coconut extract | Kid Tested Firefighter Approved

Farro, you may not know what it is but trust me, you’ll like it! It’s one of the oldest cultivated grains on our planet. It is high in fiber and protein and a great source of complex carbohydrates (think good carbs – whole grains). It has a chewy, hearty texture and looks like this…

I tend to rotate breakfast grains and this is high on my list of favorites! I was in a coconut-type of mood this morning so I came up with this Coconut Cardamom Breakfast Farro! Hope you like it, I did… and my toddler REALLY liked it!

I used Kal Brand Stevia, instead of sugar, to sweeten it up a bit. You could almost chill this and make it into a dessert pudding!

Ingredients:

* 1 cup farro, rinsed

* 1 – 14.5oz can coconut milk (lite or regular)

* 1 cup almond milk (or whatever milk you want to use)

* 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

* 1/4 tsp coconut extract (optional but good)

* Little less than 1/8 tsp Stevia

* Big pinch of salt

* Shredded coconut, unsweetened (to top)

* Cinnamon (to top)

Directions:

* Add farro, milk, cardamom, stevia and salt to saucepan. Bring to boil.

* Reduce heat to a low boil, cook for 25 minutes or until your desired texture, stirring occasionally.

* Stir in coconut extract, serve with shredded coconut and a dash of cinnamon on top!

Let me start by saying, I am NOT a baker! I attempt it now and then but I am not very good at it. We don’t eat many sweets so that’s okay. Every now and then I get a craving for something sweet so I attempt to bake. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. This cake turned out really tasty so I’m glad I attempted it. I’m new to gluten-free baking so this cake may not look the way it’s supposed to but it sure is good! They’re really more like bars with their thick texture. Ah, whatever you want to call them is fine because I call them DELICIOUS!!

I received a bunch of lemongrass in my CSA box last week and I’ve been looking for new recipes that call for lemongrass. I usually make Thai Food but I wanted to make something new. I’ve been cooking my way through my favorite vegan food blog, Melomeals: Vegan For $3.33 A Day – she had this recipe on her site so I had to try it! I love anything with lemon too so this was a perfect match!

Here’s her recipe:

Lemongrass Cake with Coconut Frosting

· ½ c golden flax meal

· ¼ c Vegenaise (vegan mayo – found at Sprouts)

· 1 c sugar

· 1 t vanilla

· 1 t coconut extract

· Juice and zest of 1 lemon

· 2 T lemongrass (sold at Sprouts)

· ½ c light-colored oil – I used vegetable oil

· 1.5 c Bob’s All Purpose Gluten-Free flour (I suppose you could use regular flour too)

· 2 t baking powder

· 1 t baking soda

· ½ t salt

Method: Pre-heat oven to 350

1. Mix flax, mayo, sugar, extracts, lemon juice, zest , lemongrass and oil together very well until everything is totally incorporated

2. Sift together the flour, powder, soda and salt into the wet mixture and mix together completely. You don’t have to worry about over working this dough. Mix super well!

3. Spray a 9 by 9 cake pan with cooking spray, pour batter into pan and bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Cool cake completely on a wire rack

5. Frost!

Frosting:

· 1.5 c unsweetened coconut shreds

· ¼ c nondairy milk

· 3 – 4 c powdered sugar

· Juice and Zest of 1 lemon

· Pinch salt

1. In a food processor, process the coconut and milk if needed until coconut turns into butter like substance. This will take around 4 minutes

2. Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest, salt and process until it comes together like frosting adding milk as needed