Brazilian Cheese Bread: Pão de queijo
This one is magic. Bookmark this page. Save it on IG. You can thank me later.
Mochi-textured center, bold cheese-y flavor, and crispy edges. WIN WIN WIN!
This one beats all the ones we’ve tried at $$$$ Brazilian restaurants and even the ones from mixes imported from Brazil. Does it beat the ones served in Brazil? I’m not sure. I might just have to fly there to find out though…
Something about raw cheese from Switzerland… the quality, the taste, the texture… everything is better.
BRAZILIAN CHEESE BREAD INGREDIENTS
2 cups tapioca flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt @redmondrealsalt
2-3 cups shredded cheese (1lb)
Tip: Raw cheese is the way! As someone who has lived their entire life highly sensitive to cow’s milk, raw milk/cheese has been a game changer. Goat cheese works beautifully in this recipe.
1 can coconut milk (1 1/3 cups) - look for a coconut milk with no gums, thickeners, fillers. The only other ingredients in addition to coconut should be water.
1/3 cup avocado oil - I use coconut oil but avocado oil for those who are sensitive to coconut
Optional: swirl in 1/4 tsp chopped garlic into each cup of the cupcake tin for some extra umami.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F if using metal muffin pan. 425 F if using silicone muffin pan.
Combine all dry ingredients: tapioca flour, sea salt, and grated/shredded cheese in a large mixing bowl.
Stir in oil - use plenty of elbow grease to mix everything really well.
Stir in coconut milk (or milk of choice). It should be thick and scoop-able.
Scoop into a NOT lined muffin pan filling each cup 1/2 way - using a paper muffin lining cup will cause the mixture to stick.
Bake for 20 minutes (metal pan) or 30 minutes (silicone pan)
Remove from oven and serve warm.
Storage: If you have leftovers, store in air tight container and refrigerate up to 5 days.
Reheating leftovers: Air-fry at 400F for 5 min. (it’ll be just as amazing, if not more)
1-Bowl Brazilian Cheese Bread (GF+EF+NF)
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free
Course: Breakfast, Snack
These are incredibly addicting. You’ve been warned.
&
You’re welcome.
Healthy fat and calcium-rich— these cheese-y bites are unbeatable. They send me to cheese-heaven every single time. The crispy exterior and chew-y center with the savory umami burst in each bite. Ugh. Pinch me! It’s hard to make sure there are leftovers for future me, but I never regret saving 2-3 for the next day because when you pop it in the air fryer I swear it’s somehow even BETTER. To top it off, when these are baked and then cooled in the fridge over night, the tapioca base creates a plethora of resistant starch— amazing for digestion (the resistant starch feeds the good bacteria), a healthy waistline (less of a glucose spike), and more..
Nutritionally speaking, I love using quality cheese for this as it contains preformed vitamin
A, vitamin K2, calcium, iodine, protein, and much more. GOOD cheese to me is pasture-raised, grass-fed/finished, and raw. If it’s from another country like Switzerland, that's wonderful. Their standards are significantly higher than the States’.
How to Make Rice Truly Healthy: Soak, Sour, and Cool for Better Digestion
Transform your everyday rice into a health powerhouse: simple “soak & sour” activates enzymes that unlock vital nutrients, while “cool & cook” turns rice into resistant starch that supports gut health, stabilizes blood sugar, and improves mineral absorption.
How to Make Rice Really Good for You
Rice can be much more than just a simple carbohydrate — with two small tweaks, you can increase its nutritional value, improve digestion, and support your gut and blood sugar. The secret? Soak & Sour, then Cook & Cool.
1. Soak & Sour — Unlock Nutrients
What Is Soaking & Souring?
This step is quick but powerful. By soaking rice in water with a little acidity (like apple cider vinegar or lime), you help increase phytase activity — an enzyme that breaks down phytic acid, an “anti-nutrient” that binds important minerals.
Why Care About Phytic Acid?
Phytic acid reduces your body’s ability to absorb minerals like iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins. (Source)
By activating phytase through soaking + souring, you lower phytic acid and improve nutrient absorption. (Source)
How to Do It
Use a glass jar (with a loose lid) to soak your rice.
Add filtered water and a splash (~1 TBSP per cup of water) of something sour (apple cider vinegar, lime juice, etc.).
Submerge the rice, cover loosely, and let it sit for 6 hours (if dealing with histamine overload) ideally 12–24 hours (if you’re not dealing with histamine issues).
After souring, rinse the rice thoroughly before cooking.
2. Cook & Cool — Build Resistant Starch
Why Cooling Matters
When you cook rice and then cool it, some of its starch retrogrades into resistant starch — a type that resists digestion in your small intestine and instead feeds good gut bacteria. Healthline
This kind of starch can:
Lower blood sugar spikes PubMed
Improve insulin sensitivity BioMed Central
Support gut health through butyrate production, which helps gut lining integrity and reduces inflammation MDPI
How to Do It
Cook your rice as usual.
Let it cool (ideally in the refrigerator) for several hours (12 h+ is common in studies).
Reheat before eating, if desired — but the resistant starch benefit remains even after reheating. PubMed
3. Why This Matters for Different Groups
High nutrient needs: Babies, pregnant or postpartum people, and those recovering from illness can especially benefit from better mineral absorption via soaking.
Digestive or gut issues: Resistant starch feeds good bacteria, supports butyrate production, and helps seal a “leaky” gut.
Blood sugar management: Cooling rice helps blunt the glycemic response, which can support mood, cravings, weight, and hormone balance.
4. Other Tips for Rice
Which rice to use: I prefer basmati (lower in arsenic), but jasmine works too.
Which rice brand: I like to get Lundberg rice for their farming practices & to minimize toxins / heavy metals in our rice.
Storage:
Fridge: 4–6 days in an airtight container.
Freezer: Up to 4 months.
Reheat: On stovetop, add ~ 2 TBSP water per cup of cooked rice, cover, and heat ~5 minutes.