Scones - Grain free, Dairy free, Gluten free, Paleo

So, I was feeling like a scone. I don't mean that I myself was feeling doughy like a scone, but I wanted a scone. Sometimes at the end of the work day, late at night, I go and think about what I want to eat tomorrow. 
Tomorrow (being Friday) is a day for me and a girlfriend working together and we tend to get hungry. It's always so much easier for me to bring the food when I travel because, well, let's face it I am picky. Also, how the heck does a person who east whole grains and flour going to know what almond flour is?
Luckily, I was in the mood for scones. I had a fabulous recipe book from one of my favorite authors. However the scone recipe was only for sweet and fruit based scones. Nothing savory. Now don't get me wrong. I made a few of those sweet and delicous scones. Hazelnut chocolate chip, orange cranberry, strawberry vanilla almond, and cinnamon raisin. I wanted a savory scone though. One I could throw in with my delicious lunch time salad that I will be packing. 

Ham and cheese scones.. mmm.
Then a sudden sadness hit me as I realized my dear husband is not eating dairy. 
All of a sudden I remembered a fresh square of Goat Cheddar in the fridge waiting for me. 
These scones are dairy free, but we use goat milk as a substitute to dairy without any ill effects. If you can't use goat milk or cheese, feel free to sub in any kind of cheese, cashew cheese, soy cheese, lactose free cheese etc. The cheese is not needed to make these delicious scones into scones. So by all means, go nuts. 
Some people make the mistake that scones are like a bun. No. Scones are a firm crusty Scottish bread that is used at tea time or at coffee break. These are like twice as firm as a baking powder biscuit, but a third as sweet as a muffin traditionally. The outside is hard and crisp. The middle is soft and buttery. 
I have made many grain free scones before. They either needed cheese to hold them together, or they were strictly almond flour and they were soft and crumbly like a biscuit. 
These were by far my favorite. Out of all the different kinds of scones that I made today Only subtle changes were made to the recipe base to accommodate many different flavors. Making them really quite economical.

Ham and Cheese Scones - Grain free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free

In a stand mixer bowl:

2 Cups blanched almond flour
1/4C plus 2 T arrowroot/tapioca flour
1/2 t sea salt
1 t dry mustard
2 t gluten free baking powder
1 C diced cooked natural ham
1 C organic Goat Cheddar **

In a small glass bowl:

1 large organic egg
1/4 C organic whole goat milk/coconut milk/almond milk/cashew milk/ dairy milk
2 T cold pressed olive oil or clarified butter

Mix the dry ingredients in a stand mixer. As mixer is turning pour in wet ingredients. Mix on low until just combined. Dough will be very sticky. 

Spread dough out onto parchment paper. Place a sheet of parchment on top and press with your hands into a circle about 1 inch thick. Cut into 6-8 triangles.

Carefully lift each triangle onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Separate each triangle so they are not touching. bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes until the crust sets.

**Please see my notes above for dairy free cheese options. I use goat cheese to substitute for dairy without any ill effects.

Let me know if you want the fruity version of these. :)

Biscuits - Grain free, Gluten free

It has been a Loong summer over here. Hectic, busy and lots of vacationing.. 
So sorry for the delay! Just because I have been away doesn't mean that I haven't been cooking. 

Today it's snowy, cold and winter is blowing in. I felt like soup. Vegetable soup and what goes good with vegetable soup?
BISCUITS!
I can tell you it has taken me months to find biscuit that I like. 
I follow a lot of blogs, but none of them make a biscuit I am excited about. 
Coconut flour makes very dense biscuits, like think cake donut. Solid and heavy. 
I know without Gluten you cannot really acheive the same idea as glutenous baking powder biscuits, but you can still make them light. 
NOW to make them Grain Free is a totally different subject. You can make delicious ones with Oat or rice flour but then the carb load is just outrageous. 
A falling asleep carb load is not what I had in mind. 
So here is a delicious biscuit, light, cracky, moist, soft, hold together well and delicious savory with ham and cheese, or with honey and tea.
You can definitely serve these with guests over that eat wheat and they would like them. What's the secret to a soft puffy biscuit that is grain free? Whey powder.
My favorite ingredient of course! Adding whey powder to these not only has the nutritional benefit but it helps them rise and be not as dense.
 
Baking Powder Biscuits - Grain Free, Gluten free
Makes 8.

In a glass bowl:
2 C blanched almond flour
1 t aluminum free baking soda
1 t sea salt
2 T unsweetened whey powder

In a small bowl:
1/4 C melted butter, grape seed oil, or lard**
2 small eggs or 1 lrg egg
1/4 t sucralose, stevia or other sweetener

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Form into 8 equal size biscuits and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Biscuits will rise and puff up.
Bake at 350 for 8 minutes for soft and tender or 10-12 minutes for crunchy and firm.

Bottom should be just slightly golden brown. Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes before cutting, if they are too hot they will fall apart as you cut them. 

Make these savory and throw in some rosemary, dry mustard, dill, cheese, ham, chives, garlic etc. 

**substituting coconut oil for the butter will give them a coconut taste.

Store in a parchment or brown paper bag on the counter or refrigerate if desired. Storing in a Ziploc or plastic will make them very soft and they will mold fast.