Where I Buy Ingredients…and Information on Coconut Oil
I have often received emails with questions on where I buy my ingredients. Hopefully this post will help answer those questions. I love sales, especially the clearance racks and watch for food items to go on sale. I don’t like to spend a lot of money on things. When we switched to Paleo, it almost killed me to pay $8.00 for a pound of coconut flour and some exorbitant amount for a small jar of coconut oil. I absolutely refused to even try almond flour as it was well over $10 a pound. And then there is raw honey–which is another not-so-cheap ingredient in unrefined baking. It was clear I was going to have to do something different than buying all these things at the health food store.
To begin with, we belong to a co-op called Azure Standard. I am not positive, but I think that they deliver all over the country. There are requirements for how much is ordered in the group (around $500) and individually you need to spend $50 or more in order for them to send the shipment. They sell a lot of items in bulk and their prices are typically fantastic. These are some of the things I order from Azure Standard and the approximate price I pay (but prices change all the time).
Azure Standard Products
-Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour ($22.00 for a 5 pound bag = $4.40/lb.)
-Coconut Secret Coconut Flour ($24.00 for a 5 pound bag =$4.80/lb.)
-Organic, Unsweetened Shredded Coconut ($15.00 for a 5 pound bag = $3.00/lb.)
-Thai Organic Coconut Milk (canned) ($27.50 for 12 – 14 oz. cans = $2.29/can)
-Coconut Secret Raw, Organic Coconut Aminos (I use this as a soy sauce substitute) ($4.50 for 8 oz.)
-Earth Circle Organics Raw Cacao Powder (raw cacao is much more beneficial to you than cocoa) ($12.00/lb.)
-Cashews, Raw, Small Pieces (in most of my cooking I chop them up so this works for me) ($20 for a 5 pound bag = $4.00/lb.)
-Cashews, Raw, Whole ($40.00 for a 5 pound bag = $8.00/lb.)
-Sunflower Seeds, Raw, Organic ($10 for a 5 pound bag = $2.00/lb.)
I also buy a lot of things at Costco. If you have one of those close to you, you might be surprised how much they carry that you can eat. There is a yearly membership fee like Sam’s Club, but we find for our family it is definitely worth it. Costco product selection varies from store to store, so no guarantees your store will carry these things.
Costco Products
-Almonds (unsalted, unroasted) ($10 for a 3 pound bag = $3.33/lb.)
-Sunmaid Organic Raisins ($8.00 for 2 pounds = $4.00/lb.)
-Walnuts (unsalted, unroasted) ($15.00 for 5 pounds = $3.00/lb.)
-Organic Fuji Apples (price changes depending on the season but is usually around $1.50/lb.)
-Organic Baby Spinach (couple bucks for a big, 1 pound container)
-Bananas (price varies, but cheaper than our grocery stores)
-Vanilla (16 ounces for appr. $6.00)
-Maranatha Roasted Almond Butter, Smooth (26 ounce jar for appr. $6.00)
-Butter (currently $8.00 for 4 pounds = $2.00/lb. — pastured, organic butter would be much better for you though)
-Eggs (currently $8.00 for 5 dozen = $1.60/dozen — again, farm fresh organic would be better for you)
-Kirkland Maple Syrup (pure, Grade A) (32 ounces for appr. $14.00)
Coconut Oil Info
Most of the ingredients I buy come from one of the two places mentioned above. Coconut oil, however, has been an interesting research project and trial. I first started with a small jar that was really expensive from our local grocery store. Then, I went in with a few other ladies on a 5 gallon bucket from some company that we split (but was inconvenient for the lady who received it to try and divide it evenly). Then, I ordered 1 gallon from a company that Azure Standard sells. It didn’t have a lot of information on it, but said it was raw, cold-pressed and organic so I thought it must be good. At this time I started to learn about what to look for in a coconut oil. This [lengthy] article on coconut oil by Dr. Mercola states the things you should look for when choosing a coconut oil. In a nutshell, these are the things to look for:
1. USDA Certified
2. Unrefined
3. No chemicals added
4. Unbleached
5. Undeodorized
6. Not hydrogenated
7. Not GMO (genetically modified) or hybrid coconuts
8. Made from FRESH coconuts, not dried coconuts (used in cheap coconut oils)
9. Not processed with heat
Mercola’s website sells a good brand for $65.45 a gallon (currently the sale price), Tropical Traditions also has a good coconut oil for $65.00 a gallon (currently, through March 15th), and then there is the brand that I use: Nutiva–which is currently selling their organic, extra-virgin coconut oil at $59.99 a gallon (this also is on sale). Since I ordered my first gallon of Organic, Extra-Virgin Nutiva Coconut Oil, the price has increased slightly, but the “one-gallon price” has always been on sale. That is not to say that it will always be on sale, but I liked that it wasn’t just a “one-week deal” or anything.
Nutiva also offers FREE shipping on orders over $30.00, so if you like to buy in bulk like me, that just tops off the cake! I became an affiliate of their company soon afterwards because I love their coconut oil and love their prices! Their coconut oil meets Dr. Mercola’s standards and their price is even cheaper than Azure Standard sells Nutiva Coconut Oil for (surprisingly!) So, if you do decide to order from Nutiva, I’d love it if you wanted to go through my link. I do get a small compensation from Nutiva if you do decide to order through my link.
Just a little more on coconut oil…when I mentioned before that I had bought a brand of coconut oil that was raw, cold-pressed and organic…it was, but I found out after calling the company that it came from dried copra instead of fresh coconuts. The next coconut oil I ordered was Nutiva. When I received it, I could actually smell a difference between the two. The Nutiva brand smelled fresher to me! (Granted, I do have a super-strong nose…and it is even more sensitive being pregnant…)
Raw Honey
It is very beneficial to your health if you can find local, raw honey. I have heard that it helps with allergies other things if you can buy locally. This may take some research for you to find. If you do find a good supplier though, it is well-worth it. Raw honey can range anywhere from $2.00 a pound (the cheapest I’ve ever seen it) up to $5.00 a pound (and probably higher)! I buy honey in one gallon containers to save money.
Grass-Fed Beef
Grass-Fed Beef is a great thing to find locally. We found someone who raises his beef grass-fed and doesn’t use hormones or antibiotics on them. It is basically organic without being “certified” which costs farmers an arm and a leg to do so. If you can afford to buy 1/2 beef, that is probably going to be your best price. We split a half-beef between 3 families…and I don’t think it will last our family too long…
Other Products
I buy produce when it is on sale at our grocery store or at Costco. Our Costco carries a lot of organic produce which is fantastic! And I actually buy sweet potatoes and yams )non-organic) at Wal-Mart…they are almost half of the price of our grocery stores. I buy Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Chips at Wal-Mart as well.
Hopefully this information has been helpful to you. If you don’t have a Costco or something similar nearby that you can buy in bulk from, check around to see what is close to you. I’ve heard that “Whole Foods” is a great store to buy organic products, but we do not have one here. Let me know if you have further questions or suggestions to other places that you buy your ingredients!
Grasshopper Pie (Grain-free, Dairy-free!!)
This was our Valentine’s Day Dessert this year! It isn’t as simple as opening a box of ice cream and a package of oreos, but this way it is grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free! It combines a few different recipes that I’ve already posted.
Grasshopper Pie
Ingredients:
2-3 cups prepared Mint-Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (we used 3 cups, but this is more than one recipe of the ice cream…)
3/4 cup almond flour
3/4 cup almonds, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup raw honey
3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted (or butter)
3 Tbsp. cocoa or cacao
Coconut Whipped Cream and/or melted chocolate chips for garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine almond flour, almonds, salt, honey, butter and cocoa in a bowl.
3. Press into a 9″ pie plate.
4. Bake at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
5. Cool completely and place in freezer.
6. If your ice cream is already prepared and in the freezer, let it stand at room temperature until you can scoop and spread it fairly easily. Fill frozen pie shell with softened ice cream and place back into freezer to firm up. (If you prepare your ice cream after making the crust, you can pour it right into the crust from the ice cream maker.)
7. (Optional) Decorate pie with prepared coconut whipped cream and/or melted chocolate. Place back in the freezer until ready to serve! Remove pie from freezer for a few minutes before cutting and serving.
*I have only made this recipe once, and even though we loved it, we did have a bit of trouble with the crust coming apart from the ice cream section…if anyone has any tips that would help that, let me know!
Shared on Allergy-Free Wednesdays and Proverbs 31 Thursdays Link-Up!
Mint-Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
This Mint-Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is my new favorite dessert…I hope you like it as well!! I can’t wait to try using more spinach and seeing if the taste is still unnoticeable. I’ve tried this both with raw spinach and steamed and couldn’t taste it in either batch. I have read that eating cooked spinach is better than raw, but I’m sure that is disputed. So decide for yourself which way you think is healthier and make it that way.
Mint-Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Ingredients:
1 can full-fat coconut milk (I love the Thai brand)
1/2 cup baby spinach leaves, lightly steamed (or raw, if preferred)
3-4 Tbsp. raw honey
1 tsp. peppermint flavoring
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 – 1/3 cup Homemade Dark Chocolate Chips or store-bought dark chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Put spinach, coconut milk and honey in a blender and blend on high speed until there are no spinach pieces left. (In mine, you can barely see little flecks of green. If your blender isn’t powerful to blend fully, strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer.)
2. Add peppermint and vanilla and blend briefly to combine. Taste and adjust flavoring/sweeteners to your liking.
3. Pour mixture into frozen bowl of ice cream maker and follow directions for your ice cream maker to make into ice cream.
4. Once ice cream is soft-serve consistency, stir in chocolate chips by hand and enjoy or freeze in a sealed container for later!
Hungarian Hortobagy Pancakes (thin pancakes with meat filling and sauce)
I made these one night after I had a pregnancy craving for them. I haven’t had them since I was in Hungary nine years ago, but I never forgot their delicious taste! I have fond memories of the family I ate these with and the sweet lady who made them for my team and I. Unfortunately for me, the original recipe contains flour, sour cream and milk…but I was able to come up with substitutions and I will be making them again! I hope you enjoy this main dish!
Hungarian Hortobagy Pancakes (thin pancakes with meat filling and sauce)
Pancake Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. coconut flour
1/4 cup arrowroot
1 1/3 cup almond milk
8 eggs
2 tsp. coconut oil or butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
(extra oil or butter for greasing pan)
Pancake Directions:
1. Combine above ingredients in a blender and blend until just combined.
2. Preheat a 10″ skillet on medium heat.
3. Lightly grease pan with coconut oil or butter.
4. Put 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup batter in skillet.
5. Once pancake is set, use a square turner to flip pancake and cook briefly on the other side.
6. Set pancakes aside.
*Makes 11 pancakes.
Filling Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts, cubed (I’ve heard pork is a great filling as well!)
1/2 onion
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 Tbsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Filling Directions:
1. Finely chop onion. Cook in a skillet with oil until transparent.
2. Add chicken, paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Cook until tender and chicken is cooked through.
4. Remove chicken and onions from heat (I use a mesh strainer to separate juices).
5. Put juices back into pan.
6. Shred the chicken.
Sauce Ingredients:
Juices from cooking chicken/onion
1 cup coconut milk (canned)
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. arrowroot
Sauce Directions:
1. Combine coconut milk and lemon juice in a small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes. (This is our sour cream substitute.)
2. Thicken the juices in the pan with arrowroot and 2 Tbsp. of the coconut milk/lemon juice mixture.
3. Bring juice to boil and then add the rest of the coconut cream/lemon juice mixture to it. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes or until sauce is heated through.
Assembly of Pancakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put 2 Tbsp. of the sauce into the chicken/onion mixture.
3. Spread chicken mixture on pancakes. Fold up.
4. Put (8) rolled up pancakes in a 9×9 baking dish and pour sauce over the top of the pancakes. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until sauce is bubbling. (You will have 3 leftover pancakes…save these for fruit and coconut whipped cream for dessert later!)
*To roll-up the filled pancakes, I just folded in two opposite sides and then folded the other two sides in and laid them in the pan, folds down.
Raisin Nut Crunch Cereal
Finally! A cereal-substitute we like that reminds us of cereal!! The recipe I based this one off of is from Civilized Caveman and is found here. Thanks for the great recipe, Civilized Caveman!
Raisin Nut Crunch Cereal
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 Tbsp. squash seeds (or more pumpkin seeds)
1/2 cup almond meal (I used dried almond pulp from making almond milk)
1 1/3 cup coconut
1 cup almonds, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/4 cup raw honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup raisins (added after cereal is baked)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine all dry ingredients (except raisins).
3. Warm coconut oil and honey slightly so they are easily incorporated. Pour oil, honey and vanilla over dry ingredients. Mix well
4. Spread cereal mixture over large baking pan (15 x 10 or bigger) and bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Take out of oven, stir mixture and bake for another 5-7 minutes.
5. Cool. Add raisins and serve with homemade coconut milk or homemade almond milk! Store in an airtight container.
Pumpkin Streusel Pie
I love baking in the fall! The smells of apples, pumpkin and cinnamon are so warm and welcoming! Before I switched to being grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free, my favorite pumpkin pie was one that had a streusel topping. One of my favorite things to do is taking recipes that I used to eat and recreating them so I can still enjoy them! Pumpkin Streusel Pie is one of those recipes. Enjoy!
To view the recipe, see my guest post for The Nourishing Gourmet here.
Swedish Pancakes (Thin Pancakes)
Swedish pancakes was one of my absolute favorite breakfasts growing up. I know I requested it multiple times for my “birthday breakfast”. It was another one of those food items I had missed since going grain-free. I say had missed because now I can enjoy them again! My dad always made swedish pancakes for us on a lefse griddle. I also make swedish pancakes on a lefse griddle, but you should be able to make them in a skillet on the stove.
Swedish Pancakes
Ingredients:
8 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
3 Tbsp. coconut flour
1/4 cup arrowroot
1/4 tsp. salt
butter or oil
Directions:
1. Preheat griddle or skillet. (I set my lefse griddle to 325 degrees.)
2. Combine all the ingredients in a blender.
3. Blend until just combined.
4. Butter or grease skillet. (I take a stick of butter and rub the end of it around the griddle.)
5. Pour a thin layer of batter on griddle or skillet. Tip griddle or skillet in a circular motion to spread it out. Cook until the bottom is lightly browned. Flip over and cook briefly until that side is lightly browned. Enjoy!
*Serve with fresh fruit, maple syrup or just eat it plain!
Coconut Flour Waffles
We love waffles. And these waffles make us pretty happy, especially considering they are paleo!
Coconut Flour Waffles
Makes: 5-6 four-inch waffles
Ingredients:
4 eggs, separated
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted (or other oil)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup almond milk or coconut milk
1/4 cup sifted coconut flour
1/2 Tbsp. honey
Directions:
1. Put all the egg whites in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a second mixing bowl, combine egg yolks and all the rest of the ingredients.
3. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter mixture and gently mix until egg whites are incorporated.
4. Pour appropriate amount unto your waffle iron and cook. (On my waffle iron, I put 1 – 1 1/2 cups of batter on it and cook for 2 1/2 -3 1/2 minutes.)
5. Serve with fruit, pure maple syrup, and/or coconut whipped cream!
*This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled and the leftovers saved for later!
Shared on Pennywise Platter on 3/29/12!
Strawberry-Peach Smoothie
Strawberry-Peach Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 peach, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 cup strawberries, frozen
3/4 cup almond milk or coconut milk
1 Tbsp. coconut oil, slightly warmed
Directions:
1. Blend peach, strawberries and milk in blender until smooth.
2. Slowly pour coconut oil into blender while blending.
3. Enjoy!!
Peach Delight (Paleo, Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free!)
I would always look forward to the time of year when we would order peaches from Youth for Christ. Those peaches were always so good! Mom would always make Peach Delight with some of those peaches and it was just so tasty! I decided to try and modify that recipe so that it would be grain-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free and Paleo-friendly! Our two-year old daughter kept asking for “more” last night so we’re going to claim it is even kid-friendly!
Peach Delight
Crust Ingredients:
3 egg whites
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup sifted coconut flour
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Crust Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form.
3. Add honey, baking powder, vanilla, and coconut flour to egg whites. Mix so that there is no lumps.
4. Fold in walnuts and pecans.
5. Spread mixture evenly in the bottom of a greased, 8×8 pan.
6. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.
Topping Ingredients:
Coconut milk (1 – 14 oz. can of full fat–though you won’t use the whole can)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. honey
3-4 peaches
Topping Directions:
1. Refrigerate can of coconut milk for at least 1 day. Open can but DO NOT SHAKE. Scoop off 1/2 -2/3 cup of top “cream” layer. (Reserve the rest for something else). Whip coconut cream until it becomes “whipped cream” texture. If it is too thick, add a bit of the coconut liquid in the can to thin it.
2. Add vanilla and honey and mix to incorporate.
3. Peel and slice peaches into desired sizes. Combine peaches with whipped cream and pour over cooled crust. Enjoy!
Notes:
*Store in the fridge.
*You can also use maple syrup for the sweetener for the whipped cream. You can make it sweeter by adding more of your desired sweetener.