Here at Bob’s Red Mill, we love good bread, especially when it’s made with whole grains.  Do you know what we love even more?  Good whole grain bread that has flavor, loft, chewy crumb and hearty crust.  Sure, you can throw together some flour, water, salt and yeast and make a perfectly acceptable loaf.  But with a little bit of natural action (known as fermentation) your loaf can go from good to extraordinary!

In this series, we’ll explore the different types of starters and how to use them, incorporating whole grains, to produce the best bread you’ve ever made.  Once you go starter, you’ll never go back!

You may ask yourself: what is a starter?  Answer: magic.  Kinda.  Starters are fermented cultures much like beer, wine, yogurt, kombucha, coffee and chocolate (betcha didn’t know about those last two, huh?).  The natural yeasts and bacteria that surround us in the air and on the surface of grains are allowed to grow and multiply and create a bubbly little environment that, due to their carbon dioxide output, will give your bread strength, moisture, extended shelf life, color, chewier crumb and fabulously complex flavors.

If starters seem a bit intimidating, using a preferment will be a great big baby step into the world of natural yeast cultures.  Preferments are similar to sours and levains and provide many of the same benefits.  They also have a limited life, so there is no obligation to remember to feed them and keep them alive.  Essentially, a portion of the flour, water and yeast are mixed and allowed to ferment for up to 48 hours before tossing it in with your bread dough.

Let’s begin with two of the easiest preferments:  pâte fermentée and sponges.

Pâte Fermentée, which sounds so fancy and sophisticated, is essentially old dough.  That’s right, old dough.  And it’s so easy!  If you bake bread daily or every-other-day simply pinch off 1 – 2 oz of dough per loaf and save it in the refrigerator.  The next day, toss that same ratio of dough into the fresh batch you’re currently mixing.  You are not going to notice a huge flavor boost but the gluten strength, moisture and crumb will definitely benefit.

A sponge is another super easy and approachable preferment.  With the sponge method, a portion of the flour, water and yeast are mixed together and allowed to sit at room temperature for 30 – 60 minutes.  This mixture will begin to rise just like bread dough and you will see a marked difference in the height of the final baked bread.  To use a sponge, follow this formula:  from your bread recipe use 30% of the total flour for the sponge.  Add an equal amount (by weight) of water and all or half of the yeast.  You’ll know your sponge is ripe and ready to use when the batter is slightly bubbly.  Add this sponge with your remaining liquid ingredients and proceed with your recipe as usual.

Bob’s Red Mill Rye Bread Mix made with the standard method (L) compared to the mix made with the sponge method (R).  The sponge method has more height, an even crust and a more open crumb.

Sponge

Prepare 30 – 60 minutes before baking.

Flour                30% of the total flour from your bread recipe

Water              equal weight as 30% of total flour

Yeast               50 – 100% of total yeast

A kolache, if you’re not familiar, is a traditional semi-sweet pastry from Central Europe. Kolaches have quite the following in the United States, particularly Texas, and can be found on breakfast menus all over (we even have a few food carts dedicated to kolaches here in Portland). The light, fluffy dough usually contains a filling of fruit, poppy seeds, cheese or sausage.

This is our take on the kolache. Here, whole wheat flour and chia seeds are used to give this treat a little more nutritional oomph. If sweet isn’t your thing, or chia seeds are hard to come by, kolaches can be filled with just about anything. A quick search pulls up everything from ham and egg to pizza fillings. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Kolaches with Chia Seed Filling

Kolache Dough

•     1-1/2 cups Milk (361.45g)
•     1/2 cup Sugar (113.4g)
•     1 cup Butter, melted (226.8g)
•     3 Eggs (136.08g)
•     2-1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast (7.09g)
•     2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (240g)
•     3 – 4 cups Unbleached White Flour (402 – 544g)
•     1 tsp Sea Salt (4g)

Chia Seed Filling

•     1 cup Milk (241g)
•     1/2 cup Sugar (113.4g)
•     zest of one Orange
•     1 cup Chia Seed (208g)
•     1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

Kolache Dough

Step 1

Heat milk and sugar to 110°F. Sprinkle yeast over warm milk and let sit until it looks creamy.

Step 2

Combine flours in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and yeast/milk mixture and mix for 3 – 4 minutes.

Step 3

Add salt and continue to mix for an additional 2 – 3 minutes. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, turn dough once to coat both sides, cover and chill overnight.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/4″ thickness. Cut 3″ round circles and transfer them to parchment lined sheet trays.

Step 5

Top the center of each round with 1 Tbsp of chia seed filling. Let rise until puffy, 15 – 20 minutes.

Step 6

Lightly egg wash and bake at 375°F until golden, about 12 – 15 minutes.

Chia Seed Filling

Step 1

Heat milk, sugar and orange zest to barely simmering.

Step 2

Add chia seeds and cook over low heat until all liquid has absorbed, 5 – 7 minutes. Add vanilla extract.

I love a good ginger cookie no matter the time of year, but there’s something about a hot cup of coffee, a cold winter day and a crisp (or chewy) ginger cookie that puts me in the mood for Christmas. Here are two of our favorite recipes for ginger cookies. If you’re looking for a lovely hostess gift, make a stack of these cookies, wrap with cellophane or plastic wrap and tie with ribbon (see the great photo from Tiffany McCall below). These are delightful on their own or jazz them up further and pair with some fancy coffee or hot cocoa mix.

Gingersnaps

Gingersnaps

•    1 cup + 1 Tbsp Unbleached White Flour
•     1-1/2 tsp Baking Soda
•     1 pinch Baking Powder
•     1 pinch Sea Salt
•     1/4 tsp ground Cinnamon
•     1 tsp ground Ginger
•     4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, room temperature
•     3/4 cup Sugar + 2-3 Tbsp (for sprinkling)
•     1 large Egg
•     1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
•     2 Tbsp Molasses
•     2-3 Tbsp Sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar, and mix on medium speed until the mixture holds together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add the egg, vanilla and molasses. Mix on medium speed until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until incorporated, about 1 minute.
4. Place the dough on parchment paper and form into an 8-inch long x 1-1/2-inch wide log. Chill until firm, about 2 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice the dough log into 1/4-inch rounds, place cookies on a lightly greased baking sheet, spacing them 1/2-inch apart; sprinkle with sugar. Bake until the cookies crack slightly on the surface, about 12 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

Makes 36 cookies.

Crispy Ginger Cookies

Crispy Ginger Cookies (GF)

•     1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
•     1 cup Sugar
•     1/4 cup Molasses
•     1 tsp Vanilla
•     1 cup Sorghum Flour
•     3/4 cup Tapioca Flour
•     1/4 cup Potato Starch
•     1/2 tsp Guar Gum
•     1/2 tsp Baking Soda
•     1/4 tsp Sea Salt
•     1 tsp Cinnamon
•     2 tsp Ginger, ground
•     1/4 tsp Cloves, ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar.
3. Add the vanilla and molasses and mix until thoroughly combined.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, salt and spices.
5. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet and blend until combined.
6. Place ½ cup of sugar in a bowl.
7. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and drop into sugar cover the outside of the dough.
8. Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.

Ginger Spice Cookies – Tiffany McCall

Ginger Spice Cookies (GF)

Contributed by: Tiffany McCall from Read.Eat.Blog

•     3/4 cup butter flavored Crisco (140g)
•     1 cup granulated Sugar + more for rolling (200g)
•     2 Eggs
•     1/4 cup Molasses (85g)
•     2-3/4 cups GF All Purpose Baking Flour (385g)
•     2 tsp Baking Soda
•     1 tsp ground Cinnamon
•     1 tsp ground Ginger
•     1/4 tsp ground Cloves
•     1/4 tsp Salt, optional

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 325° F.
2. In a large bowl, cream the Crisco and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and molasses and beat until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the GF flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture in spoonfuls, beating well after each addition and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
4. Roll dough into small 1 oz balls, roll them in sugar and space them out on a parchment covered bake sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies appear crackled on top.
5. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool and sprinkle with extra sugar.

Notes: Try not to open the oven while these cookies are baking as they do fall once removed from heat.

These tasty treats make a great dessert for a party or a perfect gift for a gluten free friend. Thanks to Sarah of Daisy At Home for these lovely bars. Of her blog, Sarah writes, “Daisy At Home is a blog about life and cooking in Southern California. I love to use fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients while experimenting in my kitchen.”

Gluten-Free Holiday Bars
makes 16 bars

• 3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour
• 3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Rolled Oats
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup chilled Unsalted Butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 2-4 Tbsp Cold Water
• 1-1/2 cups Fruit Preserves (I used Apricot)
• 1/2 cup Hazelnuts, roughly chopped*
• 1/4 cup Slivered Almonds*
• 1/4 cup dried Cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, butter and salt and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
3. With the food processor running, add 1 tablespoon of the water at a time until the mixture forms a dough and holds together.
4. Press the dough into a greased 8×8 baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and set.
5. Spread the fruit preserves onto the crust and sprinkle with the nuts and cranberries.
6. Return dish to the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes.
7. Cool slightly and cut into bars.

*Make sure to purchase nuts that are not processed in a facility that also processes gluten products.

Recipe courtesy of Erica Kerwien at www.comfybelly.com

Erica Kerwien at www.comfybelly.com

Fresh cranberries are a reminder that the holidays are coming. I look forward to seeing boxes and bags of cranberries piled high in the stores this time of year, and I always freeze some in a sealed bag for later use in breads, sauces, and jam.

Here’s a gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free recipe for cranberry bread using both almond and coconut flour, and it can be served any time of the day, or year for that matter. Fresh or frozen cranberries work with this recipe. And the sweetness of the banana combined with the tartness of the cranberries makes for an extra flavorful bread. Enjoy!

Cranberry Walnut Banana Bread

I give the cranberries a few pulses in a food processor to chop them, and I do the same for the walnuts.

Ingredients

• 3/4 tsp of Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp of Sea Salt
• 3/4 cup of Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour
• 1/4 cup of Bob’s Red Mill Coconut Flour
• 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil (or Coconut Oil, Ghee, or other oil or butter)
• 3 Eggs
•  2 very ripe Bananas (about 1 cup of mashed banana)
• 1/4 cup of Maple Syrup (or Honey or other liquid sweeteners)
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped Walnut pieces, (raw or toasted)
• 1-1/2 cups of finely chopped Cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 Tbsp of Lemon Zest (or Orange Zest will work also)

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 350° F/175° C.

2. Using a whisk or fork, blend all the dry ingredients together.

3. Add the wet ingredients together, blend well, and then mix them into the dry ingredients. I use a mixer to ensure the batter is well blended.

4. Add the batter to a well-greased baking dish.

5. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the loaf browns on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean.

6. Cool and slice to serve. Store sealed in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or seal tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.

Serves 8-10

Holiday cooking and baking can be challenging if you or a loved one need to avoid gluten, but The Bob’s Red Mill Cooking School is here to help! We’re offering two great gluten-free classes coming up in November. Call now to register and reserve your spot: 503-654-3215 x 208. Classes are held at our Whole Grain Store in Milwaukie, Oregon (see address at bottom).

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Side Dishes with Laura B. Russell

Thursday, November 8, 2012 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Thanksgiving is a time for feasting and celebration, but it can feel stressful if you need to worry about what’s safe to eat.  Enter this holiday season armed with an arsenal of delicious gluten-free side dish recipes. Led by gluten-free cookbook author Laura B. Russell, you’ll learn alternatives to the typical bread stuffing, roux-thickened gravies, and gloppy canned soups with better-than-ever gluten-free versions. Recipes include Homemade Cornbread Stuffing, Wild Rice Dressing, Green Bean Casserole, Baked Sweet Potatoes with Savory Granola, Pan Gravy with Herbs and an extremely versatile Turkey Broth. All the recipes are gluten-free. Class fee $50.00.

Easy Gluten-Free Holiday Recipes with Kyra Bussanich

Thursday, November 15, 2012 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Join award-winning pastry chef Kyra Bussanich from Crave Bake Shop as she bakes up extraordinary gluten-free appetizers, sides and desserts. Time is limited during this busy season, so come learn how to impress your loved ones with these quick and delicious recipes: vegan Herb Crackers with Pumpkin Hummus, Parmesan Popovers, egg-free Pecan Pie Bars, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, Cranberry Ginger Shortbread Cookies and dairy-free Dark Chocolate Mint Cookies. The recipes you learn will be a hit at any holiday gathering! Class fee $50.00.

Classes take place at:

Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store
5000 SE International Way
Milwaukie OR 97222
503-607-6455
Directions

Sweet & Easy Vegan is my kind of cookbook. I’ve been eating a dairy-free, egg-free diet for years, and at the time when I first started out on my vegan adventure, I was sure that cheese would be the thing I missed the most. Not so! As it turned out, I found myself craving traditional desserts more than anything else. Luckily I quickly discovered that vegan treats can be just as delicious— especially homemade vegan treats. I’ve since spent many a day in my kitchen experimenting with making vegan versions of my favorite desserts and baked goods, which can be rewarding when it works (sweet success!), but frustrating when it doesn’t (what a waste of time and ingredients!). That’s why I love Sweet & Easy Vegan—author Robin Asbell has already done that work for you, so you can jump right in and bake delectable vegan treats with confidence. When our friends at Chronicle Books offered us a copy to review, we knew that we just had to do a giveaway so we could share this gem with you.

In the book, Asbell offers over 80 sweet vegan recipes including cookies, cakes, tarts, fruit desserts, muffins and more. The author has also written a thorough introduction that covers the basics of vegan baking, discusses the benefits of whole grain flours and natural sweeteners, and includes a glossary of vegan baking ingredients. Sidebars sprinkled throughout the book give helpful tips on topics such as whole wheat pie crusts, alternative flours, and fair trade chocolate.

All this knowledge makes Sweet & Easy Vegan a great book for someone who is new to vegan cooking, but the appeal isn’t limited to beginners, or even to vegans for that matter. Anyone with a sweet tooth will appreciate the recipes here, which range from classics like yellow cake to more unusual treats like Lemon Pine Nut Cookies, and from decadent desserts like Chocolate Layer Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting to lighter fare like Summer Fruits in Vanilla Syrup. And who wouldn’t love a book with an entire chapter devoted to “Sweet Breakfast Treats”?

We hope you’ll enjoy this cookbook as much as we do. To get your mouth watering, here is a sample recipe from Sweet & Easy Vegan.

Coconut, Almond and Chocolate Chip Cookies

There is something about the texture of coconut in a cookie; the way it stays moist and chewy is irresistible. The addition of chocolate and almonds makes for a triple temptation that will call to you from the cookie jar.

Makes about 8 big cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp nondairy milk, plus more as needed
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds
• ½ cup/60 g unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ cup/65 g whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼  tsp salt
• ½ cup/120 ml canola oil
• ½ cup/100 g granular palm sugar, palm sugar paste, or Sucanat
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 1 cup/90 g unsweetened shredded dried coconut
• ½ cup/55 g sliced almonds
• ½ cup/85 g vegan chocolate chip

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C/gas 5.

In a cup or small bowl, whisk the 2 tbsp nondairy milk and the flaxseeds together and let stand for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine both flours, the nutritional yeast (if using), baking soda, and salt and whisk until well mixed.

In a food processor, combine the canola oil and sugar and process until smooth. Add the almond extract and pulse to combine. Add the flaxseed mixture and process until thoroughly combined. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the coconut, almonds and chocolate chips. If the dough is too crumbly to hold together, knead in up to 2 tbsp more nondairy milk.

Scoop a ¼ cup/60-ml portion of dough (oiling the measuring cup makes it easier to remove the dough) and form it into a ball. Place the balls on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving about 2 in/5 cm of space between them. Using wet palms, flatten slightly to a thickness of just over ½ in/12mm.

Bake for about 16 minutes, until the cookies are quite golden around the edges, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.

Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the cookies will keep for about 1 week.

Would you like to win a copy of Sweet & Easy Vegan? To enter the contest, comment on this post and tell us who you would bake treats for if you win this cookbook. Would you make vegan sweets for your kids, your friends, your sweetheart—or maybe just for yourself? To help you get started with these yummy recipes, we’ll also send the winner a bag of Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, a package of Sliced Almonds, and a package of Shredded Coconut.  We’ll pick a winner from those of you who enter by 11:59 pm on 8/23. Good luck!

Robin Asbell, chef and author of Big Vegan and Sweet & Easy Vegan, will be teaching a class next month at the Bob’s Red Mill Cooking School in Milwaukie, Oregon! Get details on the class, “Healthy Baking with Robin Asbell,” and registration information here.

Have you been following the Summer Olympics? We’ve really enjoyed watching the events and rooting for our favorite athletes—in fact, we’re a bit sad that the games are almost over. Delectable recipes always cheer us up, though, and this British cookbook from our friends at Ryland, Peters & Small is not only full of tasty treats, it’s also fun way to commemorate the London Olympics.

Ryland, Peters & Small is a book publisher dedicated to capturing, “in words and pictures, those elements of life that give the greatest pleasure: sharing the perfect meal with friends, baking a batch of cookies with your children on a lazy Saturday and a home that makes you happy every time you open the front door.” When they reached out to us with this new book from their line, we loved it and thought you would, too—so we’re going to give away a copy!

Classic Artisan Baking by Julian Day compiles recipes for the most popular baked goods from Meg Rivers Artisan Bakery, a renowned British bake shop. Artful photos of delicious desserts fill the book, which is divided into sections for cakes, cookies, bars, breads and tarts. Each section is introduced with photos of English manors, farmhouses and countryside, setting a mood that perfectly complements the recipes—classic and crisp with a touch of rustic charm. Though there is definitely an emphasis on traditional English confections (tiffin, parkin, treacle tart and Banbury cakes, to name just a few), you’ll also find recipes for classic tarts and cookies from France and Italy, as well as solid renditions of universal favorites including brownies, carrot cake and banana bread. The difficulty level ranges from quite easy to rather challenging, and there are goodies for almost any occasion, whether you’re looking for an everyday snack like hearty muesli bars or a Christmas pudding for a special holiday meal. One thing we especially appreciate about this book is that the author helpfully provides American measurements and oven temperatures, so you don’t have to worry about converting from grams or Celsius.

Here’s a sample recipe to give you a taste of what Classic Artisan Baking has to offer.

Lavender Loaf

Lavender has been used for centuries as a flavoring for food, and it takes just a tiny amount to transform this simple cake into a delicately flavored delight, perfect for summer eating.

• 1 stick plus 2 Tbsp Butter, soft
• 2/3 cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• grated zest of 1 Lemon
• 3 Tbsp ground Almonds
• 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup Self-Rising Flour*
• 3 tsp dried Lavender flowers

1-lb loaf pan lined with loaf-pan liner

Serves about 8

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. Add the lemon zest, ground almonds and flours and beat to a smooth batter. Finally, add the lavender and stir through.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan, spread level and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. A skewer inserted into the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan for 30 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

This cake is best eaten on the day of baking, but will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container or frozen for up to 2 months.

Tip: If using homegrown lavender, be sure to wash it thoroughly and dry it in the oven on low heat. Alternatively, you can buy dried lavender online at www.thefrenchybee.com.

*To make your own self-rising flour, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt.

Want to win a copy of Classic Artisan Baking? To enter the contest, leave a comment on this post telling us which kind of baked good is your favorite to make with Bob’s Red Mill products. Cake, cookies, brownies, bread? We want to know! We’ll pick a winner from those of you who comment by 11:59 pm on 8/16. In addition to this wonderful book, the winner of the giveaway will receive a package of our Organic White Flour and a bag of Baking Powder, so you’ll be ready to try out a classic artisan recipe right away. 

We hope you’ll enjoy the book as much as we do. We only have one copy to give away, but if you aren’t the lucky winner and you’d like to get one for yourself, it is available for purchase on the Ryland, Peters & Small website.

Recipe and photos copyright Ryland Peters & Small $24.95; www.rylandpeters.com

Photography by Steve Painter 

I usually like to feature a main dish for Meatless Mondays to inspire you with a whole meal. Today, however, I’m sharing this fabulous recipe for Savory Oat Bread using our Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats. This quick bread is so easy to make and can be done in just 30 minutes if you want to make muffins or 40 minutes for a full loaf. The combined flavors of sun dried tomatoes, feta and green onions make it the perfect addition to a Greek or Caesar Salad (vegan in honor of MM). If warming up the oven doesn’t appeal on a hot summer day, try making these first thing in the morning when it’s still cool. Then, just pop them in the oven quickly to reheat before serving. Pair with a green salad of your choice and some grilled veggies, might we suggest this recipe for grilled zucchini or this one for spicy grilled eggplant?

Savory Oat Bread

Yield one 8 x 4 loaf

• 1 cup Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• ¼ cup dried or 1/3 cup packed in oil, rinsed Sun Dried Tomatoes
• (1 cup Boiling Water for dried sun dried tomatoes)
• 2 Eggs, slightly beaten
• ½ cup Olive Oil
• 1 cup Unbleached White Flour
• ½ cup Whole Wheat Flour
• ½ tsp Sea Salt
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• ½ cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
• ¼ cup Green Onions, sliced 1/4″

In a large bowl, combine oats and buttermilk and let stand 1 hour.  Pour boiling water over dried sundried tomatoes, if using, to rehydrate and let stand 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Lightly oil an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan or line a muffin tin with paper liners.  Drain sundried tomatoes, reserving soaking liquid, and roughly chop.

Sift together flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Add egg and oil to oat mixture, stirring until just combined.

Add dry ingredients to oat mixture, stirring until just combined.  Fold in sundried tomatoes, feta and green onions.  If batter seems very thick, add reserved tomato soaking liquid, about 2 Tbsp, until the batter reaches a thick yet pourable consistency.

Pour batter into prepared pan and tap gently on the counter to release any large air bubbles.  Bake until a tester comes out clean, about 25 – 30 minutes for muffins or 35 – 40 minutes for a loaf.

Serve warm.

Today kicks off our month-long celebration of Coconut Flour, an intriguing, but under-utilized, ingredient. It seems to us that coconut flour is one ingredient that keeps popping up all over food blogs and recipe sites as an interesting product. But what do you do with it and how do you bake with it?

If you try baking with coconut flour, you’ll notice right away- it’s different. When you look for recipes to try this “different” flour, they almost invariably call for loads of eggs. Even as a gluten free flour, it behaves quite differently from its brethren. The high fiber content makes coconut flour absorb an incredible amount of liquid, hence the eggs, making it hard to use in place of other gluten free flours or substitute in tried-and-true recipes. The very light coconut flavor, however, makes it an appealing ingredient for sweet and savory dishes alike.

While there is no good rule-of-thumb for using coconut flour, we brought together a wonderful collection of bloggers to give you inspiration and help guide you to understanding this unique and incredibly healthy flour. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Coconut Flour
• 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Baking Cocoa
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/3 cup Butter, softened
• 4 Eggs
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips
• 2/3 cup Chopped Walnuts (optional)