Flour power

Has anyone tried to cook or bake with coconut flour? I've been experimenting with it, and so far it's been unsuccessful! However, I have a recipe for Tone It Up pancakes and I decided to use that as a base for an attempt at coconut flour pancakes. The texture of coconut flour is something to get used to (it's a little gritty) but overall I feel good about these. They're great for after a morning workout!

Coconut flour is gluten free (I'm not on a gluten free diet, but it's a plus) and it's super high in protein and fiber which keeps you fuller, longer. If you want to read up on some more benefits of coconut flour, check out this article.

Sidenote: you cannot substitute regular flour with coconut flour in just any recipe. Coconut flour is extremely absorbent therefore you usually have to up the eggs if you're using it. It can be used for approximately 1/3 of regular flour content in a recipe. It takes some experimenting, but can be worth it!

Coconut flour power pancakes
1/4 c. coconut flour
1/2 organic banana, mashed
4 tbs. organic milk (or almond milk)
3/4 c. organic egg whites
1 tsp. cinnamon (to taste)
1/4 c. fruit of your choice

Directions:
Completely mash banana with milk and egg whites. (You may need to add more milk if the coconut flour is soaking up too much moisture.) Mix in dry ingredients. Spray a skillet on medium heat with organic extra virgin olive oil spray-get those pancake edges crispy! Pour a small-to-medium sized pancake into the skillet, you will need to help the batter spread out to be thin enough as it does not spread on its own. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. It will look done, but cook it for a little longer to ensure that the inside is cooked--the coconut flour cooks slowly. Drizzle with all natural real maple syrup, top with fresh fruit and enjoy!

Next time, I think I may add the blueberries in with the batter. If you try this out, let me know what you think!