Coconut Loving

I spent a good amount of time last weekend attempting to make my own coconut butter.

I ordered my first jar of Biona Coconut Oilcompletely blind to the fact that there was a difference between coconut oil and coconut butter. I was all set to drizzle copious amounts of coconut butter on my pancakes and smoothies all week long but it just wasn’t meant to be.

I eventually had some success on the homemade coconut butter front, producing a creamy rich coconut butter after 20 minutes of whizzing coconut in my food processor. It wasn’t as creamy and smooth as I had anticipated it might be and as I’ve seen it can be! Miss Healthy Diva herself is a huge fan of coconut butter and having seen it drizzled over smoothies I have been dying to give it a try.

Thanks to her I’m no longer ignorant to the fact that there is in fact a difference between the oil and the butter and got straight on to Swanson Health to order myself some Artisana Coconut Butter (her preferred and recommended brand!). I got confirmation during the week that it’s on its on its sweet merry way to me (along with some Justins Chocolate Hazelnut Butter and Maranatha No Stir Almond Butter; the first encouraged by Tina and her love of the creamy chocolaty treat, the latter by Kath who sites it as being one of her favourite almond butters!)

FYI – I intended to share these pancakes last weekend when the blog was down so I actually have coconut butter in my possession as I publish this

So with plans to make coconut pancakes I decided to simply incorporate some healthy coconut butter in the batter and cook them in a little coconut oil…dusting them the desiccated coconut for extra coconut loving goodness!

Lemon, Coconut, Raspberry pancakes!!! Boy they were good. The array of coconut add ins worked a treat along with the raspberries and the lemon zest. Fresh fruity and super duper filling. A little almond butter to finish them off as well as some quick and easy homemade raspberries jam. I’m absolutely loving making my own fruity jams for my pancakes…

It all started with blueberry, apricot (possibly my favourite of the lot), then came cherry and now we have raspberry! Fresh jam without any unnecessary added extras, spreadable and more sauce like than your standard jar with a whole lot less sugar.

With an abundance of cherries at hand after my cherry picking earlier in the week I really should have made myself some cherry pancakes…I’ve been putting them to good use in the baking and overnight oats sense (recipes to come this coming week!) so I fancied something a little different for breakfast and these pancakes were just the ticket! If I eat any more cherries I will most definitely turn in to one…though I will admit I’m still far from sick of them! I will be more than a little sad when my loot has gone!

Naoise took a fair few home with her. She was meant to come along but unfortunately fell asleep having been up late the night before and was delighted to see I brought a HUGE tray home. She dug straight in…one or two cherries in she already had the cherry stained finger tips and lips…they’re just so incredibly ripe and juicy!!! If you live anywhere in the Dublin or Wicklow area you might be in luck and be able to pick some up from The Happy Pear…!

Now that I have coconut flour in my possession thanks to my first order from iHerb having been delivered during the week I have more pancake experimentation to attend to. I’m thinking pancakes for lunch and dinner is a fantastic follow up option to these beauties!!!

What’s your favourite way to use coconut butter? Ever made your own? [/donotprint]

Coconut Raspberry Lemon Pancakes

 Print this easy peasy recipe

Servings – 1 (3 medium pancakes)

Preparation Time – 5 minutes

Cooking Time – 8 – 10 minutes

Ingredients

Pancakes

• 60g (1/2 cup) chickpea flour
• ½ tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp coconut butter
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 125ml (1/2 cup) almond milk
• 1 small banana
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup fresh raspberries sliced in half
• 1-2 tsp coconut oil for cooking (optional)

Toppings

• 1-2 tsp desiccated coconut
• 1/3 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 tbsp organic smooth almond butter
• ½ tbsp toasted flaked almonds

Raspberry Jam

• ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
• 2 tsp water
• ½ tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp cornstarch + 1 tsp water

Directions

1. Blend together all pancake batter ingredients with the exception of the raspberries until smooth.
2. Set to one side (ideally in the fridge) for 5 minutes to allow it to thicken up a little bit.
3. Meanwhile add raspberries and maple syrup to a pot, bring to boiling point, mash up raspberries and whisk in cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until desired consistency. The jam/sauce will thicken up further upon cooling.
4. Heat coconut oil in a non stick pan if you choose to use some, and place 1/3 cup measures (1/3 of the batter) in to the pan to create three medium sized pancakes. Allow to cook on one side for 4-5 minutes, dropping raspberries in to the pancake and pressing them down about 2 minutes in to cooking on the first side.
5. Allow to cook for a further 4-5 minutes on the other side before plating up.
6. Serve with a dollop of almond butter on each, sprinkle with coconut and flaked almonds, raspberry jam in the centre and fresh raspberries strewn around as you please!

Tagged as: almond butter, almonds, artisana, coconut, coconut butter, gluten free, lemon, pancakes, raspberries, vegan, wheat free