Peanut Butter Teff Cookies

-peeeeeeeanutbuttttttter mmmmmmmm-

who ever invented peanutbutter cookie deserve a noble peace prize. seriouslyeverything about peanutbutter cookies says: fun childhood stuff, make love not war - that kind of jargon. just the name makes me happy - how can you go wrong with a cookie made out of creamy lovely goodness, its on the same level as chocolate chocolate cookies, no? but there is something about peanutbutter cookies that is so humble and simple that makes them so perfect. they stand out, just enough, from other cookies; they aren't of the "spiced" variety or the "fill-in-the-blank chunk" variety. nope, they are simple, unassuming and just waiting to be loved. so does anyone know how or why the fork print stamps got on these treats? i suppose it has to do with cooking them evenly??? i don't think anyone really cares. so i'll move on.

so i got some teff flour in hopes that i would be successful in making injera and when that end in a stinky failure i turned the bag over and discovered a simple, and brief, recipe for teff peanutbutter cookies. i made a few changes as per, well just per me and making them heart healthy-er. the earthy-ness of the tiny teff grain paired really well with the peanutty-ness and since teff has no gluten the crumb is pretty close to perfect. whip up a batch and before you throw em in the oven add a tsp of banana jam to the center - oh my god.

PEANUTBUTTER TEFF COOKIES

1 1/2c teff flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 c coconut oil

1/2 maple syrup

1 tbs vanilla

1c peanut butter (smooth, unsalted)

*preheat oven to 350F

*combine the teff and salt

*in a seperate bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients until completely smooth

*add the teff mixture and stir to completely combine

*drop by tbs full, roll into a ball, place on cookie sheet and flatten a little (with a fork if you please)

*bake for 12-14 minutes

Brown Rice Pudding

-nectar of the gods-

this.recipe.makes me very very happy. firstly; i adore rice pudding. i love it warm. i love it cold. i love it sweet. i love it savory (aka risotto). and being you know, somewhat health conscious i have been trying to pin down brown rice pudding for - and i am not exagerating here - years. years people. sometimes it was totally disaster: pellet textured rice imprisoned in rubbery milk mortar. sometimes it was just simply not right: your taster just looks puzzled at the first bite (the worst feeling in the world). i think my biggest problem layed in my resistance to pre-cook the rice. as much as i love the idea that the rice is completely fused with the sweetened milk from the get-go, cooking long grain brown rice this way is just not going to workour for me. maybe you can pull it off, i most definately can not.

precook that rice, or use left over from chinese take-out whatever you like just make it easy on yourself and trust me that this is delish and somewhat, yeah ok i'll call it nutritious.

BROWN RICE PUDDING

adapted from honey & jam

1c long grain brown rice, steamed in 2 1/2c water

1 tbs butter

2 1/2c whole milk

1 1/2c skim milk

2 tbs cane sugar

3 tbs honey (or agave or maple - i used a combo of maple and honey)

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds removed

*combine milks, sugar, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla seeds in large pan over medium heat

*bring milk mixture to boil

*add the cooked rice and butter, bring to a moderate simmer

*stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes - do not let it boil over or scold

*take off heat, remove cinnamon stick

*serve warm or chilled

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)

Cali Succotash

- sunny, sunny california food-

somehow over the short span of a 3 day visit to LA to see josh i found myself stumbling around at 8am in the little bare-bones apt the theater has him in trying to figure out what i was going to make for this impromptu bbq the company was putting on for the everyone. hmmm, what's quick, easy and doesn't have mayo in it? oh and because i have a genetic strain of southern in me - how can i use bacon? well, enter succotash. i really just winged this as per what trader joe's had to offer that morning. usually lima beans (also known as butter beans) would be in place of the edamame, but i figured - hey its california don't they eat a lot of soy and you know other healthy stuff that doesn't have a nickname with "butter" in it? yeah ok, toss it in. to give back some of the creamy sweetness that was lost with the exclusion of the lima i threw in a bit of sweet english peas. all in all i liked it and it appeared that i wasn't the only one.

this makes a ton, enough to feed about 10-15 as a side and you can easily half this if needed.

1lb grape tomatoes

2 1/2c corn

1c english peas

2 1/2c edamame (soy beans)

4 slices apple smoked bacon, diced

2 shallots, chopped

handful fresh basil leaves, chopped chiffonade style

*allow corn and peas to defrost (if they are frozen)

*cook edamame according to package, seasoning well

*heat a large pot over medium high

*add chopped bacon, cook long enough to render the fat and allow bits to crisp

*remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat and add the shallots

*cook stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes until translucent

*add tomatoes, cook for 2-3 minutes more or until skins begin to wrinkle / burst

*add corn, peas and edamame and cook about 5 minutes more to allow everything to heat up and come to same temp.

*add reserved bacon, stir to combine

*taste for seasoning then take off heat

*add the chopped basil and stir to combine

*serve warm or chilled.

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.

Pan Seared Scallops w/ Lemon & Thyme

on a recent trip home my older brother and i took my parents out to dinner. this particular place is were we've celebrated just about every special / important occasion. in a city where strip malls abound amongst dive bars that double as places to get superb po-boys (check this review out - my favorite write up ever) this particular place is my comparatively tranquil little family's oasis. really though, i would venture to say its the amazing soufflés - a-mazin' - that began our love affair. i would believe you if you told me these two chefs taught the french. but besides the souffles; everything on the menu is just exemplaire and this visit didn't change that one bit. my mom order the scallops. hmm yes, scallops. how had i gone so long without scallops in my life. it seems i had totally overlooked them. what's wrong with me?!

quickly i gathered up a wild batch and let my stomach day dream about the wonderfulness i was about to embark on. simple, slightly sweet, slightly salty, light but yet filling and did i mention delicious? make sure to start with rinsed & dried scallops, a hot pan, season well and whatever you do - DO NOT over crowd (if you do they will steam and turn into tiny gummy bear textured hockey pucks). i seared some brussel sprouts and asparagus to accompany but you can do as you please.

PAN SEARED SCALLOPS w/ LEMON & THYME

8oz wild bay scallops

1-2 tbs olive oil (enough to coat large pan)

2tsp chopped fresh thyme

fresh squeezed juice from 1/2 lemon

salt

white pepper

*heat oil in pan over medium high heat

*rinse scallops in cold water, pat dry with paper towel

*season with salt and pepper

*add the scallops to the pan, allowing plenty of room between each, do not overcrowd!

*sprinkle half the thyme over the scallops

*cook 2-3 minutes or until the scallops give on their own from the pan (if you have to pull, its not ready)

*you should have a nice brown crust, this is what you need. if needed turn the heat up a tad

*cook the other side 2 minutes or so until they are give and are browned

*remove the scallops to a plate

*turn heat back up and quickly deglazed pan with the lemon juice. make sure to scrape up any brown bits and thyme

*let sauce simmer a few minutes then pour over scallops as you serve.

Spicy Ethiopian Red Lintel Stew

-the tony chacheres of ethiopia-

i love love love ethiopian cooking. when i lived in DC as a vegan and pre-sensitive tummy issue developmented, i would gorge myself weekly on the spicy exotic fare. to be honest, i think the injera (aka the tasty crepe-ish edible plate that is served with in place of all that ridiculous clumsy western silverware) is what got me hooked, and i haven't spoken to one person who shared my love of this cuisine that doesn't claim the same thing. but alas, over the years i've learned the hard way that the loads of garlic (amongst loads of just about everything tasty) that is traditionally used means no more enjoyment for me. but, like pesto, i make it myself sans the edible trouble makers.

ethiopian food relies heavily on spice blends composed of a laundry list of items and this particular recipe is no exception. so the first thing you need to do is make the blend; this one: Berbere, its like the tony chacheres of ethiopia. just a note here: one of my pet peeves is buying spice mixes. don't do this people, take a few minutes, scavenge your spice rack (everyone's is underused anyways) and pull it together! i know this is a long list of seeming exotic stuff, but believe me here, fresh ground spices are light years better than the dusty stuff you get from the grocery - actually i seriously doubt you'll even find this mix at your grocer, unless you live in the Shaw district of DC.

so make the spice a few days ahead to cave yourself a few minutes then all you have to do is sweat some onions, stir a little, simmer some lentils and let the spices do their magic. you will have a little left over spice, use it in anything - with good judgement - sprinkle over some grilled asparagus --delicious.

**oh and as a fun side note: i did in fact attempt to make injera. hahahah, yeah you do not want to know the details of that adventure but i'm still working it and will keep you posted. the good news about it though; its a gluten free item made with just teff, water and a tad of yeast - oh and time and know-how, the ladder i have yet to attain.

BERBERE SPICE

2 tsp cumin

4 whole cloves (or 1/4 tsp ground)

3/4 tsp cardamon seeds

1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns

1/4 tsp allspice

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp whole coriander seeds

10 small red chile peppers (dried)

1/2tsp ginger

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 tsp salt

2 tbs smoked paprika

1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika

1/8 tsp cinnamon

*quickly toast cumin, clove, cardamon, peppercorns, allspice, fenugreek & coriander in a small pan over medium-low heat. you will know its done when you start to hear the whole seeds "pop"

*let cool slightly and add to spice grinder

*add in remaining ingredients and grind to a fine powder

*use as needed and store the rest in an airtight container

SPICY ETHIOPIAN RED LENTIL STEW

adapted from Cooking LIght May 2010

2tsp oil

2c chopped red onions

1 tbs finely minced fresh ginger

3 tbs tomato paste

1 1/2 tbs Berbere spice (see above)

3c stock (i used veggie)

1c red lentils, rinsed and drained

salt to taste

1/4c chopped dill

*over medium heat heat oil in large dutch oven

*add onions, cook 10-15 minutes until very tender

*add ginger, cook 5 minutes stirring often

*add tomato paste and berbere spice, mix well to combine and cook 1 minute

*slowly whisk in the broth to throughly combine

*increase the heat to medium-high and bring to simmer

*add lentils and simmer partially covered for about 35 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally

*season with salt and stir in the dill.

*serve over whatever grain you wish (i suggest whole grain teff or amaranth to keep it traditional & GF) - or injera if you have the needed skills.

-tasty, vegan and makes me feel less white bread-

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.

Chicken Portabella Saute

and lastly: the all purpose, always enjoyable saute. i can't praise the saute enough. have a hodge-podge of quickly wilting veggies in your frig? saute em! have a package of fancy pants seafood you bought under an ill conceived notion that you would have time this week to prepare yourself a beautiful dinner? just freakin saute it with some browned (aka sautéed) butter. low heat, medium-high heat, ultra high searing heat - whatever! add some oil to a pan, let it heat up, add your food stuff, season, pour a (big) glass of wine - maybe even add some to the pan to reduce and ten minutes later you're groovin on. maybe its the wine but, its never failed me. but be warned: there are so few "seasoning" ingredients involved so you have to use fresh, high-quality salt and pepper - aka non of that 2 year old pepper/dust crap from a tin and go ahead and splurge on some quality sea salt and a grinder. if your seasoning dispensers have the option to "pour", "sift" or "spoon" toss it - grinding is what you want here. think club scene; you don't want to be spooned at a club do you?

sorry back to what you came here for. left over roasted chicken and meaty mushrooms makes a superb saute. if you are following my chicken posts you should have a bit of thyme left over too so add in the sweetly acidic punch of grape tomatoes and you have yourself one of the most versatile bases for dinner / lunch/ breakfast. you can easily add in a serving of pasta and sprinkle of parmesan for a "rustic" italian meal, add a few eggs & some goat cheese for a high protein frittata or simple serve with a little greens on the side - maybe some sautéed spinach! the idea here is quick, easy and a minimal dirty pot count. what more can you ask for?

POST 4:

CHICKEN PORTABELLA SAUTE

1tbs olive oil / unsalted butter

salt & pepper

1/2c chopped yellow onion

1 1/2c grape tomatoes

1 medium portabella mushroom cap (add stem if you are super frugal like me)

1tbs fresh thyme leave (pulled from stems)

1/2 tsp dried oregano or basil (optional)

1c shredded roasted chicken

*heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat

*add the onions, cook 5 minutes until softened

*slice the grape tomatoes in half, add to the pan.

*season with salt and pepper, add the thyme and dried herbs if using.

*cook stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until the skins are slightly seared and tomatoes are starting to release juices

*meanwhile clean mushrooms (wipe down with damp paper towel - do not rinse!) and slice into 1/4" - 1/2" dices

*add mushrooms to pan, cook another 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are softened and almost cooked through

*add chicken cook another 2-3 minutes to heat through.

*turn heat down to low and let the contents simmer a 2-3 minutes more to allow flavors to combine. taste for seasoning and serve.

Chicken Veggie Soup

-can you handle all this comfort?-

i've made this soup so many times and with so many variations that i hesitate to give a "recipe" for this other than one of those old school "hand-ful of this, dash of that" kinda of instructions. the invariable items here are firstly the stock - don't even thing of substituting with canned, i will disown you (no i won't) - use what i gave you, just trust me. secondly are the root vegetables, use whatever variations you want but always include them. Root veggies have a particular earthy sweetness that pairs perfectly with buttery, warm comfort of the stock. i know the poetic imagery is a little overbearing in that last sentence - sorry. there is a third, not to invariable but highly recommended addition: a parmesan rind. you should all be saving your parm. rinds. pop em in the freezer and save for moments like this. add to soup when you add the stock and remove as you are ladling into bowls / containers. if you've never used your rinds to flavor soup, start today and you will never look back. you can thank me later.

like i said; i've made this uncountable times in the past and every time its a little different depending on what i have in the frig. on that particular sunday afternoon. adding the dark greens and parsnip (as in this version) makes more of "take the fall chill off" dinner. try making with a bundle of large leeks and english peas for a lighter, summer friendly version. or leave the chicken out completely and make with white beans - !

POST 3: CHICKEN VEGGIE SOUP

1 1/2 tbs olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2-3 celery stalks, chopped

3-4 medium carrots, peeled, chopped

1-2 medium parsnips, peeled, chopped

3-4 stalks fresh thyme

1 bunch kale (about 4c), leaves only roughly chopped

2 qts homemade chicken stock

1 medium parmesan rind

3 - 1"strips lemon peel (use your potato peeler)

1c shredded chicken, reserved from roasted chicken if possible (more if you wish)

*in large dutch oven heat oil over medium high heat

*add onions, cook stirring until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes

*add celery, carrots and parsnips, cook stirring occasionally about 5 more minutes. season with salt and pepper

*add thyme and any other herbs (oregano is nice too), cook stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute

*add the kale and cook just to evenly begin to soften - should only take a minute or two

*add the stock, rind and lemon peel.

*bring to boil, lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes until the carrots and parsnips are cooked.

*add the chicken and simmer another 5-10 minutes

*taste for seasoning. remove the lemon peel and rind before serving / freezing.

Chicken Stock

- liquid gold?-

i alway get a little laugh from recipes for salads, sandwiches (other than chicken salad and the like) and stock - particularly chicken and veggie stock. what? we can't figure this out? well maybe sometimes we need help, but people just trust yourself a little bit. really, how bad can it get? unless you were planning to add a fruit roll-up to your stock i am almost positive you can create your own stock with whatever whole foods you have. please don't freak out about stock.

when i roast a chicken the first thing that i do, after scrubbing dishes, is throw the carcass in a pot of water and let the little guy slosh around while i sleep. when i wake up the apt is filled with the smell of - i don't know - warmth? excuse the poetry. but this stock is the endlessly useful. at any given time my freezer has at least 2-3 container of waiting for me. some "recipes" for chicken stock call for veggies, but i just can't be bothered with that. i have nothing against vegetables but, chicken stock should just be chicken - right?

none-the-less i will swear by this stock. its made some amazing soups (one of which i will be posting soon) for me over the years.

POST 2:

CHICKEN STOCK

1 roasted chicken carcass

a few sprigs of thyme from the stuffing

1-2 garlic cloves from the stuffing

room temp water to cover

*after carving away all the left over meat place all ingredients in large stock pot.

*bring to a boil

*turn heat down to the lowest possible - if you have a simmer burner, place on that at lowest setting

*cover after a few hours, let simmer for 6-8 hours.

*remove the carcass, garlic cloves and thyme stems - leave the tasty little leaves.

*dole out as you wish, freeze or use immediately.

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-

Apricot & Coconut Almond Tea Cakes_GF

-gluten free apricot and coconut tea cake, made specifically for the best of snackers-

i finally had a chance to make another recipe out of the gluten-free almond flour cookbook - i love this book btw. every saturday or sunday morning for the past month or so i pull out this little treasure trove and flip through it while my weekend pancakes are getting all heavenly and golden. every time i avow that i will make this or that. then get diverted by something else. but alas - i did it! i made these delicious little tea cakes. suppose i don't have to tell you that they really are perfect with a little cup of tea, but i will anyways - or i guess i already did. hmm.

these have no added sugar other than the natural sweetness of the apricots as well as the more subtle coconut and almonds. they are kinda perfect to me. these can be classified as those grand treats that aren't sweet but yet leave a sweetness in your mouth that satisfies any sweet tooth you have. like i said, pretty damned perfect.

the one note i have: make sure and use good quality, fresh dried apricots - make sure there's no funny business in the ingredients like sulphur dioxide which is rampant in dried fruits particularly apricots. not only does it diminishes vitamins in foods but will spur an asthma attack and possibly cause stomach problems in people lucky enough to be like me. i always stick to organic Turkish apricots, brown and all - yum!

if i've totally freaked you out about apricots (understandably) then i am sure you can substitute any dried fruit -- i would say fig. if you do let me know how it turns out.

APRICOT & COCONUT ALMOND TEA CAKES_GF

1c dried apricots

1c unsweetened shredded coconut

2c blanched almond flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1 tbs vanilla

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

*in a food processor chop the apricots and coconut to a crumbly mixture

*add in the almond flour, pulsing

*add in salt & baking soda, pulse a bit to combine

*add in the egg an vanilla, blend to combine

*empty out into the prepared pan and pat down to evenly distribute

*bake 20-25 minutes until golden

*let cook completely (about 30-45 minutes) before cutting

Banana Coconut & Carob Bread_vegan & GF

-taste the tropical goodness-

about every other week or so i am faced with the "dilemma" of what to do with numerous overly ripe bananas. i don't really eat bananas , unless baked into a delicious cake or muffin, what have you. so when the banana order arrives 9 to a bunch. leftovers are going to happen.

so this leaves quite the opportunity for a sugar sensitive, health conscious (to an extent) foodie freak like myself. the problem is; bananas can be used for anything. seriously. do a quick google search for banana recipes - you will be bombarded. at first they all seem to be the same - banana nut muffins, banana cream pie, banana chocolate chip bread.... yadda yadda. so anyways i ran into a recipe for banana's and coconut "bars" which made me think - yeah lets get tropical with this eh?

and here we have it - a healthy, vegan, low fat, gluten free, low GI little treat for your morning enjoyment!

BANANA COCONUT CARON BREAD (vegan, gluten free)

3 (very) ripe bananas

2 tbs molasses

1/3c unsweetened applesauce

1/4c agave

1/4c maple syrup

2c spelt flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4c unsweetened shredded coconut flakes

1/2c carob chips

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

*mash the bananas in a small bowl, add in molasses, applesauce, agave and maple syrup. Stir to combine

*in seperate bowl sift together the spelt, baking powder, baking soda and salt

*stir in the banana mixture, just to combine

*fold in coconut and carob chips

*pour into prepared pan

*cook for 45-50 minutes - until toothpick is clean

*let cool and slice.

Banana Date Monkey Ice Cream -Sugar Free_GF_Vegan

- kinda tastes like banana chocolate chip bread, but better-

since getting the ice cream maker i've been hard at work trying to recreate our favorite "usuals" - amongst these favorites is the infamous chunky monkey. that's right folks; everyone in the world loves ben & jerry's because of chunky monkey and half baked. you know i'm right - ok phish food is up there too.

aaaand you know i can't allow 3 cups of cream, half dozen yolks and cups of sugar to hang around in my freezer waiting to be turned into a clogged artery. what does she do then? well, first i do research. and i found a few recipes for banana coconut ice-cream which is what i based the final product off of. but most all called for an entire can of coconut milk, which really is fine, but take a quick look at the fat count on that. while good fats - still, lets keep it under control eh? so i kept some of the coconut milk but lightened it up with unsweetened almond milk.

i am in love with this ice-cream. there is no added sugar, no dairy and gluten free. if you want it creamery (after freezing it does get a little "icey") use all coconut milk, that should keep everything smooth and decadent.

BANANA DATE MONKEY ICE CREAM

5 very ripe bananas, cut into 1" slices

2 medjool dates, diced

2 tbs coconut oil (melted if needed)

1 tbs vanilla

1/2c coconut milk

1/4 tsp coconut extract

1 1/4c unsweetened almond milk

1/2c toasted chopped walnuts

1/2c chopped dark chocolate

*preheat oven to 375 F

*place bananas and dates in a 11 x 7 glass baking pan

*drizzle the oil and vanilla over the bananas

*bake for 45 minutes, until the bananas begin to caramelize - don't let them burn!

*removed from oven, let cool a bit

*blend the bananas and milks together in blender until very smooth

*add in the extracts

*chill the mixture for 3-4 hours

*make as directed by your icecream maker

*about 2 minutes before it is done churning add in the walnuts and chocolate

*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

GF_Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

where do you draw the line when on what can and can't be a chocolate chip cookie? there are some recipes out there that have dried fruit, mashed fruit, dried fruit purees, chopped nuts, nut butters, ground nuts, various extracts and spices that all label themselves as "chocolate chip cookies" with an addition of "with xyz" - for example: "chocolate chip cookies with walnuts, banana, oatmeal and raisins".

don't get me wrong; i love cookies made V8 style - everything crammed into one serving. as a matter of fact i love to sneak a good prune into my chocolate cookies. but alas sometimes you have to just make "plain" old chocolate chip cookies. no walnuts, no fruit, no espresso powder - just sugar, flour and chocolate. but you know me and you know i can't just leave it at that. although these are "just" chocolate chip cookies - they are special: vegan and gluten free. so anyone and everyone can indulge themselves and that they will; indulge!

1/2c coconut oil - melted

1/4c unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbs vanilla extract

1/2c packed light brown sugar

2 tbs flax meal

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp xanthan gum

1c gluten free flour (bob's red mill)

1/2c chocolate chips

*preheat oven to 325F

*mix together oil, applesauce, salt, vanilla and sugar

*in separate bowl sift together flax, soda, xanthan and flour

*stir dry ingredients into wet

*fold in chocolate

*drop by tbs full onto lined baking sheet

*flatten a bit and cook 13 -15 minutes

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

Gluten Free _ Bread

it is official - i am going to go pseudo gluten free for the next few weeks. i say pseudo because well, as with most things in life it just doesn't always work out. so my newest mantra is something along the lines of "don't label yourself". if you are pessimistic (like me) that would translate to: "don't fully commit to anything because you are kinda lazy and will only fail at the given task then feel all guilty about not reaching your goal and end up setting another one to try and make up for the one you just broke, only to continue this cycle". if you are optimistic (like anyone who thinks its cute when an entire class of 2nd graders are piled into the same subway car you just barely eked into) that would translate to: "be free and live life the way that makes you happy, you are an individual and whatever you do makes you the special person you are."

so take your pick but non-the-less you are going to start seeing a bit more gluten free items around here. if you are unfamiliar with gluten free-ness then just use your judgement - if you don't know what coconut butter is - lets chat first before you dive into some of these.

i love this bread - adapted from elana's kitchen- toasted with almond butter and mayhaw jelly (straight from my aunts kitchen in sunny louisiana) - it almost reminds me of the satsuma cake i made a while back. but i nosh on it for lunch - rock out!

GLUTEN FREE_BREAD

2 1/4c almond meal

1c + 2tbs potato starch

6t bs flax meal

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

6 eggs

1 1/2 tsp agave

1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

*preheat oven t0 350F, grease 8 x 4 loaf pan

*sift together the almond meal, starch flax and soda

*in separate bowl beat eggs to foamy

*add in vinegar and agave

*add almond mixture into egg mixture, stir to combine

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

*cool completely then slice.