be well (coconut flour)

Coconut Flour:
Coconut flour is fiber from the coconut meat after most of the oil has been extracted to make virgin coconut oil or coconut milk. The great news is it’s not only a gluten free flour, it’s a grain free flour too. So for those who follow strict grain free diets (like my SCD diet), coconut flour opens up a world of delicious baked goods. It’s also high in fiber and has fairly high protein too. When you make these into muffins, breads, and cakes, they are quite filling (probably because of the fiber content). The flour is also “sweet” by itself because of the natural sugars in the coconut, meaning that you don’t have to sweetened it as much. It also seems that coconut flour does not effect mineral availability (not sure exactly what this means yet. but it sounds good!).

Coconut flour makes an excellent addition to shakes and smoothies where fiber and protein are needed. I love to bake with it because it is already sweet but I've even heard of people who dissolve a spoonful in water as a high-fiber drink with a coconut flavor! Organic coconut flour is very versatile and very tasty. Sprinkle it over your favorite dishes to add a wonderful coconut flavor, use it as a thickener in soups and sauces - so many possibilities!

Some things to consider:

Coconut flour is less expensive than almond flour BUT you have to use more eggs and butter in the recipes and that can add up pretty quickly. Also coconut flour (like I said) is high in fiber - which means even though I want to eat all of my muffins at once... it is not the best idea. Everything is better in moderation :)

P.S. Baking coconut muffins right now (a stable for my school week) - recipe and pictures to come!