Gluten Free Soup Coconut Flour Recipes
What Is Coconut Flour
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Coconut flour is a gluten-free flour alternative made by grinding dried coconut into a powder. It can be used to replace some of the wheat flour in a recipe, or it can be combined with other gluten-free flours to make a gluten-free flour blend.
Does Coconut Have Gluten
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Enclosed within the pod of the fruit of certain palm trees you will find coconut juice and coconut meat, but not gluten. Gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, must be strictly avoided by people with Celiac disease or other gluten sensitivities. The naturally gluten-free, versatile coconut has a nutritional profile that deserves attention and can be substituted for gluten-containing ingredients in a variety of recipes.
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Coconut Flour: Nutrition Benefits And More
Coconut flour is a unique alternative to wheat flour.
Its popular among low carb enthusiasts and those who have gluten-related disorders.
In addition to its impressive nutrition profile, coconut flour may offer several benefits when enjoyed as part of a healthy diet. These include improvements in blood sugar stability, digestion, and heart health.
This article examines coconut flour, including its nutrition, its benefits, and how it compares with similar products.
Coconut flour is made from coconut flesh that has been dried and ground.
Its a byproduct of coconut milk and oil production .
During manufacturing, coconuts are first cracked open and drained of liquid. The coconut meat is then scraped out, rinsed, grated, and strained to separate the solids from the milk. The solids are then baked at a low temperature until dry before being ground into flour.
The resulting white powder looks and feels similar to flour made from grains such as wheat. Its flavor is mild.
Coconut flour is commonly used in gluten-free and grain-free foods such as cupcakes, bread, and cookies.
It can be found in most grocery stores and online.
Summary
Coconut flour is made from dried, ground coconut flesh. It has a mild taste and a texture similar to wheat flour.
Coconut flour has an impressive nutrient profile, being particularly high in fiber, potassium, iron, and plant-based protein.
A 1/4-cup serving of coconut flour contains (
- Iron: 11% of the Daily Value
- Potassium: 13% of the DV
Summary
Coconut Flour Gluten Free Donuts Recipe
6 extra large eggs
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup of butter
1/4 cup of coconut oil
1/2 cup of coconut flour
1/2 cup of granulated white sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients, the coconut flour , granulated white sugar, baking soda and salt together until well mixed. Make a well in the dry ingredient mixture and add the extra large eggs and the butter and/or coconut oil . Stir well.
If you want an easy method to fill those donut shapes in the pan, here is one! I took a large ziploc bag and put the batter in it. Then I snipped a small portion of one corner. Then it was a simple matter to fill the shapes, quickly!
Carefully pipe the batter into the pans!
Its a bit messy but it turns out well! Bake in the preheated oven to approximately 15 minutes until golden brown. Carefully, remove the donuts from the pans. They might need a little bit of prodding with a plastic fork. Be careful and dont burn yourself!
Here they are, all baked! Gluten free goodness!
Now comes the really fun part! You get to decide if you want cinnamon sugar donuts or chocolate iced donuts. I did both! : D
Cinnamon Sugar
1/4 cup of white granulated sugar
1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon
For the chocolate icing, I just used some leftover chocolate icing that I had in the fridge. You could use your favorite recipe. You will notice that I should have thinned out my icing, it was a bit thick.
Here are the chocolate iced gluten free donuts!
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Can You Substitute Coconut Flour For Regular Flour
Short answer: No, unfortunately you cannot.
- Coconut flour is very heavy and dry compared to other flours, especially wheat flour.
- It absorbs a lot of moisture, so all other ingredients in the recipe have to be specially formulated to take that absorption into account.
Your best bet is to find a recipe that has been specifically developed for coconut flour.
How Do You Store Coconut Flour
Ideally, coconut flour should be stored in the fridge or in a dark cupboard in order to protect the flour from the light which can cause oxidation. If you keep your coconut flour in the fridge you can prolong its shelf life by 3-6 months. If you store it in the freezer you will prolong its shelf life by 12-24 months.
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What Are The Benefits Of Coconut Flour
Coconut flour is denser in many nutrients than traditional grain-based flours. It is also naturally gluten-free, so if you’re on a gluten-free diet by necessity or choice, you can enjoy it.
Coconut flour is fairly high in protein, fiber and fat, and relatively low in carbohydrates by comparison to other flours. A single serving of two tablespoons contains a whopping 5 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein as well as 1.5 grams of fat. It’s this combination of nutrients – fiber, protein, and fat – that makes it so filling.
It is also exceptionally rich in manganese, an essential nutrient that is critical for many processes and functions within the body. Notably, manganese. It helps to support bone health, and it helps your body better use other nutrients like choline and biotin. Even more, it acts as a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient.
In addition to manganese, coconut also contains other trace minerals like iron, potassium, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamin B6.
Health Benefits Of Coconut Flour
Its an excellent alternative to traditional wheat flour because its high in fiber and lowers the glycemic index .1 In a nutshell, that means it helps you to feel fuller , and the lower glycemic index means your blood sugar wont spike as quickly as grain-based flours.2
Those who are Paleo, gluten free or grain free often opt for coconut flour for baking and cooking. Keep in mind with baking you cant use a 1:1 ratio to wheat flour. Generally, you will use about 1/4 of the amount and a lot of eggs as coconut flour is very dense and dry.
If youre new to baking and cooking with coconut flour, check out my top 100+ coconut flour recipes to get started.
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May Help Keep Blood Sugar Stable
Coconut flour is packed with fiber, which may promote healthy blood sugar levels.
A 1/4-cup serving provides a whopping 36% of the DV for fiber. Thats more than four times as much as all-purpose flour .
Foods rich in fiber help regulate blood sugar levels by slowing down the speed at which sugar enters your bloodstream.
Studies show that higher fiber diets benefit those with diabetes by reducing blood sugar and insulin levels while promoting a healthy body weight .
Because coconut flour is also lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein than all-purpose flour, its better at promoting healthy blood sugar regulation.
Whats more, older research shows that adding coconut flour to baked goods lowers their glycemic index . The GI is a measure of a foods impact on blood sugar levels .
Tips For Baking With Coconut Flour
For every ounce of coconut flour called for in a recipe, use one large egg.
If you use less than the recommended amount of eggs, you will need binders such as flax seed, xanthan or guar gum.
You may need additional liquid because of the high fiber content.
Think of coconut flour as being concentrated. You need very little for a full recipe.
Always sift coconut flour before using and never pack it into measuring cups. Use the spoon and sweep method popular with most baking recipes.
Coconut flour recipes need to sit for 1-3 minutes after the wet and dry ingredients are mixed to allow the coconut flour to fully absorb the liquids.
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How Do I Substitute Coconut Flour For Regular Flour
The short answer is I wouldnt recommend it. Coconut flour bakes up much denser than regular flours because there is no gluten, so Id always recommend sticking with the recipe ratios to ensure that your recipe comes out the way its supposed to. Coconut flour cannot be substituted 1:1 with regular flour.
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Enjoyed This Now Read
This article was last reviewed on 6 October 2021 by Kerry Torrens.
Nicola Shubrook is a nutritional therapist and works with both private clients and the corporate sector. She is an accredited member of the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy and the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council . Find out more at urbanwellness.co.uk.
Kerry Torrens is a qualified nutritionist with a postgraduate diploma in Personalised Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the past 15 years she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including BBC Good Food.
What Is Coconut Flour And How Do You Use It
Is there an edible plant more versatile than the coconut? You can drink its water, eat its “flesh,” use its oil for cooking or cosmetics, and use its hairy husk to make fiber and charcoal. And yes, you can even grind coconut into flour. Gluten-free and paleo-minded bakers are all over it. And in spite of its name, a coconut is not actually a nut, so it can be consumed by people with nut allergies. But before you dive into that bag of coconut flour, it helps to know a few things about what you’re getting into and how best to use it.
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How To Make Coconut Flour Oatmeal Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl combine coconut flour, oats, shredded unsweetened coconut, baking soda and salt. Whisk together thoroughly.
In a small saucepan melt ½ cup + 1 tbsp of coconut oil on low heat until melted. Set aside to cool slightly. In a separate small bowl, combine maple syrup, vanilla and eggs and whisk together. Pour in the melted coconut oil to the wet ingredients and whisk together thoroughly.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir together. Add the chocolate chips and stir again. The batter may seem wet at first but coconut flour begins to soak up excess moisture quickly.
Roll the dough into balls of approximately 2 tbsp. Place 6 at a time on the cookie sheet . Flatten each cookie gently with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes.
Various Forms Of Coconut
Numerous culinary possibilities are encased within the outer husk of this drupe. Grated coconut meat combined with water and squeezed through cheesecloth produces coconut milk. Desiccated coconut is made by drying coconut meat and shredding or flaking the coconut similarly, shredded coconut is dried coconut meat but with some of the moisture retained. Coconut meat can be defatted, dried and finely ground to produce coconut flour. Virgin coconut oil is created by extracting oil from the coconut meat refined coconut oil is produced from dried coconut meat and the oil is then bleached and deodorized.
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My Love For Homemade Bread
Of all baked goods, my favorite is definitely homemade bread.
I dont know about you, but for me, theres just something so magical about pulling out a freshly baked loaf of bread from the oven, the heat from the oven hitting my face and the smell of bread enveloping the kitchen.
Ive made countless types of bread, from our favorite soft fluffy gluten-free bread, to rosemary focaccia bread, to no knead artisan bread, and soft gluten-free dinner rolls.
Is Coconut Flour The Best Gluten
- May 26, 2018
It wasnt long ago when coconut was criticized for its potentially artery-clogging traits, but modern science has brought justice to this seed-fruit hybrid, and coconut has made a zealous comeback in the health food sector. From coconut milk, coconut butter, coconut sugar, coconut oil, coconut flakes, to coconut water, theres seemingly nothing that this tropical fruit cant do. And now coconut flour, arguably a lesser-known coconut ingredient, is beginning to make rounds as a gluten-free flour option.
But being gluten free is only the tip of the iceberg for this flour. Coconut flour offers a wide range of health benefits as it is essentially dried, ground up coconut meat, which means youre getting all the nutrients of the fruit. So what exactly can coconut flour do for your body? And how well does it fare against other gluten-free flours?
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