Amazing Gluten-Free Cookies (and pretty healthy for a cookie!)

Gluten-Free AMAZING Cookies

I enjoy playing around with baking and creating new and flavorful snacks that are also healthy.  Cookies are a family favorite here at our house, and so I’m always trying to figure out ways to make cookies healthier than the average cookie.   Here’s one that was a hit in my house, even friends who were over said they really liked them.  So here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

3 sticks butter, softened (or room temperature)

1 cup creamy peanut butter (I use the natural kind)

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

4 eggs (I use large, farm fresh, free range, omega 3 eggs)

2 ½ tablespoons raw honey

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 ½ cups featherlight flour mix

1 cup flax seed meal (or ground flax seed)

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 tablespoon gaur gum

1 teaspoon salt

2 - 5 ounce boxes of instant vanilla pudding

1 ½ cups chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter pieces (I used Reeses pieces)

2 cups crushed dried banana pieces (I used the dehydrated banana slices and put them into a closable plastic bag and had the kids smack them with a wooden spoon to break them up.)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl combine the featherlight flour, flax seed meal, baking soda, gaur gum, salt and pudding mix, stir well and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars.  With the mixer on a low speed, add in the vanilla extract and honey, mix well.  Then add in the four eggs, one at a time, and mix well but do not over mix.  Then slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture a little at a time until all is mixed thoroughly.  Using a wooden spoon, slowly fold in the banana chips, chocolate chips and peanut butter pieces.  

Drop by spoonful onto greased baking sheets about an inch apart.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 13-15 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.  Cool and enjoy!

To store left over cookies, place them in an air tight container.  If you plan to store them longer than a few days, place the air tight container in the refrigerator.  


Featherlight Flour Mix that I use:
6 cup white rice flour
6 cups corn starch
6 cups tapioca starch
2/3 cup Potato Flour (NOT Potato Starch)

Store in an air tight container. 

Sweet Potato Soup - Gluten Free

Sweet Potato Soup!

Serves 12-15
Ingredients:

5 large sweet potatoes
2 yellow onions, minced
1/2 cup maple syrup
6 gloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon iodized sea salt
2 teaspoons parsley
32 ounces chicken stock, or broth
4 cups water
1 cup half-and-half
Crisp cooked bacon crumbled (optional - for topping)
Sour Cream (optional for topping)

Directions:

Place top 9 ingredients (everything except the half-and-half, bacon and sour cream) into a 6 quart slow cooker.  Pour broth and water over all ingredients last, give it a little stir and then cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Using a potato masher (or hand blender) to mash up the soup until desired consistency.  If you want more chunks or more smooth - your choice! ;)  Then whisk in the half-and-half.  Top with sour cream and crumbled bacon if desired.

Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken w/a tangy twist

BBQ Chicken with a tangy twist

Ingerdients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 bonless skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (make sure it's GF)
2 teaspoons granulated garlic

Prepared rice (I put 4 cups of rice in the rice cooker with 7 cups of water)

Instructions:

Place chicken pieces in 6 quart slow cooker.  In a bowl combine all other ingredients, whisk together and pour over chicken.  Cover and set to high for 5-6 hours, or low for 8-10 hours.

Serve chicken over rice.

Enjoy!