Recipes for Dr. Approved Autoimmune-Friendly Halloween Treats

Recipes for special diet treats are always welcome in my mailbox!  How about yours? If you said, yes, you may want to follow this link to Dr. Amy Myer's post, "My Top 5 Treats for an Autoimmune-Friendly Halloween".

Brownie Chocolate Chip Cookies - Free of: Grains, Gluten, Eggs, Casein, Sugar*

Brownie Chocolate Chip Cookies

A grain-free and sugar free diet may not be the easiest diet to follow, but you know I am absolutely grateful that the diet I eat is a health and life giving diet.  I am looking back with eyes that see how I was being led in the right direction for the best health.  My thoughts lately have been a lot about sugar and how detrimental sugar is to health. Specifically, I am pondering the recommendations of drastically reducing sugar for cancer prevention.. (I find all nutrition studies very interesting.)  It makes sense to me because sugar weakens the immune system.  My studies have taught me that the body turns grains into sugar. It is after reading these studies that I am totally grateful I have eaten sugar-free for the past 11 years or longer and grain-free for 2 years.  Grain-free was my missing puzzle piece.

My readers may know that my boys have been riding along with me on my "sugar-free" diet for quite awhile.  My blog has a mixture of recipes...most that my boys like, but always low in sweeteners and most often use stevia.  Some of my blog posts share recipes that my boys are allowed to eat,  but I may not be able to eat due to the fact that I began slowly introducing small amounts of raw honey into their diet this past year.  I think they are doing well with it.  They are pretty happy with this diet change.

Most of the recipes I share are the recipes that I feel meet the needs of most readers or may be easily adapted.  I may be a bit shy sharing my candida-friendly recipes for fear that no one except me would eat them! Maybe that will change, but for certain I don't feel I can label my recipes as candida-friendly for everyone. After all, I am not a doctor, so I don't give medical advice! ;)  I just share what works for me and my family.

My boys are now 17 and 11 (for one more week). It is a balancing act to guide and teach our children, but yet at some point we need to let out the ropes, so to speak, and allow them to learn about food and their bodies.  We hope that our teachings will be past down to generations to come and that our firm stance against "bad" unfood will produce healthy eating habits and not rebellious eaters.

This week, I have had the pleasure of observing my teenage son while he has been studying the Real Food and Nutrition E-Course written by Kristen Michaelis. You may know Kristen as the writer of the popular blog Food Renegade.com.. The lessons in this E-Course reinforce the healthy lifestyle and  principles that I have adopted in our home. It excites me that my son is gaining knowledge about "real" food in this e-course.

I love that he wants to engage in conversation about the cool things he is learning about health and nutrition regarding whole unprocessed food.  Today he asked me, "What is buttermilk?" Then he decided to research for himself just how to make it with non-dairy milk and told me he wants to make pancakes next time with "buttermilk".  I am delighted to see this spark of interest in the food he eats and especially that he wants to cook for himself. 

Hopefully, my story will encourage you to keep on setting a healthy example for your family and one day you will see that they will understand.  It is all worth the effort to have a healthy family.

Okay, so here I share with you a healthy cookie to enjoy while I ponder more about sugar....
With our love to you!

 Brownie Chocolate Chip Cookies

Free of: Gluten, Grains, Casein, Eggs, & Sugar*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Equipment:

• electric mixer  
• "Measure-All" wet dry measuring cup -optional, but very helpful for measuring

First, mix the wet ingredients in the electric mixer bowl.

  Wet ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons chia seed meal
• 10 Tablespoons applesauce (1/2 cup + 2 T)
• 5 Tablespoons palm shortening
• 15 drops stevia 
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Add in dry ingredients and mix well.

  Dry ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons raw cacao powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup pecan meal
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Shape into small cookies with your hands.  They do not spread out on their own so they need a little help from you.

Press Enjoy Life Chocolate chips into the top of each cookie before baking

*To be truly "sugar-free" you will need to leave this brand of chocolate chips off.* 

(Today I saw a recipe for DIY homemade chocolate chips made with honey and I would love to make them for my boys.  If you have made them I would love to hear from you.)

Bake 10 minutes on parchment lined baking sheet.

Orange Creamy Custard (gluten and dairy-free)

A little back-to-school treat for my home schooled boys...

At the moment, I am up to my eyeballs in school books and I am finding joy as I see all I have accomplished in organizing  and preparing for school.  Thankfully, I have more energy this week to tackle this task. This is a welcome change!  One thing for sure,  I have hungry, growing boys and cooking and baking AND school must go on! 

 I made this custard for the boys and they loved it and are requesting it again today.  I expect I will need to teach them how to make this as I have tons to do before school starts next week.  

This custard is creamy and delicious and a great high protein treat   A healthy comfort food for my dairy-free boys.   I shared my ideas with the boys of all I imagined we could do with this recipe, but my youngest son declared..."It is good all by itself."  Nothing else needed.  So here I give you my simple, but delicious easy recipe...just the way he likes it..

Hope you enjoy it, too!

Orange Creamy Custard

Gluten, Grain, Dairy and Refined sugar free

1 1/2 cup coconut milk ( I used a mix of my leftover cans in the frig....full fat and light)

3 organic egg yolks

1/2 Tablespoon Tapioca Flour

10 drops stevia liquid

1 1/2 Tablespoons raw organic honey

1/8 teaspoon orange flavoring

Add coconut milk, egg yolks, tapioca flour, stevia, honey and flavoring to a saucepan and heat on medium heat stirring with a  whisk.  Mix well.. Continue whisking occassionally as it begins to boil.  Stir with the whisk constantly as the custard simmers for 8-10 minutes.

Recipe Serves 2 Happy Boys

In Loving Memory....Heavenly Cherry Cashew Bars

My dear readers, it has been a tough few weeks.  My heart has been heavy with grief at the loss of both of my parents only six days apart. We have been surrounded by love overflowing  from a community of wonderful people who love my parents.  I kept thinking how we were receiving this love as a gift from the love my parents had given out that kept on blessing us even when they were not here.  That is just how my parents would have planned it if they could.  I find comfort that my parents are together with our Lord, forever and I know one day we will be reunited.  What a glorious day that will be!

As believers we believe “in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began!” (Titus 1:2) 
 
I am thankful for the wonderful gift God gave me of loving parents.  Their love for God and family shaped me and I am who I am because of all they taught me.  If you met my parents they would have made you feel like family. Their door was always open.


It has been hard to believe.  I know our lives have changed in ways that I can not even begin to think about. My childhood youth minister described this time in our life as "wading through the deep waters."  Yes, at times I feel just like that.  Those deep waters are heavy on my limbs as I press through. I realize my world will never be the same without them.  I am told time can ease the pains.  I trust God to comfort me through all of this.

In my grief and sorrow I took to the kitchen and used the little energy I could muster to create these bars.  I found healing in the midst of this creative moment. I didn't plan these, but just started mixing as the spirit lead me. Out of my grief these delicious bars came to birth.

I share these Heavenly Cherry Cashew Bars in loving memory of my dear and precious Moma and Daddy. 

Heavenly Cherry Cashew Bars

Mix all ingredients in a food processor:

1 1/2 cup raw cashews
1- 2.2 oz. bag of Bare Fruit 100% Organic Baked-Dried Cherries (about 1/2 cup) (optional)
1/4 cup dried & unsulphured Made in Nature Apricots
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut shredded
1/2 cup coconut creme concentrate
1/4 cup organic coconut oil expeller pressed
1 or 2 Tablespoons raw organic honey

Spread into a 8 x 8-inch square glass dish and refrigerate until ready to eat.  

Coconut Shortbread - (Free of: gluten, grains, casein, eggs, corn, sugar)

The doorbell rang and there she stood, a cute young girl from the neighborhood holding a bag in her hand.  At that point I knew she had some pretty important goods in her bag. You see, she was delivering Girl Scout cookies to my husband. I accepted the bag of cookies, but dared not peek inside the bag or lay my sugar-free eyes on them.  The memories of shortbread cookies and Thin Mints I ate pre-gluten-free are somehow etched in my mind.  When I was a Girl Scout I sold cookies, but truthfully, I probably bought more for myself to eat.  After all, a year was a long time to wait for those cookies....

I suppose my tactics of looking the other way has come in handy over the years in turning my health in the right direction.  I know myself and that means I know my weaknesses all very well.  Cookies and sugar were my weakness.  Notice I said "were," okay?  But like any reformed sugar addict I know I must be careful to avoid thoughts of cookies with sugar. So as I walk past the bakery case in the grocery store, or accept goodies at my front door,  I direct my eyes elsewhere.  Why tempt myself? 

 

Sugar is fuel to the fire.

A few months ago the test came back.  The test that meant I had high levels of yeast overgrowth still going on in my body...yes, after all these years of treatment and adhering to my sugar-free diet.  What a bummer for sure.  But then it was a good thing, at least, to have a medical doctor who believed my story and could test yeast and therefore guide me in a more rigorous treatment plan.

I started this stronger anti-yeast plan and complications temporarily put a stop to my treatment.  The toxins released from the yeast die-off were overwhelming my body.  I've been through this numerous times, but this time was different.   After consulting with my doctor, now I have a revised plan that will address the nutrient detoxification needs, as well as killing off the bad level of yeast overgrowth, restoring the good bacteria, and gut repair.

I'm a bit nervous, but I am gaining my confidence by increasing the detox nutrients and noting as I write this post that my brain is clearer already. 

Since diet is extremely important to good health and especially crucial when treating yeast overgrowth, I knew if I wanted anything that resembled a Girl Scout cookie, I would have to create my own cookie to be stevia-sweetened with no starches or grains. Clearly, my favorite Girl Scout cookie was the shortbread.  Plain shortbread.  I know, a bit boring, but that is what I liked.  I'm happy now that a simple shortbread was my favorite cookie, so now it's very easy to create something that satisfies the shortbread desires for this once upon a time Girl Scout...

Thank you to the Girl Scout Shortbread cookie for inspiring me to make this healthier cookie for myself and anyone else wanting to eat grain-free and sugar-free along with me. 

Coconut Shortbread

I use my electric mixer for this recipe.

In the mixing bowl add and mix well:

• 1 tablespoon chia seed meal
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened organic applesauce

Then add the following ingredients and continue to mix together:

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons organic coconut oil or organic palm shortening
• 20 drops stevia 
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup organic coconut flour

Press out the shortbread dough with hands onto parchment paper into a 9" circle on your baking pan. I use my round pizza pan. 

Bake 350 degrees for 12 minutes.  

The coconut oil version browned slightly on the edges, but the palm shortening version did not.

Allow to cool a little before cutting and handle carefully to avoid breaking.  Refrigerating the shortbread will help it hold together but we like it hot even if it does crumble. 
My boys like to eat this "bread," as they call it, and slather butter all over the top. Sometimes jelly, too.   There are ways to make everyone happy in this household.

A few notes:

1. The 58% fiber content of coconut flour puts it at the top of the fiber chart compared to other flours.  Wheat bran, while known for high fiber, is much lower at 28% fiber.   This increase in fiber goes along with my new plan to combat yeast overgrowth. So one more reason that this "cookie" is a winner for me or anyone wanting to increase their dietary fiber.   Just remember with the high fiber content it is important to drink lots of fluids.  Be sure to have your favorite hot tea or glass of water with your shortbread cookie. 

Thank me in the morning.  :)

2.  Do you have an overgrowth of yeast? If you think you might have a yeast problem contributing to illness, Dr. Crook's questionnaire may you help to find out.

3.  FAQ - The benefits of coconut oil at Tropical Traditions.


More Girl Scout Cookie recipes on the web:
If shortbread isn't your thing, my friend, Jules Shepherd, compiled a list of Gluten-free Girl Scout Cookie recipes on the blogosphere here.

Carrot Cake - Free of grains, gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, soy, sugar, starch, gums

 

My sweet husband, Scott,  has been my inspiration to create this yummy allergy-friendly carrot cake. His favorite cake of all time is carrot cake and this week was his birthday.

A few years ago I designed a gluten-free sugar-free carrot cake, but now that we are eating grain-free it was time to create a new recipe. I asked him what he specifically liked about carrot cake and he described a chunky cake with nuts and raisins.

My first thought was to make a cake for him, but that I would just not eat it. That would be good - he would be happy... When I mentioned this, Scott encouraged me to make a cake that all of us could eat, even me.  That is what he wanted (I really wanted this too.)

I decided to use my biscuit recipe as a starting point, and played with it a bit. Since the batter is grain-free, sugar-free, starch-free and (amazingly) egg-free, it looked very different than traditional cake batter.  I had to smooth it into the shape I wanted. At first look, I didn't think it would work, but I knew I had to start somewhere. Instead of making full, 9-inch cakes, I baked two cupcakes to see how it would work.

When I removed the test cakes from the oven I had low expectations... until I tasted it.  I was amazed at the wonderful moist cake.  It was a winner!  I could have just danced! But instead of dancing, we cooked the rest of the batter, and ate and ate and ate....all were gone in a blink of an eye. 

Except this one.  No one dared to eat the "pretty one".  Mom needed to get a picture!

The cake by itself was really wonderful to me.  No icing was needed, but since this was for my "special guy" I wanted to make it look like a "special day" cake.  I made the frosting hoping for something to mimic cream cheese. It doesn't taste as close to cream cheese as I would want, but my family liked it all the same. There was no way I could keep testing more icing and not risk getting sick.  I would love to keep working on more icing, but for now I will be happy with the way it is. My family reassured me that it was great and proceeded to eat all the icing leftover in the fridge. To give more options for different diets,  I am including two other recipes for whipped cream and coconut creme icing at the end of this post.

And Happy Birthday to my sweet husband, Scott!  A cake just for you! ;)

 
Grain-Free Carrot Cake
 ~created by The Gluten-Free 'Dish'

Free of:  Grains,  Gluten,  Dairy,  Eggs, Corn, Soy, Sugar, Starch, Gums, Cinnamon, Vanilla, and  Almond

I use my electric mixer to make this cake.

Add to the mixing bowl:
5 Tablespoons chia seed ground
6 Tablespoons water 

Mix well.

Add:
1/2 cup unsweetened organic applesauce +2 Tablespoons
18 drops stevia liquid
3 Tablespoons raw organic honey
5 Tablespoons organic palm shortening
1 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar

Mix well.

Add:
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cup pecan meal
1/2 cup coconut flour

Mix well.

Add:

1 1/2 cups shredded organic carrots, approximately 3 carrots, shredded (I use the food processor with the disk attachment.) 
1/2 cup pecans, chopped small
1/2 cup organic raisins

 Mix well.  
 The batter looks like this:

Line a muffin pan with natural paper baking liners. Use a medium size cookie scoop to make balls and shape and smooth with your hands.  Drop them into the muffin pan.

 Bake cupcakes in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Farenheit for 12 minutes. 
This recipe makes approximately 15 cupcakes.

Or a 9" round layer cake,  Be sure to grease cake pan and line with parchment paper cut to fit the bottom of the cake pan. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes.  Allow to cool about 10 minutes before flipping the layer cake onto a flat surface to cool. 

Cashew Creme Frosting  (pictured above)

1 cup raw organic cashews, soaked in water 2-3 hours rinsed and drained.

8 drops stevia

4 tablespoons coconut milk

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2-3 tablespoons raw organic honey

Place ingredients in a high powered blender like a Vita-Mix and blend well until smooth.  Spoon on top of the cakes and top with chopped pecans if desired.

Other delicious options to replace the Cashew Cream Icing:


1. Coconut Creme Whipped Topping   (Pictured on my blog here)

1 can of coconut milk, full fat, chilled in the refrigerator (I use Thai Kitchen brand)
a few drops of stevia to your taste or honey

Chill the full fat coconut milk in the refrigerator. When ready to serve remove the canned coconut milk from the refrigerator. Do not shake.  With a spoon remove the fat or solid part of the coconut milk, leaving the liquid behind. Add sweetener to your taste. Whip with a hand mixer until creamy.

2. Coconut Creme Icing  (pictured on my blog here)

Inspired and adapted from Elana's Pantry

1/2 cup coconut milk, full fat, cream from the top, refrigerated ahead to chill (I use Thai Kitchen brand)
1 1/2 tablespoons Lakanto
pinch of sea salt
2 1/2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
1/2 tablespoon water
1/2 cup coconut oil

In a medium saucepan on low heat combine the coconut milk creme from the top of the can with the Lakanto and salt until the dry ingredients dissolve.

In a small bowl, combine arrowroot and water to form a smooth paste and add to the saucepan.

Using a hand mixer combine the ingredients in the saucepan and bring to a boil for a second (BRIEFLY because this will thicken quickly).

Remove saucepan from the heat and blend in the coconut oil with the hand mixer.

Put the saucepan into the freezer for 20-25 minutes until the icing is solid and turns white (set a timer so you don't forget).

Remove from the freezer and mix again with the hand mixer until fluffy.
Spread on a cooled cake and enjoy. 

Debbie's Notes: 

1. Since this cake is egg-free and made without guar gum or xanthan gum to hold it together, it is more delicate and doesn't hold together as well as it would with those ingredients. We think it is best to eat this cake with a fork in order to avoid sharing this with your favorite four-legged friends!  We don't mind using a fork, if it means we get to eat cake.  Of course you get to decide how your eat your cake, but just be sure to enjoy every bite!

2 .Just so you know when I refer to "allergy-friendly." I mean that all my families allergies are accounted for.  This cake uses pecan meal, so if you are truly nut allergic this may not work for you.

Energy Bars - Grain-free, Dairy-free

Grain-free Energy Bars 

 For thanksgiving this year we were planning to travel so I made these energy bars to take along on our trip.  We enjoyed them so much that they didn't make it to Thanksgiving.

If you are looking for a quick and easy recipe to energize you for the upcoming holidays ahead of us, I believe you will love this recipe.

 Most of all, today,  I wanted to take time to thank you for being here with me through the year. I am grateful for you, each and every one who visits here. May you be blessed.

 

The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace. 

Numbers 6:24-26 

 

Grain-free Energy Bars

 2 cups pecans

1/2 cup organic "raw" cashews

3/4 cup organic raisins
2 cups unsweetened coconut, shredded

3 Tablespoons raw honey

8 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted

Add ingredients to food processor and blend well.  Spread the mixture into an ungreased glass 9 X 13 inch baking dish.  Bake in the oven at 300 degrees for 15 minutes and allow to cool.  Cut them into squares. Then refrigerate to harden.

To learn more about buying honey please check out this article at Food Safety News  explaining the results of their study of honey.  Tests show most store honey isn't really honey. 

   

The Spunky Coconut's Divine Vegan Fudge Cake

 

 

I love it when my ten year old son wants to bake. A new baking pan was all he needed to stimulate his imagination.  He began describing to me the many ways he wanted to use this new pan.  He created these Vegan Fudge cupcakes with only a little help from me! 

Each cupcake was baked in two parts which allowed for a filling to be added into the hollow center and then the second decorative cake was added to the top for a stunning dessert.

For the cake, I made a few suggestions and he made an excellent choice to follow  The Spunky Coconut's Divine Vegan Fudge Cake recipe with just a few modifications.  He omitted the guar/xanthan gums and lowered the coconut sugar by half, because we were not accustomed to the effects of coconut sugar on our sugar-sensitive bodies.   He chose to use peppermint flavoring instead of the suggested vanilla. 

We created the creme filling by mixing 4 tablespoons organic palm shortening with 2 tablespoons organic honey.  For the icing, he melted allergy-friendly Enjoy Life Foods Chocolate chips and placed a dollop of his extra creme filling on the top of each cupcake. Of course, they were delightful!   

This delicious grain-free, gluten-free and egg-free recipe comes from Grain-Free Baked Goods & Desserts and may be purchased from  amazon.com and $4 OFF with code APYTME6C on the Spunky Coconut eStore.  

Just so you know, I purchased my own copy of this wonderful cookbook and it comes with my highest recommendations!   For more recipes like this see Kelly's blog, The Spunky Coconut.

 

Honey Sweetened Marshmallows - Allergy-free

Each year my boys look forward to spending  time with their cousins and grandparents at Lake Gaston. This year is the first year for both boys to go at the same time.The weeks beforehand I  plan and prepare allergen-friendly meals for them to take along. The menu changes each year, but one thing for sure to be on the list is Smores. 

 
 In the early days, I special-ordered allergy-safe marshmallows, made gluten-free graham crackers and melted Enjoy Life Chocolate chips to make chocolate bars.

This year I decided to send my adapted version of Kelly's grain-free chocolate chip cookies instead of graham crackers and fill them with the new Enjoy Life Foods Mega Chunks in place of messy chocolate bars.  It was much easier for the boys to handle while sitting near the hot fire.

In the  past, when I made homemade marshmallows, I sweetened them with agave nectar, but they didn't hold up well in the fire.  This year I wanted to re-make them with honey.  We don't use agave nectar anymore.for health reasons. I did a little searching in hopes I would find someone who had already forged this path.  I was thrilled to find  that  Zoe of Z's Cup of Tea had successfully tested her marshmallow recipe with honey. The only change I needed to make was leave out the vanilla.  I would recommend using the candy thermometer to be sure you get the correct temperature. 

This week the real test came when my campers put these marshmallows in the fire.  I am hearing good reports that these turned brown with only a little bit of melting.  Overall a success!  

We think  these marshmallows are really delicious and not too sweet.  They were super easy to make with my KitchenAid Stand mixer, the wire whisk attachment and my favorite 10 year-old assistant.  We had SO much fun. They whipped up really fast! Much faster than my previous recipes. This is absolutely a kid-friendly recipe.  Your kids will love watching the liquid transform into these fluffy delicious mouthfuls just as mine did.

I believe that these homemade marshmallows will not be just an annual treat in the future. ;)

Thank you for a great recipe, Zoe!

The hands of my "Favorite Ten Year Old Assistant" with photo setup to make them just like Zoe's!

Click here to leave my site and see  Zoe's Honey Sweetened Marshmallows recipe.

Other related recipes to see on the web.

Liz of Eat the Cookie Before it Eats You -(Grain-free) Honey Graham Crackers  

Elizabeth Barbone of Serious Eats- Smores

Rebecca Reilly's Gluten-free Graham Crackers 

Brittany of Real Sustenance's Gingerbread Graham Crackers 

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.

Watermelon Sorbet

This recipe brings many smiles at my house and I thought I should share it with you.   What could be better than cold, sweet watermelon on a hot and humid North Carolina day?  Well, the answer is.... watermelon sorbet.  How can you go wrong with something already so wonderful?

 Watermelon Sorbet

Ingredients:

about half a small, seedless watermelon- may be chilled ahead or refrigerate mixture after blending
 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1 small lemon)
15 drops of liquid stevia
tiny pinch of sea salt


Blend watermelon in blender to make 3 cups of liquefied watermelon.
Add lemon juice, stevia and sea salt and blend until mixed.  
If watermelon was chilled ahead then you may continue to make your sorbet. 
If not, refrigerate the mixture approximately 1 hour or until chilled.
Pour into your ice cream maker and follow instructions. 
I used the Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice cream and Sorbet maker and it was done in 20 minutes.

This recipe was inspired by a recipe from Ania Catalano's book, Baking with Agave Nectar.  I adapted her recipe by using stevia instead of agave nectar and lemon juice instead of lime.  I also did not find it necessary to re-freeze the mixture in the freezer after the 20 minutes in my ice cream maker.  My family and friends enjoyed it.  My husband commented, "This is the best thing you have ever made in that ice cream maker."  Wonderful watermelon!  Enjoy!

Love in the Kitchen: The Healthy Pumpkin Apple Spice Oatmeal Cookie

My youngest son is persistently optimistic. Each time he goes with me grocery shopping he is determined to find a store bought cookie that I will let him eat. He doesn't want home made cookies, but something he can buy from the store. There is the illusion that cookies in those beautiful packages must be more delightful, I guess. Most of the time we purchase pre-cut fruit and he loves it. As he enjoys his fruit, the thoughts of the unfulfilled desire fade away...at least for this shopping trip.

A yummy cookie is always welcome in my house, but there are certain requirements that have to be met. Healthy and free of allergens is a must. Between the boys and I, we have a long list of food intolerance's that make purchasing cookies very difficult . Therefore, I get lots of practice baking without gluten, dairy, egg white, soy, sugar, rice, vanilla, almonds, peanuts, and cinnamon- the ingredients that are in most store bought cookies.

During the last year, I have been experimenting with many versions of Meghan Telpner's recipe, The Ultimate Healthy Cookie. I love that her recipe works very well with different variations of gluten-free flour and it may be made without starches or gums. This recipe is a great addition to your recipe collection, especially if you need to rotate gluten-free flour or eat grain-free. You can make this cookie to suit your dietary needs and enjoy every bite! If you haven't visited Meghan's blog, Making Love in the Kitchen, click here to be inspired by her knowledge and delicious and healthy recipes.

This is our favorite adaptation of Meghan's The Ultimate Healthy Cookie.

The Healthy Pumpkin Apple Spice Oatmeal Cookie

No: Gluten, Dairy, Sugar, Egg Whites

1 cup gluten-free flour (I like 1/3 cup coconut flour, 1/3 cup sorghum flour, 1/3 cup quinoa flour)
1/2 cup chopped pecans *(optional) (use freshly shelled if eating a diet that is candida-safe)
3 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
1/3 cup Lakanto (may be purchased from The Body Ecology Diet)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut *(if omitting the pecans, increase to 1/2 cup coconut)
1/2 cup certified gluten-free oats (or quinoa flakes)
1 large heaping handful of love

Mix dry ingredients with a whisk and then add the following wet ingredients and stir with a spoon until well mixed.

1 egg yolk
7-8 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
7 drops of stevia liquid
1/4 cup organic canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup organic applesauce, unsweetened
add enough water for the dough to soften and hold together when shaped with your hands

I use my hands to shape into balls and press them down onto a stainless steel cookie sheet that has been greased with Spectrum Naturals organic shortening. These do not spread so press them thin as you like them.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F. for about 19 minutes or until they are brown.



Here is a photo of another version of this recipe without pumpkin. I made this with 1/2 cup of Blackberry Applesauce, Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips and 1 cup of this gluten-free flour mix:

1 1/2 cups sorghum flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup millet flour

The Creamiest Pumpkin Pie Ever

Alright, I know it's not November and traditionally pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving dessert, right? Well, yes, I am a bit late posting this pumpkin pie recipe. I suppose I am the perfectionist at heart and I like to be sure that the recipes I create and share with you are my best.

There are many reasons to enjoy pumpkin pie all year long. Nutritionally, pumpkin is loaded with Beta-carotene which converts to vitamin A in the body. A half cup of canned pumpkin provides 953 mcg of vitamin A. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD, author of the book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome, lists Vitamin A among the top five necessary supplements essential for those with digestive disorders, and of course, states that food sources of nutrients are best. She writes, "Leaky gut and malabsorption are the typical results of a vitamin A deficiency." Our immune system must have Vitamin A to be strong and healthy.

Pumpkin also provides Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus. Pumpkin is also a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

Liver is a great source of Vitamin A, but I really don't think I will be able to convince my children or husband to eat it, so pumpkin pie looks like a winner to me!

This is a very creamy and wonderful recipe for anyone, but was created for my family who enjoy pie with No: gluten, dairy, sugar, egg whites, and cinnamon. We love it and I hope you will, too. (You can see in the photo, by the little hand, that my son was standing by and ready to eat this piece of pie. Waiting for me to take food pictures is a big lesson in patience.)


The Creamiest Pumpkin Pie Ever
No: Gluten, Dairy, Sugar, Egg Whites, or Cinnamon

Pumpkin Pie Filling:

3 egg yolks
1/4 cup water
1 can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup coconut milk, lite
8 drops of stevia liquid

1/6 cup Lakanto (that's 1/2 of the 1/3 cup)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ginger root
1/8 teaspoon cloves

Mix the wet ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Then add the dry ingredients and stir with a whisk until mixed very well.

Pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell. The pie crust recipe is from the previous post and may be found by clicking here.
Bake in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to
350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 35-40 minutes more.

Easy Pie Crust Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Pie crust

1 1/2 cups of gluten-free flour mix*
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 Tablespoon raw honey or Lakanto
4 Tablespoons Earth Balance Natural Margarine Soy-Free
6 Tablespoons Spectrum Natural Organic Palm Shortening
3 Tablespoons water (if the water is ice cold it is harder to press into the pie pan)

Place the gf flour mix, salt, xanthan gum and sweetener, Earth Balance Margarine and Spectrum Shortening in the food processor and pulse to mix. Add the water and process until it is mixed.

( It might be best to do the mixing in stages. First add the dry ingredients and pulse. Then add the Margarine and shortening and pulse. and then add the water and pulse again ) Since mine gives off an odor I have to send mine outside with the boys so I don't make them do all those steps.

Press with your hands into the pie pan that has been lightly greased with the shortening.

Use Egg wash over the pie crust once it has been pressed into the pan before filling. I used 1 egg YOLK mixed with about 1/2 Tablespoon of water and brushed on with my fingers and wiped up the excess with a paper towel. (My brush falls apart so I don't use it)

Baking time should be under 35-40 minutes for a 400 degree oven or the crust will begin to burn. Watch carefully. The agave nectar causes this to brown which I like. Perhaps using foil to cover the edges if you need to cook longer.

*My Gluten-Free Flour Mix (all are Bob's Red Mill)

1 1/2 cups sorghum flour
1 cup cornstarch or potato starch
1 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup millet flour

We enjoy this crust with The Creamiest Pumpkin Pie Ever!

Carrot Cake with Coconut Creme Icing Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free & Sugar-Free

Now for the GOOD stuff! Carrot cake with coconut creme icing!

I really don't think I have made any cake that tastes as delicious as this one. The taste and texture is just as I remember carrot cake before my gluten-free days. However, I'm most excited, because it is sugar-free. I use The Body Ecology's Lakanto which is safe for people on the anti-candida diet. There are many stages to the anti-candida diet, so you will need to know your own body and how the starches affect you. You will never miss the sugar in this cake!

I love this cake! But most important my husband and boys loved it and my selected "taste testers"! Finally a cake that is safe for us that tastes absolutely delicious and that everyone enjoys.

This is not a sugary sweet tasting cake, but with the addition of the coconut creme icing it was a perfect combination. It is a cake that I believe needs to be eaten slowly while enjoying every taste sensation of each bite. Can you tell that I love this!

When I look at these pictures, I just want to go back to the kitchen and make more! Now I keep a can of coconut milk chilling in the fridge just in case I want to make this.


Carrot Cake with Coconut Creme Icing
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free & Sugar-Free

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk the following dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

1 1/3 cups of gluten-free flour mix*
1/4 + 1/8 (or 3/8) cup Lakanto
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp xanthan gum

Add the following wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat them together on low speed with a mixer.

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 egg yolks **
1/4 + 1/8 (or 3/8) cup coconut milk, lite
7 drops Sweet Leaf Stevia liquid

Stir in:
1 1/2 cups finely grated peeled organic carrots
3/4 cup chopped pecans***

Place paper baking liners in the cupcake pan or grease with shortening. Divide batter into twelve cupcakes.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. These are best not overcooked.


*The Gluten-Free 'Dish' Flour Mix

1 1/2 cups sorghum flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup millet flour

OR:

*1/3 cup sorghum flour + 1 cup Gluten-Free Flour Mix

Gluten-Free Flour mix:
1 1/2 cups sorghum flour
1 1/2 cups potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour

This flour mix will require longer baking time.

** Due to my son's allergy to egg whites, I use just the yolks. If you try this recipe with whole eggs, please leave comments for me and others who may like to use the whole eggs. I suspect you may substitute 2 whole eggs.
***An important tip for those needing to avoid molds for candida overgrowth: Pecans should be freshly shelled and frozen until ready to use. I am blessed that my husband likes to shell them for me while watching football.

Coconut Creme Icing

Inspired and adapted from Elana's Pantry

1/2 cup coconut milk, full fat, cream from the top, refrigerated ahead to chill (I use Thai Kitchen brand)
1 1/2 tablespoons Lakanto
pinch of sea salt
2 1/2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
1/2 tablespoon water
1/2 cup coconut oil (I used Nutiva brand)

In a medium saucepan on low heat combine the coconut milk creme from the top of the can with the Lakanto and salt until the dry ingredients dissolve.

In a small bowl, combine arrowroot and water to form a smooth paste and add to the saucepan.

Using a hand mixer combine the ingredients in the saucepan and bring to a boil for a second (BRIEFLY because this will thicken quickly).

Remove saucepan from the heat and blend in the coconut oil with the hand mixer.

Put the saucepan into the freezer for 20-25 minutes until the icing is solid and turns white (set a timer so you don't forget).

Remove from the freezer and mix again with the hand mixer until fluffy.
Spread on a cooled cake and enjoy. Or better yet, call me!