Super-absorbent, kinda clumpy, and somewhat dense, coconut flour is often seen as one of the trickier grain and gluten-free substitutes in cooking. But its metabolism-boosting, high-fiber, and protein-rich benefits make it well worth trying out.The cholesterol-lowering effect of coconut flakes in humans with moderately raised serum cholesterol. Trinidad TP, Loyola AS, Mallillin AC. Journal of medicinal food, 2004, Oct.;7(2):1096-620X. Once you’ve got a handle on the stuff, you probably won’t look back. Useful for anything from breading meat to baking cookies, a little goes a long way with this unique no-wheat alternative. Get started with these nine sweet and savory recipes.

1. Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies use a combo of sunflower seed butter, dark chocolate chunks, and coconut flour to be chewy, gooey, and totally vegan. A light sprinkle of sea salt on top is the perfect savory contrast to all those sweet, rich flavors.

2. Sausage Kale Coconut Egg Muffins

These fluffy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside savory egg muffins are an ideal convenient breakfast. With sausage and coconut flour adding a bit more sustenance, a couple of these should hit the spot on a busy morning.

3. Paleo Chunky Monkey Bars

What do you do when you’re craving chunky monkey ice cream but can’t do dairy? Make these bars. With coconut flour, mashed banana, and plenty of vegan dark chocolate chips, you’ll get all the flavor of the frozen treat without the stomachache later.

4. Savory Vegetable Loaf Cake

While this loaf sounds and looks like it came out of the pages of a gourmet cooking magazine, it’s actually really simple to make. Just fold some sautéed veggies into a coconut flour batter and bake. It’ll seem like you spent hours meticulously arranging those layers when, in reality, the oven does a good 80 percent of the work.

5. Fluffy Coconut Flour Pancakes

If you leave out the optional tapioca flour, this recipe requires just two basic ingredients and still yields results that look and taste like the kind you’d make with regular flour. It’s a great way to satisfy a pancake craving without going overboard on carbs in the morning.

6. Double Chocolate Coconut Flour Muffins

It’s not every day you come across a chocolaty treat that’s also grain- and dairy-free, and comes with four grams of protein and almost as much fiber. Thanks to nut butter, eggs, coconut oil, and a lot of almond milk, there are more than enough ingredients to soak up the coconut flour so the muffins don’t lose their moisture after baking.

7. Crispy Cheesy Cauliflower Tots

You won’t find a hint of potato in these addictive bites. Instead, a mixture of coconut flour, cheese, and cauliflower is shaped into tots and baked until crispy, allowing you to enjoy the healthified version of a childhood favorite.

8. Best Ever Coconut Flour Banana Bread

The five eggs in the batter means there’s no risk of the coconut flour drying out this banana bread, plus there’s more protein per serving! The coconut sugar is a great way to add some unrefined sweetness, although you may not even need it if you’re using extra ripe bananas.

9. Coconut Chicken Bites

Talk about clean-eating meals. Not only does coconut flour replace packaged bread crumbs in these battered bites, but they’re also baked instead of fried to considerably cut down on the grease factor—in fact, there’s no oil in the recipe at all.

Want More? Low-Carb Breakfast Ideas for Grain-Free Mornings