Fresh Pickings
Paleo Baking Flour
What is "paleo?" The Paleolithic diet is a nutritional program based on foods available to humans living in that era. In 2012, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics described paleo as one of the "latest trends" in diets. And in 2013 it was Google's most searched weight-loss method.
Of the estimated 80 billion people who have ever lived out a life span on Earth, more than 90% of them have foraged for all of their food. In other words, foraging and paleo go hand-in-hand. To learn more about it, Kat is joined by Cathy Erway, host of Eat Your Words, who has discovered you can forage right here in Brooklyn. Tune in to hear what plants Cathy is able to find in Prospect Park and how she uses them in her cooking.
Next, Kat talks to Harry Rosenblum, host of Feast Yr Ears, about the paleo diet, paleo foods, and paleo flours. While he doesn't follow the diet himself (he loves coffee too much), Harry recently had Samir Patel on his show to talk about it. Samir is a science journalist, photographer, and editor based in Brooklyn. He was the Deputy Editor at Archaeology, and has a lot to say about how early humans ate.
Then, Krista Margies, a baker from Charlotte, North Carolina, shares a paleo-approved recipe with us. Hint: it's her riff on chocolate lava cake and you're going to want to make it as soon as you finish listening to this episode!
Chocolate Fondant
By Krista Margies
600g (2 1/2c) good quality chocolate (I use dark, but milk is also acceptable)
300g (1 1/4c) solid coconut oil
12 eggs
300g (1 1/4c) coconut sugar
Zest of one orange
150g (2/3c) Bob's Red Mill Paleo flour, sifted
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Melt the chocolate and coconut oil over a double boiler. Stir until smooth , remove from the heat and set aside.
- Put your eggs in a stand mixer with the sugar and beat on medium until it triples in size and pales in color, 5-7mins.
- Mix the orange zest into your sifted paleo flour and then fold into the fluffy eggs. Fold in cooled melted chocolate until fully incorporated.
- Fill 12 4-ounce ramekins (sprayed with coconut oil spray) 3/4 of the way to the top. Bake 10-15mins. There should be a shiny flaky crust on top with a squidgy center.
- Invert slightly cooled fondant onto a plate and serve.
*For a more rustic presentation, pour batter into a 9x13 baking dish, bake 15 mins and spoon onto plates to serve.
Fresh Pickings is proudly supported by Bob’s Red Mill.