Back for another quick post leading up to a fun post tomorrow with some wonderful Paleo bloggers.  Stacy from Paleo Parents, The Urban Poser, and I will be partnering together for a Paleo New Year’s Menu.  One of us will provide a appetizer, one a main course, and the other a dessert.  A big thanks to Stacy for coming up with this wonderful idea to partner together on this post.  Are you excited?  Just wait, it will be pretty fabulous! 

These buns play a big role in my post tomorrow so I wanted to give you a sneak peek.  I’ll be back tomorrow with more. 

Enjoy!

Paleo Herb Buns

1 1/2 cups almond flour

2 tablespoons coconut flour

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

5 eggs

1/4 cup bacon grease (or coconut oil, melted)

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 tablespoon honey

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a whoopie pie panwith coconut oil.  If you don’t have a whoopie pie pan, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, rosemary, salt, and baking soda.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor add eggs, honey, and apple cider vinegar.  Process until eggs are blended.  Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and process until well incorporated.  Remove blade of food processor and add bacon grease or coconut oil and stir until well blended.

If using the whoopie pie pan drop batter into rounds to fill.  If using a baking sheet, use a ice cream scoop and drop scoops onto baking sheet.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden.

Makes about 10 to 12 buns

Recipe adapted from Elana’s Pantry

I have another paleo pumpkin muffin for you but I have to say I think this one is way better than my first attempt so I had to share.  I’m still learning the do’s and don’ts of baking with coconut flour but the more I bake with it the more I love it.  Coconut flour is packed with protein and fiber too which makes these little muffins perfect to grab on those mornings where life gets the best of you (meaning no time to eat breakfast).  I know, I know these should be considered a “treat” in the Paleo world of things but as a busy mom trying to get two girls ready and out the door (and myself) this “treat” is going to have to do as my breakfast from time to time.  Now let’s talk pumpkin, I know it’s the end of pumpkin season but you can’t go wrong with pumpkin and it’s one of my favorite ingredients to use.  I can never have enough pumpkin packed in my pantry.  I love it!  I even use it in smoothies for the girls!  Anyho these muffins are a favorite and topped with a paleo streusel….you can’t go wrong.  So here it is folks and do yourself a favor and gives these muffins a try.  And if I haven’t won you over yet, your kitchen and house will smell delicious while these bake.

I’ll be back later this week sharing a Christmas Paleo Cookie that you can hand out to friends and family and they won’t even know (or care) that they are Paleo. I’m really excited to share these cookies with you.   

Paleo Pumpkin Streusel Muffins 

½ cup pumpkin puree

½ cup coconut oil, melted

3 tablespoons coconut milk

6 eggs

6 medjool dates, pitted and mashed with 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon maple syrup)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

½ cup coconut flour

Streusel

½ cup pecans, chopped

¼ cup almond meal/flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tin with paper liners or grease with coconut oil.

In a small bowl, add pitted medjool dates and 1 tablespoon water.  Heat in microwave for 30 seconds on high.  Mash the dates with fork and add 1 tablespoon maple syrup and mash again. 

In a bowl of a food processor combine date mixture, pumpkin puree, coconut oil (melted), coconut milk, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin spice.  Process until well combine and the date mixture is pureed.  Add coconut flour and process again until combine. 

 To make streusel, combine all ingredients and stir to combine.

 Fill each paper cup ¾ full of batter and top with streusel.  Bake muffins for 30 to 35 minutes.

Serve with apple butter and enjoy!  Makes 12 muffins

Recipe adapted from Primal Palate

Back as promised with one of my new favorite Paleo muffin recipes.  But a warning….these are addicting!  I have found myself eagerly waiting the banana’s to ripen just so I can make another batch of these muffins.  Like I said they are addicting!  And they even get better the next day….if that’s even possible.  If you want to hold off on eating the whole batch right out of the oven, they freeze nicely.  That way you can enjoy them another day.

I’m going to keep this short as I am a tired and busy girl trying to get ready for two little girls big 4th birthday party that is quickly approaching.  I feel like my list of “to do’s” is growing while my days to do it all is shortening.  That seems to always happen, right?  I’ll be sure to share the big event over on the kids side of the blog so stay tuned.  I’ll be back next week so have a wonderful rest of your week and a fabulous weekend! 

Coconut Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

6 eggs

1/3 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

3/4 cup coconut flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, plus additional for sprinkling on tops of muffin

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, coconut milk, maple syrup, sea salt, and vanilla extract.  Whisk to combine and set aside.

Sift coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon into the wet ingredients.  Whisk vigorously until no lumps remain.  Stir in melted coconut oil until well combined.  Fold in banana and chocolate chips until incorporated. 

Using a large ice cream scoop, add one level scoop to each muffin cup.  Sprinkle each muffin with a few additional chocolate chips.  Bake muffins for 15 to 18 minutes or until muffins are golden and spring back when pressed gently.  Once baked, cool for 10 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Note: I recommend you keep these in a air-tight container and store in the refrigerator to keep fresh longer.  When ready to heat just heat up and enjoy.

It’s one of my favorite times of the year….Fall!  And that means it’s time to use one of my very favorite fall ingredients…. pumpkin!  I love cooking and baking with pumpkin.  If you check out my recipe archives I’m sure you will find a lot of recipes containing pumpkin.  Again, it’s a favorite.  However this year since I’m Paleo I’ve been trying to figure out how I can bake with pumpkin and still have it fit into the Paleo ways.  Of course, these are my treats but for the little ones they are great!  These muffins I actually packed in their lunch box as a snack, they’ve had them for breakfast, or even a after school snack.  And honestly the only bite I got is the one I took to take the pictures for the blog.  They ate these up pretty fast.   

Now back to the whole fall thing, I love fall and I’m wishing and hoping the weather here in South Florida starts to change soon so I can get a slight feel that it’s actually fall.  I doubt that will happen but a girl can dream, right?  We are headed to the pumpkin patch this weekend and there is something strange about going to the pumpkin patch in a sleeveless shirt and shorts.  I guess that’s what happens when a girl moves from the Atlanta where seasons are to Florida where the seasons aren’t.  I’ll just turn the air conditioning up in the house and pretend it’s fall and bake some more of these pumpkin muffins.  Sound good to everyone?   

Have a great weekend everyone!  Enjoy the muffins!  See you back here next week for some more Paleo goodies.

Pumpkin Paleo Muffins

 Print Recipe

1 ½ cups almond flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, plus more for sprinkling on tops of muffins

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

3 tablespoons maple syrup

¾ cup canned pumpkin

1 small ripe banana, mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup chopped pecans (plus more to sprinkle on top)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pan with paper liners or use coconut oil to grease pan. 

In a large bowl whish together almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.  Set aside

 In a small bowl whisk together eggs, pumpkin, banana, and vanilla extract.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix to combine.  Stir in pecans until well incorporated.

Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan cups filling ¾ full.  Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with pecans and pumpkin pie spice. 

 Bake muffins for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.

 Makes 12 muffins 

Note: These are best kept in a airtight container in the refrigerator.  When you are ready to eat them just heat them up slightly and enjoy!

I have another Paleo treat for you and this is another quick and easy recipe.  It only takes minutes to put together but you do have to wait while these little muffins cook up in the oven.  The little ones can help in making these in the kitchen too.  My girls got in the kitchen and helped me with these.  They have become mommy’s little helper in the kitchen lately.  For this recipe they helped peel the bananas and had a great time mashing them up.  They added all the dry ingredients to the bowl and soon afterwards we were filling the muffin tin.  And the sprinkling of the additional chocolate chips on top of the muffins made these even more fun to make.  Once these little treats were done it wasn’t too far afterwards the little ones had chocolate faces and chocolate hands and with big smiles on their faces.  Which meant they were a success.  Especially when they ask if they could have them “all” week in their lunch boxes.  I don’t feel too bad putting these Paleo muffins in their lunch box either.  And just between you and I, I also snuck one in my lunch box one day too.  They are definitely a treat, but a very much needed treat every now and then.  Especially after a hard workout….ha!  Kidding….well sort of!  But best of all in my book, the kids love them!

 Enjoy!

Almond Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Print Recipe

3/4 cup almond butter

1 cup almond flour

3 medium ripe bananas, mashed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional – I love cinnamon)

1/3 cup plus more for topping muffins Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (Dairy-Free, Soy Free, Gluten-Free) – I find mine at Whole Foods

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a muffin pan with coconut spray (found at Whole Foods – love).

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips and mix everything is incorporated.  Now stir chocolate chips into batter.  Pour batter into prepared muffin tin filling all 12 cups evenly.  Top muffins with a few additional chocolate chips.

 Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let the muffins cool and remove from pan.  And enjoy!!

Makes 12 muffins, you could also make this into a loaf of bread too.  I’m sure it would be just as yummy.  Mini muffins would work too.  Of course, you would have to adjust the bake time accordingly.

A week down in my new world of Paleo and CrossFit and feeling awesome!  Now I didn’t want to scare all of you out there about Paleo and by the word of “diet” that follows it because it’s really not a diet in mind, but a change of lifestyle or a way of eating.  A good change and a good way of eating I like to think too.  Any who, you can still have things you love…just altered a little.  For example baked goods, as you all know I have a love for baked goods so I ventured this weekend in baking with almond flour.  I did have some errors in the kitchen this weekend on these journey for my baked good but I did have a success in these muffins.  And these muffins are really simple to make and they’re sweet enough to satisfy this reformed sugar addict.  And the “sweet” comes from one ripe banana and let me tell you it adds the right amount of sweetness.  I have to say I still have some learning to do when comes to baking with almond flour, but these muffins were the right thing especially for a little snack.  Plus they smell heavenly while they are baking.  Always a bonus and even more of a bonus when the munchkins can’t wait to try one. 

I hope these muffins make you think my paleo ways aren’t crazy after all.  Enjoy!

Gluten-Free (Paleo) Carrot Muffins

Print Recipe

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/4 teaspoon sea salt 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 tablespoon cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling on top

3 eggs

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

1 ripe banana, mashed

2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (optional)

1 1/2 cups carrots, grated

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line muffin pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, oil, mashed banana, and maple syrup.

Stir carrots and pecans into wet ingredients.

Stir wet ingredients into dry.

Scoop a heaping ¼ cup batter into paper lined muffin pan and sprinkle tops with cinnamon.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes on wire rack.  And serve and enjoy!

Makes about 10 – 12 muffins 

Yesterday, May 1st was a good day in the USA.  I will never forget where I was when the news came out that the horrible person who caused such pain for all of us in USA was dead.  Or the feeling I had inside.  Just like I will never forget where I was almost 10 years ago when the planes hit the twin towers, and the feelings I had then.  Historic events likes these will forever be implanted in our minds.  At the same time I’m so thankful for the men and women who protect us.  They are a special group of people and we owe a lot to them for all they do every day.  They are away from their families and away from what they consider home, only to fight for us back in the USA.  Thank you!  And thank you to those Navy Seals that found Bin Laden.  Our world is much better place without him.

Now for something sweet….and sweet in so many ways too!  The moment I saw this bread on Joy’s blog and Annie’s blog, I knew I had to try it myself.  Today was Teacher’s Appreciation breakfast at the girls school and I knew it was the perfect thing to bring.  Don’t worry I made two if these because I knew my family would not let me walk out of the house with this bread without one also being left behind for them.  There are many things to love about this bread.  Yeasted dough – check.  Browned butter – check.  Cinnamon sugar – double check.  An entire loaf that is reminiscent of the center of a perfect cinnamon roll – which you all know my deep love for a cinnamon roll. 

As you all know I also have a deep fear of yeast bread.  And those of you who are new here…I have a deep fear of yeast bread.  Something out it makes me freak out.  I know weird, but I guess I will have to make this several more times for my fear to go away?  Hmmmmm…sounds like a good idea.  If you have a fear too I promise you can conquer this bread and I promise you will be rewarded with slices of pure yummy cinnamon-bread heaven.  I dare you to just eat one slice too.  When this is warm and gooey….really you must try it to experience it yourself.  It would be perfect to make for mom for Mother’s Day this weekend too.  She will love you more than she already does. 

Note: I made one loaf using all-purpose flour and one with white whole wheat.  Of course, the white whole wheat was for home and it turned out just as good.  I leave it up to you in which flour you prefer to bake with.

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

Print Recipe

For dough:

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour (or white whole wheat), plus more as needed

1/4 cup organic cane sugar

2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast (or one packet)

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

For filling:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions:

To make dough, combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Combine the butter and milk in a small saucepan and heat just until the butter is melted.  Set aside and let cool briefly, until mixture registers 115-125 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.  Add the milk mixture, water, vanilla and eggs to the mixer bowl.  Mix on low speed until a cohesive dough forms.  Continue to knead until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is tacky but not sticky.  Knead about 3-5 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and cover.  Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.  (After the dough had doubled, it can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight.  Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before proceeding.)

While the dough rises, add the butter to a small saucepan and melt until browned.  Set aside.  Combine the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl and mix well.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently deflate.  Roll into a ball, cover with a clean towel and let rise for 5 minutes.  Roll the dough out into an approximately 12 x 20 -inch rectangle.  Brush the dough with the browned butter.  Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the dough in an even layer.  (Yes, use all of it.)

Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.  Slice the dough vertically into 6 even strips.  Stack strips on top of each other and again cut again into 6 equal slices.  Stack all the squares on top of each other and set into the prepared loaf pan.  Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place, 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.  Transfer the loaf to the oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden.  If the top seems to be browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil at the end of baking.  (Make sure you have foil at the bottom of the oven or place pan on a cookie sheet as the cinnamon-butter mix will bubble over.)  Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan 20-30 minutes.  Run a knife around edges of the pan to loosen and carefully turn the loaf out. transfer to a serving plate.  Serve warm.  Yummy!!

Enjoy!!

Source: Annie Eat’s and Joy the Baker, adapted from Hungry Girl por vida

I’ve been thinking about what I’m going to write in my post all night.  I cooked dinner, still at a loss.  I even decided to workout and afterwards, still at a loss.  Do you ever have those moments where you draw a blank?  You have tons on your mind ranging from the laundry that still needs to be folded to the spreadsheet at work that I still needs to finish but when they are all mixed together you are still at a loss of what to share.  Maybe I can share that tonight while watching Enchanted with my munchkins that all I could do was smile when one of them turned to me and said “mom, I like that chipmunk he’s so funny, can we get one?”  I then had to proceed to tell her why that wouldn’t be the best idea which then went into the #1 question a 3-year old toddler has these days “why?”  Which was then proceeded in a million more why’s.  Why is it that no matter how you explain something to a toddler they always ask why?  “Why mommy?”  That is the common question around my house these days.  After the millionth why I finally find myself saying the same thing my parents said to me, “because I said so”.  Yes, I did it…I said the same thing my parents said to me!  I once told myself I wouldn’t sound like my parents, but I find myself sounding more like my parents every day.  I guess we all do right?  Please say right, please tell me you are experience the same thing.  As I’m writing this I know I will be getting a phone call from my mom (who reads my blog) and she will bring up this post and laugh at me for saying these words.  Ha!  And I hope one day in the future I will be laughing at my daughters because they find themselves sounding like me.

Ok, enough with my babble.  Again, too much on my mind.  Now let’s talk banana’s.  I had lot’s of them.  That’s what happens when you go to the store buy a bunch and then your husband decides to stop at the store forgetting you had some at home and buys a bunch.  Lot’s of bananas which meant it was bound to happen…ripe banana’s.  Which only meant I had to use them in something.  I got a bunch of zucchini this weekend at the store.  For some reason I’m all about zucchini these days.  So as I was flipping through cookbooks and I came across Carrie’s Banana Zucchini Bread from her fabulous cookbook, Deliciously Organic.  Sounded perfect and just what we all needed in my house.  Perfect for the little ones because I get a little veggies in their diet hidden into one of their favorites, banana bread.  I changed some things from Carrie’s original recipe.  I have tried to stay away from dairy and soy so I adjusted the recipe to remove those ingredients.  Of course, you don’t have to do that.  Below I have both versions so you can make the way is best for you and your family.  My husband pleaded with me not to go gluten-free so instead I went with white whole wheat bread.  And I had to add one of my favorites to the recipe, cinnamon.  In the end it was a great little treat not only for breakfast but for a after-school snack…and even in the lunch box.  It also made the house smell fabulous which is always an extra bonus.

Sorry for my random thoughts in today’s post.  Hopefully next time my mind will be free and clear….hmmmm…I doubt it.  I don’t remember the last time my mind was not going a 100-miles an hour. 

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!!  See you back soon!

Banana Zucchini Bread

Print Recipe

3 tablespoons coconut oil

3 tablespoons dairy-free, soy-free butter (or unsalted butter)

2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup organic cane sugar

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup grated zucchini

1/4 cup almond milk (or 1/4 cup buttermilk and minus the lemon juice)

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

3 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 4 tablespoons warm water (or 2 eggs)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 and adjust rack to middle the middle position.  Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine almond milk and lemon juice. Set aside. 

Melt coconut oil and butter in a small saucepan.  Cool slightly.  Whisk flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.  Stir together mashed bananas, zucchini, almond milk mixture, maple syrup, egg mix, melted oils, and vanilla in a medium bowl.  Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently stir until just blended.

Pour batter into loaf pan and bake 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick pressed into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.  Cool for 10 minutes and then run a knife around the outside to loosen the edges.  Turn loaf out onto a cooling rack and cool before serving.

Recipe Adapted from Deliciously Organic Cookbook

It’s Friday here in China and I’m still here.  Counting the days till I can finally get home to the hubby and little ones.  I really miss them and it’s hard being away for so long.  It feels like I’ve been here forever.  This past week I was in mainland China and I found while at the hotel that I couldn’t get on my site to log-in or my main site.  Very frustrating!  I guess they have blocks on certain sites with “suspicious” words…I guess “delicious” is on the list.  I went through major withdrawals not being able to post this week and not talking to all of you out there.  Now that I’m back in Hong Kong I’m a happy girl.  I can now get back on and share with you another recipe. 

I made these muffins before leaving for China and stuck them in the freezer in hopes that they can be used for breakfast for the little ones while I was away.  I’m also hoping there might be some more left in the freezer when I get home next week.  After two weeks of not being able to eat certain foods I’m really craving these muffins.  I call these MD’s Morning Muffins because these are filled with great ingredients to jump start a morning.  Especially a busy morning.  These are a grab and go muffin or even a great snack after-school.  And they are gluten-free for all of you out there who are looking for a great gluten-free muffin for your mornings. 

I hope everyone had a great week and have a happy weekend!  I’ll be back next week sharing more and hopefully arriving home safely.

MD’s Morning Muffins

Print Recipes

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 coconut oil, melted

1/2 maple syrup

1/3 cup agave nectar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 cups carrots, shredded

1 large apple, peeled, cored and shredded

3/4 cup ripe bananas, mashed

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

3 cups gluten-free flour mix

3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Oat Topping

1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Line two muffin pans with muffin liners.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the canola oil, coconut oil, maple syrup, and agave nectar.  Mix on medium speed for about 20 seconds.  Add vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix for 20 seconds. 

In a seperate bowl, combine the shredded carrots, shredded apple, and toss with the lemon juice.  Add banana and mix well.  Add to the mixing bowl and mix for about 20 seconds.  Mix in pecans.

In a seperate bowl, combine flour mix, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt.

Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined. 

To Make Topping: Mix all ingredients together until well combined.

Fill the liners to the rim with batter.  Sprinkle topping evenly across batter.  Bake in the center of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden.  Rotating pan halfway through baking.

Ok everyone I’m on a gluten-free kick these days.  Ever since my cleanse I have steered clear of my old dear friend wheat and tried to stay on a strict gluten-free diet.  Ok, let me back-up and tell you also that I can really feel a change in my body since making this change too.  I know crazy, right?  But seriously my tummy is agreeing with these new changes.  With that being said I’m trying my best to stay on the clear path and keeping with all these changes.  I have cheated a couple times…after all I do love bread!  But for the most part I have been good and stayed true to my new ways of eating.  After all I feel great and why change that?  With all these changes I have been experimenting (a lot) in the kitchen with many gluten-free recipes. Especially gluten-free baking!  I was very skeptical when it came to baking gluten-free (and dairy, egg, and soy-free) but I have been pleasantly surprised the delicious treats you can whip up minus all these things that you thought was necessary in baking.  I have to say I wouldn’t have known anything without the help of two cookbooks, The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook and Allergy-Free Desserts.  They have been great!  I have studied and marked several recipes to try and made several too.  Everything I have made so far has been winners.  This recipe comes from The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook, but I made a few changes.  When I was at my local Whole Food’s I spotted Date Sugar.  Curious, I picked up and decided to give it a try in this recipe.  Date sugar is made by simply dehydrating dates and grinding them up into a rather coarse, granulated-type sugar. Unlike refined sugar and sweeteners, where vitamins and minerals are stripped during refining, the simple drying process maintains the naturally occurring nutrients found in dates.  You don’t have to use as much date sugar as you would regular sugar in a recipe too.  Date sugar works best when substituting in recipes when it calls for brown sugar but can also be used to replace regular cane sugar.  I couldn’t tell in this recipe the difference and already plan on trying the date sugar again soon.  If you see it in your local health food store pick it up and give it a try and let me know what you think.

Ok, I hope everyone isn’t going crazy with these new gluten-free recipes.  Don’t worry I’ll be whipping up other recipes too since the rest of the family is not gluten-free.  I promise though, gluten-free (and dairy, soy, and egg dry) can taste good! 

See you back here soon!

Gluten-Free Cranberry Chocolate Oat Scones

Print Recipe

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 cups Gluten-Free Flour Mix

3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

2 tablespoons baking powder

4 tablespoons date sugar (or 1/3 cup organic cane sugar)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cups gluten-free old-fashion oats

1/3 cup dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening (or coconut oil)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup dairy-free, soy-free chocolate chips (or regular chocolate chips)

Cinnamon Sugar (2 tablespoons sugar plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

Whisk together 1 cup almond milk and the cider vinegar (to make “buttermilk”).  Set aside

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour mix, xanthan gum, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

Add the oats and tosss.  Add the shortening in pieces, work in with a pastry blender or two knives until you have pea-sized crumb.

Add the cranberries and chocolate chips, tossing until combined.

Add the almond milk and stir with a wooden spoon until combined but still clumpy.

Flour a work surface lightly with a little gluten-free flour mix, and turn out the dough.  Lightly flour your hands.  Sprinkle the dough with a little flour mix.  The dough will be sticky.  Pat down into a rounded circle about 1/4-inch thicken.  Cut dough into 2-inch rounds.  Transfer rounds to prepared baking sheet.  Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons almond milk, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake in the center of the oven for 15 to 17 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Serve warm from the oven, or let cool on cooling rack.  Best eaten within 2 days.

Makes about 12 scones

Recipe Adapted from The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook