Tiger nut flour is derived from the tiger nut, a small, edible tuber (root vegetable). And it is my favorite gluten-free “flour”. Why? Because it is not a nut flour—I am allergic to all nuts—and it yields a wonderful texture, reminiscent of yellow cake. That’s why I used tiger nut flour to make my own homemade birthday cake….a tiger nut flour chocolate cake with chocolate ganache.

Unlike all-purpose wheat flour, you’ll also get some nutritive benefit from using tiger nut flour, including prebiotic fiber, minerals, like iron, potassium, protein, magnesium, zinc; and vitamins E and C. This recipe calls for a judicious amount of tigernut flour (1/3 cup).

Enjoy!

Pear-Ginger Clafoutis
Serves 4

4-5 organic Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and cut into thin, half-moon slices
3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, ideally, pasture-raised, organic and/or free range
1-1/2 tablespoons raw honey
1-1/4 cups organic, unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 heaping tablespoons minced gingerroot
Pinch Celtic sea salt
1/3 cup organic tiger nut flour

Prepare separately:
1 pasture-raised egg, egg white only
Pinch of cream of tartar (apx. scant 1/4 teaspoon)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

In a stainless steel mixing bowl, combine the pear slices and lemon juice.  Ideally, you would let them marinate at least 30 minutes. But if you skip this step, it’s fine.

Grease a 10-inch round baking pan or a 2-quart souffle dish with butter or olive oil. Transfer the pears to the baking pan or souffle dish and arrange evenly on the bottom of the pan or souffle dish.

In a small stainless steel mixing, mix the egg white with cream of tartar with an electric mixer, beating until stiff peaks form (this is when the peak on the egg white surface holds its shape). Set aside.

To a separate large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and raw honey with an electric mixer at high speed, until well mixed, apx. 2 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, lemon zest, vanilla, ginger and Celtic sea salt, beating well. Add the tiger nut flour, a little at a time to the egg mixture, while beating with the hand mixer.

Using a large silicone spatula, gently fold the whipped egg whites into the egg mixture until evenly blended.

Pour the entire mixture over the pears.

Place clafoutis on center rack and bake 30 minutes. If the top is overly brown in any area, tent aluminum foil over the browned portion to prevent it from turning black. Turn the baking pan or souffle dish in the other direction for even baking. Bake another 25-30 minutes; or, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

When the clafoutis is done, it will be puffed and golden, and a knife inserted in the center will come out clean (without any residual batter on it).

Serve warm, at t room temperature or chilled.

Clafoutis is a rustic French country dessert that traditionally combines eggs, milk or cream, flour, a generous measure of sugar, and whatever fruit is in season, whether cherries, pears or plums. Its simplicity and versatility is what makes clafoutis so appealing.

After being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune thyroid disease, I gave clafoutis a dairy-free, gluten-free and low sugar (natural sweetener only) makeover. For this plum clafoutis, I use full-fat coconut milk instead of milk, 2 tablespoons of raw honey instead of sugar and a smidge of buckwheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. By the way, despite its name, buckwheat does not contain wheat and is 100% gluten-free. Orange and fresh ginger add nuanced depth to the plum flavor.

If you are able, choose locally grown, organic plums as plums have a thin skin and can contain high pesticide residue (and, no, the pesticides cannot be “washed out”).

The result? Even more delicious than the original version!

Plum Clafoutis

Serves 4 to 6

2 cups of halved plums (apx. 1 pint of fresh plums), well washed, pitted, then halved
4 pasture-raised eggs + 1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons raw honey
1-1/4 cups full-fat coconut milk
2 teaspoons organic orange flavor
**You can use pure vanilla extract instead of orange flavor if you prefer
1 tablespoon minced gingerroot
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/3 cup organic buckwheat flour
1 pasture-raised egg, egg white only
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Melt grass-fed butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat OR grease  a 1-quart souffle dish with a generous amount of butter. Transfer the plums to the skillet or souffle dish and arrange evenly—in a single layer—on the bottom of the skillet or souffle dish.

In a small stainless steel bowl, use a hand mixer at high speed to combine the egg white and cream of tartar; continue beating apx. 3-4 minutes, or until stiff peaks form (this is when the peak on the egg white surface holds its shape). Set aside.

To a separate, large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and raw honey with an electric mixer at high speed, until well mixed, apx. 2 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, orange flavor, ginger and Celtic sea salt, beating well. Slowly add the buckwheat flour, a little at a time to the egg mixture, while beating with the hand mixer on low speed.

Using a large silicone spatula, gently fold the whipped egg whites into the egg mixture until evenly blended.

Pour the entire mixture into the skillet over the plums.

Place clafoutis on center rack and bake 25 minutes. If the top is overly brown in any area, tent aluminum foil over the browned portion (this may even be the entire clafoutis). Turn the cast iron skillet or souffle dish in the other direction for even baking. Bake another 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

When the clafoutis is done, it will be puffed and golden, and a knife inserted in the center will come out clean (without any residual batter on it).

Serve at room temperature or chilled (especially in the summer).

I have a little confession. I LOVE cherries. As a child, I used to eat bowlfuls of cherries in the summer. Unfortunately, much to my chagrin, I am allergic to most stone fruit, including cherries.

One workaround to get around my cherry allergy is to eat them cooked, or baked, in this instance, in a cherry clafoutis. Because I have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease, I also steadfastly avoid wheat, gluten and dairy. My version of cherry clafoutis is dairy-free, gluten-free and requires a minimum amount of natural sweetener (maple syrup).  It is absolutely delicious—and does not give you a blood sugar spike and crash the way that a traditional clafoutis might.

In the summer, I love to serve (and eat!) chilled cherry clafoutis…the texture is reminiscent of a cherry cheesecake!

Enjoy!

Cherry Clafoutis
Serves 4 to 6

1 pint (2 cups) sweet cherries, pitted and halved
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed organic lemon juice

4 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, ideally, pasture-raised, organic and/or free range
2 tablespoons organic maple syrup, Grade A, Robust Taste
1-1/4 cups organic, unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon finely minced gingerroot
Pinch Celtic sea salt

1/4 cup coconut flour, sifted

Prepare separately:
1 pasture-raised egg, egg white only
Pinch of cream of tartar (apx. scant 1/4 teaspoon)

Preheat the oven to 350º.

In a medium bowl, combine the pitted cherries and lemon juice. Let marinate 15 minutes or so.

Grease a 10-inch round baking pan or a 1-1/2 to 2-quart souffle dish with butter or olive oil. Arrange the cherries evenly on the bottom of the pan or souffle dish.

To a small stainless steel mixing bowl, add the egg white and cream of tartar. Using an electric hand mixer, beat egg white until stiff peaks form (this is when the peak on the egg white surface holds its shape). Set aside.

In a separate and larger mixing bowl, combine the eggs and maple syrup with an electric mixer at high speed, until well mixed, apx. 2 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, lemon zest, minced ginger, vanilla and Celtic sea salt, beating well. Slowly add the coconut flour, a little at a time to the egg mixture, while beating with the hand mixer.

Using a large silicone spatula, gently fold the whipped egg whites (by hand) into the egg mixture until evenly blended.

Pour the entire mixture over the cherries.

Place clafoutis on center rack and bake 25 minutes. If the top is overly brown in any area, tent aluminum foil over the browned portion. Turn the baking pan or souffle dish in the other direction for even baking. Bake another 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

When the clafoutis is done, it will be puffed and golden-brown; a knife inserted in the center will come out clean (without any residual batter on it).

Place soufflé dish on a wire rack or trivet. Let cool and allow the clafoutis to set, apx. 30 mins. to 1 hour.

Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. It is delicious all three ways!

Chilled Ginger Custard
6 servings

16 oz. (2 cups) full-fat coconut milk*
*To one 13.5 oz can of coconut milk, you can add up to 1/4 cup filtered water for 16 oz. coconut milk.
1 heaping tablespoon fresh gingerroot, peeled and finely minced
3 pasture-raised eggs
3 tablespoons raw honey
1-1/2 teaspoons 100% pure vanilla extract
Optional:  1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place 6 ramekins in a 9” x 13” Pyrex glass baking dish

In a saucepan, bring 4 cups (1 quart) of water to a boil. Set aside.

Whisk together coconut milk and minced ginger in a saucepan over medium heat. When the coconut milk is hot (but not boiling), turn off the heat and transfer pan to another burner. Let ginger steep in coconut milk.

In a medium stainless steel bowl, beat eggs, raw honey, vanilla and nutmeg (if desired) with an electric hand mixer, until smooth.  Gradually add the warmed coconut milk (it should be warm, NOT boiling hot!) and ginger to the egg mixture, beating well.

Transfer egg and coconut milk mixture to a 4-quart Pyrex glass measuring cup.  Pour into each individual ramekin, distributing egg mixture evenly.

Pour the hot water into a 1-quart glass measuring cup; then gently pour into the 9 x 13” baking dish; the water should be about 1 inch deep. The hot water provides a  “warm bath” for the custard as it bakes.

Place on the center rack in the oven and bake apx. 50 minutes; or, until a knife inserted in the middle of each custard comes out clean.

Let cool. Cover each ramekin tightly with plastic wrap before chilling in refrigerator, ideally 8 hours or overnight.  Enjoy!

My version is both gluten-free, dairy free and low sugar.  I swap out regular white all-purpose flour for gluten-free tiger nut flour (you can also use fine-ground almond flour or coconut flour). Instead of milk or cream, I use coconut milk (I recommend using canned coconut milk because it contains no added sugars and has a thicker, creamier texture than packaged boxes of coconut milk. I use a minimum amount of natural sweetener—raw honey in this case; I did not need much for this clafoutis because the pears were naturally sweet.

The end result is light, airy and custardy. Délicieux!
 

Pear Clafoutis
Serves 4

3 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and cut into thin, half-moon slices
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 large large eggs, ideally, pasture-raised, organic and/or free range
1-1/2 tablespoons raw honey
1-1/4 cups full-fat coconut milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Pinch Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup tiger nut flour, almond flour or coconut flour, sifted

Prepare separately:
1 pasture-raised egg, egg white only
Pinch of cream of tartar (apx. scant 1/4 teaspoon)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

In a stainless steel mixing bowl, combine the pear slices and lemon juice.  Ideally, you would let them marinate at least 30 minutes. But if you skip this step, it’s fine.

Grease a 10-inch round baking pan or a 3-quart souffle dish with butter or olive oil. Transfer the pears to the baking pan or souffle dish and arrange evenly on the bottom of the pan or souffle dish.

In a small stainless steel mixing, mix the egg white with cream of tartar with an electric mixer, beating until stiff peaks form (this is when the peak on the egg white surface holds its shape). Set aside.

To a separate large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and raw honey with an electric mixer at high speed, until well mixed, apx. 2 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, lemon zest, vanilla and Celtic sea salt, beating well. Add the tiger nut flour, a little at a time to the egg mixture, while beating with the hand mixer.

Using a large silicone spatula, gently fold the whipped egg whites into the egg mixture until evenly blended.

Pour the entire mixture over the pears.

Place clafoutis on center rack and bake 30 minutes. If the top is overly brown in any area, tent aluminum foil over the browned portion. Turn the baking pan or souffle dish in the other direction for even baking. Bake another 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

When the clafoutis is done, it will be puffed and golden, and a knife inserted in the center will come out clean (without any residual batter on it).

Serve warm (highly recommended!) or t room temperature.

That was then.

Since being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in 2013, I have strictly adhered to wheat-free, gluten-free and grain-free food choices. This has been a good thing since I recently discovered—by taking a food sensitivity / intolerance test—that I have a severe (non-Celiac) intolerance to both gluten and gliadin, two proteins found in wheat. For me, this means: no wheat, spelt, rye, barley, malt, oats, or other gluten-containing grains.

Going wheat-free and gluten-free hasn’t been as hard as you might think. This gluten-free, dairy-free, ginger-infused pumpkin custard is a delectable alternative to traditional pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. But not just Thanksgiving….it is the perfect antidote any time you’re craving a home-baked treat that’s warm, creamy and comforting.

The recipe below is super simple, but quality ingredients matter. I use pasture-raised eggs; pure, Grade A, Dark, Robust Taste maple syrup, a more nutrient-dense, later-season maple syrup; and organic pumpkin puree. The result? A custard that’s creamy, rich, just sweet enough and gently gingery with a mild pumpkin flavor. Packed with protein (eggs), fiber (pumpkin) and healthy saturated fat (coconut milk), you’ll feel deliciously sated. This custard is also great for breakfast!

Baked Pumpkin-Ginger Custard
Yield: 8 individual custards

1 pasture-raised egg white
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 15-oz can full-fat coconut milk, BPA-free can
1-1/2 tablespoon gingerroot, finely minced
3 pasture-raised eggs
1 pasture-raised egg yolk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup, Grade A, Dark, Robust Taste
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup organic pumpkin puree, BPA-free can

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place 8 (4-6 oz.) ramekins in a 15” x 10” x 2” Pyrex glass oblong glass baking dish. Set aside.

Bring 1 quart (4 cups) of water to a boil in a pot. Set aside.

Prepare coconut milk: Place coconut milk and 1/4 cup of water (to make 2 full cups of coconut milk) in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Whisking the coconut milk, bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Stir in the minced ginger. Transfer to a Pyrex glass measuring cup and steep, apx. 30 mins.

Prepare the egg white: Place egg white in a medium bowl. Add cream of tartar. Using an electric beater at high speed, beat the egg white until stiff peaks form, apx. 2-3 mins.  Set aside.

Prepare custard: Beat eggs, egg yolk, maple syrup and almond extract in a mixing bowl until smooth and well-mixed.

Once the coconut milk has cooled (it should be warm, NOT boiling hot!), slowly pour coconut milk (with minced ginger) into egg mixture, while mixing with an electric blender at medium speed. Combine well.

Add pumpkin puree to the egg mixture; whisk until well blended. Using a large spatula, gently fold the egg white into the pumpkin-egg mixture.

Prepare custards for baking: Pour pumpkin-egg mixture into a large 32-ounce glass measuring cup; then, pour into individual ramekins.

Fill the baking dish with hot water, about 1-inch deep or so.

Place on middle rack in oven. Bake for 50 min to 1 hour, depending on size of custard dishes and/or how deep custard is. At the midway baking point (25 mins.), turn the baking dish and tent a sheet of aluminum foil over the custards to prevent over-browning.

Custards are done when knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Red and heart-shaped, the strawberry could be considered the perfect fruit for Valentine’s Day because it actually does help protect the heart.  (And a healthy cardiovascular system is key for sexual arousal and responsiveness.)

Anthocyanin, a phenol in strawberries, is what gives strawberries their distinct red color; anthocyanin can also help protect against oxidative stress. Studies suggest that regular consumption of anthocyanins (about 3 to 4x / week) reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, the #1 cause of death among both men and women.

Ladies, take note: the results of a recent Harvard study published in Circulation link a high intake of anthocyanin-rich foods (like strawberries and blueberries) with a reduced risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) in women ages 25 to 42.  CLICK HERE here to read my SheKnows.com article about the health benefits of strawberries.

An excellent source of Vitamin C, strawberries are also a good source of minerals, such as manganese, iodine and potassium—good to know if you plan on engaging in intensive “cardio” on Valentine’s Day (excuse me, “weekend”, this year!).

Right now, you won’t find fresh, local strawberries at winter markets, especially in the Northeast.  The “fresh” strawberries on display at the supermarket are usually from California, like the conventionally grown (and completely tasteless) Driscoll strawberries. Buying organic frozen strawberries is the next best thing.  It’s worthwhile to buy organic strawberries because according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), conventionally grown strawberries rank at the top of their “Dirty Dozen” list of produce containing the most pesticide residue.

You can enjoy a healthy dose of strawberry goodness in this ethereal soufflé—a virtual paean to strawberries: it’s light but satisfying, with a hint of natural sweetness.  And, happily, it’s very easy to make!

Strawberry Souffle
Adapted from original recipe at perrysplate.com
20 ounces (two 10-ounce bags) of frozen organic strawberries, thawed
5 pastured egg whites, divided (2 egg whites in a small bowl; 3 egg whites in a medium bowl)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lemon juice
6 tablespoons raw honey

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Fill a kettle with water and bring to a boil. Set aside.

Place thawed strawberries in a blender or food processor; puree well.

In a standing mixer or a large mixing bowl, place pureed strawberries, lemon juice, raw honey and 2 egg whites.  Beat on medium-high speed for 15 minutes (use high speed with an electric mixer), or until light and frothy.  (The volume of the strawberry mixture will expand).

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites at high speed.  After 2-3 minutes, add 3 tablespoons raw honey and continue beating until egg whites form stiff peaks.

Using a large spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the strawberry mixture.

Spoon strawberry mixture into 12 8-ounce ramekins, filling to the top.

Place ramekins into a large 15” x 10” x 2” glass baking dish (or two separate smaller ones).  Pour about 1-inch of hot water into the baking dish holding the ramekins and place on the center rack in the oven.

Bake on the lower third of the oven for 5 minutes.  Then place on center rack and bake another 13 minutes, or, until the souffles have risen well above the rim, and the tops are golden brown.  Serve immediately.

To reheat: Cover ramekins with aluminum foil and warm in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.