Devotion: Storing God's Word on Your Internal Hard Drive

It's an early Tuesday morning, and I'm trying up upload my grocery list onto my phone. As I'm typing in "milk", my phone freezes. Now, this is not unusual. When I'm trying to run too many apps at one time on my personal pocket computer, it tends to freeze, shut down all apps, and lets me try again. It's a little frustrating, but I know it's my fault for trying to do too many things at once. 

So when my phone shut down that Tuesday morning, I thought nothing of it. Until I tried unlocking my phone again. Nothing happened. The screen wouldn't let me swipe my code, answer a call, or send a text. Luckily for me, it was time for my phone upgrade, but today just wasn't the day for it. I had a party I was supposed to be taking my daughter to; I had an appointment to meet someone; I had groceries to pick up; and what was on my calendar for that evening?! Why can't I remember?! I can't access all my information on my phone! Panic was beginning to settle in. When I suddenly had a need for all the information on my phone, I couldn't access it, and gone were the days of memorizing everyone's number. I quickly ordered a new phone, but I couldn't pick it up until the end of the day. I was going to have to use my husband's phone; his old, not-so-smart phone. 

When I got my new, and even better phone, I was hit with yet another "horror." None of contacts were saved online to transfer to my new phone, and my new phone didn't have a SD card, so all of my pictures were also stuck on the old phone. I essentially lost everything and had to start from scratch. I sent out an "all call" on Facebook asking for people to text me their contact information. I had to search through the new apps to decide which ones I used on a regular basis, which ones I really didn't need anymore, and which ones my new phone has that my old phone didn't. I had to reevaluate my dependency of my phone. I had to save all my information in 5 different places so I wouldn't lose all my information, calendars, and contacts again. 

As I was constantly updating my contact list, I starting thinking about the days when we memorized our friends' numbers. If I needed to call a friend, that information was neatly tucked in my brain, and I could access it anytime. Even today I can recite a long list of phone numbers from my friends 20 years ago. This all reminded me about memorizing scripture. Proverbs 6: 21-22 says, "Keep their words in mind forever as though you had tied them around your neck. They will guide you when you walk. They will guard you when you sleep. They will speak to you when you are awake." I am so lucky to live in a culture when I can have the Word of God at my fingertips at a moment's notice. I have my Bible, well-worn, and filled with notes. I have my computer where I can access specific scripture or various translation of my beloved book. I have my smart phone {well, most of the time} where I have devotions sent to me so I can read while sitting in car line or in stand-still traffic. But in so many countries, having any scripture at all can be dangerous. Those people must rely on memorizing verses so they may recall them in times of danger, when they need to be comforted, or when they need to just be reminded how much God loves them. The Bible speaks over and over again about the importance of memorizing scripture. Our minds are designed to recall things that we took the time to memorize; very much like a filing system inside our heads. In danger? Boom! Psalm 91. Need peace and rest? Remember Matthew 11:25-30. Need Christian assurance? Think about Romans 8:1-30. Seeking happiness? Think about what Paul said in Colossians 3:12-17. 

Although it was not cool at all that I lost all of my contacts and "vital" information on my phone, it sure did serve to remind me how important it is to store God's Word on my internal hard drive. He gave us such strong brains, where we can memorize long passages and recall in times of need. If I'm ever in a situation where I need to remember scripture, or to use certain verses to encourage others around me, the first source I should go to is scripture I take the time to memorize. Luke 13:8 reminds us to "fertilize" our hearts and minds. Doing so will help us produce FRUIT. One of the best fertilizers God gives us is the opportunity to memorizing scripture. 

Join me in making a point to memorizing at least one scripture a week. You may never know when you need to access it. 


Need additional verses about memorizing scripture? Go HERE. 

Recipe REVIEW: Paleo Pizza

As I continue to work on changing my eating habits to include less carbs and more protein, one of my favorite Facebook Pages to follow is "Just Eat Real Food". This page posts two-three recipes for each meal each day, and this is where I found a link to Humble Foodie's No Scrubs: Paleo Pizza. The picture that was posted with the recipe was so beautiful, full of bright colors and yummy, yummy veggies. I instantly put it in my meal planner on Ziplist.com for Monday night.

Below I will be posting the recipe as I did it as I had to triple the recipe to feed my family of 5, and then check the bottom of my "Official Review". Please go HERE for the original recipe.

Paleo Pizza
Ingredients: 
* 1 1/2 cup almond meal {You can make your own by grinding raw, unsalted almonds into a powder...but don't grind too much; You'll get almond butter.}
* 3/4 tsp salt
* 1 1/2 tsp EACH of dried basil and oregano
* 3/4 tsp dried thyme
* 3 tsp olive oil + extra for oiling pan or stone
* 3 large eggs
* 1 cup tomato sauce
* pizza toppings {See note below for my preference}
* Optional: parmesean cheese

Note: My pizza toppings included: 
* 1 cup fresh baby spinach
* 1 green and 1 red bell pepper
* 1/2 cup mushrooms
* garlic powder
* pepperoni slices
* 1/4 cup feta cheese 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325. Oil parchment paper or a baking stone {my preference}
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine almond meal, salt, seasoning, olive oil, and eggs. 
3. Spread the dough onto the parchment paper or on the stone until it is very thin. 
4. Bake for 10 minutes
5. While baking, saute any toppings you desire. I sauteed half of the peppers and all of the mushrooms in  1 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp of oregano, 1/2 tsp of rosemary, garlic powder, and thyme. 
6. Remove crust from oven, add sauce and then toppings. Bake for 15 minutes or until pizza is crisp. 

Note: Here is how I layered my pizza after crust was precooked: 

* 1/4 tsp garlic powder

* sprinkle with parmesean cheese and feta cheese

* tomato sauce

* 1/2 tsp oregano and rosemary 

* baby spinach

* sauteed veggies 

* pepperoni

* rest of raw veggies 

* sprinkle with parmesean and feta cheese, oregano, and rosemary 

Because I LOADED up my pizza, the cooking time was 20 minutes. 

My "Official" Review

Was it Easy to Make? Yes. It was very easy to make. I would almost dare to say it was easier to make than regular pizza dough. I started making it at 5pm and we were ready to eat by 545. I'm sure that time would be shorter if I hadn't piled on 10 layers on my pizza. 

How Did It Taste? Very, very good. I warned my husband ahead of time that it wasn't the normal pizza I make. When I do that, he normally politely eats a small amount and then about 30 minutes after dinner gets himself a bowl of cereal or something. Not only did he eat his share, but he got seconds. All but one of my children got seconds. I also got seconds, but I put my seconds on top of about 1/2 cup of fresh spinach. The only reason I did this was so I could save some pizza for the rest of the family. When I came back to see how much I needed to put away, it was all gone. So, yeah, this went over well with my family. 

Did it make me feel full? Yes, but not the "pop the top button of my shorts" full. It was sufficient. I could have added a salad with it, and I sort of did with my seconds, but it wasn't necessary. 

If you are looking for a good pizza recipe that is not going blow your carbs out of the water, I would suggest this recipe. Very good and very easy to make. 

Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuits

Yummy Ready-To-Go Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuits for those busy mornings. 

 There are just some mornings when getting up before the rest of the family to cook a well-balanced meal isn't exactly going to happen. And on Sunday mornings, when my family has to be leaving the house at 8am for church, many times I found myself tossing a granola bar to my kids as we sprint out the door. I made a "Spring-Time Resolution" not too long ago that I was going to be more proactive about having breakfast ready for the family that didn't involve them rummaging through the snack box for something to hold them over.

So when I saw a post on Pinterest about a great idea for egg biscuits, I smacked my forehead and realized I could make a delicious meal for my family ahead of time that would be easy to grab and go on those mornings I just can't be a perfect mom. {Quick note here, before writing this post, I tried to go back to the website I found to give credit for the idea. I couldn't find it. I then looked at Pinterest and found similar websites, but not the one that sparked the idea. So, just letting you know, this was not my brain child}.

The biggest problem I have had in the past with making egg biscuits is that the eggs are normally too big for the biscuits, and making scrambled eggs is really just out of the question. I have 3 kids. I'm not going to attempt that. The key to this entire recipe is to use mason jar lids. That's right, the lids. Once upon a time, I tried a biscuit cutter, but it just didn't work out. When I saw that lids might actually work, I was beyond excited. I have an entire shelf of mason jar lids, so I could really do an entire batch of biscuits all at once. So. Stinkin'. Excited. And it worked like a charm.

Here is what I did:

Step 1: I made some biscuits. I used my recipe for Homemade Biscuits Like Grandma Made. Instead of rolling them out 1/2 inch thick, I did 1/4 inch so I would have enough to have a top and bottom for each biscuit. 

Step 2: I sprayed the inside of each lid with cooking spray {important} and placed it on a griddle on medium heat. Gently crack an egg into each lid. The lids where the egg is running out from underneath are the ones where I just cracked and dumped. After the eggs are in, add a small bit of butter, salt, and pepper. Let cook until the egg is almost completely settled. 

Step 3: When the egg has almost completely set, it's time to flip them. Very carefully, and with mittens on, if you don't have cumbersome ones like I do, remove the lids from the eggs, and gently flip. Now, if the lid does not remove easily, then you have some egg that has cooked to the bottom of the lid. There are TWO ways to solve this problem. 1. Take the back side of a spoon and gently try to push the edges of the egg off the lid. If that doesn't work, then 2. Flip the egg and lid over. Gently scrape the egg off the lid. Flip the egg and lid back over and remove lid. Then flip the egg so the other side can cook. All three methods were used on the eggs above.

Step 4: Once the eggs are cooked all the way through, remove from griddle and begin cooking your sausage. Try to make your sausage as round as possible, unless you are using those little sausages that are already formed into patties. Also, remember that the patties will shrink a little once cooked. Try to make your patties a little larger than the biscuit so when it's fully cooked, it will fit just right. 

Step 5: Assemble your biscuit. I used those little snack cheeses as our cheese, but you could most certainly use a slice of cheese here as well. If you use a slice, you may be able to split the slice in half and layer differently or use one slice of cheese for two biscuits. This is actually how I am leaving the biscuit until the morning. When we are ready for breakfast, I will heat up the biscuit, and the cheese will melt slightly at that time. 

Step 6: [Optional] If you made these ahead of time, wrap them in foil and place in a freezer zip bag. You can freeze these and pull out what you need when you need it. Or you can wrap them and put them in the fridge for the morning. When you reheat these {and melt the cheese in the process}, leave the foil ON and place in a toaster oven. 

                 

These sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits are not only delicious but also incredibly easy to make. I set aside an entire evening to make these, and really, it didn't take long at all. These would also make a great gifts to give to someone who just had a baby, who experienced a death in the family, or even for someone who has family in the hospital. Make a dozen, wrap and put in a freezer bag, and pass on to those you are trying to serve. Either way, families are going to be blessed and good food will be had by all. 

Happy eating, everyone.        

Devotion: Just Chill Out! I've Got This!

In Christ we were chosen to be God's people, because from the very beginning God had decided this in keeping with His plan. And He is the One who makes everything agree with what He decides and wants. We are the first people who hoped in Christ, and we were chosen so that we would bring praise to God's glory." Ephesians 1:11-12 

Photo Credit 

Blue lights flashed behind me. "What in the world did I do?" I was practically frantic. I was going under the speed limit; I turned my blinker on; I did everything I was supposed to do. So when the officer came to my window making me aware of a busted tail light, relief flooded through me. That is until I reached for my proof of insurance. It wasn't there! My heart rate immediately went sky high. Instead of a basic warning, I was actually going to get a ticket. So for three weeks my stomach ached at the thought of going to traffic court. All I had to do was show proof of insurance, and I was going to be let go. But all that kept floating in my head was that the last time I got a ticket, 15 years ago, the officer said the same thing, but then basically called me a liar in court, in front of a judge, in a room full of people. I had to pay the ticket anyway. I was just terrified that was all going to happen again. 

The morning of my court date I was a mess! I couldn't eat. I couldn't drink. My hands couldn't stop shaking. I know this sounds crazy, but I never get in trouble. I work real hard to do what is right because getting in trouble literally makes me sick. My husband, who takes everything in stride, was trying to calm me down. I begged him to come with me. "Why?" He said, "They aren't going to talk to me." I needed his presence, someone with me to give me a bit of confidence. I was on the brink of a panic attack when I shakingly told him, "I just need you there! I don't know where to go! I don't know what to wear! I don't know what to say that won't get me in more trouble!" I nervously alternated drinking my cold coffee and biting my nails. "I'm freaking out because I feel like everything is out of my control, and I can't get a solid hold on anything!" As those words came out of my mouth, realization dawned on me. Those words were so true! Everything was out of my control. I received a gentle nudge from God at that moment. He was in control. Whether I was going to be released of my ticket or not, He was in control of the entire situation. I needed to get my confidence from Him, and not myself. There are going to be circumstances in my life where there is absolutely nothing I can do anything about. I have to have faith that God knows what he's doing. When we pulled up to the court house, my husband and daughter prayed with me. Peace washed over me. I took a breath that for the past few hours I could not take. The Lord was going to take care of every little aspect of my life. 

We all go through circumstances in our life where we feel out of control. Some may be minor incidents like mine. You may get a ticket; your dinner party isn't coming together like you wanted; everyone cuts you off on the way to work on a morning you are already late. Or the circumstances may be major. Your daughter is sick and in the hospital; your finances are a mess and the debt collectors have your number on speed dial; you lost your job. The important thing to remember is God is in control. Of EVERY circumstance. His plan is greater than ours. One thing my pastor said the other night at church is this: "God does not cause bad things to happen. But he does allow things to happen in order for a purpose." He quoted scripture from Exodus. Joseph as sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused of a crime, and was moved all over the place, away from his family. God's purpose was to have Joseph be the 2nd in command in Egypt when the time was right. The Israelites needed him to be there when the drought raged through Egypt. 

Maybe God's sole purpose for my ticket and anxiety was for me to be reminded how much I needed to rely on Him. I needed to remember that I'm not in control. Letting anxiety overcome me was a stumbling block for me, and I needed to get back on track with my Lord. If anything, I can do what the key scripture says and "bring praise to God's glory." 

My you find peace in the Lord today, trusting in His plan for your life. 

Devotion: Are You Truly Forgiving?

"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13









As yet another election season rolls around, we see a mixed group of people lining up for a coveted office. Some have very little experience with politics, but are great business leaders in the community. Others are running under the shadow of famous family members. And then there are some who have had experience, on multiple levels, working on government. As much of an emotional struggle this past Presidential election was, this was more of an emotionally spiritual struggle for me. You see, one of the candidates running for office was highly endorsed by most of the members of my church, and many of my friends {let's call him Phil}, and another candidate {let's call him Bob} held another position a few years back, and who really worked hard to make our state fiscally responsible. Unfortunately, though, Bob made one crucial, very public mistake that almost blacklisted him from ever serving the constituents he loved so much.

As the election approached, my heart began to hurt for Bob. He messed up. He embarrassed our state with his actions. His sins became nationally known, often the topic of comedians and political commentators. And instead of trying to pass the buck, as so many other politicians do, he confessed his sins and asked for forgiveness. Not only did he ask for forgiveness for those he hurt personally, but he asked forgiveness from his constituents. I have even heard of stories where he would personally speak to those who once supported him, asking them to forgive him of his actions. At the time he was asking forgiveness, he was most definitely not running for office again. Fast forward a few years and an opportunity came up for another office he could run for. In his campaign, he did not bring up his last, very public sin. He didn't make it an issue, but be sure other people did. His campaign signs were defaced with hateful words spread across them; social media trashed him for the stupid, stupid thing he had done in the past. And my heart hurt for Bob. People refused to forgive him. As good as a politician he was at the time, the one dumb thing he did at the end of term was apparently unforgiveable, even though it didn't affect his constituents personally.

What really frustrated me the most was the people I saw who refused to forgive him. As a believer, if someone asks you for forgiveness, you are supposed to forgive AND forget. It is not our place to sit in judgement of whether or not he really meant it. Our job is to love him and forgive him. What if I were to sin? Would you refuse to truly forgive me, too? Bob's sin was so very public, and I can't imagine the emotional struggle this has to be for him. He will never be released, fully, from this sin, at least in the eyes of those around him. I can totally understand nonbelievers refusing to forgive him. But for those who constantly work at walking in the Light of God, His love should shine through our words, thoughts, and actions. Matthew 18:21-22 says, "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" And this is for how many times this person sins against you, not how many times you should forgive and re-forgive someone of the same sin. It is not our place to hold his sin against him. It is not our place to refuse forgiveness.

I don't really care if you vote for Bob or for Phil, or, for that matter, Susie, Jack, Mary, or Stephen. But what I do care about is how your words and actions as a believer reflect my Lord. We are to be his ambassadors here on earth, loving, caring, and forgiving each other and those around us. No matter what, no matter who you vote for, I ask that you pray for Bob to find peace, to soak up in God's love. If he gets voted into this new office, remember that was God's will. And if he doesn't, I pray it was because you believed someone else could do a better job, and that Bob can know with confidence it wasn't because people refused to forgive.

Here are the words of one of my current favorite songs. I ask that as you read the words, and even, if you like, see the video, think about those around you whom you have held forgiveness. Who are you hurting with your stubbornness. And if you realize you are sinning in your unforgiveness, maybe you should be asking for forgiveness as well.

And just a little side note. There have been times I have held forgiveness from others. I'm not just pointing fingers here. This entire situation has helped me to remember that I need to practice forgiveness more often, and show God's grace to everyone, whether their sins are great or small.

"Forgiveness" by Matthew West <----Click here to see a video
It's the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don't deserve

It's the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just to real
It takes everything you have just to say the word...

Forgiveness
Forgiveness

It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It's always anger's own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge 
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It's the whisper in your ear saying 'Set It Free'

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

It'll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it's power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

I want to finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

REVIEW: Low Carb Chicken Bacon Crockpot Chowder

I love chicken. I LOOOVE bacon. And it's been just cold enough to merit a good soup for dinner. So when I saw the recipe for Chicken Bacon Chowder cropping up all over all of my low carb/paleo FB pages, I decided it would most definitely be a recipe I needed to try.

I found the recipe on Peace, Love, and Low Carb, one of my new favorite websites for yummy recipes. The author's blog is full of beautiful pictures that makes it so simple to follow. Since I didn't have all the ingredients on hand when I suddenly decided to make this soup, I'll show below what I did, but, of course, please see the original post for details. Then see my review at the bottom where I answer the questions: "Was it easy to make?" "How did it taste?" and "Did it make me feel full?"

So here's my "adjusted" recipe. Please go HERE for the original. I will note at the end of the ingredients and steps what I did differently. There is also a * next to ingredients I changed.

Here's my finished product, served with a low carb, almond flour bacon and cheddar scone

Low Carb Chicken Bacon Crockpot Chowder

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 lb bacon
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups water, divided *Recipe calls for chicken stock, but seriously shockingly I didn't have any
• 4 Tbsp butter, divided
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 leek
• 6 oz mushrooms
• 2 Tbsp onion powder *Recipe called for 1/2 large onion. The hubs doesn't like onions, but I like the onion taste, so the powder is a compromise for us. 
• 1 Tbsp flat leaf parsley *Recipe calls for a few springs of Italian Flat Leaf Parsely 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Ingredients in recipe that I did not have so I did not add: 1 shallot, 2 ribs of celery

Directions: This is pretty much word for word from the original. Any changes will have a bolded note next to it. 

1. Turn crockpot on lowest setting. 
2. Chop all veggies. Add the veggies, 2 Tbsp butter, 1 cup chicken stock {I used water}, a pinch of salt and pepper to the crockpot, cover and allow vegetables to sweat for an hour. 
3. Chop up your bacon and cook it until it is nice and crispy {and resist urge to eat half of it}. Set aside. 
4. At the same time, pan sear your chicken breast in the remaining 2 Tbsp butter until they are a nice caramel brown on both sides. They will NOT be fully cooked at this stage. 
5. Remove chicken from pan and cut into cubes. De-glaze the chicken pan with the remaining chicken stock {again, water}.
6. Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, cream cheese, and seasoning to the crockpot. Stir until well combined. 
7. Add the chicken and the bacon to the crockpot. Cover and let cook for 6-8 hours. 

She says the entire batch is 38 net carbs. Without the shallot and celery, that might lower that number just a bit. But it ended up being about 10 servings for us, which is roughly 4g carbs per serving. NOT BAD AT ALL. 

Here are some pictures of the soup about 30 minutes into cooking: 

Good and chunky

Nice and creamy

My "Official" Review

Was it easy to make? Yes. It was very easy to make. Putting it together took a little over an hour, and only because you are supposed to let the veggies sweat. That time went by fast, though, by cooking the bacon, cooking the chicken, and then de-glazing the pan. I only had two complaints, but I can't blame the original chef; it's just the way the ingredients cook. 1} I had to scrape the sides of the crock every hour or so because the cream was browning on the sides. and 2}Around the 6th or 7th hour, my chowder suddenly dropped about 1, almost 2 inches in the crock. I was afraid that my entire soup was going to be reduced to creamy veggies and meat before it was supper time, so I added 1 more cup of water and 1 more cup of cream to the soup. Unfortunately, this made my chowder more soup than chowder. So in the future I will either just leave it alone or plan to eat it in 6 hours, not 8. 

How did it taste? SO. GOOD. My house smelled wonderful all day, too. I really, really like this soup. It was very creamy and full of all kinds of yum. My kids loved it, and my husband gave his seal of approval. I honestly think this would be a great meal to make for someone who is sick, has family in the hospital, or brand new parents. 

Did it make me feel full? Yes, surprisingly so. I started to get 2nds {because it's really that good}, but about two bites into it, I realized I was just too full to eat anymore. It may have been that I paired it with a scone that helped with the feeling full part, but either way, I was happy with what I had. Nothing I hate more than having a thick soup that makes me want to take a nap afterwards. And this soup didn't do that. I was just full and happy. Two very good things. 

This recipe is a good one. For sure going on my list of soups for next winter, since spring is starting to peak around the corner. 

Making My Own Coconut Flour

If you are looking for a low carb recipe or something for your Paleo diet, you are almost always going to run across the ingredients almond flour and coconut flour. At first, you look frantically everywhere thinking for sure grocery stores carry such items. Then you realize, not always, and if they do, it's normally really pricey. The only thing I found close to me was Bob's Red Mill Flour I can purchase at Big Lots or, if I have a sharp eye, at Publix or Bi-Lo. I decided, although it is nice to have a back up bag, I really should just make my own. 

This week I experimented with making my own coconut flour. The process itself is really not all that hard. It can be a bit time consuming,  but other than that, it's really easy. The hardest step I found was trying to find unsweetened coconut flakes, dried or not dried. I looked e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e, well, everywhere within a 30  mile radius. I'm sorry. I'm not driving 45 minutes to an hour away just to pick up a bag of unsweetened coconut. You can find sweetened coconut flakes everywhere. And you can still use it, but it adds carbs to your meals and unnecessary sugar that causes your body to crave more and more...and, yes, even more. I actually found some unsweetened coconut by accident. I was checking out prices on frozen berries at my favorite grocery store, Piggly Wiggly {"I'm Stickin' with The Pig"..."Local Since Forever"...yada yada}, when I saw small bags of unsweetened coconut, two bags for $3. I was so stinkin' excited!   So I figured it was a small enough amount that I could experiment on and NOT break the bank. And it worked out swimmingly. 

I made coconut flour two ways. Depending on what you have in your kitchen or what kind of time you are working on, you can make your own coconut flour for your meals. And as my daughter says, "Easy peasy, lemon squeezy". 

Homemade Coconut Flour

What's on the bottom is all but 1 cup of Bob's Red Mill Coconut Flour
that I paid around 10 BUCKS for. The top half is all but 1 cup
 of my homemade coconut flour that cost me only 3 to make. 

 Step 1: Drying the flakes 

Method 1: Dehydrator 

1. Line your dehydrator with parchment paper. If your dehydrator doesn't have hundreds of little slats your coconut can fall through, then lucky you! 
2. Spread out the coconut in as much of a single layer as possible. 
3. Turn on your dehydrator and go about your day. 

This is a small batch and got me a little less than half a cup,
which is fine since most of the recipes I use are right around 1/2 cup of coconut flour. 

When I did this method, I did only one sheet, and it took about 8-10 hours for the flakes to dry. Honestly, if you are going to do it this way, I would prep it, turn it on, and go to bed. When you wake up in the morning, you can quickly grind the flour and make some pancakes or muffins or something delicious. 

Method 2: Cookie Sheet

1. Turn your oven on LOW, between 170-200. I started mine at 170, but about an hour later, bumped it up to 200, and there it stayed until the end. 
2. Spread the coconut in a single layer on a cookie sheet. 
3. Bake for 2-3 hours. After the first 1 1/2 hours, I started checking every 15-20 minutes. You don't want to BAKE the coconut, you just want to dry it. And my experience with coconut is once it starts baking, it can cook FAST. 

This method is ideal if you are going to be home working around the house anyway. I worked in the yard, gardening, while my coconut was drying. I had the windows open so I could hear the timer go off every 20 minutes. It forced me to come inside, check the coconut, and drink some water before heading back outside. 

Step 2: Grinding the Dried Coconut

Now that your unsweetened coconut is dried, the rest of the process takes only about 2 minutes. 

1. Dump your dried coconut into your blender, Vitamix {if you are lucky enough to have one...which makes me super duper jealous}, or your Magic Bullet. 
2. Pulse the coconut. I pulse and then shook the container, then pulsed again. Coconut has oils in it that can cause all your hard work to clump together. So I just shake it a little between pulses to make sure everything stays separated. 
3. Keep blending until the coconut flakes become a fine powder and then STOP. If you keep going, you can make coconut butter, which I'm sure is delicious, and something I plan on trying next time, but it's not going to help you make your pancakes. 

That's it! Just dry and grind. "Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!" 

I have kicked around the idea of purchasing some dried unsweetened coconut flakes in bulk online. I can use the coconut flakes, not ground up as a flour, to make all kinds of things, such as these Coconut Nested Eggs {see picture below}. I'm just not sure if it will save me money or if it all comes out the same. 

This is really just 1 egg, 1/4 cup of unsweetened dried coconut flakes,
and about 15 minutes of your time. I love, love, love this recipe.
 I made 12 in my large muffin tin. Each family member got two with a slice of bacon,
and the kids fought over who was going to get an additional egg. Win-Win.  

And if you are looking for a recipe using coconut flour, here's one I made this morning for breakfast: Lemon Coconut Flour Pancakes

I didn't have any lemon extract, so these were more "Cinnamon Coconut Flour Pancakes", but after making the batter I realized I could have used lemon zest. So next time....

I served these pancakes with frozen berries, a little LOCAL bee pollen,
and some powdered sugar. On my pancakes, I omitted the powdered sugar
and added about a Tablespoon of homemade whipped cream. Super yummy.