Gluten Free Overnight Cookies

Make these cookies at night and take them out of the oven in the morning. That's right....overnight cookies!!

If you do want a guilt-free treat this is the one to have, and they are gluten free. 

Ingredients:
2 egg whites (preferably at room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
pinch salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips (Less chocolate chips means less fat...just saying)
1/2 cup chopped nuts of your choice. (I used pecans)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Beat egg whites and salt with a mixer until the egg whites become foamy.
3. Add the sugar in gradually while you continue to beat the egg whites. Continue beating until the egg whites hold medium to stiff peaks (I usually go for the stiff peaks)
4. Gently fold in the chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and vanilla
5. Cover your cookie sheet (I used two) with parchment paper. Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet.
6. Place the cookie sheet(s) in the oven and turn the oven off. Leave the cookies in the oven without opening the door.
7. Take the cookies out of the oven and enjoy. Store in covered tin.
NOTE: I made these cookies for my Gluten Free table at the Farmer's Market and they were always gone in the first few minutes of the day. It got to where I had to take orders. They are delicious and I know you will love them.

Makes 12-14 cookies

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Cucumber sandwiches

Great gluten free alternative, toddler snack, or finger foods for your next party. And SO easy!!!

Ingredients:
Cucumbers
Roast beef, ham or turkey
Cheese (your choice)
Salt and pepper (optional)

Directions:
Slice cucumbers and make sandwich.

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PB & Jelly Gluten Free Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup egg white
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp stevia
pinch salt
10 tsp jelly

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix all ingredients well and spoon 10 cookies into a baking pan covered in parchment paper. Bake 6 minutes or until try to the touch. Top with 1 tsp jelly and enjoy!!! Mmmmmm

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Donair (Gyro) Salad

Craving a Donair (or some know it as a Gyro), but trying to cut out carbs.. or gluten?

Here's how you can have it without the worry.  Make it a salad!!

Ingredients:
Salad fixings {Use whatever you like -- here's what I used}
-Romaine lettuce
-Cucumbers
-Tomatoes
-Sweet red pepper
-Red onion
-Mushroom
-Cheddar cheese
-Black olives
Donair (Gyro) meat
Tzatziki sauce

Directions:
Make the salad, cook the meat and pour on the sauce. Tastes the same.. just leaving out the pita!

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Vegan Chocolate Mouse

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 raw agave nectar
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Puree until smooth.
Serve chilled

*Gluten free too!

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3 Ingredient Easy-Peasy Banana Pancakes- Gluten FREE!

You will need:
1 medium ripe banana
2 eggs
2 Tbsp Almond Flour/ Meal (which is ground almonds, you can even make your own!)

How to:
1. Mash banana in a bowl (use fork or potato masher), ensure leaving some "chunks" of banana, helps make a fluffier pancake!
2. Crack eggs in another bowl & beat
3. Combine eggs with mashed banana.
4. Add 2 Tbsp of Almond Flour
5. Mix with spoon or fork to combine all 3 ingredients
6. Lightly grease your cooking pan with Coconut Oil (or butter)
7. Pre-heat pan to a medium-low setting (at approx. the "5")
8. Spoon onto heated pan 1-2 Tbsp of pancake batter. Let cook approx. 2 minutes before flipping. Let cook for approx. 1 more minute. The smaller the pancakes, the easier they are to "flip over".
9. Serve immediately, while hot! Enjoy!

* "Optional Topping" Suggestions:
Butter or Coconut Oil
Maple Syrup
Yogurt (your choice of flavor!)
Berries or other fruits
Honey
Powdered Sugar
Cinnamon
Low Sugar Jam or Marmalade
Peanut Butter
"Warmed up" Nutella

**Notes:
Recipe can easily be doubled if cooking for a larger group! Pre-heat oven to a low heat setting (200F). Place them on a pan, once cooked, so they stay warm in the oven until ready to serve!

Feel free to get creative with the recipe by adding blueberries, spices, vanilla, etc...to your liking in the batter before cooking! : )

Makes approx. 4-6 "small size" pancakes

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Gluten free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup peanut butter 
2 medium ripe bananas
2 large eggs
7 tablespoons honey (agave syrup may be substituted)
1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare mini muffin pans by spraying very well with cooking spray,set aside.
Place the first 7 ingredients into blender, and blend on high speed until creamy and smooth.
Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
Using a tablespoon drop 1 tablespoon into each cavity 3/4 full.
Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, or until the tops are set, springy to the touch, and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in pans for about 10 minutes, or until they are firm enough to handle.
These are amazing fresh,, but will keep airtight at room temperature for 5 days, or in the freezer for 4 months.
These are so super yummy!!! You would never guess there was no flour in here!!! They were bouncy and soft.
Makes 34 mini muffins.

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3 Ingredient Cookies

While trying to eat better, cut back on flour as much as possible, but still please a toddler, I'm constantly trying to figure out alternative ways to make conventional recipes. My little one wanted chocolate chip cookies, and to be honest, I liked the idea too. 

Ingredients are:
2 ripe bananas
1 cup of quick oats
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:
Such a simple recipe, and takes no time at all. It's just a matter of mashing the bananas and then mixing in the oats and chips.  So the fact that it's healthy too means it will be made again in this house!!
I used a stand mixer and just threw it all together and let it mix for about 3-5 mins.





Once mixed, simply spoon onto a greased pan ( I used coconut oil; spread on with a paper-towel)
Then bake @ 350℉ for 15 mins. Let cool on cooling rack for 5-10 mins and enjoy. Makes 15 cookies.

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Gluten Free Dairy Free Chocolate Cake

My husband and I have made a change over in our eating recently (Hello New Year's Resolution much?) We're trying to cut our as many carbs and processed foods as possible, and eat clean and real food!  Plus our oldest who's 2 and a half is addicted to breads and sugars so it's time now to change that bad habit.  So with all these changes I was on the look out for any recipes that were a variation of an old traditional.  So when I came across a gluten and dairy free chocolate cake recipe I had to jump all over that and check it out.  I originally saw the recipe here at "The Vibrant Family" blog.  I was pretty surprised with the ingredients, but I gave it a go, and it turned out AWESOME!!!  Here's the recipe:


1-15 ounce can of unseasoned black beans
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
I used two 8.5 inch cake pans, greased with olive oil and then evenly dusted cocoa all over the inside of the pan. I then cut a round piece of parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan, brushing a thin layer of olive oil over the parchment.  This is all to ensure the cake doesn't stick to the pan, as it may tend to stick more than if cooking with flour.
I then drained and rinsed the beans, being sure to rinse really well and then shake any excess water before I transferred them to a food processor. Next I added three of the five eggs to the beans, then the vanilla, and salt into the processor and blended until there were no lumps.
In a separate small bowl I combined the cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder, whisking to ensure I had no powder-y lumps.
In a mixer I beat the honey and coconut oil until it was fluffy, then added the other two eggs, and mixed for another minute on medium.
Once mixed, I poured the bean batter into the egg mixture and blended again for another minute or so on med-high. Then to combine it all I put the mixer on low and added the cocoa powder mixture, then after it was roughly combined, turned it on high for one minute until it was good and smooth.
I immediately poured the mixed batter into each cake pan and gave them each a good couple of taps to
release any air bubbles that were trapped in the mixture.
I then baked them for 35-40 minutes and took it out to cool for about 15 minutes.
To get the cake to release from the pan I suggest running a knife or toothpick along the edge. The parchment on the bottom will save your cake from coming out in pieces, but the sides may stick a little so separating the sides first is something I definitely recommend. The best way to get the cake out of the pan is to lay a piece of parchment or wax paper on a plate and hold it to the plate while turning it upside down on the pan.  Then in one movement flip the entire thing so the cake comes out on the paper.  Let cool completely before putting on the frosting.

The frosting recipe is awesome, I just have to say!  The ingredients are easy and the process is quick!!

3 ripe avocados
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

I used my food processor again to blend all the ingredients at one time.  Just blend until you have the desired texture, that is the same as frosting. I did store it in the fridge for about 2 hours before putting on the cake. This also gave the cake a good amount of time to cool.
Then I frosted the 2 layers of the cake as I would have with a regular flour based recipe. I let it site for about an hour before serving.  It was delicious and very filling.  My 2 and half year old (who is a very picky eater!!) gobbled it right down, not knowing the difference one bit!!

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Marshmallow-less Krispie treats

So, I wanted a treat for my daughter (and ok, me too) and what's easier than Rice Krispie treats, right??  But I don't keep marshmallows in the house most of the time. So here's what I came up with instead. I used organic raw honey, and all natural peanut butter, but the regular stuff works great too. 

Ingredients
3/4 cup honey
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups Rice Krispies
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:
Combine honey and peanut butter in saucepan and heat just to boiling, be sure to stir constantly.
Remove from heat and add vanilla, then stir in Rice Krispies (and chocolate chips, if desired).
Let cool a little, so not to burn your hands, then form balls, only lightly pressing the ingredients together, and place mounds into small cupcake/candy liners, and let cool.

You can also press into a greased 9" x 12" pan, cool and cut into squares.

Still easy peasy like the traditional treats... but it's got a healthier twist on it with less refined sugar, and when you go the organic honey and all natural PB, it's even better!! And to take it a step further, use the gluten free brown Rice Krispies and you have a glutten free snack!! 

Enjoy :)

Jo

Porcupine Meatballs

This is a perfect meal when you are short on groceries, or failed to plan out supper. 
Kids and husband approved!! 
It's also gluten free!! 

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water

Directions:
Mix the ground beef, rice, 1/2 cup water, onion, salt, celery salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in a bowl. Roll the mixture into 12 meatballs.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the meatballs. Cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until evenly browned. Drain and discard any excess grease. Pour the tomato sauce, 1 cup water into the skillet; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the meatballs are no longer pink in the center and the rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in more water if the sauce becomes too dry.

This made 13 BIG meatballs, so if you want to make them smaller adjust cooking time.