweet.com
