Going Grain-free: Recipes from “Undoctored” by Dr William Davis

Tara Losinski | July 18th, 2017

In his new book, Undoctored, author and cardiologist Dr. William Davis lays out a six-step strategy to self-directed health. Rather than expensive drugs and tests, he advocates nutrition as the answer to getting and staying healthy.

First things first is going grain-free.

Davis is also author of the internationally best-selling Wheat Belly series and, although wheat still tops his list, he’s got a gripe with all grains.

“So if we replace white flour products – bad – with something less bad – whole grain products – there’s an apparent benefit. And there is. It’s inarguable. There’s less colon cancer. There’s less weight gain. Less Type 2 diabetes. Less cardiovascular disease … But the next question should have been, what’s the effect of complete elimination of grains?”

“And, by the way, those studies have been performed – many of them – and show spectacular benefits. Like people with Type 2 diabetes becoming non-diabetic. Or weight loss, etc. So I would say all grains are harmful to various degrees. There are some grains that are less harmful; there is no grain that is entirely benign.”

Now, if the idea of giving up baked goods gives you pause, Davis says don’t fret. He spends much time testing ingredient substitutions in order to re-create food favourites. The book includes recipes for everything from focaccia to meat loaf.

Here, a decadent cookie recipe featuring the author’s all-purpose baking mix, in which he swaps wheat for almond flour.

All-Purpose Baking Mix
“This is the All-Purpose Baking Mix I shared with Wheat Belly readers that has stood the test of time, yielding breads, muffins, cupcakes and other baked products without the problems of grains.”

Makes 5 cups

4 cups almond meal/flour
1 cup ground golden flaxseed
1⁄4 cup coconut flour
3 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground psyllium seed

In a large bowl, mix together almond meal/flour, flaxseed, coconut flour, baking soda and psyllium seed. Store in an airtight container, preferably in the refrigerator, for up to 1 month.

Double Chocolate Chip–Walnut Cookies
Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies! Here’s a double-chocolate version that combines cocoa and dark chocolate chips.

Choose the darkest chocolate chips you can find, with no more than five net carbs per 40-gram serving. Lately, manufacturers have been putting out lower-carb options, including chips sweetened with stevia and erythritol, which can further reduce carb/sugar exposure, allowing you to be more generous with your chocolate chips.

Makes 32

4 cups almond flour or All-Purpose Baking Mix
1 cup chopped walnuts
4 oz dark chocolate chips
3⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Sweetener equivalent to 1-1⁄4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1⁄2 cup butter or coconut oil, melted
1⁄2 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine flour or baking mix, walnuts, chocolate chips, cocoa powder and sweetener and mix thoroughly.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, butter or oil, water and vanilla. Pour into the flour mixture and mix thoroughly.

On parchment paper-lined baking sheet, place approximately 1-inch wide balls of the dough and flatten to yield 32 cookies (in separate batches, if necessary). Bake in 350 F oven for 18 minutes or until edges are crisp.