Coconut Joy Brownie_(GF)

-it's something like stuffing an almond joy inside a gooey brownie-

bbq season is on, and everyone knows brownies and/or cupcakes are simply a necessity during these trying times of cold beer in the hot sun times. i mean, how else do you cool yourself off when you're standing next to an open flame in 90 degree heat, on a roof? come to think of it - why exactly do we wait until it's blazing hot to fire up a grill and stand next to it? well anyways i don't make up the rules - but i do make brownies and these are killer. seriously they may kill you. if you think you are on a diet go ahead and make these, they will cure you of that ridiculous endeavor. BUT the good news: they are gluten free and better yet - totally delicious. so all you gluten-less folks out there: eat your heart out! if you like your gluten - just use the standard AP flour. and maybe one of these days i'll make a GF burger bun for you too - until that time just eat more brownies and wallow in the joy of it all.

COCONUT JOY BROWNIE_GF

3/4c cocoa powder

12 oz butter

3 large eggs

1 1/2c sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp salt

6 tbs coconut flour

(handful) sliced almonds

JOY LAYER:

2c shredded sweetened coconut

2/3c sweetened condensed milk

pinch salt

*preheat oven to 350F, light grease an 8x8 baking pan

*melt butter, whisk in the cocoa powder and let cool slightly for a few minutes

*whisk in eggs, one at a time

*mix in sugar and extracts, stir to combine

*stir in flour and salt

*in a separate bowl combine all the ingredients for the JOY layer

*pour half the brownie batter into the prepared pan

*drop blobs of the JOY mixture on top, generously sprinkle the almonds over the coconut

*pour the remaining brownie batter over the top

*bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick inserted shows only a few crumbs.

*let cool for about 30-45 minutes, cover and chill in frig a few hours before cutting (these guys ages very well)

Dark Chocolate Orange Cranberry Crackels_(GF / Vegan)

-beat that hersheys-

do you remember halloween? no i don't mean the college through mid-to-late 20's halloweens of dressing up like some form of your morally repressed inner personality (aka "sexy kitty cat", sexy cowboy, nurse or any profession / animal with the prefix sexy attached), going out to a public party and doing vaguely shameful things, like meowing (if you still do this, stop). not that i've ever been so shamed, being from louisiana we don't have such things.

but no, that is not the halloween in which i am referring. i'm talking about putting a tutu on your face and dressing up like a sunflower. that's right - take a moment and indulge yourself...

-yes that is a tutu and no, i don't know what it looks like i'm about to puke-

yes, that is me at, i believe, age 9. mom, dad you wanna back me on that? and if you were wondering no, i am not wearing pants and yes, those are green socks over my shoes. and btw former self: sunflowers aren't usually pink. okay so we've all had a good chuckle on my behalf.

down to the really important stuff. halloween candy. that's why we dressed up like fools, parading ourselves around the neighborhood as shameful entertainment for the adults and stood at strangers' doors so they could ask stupid questions like "and what are you suppose to be". what do you mean?! i'm a sunflower you idiot! immediately your confidence begins to fade because you begin to realize, huh maybe i don't look as cool as i though i would. its a long night ahead little girl - and your socks are going to rip 10 minutes in. BUT, it was all so worth it once that bucket of cheap sugar is dumped out onto the living room floor. woo hoo! my favorites where (and still to this day) the mini chocolate bites - such as the ever wonderful krackel.

chocolate and crunchy somethings, need i say more? yum! but you know me better than that, i'm much to much of a crazed foodie to just go out and buy a bag of bite sized hershey chocolates. besides once you try my version, believe me you forget about the brand name krackels. because i am a serious chocolate purist i used seriously dark chocolate (90%), do not do this unless you know you can handle it. i am calling out for semi or bitter-sweet here (35 - 50%) try that first. i used crispy brown rice but you can use rice krispies if its easier. the addition of orange oil and the tart cranberries are just "adult" enough that i can see myself putting these out as a "finger food" dessert-ish item at a dinner party or better yet, a halloween party.

and fyi - these are rightfully called crack-els. honest to god; i ate half the batch. it started with "just the scraps" and moved on to just shamelessly eating face sized pieces. go ahead and calculate the chocolate (90%) load for that, about 30 minutes later i felt like i actually had just smoked crack , i ended up vacuuming my wood floor.

DARK CHOCOLATE ORANGE CRANBERRY CRACKELS

(gluten free & vegan)

* 8oz semi-sweet (or bitter sweet) chocolate

*2 cups crispy brown rice

*1/4 tsp orange oil

*1/3c chopped cranberries

*line a baking sheet with parchment

*over a double boiler melt the chocolate, stirring just until smooth

*take off heat and stir in the orange oil

*in a separate bowl combine the crispy rice and cranberries

*add the chocolate to the crispy rice, stir to completely combine

*evenly spread the mixture on prepared pan, place in frig for an hour to let chill

*break into pieces or cut into squares with knife

**flavor variations ideas:

coconut and chopped apricots: 1/2tsp coconut extract & 1/3c chopped apricots

cardamon & ginger: 1tsp ground cardamon & 1/3c chopped crystalized ginger

ancho chile & coffee: 1 tsp chile pwd & 1/4c coffee bits, about the size of cocoa nibs.

PPS: i also made a "pre workout snack" version with a mix of grapenuts and kashi puffed grains cereal - i love, love, love it! not very sweet and just guiltless enough you can consider it an energy snack.

Avocado Black Bean Brownies (GF)

-need i say more?-

i don't think i really need to say this but, i adore chocolate. the darker, stronger and closer to just being the raw bean the more i love it. every morning i have a square of no less than 90% and a spoonful of raw nibs - yes just the pure roasted bean - in my yogurt, or whatever ever else happens to fall prey to my morning gluttony. come to think of it i enjoy just about everything like this; tarlike coffee, oversteeped black tea, the tartest plain yogurt i can find, golden berries (if you've ever had one you would know what i mean), unsweetened nut milks... i can go on like this forever. does that say something about me? probably but who cares.
much to josh's dismay; over the years of consuming mass amounts of dark bitter food has left my taste buds accustomed to find the sweeteness in just about everything - i suppose a little something like being blind and hearing everything. so thusly there have emerged two forms of desserts that come out of my kitchen: normal for him and crazy for me. this is recipe is a bit more on my side - and i loooooove it. really its just a spin on the orginal black bean brownie i made a while back. i found this recipe on cara's cravings blog a while back and switched around the sugar content a bit, but that's about it. i've been muching down on these guys before a run and they are perfect little package of everything i need; scrumptious, full of protien and sustainable fat - oh did i mention chocolate.
my only suggestion to you: add a little more sugar, trust me. while i like everything dark and bitter i know i am basically alone so i would up it to a healthy 1/2c evaporated cane sugar; i am using palm sugar which isn't as sweet as cain. below is my exact recipe - unchanged. if you do make these let me know what you think!

BLACK BEAN AVOCADO BROWNIES

1 1/2c cooked, drained black beans (if canned, rinse well)
3 eggs
1/4c agave syrup
1/2 ripe avocado
1/4c + 2tbs cocoa powder
pinch salt
1 tbs vanilla
1/3c palm sugar
2tsp espresso powder

*preheat oven to 350F, grease an 8x8 pan
*in a food processor comebine the beans, eggs, agave and avocado until completely smooth.
*add the rest of the ingredients and continue to blend until totally smooth.
*pour into the prepared pan and cook 30 minutes, until toothpick is clean.
*let cool before slicing and munching - they actually get better with a 12hour rest.

Chocolate Banana Chocolate Cookies

-if you like chocolate...-

alright - full disclosure here: i have not actually tasted these cookies myself. BUT the entire batch was easily eaten up, given a full thumbs-up by the taster and well, smelled absolutely amazing both before and after the oven. a friend of mine house / dog sat for me during my latest weekend trip down south for a quick visit . i promised her cookies and like always i had a leftover, extra extra - ok, totally shriveled and black - banana sitting on the counter. it was somewhere around midnight and i had an early morning flight but, ugh i promised! so um, throw in some chocolate, some more chocolate, a bit of sugar, an egg and some flour. at this point i didn't have time to let butter get to room temp so uhhh - oil? perfect! throw it in the oven, pack (yes i only "pack" for about 10 minutes: short attention spam), take out, let cool while i take a shower, put em away and head to bed happy with myself for delivering my promise (deliciously) in under 30 minutes. nice!

CHOCOLATE BANANA CHOCOLATE COOKIES

1/2c chopped bittersweet chocolate

1 1/4c AP flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 very ripe banana

1/4c canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

1/2c sugar

1 egg

1/2c chopped white chocolate

3/4c chopped walnuts (optional)

*preheat oven to 400F, line baking pan w/ parchment

*over a double boiler, melt chopped bittersweet chocolate. take off heat & allow to cool slightly

* in bowl sift together flour, baking powder, soda & salt

*in a separate bowl mash the banana to very smooth. whisk in the oil, vanilla, sugar and egg

*add the flour mixture to the banana mixture, mix just to combine

*stir in the melted chocolate

*fold in the white chocolate and nuts if using

*bake for 12 minutes (makes about 12-14 cookies)

Agave Marshmallows

- pancreas friendly-er -

marshmallows! need i say more really? maybe so and i know you love to read my meaningless ramblings.

to be totally honest, unlike a certain guy i know who adores eating them stale out of the bag (i don't know how he does it either) i can't say that i love marshmallows - at least not as a final product. don't get me wrong there is plenty of love for them as ingredients in other wonderful treats. i mean come on; rice krispie treats, hot chocolate.... SMORES!!!! if you don't know it already i lose all sanity when smores enter the picture, any picture. angels in heaven ride around on clouds made of smores - i've seen it.

ok so back to reality. i've conquered the standard marshmallows already (here and here) but in my ongoing quest to make not so healthy treats less detrimental to my loved ones pancreases' i targeted this cloudy puff. if you've made these treats before you know its really just a mix of gelatin, sugar and air, nothing really wrong with that but lets try it out with less scary agave shall we? maybe my diabetic friends can even have a bite?!

i had my doubts mostly because normally the sugar is brought to a high enough temp that gives it enough structure to help hold itself (think caramels, fudge etc) and then the gelatin steps in a they share the load. but with this agave recipe that i found at globalfoods lets the gelatin do all the heavy lifting. i was quite suspicious but had faith and forged through, whipping the hell out of the mixture like usual and to my delight they came out quite right! my only note: do not, despite what you may find online, try and make rice krispie treats out of these - just trust me it won't work and you'll be angry (not that i have a temper or anything). do make smores though - any and every chance you get.

AGAVE MARSHMALLOWS

1c agave

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1 tsp vanilla

6 tbs cold water

1/4 tsp salt

*heavily dust an 8x8 pan with 1:1 mix of cornstarch and powdered sugar

*combine the gelatin and water. let the gelatin bloom a few minutes

*place the gelatin mixture over hot water and melt to liquid (or in microwave a for a few seconds)

*add the agave & salt to the gelatin

*immediately begin whipping the mixture with electirc beater. continue for about 10-12 minutes until become very thick and stiff (you know what fluff is like don't you?)

*add the vanilla and whip another minute

* pour the thick mixture into the prepared pan

*let set for 3-4 hours, turn out onto a heavy (with same 1:1 cornstarch sugar mix) dusted counter and cut as you want.

*toss the individual pieces in the powdery mix so they don't stick to each other.

-when you think you can't whip anymore, whip some more-

Sesame Peanut Caramel Crispies

-someone help me-

somehow i have a huge bag of sesame seeds in my cabinet. to be totally honest i am not really sure how it got there, or how long its been there. i do really like sesame seeds so surely it was bought on a whim one shopping day, but really who needs a pound of sesame seeds? well evidently the past me knew that one day i would run into a recipe like this and need a good hefty amount of the tasty little seeds. if only my former self would have know that creating these would spawn a totally addiction. i am addicted.

firstly, palm sugar: this is one of my more recent obsessions. basically its a sweetener made from the blessed coconut tree (if it were up to me everything would come from the coconut tree) and has a very low GI level. aka its good for diabetic and well, everyone. thais use palm sugar a lot but, unlike my crystalized form they keep it in small bricks or disks.

1 1/2c palm sugar

1c honey

1c coconut milk

1 1/4c roasted sesame (reserve 1/2c)

1c roasted unsalted peanuts

2c puffed unsweetened cereal (such as kashi)

1 1/2c crispy brown rice cereal (or rice krispies if you can find)

*in a large pot bring the sugar and honey to a boil, stirring just to make sure its not burning

*lower heat a tad and let boil a few minutes until reaches the soft ball stage (220F) or until a drop in water remains a ball - not dissolving

*pour in the coconut milk, stir to combine and bring back to a boil

*again let the mixture reach a soft ball stage

*take off heat

*add in the remaining ingredients (minus the reserved seeds) mixing well

*pour into a parchment lined 8x8 pan, even out with your spoon

*let cool completely, turn onto a cutting board and slice into about 24 pieces

*dip each of the slices bottoms in the reserved sesame seeds (trust me you will want to do this)

*try to control yourself as you inhale these

Torta di Carote - Carrot Cake

-strong enough for winter but light enough for spring-

I've had my eye on this recipe for somewhere around a year. marcella hazan, as you probably know, is the quintessential itallian cook. i've had her "italian kitchen" book for some while now and have loved every thing that comes out of it. i promise you, you will not find a recipe for pasta roses anywhere else. yeah - i said pasta roses and they are amazing.

the deserts are just as warm and homey as the rest of the book but unlike the rest of the recipes this once is actually pretty light, there is no butter or flour for goodness sake!

so back to that year in waiting. there are a few things that stood in my way of completing this cake mostly the lack of lady fingers. who keeps lady fingers in the pantry anyways? well i suppose its not such a stretch for a baker to have them on hand but, really, that and buttermilk give me a break won't ya! so this Christmas when a vendor sent foodie baskets to everyone, which oddly contained ladyfinger, i went around the office and snagged then all. yeah i'm that person; i horde office treats for later use at home. oh the shame. the second strongest force against this cake is, well there never seemed an appropriate time. and finally the day came that an friend of mine and her girlfriend came for dinner. score! the cake was made, slices were doled out and mouths were happily stuffed.

two things i changed: i left out the tablespoon of amaretto called for and used a mix of a vanilla and almond extract. i'm not a 70 year old man by the way nor do i own a silk robe so this i did not have in my pantry, nor was i going to buy any. and Marcella calls for fresh whipped cream to be served alongside but i also don't keep a stash of heavy cream on hand so i whipped up a batch of coconut milk and vanilla bean ice cream. stay tuned for the ice cream recipe, i assure you the warmth of the dense crumbly cake paired with the cool fresh ice cream was-a perfecto!

TORTA DI CAROTE

9oz unpeeled ground almonds

1c + 2 tbs sugar

9oz peeled carrots

4oz ladyfingers

2 1/2tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp salt

4 eggs, separated

*preheat oven to 325F, place ladyfingers on a large baking sheet and cook for about 20 minutes

*take the ladyfingers out of the oven, let cool

*raise temp to 350F, grease an 8" springform pan

*pulse the almonds and sugar in a processors to a consistent mixture, place in a large bowl

*finely chop the carrots in the processor to as fine as you can get it, add to bowl w/ almonds

*place ladyfingers in the processor and chop until you have a fine powder, add to bowl w/ carrots & almonds

*add baking powder, vanilla, almond and salt. mix thoroughly

*mix in egg yolks

*in a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

*add 1-2 tbs of the egg whites to the almond mix to help loosen

*gently (will take a while) fold in remaining egg whites.

*pour batter into the prepared springform. tamp the pan on the counter to level - do not press the batter.

*bake for 50 minutes, until toothpick is clean.

*let cool completely, slice and serve.

Strawerry Pop-Tarts

-yes, i made these and yes they are just a good as they look-

ahhh pop-tarts. who can deny themselves of a fresh out of the wrapper treat like this? i dare so no-one. no matter how food snobby i become i will always have a soft spot in my heart for a Kellogg's unfrosted strawberry pop-tart - ugh its terrible, vending machines across the city taunt me so. but alas i am actually a grown-up and i don't allow myself the constant indulgence of these strangely made "pastries". so when i finally accomplished strawberry jam, well the logical next step is of-course to make some homemade pop-tarts. oh yeah, that's what i said: homemade pop-tarts.

these. are. awesome. you won't be fooling anyone into believing these little guys are kellogg's concoctions (but really, why the heck would you try and replicate that faux pastry-ness? gross - just take a walk to the vending machine or a really big one, like wal-mart) they are more like strudels - remember those frozen treats? the exact line from Pilsbury is, get this: "start your day with a convenient, bakery-fresh treat". ha! since when was the toaster / microwave a baker?and better yet is the "do it yourself icing", people let me be clear on this: squeezing a plastic bag of liquid sugar onto a reheated frozen treat is not do-it-yourself. but i admit many a high school breakfasts consisted of those oddly gooey sugar pops and not just one i would eat like 4, wow. mmm healthy way to start your day, no wonder i still don't know how to write very well.

so back to me. i used my standard pie crust, filled it with the wonderfully perfect strawberry jam from easter and whipped together a stiff royal icing. that was that - nothing difficult and actually a do-it-yourself treat. we munched down on these guys as an after dinner treat; which is what the they are America - dessert not breakfast.

STRAWBERRY POP-TARTS

1/2 recipe pie crust - find mine here

1-2 tbs strawberry jam (or whatever you please)

1 egg lightly beaten

*preheat oven to 400F, line baking sheet with parchment

*after refrigerating the pie dough roll out to a 1/8" thick rectangle, cut the odd edges off as needed

*evenly cut out 5" - 6" squares from the rolled out dough

*place 1 heaping tsp of jam on the centers of half of the squares

*brush the edges of the squares with the beaten egg, place a dough square on top and pinch with fork thongs to seal.

*place the filled pastries on the prepared sheet and brush with egg wash

*bake for 16-19 minutes until golden, not too browned though

*let cool completely before icing (recipe below)

ICING

*1/2c - 3/4c powdered sugar

*2-3 tsp milk (more if needed)

*few drops of vanilla

*whisk together the ingredients adding more sugar or milk as needed to get a thick icing.

*drizzle the icing over your cooled pastries and enjoy

Black Bean Brownies (GF)

like i mentioned earlier, josh inadvertently put beans on my brain. and well chocolate - that is always on my brain, its more like a part of my brain. as i was perusing the online food blogosphere i stumbled upon this idea of brownies made out of beans. i've heard of baking with beans before, but never just beans. the more i read (with elation) the more it all made sense. the natural depth of the beans and the darkness of the chocolate was genius! there are varying recipes floating around one i found that was sweetened only with bananas which i will be testing out soon and some that called for tons of butter (which to me is a bit of cop-out; anything tastes great with tons of butter and sugar). so i found one that was healthy enough for my standards and adapted it to be a little more freindly with coconut oil and espresso powder.

the result? amazing. amazing. amazing. we polished them off easily and with zero quilt. try them i promise you'll be happy and all the more healthy!

BLACK BEAN BROWNIES

1 1/2c freshly cooked black beans (from dried)

3 eggs

3 tbs coconut oil (melted if needed)

3/4c evaporated cain juice

1/2c cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp espresso powder (or instant coffee)

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

1/2c chocolate chips

*preheat oven to 350F, grease an 8x8 baking pan

*in a blender or processor combine the eggs and beans until smooth

*add in remaining except the chocolate chips

*blend just to smooth then stir in the chocolate chips (by hand not blender)

*pour into prepared pan and cook 30 - 35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean, let cool before cutting.

Raw Cashew Vanilla Ice Cream (vegan/ GF)

unexpectantly a friend of our bought an ice cream maker for us. i solidified my suspensions that i was a nerdy foodie when i walked through the door and saw the box sitting on the counter. this is what i had been waiting for. for months, maybe even a year i have been begging josh to give me the okay to buy an ice cream machine. i would try and bribe him with "just think of all the healthy ice creams i can make you!". unfortunately he is too smart for that and is just not interested in "healthy" . if it doesn't have cookie dough in it, he's will take no notice.

well, then i'll tell the truth. this bad boy is for me. i immediately began planning my ice cream attach. scouring the internet for any recipe that doesn't call for cups of cream or eggs. a little beaten, i kinda let it go - vowing i would just make something up. then i remembered my favorite cook book - real raw! and of-course they have stellar ice cream. the only alteration i made was to add coconut water (from the young coconut the meat came from) in place of filtered water. it is amazing - and delicious as i knew it would be. even josh gave it a thumbs up.

RAW CASHEW VANILLA ICECREAM

2c raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours

1c fresh coconut water

2c young coconut meat

1c agave nectar

1/4c coconut butter

2 tbs vanilla

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out, pod discarded

1/2 tsp sea salt

*combine all ingredients in a high powered blender, to very smooth.

*chill overnight or until thoroughly chilled

*churn as according to your machine's instructions

Marshmallows II

this is a revised (and dare i say better) version of my homemade marshmallows. really the only difference it that i used a bit of powdered egg whites to really lighten them up - you know because marshmallows are known for being so heavy and dense. i have this problem that i feel like i always have to cover marshmallows in chocolate to complete the treat but don't let my addition to the black gold fool you. these babies are just as scrumptious as they are and don't even ask about the hot chocolate you can make with these!

2 envelopes gelatin

1/2c cold water

1c sugar

1/4c light corn syrup

pinch salt

2 tsp powdered egg whites + 2 tbs water

1tbs vanilla

powdered sugar

*lightly grease (with spray) a 8x8 pan, evenly dust with powered sugar

*in a small bowl beat together the powdered egg white and water, continue to beat until you get soft peaks. set aside.

*in a medium sized bowl combine the gelatin and 1/4c of the cold water, let sit about 5 minutes

*meanwhile in a sauce pan bring the sugar and remaining 1/4c water to a boil over medium high heat

*insert a candy thermometer and let the boiling mixture come to 240F

*once it has reached 24oF immediately take off the heat, with your mixer running slowly begin to pour in the boiling mixture

*continue to beat for about 10-11 minutes (will begin to look more like "fluff")

*beat in the egg whites and vanilla for another minute or two

*pour the thick mixture (very thick) into the prepared pan and sprinkle about 3 tbs - 1/4c powdered sugar over the top .

*let set, covered with plastic at room temp for at least 4-5 hours

*when ready turn out the -now cube- of marshmallow and with a pizza cutter slice into desired sized squares. I used small round cookie cutters but you can do as you please.

*toss all cut pieces with more powdered sugar to make sure they don't all stick together. will keep for weeks in airtight container.

Orangettes

i have a serious weakness for orangette. if you don't know what they are let me explain: take the best crap ever, boil it in sugary goodness then cover it in more deliciousness also know as dark chocolate. that about explains it. i had before now been able to keep my obsession at bay simply by rarely having these treats around me (when is the last time you came across some on a dessert menu? or starbucks?). but i have now unleashed a beast by tailor making these treats for myself (via fabulous oranges from my parents and 90% dark chocolate) and now, for the past month, have had at least 3-4 every single night before bed. all's well that ends well.

ORANGETTES

4 large oranges

1c sugar

1c water

5 oz unsweetened chocolate (or to your taste), chopped

5 oz 85% dark chocolate (or to your taste), chopped

*peel the oranges, cutting the rind into thin, even strips

*place all peels in large bowl, cover with cold water and let soak, covered overnight to 24 hours

*drain peels and place in pot of boiling water, let boil 2-3 minutes

*drain and repeat boil

*drain again and set aside

*in separate pan bring sugar and water to boil, add blanched peels and simmer for 45 minutes -1 hour

*remove peels to cooling rack, let them completely cool and "set" (about 6-8 hours)

*over a double broiler melt 3/4 of the chocolate

*take off the heat and stir in remain chocolate pieces until the mixture reaches 90F

*dip your candied peels in the tempered chocolate and place on parchment to cool.

Snappy Gingersnaps

i find there are two breed of people when it comes to gingersnaps - chewy snap or snappy snap. the ladder of which i belong to. as a matter of fact i like everything snappy, i like to think i am a rather snappy person. SNAPPY.

ok- sorry about that. back to what i was saying: there seems to be two kinds of gingersnaps. in england they are called "ginger nuts" and in Scandinavia they are lovingly named "brunkage" - or "brown biscuit" to us english speaking savages.

is it just me or does "brunkage" lend itself more towards the snappy group than the chewy group? i'm so european.

this cookie dough is great because you can roll it into a log, freeze it and as you feel the urge for something snappy and delish just slice off a few rounds and bake. what more can you ask for?

SNAPPY GINGERSNAPS

8 oz butter, softened

1c sugar

1c molasses

1 tsp baking soda (generous)

2vtbs hot water

3 1/2c AP flour

1 1/4 tsp ginger

1 tbs cinnamon

pinch salt

*cream butter, sugar and molasses until smooth

*mix soda w/ hot water and then beat into butter mix

*in separate bowl sift together flour, spice and salt

*stir in flour mix into butter mix

*shape into (2) 2"-3" dia. logs, wrap in plastic and chill a few hours or overnight (or freeze as mentioned above)

*preheat oven to 350F, place parchment on your baking sheet

*slice into 1/8" - 1/4" disks, bake 10 minutes until edges are golden -- do not burn them (although i will still eat them).

Cashew Brownies_GF

i haven't made brownies in somewhere over a year (i think). it seems that i have a tendency to get hung up on other such fantastical journeys like - mini lemon meringue pies & real glazed donuts. as delicious as these were sometimes you just have to get back to the basics, you know?

yeah well i kinda did that. i mean they are brownies, just not basic. sticking to my pseudo gluten-freeness trial i found a recipe from elana's blog for brownies made with almond butter. but considering i eat an almond butter and (delicious Louisiana homemade) jelly for lunch Monday thru Friday i opted to hoard my supply of the jarred gold and use up josh's share of cashew butter which i can't eat with out getting ill (i have no explanation for this). so in it went and i crossed my fingers that the same digestive effect would not happen once combined with chocolate and agave - i mean what can't be fixed with those two? seriously.

i am happy to say that i love these. josh had two with his eggs for breakfast - don't judge - and it didn't bother me. they remind me of a brownie "flavored" cliff bar but way, way better. if you want a more fudge like texture you can try leaving out the baking soda and amping up the cashew butter to 9oz. next time i make them, and that will happen, that is what i will try. these treats are high in protein, low in sugar, dairy free and gluten free. enjoy that!

CASHEW BROWNIES

8oz unsalted creamy cashew butter

1 egg

1/2c + 2 tbs agave nectar

1 tbs vanilla extract

1/4c cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt (scant)

1/2c dark chocolate chips

*preheat oven to 325F grease a 8x8 pan

*cream cashew butter to smooth w/ an electric mixer

*beat in egg then agave and vanilla

*in a separate bowl sift together the coco powder, soda and salt

*combine the cocoa mix into the cashew mixture

*fold in the chocolate chips

*pour into to prepared pan, cook 30-35 minutes

Chocolate Balsamic Prune Cookies

evidently i'm becoming increasingly negative. or so my love says. i like to think of myself as humorously wry - i find stupid things funny and just so happen to think there are a lot of stupid things out in the world. hmmm ok well i suppose i should try and get myself to be more positive to counter-act this negative force.

here's something friggin possitive: these fudgy dense, yet fat-free, cookies. there are a few "secret ingredients" that i like to throw in when baking w/ chocolate that just seems to make life more positive (that's 1). those secrets include, but not limited to: coffee, cinnamon, prunes and balsamic vinegar. really they are positively (2) wonderful when paired with the dark silky goodness of chocolate. they are all ingredients that you would never really know are there but know you miss when they aren't - they are like a positive (3) outlook, or a silver lining of sorts.

so i included 2 of these above mentioned secret positives (4) in these healthy little treats. the result is a positively (5) chewy, rich and finely textured cookie that's super high in fiber and low in calories. don't worry you won't even know there is vinegar in these - yes i am positive (6) about that, trust me - think red wine and chocolate truffles.

i used sugar-in-the-raw so that that there is a little bit of a sugary crunch, i find this to be a positive (7) attribute; if you're not positive (8) you would agree just use regular brown sugar instead.

CHOCOLATE BALSAMIC PRUNE COOKIES

1/4c AP flour

1/2c whole wheat flour

1/4c buckwheat flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

1/2c + 1tbs cocoa powder

2/3c sugar in the raw / brown sugar - unpacked

1/2c prune puree *see note below*

1/3c yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

*preheat oven to 350F, line baking pan w/ parchment

*sift together fours, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder

*in separate bowl whisk together sugar, prune puree, yogurt, vanilla and vinegar

*stir in the flour mixture to the prune mixture

*place tbs fulls on prepared pan, smashing down with your fingers

*bake 10-12 minutes

**Prune Puree: soak 1c dried prune in near boiling water for 1-2 hours. Drain the prunes and puree in food processor until uniform and as smooth as you cab get it

Satsuma Almond Cake

i don't think anyone is aware of the fact that Louisiana produces some off the best citrus (in the whole friggin world). that's right - forget the totally worn out old florida navel oranges! annually my parents share their wealth and i get bundles of pink grapefruit, lemons & satsuma - sorry usps. anyways this monday morning the 1st of (hopefully many) my coveted fruits arrived at my door just as i was heading out to work. good way to start your day.

so that leads me to dinner last night. friends came over for dinner at the new apt and having all these delish satsuma sitting around staring at me demanded that i make this gluten free cake. the origins are italian and traditionally made with oranges and blanched almonds. i changed a few things: i added vanilla, used un-blanched almonds to give it a little extra layer of flavor and dressed it up a bit with a chocolate ganache wrap. oh and i served it with fresh whipped cream. what was the word my friend alexis used? i believe it was "heavenly" - i think - either that or "divine". I'm eating another piece right now - it only gets better with time. enjoy!

SATSUMA ALMOND CAKE

4 medium sized satsumas

6 large eggs

2 1/3c un-blanched almond meal / flour

1c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

3oz chopped bittwersweet chocolate

1/3c cream

1/2 tsp instant coffee granules

*make cake:

*place satsumas in cold water, bring to boil and cook for 2hours

*drain and allow to cool completely

*preheat oven to 375F, grease an 8" spring form pan

*puree whole satsumas (everything, peel and all) in blender

*in separate bowl whisk together almond meal and baking powder

*in large bowl beat together the puree and sugar

*add eggs one at a time, blending completely between each

*add in vanilla

*stir in almond meal mix, mix to combine

*pour into prepared pan and cook 1hour, until toothpick is clean

*allow to cool completely, remove from pan then ice edges w/ ganache

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

*heat cream over medium heat until bubbles form around edges

*turn heat off and add in chocolate and coffee, let sit 2 minutes then stir to combine

*let cool slightly then ice cake as desired

Chocolate Mocha Shortbread

i can say that before i whipped these together last night - pre-house guest arrival, post dinner - that i didn't really knew what shortbread was. yeah weird for a "baker" but it just wasn't something that i found even sounded appetizing. short-bread? hmmm not nearly as appealing as say - gingersnap. (mmm gingersnap - yum).

so back to the shortbread i made: i found this recipe in my "cookies" cookbook by martha stewart. to be totally honest the main reason i picked this one was because we have no eggs in the frig. and well - this is chocolate (always gets points) and very simple (check plus plus). i have to say that i really like this treat. josh and i decided to rename it dehydrated brownies cus that's really what it seems like your eating. don't take that name the wrong way - they are totally delicious, just reminds you of a brownie in smell and basic taste, but the texture is obviously lacking the gooey fudgeness of a real brownie. these would be perfect for a christmas gift.

CHOCOLATE MOCHA SHORTBREAD (aka: dehydrated brownies)

1/2c + 2tbs flour

1/4c dutch processed cocoa powder

pinch salt

2 tsp instant coffee granules

4oz butter at room temp

1/2c powdered sugar

*preheat oven to 350F, grease a 8" round cake pan

*sift together flour, cocoa, salt and coffee

*in separate bowl cream butter to light and fluffy

*beat in the powdered sugar

*beat in the cocoa mixture to fully combined

*evenly spread the dough into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes

*cook in pan 5 minutes then cut into 8 wedges, cook on wire rack

*when fully cooled sprinkle with powdered sugar

Gluten Free Banana Pecan Bread

i know - how many breads can one person make in a week?! well let me explain. I order most all of my groceries from an online grocer here in the city. you shop, they deliver the next day whenever you choose. sometimes they fubb up your order. nothing huge, but sometimes i'll get a conspicuous can of dog food or a yukon gold potato in place of a sweet potato - you get the picture. so this time around we received an extra bundle of bananas - which brought our total supply for the week to 12. this may seem plausible to a family of four - or someone who ate bananas everyday. but alas i don't eat them unless in baked goods and really only get them because it is one of the only fruits josh will eat without a coating of butter and sugar.

alright so lets make some baked goods! first off is this great gluten-free banana bread. i love it. high in protein and fiber, low in sugar. its the perfect way to start your day - woohoo!

I used ghee in this which is an kind of cultured butter. a friend of mine from india loaned me a bit of it awhile back after i quizzed him on its uses, etc ect. But, understandably if you do not have ghee on hand just go ahead a use coconut oil in its place. ghee gives an incredibly rich "depth of flavor" to this bread that you just can't beat.

GLUTEN-FREE BANANA PECAN BREAD

3 small - medium bananas, mashed

4 large eggs

1/2c honey

3 tbs melted ghee / coconut oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4c arrowroot

1/2c coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1c chopped pecans

*preheat oven to 350F, grease your loaf pan

*whisk together the eggs, honey, ghee/oil & mashed bananas

*in separate bowl sift together the salt, cinnamon, arrowroot, coconut, soda & baking powder

*pour the egg mixture into the dry, mix to combine

*fold in the pecans

*pour into prepared pan and cook for 50 minutes

Persimmon, Date and Pecan Bread

up until about 2 years ago persimmons were one amongst a list of fruits that i was convinced simply could not be purchased from a grocery store. my father (in my mind) is the persimmon master. every time he would walk through the doors of our camp and plop down a few of those oddly cartoonish orange fruits i would get so excited because, in all seriousness those perfectly ripe little guys were a heavenly mix between an orange and jello. our family favorite ritual is to peel a few of them (enjoy all the mess), throw them in the freezer for about 30 minutes then gorge ourselves on the amazingly complex textures and tastes of this low country louisiana delicacy. as a matter of fact when josh and i were in town visiting my family a little over a month ago my dad trucked a few into the house. don't you love how some things never change?

when i moved to NYC i began to notice that persimmons were sold in the grocery. this was an interesting phenomenon considering this was never the case in louisiana. the logistics would never work out - from what i knew these things are all mush. try putting that in a pyramid and leaving it out for a week or two in hopes some poor schmuck would buy one. well i bought one one day - i just needed some kind of comfort food and this seems perfect. that was a horrific experience - yikes. biting into one of those, thinking you will get a mouthfull of sweet goo was like drinking from a cup filled with sprite when you thought it was water.

needless to say i had never heard of the other persimmons that happened to look just like my childhood ones. these are so grandly called FUYU persimmons and as i discovered; they are not suppose to soft and gooey like my beloved memories. ok, i can accept that then, but what the hell do you do with them then? make bread i suppose. i was rummaging around blogs and found a recipe for persimmon bread. alright then - lets make some changes and do this!

i really like the finished product, its great for breakfast or afternoon snack.

PERSIMMON, DATE & PECAN BREAD

1 egg

2/3c sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c grated persimmons (about 3)

1/3c oil

1 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

1 1/2c AP flour

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp (heaping) cardamon

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2c chopped pecans

1/2c chopped dates

*preheat oven to 350F, grease a loaf pan

*whisk together the first 5 ingredients (through to oil)

*in separate bowl sift together the salt, flour and spices

*mix in oil mixture to just combine

*fold in pecans and dates

*pour into loaf pan and cook 45-50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean

Carrot Cake

so i have this "desk mate" at work. desk mate in the sense that we literally share a plank of white melamine on which we both place our computers, phones, staplers, pens, pencils, stacks (and extra stacks in my case) of sketched over paper, etc etc. we see each other every day for 5 days straight and then 1st thing again monday morning. we make fun of our husbands and exchange sideways glances when someone else in the office is being weird - or whatever. you get the point. what's funny about work relationships like the one my "desk mate" and i have is that after a bit over 2 years of this routine you really get to know someone through seemingly intimate details of this person's life, such as what duvet cover they just bought for their bed, the basics of the in-law relationships and of-course: what kind of cake they like - so much so it was served at their wedding.

alright so i know this deskmate pretty well - right. and she's gunna have a baby in about a month. which translates in office speak to: we're going to have a little get-together and eat cake during office hours on a friday when no one wants to work anyways. annnnnd ofcourse i demanded to bake the cake - her favorite cake, my lease favorite - carrot cake. but its all in the name of desk mate love.

assuming that when multiple people eat upwards of 3 pieces each the signs point to the cake being good, then the cake was a hit. even josh and i enjoyed the un-iced mini cupcakes i made with the leftovers.

CARROT CAKE

2c flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ginger

2c sugar

1 1/4c oil

1 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

3c grated carrots

1c chopped pecans

*preheat oven to 350F, grease pans and line bottom w/ parchment

* in a bowl combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt and spices

* in a separate bowl whisk together the oil and sugar

*beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla

*stir in flour mixture, just to combine

*fold in carrots and pecans

*pour into prepared pans, cook 40 minutes until toothpick is clean

*cool for 10 minutes then turn onto cooling rack

*ice and eat!

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

6oz butter, room temp

14oz cream cheese, room temp

3-4c powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

*beat butter and cream cheese together to fluffy

*beat in 2c sugar then add in vanilla

*continue to add sugar until desired consitency / sweetness (i used about 3 1/2)