Homemade Gluten-free Strawberry Pie

The kiddos and I went on a homeschool field trip to a local farm this week. We picked 20lbs of the sweetest organic strawberries I have ever tasted! The farmer told us they were of the Radiant variety- juicy and sweet.

I am going to make some strawberry preserves next week, freeze some for smoothies and milkshakes, add some to my homemade kombucha, and today I made a gluten-free strawberry pie! I used coconut flour for the crust, and cut the sugar content in half to let the natural sweetness of the strawberries shine.

Here's a crust recipe that I modified from http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/:

1 1/2 c coconut flour (make your own Homemade coconut flour)

2 eggs
1 t honey
pinch of salt
1/4 c + 2 T melted butter
1 T water

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Mix first 4 ingredients well, then add butter and water. Mix thoroughly.

Press into a 8"x 11" pan.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until browned.

For the filling, I modified a recipe from Talk About Good, published by the Junior League of Lafayette, LA.:

about 1 qt strawberries
1/2 c sugar
3 T cornstarch
8 oz cream cheese + 3 T milk
freshly-whipped cream

Process cream cheese and milk in small food processor until spreadable consistency.

Spread mixture on finished coconut flour crust.

Set 1/2 of strawberries closely on top of cream cheese, use more if needed.

Mash rest of berries in medium saucepan(add more if you used more than half on previous step.).

Add sugar and cornstarch to strawberries and bring to boil. Cook until hot and thick, stirring constantly.

Cool mixture slightly, then pour over berries in pan. Spread to even thickness.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Serve topped with whipped cream.

Here's the strawberry kombucha that I have fermenting on my kitchen counter! I have already tasted it, and it is delicious! I now have a new favorite flavor!

This recipe was shared at Monday Mania at the Healthy Home Economist.

Homemade Sourdough Pancakes

I was rummaging through my kitchen cabinet the other day and found a series of cookbooks that my mother-in-law gave to me many years ago. I never realised what a treasure they were! Women's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery is a great set of books to have around. The set I have was published in 1966, and most of the recipes use butter and other "old-fashioned" ingredients. There are not only recipes in these books, but whole cookbooks on specific ingredients such as onions and peanut butter, or ethnicities such as French and Norwegian! These books also have definitions for culinary lingo and procedures. What a find-and in the back of my own cabinet!

The first Women's Day recipe I am going to try is sourdough pancakes! I have modified the recipe slightly to my own tastes, but the idea is the same :)

To 2 cups of your sourdough starter, add one cup each of flour and water. Let it sit overnight.

In the morning, add 1 T rapadura, 1/2 t baking soda, 1/2 t sea salt and one beaten egg.

Mix with 2 T melted butter and let it sit while griddle heats up to about 350 degrees F.

Cook on hot griddle until browned on both sides.

While my pancakes were cooking, my kids asked me if I was making popcorn for breakfast! The smell is similar :) The taste is delicious! They are slightly sour, but when loaded with butter and maple syrup they make a satisfying breakfast. I was able to eat these pancakes without the feeling of heaviness I sometimes get in my tummy, and they are very filling and full of energy.

Enjoy!