Faux Shortbread -- sweet, sugar-free, vegan, grain free, gluten free, and crunchy!

These are crunchy and sweet.

ingredients:

1 cup hot water
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp stevia powder (1 tsp)
20 drops toffee flavour stevia


2 tbsp lucuma
1 tbsp vanilla bean, ground
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt (3/4 tsp)

1/4 cup ground chia seeds

2 cups almond flour
1 cup ground raw cashews

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup coconut flour


ceylon cinnamon and erythritol  to sprinkle on top, and a pinch of salt


directions:

1. combine the ingredients in the order listed
2. roll out onto a baking sheet and score
3. bake at 345 for 40 minutes followed by 170 for  3 hours and then leave in the oven and turn off the heat until the oven cools

Savoury Almonds -- nuts about nuts

This are not quite roasted -- more like dehydrated. And I love them.

800 g raw unpasteurized almonds
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp mesquite
2 tsp chili powder
black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt

1. toss the almonds with the vinegar and lime juice until absorbed
2. add the spices and toss until evenly coated
3. spread on a lined baking sheet and dehydrate in your oven at 170 for three hours

konnyaku noodle salad -- hot or cold -- gluten free, grain free, vegan, footloose and fancy free ...

Fun with noodles.  I made a version of this in the summer with things that included baby cucumbers, corn, and chickpeas in addition to some of the other delicacies. The chickpeas were not texturally appropriate, but I enjoyed it otherwise. This version is a little more asian flavoured ...

1 package (400 g) shiratake (konnyaku) noodles

1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 tbsp coconut oil
4 tbsp cashews
4 tbsp almonds
2 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 cup frozen green peas

2 cups broccoli, cut into little wee bites

1 x 227ml container water chestnuts, sliced and cut in half


soy sauce
honey


directions:

1. sautee the onion and carrot in coconut oil with the cashews, almonds, sesame seeds, and peas. Add the water chestnuts, and some soy sauce and honey to season.
2. add the broccoli, cook to al dente
3. add the konnyaku noodles. Don't over cook!!!
4. serve

New Superfood Energy Bars -- berries and peanut butter

I have a slightly embarrassing addiction to peanut butter. This flavour combination of peanut butter with goji berries and golden berries is aces. It's like they are dirty dancing or something.


ingredients:

1 cup raw almonds -- the really unpasteurized kind from Spain or somewhere like that

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup black sesame seeds

1/4 cup flax meal

1/4 cup wheat grass

1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup pitted honey dates

1/2 cup goji berries

1/2 cup golden berries

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup organic peanut butter (or almond butter, coconut butter, cashew butter, whatever you like nut butter)

directions:

1. in a food processor, combine the raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, sesame seeds, flax meal, wheat grass, vanilla bean, and sea salt

2. turn on and process until it resembles sand

3. add the dates, goji berries, and golden berries and pulse and then process until ground up

4. add the coconut oil, and pulse

5. add the peanut butter, and pulse

6. divide between 2 square silicone pans, score into pieces, and freeze

7. when fully chilled, break along the score lines, and store in airtight containers in the fridge.

Superfood Energy Bars -- a vegan, gluten free, sugar free, high energy snack

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

1 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup ground black sesame seeds

1/4 cup flax meal

1/4 cup wheat grass

1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup pitted honey dates

1/2 cup goji berries

1/2 cup golden berries

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup organic coconut butter

directions:

1. in a food processor, combine the raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, flax meal, wheat grass, vanilla bean, and sea salt

2. turn on and process until it resembles sand

3. add the dates, goji berries, and golden berries and pulse and then process until ground up

4. add the coconut oil, and pulse

5. add the coconut butter, and pulse

6. divide between 2 square silicone pans, score into pieces, and freeze

7. when fully chilled, break along the score lines, and store in airtight containers in the fridge.

viking granola

Our granola has continued to evolve. This one doesn't involve chopping the nuts which means it takes less time to make. However, it's eaten only by my husband, and he doesn't mind big nuts. Little mouths might prefer smaller pieces.

ingredients:

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup hot water

1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp ground vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt

2 cups shredded coconut
2 cups almonds
1 cup pecans
1 cup cashews
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 cup oat flakes
1 cup spelt flakes
1 cup quinoa flakes


1 cup flax meal
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup hemp hearts
2 cups raisins


directions:

1. preheat the oven to 250
2. In a small bowl or large measuring cup combine the peanut butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup and heat gently to melt by adding 1/2 cup of hot water. Stir the vanilla, sea salt, and cinnamon into this mixture.
3. in a large bowl, combine the coconut, almonds, pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, oat flakes, spelt flakes, and quinoa flakes. (Do not add the flax meal, chia seeds, hemp hearts, or raisins. Those will join after baking)
4. stir in the peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and water mixture and mix very very well.
5. spread the concoction onto 2 lined baking sheets, and bake at 250 for 2 hours. Leave in the oven to dry until cool.
6. when cool, pour into a bowl and add the raisins, chia seeds, hemp hearts, and raisins, and mix well.
7. store in an airtight container.

More Magic Muffins -- super yummy gluten free, sugar free goodies

I've been enjoying making muffins from ground up seeds. Today I decided to make muffins from ground up almonds too. I kept the date and sesame and lotsa vanilla. Yummy and breakfast friendly.

ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

2 cups water

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup flax meal

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup ground sesame seeds

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

2 cups raw almonds

1 cup pitted honey dates

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 eggs

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. in a food processor, process the almonds to a fine grind

2. add the dates and process again

3. mix in the ground vanilla, sea salt, flax meal, ground chia seeds, ground sesame seeds, and baking soda

4. in a bowl, pour hot water over coconut oil to melt

5. add the apple cider vinegar

6. put the ground nut and date mixture into the hot water mixture and mix well

7. add the eggs, and mix well

8. scoop into 24 prepared muffin cups and bake at 345 for 35 minutes

NUTS -- toasted, roasted, or broiled

Nuts can be toasted nicely in the oven on 300 degrees for 45 minutes. 

If you like 'em salted, toss 'em in a bowl with water and sea salt before baking, then spread 'em on a lined baking sheet. 

If you like 'em tamari, bake 'em on a baking sheet then put them in a bowl after and dress 'em with tamari, stirring until it is all absorbed.

That's it. Nuts are simple.

Store your nuts in airtight containers only after fully cooled-- I use glass jars.

I find if they are kept in the fridge they tend to get soggy.

There you have it -- nuts in a nutshell. Sans nutshell, of course.

;)

Kitchen Sink Muffins -- or should I say, everything but the? Gluten free!

These muffins were inspired by the idea of variety.  They have something of the breakfast muffin about them. They put me in mind of a bran muffin or a morning glory muffin. But unlike their donut store counter-parts, they will fuel you up and keep you in fighting form (or loving form, if you're a lover, not a fighter) for hours.


ingredients:

1 cup water, warmed
2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
2 eggs
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground vanilla
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1/4 cup ground flax
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp raw cacao
1 tbsp carob powder

1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup pecan meal
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup coconut flour

2 tbsp chopped goji berries (you don't have to chop 'em if you don't want to. I thought it would be more appealing to the littlies if the goji-bits were small)
2 tbsp diced dried apricots (use unsulphured)
2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp raisins

(and next time?
add 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
and 2 tbsp callebaut bittersweet morsels
for something ... even punchier)




directions:

1. preheat oven to 345
2. combine warm water and coconut oil to melt the oil
3. stir in the vinegar and coconut sugar
4. add the salt, vanilla, and cinnamon
5. beat in the eggs
6. add the flax and chia
7. add the cacao and carob
8. add the pecan meal and almond meal
9. add the baking soda
10. add the coconut flour
11. add the assorted additional ingredients ... you can pretty much go wild here, sticking with dried fruit, seeds, and nuts for the most part. If you add fresh or frozen fruit, the extra moisture will cause issues ...
12. scoop your batter into 12 prepared muffin cups, and bake at 345 for 30 minutes
13. cool in the cups and then remove to a cooling rack
14. store in an airtight container. They will remain moist and fresh tasting for days.