February 19, 2011

Pecan Sandies - gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, egg-free

The fact is I love cookies.  Another fact is that I must avoid eating most ingredients found in cookies ...wheat, gluten, grains, sugar, butter, vanilla, and now it appears egg whites.  Well, let's join these two facts together...my love of cookies and my special diet needs and I find myself energized with a passion for baking. Ha, ha!  I am energized.  I just like the sound of that! 

Over the years, I have developed "safe" cookie recipes to keep up with changes in my diet.  During these years, I would wonder if anyone else would appreciate them besides me? I imagine some people would taste my "cookies" and they would call them biscuits, but don't break my heart or burst my bubble.  These make me very happy.  If you can eat the sugars and traditional cookies, bless your heart.  Just don't mind my happiness and don't feel sorry. I love my "cookies"  and they make me very happy!

With all that out front, I share my latest "cookie" creation, because I expect my friends, who must adhere to the anti-candida diet, will really enjoy them.  But knowing the many different stages to this diet, I don't want to make promises that everyone could tolerate the honey and starch. It has taken me years of healing to get to this place.

On another thought here...the past week or two I have been attempting to bake egg-free.  With the newest addition of Kelly Brozyna's cookbook, The Spunky Coconut Grain-Free Baked Goods & Desserts added to my collection, I have exploded with joy in baking egg-free.  This "cookie" recipe plays on Kelly's use of chia seed as an egg-replacement.  Kelly has inspired me in my egg-free baking and I am thankful she has forged the path for us. This is the BEST cookbook by a very talented lady!
Now, let us begin a new chapter in our baking - egg-free "cookies" ;) 
Pecan Sandies
  - gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, egg-free
Preheat oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Dry ingredients:
3/4 cup pecan meal
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves

In the mixer bowl combine:

1 tablespoon chia seed meal
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
15 drops liquid stevia
3/4 teaspoon orange flavoring
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

Add dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and beat well.

Make cookies into balls and flatten with your hand onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-12 minutes.

24 comments:

  1. These look and sound great to me, Debbie! Ironically, I just discovered that I can't tolerate chia seed after adding it to smoothies and more the last several months for its nutritional value. :-( But, I can do eggs, so that's a blessing.

    Love Kelly's book, too. Whenever I pick it up, I'm blown away by all the amazing photos and recipes. Quite inspirational!

    Hugs,
    Shirley

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  2. Shirley, thanks! You can't eat chia seeds? wow, that reminds me of myself...eating almond butter daily in my smoothies and then I became intolerant to it....it did give me the much needed energy, but not a good idea.

    Hugs to you!

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  3. Debbie, they look great, and I'm so glad you can make a treat for yourself to enjoy. I can't imagine trying to eat egg free because I just love eggs, but we do what we have to. It's great that you've come as far as you have. :)

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  4. Linda, thank you. We do what we have to do and it seems I discover something that I would have missed out on in the process. Enjoy some eggs for me!

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  5. Oooh Debbie!!
    Your gf pecan sandies look irresistable!!

    MMMMMM,..;What's NOT to LOVE here??

    Greets from Brussels to you!

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  6. Awe Sophie, you know how to make me feel good! Thanks so much!

    Greetings to you!

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  7. I had to smile at your description of your cookies. Like you, I often make desserts that taste amazing to me, and people who eat a "normal" diet scrunch up their noses and say, "That's dessert?" But there are a lot of people out there who are going to appreciate this recipe and appreciate you taking the time to invent it and post it for them!

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  8. oh, Iris, I was thinking of you the entire time I was making these! Hoping maybe you could eat them or modify them to fit your new diet.
    The honey really gives flavor for me since I don't use vanilla. You will have to send me a message with what you are not eating. I didn't think you could use the spices I have used.
    Thanks for coming by to visit and taking time to share your thoughts.

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  9. I'm not doing nuts, but I seem to tolerate coconut in small doses. I wonder if I could replace the pecan meal with something like quinoa flour, and just take out the honey? Maybe I'll play around with this on my spring break coming up!

    (Now, back to studying. I took a mini-blog break...)

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  10. Iris, for a long time I did not eat nuts either and I made a cookie as you described. It is sitting in blogger "draft land" waiting for time to play with it again. (Keep studying and dreaming of spring!)

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  11. I made these 2 days ago. They're gone! My husband declared them the best cookies he's had. They also taste just like a walnut cookie my Oma used to make so it's nostalgic for me. Thanks so much for a lower sugar, soul and taste bud satisfying cookie!

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  12. Christina, thank you for coming back and sharing your sweet comments! I am really glad to know that both of you enjoyed them! I love to satisfy the soul with a recipe!

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  13. I love that you are baking with pecan meal. We love it around here too!

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  14. Trisha, it took me a long time to find a suitable pecan meal. Thanks for telling me that you bake with it too!

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  15. Hey Debbie,

    Thanks for this recipe! I made them with sunflower seed meal, and they were delicious! I love the nutmeg, clover, and orange together. Makes me think of holiday cookies!

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  16. Hi Iris,

    I am thrilled to see your comment! What a brilliant substitution ;)! Did you make your own sunflower seed meal?

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  17. I did. I used the blender and it worked perfectly. I love pecan pie though, so I imagine they would taste out of this world with pecans.

    Do you know who's hosting the next adopt a gluten free blogger? I know who I'm adopting... :)

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  18. Iris, awe...you are sweet. I am not sure who is hosting? If you find out please let me know.
    It is hard for me to keep up!

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  19. I'll ask Shirley. ;) She always knows what's going on!

    Also, these cookies are delicious crumbled in oatmeal!

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  20. Ha ha....love the idea of cookies in your oatmeal! We love cookies anytime of day!

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  21. Wow these cookies look awesome :) SO glad to see you finding options that work with your dietary limitations! Can't wait to give these a try!

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  22. Thanks, Stephanie! I hope you like them, too!

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  23. These sound so good - we have diabetic friends who would love this cookie recipe. As a bonus the farmer's market has locally harvested pecans (at least they did last week, they may be sold out by now)!

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  24. Oh,I hope they like them if you make them for them. Thanks for taking time to comment!

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