How to Use Coconut Flour

How to Use Coconut Flour.

Coconut flour is an alternative to wheat flour. It can be used to make recipes low-carb and gluten-free. Whatever the reason you want to switch to coconut flour, you can use it in a variety of ways, including baking, but you need to make sure you know how to use it before you start cooking with it.

Method 1 Using Coconut Flour in Baking.

1. Add less coconut flour than you would wheat flour. Coconut flour is much more absorbent than wheat flour. That means that you usually need much less of it in a baking recipe. How much less depends on the recipe, but you may be using as little as a third of what you'd normally use.

2. Consider adding extra protein. Because coconut flour has less protein than wheat flour, it can sometimes come off as a bit dense. Wheat flour produces gluten, which helps provide stretch and bite to baked goods. It can help to add in a bit of whey powder to your recipe when using coconut flour to help replace the gluten.

3. Pay attention to differences between flours. Not every coconut flour is the same. Some are denser than others, making your recipes turn out differently. Pay attention to what the dough looks like before you bake it. It should be similar in consistency to a dough made with wheat flour. If it's not, you may need to adjust the recipe.

4. Add liquids in equal parts. Unlike recipes calling for wheat flour, you need to add a significant amount of liquid to dough using coconut flour. Usually, you'll use one part liquid to one part coconut flour. You can use water, coconut milk, milk, or any other liquid you think would go well with the recipe.

Another way to avoid dryness is to add pureed fruits to your baked goods, such as applesauce or pumpkin.

5. Add extra eggs. When baking with coconut flour, the texture of the finished product relies more heavily on the eggs than it does on the flour. That means you need to add extra eggs when baking with coconut flour. You may use as many as 6 eggs while only using 1/2 a cup (118 milliliters) of coconut flour.

6. Try an established recipe first. That is, you may decide you want to just substitute coconut flour in your favorite recipe. However, that's likely to end in disaster if you just substitute coconut flour for wheat flour one to one. It's better to use a recipe made for coconut flour that someone has already tested. Once you get the hang of baking with coconut flour, then you can start making changes to fit your needs.

Looking for a good place to start? These coconut flour cupcakes are simple but delicious!

Method 2 Using Coconut Flour in Other Ways.

1. Add it as a binder for meatloaf and meatballs. Coconut flour works well as a binder in recipes where you'd normally use ingredients like cracker or bread crumbs, such as meatloaf. However, you will need to double the liquid in the recipe because the coconut flour will absorb so much of it.

2. Experiment with using it in sauces. Some people have good luck using it to thicken sauces, while others do not. In fact, some cooks recommend not trying it at all. However, you should experiment and see what works for you. You may find it works well as a thickener for your purposes. Don't forget that coconut flour will absorb more liquid than wheat flour, though, so only try a little bit at a time.

3. Use it as a base for coconut shrimp or chicken. If you want to make coconut chicken or shrimp, coconut flour makes a good base. Simply dip the meat into an egg wash first (whisked egg), then dip it into the coconut flour. You can also season it with salt and pepper. Next, dip it back into the egg, then roll it in coconut flakes. Finally, fry the meat as normal in oil.

Desember 27, 2019

how to make recipes with chia seeds

How to Make Recipes With Chia Seeds.

Chia seeds are high in Omega-3 fatty acids and contain high levels of antioxidants and valuable nutrients. They are rich in fiber and do not need to be ground for your body to absorb their nutrients. Chia seeds can be used in many different ways. Follow these steps to make more recipes with chia seeds.







Method 1 Use Chia Seeds as a Topping.



Perhaps one of the easiest ways to add chia seeds to your diet is to sprinkle them on top of breakfast foods, baked goods, salads, and even meat dishes. They can be added before or after the food is cooked. Chia seeds have a nutty flavor and can even be eaten alone but if you choose to use them as a topping, try these suggestions to make sure they pair well with your recipes.



Add chia seeds as a topping for granola or cereal. Using chia seeds with recipes that are grain-based will make the seeds less noticeable. Oatmeal, muesli, and other breakfast grains make ideal bases for a sprinkle of chia seeds.



Top baked goods with chia seeds. Breads, muffins, granola bars, and other grain-based baked goods are simple receptacles for a few chia seeds.

If added before baking, the seeds develop a toasted flavor and may settle into the batter or dough. If added afterwards, do so while the baked good is still warm to enable the seed to attach itself firmly to the product.

Cobblers and streusels can easily incorporate a small handful of chia seeds with little noticeable impact on flavor, even for sweet dishes.



Sprinkle chia seeds on dairy products. Yogurt and ice cream can benefit from the nutty flavor and added texture of chia seeds as a topping.

If you prefer fruit-based jams or syrups with yogurt or ice cream, try stirring chia seeds into the fruit topping to blend them instead of sprinkling the chia seeds as a separate topping.



Use chia seeds as a salad topping. Chia seeds can be used like nuts or sunflower seeds in regular salads. They can also be mixed in with salad dressing just prior to serving.







Method 2 Use Chia Seeds as a Substitute in Recipes.



Regardless of the type of food you want to make, chia seeds can probably be used to replace one of the ingredients. Make a list of common substitutions that you would like to incorporate into your regular dishes until you learn how to appropriately mix the chia seeds into regular recipes.



Replace eggs or oil with chia seed gel. Mixing a tablespoon of chia seeds with ¼ cup of water will provide about the equivalent of a single egg or quarter cup of oil for a recipe. Most recipes can tolerate about a 25% substitution of chia seeds for eggs or oil without a noticeable alteration in flavor.

This technique can also help stretch eggs for omelets and soufflés. Just prepare about a quarter of your egg needs by mixing in chia seeds and milk into the beaten eggs about 10 minutes before cooking them.



Use chia seeds as a thickener. Because chia seeds form a gel in liquid, they can be added to soups, stews, sauces, and marinades to help thicken the liquid in place of corn starch or flour.

Chia seeds can also be blended into juice smoothies to add the thicker texture normally provided by whole fruits or yogurt.

If you have accidentally added too much liquid to a recipe, including baked goods, adding chia seeds can thicken the dough by absorbing the excess liquid.



Bind ingredients with chia seeds. Meatballs and meatloaf can be held together with chia seeds and a bit of water once mixed with the ground meat. Jellies, jams, and compotes can also benefit from the gel properties of chia seeds.



Replace oats or pudding mixes with chia seeds. Because chia seeds firm when mixed with liquid, ground seeds and flavorful liquids help form a gel that can give the consistency of porridge when hot or pudding when cold.

For dessert-like chia mixtures, mix the seeds with sweetened or flavored milks or juices. For breakfast-like chia mixtures, stir the seeds into hot milk or water and then flavor to your preferences with brown sugar, cinnamon, or other breakfast toppings.







Method 3 Add Chia Seeds to Traditional Recipes.

Chia seeds are very versatile, and because of their mild nutty flavor, they can be mixed into virtually any regular recipe. In some cases, additional liquid will be necessary to prevent over-drying or thickening of the food. Some experimentation may be necessary to get the appropriate consistency or quantity of chia seeds for your own recipes.





Mix chia seeds into one-dish meals. Lentil or bean soups, slow-cooker recipes, and casseroles are ideal for adding chia seeds.

Stir the seeds into the broth or sauce and monitor the consistency for about 15 minutes to determine if additional liquid is necessary. If so, consider adding the primary liquid base of the recipe (milk, broth, water, or juice, for instance).



Add chia seeds to peanut butter or other spreads. Because of the nutty flavor and texture, chia seeds can easily be added to sandwich spreads to get extra fiber and nutrients.



Include chia seeds in breading and batter. Chia seeds can be added to traditional breading for chicken, pork, and even tofu to add a nutty, crunchy aspect to traditional breadcrumb or cereal-based breading. Chia seeds can also be used in batters for fish or vegetable tempura to add flavor to pan-fried, battered dishes.



Mix chia seeds into rice dishes. Traditional recipes with a base of rice, such as jambalaya or stuffed peppers, can easily tolerate chia seeds added after the rice has been cooked completely. The meals will benefit from the added nutrients of the chia seeds without altering flavor significantly.



Include chia seeds in nut mixes. Homemade trail mix, nut clusters, and snack bags can easily incorporate chia seeds to improve nutrition and add to the nutty flavor of the original dish.





Tips.

Chia seeds can be mixed with nutritious liquids and consumed quickly for a healthy sports drink or breakfast shake.

Kids can easily make their own pudding or gelatin dessert as a fun project, making it easy to please the various dessert preferences of a large family. Offer mix-ins for homemade puddings such as coconut milk, fresh fruit, cinnamon, honey, brown sugar, or Nutella.

Add chia seeds to thicken blender (Vitamix) applesauce without cooking.



Warnings.

Although chia seeds are healthy additions to a balanced diet, consuming chia seeds with every meal can add a considerable amount of fat to the diet.

November 18, 2019