These are a chewy, puffy cookie.

Chocolate-filled Peanut Butter Cookies:

2 c natural peanut butter w/oil (at room temperature)

2 tbs almond or hazelnut flour

1 c coconut/palm sugar

3 large eggs

1 tbs honey

1 c teff flour

1 tsp each: baking soda, baking powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbs lucuma (optional)

3/4 package chocolate chunks (I used Enjoy Life GF MEGA Chocolate Chunks)

granulated sugar crystals for sprinkling (I used white India Tree brand)

Mix together all ingredients except for chocolate chunks and sprinkling sugar.  Make golf-ball sized balls of dough and then press several chocolate chunks into each, making sure to mold the dough around all of the chocolate.  Place on parchment or silpat-lined cookie sheet, sprinkle with sugar, flatten slightly (like a biscuit shape) and bake at 350* F for about 8-12  minutes.

If cookies appear underdone and doughy when pressing lightly with finger, return to oven in one minute increments.  Let cool slightly before eating; hot melted chocolate has the effect of lava on your tongue if you’re not careful!  You want to taste the cookies, not melt off your tastebuds!  Also, I tried sprinkling with coconut/palm sugar for the first batch, and it burned and was rather unappealing looking.  If  you don’t want to use white sugar, then sprinkle with a little lucuma or cinnamon, or just leave plain.  Also, these look very greasy and dark when they are still in the dough stage- don’t worry, they will lighten up.

#1- They are gluten-free, which is fantastic. They are NOT corn-free, which made it hard for me to sample, but I did anyway after watching Twig chow down on them for a few days.

#2- They come in several flavors. We tried the Roasted Vegetable, White Cheddar, and Sea Salt.  The Sea Salt has the least questionable ingredients, and shortest ingredient list.   Among the questionable ingredients are: Natural Flavoring, Spices, and Yeast Extract.  Sometimes those can be MSG in disguise.  None of the ingredients (including the corn) say they are GMO-free or organic.  I did not communicate directly with the company to ask these questions, however.

#3- They taste good. There is an underlying taste of sesame in each that can get tiring, since most gluten-free crackers tend to use sesame for whatever reason, but the powdery “spices” on the Roasted Vegetable and White Cheddar disguise the flavor of the the actual cracker well.  To be quite honest, I preferred them with dip or a piece of tasty cheese, so that I experiencing more of the crunch than taste of the cracker.   The Roasted Vegetable should be labeled as spicy, however.  It was definitely zingy and not one I would offer to unsuspecting kids.  I was only able to tolerate that level of heat with a creamy dip, and I generally enjoy a spicy flavor.

My sister and nephew, who do not have any dietary restrictions LOVED them and took bags of them home after Thanksgiving.  They regularly munch mainstream cheesy-powdered tortilla chips and fish-shaped blasted-with-flavor crackers, so they have more mainstream things to compare the crackers to than our family.  They obviously stacked up well against those items.

#4- I have to add that I am truly impressed that a company is serious about offering gluten-free products. BIG kudos for that!!!  And to try to make them like other mainstream products out there (cheesy powdered ones, in particular) is going to go a long way toward sales for people whose kids are missing those products.  The texture is better than most gluten-free offerings, and as someone who tries to bake her own crackers, I know firsthand how difficult blending grains and flours to get something even “edible” can be.  I’m extra-critical because my family is “gluten-free plus,” and I think, unfortunately, this is going to crop up more and more.  As we continue to use corn as our main food source, more people are going to be avoiding it due to allergies and sensitivity.

#5- Will we buy them?  Maybe.  I might buy the Sea Salt ones if we were in need of a cracker or at a mainstream grocery who offered nothing corn-free, sprouted, or organic as an alternative.  They definitely aren’t what I would choose first for a healthful snack.  As a plus for me, they are manufactured locally and, as far as I can tell, not (yet) owned by Nestle.  They are easy to find, however, and I first saw them in a Walmart in NC over the summer.  If you don’t have any other food sensitivities than gluten, they are a great snack to try.

Gluten-free Salt Dough:

1 cup each: white rice flour, salt (I used the cheap stuff!,) and potato starch (corn starch would work too)

2 tsp tapioca starch

about 2 cups warm water

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and add water,  about 1/2 cup at a time.  I added a bit more as we played with the dough, as it tends to dry out in the air, but it’s easy to re-moisten with a few drops of water or by wetting your hands before you knead it.  After the water is all mixed in, knead the dough until it is soft and smooth.

Roll the dough (we didn’t flour the surfaces or anything, but you can if you like.. it wasn’t sticky at all, just crumbly if too dry.)  We rolled ours to about 1/2″ thick and then cut with cookie cutters to paint when they are dry.  *Make sure you poke a hole in them (not too close to the edge, so they don’t crumble!) for stringing to tie on the tree or as gift tags.

These air dry or you can bake them at a very low temperature, as long as you watch them carefully.  A food dehydrator would work as well.

Goose traced her hand to make a handprint ornament

Lil Pea shows off her salt-encrusted hands

The girls work together at the end to combine every last bit of dough for another ornament

This is a fun project for kids and adults who don’t get to use cookie cutters and play with dough as often as they’d like.

Before I had dietary restrictions, and especially before I had kids, one of my favorite gifts to give was homemade candy. I have chocolate molds in all shapes and sizes that I still can’t bear to part with (and they have their own cabinet now in my new kitchen!)

Using a book about how sugar changes at various temperatures, I made this toffee, then broke it apart and tossed it with additional salted nuts and chocolate chips for a very deconstructed “Snickers” type snack, without the artificial ingredients and white sugar.

Candy Bar Trail Mix:
Toffee:
1/2 c maple syrup
1/4 c molasses
1/4 c sucanat or coconut/palm sugar
2 tbs butter
1 tbs pumpkin
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 c nuts (I used pecans)

Other ingredients:
chocolate chips or broken chocolate bar of your choosing
additional nuts (I used additional pecans and salted peanuts)
lucuma, maca, etc powder (totally optional)

Directions:
Cook the toffee ingredients (except nuts) until they reach the soft ball stage (when you drop into cold water, the drop forms a soft pliable ball.)

Stir in the nuts and then quickly spread on a buttered dish or parchment-lined pan. Cool in the refrigerator for about an hour and then break apart into bite-sized pieces and toss with additional ingredients. I tossed in about 1/2 tsp lucuma on my finished product to add a little nutrition and keep it from being quite so sticky to the touch.

You could also melt the chocolate and drizzle over plain nuts and toffee nuts, or layer it like bars and then cut apart if you wanted actual candybars. I was just lazy.

Lil Pea helped me make these yesterday, and they smelled so delicious while dehydrating that everyone kept opening it up and stealing bites!

These are fast to make- about 10 minutes hands-on time from start to finish…. just gather ingredients, stir together, spread on parchment or silpat lined dehydrator tray and leave overnight.

Seedy Cranberry Apple Bars:
(makes 10-12 bars)

2 cups sunflower seeds (mine were previously sprouted and dehydrated)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce (mine was VERY tart, from a backyard apple tree– I added 1 tbs maple syrup)
1 tbs maple syrup (optional- remember, your bars will sweeten a little due to dehydrating)
2 tbs dried cranberries
1 tbs raisins
1 tbs chia seeds (sometimes called “salba”)
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
pinch of ginger powder
pinch of cardamom powder
pinch of fine sea salt

Stir ingredients together well. Spread on lined dehydrator tray and try to form into a square or rectangle if you want your bars to have pretty sides when done. Dehydrate at a very low temp (I think mine were 120*) overnight or until they start to crisp up. Mine took about 16 hours to get the crispy/chewy consistency I wanted. Using kitchen shears, cut into bars. Store in airtight container.

The week that I was actually sick enough to be in bed, I lost about ten pounds. My throat was really too sore to eat much solid food, and I mostly craved smoothies, broth, and gelatin anyway. I felt really great digestion-wise, and was determined to cut back on my grains again as a result. But… then I was exhausted and needed quick meals. Pasta, rice, and potatoes are all so easy, quick, and versatile, and always in the house in some form or another, thus undermining my efforts.

I also started indulging in really stupid things like store-bought ice-cream (gluten-free! organic!) and telling myself it was fine. It wasn’t- it’s NOT. Here I am feeling sluggish, craving more and more sugar, and a few nights ago, eating chips, ice-cream and wine all in one sitting, and AFTER a carb-heavy dinner.

A tummy-ache and massive headache combo convinced me that I was spiraling downward into the “organic junk food” sinkhole again, I vowed to do better- IMMEDIATELY! Here I am, then, to confess my sins:

Over the past month, I have bought ice-cream three times. Once, when I was sick, Twig bought “natural” popsicles to soothe my throat (Acceptable, though not perfect.) The second time was coconut-milk bars from the health food store (Indulgent, but not terrible- we had one each.) The third time was two pints of organic cow’s milk ice-cream that included some no-nos like dextrose and xantham gum. I ate a pint over the course of three nights, and Twig consumed the other pint over two nights (Oooh, BAD, BAD, BAD.) The night after they were eaten, I was tempted to run out and buy more. (Uh-oh… see the problem here??)

I have bought 3-4 packages of “acceptable” cookies for the girls- giving them, not only treats throughout the day, but oatmeal cookies for BREAKFAST when I was too exhausted to get up and actually cook. I’m really ashamed. If we want cookies, we should MAKE them, not BUY them. They shouldn’t be an every day thing, much less a breakfast thing or multiple-time a day thing. The good news is, I don’t think they suffered for it. Even when I was partly delirious, I could hear Goose taking the reins and pushing lunch-meat or nuts for protein for breakfast (in addition to the cookie each!) That, in itself, almost makes backsliding worth it- to know she is actually absorbing good eating habits.

Yesterday, Twig and I split up and went to two separate grocery stores, to stock the larder with healthier, and fresher, fare. I am proud to say that we all ate whole food yesterday, and I felt better than I have since having had the flu, and SLEPT better too. I did have one tiny square of chocolate and 2 cups of coffee, but I am not beating myself up over those.

I did skip breakfast, and vow to do better. Part of my problem, even on a “good” day, is that I don’t eat enough. Hopefully, I can get into the habit of prepping food in advance, so there are always quick and easy things to grab and eat that AREN’T carbs. I’m not planning to post every single thing I eat from now on, but here are my past few meals, of which I am pretty proud! The truth is, if I just plan ahead a little and throw things in the slow-cooker, these are no harder to prep or time-consuming than boiling a pot of pasta or rice. So here I am, scrambling back up on the wagon.

Yesterday:

Lunch:
water
raw milk
4 lettuce wraps w/sprouts, carrots, goat cream cheese, turkey
3 clementines
fermented cod liver oil capsules

Snack:
baked sweet potato w/butter and cinnamon
water

Dinner:
water, water, water
butter-roasted chicken w/herbs, sweet onions, and mushrooms
huge fresh salad and crudites w/homemade ranch dressing
fruit salad w/green and purple grapes, strawberries, apple, coconut, honey, chia and flax seeds

Snacks:
half-caff coffee
water
2 squares of organic/fair trade dark chocolate w/caramel and black sea salt
handful of salted almonds
piece of raw cheddar cheese
another clementine

Today:

Breakfast:
raw milk with vanilla extract
half-caff coffee
water
GF oatmeal w/cinnamon, a touch of maple syrup, cultured organic butter, whole apple, handful of raisins

Lunch:
water w/ a little cherry juice
salad w/carrots, sprouts, peppers, chia/flax/sunflower seeds
Southwestern roasted turkey breast (from Whole Foods)

Snack:
water
clementine
a bit of homemade granola (made w/sunflower seeds, applesauce, dried cherries and chia seeds)

Dinner:
homemade white-bean soup (slow-cooked for almost 24 hours) w/carrots, garlic, mustard greens, tomato

Snack:
coffee
Pure Organic Chocolate Brownie Bar (has agave, and I should have eaten only half of it- wow, it was sweet!)

I’m definitely craving more fat than I’m consuming, and need to remember to eat more good fats rather than sweets. I also need to cut back on the coffee and substitute some smoothies, and really get serious about drinking more water. I walked around the kitchen for a good 10 minutes today wondering what it was I was really craving, and finally came to the conclusion that I was really THIRSTY, and not hungry at all.

The good news is, that blogging DOES help. It helps keep me accountable, helps me to read back over the past year and a half and look at how far we’ve come and give me ideas for new recipes and remind me of old ones. Even when we backslide, we’re still light years away from where we were even two or three years ago, which is GREAT. I’m proud of us for eating really well 99% of the time, but there is always, always, always room for improvement too!

Goose and I gravitate toward them for lunch a lot of times- they’re just as fast and easy as a sandwich, and just as portable with a reusable container. She prefers hers with roast beef, and dips them in mayo. I prefer mine with goat-milk cream cheese and turkey. I usually just fold leaves of Romaine into thirds instead of rolling it when I’m making a quick lunch. You can add anything- grated or match-stick veggies, sprouts, leftover meat, etc.

Club Wrap- turkey, grated raw cheddar cheese, bacon, tomato

I whipped up this meatless version yesterday for lunch and everyone (except Lil Pea, who doesn’t like foods mixed together) gobbled them down.

Asian-Inspired Lettuce Wraps:

Lettuce without ribs (or use Romaine, like I did, with the ribs cut out)
Cream cheese (for vegan, make cheese from raw cashews)
Grated carrots
Gluten-free Tamari Sauce
Sesame seeds
Dulse Flakes

Wash lettuce and pat dry, then lay flat. Spread each piece w/cream cheese, then sprinkle with grated carrots and roll (start with small end if using Romaine.) Place on plate or platter and sprinkle with just a little Tamari sauce, then sesame seeds and Dulse flakes – enough to garnish.

Eat!

They’re vegetarian, raw and very crunchy, salty from the Tamari and Dulse, which makes them almost addictive, and small enough for kids to be drawn to them. Plus, they’re pretty enough to serve to guests, and super-fast to put together.

Asian-inspired lettuce wrap. Fun with chopsticks!

Greek-inspired Chicken Bake:

Leftover shredded chicken (I used twice as much chicken as potatoes, but it’s up to you)
Cooked potatoes, cubed (I cubed up cold baked potatoes for mine, and left the skin on)
Shredded cheese- I used a handful each of Asiago and Cheddar
Cubed feta cheese
Sun-dried tomatoes
Kalamata olives
Olive oil (or butter)
Mayonnaise (optional- makes it a bit creamier)
Sea salt
Black pepper
Oregano
Garlic powder (or cloves, if you like them)
Lemon wedges or juice

Toss shredded chicken and cubed potatoes w/mayonnaise. Put into casserole dish. Sprinkle pats of butter or drizzle with olive oil. Halve olives and sprinkle on top, along with sun-dried tomatoes (I cut mine, so I get a bit in each bite, instead of huge chunks.) If you’re using cloves of garlic, add those now.

Sprinkle cheese (except for feta) and seasonings across top.

Bake, uncovered, at 400*F until steaming and cheese is bubbly (about 25 minutes.) Dot with feta and serve w/lemon wedges or a sprinkling of lemon juice.

Goes great with crisp, green salad.

I love that it was easy to make, used mostly local ingredients, and was thriftier than most meat-heavy meals. This was perfect for the first day of autumn- very hearty and warming. We’ve all been craving soup too, since catching a bad cold/flu about 2 weeks ago.

It’s a good thing that soup isn’t too labor-intensive to make, since I have very little energy these days. Catching up on the laundry and dishes, alone, is enough to send me into a coughing fit… not to mention the plaster dust that is still coating every surface from the kitchen remodel that is wrapping up. Anyone know of a good, cheap, local babysitter… one who dusts?

Best Bean Soup:
(serves about 6 as main course)

5-6 cups of white beans, soaked overnight in water w/sea salt, rinsed and drained
1 handful of cherry tomatoes, or one large tomato (cored and cut up)
1 large (or 2 small) ham hock (substitute chicken if you don’t eat pork)
about 2 c of shredded Swiss chard (I used rainbow chard)
1/2 c nutritional yeast
1 large Parmesan cheese rind
1 c finely diced mushrooms (I used portabella)
1 bay leaf
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp fine sea salt
few grinds of black pepper
1-2 tsp lemon juice (to taste)

Add beans and ham hock to a large stock pot and add enough water to cover, plus about another inch. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer. Let simmer for about 1 1/2 hours until beans are tender and ham is falling off the bone. Remove the ham hock and trim away fat. Cut meat into bite-sized pieces and return it to pot with beans. Add tomatoes, seasonings, cheese rind, mushrooms and let simmer for about another hour. Remove bay leaf and cheese rind(s). Stir in chard, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast. Turn off heat and let sit for about 10 minutes while chard wilts.

Using a stick blender, blend soup just enough so that it thickens and there are no large chunks of tomatoes floating around, but do NOT puree until smooth. Serve w/gluten-free bread or crackers.

In other news, Goose has set up her fairy garden by the veggie garden now, and it’s turned out to be the best place yet. She often has dragonflies fluttering by, or sometimes even a bigger visitor, like this squirrel, who dropped by to snack on a sunflower.

Squirrel drops by for a sunflower snack

We’re all still enjoying the garden; myself for the bounty of cherry tomatoes, Lil Pea for the “snacks” of purslane and marigold petals, and Goose is still waiting for the Brussels sprouts to sprout. Twig’s basil is nearly gone, but we’ve started some herbs in the kitchen window now too. Our greens and peas are all up and flourishing, and the carrots will be ready for pulling soon, as more garlic goes in for the winter.

My daily cherry tomato pickings

We put in some blackberries and raspberries, and we’re hoping to plant a mulberry bush as well. I’m already looking ahead to next year and making plans for an even bigger garden. I’m definitely addicted to food that comes from my own backyard!

Returning, once again, to GlutenFreeHomemaker for inspiration, (let’s give credit where credit is due!,) I decided to try again for cut-out biscuits.

I’ll continue to work on a truly perfect biscuit, but they’re my best yet, and everyone gobbled them up.

Goose, after running to the garden for some chives for them, said that I was, “…. like a virus, infecting (them) all!” And she spread open her hands to show me that she couldn’t resist picking two fistfuls of ripe cherry tomatoes while she was out there. She grinned at me and said she also noticed there was still some basil and that we should make more pesto. Oh, how I love that girl. And I don’t regret, for a minute, “infecting” them with the gardening bug!!

Chive Biscuits:

1/2 c millet flour
1/2 c arrowroot powder (flour and starch are the same thing)
3/4 c potato flour (NOT starch)
1 tsp guar gum (my first recipe using a gum- this one’s made from a root, xantham from MOLD or corn!)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp fresh snipped chives
1 tsp dried parsley
1 stick of butter (1/4 c), cut up
1 large egg
3/4 c heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400* and line a cookie sheet with parchment or silpat. In stand mixer, mix together dry ingredients and then cut in butter. Add cream, chives, and egg and mix until it comes together into a dough. Using a silicone spatula, scrape dough off of mixer and bowl and onto surface (parchment, silpat, cutting board, pastry board, etc) sprinkled with a bit more potato flour.

Using your hands, form a ball and smash it flat, keeping in mind the thickness you would like your cut biscuits to be. Use cutter or drinking glass and cut biscuits, placing them on cookie sheet about 1″ apart. When dough is full of holes, smoosh the dough back together and start cutting again. I left mine rather thick, and it made 9 biscuits.

Bake for 13-15 minutes on the middle oven rack, and serve warm with cream cheese or butter. Mine got a little golden on the top, but I think I left them about a minute too long.

Chive Biscuits