Peanut Butter Popcorn Mix

Think of this like Chex Mix – popcorn style, drowned in peanut butter. It’s fantastic. This would make a perfect homemade holiday treat to give a loved one or neighbor. Throw it in a cutesy container, slap on a bow and you’ve got yourself a wonderful, tasty, thoughtful gift! Makes about 5 cups of mix

3 cups popped plain popcorn

1 cup rice cereal (like Chex - any flavor will work)

¼ cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)

½ cup oats, toasted (heat them in a greased skillet)

½ cup coconut flakes, toasted (heat them in a greased skillet)

1 cup all natural peanut butter (other nut or seed butters will work also)

¼ cup honey

¼ cup sugar or stevia

½ cup butter or coconut oil

• In a large saucepan, melt peanut butter, honey, sugar and butter/oil until melted and smooth. 
• In a large mixing bowl, combine popcorn, cereal, nuts, oats and coconut flakes. 
• Drizzle peanut butter mixture over popcorn mix and stir until mix is coated with peanut butter sauce. 
• Spread evenly over a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 
• Bake at 250°F for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let set for about an hour. Break apart and put into sealed containers. 

Never Fail Pie Crust & Banana Coconut Cream Pie

I’ve mentioned before that my mom is an awesome cook – like the best I know! She has a pie crust called “Never Fail Pie Crust” that she uses for all her pies (of course my favorite being her pumpkin pie). It is awesome – flaky, buttery, crisp. This is my attempt at her pie crust with gluten free flours. It doesn’t hold a candle to hers but it will work for me! This recipe makes about 2 pie crusts.

2 cups GF all-purpose flour (I used a mix of sweet sorghum, white rice and tapioca starch)

1 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp Stevia or sugar

¾ cup butter or shortening, cold (I used dairy free butter)

¼ cup lukewarm water

1 egg, divided in half (save the other half for an egg wash to brush over the pie tops)

½ tsp vinegar

• In a mixing bowl, combine flour, xanthan gum, stevia, baking powder and butter. Blend until mixture is slightly crumbly. 
• Add in water, egg and vinegar and blend until ingredients are well combined. Pour dough mixture onto a clean, floured surface. 
• Split into two equal portions and roll each portion out as desired. 
• NOTE: This also freezes well. After rolling, place parchment paper over crust and roll crust up. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze up to two months. To use after freezing, just thaw at room temperature or in refrigerator. This crust is good for pies, cobblers, pot pies, etc.

BANANA COCONUT CREAM PIE

My father’s favorite pie is Coconut Cream. Over the last couple years, his health has declined rapidly. He has grown up eating junk and refuses to change his habits. His typical Coconut Cream Pie was loaded with sugar, fat, carbs, etc. Little does he know that I’ve greatly modified my coconut masterpiece into a low carb, low fat, low sugar, gluten free treat! For Thanksgiving this year I decided to add a little twist to it and add some bananas. It turned out great and gave the pie extra flavor! This makes one regular pie.

1 pre-baked GF pie crust (recipe above)

1 overripe bananas

1 cup almond milk

1 cup coconut milk

3 Tbsp arrowroot starch

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp sea salt

¼ cup coconut flakes, unsweetened

½ cup whipped topping (for dairy free, use coconut cream)

1 Tbsp coconut flakes, toasted

• In a small blender, combine ½ banana and almond milk and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a sauce pan over medium heat. In the blender, mix together arrowroot starch and coconut milk until smooth. Add in vanilla, salt and starch mixture to banana mix. 
• Bring to boiling and cook for about 5 minutes until mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat and continue stirring for about 5 minutes. Let pudding set up for a few minutes. 
• Meanwhile, thinly slice the remaining banana half and place slices in a single layer along the bottom of the prebaked pie crust. Pour on pudding mixture. 
• Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until pie is set. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle on toasted coconut flakes. 

Cocoa Roasted Hazelnuts

Do you like Nutella? Or that flavor of spread? If so, you’ll love these. These little guys are like a portable snack version of the chocolately spread. They are quick and easy to make, great for gifts and store easily. This batch makes about 1 lb of nuts.

1 lb of hazelnuts

¼ cup cocoa

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 Tbsp honey or sugar

1 tsp almond milk

½ tsp sea salt

• In a large stockpot, combine oil, cocoa, honey, milk and salt over medium heat. Cook and stir until smooth and starting to boil. 
• Add in hazelnuts, stirring constantly. Cook for about 10 minutes or until cocoa mixture is almost absorbed. 
• Pour hazelnuts onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 200°F for about 15 minutes. 
• Let cool and break apart nuts. Store in a sealed container. 

Holiday Cookie Lists

It’s that time when everyone is on a baking frenzy and throwing together every kind of holiday cookie they can think of. Or maybe that’s just me? : ) Either way, here’s a list of my holiday cookie recipes to give you a few ideas to try. All of these are gluten free but can be easily substituted with regular flour. Each one should have a link to the original recipe. We will be baking a TON of these and maybe even some new recipes to give as gifts to family, loved ones, neighbors and even strangers! I’m always up for a new challenge or recipe ideas so if you have any you’d like to see, send them my way! Happy holiday baking!!

Molasses Almond Butter Cookies

Maple Pecan Cookies

Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Maple Pecan Cookies

Molasses Almond Butter Cookies

Candy

Lavender-Lemon Chocolate Truffles

Mint-Hazelnut Chocolates

Cinnamon Orange Candied Pecans

Baked Goods

Hello Dolly Bars

Homemade Twix Bars

Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

Cranberry Currant Persimmon Bars

Mini Banana Mango Bread Loaves

Gingerbread Cookies

Lemon Lavender Truffles

Cinnamon Orange Candied Pecans

Day 3 of the 12 Days of Giving - the greatest woman I know (aka Mom or Grammie)

Today was a big day for us. We got my test results back and headed up to KU bright and early this morning – more on that later. I hope that each and every one of you have a person you can rely on; a person you can turn to for help or guidance; a person who loves you unconditionally; a teacher; a friend; an inspiration; a hard worker. I have been blessed with someone like that – my mom. Today (just like any other day we need), she woke up early (even though she didn’t feel good) and got ready to watch my kids for the day. She greeted us with a warm smile and instantly snuggled my sleepy daughter who was still in her jammies. She had the house tidy ready to go for the busy day. My son went to his typical spot, found an acceptable TV show and made himself at home. I don’t need to tell her what they need for the day, she knows. They love her, she loves them – we all love her. She may be a dedicated daycare provider but to them she’s always “Grammie”. Recently there have been many moments that I just feel like I can’t go anymore and I don’t even have to tell her what I’m going through. She gets me and understands. I love her for that. She’s always there when I need her and she’s the same way with my children and all her grandchildren for that matter. When we were putting together our list of people to help, I asked my son who he wanted to do something nice for. He said “Grammie”. I was happy he chose her; not that she needed help but just to do something nice for her. We know she takes good care of all of us and we need to do something nice for her to say thanks. My son found this little brownie kit that you can cook a small brownie in a cast iron skillet. He thought she’d love it because she “cooks good food.” He also found a little mini Christmas tree. He said “she’ll love that because it’s a plant and it’s Grammie Green.” Her favorite color is green. It wasn’t the gifts for her he picked out that made me proud; it was that he picked gifts especially for her with careful thought and consideration that made me proud. She deserves so much more than a little brownie and mini tree but I hope she always knows how important she is to us all!

Lane's lovely gift :)

My beautiful mother

The best guy I know at the med center walkway

On a side note, I’m also so thankful for my husband. He took off work to drive me to KC to the doctor so we could get another set of long awaited test results. I’ve noticed he’s been getting impatient like me but he tries not to show it. Today we finally got some answers. It only took 4 doctors, 3 different hospitals and several tests that I don’t really care to refresh my memory on. After a LOT of lab work, we have found that I have a Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. Long story short – this has caused a lot of problems in my GI tract. Basically my body is damaged and overtime has created inflammation and other sensitivities to food. The list is massive and a little overwhelming but the main culprits right now are gluten (obviously), dairy, egg, oats, rice, onions, tomatoes, beef, etc.. the list that of things I’m actually tolerant to is probably smaller. However, I think the main problems are my nutrient deficiencies caused by this Non-Celiac sensitivity. My body is constantly fighting itself and I’m losing nutrients as fast as I can take them in. My results were low in almost vitamin/nutrient/mineral, etc. I will be starting supplements, meeting with a nutritionist in addition to my doctor, and IV/injection infusions. Believe it or not, a person’s magnesium levels can be so low that they need weekly injections – I started those today. I’ll also have a vitamin C infusion at my next visit since my body doesn’t have much ability to do anything, let alone fight off infections this time of year. It’s a lot to process. I had so many emotions today. When I first heard that diagnosis I wanted to cry tears of joy. I’ve spent so much time, money, energy on this problem and I was happy to have an answer. Then I got mad. I was mad about the time, money, energy and I found out that a lot of my previous efforts only hurt me worse. Then I was sad that it took so long to figure it out and that I had to go so far to find the source of my problems. Then I was thankful that God put me where I was as it has helped me grow and learn patience and understanding. Then I got scared. I’m scared as I know it’s a long road ahead and that it has gotten this bad. However, I feel like I’m in the right place and mindset now. I wasn’t a few months ago so that’s more reassuring. I can’t get better if I’m not in the right mindset to help myself. Plus I have a pretty awesome support system. Thank you to everyone who has sent a text, FB message, stopped by my office, asked how I’ve been feeling, etc. It’s so great to know you’ve got people who care! All in all – I feel it was a good day and I’m thankful for it all, especially my doctors and that wonderful guy I call my husband! If you pray – you can pray for our sanity (especially his) as we begin our new (more strict) diet plans and supplements. But- this too shall pass……

Lemon Lavender Chocolate Truffles

This recipe is a really good variation to traditional truffle recipes that is gluten, dairy, soy and nut free with a tart, savory flavor. The centers are so light and fluffy. These would be great coated in chocolate also but I liked the cocoa/sugar dusting on the outside. Makes about 30 truffles

1 pkg of chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life brand)

1 can coconut milk (or 1 cup whipping cream for dairy version)

1 tsp lemon juice and zest

1 tsp fresh lavender, finely chopped

1 tsp vanilla

Coating

½ cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp lavender, finely chopped

• In a saucepan, melt chocolate chips. 
• While chocolate is melting, open your can of coconut milk. The coconut cream rises to the top while the liquid settles at the bottom. You want about ½ cup of the coconut cream and ¼ cup of the coconut milk liquid (save the rest for another recipe). 
• Once chips are melted, blend in coconut milk and cream, lemon juice and zest, lavender and vanilla using a mixer over medium speed. Blend for about 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth. 
• Chill in bowl for about 30 minutes. Spoon teaspoons of mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill for another 30 minutes. 
• Once truffles have hardened, roll into smooth balls.
• In a small bowl, combine coating mixture. Roll truffle balls into coating mix until covered. Keep refrigerated in a sealed container. 

$5 Poinsettia Centerpieces

I really try to be crafty… really I do. It usually doesn't work though! Sometimes the things I make turn out great but a majority of the time they don’t. Usually what happens is I buy all the items I need to make something I have in mind. Halfway through it doesn't look like it’s supposed to so I improvise and turn it into something more presentable. That’s how this cute little centerpiece happened. I bought tiny ornaments to make a little ornament garland – failed so I threw the ornaments into a glass jar and I liked it! Added a few extra touches and voila! I know this is mainly a cooking blog so don’t worry – you won’t see many crafts on here as I don’t usually have many “voila” moments! Ha! This makes about 3 centerpieces depending on the size of ornaments, vases, etc.

2-3 packs of small ornaments (I picked 3 packs of 1” ornaments in red, silver and gold)

1 large vase

1 large poinsettia flower

A handful of fake snow

Ribbon, string, etc for your bow

•  Take the small ornaments and place them into the vase in any pattern you’d like. I wanted to use different ornament textures and colors in layers. 
• Toss in the fake snow and gently move the vase around to get the snow to “fall” around the ornaments. 
• Stick in your flower and tie a bow around the outside of the vase. Very simple, yet very cute!

Cranberry Currant Persimmon Bars

Sometimes I go to the store and see something weird. And then I think, “I want to try that!” I don’t know why but I decided I was going to buy some persimmons at the store. I’ve never had them, had to clue what they tasted like or how to cook them. I let one get really ripe and knew it was going to be really mushy so I decided to make these bars with them. The almond-date crust is really easy to make and is a great alternative to grain crusts. The fruit mixture is very similar to a jam and the crumble topping kind of ties it all together. These are a great little treat that is gluten free, grain free, dairy free, low fat, kid friendly! It’s just great and pretty easy to make! The flours can be easily substituted to whatever you have on hand. Makes a 9x13 pan of bars.

Crust

1 cup dates (10 regular dates, pits removed)

1 cup plain almonds

½ cup water

½ cup coconut flour

¼ cup coconut sugar or stevia

Fruit Filling

2 medium persimmons, chopped (about ½-3/4 cup)

½ cup chopped cranberries

1/3 cup dried currants or raisins

¼ cup water

½ cup coconut sugar or stevia

Crumb Topping

½ cup almond flour

½ cup coconut flour

¼ cup coconut sugar or stevia

1 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp butter or coconut oil (I used dairy free)

1 tsp almond milk or water

• In a blender, puree almonds, water and dates together until smooth. In a bowl, add in date mixture and remaining crust ingredients and mix until well combined. 
• Spread into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 375°F for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned. 
• In a saucepan, combine fruit filling and bring to boil over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken. Pour fruit mixture over crust. 
• In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients and blend together with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle crumb mixture over fruit filling. 
• Return bars to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until crumb topping starts to brown. Let cool about 15 minutes and cut into bars. 

GF Gingerbread Cookies

I’m going to brag a bit here; I’m pretty proud of these cookies! These are the first cookies that have turned out almost identical to what the original cookie tastes like. They are also the first cookies I’ve been able to roll out properly! Win! These are just a traditional gingerbread cookie with a few lower fat options to save on unnecessary junk and calories. Serve these with or without the frosting. Makes about 2 ½ dozen cutout cookies.

1 cup GF all purpose flour

½ cup white rice flour

½ cup arrowroot starch

¼ cup coconut flour

1 tsp xanthan gum

½ cup coconut sugar, or stevia

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp allspice

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground ginger

½ cup molasses

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla almondmilk (or regular milk)

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, starch, xanthan gum, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda and ginger. 
• Add in banana, molasses, egg and vanilla and blend over medium speed for about a minute. 
• It is best to chill dough about 30 minutes so it is easier to handle but it’s not required. 
• Pour dough onto a clean, floured surface and gently roll out into a ¼” thick circle. 
• Cut out cookies and place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. 
• Bake at 375°F for about 10-15 minutes or until cookies start to brown.
•  Let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes and gently spread icing over cookies if desired. Store cookie sin a sealed container. 

Mint Hazelnut Chocolates

These are quick little chocolates that I whipped together real quick one evening. I was craving just a plain chocolate but we don’t have your typical candies lying around the house anymore. No, unfortunately no Reese’s, Hershey’s Kisses, etc. But out of necessity, these little devils were born. Another perfect gift idea for a friend or loved one.

1 regular package of chocolate chips (I like Enjoy Life)

1 tsp mint extract            
½ regular package of mint chocolate chips (if you can find them, if not just use regular chips)
½ cup finely chopped plain hazelnuts
1 tsp almond milk
¼ cup coconut oil, melted

• Melt chocolates and mint extract in the microwave (careful not to scorch them).
• Once melted, stir in almond milk and coconut oil until smooth. Add in nuts.
• Spoon into mini cupcake pans lined with mini cupcake papers. Freeze until set.
• Note: We like to leave this in the freeze and eat them cold!

Pear Pomegranate Salad with Fruity Balsamic Vinaigrette

I’m sure your holiday meals are similar to ours; full of delicious, fattening, rich, buttery, heavy foods. I like making something light and refreshing so we don’t get completely off track this time of year. Plus when there are tons of pies, cakes, rolls, candies, etc most people don’t quickly grab veggies to put on their plate! Fill your plate half full of this salad and not only will you be less likely to overeat but you won’t have to feel as guilty about that pie you eat later! This is one of my go-to dishes to bring to any meal as it is so quick and easy and so healthy.

4 cups of fresh kale

4 cups of romaine lettuce, chopped
2 cups of spinach
1 cup of raw brussell sprouts, chopped
1 cup red cabbage, chopped
1 pear, thinly sliced
1 cup pomegranate arils
½ cup toasted/candied pecans
Pomegranate Balsamic Vinaigrette
½ pear, peeled and sliced
½ cup pomegranate arils
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp thyme

• In large serving bowls, combine salad ingredients and mix well.
• In a blender, combine vinaigrette ingredients and blend until smooth.
• Refrigerate at least an hour or until ready to serve.
• Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and serve.

Overnight Breakfast Casserole

Who doesn’t love a throw together casserole recipe that can be made ahead?? I know I love them! This would make a wonderful Christmas morning breakfast or brunch recipe! I love baked egg dishes; frittatas, quiches, etc. However, they are time consuming in the mornings and I don’t like to wait on them so I don’t make them often. After Thanksgiving, I had some white GF bread that was just okay. No one really ate it but I hated to throw it away so I decided to make this casserole dish. I wasn’t exactly sure how it would turn out but it is great! It is very similar to a bread pudding type recipe. The nutrients come from all the veggies this dish is loaded with. If you prefer, you could use more egg whites than whole eggs.  You could also throw in some sausage or other meat for additional flavor. This serves about 6.

6 slices of GF bread, cubed

6 eggs (or an egg/egg white mixture to equal about 1 cup)
¼ cup milk
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp sage
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp sea salt
2 cups raw spinach
½ cup chopped mushrooms
¼ cup diced onions
½ cup cooked spaghetti squash or shredded potatoes
¼ cup diced carrots
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup shredded cheese (I used dairy free Daiya cheddar style)

• In a greased 9x9 baking dish, place bread cubes.
• In a large skillet, sauté mushrooms, onions, carrots and spinach for about 10 minutes or until crisp-tender.
• In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk and seasonings together.
• Add mushroom mixture to eggs.
• Place the spaghetti squash over the bread cubes. Sprinkle shredded cheese over bread and squash. Pour egg mixture over dish.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• In the morning, bake at 375°F for about 35-40 minutes or until eggs are set in the center.

Cranberry Sweet Rolls - Gluten Free

I used to be a sucker for Hostess or Little Debbie snack cakes. It’s not something I’m real proud of now but I LOVED them. My favorites had to be the Oatmeal Cream Pies and those Cherry Sweet Rolls. Oh my gosh – so good! I don’t need to tell you about their nutritional values I’m sure. These Cranberry Rolls are my Christmas version of my old favorite breakfast treat! Plus a lot healthier… These can easily be made ahead and baked Christmas morning. This makes about 12 rolls. 

1 cup white rice flour

½ cup white sorghum flour
¾ cup tapioca starch
½ cup arrowroot starch
¼ cup stevia or sugar
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 pkt active dry yeast
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp sea salt
¼ cup applesauce
½ cup water, warm
½ cup milk, warm
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Filling
1 Tbsp coconut oil
½ cup cranberry sauce (Here’s my homemade recipe)
¼ cup coconut sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
3 tsp almond milk

• In a small bowl, combine yeast, milk and water and set aside for about 5 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining dry dough ingredients. Add in egg, applesauce, oil, vanilla and yeast mixture.
• Blend over medium speed for about 2 minutes.
• Place dough onto a clean, floured surface and roll out into a ¼” thick rectangle.
• Spread coconut oil over dough and top with sugar, cinnamon and cranberry sauce. Roll up dough lengthwise and cut into about 1” thick slices.
• Place rolls cut side down  in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Let rise for about 30 minutes.
• Bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
• While rolls are baking, mix together icing ingredients. Let rolls cool about 10 minutes  and drizzle icing over tops and serve.

Cinnamon Orange Pecans

When you make these your house will smell awesome. I wish I could bottle that scent and sell it – I’d make millions! The aroma of the freshly roasted pecans with cinnamon spice and orange zest is just amazing! They taste pretty great too! These make perfect holiday gifts as they are easy to make but still taste wonderful! This makes about 1 lb of candied pecans.

• 2 oranges, zested and cut into slices
• 1 Tbsp almond milk
• 1 cup coconut sugar, or regular sugar, honey, other sweetener
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp all spice
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 lb pecan halves

In a large pot, combine coconut oil, milk, oranges, cinnamon, all spice and sugar. Bring to a boil and add in pecans. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until sugar mixture has coated the pecans and is almost absorbed. Spread pecan mixture on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and let cool and harden for about an hour or two. Break pecans apart and store in a sealed container. 

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

I love the holidays and I love creating gifts to give others. Of course, we buy gifts but I really like to make as many gifts as possible. It’s usually not to save money because a lot of times I end up spending more on materials than I probably would just buying a gift. Either way I enjoy it. It helps me take my mind off of feeling bad so I try to keep busy (lately it hasn’t been hard to do!). Anyway – I used to love giving those little jarred hot cocoa mixes. I wanted to do this again, just create it a little healthier and add my own little twists. This recipe is enough to make 1 serving of cocoa so just add to it for however many you are wanting to make. I made a lot so we’d have some extra on hand. Store extras in a sealed container.

1 ½ Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tbsp stevia extract for sweetness (or use sugar)
1 Tbsp coconut sugar (or other sweetener)
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground ginger

• Mix ingredients together in a mug. Add in 6-8 oz of milk (we used almond milk). Add in ¼ tsp of vanilla if desired for extra sweetness and flavor. Microwave or cook on stove for about 2-5 minutes or until desired warmth. Of course, you can top with whipped cream or marshmallows!

Mini Banana Mango Bread Loaves

We love baking goodies and giving them out for the holidays. Our loved ones and neighbors are usually the ones on the receiving end of my baking addiction but give baked goods to anyone! These cute little mini loaves make perfect homemade gifts and are freezer friendly! Make a few batches now and thaw just before Christmas so they are ready to give! If you are stingy (which I can’t blame you after tasting these), enjoy them with a cup of coffee or tea. It is has just the right amount of sweetness and a nice, soft, texture. Makes 4 mini loaves or 1 regular sized loaf.

1 ½ cups GF all purpose flour

¼ cup arrowroot starch
¼ cup sweet sorghum flour
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 cup coconut sugar, stevia or regular sugar
2 eggs
3 medium bananas, mashed
½ cup mango puree (Puree a small mango, adding a little water as necessary)
1 Tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
½ cup almond milk
¼ cup chopped walnuts

• In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Blend until well combined and form a small well in the middle.
• In a small bowl, combine eggs, bananas, mango, oil and milk until well blended. Pour banana mixture into well in flour.
• Gently mix on low speed until just combined, batter will be lumpy. Fold in walnuts.
• Spoon batter into greased loaf pans. Bake at 350°F for about 30-35 minutes for mini pans or 45-50 minutes for regular pans. Let cool about 15 minutes.
• To freeze: bake according to instructions and let bread loaves cool for an hour. Wrap loaves in plastic wrap and then in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Remove from freezer and allow to thaw for a few hours.

Chocolate Peppermint Layer Cake

So I tried to think of a witty name for this masterpiece… but nothing came to me. It was until I tasted it that I decided it was so similar to a cup of hot cocoa stirred with a candy cane. It was so moist and airy with a deep chocolate taste topped with marshmellow crème frosting and crushed candy cakes… oh perfection! Don’t be scared of the four layers – if I can do it, you can do it! Here’s a suggestion though, if you are going to have a cake with several layers, use a separate cake pan for each layer. For example, this cake is four layers, so use four cake pans and divide batter into four sections. I only had two cake pans so I just make two layers and cut each layer in half. It was difficult to keep the layers from falling apart after cutting, but I managed (just would have been better if I’d had more pans). This cake also freezes well. Just bake the layers, freeze, thaw before serving and frost as normal. It’s perfect for those holiday parties when you want a fancy looking dessert without a lot of work.

1 box of GF chocolate cake mix (I like Namaste brand but any kind should work)

3 eggs
1 ½ cup water
½ cup applesauce
¼ cup crushed peppermints or candy canes
1 recipe of frosting (I prefer marshmellow crème but vanilla sugar frosting would work also)
1 cup crushed peppermints or candy canes

• In a large mixing bowl, blend together cake mix, eggs, water and applesauce until well blended, about 2 minutes.
• Pour batter into greased 9” round baking pans. Bake at 375°F for about 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.
• Let cool for about 30 minutes on a wire rack and cut cakes in half if necessary to make 4 layers.
• Make frosting according to instructions.
• On a serving dish, place the bottom layer of cake. Add ¼ of the frosting mixture and sprinkle crushed mint over frosting. Repeat with remaining layers.
• Refrigerate any leftovers. This serves about 12.

White Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Cookies

I love cranberries! In the coming weeks, you will probably see a lot of recipes featuring this tart little berry. I’ve posted a few already, Cranberry Orange Spread, Turkey Cranberry Sandwich, etc. These little gems are delicious – not to mention gluten free and low carb! This makes about 2.5 dozen cookies.

 

1 cup of coconut flour

¼ cup of tapioca starch
½ cup of soy flour
½ cup of white sorghum flour
½ cup of almond flour
1 large egg
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
½ tsp salt
½ cup milk (I used almond)
½ tsp vanilla
¼ cup butter (I used soy)
1 cup white chocolate chips (Trader Joe’s has some healthy versions out there)
1 cup fresh cranberries, finely chopped
½ cup walnuts, chopped

• In a large mixing bowl, combine all flours, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt. Mix until well combined. Add in egg, milk, vanilla and butter.
• Blend until you get a crumbly mixture. Slowly stir in cranberries, chocolate chips and walnuts.
• Using a cookie scoop, place cookie balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Cranberry Dump Cake

If you’ve never had a “dump” cake, you are missing out. This simple and quick technique delivers a unique tasting dessert that you can customize to your desires. All you have to do is figure out your base and “dump” a box of dry cake mix on top (hence the name, dump). I traditionally see it made with cherry pie type filling or pineapple. I wanted a winter version of the dish so I decided to add in pumpkin and cranberry with a cinnamon walnut topping. It’s a little more work than a typical dump cake but it’s so good and so easy to make!

1 can pumpkin puree

1 cup fresh cranberries
¼ cup coconut sugar
¼ cup apple juice
1 banana
½ cup almond milk
1 pkg of GF vanilla cake mix (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
¼ cup butter, coconut oil or shortening, cut into very small chunks
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

• In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, coconut sugar and apple juice. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat until berries start to pop and soften.
• In a small blender (I used my Magic Bullet), puree banana with almond milk. In a large bowl, stir together banana mixture with pumpkin.
• Fold in cranberry mixture and carefully swirl together.
• Pour pumpkin mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking pan.
• Pour dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin until covered. Place the small chunks of butter or shortening over the cake mixture.
• Sprinkle over cinnamon and walnuts.
• Bake at 375°F for about 40 minutes or until the topping starts to brown. Let cool about 15 minutes before serving.

Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup

Sometimes it is hard trying to figure out what to do with all those leftovers. If you are anything like my husband, you do not want to waste any food, ever! I can’t say that this is a bad thing. I used to be very wasteful but thanks to him I am not anymore. After our lovely turkey dinner, we had some leftover “crappy” sections. I call them crappy because I don’t like them. It was a leg and a thigh – all dark meat. Don’t get me wrong, it has a lot of flavor, I just don’t like that portion of the bird. Anyway – he was out hunting one evening and I knew he would need something hot to warm him up when he got home. I decided to make a turkey soup using those leftover pieces. It worked. I was able to use up all of the meat, flavor the soup and cut the meat into chunks large enough I could pick out what I didn’t want to eat. Everyone wins – plus we got rid of the leftovers! This makes about 6-8 servings.

1large cooked turkey leg (or other part of bird, bone in)

1 large cooked turkey thigh (or other part of bird, bone in)
4 cups of water or vegetable broth
½ cup chopped celery
1 ear of corn
¼ cup diced onion
½ cup chopped carrots
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp garlic salt
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp parsley
8 oz of GF pasta (I used rice penne pasta)

•  In a large stockpot, sauté celery, carrots and onion for about 10 minutes or until soft. Add in water or broth, turkey pieces, corn, salts, pepper, sage and parsley. B
• ring to boil and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove corn and turkey from pot. Cut corn from the cob and return to pot.
• Cut pieces of the turkey meat into small chunks and return to pot. Add in pasta and return to boiling.
• Cooking time will vary at this point, depending on your type of pasta. Just watch the soup closely until pasta is finished cooking.