Gluten-Free Just for Fun Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

All this gluten-free talk makes me think about how tough it is out there for those with celiac sprue and gluten sensitivity. So, kind hearted as I am, I developed this tasty treat for all those in need of gluten-free treats!

1 cup peanut butter, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup agave syrup, 2 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 cup quinoa flour, 1 Tbsp. coconut flour, 1/2 tsp. gluten free baking powder,2 packets stevia, 1/3 cup chocolate chips,

You can make you own quinoa flour

Mix the wet ingridients until smooth; stir in dry indredients.

Fold in chocolate chips



Use a tablespoon to shape dough into small rounds. They dough is quite sticky, so vegetable oil or cooking spray is helpful.

Make 2 dozen small cookies

Homemade Pickles

I love to keep glass jars; they are super handy. Fill them with cucumbers, garlic, herbs,onions and a few pieces of peppers.

Make the pickling liquid with clear vinegar, peppercorns, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, ginger, salt, sugar, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and what ever else you feel like adding.

Fill them with the liquid and let them sit until cooled. Place them in refrigerator for at least 1 day.

Not bad for my first time!

Kale and Asian Pear Smoothie

Kale madness continues this weekend in hopes to use up that large bag of greens from last week.

3-4 cups chopped kale, 1/2 Asian pear, 2 cups ice, 1 3/4 cups coconut water, stevia to taste



Blend together...yes, that is a Vitamix thank you.



Voila! Green, yes, but super refreshing. Even the hubby enjoyed it!



Pan seared bronzini with garlic, Lemon and rosemary

Sautéed Kale and Brown Rice

I got so busy this week that I never cooked my gigantic bag of kale. Gotta veggie up this weeknd!

Saute 2 shallots, 5 cloves of chopped garlic with olive oil. Add 8 cups chopped kale (the pre-washed pre-cut stuff to save time) and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and cook, covered, stirring ocassionally until wilted. Add 1 cup cooked brown rice (I keep some in the freezer) and 2 tsp. red wine vinegar. Heat through and season with salt and pepper.Pair with your favorite protein.

Coconut Protein Bars

1 cup oats
 1/2 cup coconut flour
½ cup vanilla protein powder
6-8 packets Stevia
½ tsp. baking power
½ tsp. Baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 eggs plus 2 whites, beaten
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix in eggs and coconut oil; mixture will be crumbly. Coat an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray and sprinkle the bottom of the pan with half of the coconut. Press dough into baking dish and top with remaining coconut. Bake 15-17 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cut into squares or rectangles.

Black Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing and Goat Cheese

I had some extra black quinoa left from our dinner party last and tossed together this yummy salad.

Black Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing and Goat Cheese

2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. mustard
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
2 cups cooked black quinoa
1 cup chopped red pepper
1 cup diced yellow pepper
½ cup chopped red onion
2- 4oz. crumbled goat cheese
½ cup chopped walnuts

Place lemon juice and mustard in a medium bowl. Whisk in oil and season with salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients and toss together.

Makes 4 lunch size servings

Dinner Party



Caramelized almonds...honey, cinnamon and a dash of cayenne.



The hubby

Bucheron goat cheese, caramelized almonds, marinated mushrooms and fig spread.




Buttery wild flounder, black quinoa, watercress salad and sarsa (bolivian raw veggie topping with red onion, tomaotes, parsley, olive oil and red wine vinegar).



Wine please!


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Sopa de Mani-Bolivian Peanut Soup


Dessert: Bolivian alfajores, spicy chocolate sauce, fresh fruit.



 

Sunday Brunch with My Hubby

Last night I put together an ovenight frech toast: whole wheat bread cubes, eggs, egg white, skim milk, stevia and cinnamon. This morning I topped it with oats and walnuts, and baked it for 1 hour. Super tasty with our homemade apple butter.

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Bolivian Alfajores with a Cleaner Touch

   Alfajores are biscuit like, dulce de leche filled, sandwich cookies. They are a South American treat and many countries have their own version. When visiting Bolivia as a kid, I would often indulge in these little treats! Last night we had dinner guests, Sylvia and Carlos, from Chile, and I decided to bring back some South American memories. I used slightly cleaner ingredients such as white whole wheat flour and coconut flour. The traditional recipe usually calls for egg yolks, but I opted for a whole egg instead. My mom would be proud, as I used her old homemade dulce de leche (caramelized milk) recipe. Enjoy!

 

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, zest of 1 lemom,2 oz. butter (I used half coconut oil) 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp. Brandy or other yummy booze, 1/2 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 cup dulce de leche (there's an easy way to make this at home).



Place dry ingredients in food processor, along with butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add in egg,vanilla and booze; pulse until dough comes together. Place mixture in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at leat an hour.



Roll out to 1/4 inch thick, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, to prevent sticking.



Use a cookie cutter to cut out rounds. I like using a small one to make mini biscuits.





The buiscuits, the dulce de leche and the shredded coconut; spread cookies generously with the dulce de leche, sandwich them together and dip the gooey sides in the coconut.

 

Voila, Authentic Alfajores from Bolivia with a cleaner touch.





Here is the trick to making dulce de leche: Simmer a can of sweetened condensed milk (remove label of course) for 2-3 hours (the longer you cook it for, the thicker the dulce de leche). MAKE SURE TO ADD WATER AS NEEDED, TO KEEP THE CAN FULLY SUBMERGED! I know it sounds crazy! Its an old Bolivian mom trick (my mama) and it works every time. Remove can carefully from the water using tongs and cool completely before opening.



And...homemade dulce de leche!

Prunes and Chocolate?

Not a bad combo when it is in a truffle! My buddy Jill and her fiance Matt made these great date and walnut truffles for the holidays. I had prunes and almonds, so I made it work. Thanks for the inspiration!

1 cups of prunes (or 1 cup dates), 1/3 cup almonds and 2 Tbsp. dark cocoa powder; process until a thick paste forms.

Scoop into balls and roll in shredded coconut or flaxseed meal.

Yummy little treats!

Silky Mac and Cheese- 2 ways

Love this stuff!

Silky Mac and Cheese made with Brown Rice Pasta, silken tofu, carrots, cauliflower and cheese!

This version has more veggies and no added salt

My new best friend!



Cooked soup in 6 minutes!



Creamy and Smooth Vegetable Puree