exploring grain-free recipes

Recently I mentioned that my husband and I are revisiting the Maker's Diet. (Phase 3 begins this coming week!) One of the big things about the first four weeks is that there are no grains allowed. None, not even properly soaked or sprouted ones. No wheat, no rice, no millet, no quinoa. It's a pretty big change from the way we normally eat.

Early on, I was inspired to seek out alternative recipes. I'm thankful to say that I was able to find many grain-free recipes among the community of real food bloggers.




Almond Flour

These crackers are a recipe I originally found for Elise. Grains are super hard on the digestive system of young children, and I am attempting to keep my baby away from grains as much as possible for the next year or so. I do let her have them sometimes (properly prepared), but for the most part I'm steering clear.

At any rate, these Vegan Herb Crackers ended up being an amazingly delicious find. Jeff, Elise,and I love them! They're made with almond flour (which you can make at home for a fraction of what it costs buy the product ready-made). They're so simple to make, too - assuming you have parchment paper handy.




Coconut Flour

Another flour I've been experimenting with is coconut flour. High in protein, high in fiber, and low in carbohydrates, it seemed to make perfect sense. Coconut is extremely nutritious, besides the nutritional benefits to coconut flour, these recipes only call for a small amount. A little of it goes quite a long way. Thus, it's more frugal than it may seem at first.

We've been loving Coconut Flour Pancakes in the morning. Smeared with butter and almond butter, they are delectable! There's no need to plan ahead and soak the flour. And one recipe uses three eggs, so they are nutrient-dense.

Another great recipe is for Coconut Flour Bread. It's delicious as a simple addition to dinner, or toasted to go alongside eggs at breakfast. It is a shallow, dense bread which doesn't lend itself to sandwiches, but it works very nicely with a beautiful pat of butter.




Going Grain-Free

I'm so thankful to have found these recipes as we make our way through the six weeks of the Maker's Diet. Jeff and I even enjoyed sausage pizza last week, thanks to an almond flour crust recipe. I don't intend to stay away from grains indefinitely, but going grain-free for a few weeks has certainly been eye-opening. I've so much enjoyed playing with the recipes, and it's nice to have options of things I can make for my little girl.

So while I don't intend to avoid grains forever, I do plan to continue seeking a variety of nutrient-rich recipes. It's fun, it's healthy, and my waistline appreciates the low-carb lifestyle!