Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Summer Scones for a Hot Kitchen

The weather has finally changed here.  I'm fairly certain that winter is over and I can therefore retire my fleece cycling tights to the basement... for a while, anyway.  I can also confidently set out of the house without 14 layers at the ready, though I do always arm myself with a rain jacket no matter the season.

I've been waiting for this change since I got here.  I arrived here in the east in the winter.  I in fact arrived during the coldest part of winter, a time of grey skies and short days.  This timing was partially by design: I figured if I got here during the "bad" weather, it would be quite wonderful to experience the seasons and the warming up that comes with spring.  Spring on the east coast brings joy and beauty and sunshine.  Things bloom, people are out and about.  Everything wakes from its winter slumber.

I came from a place of constant sunshine.  You never have to worry about rain in Phoenix.  Never.  If it rains, you just move your plans back an hour because the rain will be gone by then.  I got out of my weather-checking habit years ago.  Rogue storms or clouds or cold and wet weather days are just that:  rogue.  You can be confident in their fleeting nature.

I came from a place where it's truly cold for about two weeks in January.  The rest of the year it is warm.  Sometimes too warm.  Even on "cold" (cold is, after all, a relative term) days, the sun provides a warmth not found in many places, a warmth that makes cycling or running in 35 degrees much more bearable than in places without constant, reliable sunshine.  At least with the sun out, you won't ever be too cold.

In August in Phoenix, the sun oppresses.  It burns your eyeballs.  If feels like it might melt a hole in anything stupid enough to be outside, including the pavement.  At least when it's cloudy, you don't have to deal with that oppressive sun.  Rare cloudy days provide welcome respite from the orb of hydrogen in the desert.  I found them pretty, refreshing, a pleasant change from the norm.

At least in places with normal summers, you don't feel like you're walking into an oven every time you go outside.  You don't have to complete all outdoor activities by eight o'clock in the morning or risk heat stroke.

Such were my thoughts every August and September in Phoenix, when it feels like the heat should be dissipating but it is only getting worse, when the days are shorter but hotter, when the air is thick and brown.  Such were my thoughts in the land of constant sunshine and no rain.

So, yes the weather has changed here, finally, as I've been waiting for it to do.  And it is sticky and hot and unpleasant for sleeping.  Cooking is practically out of the question.  Baking is okay because you then have a nice, free sauna in your kitchen.  You can sweat out all your toxins and any other moisture that might be left in your body.  You see, it's not hot enough often enough here for every indoor area to be air conditioned within an inch of its life.  So you have to actually deal with the heat.  Oh, and then there is the humidity, capable of reducing even the most hearty Phoenix-hot-weather-veteran to tears. Or internal tantrums complete with the (internal) utterance, "How is it sooo hot?"

At least when it was cold it wasn't hot.

======

In the spirit of embracing the moment and doing what I would be doing if things were just a tiny bit different from how they are (and therefore perfect, the state always and permanently just out of reach - or is it?), I baked in my hot kitchen last night.  I waited until evening because it was a bit cooler, and because I had by then reached a certain level of bemused acceptance of the heat and my own resistance to my present environs, whatever they may be.  I bake, therefore, I am in the moment, wherever that moment may be, and whatever the temperature or sky or anything else may be doing right then.  I am engaged, I am happy, and making food is always nurturing to the mind and body. That is a constant you can count on.  No matter that sometimes you have to rush to cut in the butter before it melts.

Chocolate Cherry Almond Scones
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup arrowroot (or cornstarch)
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup sugar
1 scant tablespoon xanthan gum
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and diced (keep it in the fridge until right before you use it)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon or more to taste almond extract (OPTIONAL)
1/4 to 1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 to 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (I like Ghirardelli)

Preheat your oven to 425 and position a rack in the center.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Blend together the flours, sugar, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt.
Make sure all clumps are gone.
Cut in the butter as you would for biscuits, using 2 forks, a pastry blender or your fingers.  If you use your hands, you can use a quick rolling motion to break up the butter and integrate it into the flour mixture.  In any case, you do NOT want to form a paste.  I have included a little video just in case you have never done this before.  In the video, they are using a pastry blender, but the same result is possible with fingers, forks, or knives.

Cutting in butter - demonstration

Once your mixture looks like bread crumbs, add in the eggs, milk, and almost extract and mix it all together using a wooden spoon or spatula.  Mix just until everything is blended - if you still have some small clumps of butter, that's okay.  You do not want to overmix.  Fold in the cherries and chocolate chips.
Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop rounds of dough onto your prepared baking sheet and flatten them slightly.  They should be about 2 inches in diameter.  If you want smaller or larger scones, adjust the baking times accordingly.
Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.  When they're done, the scones will be dark golden on the edges and will feel springy to the touch.
Allow to cool and then freeze or enjoy!



~S




Tuesday, May 22, 2012

What Makes you Mono-Task?

I never want to answer the question "How are you?" with the word "Busy."  I'm not in the I'm-Busier-Than-You contest.  I never have been - must have missed the sign up deadline.  That's okay with me, because this is one competition I have no interest in.  The race looks pretty full already.

Everyone is busy.  Just sounding out the word creates stress - go ahead, say it slowly.  You have to grit your teeth and clench your gut, like it's a strain just to get through the utterance.

Everyone has lots to do.  We always have.  In fact, I would argue that many of the things we put on ourselves now and that we attend to on a regular basis are far less urgent than what our ancestors were "busy" with 1000 years ago or even 100 years ago. Their everyday tasks were often a matter of life or death:  if you didn't kill something for dinner, everyone would go hungry.  If you didn't walk down to the river for water, everyone would go thirsty.  If you didn't make love to your wife regularly, your tribe would die out.  If you didn't plant your garden at the right time, well, there goes your food store.  It seems to me that perhaps what has changed is the focus on being busy rather than focusing on what we're doing.  But perhaps every generation makes this observation on one level or another.  Perhaps it's akin to generational observations on the disintegration of language - with every generation come a few traditionalists who scoff at modern language trends, slang, manners of speaking, and declare that language is dying.  And those folks, though different with every generation, have been making these same observations for hundreds of years.  And language, far as I can tell, is alive and well.

But, as usual, I digress.

Yes, everyone has a lot going on.  But it's important to take some time to take it all in, to be kind to yourself, to have a sit down meal with your partner where you sit down for more than 10 minutes.  And where no one is watching the clock.  THAT is something that belongs in your planner.  A half hour, an hour - spare what you can and make it a habit.

These snippets of time are like little mini vacations.  And just like after any good vacation, afterwards you feel rejuvenated and together.  UNlike most vacations, these are free and you can plan them as often as you want.

====

When I'm feeling frazzled and spread out and generally anxious-loony-behind-the-invisible-schedule, at first I try to get everything done at the same time.  Unsurprisingly, this never works.  Usually after about an hour of that, I give up.  Sometimes I lay down on the floor scowling. Other times I'll drive or walk around continuously changing my mind on where to go and thereby getting absolutely nowhere in more senses than one.

I had already started down the Crazy Frazzled Causeway by 9:00 this morning, so I dropped everything I was trying unsuccessfully to do and removed myself to this coffee shop to write.  Writing is one thing that requires all of my attention when I do it.  I absolutely cannot multi-task if writing is one of the tasks.  I can't even multi-task mentally.  Writing is a mono-task type of thing for me.

Baking is another mono-task thing for me.  I can do other things while crusts are rising or while cookies are baking, but while I'm measuring and mixing and forming dough or dolloping dough, you had better hope that I'm all present and accounted for.

Figure out what makes you mono-task.  And do it regularly. 

If you haven't already figured it out, this is a way of tricking yourself into taking some time for yourself AND being productive.  At the same time.  Ssssshhhhhh, don't tell.

In the meantime, make yourself some delicious pancakes while you ponder your mono-tasking tendencies or lack thereof.  After all, you have to eat.



Simple Pancakes 
(adapted from Blackbird Bakery Gluten-Free, by Karen Morgan)


1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour
1/2 cup millet flour
2 tablespoons sorghum flour (rice flour will also work)
2 tablespoons  sugar
1 tablespoon guar gum
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 cup Kefir (Buttermilk will also work.  I use Kefir because it is 99% lactose free)
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, allowed to cool for 5 minutes
Olive oil or other high heat tolerant oil




In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
Add the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter, whisking until smooth.
Heat a non-stick medium sized skillet over medium heat (or medium low if your stove runs hot or if you have an electric stove).
Flick some drops of water on your skillet when you think it's warm - if they dance and sizzle, it's ready.
Pour about a 2 inch puddle of oil into your pan and carefully spread it with a paper towel.  I find this works MUCH better than tilting the pan because you have an evenly coated pan without puddles of extra grease.
Using a 1/4 or 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop batter up and plop it onto your pan.
For the first round, just do one pancake. That'll give you a chance to see how much they spread so you know if you can fit two, and you'll get a feel for how fast they brown and whether or not you need to adjust the heat.  And you can see if you need to adjust the size of your scoop.
When bubbles appear, go ahead and flip.  It will likely be about 3 minutes-ish.


Flip your pancake, let it cook for about a minute on that side (should be golden brown), and then remove to a warm oven while you proceed with the rest.
After each batch, pour a bit more oil in your pan and wipe with a paper towel.  I have found this method to work better than anything else I've tried.
If you're tempted to use butter to cook them, that's fine, but just keep a close eye on the heat and on any blackening butter in the pan.  It burns a lot more quickly than oil, and the wiping between batches is a LOT more annoying.
Meal planning note:  you can mix together the dry ingredients as far ahead of time as you like.  Just keep them in an airtight container.

Here's to a balanced day and working towards a balanced life, one Mono-Task at a time.
   ~Stacey



Tuesday, May 15, 2012

What You Bring to the Table

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery.

I say... not necessarily.
I say it all depends on the context.
I say it's best to first examine the reason behind the urge to imitate before you go ahead and Just Do It.

Is it (are you) driven by the desire for acceptance?  After all, like attracts like...
Is it (are you) driven by the desire to succeed?  After all, tried and true methods are...tried and true.
Is it (are you) driven by a sometime latent, sometime claustrophobically strong sense of being a Black Sheep Ugly Duckling?
Or, worst, of all, is it just out of habit, this urge to imitate, to fit into a mold, to recreate what's already been done?  A habit encouraged by ... (you fill in the blank).

The first few months in this new place, I was a shell of myself.  Well, not even a shell, because a shell still has some semblance of the original being, an indication of what might be inside.  I stowed away most of me and went into a weird protective mode where my thoughts and actions were designed to blend in, to be as imperceptible as possible.  I guess I wanted to get a feel for my surroundings first, see what was what, see how I'd fit into this new and challenging mix of things I had gotten myself into.

See how I'd fit in, eh?  That's a stupid idea.  Always has been.  I had finally learned that the only way I fit in anywhere is to just be...and I finally got comfortable with that when I was living in Arizona.  It's a weird feeling to be comfortable just being.  And it was new enough that its fragility dictated that it did not weather the storm of this move very well.

Or so I thought.  Turns out, I just misplaced my feather for awhile.  And, it turns out, my feather looks a lot like a pair of cowboy boots and some turquoise jewelry. You don't see too much of that 'round these parts.  And that is the point.

======


This blog exists because I firmly believe and want others to believe that gluten free foods are good not in spite of being gluten free, but precisely because of it.  They are tasty in and of their own right.  They are interesting because they are a little bit different from what you might be used to.  They don't taste like gluten-full foods, though they can be made very, very similar.  They have different flavors, different textures, different affects on the palate and tummy.

Here I strive not to make gluten-free goods that are as close to their wheat-y counterparts as possible.  That would, in a sense, lessen the value of these ingredients on their own.  They are not wheat, they don't taste like wheat, they don't feel like wheat.  They never will.  And that's okay.  Actually, that is the point.

============

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies - based on a recipe from Blackbird Bakery Gluten-Free by Karen Morgan

Ingredients
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder UNSWEETENED
1 1/4 cups sorghum flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon guar gum
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)
1/4 - 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Instructions
Combine all dry ingredients including the sugar and blend using a whisk, a mixer on low, or your fingers until well blended.
Add the butter and, using a hand mixer, mix on low until evenly distributed.  Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix on medium until creamy, light, and fluffy.  Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly mixed in, then follow with the coconut.
COVER AND REFRIGERATE FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS OR UP TO TWO DAYS BEFORE USING.
This batter also freezes well.

Once your batter is chilled and set:
Preheat the oven to 325.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Use an ice cream scoop or two spoons to put dollops of dough on your prepared sheets.  Flatten them slightly if you like traditional-looking cookies.  Leave them in mounds if you like the dropped-dough look/feel better.
Cookies will take 13-18 minutes.
Rotate the pans after about 7 minutes, then begin checking after 13 minutes.  If you like softer cookies, take them out sooner.  If you like them a little more solid, leave 'em in.  The bottoms should at least have a slight golden-brown tinge to them.

Once they're done to your liking, enjoy!

Caveat:  these cookies will never get completely crispy no matter how long you leave them in.  They just get too hard to eat.  If you like a really crispy cookie....well, I'm workin' on it!

-S







Friday, May 11, 2012

Dirty Hippy, Meet Plain Amish

These two gals might have more in common than you think.

This thought progression was brought on by an exchange on The Facebook.  I'm slightly embarrassed but also slightly thrilled by how it happened.  I was tickled pink when a certain someone came in the door and presented me with flowers he had picked on his bike ride home AND goat's milk he had bought and carried with him (I can't eat or drink cow dairy, so the goat products are a special treat).  So, in a somewhat uncharacteristic move for me, I posted something about it on The Facebook.  I don't usually post anything that is actually personal - I prefer to speak in vagaries and allusions that don't really reveal anything at all.  More interesting.  Plus I'm pretty private.

So, in response to my post about flowers and raw goat milk, one dear friend, from my life on the east coast, wrote, "hippy! ;-)."  Another dear friend, this one from my life in the southwest, wrote "Amish?"

And that got me thinking:  yes, and ... yes.

How is that even possible? Or rather, IS that even possible?

Well, if you think about it, there is some common ground between those two worlds:  self sufficiency, community autonomy, functionality over aesthetics with regard to one's apparel...and probably more.  Of course, there are differences as well.  But the commonalities are interesting to say the least.  And somewhat poignant given my move from the land of one to the land of the other.  I've had a tough time adjusting, at times feeling like I'm in a completely foreign place even though I grew up not two hours from where I'm living now.  The southwest spoke to my soul and allowed me to grow into myself in a way I absolutely could not have anywhere else.  That's why I'm so attached to it.

But perhaps it's really not so different here.  Perhaps it's really not so different anywhere.  Perhaps the geographic distances and apparent cultural divisions aren't really quite as vast as they may seem when you've got a firm grasp of your own ideas and identity, and a firm foothold in the present.  Firm enough to allow you to accept the things and people around you on their own terms without losing yourself.  Firm enough to exist in the best of both worlds, the intersection of all worlds.

Is there really that much difference between the makeup-less, car-less plainly dressed Amish girl riding her old bicycle to market and the makeup-less, car-less thirty something commuting to work on her fixie in plainclothes?

Perhaps there is a little bit of dirty hippy, a little bit of plain Amish, and and little bit of who knows what in all of us.

I like to think so.

---------



In the spirit of colliding worlds, I felt like creating some scones last night.  Scones are the food of high teas, the simplest member of the biscuit family, and totally in vogue.  Three seemingly disparate qualities all belonging to one baked good.  I wanted them to be simple, and I wanted them to be grain free.  I wanted them to be original.  Somehow the resulting recipe seems to fit with the thought progression that preceded it.  Funny how that happens with our food...it is so much more than physical nourishment.

Without further ado, here is the recipe.

Plain Hippy Scones

Ingredients
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup arrowroot starch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/3 cup coconut oil in liquid form - if you have to melt it, allow some time for it to cool before mixing it with the other ingredients
1/4 to 1/3 cup maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
cream or milk for brushing

Preheat the oven to 350.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with shortening.
Whisk together all the dry ingredients.  Be sure to break up any clumps!
Whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and maple syrup until well blended, then add the oil.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until you have a thick but not overly sticky, heavy-feeling batter.
Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, scoop dollops of batter onto your prepared pan and flatten them slightly.  These would be considered drop scones.  You should have about 8.
Or, you can make one big ball of dough and flatten it to a circle about 3/4 - 1 inch thick.  The slice (not quite all the way through) in a star pattern on the circle using a sharp knife, creating 6-8 triangle-shaped scones.  This is a more traditional scone shape.
Bake your scones on a rack set in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes total, rotating the pan halfway through.  They won't get very brown on top, but the bottoms will be golden.
As far as texture goes, these are very dense, but with a small, soft crumb - not quite like traditional scones.  They are quite tasty about 15 minutes out of the oven.

Enjoy!

~S









Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Doughnuts - again, easier this time!

Yes, you read that right:  DOUGHNUTS - again!!!  No attempt at a witty title this week, folks.  Just sticking to the facts and letting them speak for themselves.  If you don't like doughnuts, well, that's fine, I guess.  But you might want to get that checked out.  I mean, who doesn't like doughnuts?  I have pretended I didn't like doughnuts at times when I was "watching what I was eating."  I probably said things like,  "Ew, fried dough, who wants that kind of luscious chewy goodness in their system?  Cake doughnuts aren't good either - I mean, crumblysweetsoft deliciousness is really not my thing."

In the last few years, I have embraced the fact that I love doughnuts.  I even made a meatloaf sandwich using a fastnacht earlier this year...after I had already eaten two covered with powdered sugar.  An excellent example of complete and total lack of moderation.  An excellent example of what not to do...but they were delicious.

After seeing about a hundred Dunkin Donuts stores on a trip to New England recently, I decided it was time to make doughnuts again, but to try a baked version.  I wanted them to be soft and more cakey than the fried ones had been, and less granular than previous baked attempts.   And I wanted them to be not only free of gluten, but sans grains as well.  And I wanted to NOT use white sugar.  All at one time!  Just to see if I could do it.

NOTE:  IF YOU ARE NOT IN POSSESSION OF DOUGHNUT PANS, DON'T DESPAIR!  MANY PERFECTLY NORMAL FOLKS ARE NOT.  YOU COULD PROBABLY USE MUFFIN TINS OR JUST FORM GLOBS OF DOUGH ON A PLAIN COOKIE SHEET.  I WOULD PROBABLY TRY THE SECOND ONE, JUST BECAUSE THEY WON'T BE MISTAKEN FOR MUFFINS THEN.  IN EITHER CASE, BE SURE TO GREASE THE PANS VERY GENEROUSLY.

My recipe is adapted from one by Silvana Nardone, author of Cooking for Isaiah.  All of her recipes are gluten-free and dairy free, and they are delicious (the ones I've actually followed, that is).  She uses the same flour blend for all of her baked goods.   I did away with that entirely and adjusted everything else accordingly.  So, it's really not like her recipe at all, but that was what I started from, so, as always, I like to give credit where credit is due.

Ingredients
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup arrowroot starch
2/3 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil (in liquid form - melt it and allow it to cool if yours has solidified)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350.
Generously grease (I use palm shortening - no taste, and okay for high heat) two doughnut pans.
Whisk together all the dry ingredients.  Be sure to break up any clumps of almond flour and coconut flour.
In another bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients, adding the oil last.  Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix with a whisk or wooden spoon until well blended...no clumps!!
Use a spoon or carefully pour the batter into the doughnut pan, taking care to spread the dough evenly in each round.  Fill each one about 2/3 to 3/4 full - you'll end up with 10 - 12 doughnuts.
Bake until they are slightly golden and they spring back when pressed lightly - about 15 - 20 minutes.  Set your timer for about 8 minutes and rotate the pans, then check after another 8 minutes, adding time if necessary.

You can dredge them in powdered sugar if you want:
Pour about 1 cup of powdered sugar on a plate and dredge each doughnut once, tap off the excess, then dredge them all again while still warm.

OR

You can brush them with melted butter and dredge them in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.

OR

You can devour them plain.



Cheers (you can clink with doughnuts too!)!
 
~S



Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Space, the Final Frontier

Space on the page, that is.  The very blank, very white, very obviously empty page.  The page represents the ever-final and ever-new place that is a challenge to get to and then a challenge to populate once you do finally arrive...like the frontier was.  And like each of our personal frontiers are for each of us.  You have to beware of obstacles (mental and physical!), predators (mental and physical!), and big ol' ruts in the road.  You have to be prepared for whatever the day brings.  Sometimes the day brings inspiration to go sit in a cafe and write rather than riding the bike even though it's beautiful outside.  When inspiration has been sparse, you sure as shmell go write even if you're having a fat day and that workout might have helped distract from the "fat day"...for a minute, anyway.

This is all hypothetical, of course.  I never lack for inspiration; I embrace the uncertainties of the frontier no matter how crazy they make me; and I never have fat days.  Or crazy lady days.

Yes sirree.  And the sky is green.

Breakfast is another frontier altogether when it comes to gluten-free eating.  Many of us are accustomed to grabbing a bagel, buttering some toast, or buying a muffin or scone at the coffee shop.  Even before this gluten-free journey of mine started, I had realized that those items just don't cut it as a real meal.  They can satisfy your mouth if they are tasty and chewy and slathered in butter or icing, but it's likely that your tummy will be screaming for more before too long.  This is especially true if you start your day with a ride or run or other physical activity - you need longer lasting fuel to make it to lunch and to recover from your workout.  And to avoid the Cranky Hunger Monster.  Protein and fat are essential for keeping you full longer and for preventing those lows (read:  scowly face moods) associated with the sudden and quick hunger that rears its head after eating a starchy, sugary breakfast.

Today's post will hopefully give you two recipe ideas that you can build on and personalize to your tastes and cravings and calorie needs.

No time?  No problem.  Both of the items on today's post take 5 - 10 minutes to mix together, then another 20 - 40 in the oven.

First, we have Almond Flour Drop Biscuits.  I adapted this recipe from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam.  It is an easy, forgiving recipe that you will like.  Promise.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups almond flour (I prefer Trader Joe's for flavor AND price)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup olive oil (you could use melted butter or another type of oil here)
1 1/2 Tablespoon sugar (use a little more if you want a sweeter biscuit - as is they are very mildly sweet. Or use honey or agave syrup.)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine all dry ingredients in one bowl.  Be sure to break up any clumps.  If you store your almond flour in the freezer, there will be clumps.  Combine the wet ingredients in another bowl.
Mix the dry and wet ingredients together with a whisk or wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.  Use a 1/4 cup or 1/3 cup measuring cup to drop dollops of batter onto your prepared pan.  You'll get 7 or 8 biscuits, depending on how big your dollops are.  Smooth the tops if you wish, or leave them rustic looking.  Pop them into the oven and bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and springy - when you press them lightly, they should spring back.  Or, you can use the toothpick test - if the toothpick comes out clean, they're done.  Rotate the pan halfway through baking.
These are delicious right out of the oven slathered with butter.
They are also delicious the next day slathered with almond butter.
I have not tried it, but I bet they would ALSO be delicious with some bacon on top!
Store in an airtight container at room temperature...if you have any left!!

Second, we have Egg Muffins.  This is barely even a recipe, just more of a template for you to build on.    My creation was inspired by a recipe I saw in Everyday Paleo, by Sarah Fragoso (might have her first name wrong, but I'll correct later if so.).  I can't say I really followed the recipe at all, nor can I say I've never thought of doing this, but the structure of her recipe was what spurred me to actually make a muffin made out of eggs, so I figure give credit where credit is due!!

Here are the basic instructions:

These are muffins made of eggs and whatever you want to mix with them.

Preheat your oven to 350.  Position a rack in the center of the oven.

First step is to figure out how many muffins you want and what size.  Grease your muffin pan VERY generously!!  Or use muffin papers.  These babies stick like nobody's business.  I used 8 large eggs and 1/2 cup of cream and ended up with 6 extra large muffins - meaning, I used the Huge Muffin tin.  If you have regular sized muffin tins only, you will have smaller muffins, but more of them.  8 eggs would probably get you 8-12 regular sized muffins, assuming you fill the cups 2/3 to 3/4 full, and depending how much filling you add.  Try with 4 eggs and 1/4 cup cream and however much filling you want if you're not sure how to calculate how much you need or want to make.  Mix the eggs and liquid together in a big bowl.

Second step is to add some fillings.  You can fry up some bacon, then add some chopped green pepper and onion to the bacon and bacon grease and cook until tender.  Or, just add raw veggies, keeping in mind that firmer veggies will stay firmer and softer veggies will stay...softer.  You can cut up some cheese and mix that in with your eggs and liquid.  If you have leftover crumbled sausage, chicken, hamburgers, meatloaf, grilled veggies, steamed broccoli - chop it up and add it to the mix!  Nutmeg is a nice classical quiche-like touch, so add some if you like.  Salt and pepper are always options.  Paprika is another tasty savory flavor that pairs well with just about anything.

Mix everything together and use a small measuring cup to pour your mixture into the muffin cups.  Pouring directly from the bowl does NOT work.  I tried and made a mess.  Fill the cups about 2/3 to 3/4 full.  Bake until the centers are firm, no jiggling.  This will be anywhere from 15 - 30 minutes, depending on the size of your muffins.  Rotate the pans halfway through baking.

This might sound complicated because the description is long, but it's super easy, I promise.  If you'd like a strict recipe to work from, let me know and I will send you one but I bet once you have it you'll barely look at it.  You pretty much just crack some eggs, add cream, add random fridge contents, mix together, pour into muffin cups, enjoy.  Repeat.

Keep these in the fridge in an airtight container.  Be sure to allow them to cool completely before you seal them up, otherwise water will condense inside the container as they cool and contract.  That is not a problem, really, but I think slimy eggs are gross, so I try to avoid feeding them to people I love.

Here's to eating a tasty, filling, and easy breakfast at home or on the go!

~S