Recipe: 

1 can of full fat coconut milk* 

1-1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh fruit- mango and strawberry are my favorite

2 tsp. honey

Mix coconut milk and honey together in a liquid measuring cup (one with a pour spout). Add chopped fruit evenly to popsicle moulds. If you keep the fruit big enough, you will be able to stack it up, that way it will be more evenly distributed throughout the mould. Pour the coconut milk/honey mixture over the fruit, leaving about 1 cm at the top of the mould.

Freeze, and enjoy!

*I have found that the brand does make a difference- I use either 'Grace brand that I buy at Sobeys or Bulk Barn, or Thai Kitchen that I buy at Superstore

(I bought my popsicle moulds at The Superstore. Unfortunately they are plastic, but are listed as BPA free.)

Coconut Craze

Coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut flour, and other coconut products are becoming increasingly popular. Coconut is a natural gluten and dairy-free alternative that is extensively consumed in certain cultures, especially in the south pacific. Despite the fact that coconut oil is predominately saturated fat, it is very good for you. Not all saturated fats are equal! The saturated fats in coconut are medium-chain fatty acids, or medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which act more similarly to a carbohydrate in their metabolism than a fat, except that they don't spike insulin like carbs do. MCTs are quickly converted to energy for use by muscles and organs, decreasing the likelihood of being stored as fat for later use.

  Coconut oil has been found to have numerous health benefits, including

·         improving blood sugar balance

·         heart protective effects

·         stimulating thermogenesis (fat burning)

·         supporting proper thyroid function

·         anti-microbial and anti-viral properties

·         improved athletic performance

to name a few!

Coconut oil, specifically, is useful as a fat to cook with, especially at high heats because it has a very high smoke point (the point at which an oil becomes chemically damaged and is not healthy to consume). You can use coconut oil in any way that you would ordinarily use other oils! Try coconut oil as the grease on your pan for sweet potato fries, or as the oil in a batch of your favorite muffins. Prepare to be hooked!

With more and more people identifying gluten as a food intolerance, or just choosing to reduce and eliminate gluten in their diet, gluten free recipes are becoming ever more popular. I have finally figured out a gluten free pizza crust that is fairly simple and tastes great -so great you might be able to fool your gluten eating friends!

This recipe is also great because you can bake the pizza crust ahead of time and freeze for later use.

Don't fear that something is wrong when you make this dough and it is too sticky to handle. Simply spread it out on the parchment paper (see picture) and be prepared to be amazed as it cooks and separates from the paper!

For toppings, I am usually fairly experimental. I often mix things up  and use olive oil, roasted garlic with olive oil, or pesto as my sauce. If you are dairy free, go cheese-less since the crust is already dairy free!  Instead brush the toppings with olive oil to prevent them from drying out too much.



Gluten-Free Pizza Crust  (makes 2-12 inch crusts)

3/4 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

 2/3 cup sorghum flour

1 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. salt


3/4 cup water  (should be between 105°F and 115° F on a candy thermometer)

 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

 2 tsp. honey


2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

3 1/2 Tbsp. plus 1 teaspoon olive oil


Pizza sauce and toppings


Special equipment

Special equipment: heavy baking sheet, pizza stone, or baking peel, parchment paper.


Make pizza crust
Mix together tapioca flour (also known as tapioca starch), brown rice flour, sorghum flour, xanthan gum, and salt, set aside.

Mix warm water and honey together, add yeast and give it a quick stir.

Beat two egg whites lightly in a bowl. Add 2 TBsp. olive oil. 

Add water/honey/yeast mixture, and egg white/oil mixture to the dry ingredients all at once. Beat either with paddle attachment of stand mixer, or with a wooden spoon and arm power, until the dough is very smooth and thick, 3-4 minutes.

Set pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in oven, and preheat to 400°F. (Preheat at least 45 minutes if using pizza stone or 20 minutes if using baking sheet.)

Have ready two 12-inch squares of parchment paper. Scrape half of dough onto each square and form each half into a ball (if possible). Coat each ball with 2 teaspoons oil, then use oiled fingertips to pat and stretch each ball into 9-inch-diameter round, 1/4 inch thick, with a 1/2-inch-thick border. Or smear dough out with a combo of spoon/spatula and hands until it is the dimensions listed above (see picture). Let rise in a warm draft-free place until each pizza has swelled slightly, about 20 minutes.

Carefully transfer pizza dough on the parchment paper onto preheated pizza stone or baking sheet. If you have a 'baking peel', you can use it for the transfer! Bake until top is puffed and firm and underside is slightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove pizza shell from the oven and discard the parchment paper (it should have risen off of the parchment by this time).Transfer baked crust to a cooling rack. Bake second crust in same manner. (Baked crusts can be made ahead and frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, up to 1 month. Thaw in 350°F oven until hot, 4 to 5 minutes, before topping and broiling.)

Top each pizza with desired sauce and toppings. Return to the oven either on a pan, or directly onto the oven rack if you feel the crust is sturdy enough! Bake until crust is golden brown and toppings are done!

Enjoy!