My Favorite Grain Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have had My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe for years now.  I’ve tried so many different recipes over the years, even since finding THE one, but the one I always make holds true.  It is a perfect cookie dough and makes perfect cookies.  I’ve used the recipe to add all kinds of things to the cookie, including peanut butter yumminess, coconut and nuts, and freeze dried raspberries, just to name a few.  I adapted the Jacques Torres/New York Times recipe years ago and have made this one my go-to.  Everyone loves the cookies.  Check out the link for lots of mouth-watering pictures.  There was a problem—now that I don’t eat gluten and refined sugar, I knew I was really missing out on one of my favorite things.  In the meantime, I’ve tried many gluten free and grain free chocolate chip cookie recipes.  They are usually okay.  They usually “do the trick” for me, you know, get me over that “I need a chocolate chip cookie” fix. 



I need to tell you though—I’ve found My Favorite Grain Free Chocolate Chip Cookie and need to share it with you all here.  I almost always make the regular ones into huge cookies, they are just perfect that way.  I give them away to lots of happy people and hear many compliments.  I recently needed to give some good gluten free chocolate chip cookies to someone who can’t have gluten (at all, I cleaned everything well and kept it well away from anything gluten), so I created this one and it’s the best one I’ve made.  Perfect combination of chewy on the inside and crisp edges and the flavor is great with what I think is just the right amount of sweetness from coconut sugar and a little honey.  Must make these again!



My Favorite Grain Free Chocolate Chip Cookies, by Katrina Smith, Baking and Boys!
 

1 cup almond flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons coconut oil
½ cup coconut sugar
¼ cup raw honey
6 tablespoons almond butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon pure almond extract (optional)
1 large egg
1 ¼ cup Enjoy Life chocolate chunks and mini chips (ingredients in the chocolate—evaporated cane juice, natural chocolate liquor (non-alcoholic), non-dairy cocoa butter—dairy, soy, nut and gluten free)
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium sized bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a mixer, combine the coconut oil, coconut sugar, honey and almond butter. Beat until well combined. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chunks/chips with a spatula. Scoop the dough into cookies on the baking sheet and bake for 10-14 minutes (depending on size of cookies). Let cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
 

You know you want a bite.  Or maybe even your own cookie (s )!

Eight Years of Blogging! Chocolate Drizzled Toasted Almond Coconut Macaroons

Today it has been eight years since I started my blog!  I cannot believe it—eight years!  When I started it, just to keep track of and share happenings of my boys and my life with my family and friends, I had no idea I’d still be at it this many years later.  My boys are sure growing up!

 

It’s strange to think back to 2008.  Sam wasn’t even one when I started my blog.  He’s now almost nine!  Scott is 17, Parker is 14, and Taylor is 12!  Bah!!!  It’s too much to keep thinking about, so let’s talk macaroons instead.

 

I love coconut.  I don’t think I’ve ever met or made a macaroon I didn’t like.  But I think I’ve made one that might be my favorite now….and for always?  These have toasted almonds, ground nice and finely.  They are made with coconut sugar and raw honey, unsweetened coconut and egg whites.  Perfectly gluten free and refined sugar free, but you must believe me—they are so good.  Perfect, if I must say so.  Yes, they are great plain, as is.  But if you know me, I have to add a little chocolate to just about everything.  So I melted some Enjoy Life chocolate chips and drizzled it over the tops of the cookies, then sprinkled some more of the freshly ground toasted almonds on top.  Heavenly!

 

They really are great without the chocolate.  I know, I ate a few of them before the chocolate came along.  But come on—everything is better with chocolate.  It had to be done.  I just wouldn’t be me if I hadn’t.  You want the recipe, I know, that’s really why you’re here. 

 

Can you guess which one I ate first?  That’s right—the one where the bigger drizzle of chocolate fell upon it. ; )

 

Chocolate Drizzled Toasted Almond Coconut Macaroons, by Katrina, Baking and Boys! (Gluten Free, Grain Free, Paleo, Refined Sugar Free)

 

2 large egg whites, room temperature

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup raw honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 cups unsweetened (dessicated) shredded coconut

1/2 cup freshly toasted, then finely ground almonds*

3-4 ounces Enjoy Life chocolate chips (3 ounces is 1/2 cup)

1/2 teaspoon coconut oil

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and begin beating them on high speed with the wire attachment until foamy.  Gradually add the coconut sugar then the honey. Scrape the sides of the bowl.  Add the vanilla, almond extract and salt and beat until soft peaks form.  Fold the coconut and ground almonds into the egg white mixture.  Using a cookie scoop, put the coconut mixture into mounds on the baking sheet, using your hands/fingers form each firmly together on the tops.  They can be fairly close together on the baking sheet as they do not spread.  Makes about 16 cookies.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Let cool on the baking sheet until almost cool.  Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Melt the chocolate in a glass dish in the microwave in 20-30 second intervals, stirring in between.  When it is almost completely melted, add the coconut oil and stir until melted and combined.  This only takes about 90 seconds total.  Using a small spoon (or add the chocolate to a sandwich-sized plastic zip top baggie with the corner snipped off), drizzle the chocolate over each cookie.  I happened to have some extra ground almonds and sprinkled it over each cookie. 

 

I took the inspiration and basic recipe for these from a recipe for some macaroons I made a couple years ago that were also the bomb--White Chocolate Lime Coconut Macaroons and Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Coconut Macaroons.  These were also delicious!  Try them!  Credit goes again to What Jew Wanna Eat for the original recipe.

 

Happy Eight Years of Blogging to me.  Who knows—maybe another eight year or more?  I don’t even want to think about how grown up my boys would be then—and how old that would make me…..

World Nutella Day—Homemade Healthy Nutella

 

Happy World Nutella Day!  What does that mean for me?  I’ve always liked Nutella.  But it has lots of sugar and I don’t eat it anymore.  What did I do about this dilemma?  I made my own!  And you can, too!  It’s super easy and taste pretty darn good.  Is it exactly the same?  According to my boys, NO!  But for me, it works and I’m happy.

I made the Nutella  copycat and decided I needed to have it on some toast.  I don’t often have gluten free bread, but happened to have some I’d recently bought at Costco.  It comes in an interesting shape.  After slathering on the Nutella, I noticed it kind of reminded me of a ghost.  Then since it’s not Halloween, which would be super cute and fun to make these then, I made a second piece of toast and another cute ghost with a red mouth (although it looks more like a nose)—perfect!  Now they look like a perfect Valentine pair—don’t they?  Ready to dance the day away!

The recipe made a half quart (so 2 pints, it’s the wider but shorter jar), right?  Yeah, I know, I could check on the world wide web or ask my mom, but I’m too lazy and just can’t wait to tell you about this.  I know homemade versions of Nutella have been done before and I looked at some of them, but ultimately decided on my own amounts and ingredients.  Some had added coconut oil and regular sugar, etc.  I didn’t think that was necessary.  I like the maple syrup I used in this, but I’m interested next time in trying to make it with raw honey, too.  It’s definitely not too sweet, I’m now so used to things not being very sweet since I don’t eat much sugar/sweet things anymore, so this was just right for me.  I believe it would even be considered Paleo and vegan.

Homemade Healthy Nutella, by Katrina, Baking and Boys! (Paleo, vegan, refined sugar free, gluten free, dairy free)

1 ½ cups toasted (and skinned) hazelnuts, chopped (I bought some that are already toasted and chopped, which I prefer over toasting and skinning them myself.)

½ cup cocoa powder

½ cup almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

½ cup Grade B maple syrup (Grade A is okay)

Put the hazelnuts in the bowl of a blender (I have a Blendtec, which is super powerful!). You could also use a food processor, but note that it does take a lot longer to grind the nuts into a butter, maybe 10 minutes. Pulse nuts in the blender, scraping down the sides every 10-20 seconds. In the Blendtec this literally only takes about 2 minutes until it’s a pretty smooth butter. Add the cocoa powder and half the almond milk and pulse to combine. Add the rest of the almond milk, vanilla and salt and pulse to combine well. Add about half the maple syrup and combine, taste and add more to your liking, up to half a cup. I used the full amount.  I am going to try it with raw honey next time, I just like the flavor better. Store in a jar in the refrigerator. Makes half a quart/2 pints. This would be perfect to put in little jars for gifts, but it would be hard not to eat it instead.

I mean, really, this looks like it totally needed a companion.  And I needed a second slice of toast with this Homemade Healthy Nutella on it, too.  So it was a win for both of us.  Until this started happening……..

Sorry ghosts on toast, it had to happen. ; )

You can find a whole lotta Nuttela greatness and love on the Facebook page and on Twitter.  #WorldNutellaDay  You can also find a lot more Nutella laden recipes (and mouth-watering photos) on my blog.  I’ve been posting something for World Nutella Day since 2009!  And guess what—my blog will be 8 years old in less than two weeks!  How cool is that!

Chocolate Chip Ginger Cookies (Gluten Free)

So I know, the year is practically fleeing before our very eyes and I haven’t even posted yet in 2016.  I have reasons.  They seem like good ones, but still I hate that haven’t had anything to share.  I have plenty of excuses, like my blog issues, still dealing with that as I was in December.  Then my old laptop had some serious problems.  It’s gone.  My awesome husband got me a new, nicer laptop that hopefully I will not have the same kind of problems I had with the old one.  We also made the mistake of not getting the warranty on the old computer which has been a problem since day one.  RIP, year old laptop, that poor thing just never had a chance. 
So I’m trying to get something posted before January 2016 is in the history books.  And I’m not even sure it will post because of the blog issues.  I know most people out there have beautiful, wonderful blogs that looks so good and I know that mine is the same it has been for almost eight years now, but I don’t really have it in me to make those changes.  I would if it was just the snap of my fingers, I would have done it long ago, but alas, it is not to be.  So let’s see if this works.
The holidays are gone, but my love for ginger cookies (and all things ginger flavored for that matter) is not gone.  So a couple weeks ago I made some really good, or dare I say, perfect gluten free ginger cookies.  I was happy and wish I still had some.  I’ll make them again even though the season for ginger is over.  Who decided that anyway?  I’m sticking with what I like any time of the year.  You with me on that?

The cookies have the perfect amount of crisp snap that I like, but are still a little softer and chewy in the middle.  If you don’t know me well enough by now, I put chocolate in just about everything, so these ginger cookies were made perfect for me with the addition of some chopped chocolate (the kind I used just happened be organic dark chocolate and had crystallized ginger in it).  You can use any chocolate chips or chocolate you’d like or if you’re a ginger purest, you can leave it out, but chocolate and ginger are one of those matches made in heaven.  Just saying.
Chocolate Chip Ginger Cookies (Gluten Free), by Katrina, Baking and Boys!
2 cups gluten free flour blend
1  1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1  1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (3 ounces) chopped chocolate or chips
Sugar in the Raw (turbinado sugar) for sprinkling on top
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a medium sized bowl, combine all the dry ingredients down to the pepper and whisk together.  In the bowl of a mixer, combine the butter, cane sugar and coconut sugar and beat for a couple minutes until creamy.  Scrape the sides of the bowl.  Add the egg, molasses, balsamic vinegar and vanilla and beat until well combined.  Scrape the sides of the bowl.  Add the dry ingredients and beat just until combined.  Stir in the chocolate.  Scoop the cookies into walnut sized balls and sprinkle each with some Sugar in the Raw.  (You can roll them in the sugar, but I was going for less sugar.)  Bake for 10-12 minutes (depending on how firm/crunchy you want them).  Let sit on baking sheet for a few minutes then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Makes about 3 dozen.  Store in an airtight container. 

I don’t think anyone would have a clue that these are gluten free.  But here at my house, I like to tell the boys when I’ve made something gluten free, it stops them from eating MY cookies because they assume they don’t taste good. ; )  Works for me.

True No Bake Cookies—The Easiest and Yummiest Cookies Ever

If you’re looking for the world’s most simple, yummiest treat (you could totally whip these up in minutes and serve them for New Year’s Eve tonight), this is the cookie!  There was recently a very small feud (not really a feud, just an observance) between a fellow food blogger and I about these classic no bake cookies.  This recipe I’ve made and posted today are THE original cookies, THE recipe I grew up making.  There are no other True No Bake Cookies. ; )  That said, Blaise from Blaise the Baker posted a step-by-step tutorial about these cookies yesterday on his Facebook page.  You can get his (not original, hehe) recipe on the link to his blog.  After I saw his post, it dawned on me that every time I have seen these cookies, for years—they have always had peanut butter in them.  I’m here to tell you, even as a chocolate and peanut butter lover, that these should not be made with peanut butter.  It’s wrong. 

Okay, okay, it’s probably not wrong.  But THE True No Bake Cookies I grew up with do not have peanut butter, so it has always seemed wrong to me.  After chatting with Blaise, I looked through my good old recipe box for the recipe.  And when I say old, I mean it—I have in that box recipes from when I took a cooking class in 7th grade, so we’re talking 34+ years ago.  Whew!  Anyway, there I found THE recipe!

And here I share THE recipe with YOU!  Peanut butter not necessary.  If you need the chocolate/peanut butter combo fix, eat a Reese’s. 

True No Bake Cookies, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup 2% milk

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup nuts (I always remember walnuts, peanuts are not an option, haha), optional

1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut, optional

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, combine together the sugar, butter, milk, cocoa and salt.  When it comes to a good rolling boil, boil for exactly one minute.  Remove from heat and add the vanilla.  Stir well.  Add the oats, coconut, and nuts and stir together to combine.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto waxed paper and let cool.  They don’t even take 30 minutes to cool and set up.  Serve the plateful and watch them disappear.  Makes 18-20.  (The nuts and coconut are optional.  I left out the nuts as my kids don’t love them.)

You do not need to make these all perfectly uniform.  They shouldn’t be.  That is what makes them “true”.

How do you make no bake cookies?  Wondering if I have other fellow non-peanut butter no bake cookie people out there.  I’m sure Blaise and all the others out there who put peanut butter in theirs still have a great cookie.  Just having a little fun.

Happy End of 2015!  And here’s to a wonderful New Year to you all!  Make it a great one!  I plan to do so!

Spicy Mixed Nuts (Refined Sugar Free, Paleo)

Looking for a munchy snack for New Year’s Eve?  These spiced mixed nuts are great!  They aren’t just perfect for New Year’s or any other holiday, I’d make them year round.  And they are pretty healthy—there are no refined sugars in them—just good Grade B maple syrup, and not even that much.  A little egg white to add to the protein and some great spices make these perfectly crunchy and delicious.  I’ve loved having them here while others around me are eating so many other treats that I no longer eat. 

I used pecans, almonds, and just a handful of cashews and hazelnuts along with some raw sunflower seeds.  I threw a little orange zest in the mixture and it’s good.  I wish I would have added a little more.  The kick from some cayenne is just enough, but if you’d like it even spicier, add a little more.  I was afraid and didn’t want to make them too spicy since I’m mainly the only one eating them around here.  Love the sweet combo of cinnamon, maple and orange.  It goes well with the cayenne, chili and cumin powder to make a great sweet and spicy flavor.

These made for some nice holidays gifts I also handed out.

Spicy Mixed Nuts (Paleo, Refined Sugar Free), by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

5 cups mixed nuts (I used a mixture of mostly pecans and almonds, with some cashews, hazelnuts and some sunflower seeds)

2 large egg whites

¼ cup Grade B maple syrup

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon Ancho chili powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne powder

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Put all the nuts in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer for 2 minutes, until frothy. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the nuts) and fold it all together. Spread the mixture evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Or portion them out into cute gift bags and ties.

Salted Caramel Pecan Turtles Fudge

Do you like fudge?  Do you like the classic turtles candy, you know, chocolate, caramel and pecans?  I decided to combine them together and came up with this super easy, tasty fudge!  Decided to add a little salt on the top and think it’s a great addition if you like salted caramel. 

Do you have all your Christmas baking done?  I don’t.  But I never really do.  I always have things I run out of time to make or that I want to try for the first time.  I’ve made plenty of my “signature” Chocolate Chip Cookies, also made the same recipe and threw in a bunch of chopped up Andes Chocolate Mints.  Everyone has loved these, I probably haven’t made enough of them. 

Anyway, I whipped up the easy fudge that is just made with melted chocolate chips and a can of sweetened condensed milk, then decided to add the caramel and pecans.  A friend of mine gives us a nice square of real, homemade, cooked-like-grandma-used-to-make fudge every Christmas.  Even since I’ve been off gluten and refined sugar, I usually take a little taste.  It is divine!  My fudge is delicious, but much easier, and so I suppose I’m lazy.  Really I think it’s just because I’d rather bake cookies than spend time cooking fudge over the stove.

  Salted Caramel Pecan Turtles Fudge, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

12 ounce package semi sweet chocolate chips

14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

6 ounces caramel, chopped (or unwrapped caramel squares)

2 tablepoons heavy cream

3/4 cup pecans, lightly toasted, rough chopped

Flaked sea salt, optional*

Line an 8x8 inch square baking pan with non stick foil, leaving the edges overhanging a bit, spray it lightly with cooking spray.  Set aside.  In a glass microwave safe bowl, combine the caramel and cream.  Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between each.  It should only take 1-2 minutes.  Let the caramel cool to room temperature.  In a medium sized saucepan over medium low heat, combine the chocolate chips and condensed milk.  Stir until melted and smooth.  Add the vanilla and salt and stir until combined.  Add the pecans and stir well.  Take a few spoonfuls of the caramel and carefully stir it into the fudge, without combining it completely.  The fudge thickens quickly, so spread it evenly in the pan.  Pour or spoon the remaining caramel over the top, then swirl it in and around the caramel with a knife.  *Lightly sprinkle salt over the top.  Feel free to leave off the salt if you’d like.  I was out of course, flaked salt and just used a little sprinkle of sea salt.  Refrigerate the fudge for at least an hour.  Remove from the pan using the foil edges and peel the foil off the back.  Cut the fudge on a cutting board into squares. 

I think it has just the right amount of caramel and salt and again, tasted a little for quality control.  Christmas is almost here!  Are you ready?

 

  

Testing

Testing and more testing.

Testing

Merry Christmas!

Jazzed Up Fruity Granola, Gluten Free Option, with Crunchies Freeze Dried Fruit

It is no secret that I love granola.  One thing I love, especially this time of year when treats and ooey-gooey things abound, is to have granola on hand as a perfect snack to grab when you’ve had enough of the other stuff.  In my case, things like this granola ARE my treat.  There is no shortage of granola recipes on my blog—everything from Apple Cinnamon Granola, Banana Split Granola, Coconut Lime Granola, to Dark Chocolate Raspberry Granola and many more!

I am lucky enough to have had the opportunity to receive a nice package from Crunchies!  Have you seen their freeze dried fruit or tried them?  I have loved freeze dried fruit for a long time and these Crunchies have sure made a great snack.  I love that they have no added anything—it’s just the fruit—freeze dried!  I’ve seen them in the stores and will definitely now be getting them more often.  My favorites are raspberries, strawberry/banana, pineapple and cinnamon apple.  Which ones would/do you like? 

I decided that I needed to use some of these in granola.  They are perfect.  I mean, look at this plain ol’ boring granola I made.

I love just munching on granola.  Just as equally, I like it as a bowl of cereal with almond milk or on some Greek yogurt drizzled with a little raw honey—but it definitely benefits from the Crunchies freeze dried fruit.  Here I also recently made some chocolate granola (always gluten free for me, and refined sugar free), but the chocolate granola on some Greek yogurt with Crunchies freeze dried raspberries—heavenly!  You should follow Crunchies on Facebook to stay up with their latest and greatest.

It was also perfect giving some away as a birthday gift wrapped up in nice cellophane bag.  Forgot to photograph that one.
 
Jazzed Up Fruity Granola, Gluten Free and Refined Sugar Free, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!
4 1/2 cups gluten free oats (you can use regular old fashioned oats if you don’t need it to be gluten free)
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1/4 cup hemp seeds (optional, but they sure pack a nutritional punch)
1/2 unsweetened coconut*
1/2 cup raw walnuts*
1/2 cup raw pecans*
1/4 cup raw, sliced almonds*
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup organic coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
1/4 cup raw honey
6 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Any Crunchies freeze dried fruit you’d like, this one has raspberries, strawberries, bananas and pineapple

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat.  In a large bowl, combine the oats, flax, hemp, coconut and all the nuts and the salt. (*You can use any nuts you’d like for a total of 1-1/2 to 2 cups of nuts, I like sunflower seeds, too.)  Mix together until all combined.  In a microwave safe glass bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar, honey and coconut oil.  Microwave for about 30 seconds just until it’s more runny.  Add the vanilla and whisk together.  Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture and using a spatula, mix together until everything is moistened.  Spread the mixture evenly onto the baking sheet.  Bake for 22-25 minutes until all golden.   Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack—do not stir it around.  Once it is cooled, break the granola into pieces.  Letting it sit until cool makes for bigger chunks.  If you stirred it right out of the oven, it’s still good, but has smaller bits of granola.  Store it in an airtight container.  Add the fruit when serving the granola.  If you added it to the granola for storing, it loses its crunchiness.

Want more delicious recipes and info from Crunchies?  Follow them here on Pinterest and Twitter and Instagram.

Thanks Crunchies for all the samples of your delicious freeze dried fruit.  I literally had to hide these from my oldest son.  He would have taken them all and eaten them before I even got to use them and eat them myself!  I was nice enough and let him have the grapes and blueberries, just to ward him off my stash.

Sweet Potato Chocolate Marble Bundt Cake (Gluten Free, Grain Free)

This was my birthday cake I made a couple weeks ago, but it would be perfect for your Thanksgiving desserts or Christmas, or any holiday or any occasion or just because you want cake—it’s practically healthy!  Get this—the cake is not only gluten free, but it’s grain free and it’s made with much healthier coconut sugar and raw honey for the sweetener.  Hello, it also has a vegetable in it.  The sweet potato acts like pumpkin.  I love the flavor.  With sweet spices added, sweet potato and and chocolate go together perfectly!  If you’re trying to find healthier desserts or have diet restrictions, this pretty bundt cake would be just right for you. 
It was certainly just right for my birthday, which just happens to fall on National Bundt Day, November 15.  I’ve enjoyed making a bundt cake for my birthday for a number of years now, ever since Mary at The Food Librarian started in with her love of bundts.  She has hundreds of bundt cakes posted on her blog.  She would even do 30 days of bundts leading up to my birthday National Bundt Day, and post a bundt a day before that.  She did that for a couple years.  She has some great round ups of all the cakes she’s made as well as some round ups of the bundts everyone makes to join in the fun and send her their links. 

I can’t wait to make this cake again.  I recently bought two sweet potatoes that were huge—one was over three pounds!  I baked it and used it to make a puree.  It was well enough for this cake and a lot more.  Some of it even went in the freezer since I went out of town and couldn’t eat it all up before it would have spoiled.  I still have the second big one and some smaller ones to use up.  I thought the big one wouldn’t be good (over grown) or as sweet or something, but it was great and perfect for this cake!
Sweet Potato Chocolate Marble Bundt Cake, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!
4 ounces good chocolate, melted and cooled (I used Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips)
1/2 cup arrowroot powder
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 cup almond meal/flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup (168 grams) raw honey
1/2 cup (224 grams) coconut oil
1 cup (250 grams) sweet potato puree (Make sure it’s cool if you’re baking it right before using it. I baked mine the night before I made the cake, then cooled it and stored it in the refrigerator, then pureed it right before using.)
4 large eggs (I actually used 5 sm-med. farm fresh eggs, for a total of 202 grams out of shell)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips
Ganache Drizzle:
2 1/2 ounces chocolate (I used mini chocolate chips)
4 tablespoons heavy cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spread coconut oil evenly over the surface of the bundt pan.  (You’ll want at least a 6 cup bundt pan, but bigger will work, too, it’s not a super high cake that totally fills the pan.)  You can also dust it with cocoa powder or almond flour or coconut flour, but I didn’t, just oil.  (The cake stuck in one little place and usually doesn’t at all when I add some kind of flour after oiling the pan.)  Set aside.  Melt the 4 ounces of chocolate in a medium sized microwave-safe bowl.  Stir after 20-30 second intervals until all melted and smooth and let cool while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the arrowroot, coconut flour, almond flour, baking soda, salt and all the spices.  Whisk together, set aside.  In a large bowl, combine the coconut sugar, honey and coconut oil.  Whisk (or use mixer) until well combined.  Add the sweet potato puree and beat until combined.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well.  Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix together until well combined.  Remove about 1/3 of the cake batter from the bowl into another pan and add the 4 ounces of melted chocolate to it, then combine well. 
Working in spoonsful or scoops at a time, put the batter in the pan, first the sweet potato cake batter, then in opposite places around the bundt the chocolate batter in spoonsful.  Continue in layers of both cake batters until you’ve used it all.  Take a butter knife and swirl the batter to make the marble effect (not too much swirling or it will not look marbled).  Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.  Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes.  Turn the cake over and let it sit for a couple minutes, then tap the sides and bottom of the pan to release the cake.  It should come out nicely!  Heat the cream in a microwave safe bowl until slightly bubbly (careful it doesn’t boil over, it can come to that stage pretty quickly, especially since it’s such a small amount.)  Pour the heated cream over the 2 1/2 ounces of chocolate, let sit for a minute.  Then slowly stir it together until the chocolate is all melted and you have a nice smooth ganache.  You can do this while the cake is cooling as it sets up a bit after it’s all melted.  Drizzle the ganache over the cake (I put it in a plastic zip top bag and snipped the corner off to drizzle it over the cake, you can also do it by the spoonsful.) 

As I wrote down the recipe, it seemed a little involved, but I have found if you get everything out and in place (Mise en place, I’m all for it!), it’s not bad at all.  Prep everything ahead of time, bake your potato, melt the chocolate, etc.—it’s really not too bad.  And fun.  And worth it for this cake!  Not only does it taste great—it looks great, too.  I think it’s a real show stopper.  If you had this on your dessert table and didn’t tell anyone it was grain free, I don’t think anyone would even know.  Only Kevin and my son, Scott, even tasted the cake.  But after that I hid the rest for the next couple days so they didn’t eat more, because it was all for me on National Bundt Day—MY BIRTHDAY!  I thought it tasted better the next day and the next.  Maybe because I’m kind of cake-deprived, but try it and tell me what you think!
I’m home for Thanksgiving in Idaho with my parents while my awesome husband is home with the four boys.  He’s amazing and I am so blessed and grateful for all the wonderful blessings I have been given.  He even spent the last two days repainting our bedroom—5 1/2 years in our home and we’ve never really liked the paint in our room.  Love it now!  Happy Holidays to all!

Apple Cinnamon Granola, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Vegan

I love granola.  I’m so happy that granola can easily be made gluten free—and refined sugar free.  It makes for a great snack.  Even when you just need to grab a handful and go.  But it also makes for a great breakfast.  I love it in a bowl with almond milk and some more fruit as well as with a little Greek yogurt, more fresh fruit and a drizzle of raw honey.  I almost always have some made and ready to eat at any time.  As I type this, I’m almost out of this yummy Apple Cinnamon Granola and need to make more.  Some Gluten Free Oats were on sale recently, so I have plenty in stock.  I love making all kinds and flavors of granola.  What is your favorite?
Apple Cinnamon Granola, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!
4 cups gluten free old fashioned oats***
1/4 cup ground flax meal
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened, natural applesauce
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup dried apple pieces, tossed in a little cinnamon (optional)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  In a large bowl, combine the oats, flax meal, sunflower seeds, pecans, salt and cinnamon.  Stir together.  In a medium sized microwaveable bowl, combine the coconut oil and coconut sugar.  Microwave for 30 seconds.  Whisk to combine.  Add the applesauce and vanilla and whisk together.  Stir the wet ingredients into the big bowl of dry ingredients and stir until all is moistened.  Pour the mixture out onto a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet.  Spread evenly.  Bake for 22-25 minutes, until golden brown.  Let granola sit untouched on baking sheet on wire rack until cooled, this helps the pieces stick together in bigger clumps if you like it chunky.  Stirring right after if comes out of the oven makes for separated pieces (which is still good!).  Once pieces are broken up spread the dried apple pieces around and toss evenly.  Store in an airtight container.  ***Don’t want to or need to worry about gluten free, just use regular oats, this works both ways!

Hmm, what kind should I make next?  Any ideas on flavors yet unseen?  I need more granola and I need it right now.

Chocolate Pumpkin Brownie Bars—Grain Free (Paleo), Vegan, Refined Sugar Free

Chocolate Pumpkin Brownie Bars

I opened a can of pumpkin last week.  It’s already the second or third large can I’ve opened over the last month or so.  I like putting a scoop of it in my morning healthy smoothie, since the smoothie is chocolate based, the pumpkin along with added pumpkin pie spices is a delicious combination.  It’s been a while since I’ve actually made myself a treat and these turned out perfect.  For the bars to be a recipe I just came up with and only made twice, I’m so happy.  They are one of my favorite things I’ve made since going gluten free and refined sugar free.  These also just happen to be vegan.  I am in love.  I’m making more almond butter (roasted almonds just came out of the oven) as I write this so I can make some more.

I don’t think anyone who doesn’t eat this healthier way would have a clue that these are grain free and vegan brownies with no sugar (just a little real maple syrup).  They are perfectly fudgy with just the right amount of sweetness.  As I’m planning to make them again today, I’m going to add some pecans or walnuts because I love brownies with nuts.  These are so easy to make.

Chocolate Pumpkin Brownie Bars, Grain Free (Paleo), Vegan, Refined Sugar Free, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

3/4 cup almond butter (I make it homemade and grind my own toasted almonds into butter)

3/4 cup 100% pumpkin puree

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons coconut flour

2 tablespoons raw cacao (or cocoa powder)

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or more if you really want that fall spices flavor, 1 teaspoon was barely detectable)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips (optional)

1/2 cup chopped, toasted nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with non stick foil (or regular foil, I just prefer the non stick), lightly greased with coconut oil.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, combine the almond butter and pumpkin and whisk together until well combined.  Add the maple syrup and vanilla and whisk well.  In a small bowl, combine the coconut flour, cocoa powder, spices, baking soda and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.  Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.  Bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, possibly with just some moist crumbs.  Set on a wire rack to cool completely.  Remove from pan using foil edges, cut on a cutting board into desired sized pieces.  I prefer to store it in the refrigerator.  They seem to be even fudgier cold from the refrigerator.

I’m so excited that as I finish up this post, the new brownie bars with added walnuts just came out of the oven.  It smells divine in here.  As blogging goes, it is just me, or does one post seem to take all day sometimes?  I was doing many things while trying to get back to finishing this post, besides just making more of these brownies.  Oh well, I suppose, such is life!

Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball

This is the cheese ball that changed everything at our house.  Haha, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s now the only cheese ball that is allowed to be made (and eaten) here and it’s been a couple years now.  All other cheese balls pale in comparison and according to Kevin just do not have enough flavor.  Does anyone else find it interesting that his favorite dessert is cheesecake, but he actually really doesn’t like cream cheese in any other form—except this loaded cheese ball.  It is loaded with his favorites, like BACON and jalapeno.  I think he’d even be happy if I’d make it even spicier, but then it would be too spicy for the boys.

I first saw a version of this cheese ball at Tracey's Culinary Adventures back in 2012.  Tracey’s blog is awesome and full of great recipes and photos.  She hasn’t been blogging much the last year or so (with good reason, she has the cutest little one year old girl keeping her busy), but you can still get recipes on her blog.  Check it out!  In my opinion, her recipe is spot on.  In Kevin’s opinion, he made me kick it up with a little more heat and I must say, it’s still not too spicy to eat if you don’t like things too hot.

The first photo is from one I made for a big Smith family dinner last Christmas.  I made two of them and they were gone in a flash.  Over this past weekend, I took the boys to a pumpkin patch and the farm has a big farmers’ market store that I didn’t know existed, including grass fed beef.  I’ll be back there, especially since their sign said they are open year round.  While waiting in line to pay for our pumpkins , we were standing next to some corn on the cob and other fresh veggies.  The boys found some cool looking jalapenos, so we bought some.  Check out the fun shapes.

We loved the one in the middle that looks like a half moon with a face.  After bringing these home from the market/pumpkin patch, it was decided by everyone that I HAD to make this cheese ball.  I almost couldn’t whip it up fast enough for everyone to dig in.  Kevin even had to run to the store for crackers—everyone’s favorite are Wheat Thins and we were out.  Quickly made the bacon while the cream cheese came more to room temperature.  Chopped up some jalapenos and pecans and got everything else out and ready.  I’ve always made this in a bowl, stirring by hand, in the past, but this time decided to do it in the food processor.  We liked how much more everything incorporated into the cream cheese, but left plenty of the jalapenos, bacon and pecans for the outside.  We love that the whole cheese ball is covered in the good stuff.  You’re the lucky one if you get to be the one who eats the few remaining pieces of bacon and jalapeno that didn’t make it onto the cheese ball.  That was Parker this time. 

 Here’s the cheese ball I just made the other night.  The family didn’t care how nicely I made it look, they just wanted to hurry and get to eat it, so it’s just a quick one.  But delicious still!

Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

1-8 oz. package cream cheese, room temperature

6-8 slices bacon (you can’t go wrong with too much bacon), I use uncured bacon with no preservatives

1/4 cup toasted, chopped pecans

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (to taste)

1/4-1/2 teaspoon onion powder (to taste)

1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (to taste)

1/8-1/4 ground cayenne pepper (to taste)

1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

juice of half a lime

a couple shakes of hot sauce (Tabasco), optional

2 jalapenos (ribs and seeds removed), finely chopped and divided

Crackers of your choice

Cook the bacon in a large skillet or a glass plate in the microwave (I used the plate and it took two batches).  Ideally, I cook bacon in the oven (375 degrees F) on a roasting rack so the grease drips down into the pan.  Takes about 20-30 minutes.  Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.  I prefer toasting nuts in the oven (350 degrees F, 5-7 minutes), or you can put them on a plate in a single layer and use the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring half way through. 

Put the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, cilantro, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, Worchestershire, lime juice, half the bacon and jalapeno and the optional hot sauce in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse a few times, scrape sides of bowl and pulse a few more times until all combined.  Using a spatula, scrape the mixture into a ball on a plate that has the remaining bacon, jalapenos and the chopped pecans on it (mixed evenly).  Roll the cheese ball in the mixture until it is evenly coated on all sides.  While doing this, form it into a ball with your hands.  You hands will get a little messy, but it’s all for a good cause!  You can wet your hands slightly if you’d like, but I don’t usually need to do so.  Refrigerate for an hour to firm up the ball, or serve immediately if people don’t want to wait anymore!

Everyone else likes Wheat Thins with this cheese ball, but since I eat gluten free my favorite are these yummy chips I get at Costco called Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Tortilla Chips.  Love these—they are perfect for chips and salsa, nachos, this cheese ball, etc., and I like that they are pretty sturdy and will hold up to thicker things.  You’ll never made a plain ol’ cheese ball with just scallions in it again. (Ew.)

Chocolate PB2 Granola Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free)

Sorry my blogging has been so intermittent.  I wish I had all the time in the world to share things here, but it just hasn’t been possible as of late.  That said, I don’t plan on just disappearing, me and my little ol’ blog.  So stick around!  You might recall not too long ago I shared some PB2 Chocolate Chip Cookies I made with PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter.  They were delicious.  In fact, Bell Plantation (the company that makes PB2) shared them on their Facebook page and they went crazy!  I knew they made a chocolate version of PB2 and had to get some and try it in cookies, but I couldn’t just stop there……

My friend, Paige, posted about David Lebovitz’ Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Granola.  It was calling my name and I had to make some.   I made it with changes using raw honey instead of maple syrup and coconut sugar in place of the brown sugar, I also used gluten free oats and Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips.  It was a great granola!  (I need to make more!)  I swear I wrote down my changes somewhere so I could share my version of the recipe, but I CANNOT FIND IT!  sigh  It’s okay, David’s recipe is pretty simple and I really only made the few changes I mentioned, so check it out if you’re looking for a quick treat or breakfast.

I decided to use the Chocolate PB2 and make more cookies.  To bump up the delicious peanut butter and chocolate combination, I added some of the granola to the cookies, as well as more peanuts and lots of chocolate chips.  Score!  These were so good!  If you’ve been putting off trying the peanut butter powders, do not hesitate any longer.  It’s good stuff!

 Chocolate PB2 Granola Chocolate Chip Cookies, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup organic brown sugar

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup raw honey

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Granola (or granola of your choice)

4 tablespoons Chocolate PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter

2 tablespoons raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)

1 cup gluten free flour blend

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips (or chocolate chips of your choice)

1/4 cup roasted peanuts

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil and sugars.  Whisk together well.  Add the egg and vanilla and combine.  In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients (granola, PB2, cacao, flour, soda, baking powder and salt) and mix them together.  Add them to the creamed mixture (You can use a mixer, but it mixes just fine with a whisk!).  Stir with a wooden spoon until all combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips and peanuts.  Drop by tablespoonsful (or using a cookie scoop) onto the parchment lined baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Let sit on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool. 

 Come on—they look delicious, huh!  I need to make some more.  I’ll try to be better at posting on my blog.  I miss it, I really do.