Chewy Jumbo Carob Chip Cookies, Paleo Style

Sharron's Famous Chewy Jumbo Carob Chip Cookies, Paleo Style

This recipe makes a very chewy, nutty cookie. Delicious!

It is free of soy, dairy, all grains, all gluten.  It does have eggs in it, but that could easily be substituted with 1 tablespoon flax mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water.

Pre-heat the oven to 375F.
In a large bowl combine:

1 cup almond flour (ground almonds)

¾ cup shredded coconut (coconut flour would probably be great, but I don't have any)

½ cup flaxseed meal (ground)

¼ cup potato flour/starch
1 packet unflavored gelatin (Knox)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Set this aside.
In a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat until light:
3/4 cup coconut oil
Carefully add while mixing:

1 cup coconut sugar

4 packets “Truvia” sweetener (I actually use Kroger's generic product. I have verified that it doesn't contain any grain products.)

Add and mix until combined:
2 eggs
1/2 tablespoon vanilla

Add the flour mixture little by little until it is mixed in.
Finally, add and mix till just combined:
1 cup unsweetened carob chips

½ cup walnut pieces (optional)


Scoop by 1/4 cupfuls or same-size ice cream scoop onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake at 375F for about 9 to 13 minutes. They should be just becoming firm around the edges and still very soft and puffy in the middle. Remove them from the oven and allow them to finish baking on the hot baking sheet. Allow them to cool completely on paper towels before storing them covered with paper towels between the layers of cookies.

c2013 Sharron Long & Adams Media Corporation

About "Gluten Free" Diets

Hi there,

I've been "gluten free," or so I thought, for about a year now, plus the time when I was off of nearly everything for a year and a half before that!  I thought I would see a lot of improvement, but I really haven't.  My joints still hurt, and, in fact, have gotten worse.  I need knee replacements now.  I'm still tired most of the time, and don't sleep well at night because of interstitial cystitis (IC).  I have other symptoms, too.  I've known there was "something" that was my root problem.  I thought maybe it was the IC, but it doesn't explain cataracts and some of my other issues, like the advanced arthritis -- I've had that since I was in my 20s.

Then, a couple of days ago, a dear friend of mine who has been "gluten free" for about as long as I have, with basically the same results, showed me a website that I'd not seen before:  Gluten Free Society.  On that site, the doctor, Dr. Osborne, contends that every grain has glutinous proteins in them.  He says that if a person is gluten sensitive, it's not just wheat, rye and barley that are the problems, but all grains!

To be honest, that rocked my world.  I've used corn extensively since my allergy testing three years ago, plus other grains like sorghum and recently, rice.  I had just purchased quite a lot of "gluten free" breads, bagels, tortillas, etc.  I decided to "test out" his theory.  I had a couple of pieces of my "gluten free" bread before I went to bed.  I had a horrible night!  That was enough for me.  I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired!!

I am redefining my definition of "gluten free" to being "grain free" from here on.  I'm not going to pull down my previous recipes at this point, but I will add the tag "grain free recipes" to my on-going creations.  I guess one could say that I'm going paleo because I will, also, be dairy free.  I discovered months ago that I don't do well with any dairy -- not even the dairy substitutes.  I suppose I could make my own almond milk, but I don't use it enough to warrant it at this point.

I hope my discoveries will help someone else...

Blessings,
Sharron

c2013 Sharron Long & Adams Media, Inc.

Safe Farmer's Breakfast

I fixed a "normal" Farmer's Breakfast for my guys this morning, and it smelled so good!  It had onions, potatoes, ham and eggs in it.  The onions and ham are big no-nos for me, and it was hard to stay out of it! Then, I reasoned that I could make myself some Safe Farmer's Breakfast -- without dairy, without gluten and IC friendly.

Safe Farmer's Breakfast
Makes 2 servings

Peel and dice one medium sized potato.  Place into an 8" frying pan coated with cooking oil spray.  Season lightly with sea salt (or a safe seasoning salt --  I make mine.)  Cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are becoming tender.

Add about 1/2 cup diced cooked pork, (or chicken), and 1 to 2 teaspoons coconut oil to the potatoes.  Cover the pan and cook the mixture for about 4 minutes or until the meat is hot.

Beat 4 eggs with a little sea salt and pour over the meat and potato mixture.  Allow the eggs to partially set before stirring them.  Cook the eggs until they are firm.

Enjoy!

c2013 Sharron Long & Adams Media, Inc.

Mini Pecan Pies -- Sugar free, dairy free, gluten free

These are pretty simple to make, and they are delicious to eat!

Mini Pecan Pies

Pre-heat the oven to 350F.  In a food processor with a chopping blade, Grind:

2/3 cup nuts -- cashews, almonds, etc.

Add:

4 packets Truvia type sweetener
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dairy free butter substitute or coconut oil

Process until well combined.  Divide the crust into 6 equal portions in 6 standard-sized muffin cups.  Bake them at 350F until they are becoming golden, about 6 minutes.  Cool the crust completely before adding the filling.

In a mixing bowl combine:

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon dairy free butter substitute or coconut oil
1/2 cup agave nectar (Perhaps half agave and half corn syrup?)

Add

2/3 cup pecan halves

Pour the mixture over the crusts, making sure the pecans are evenly distributed.  Bake them at 350F for aobut 11 minutes or until they are becoming set.  Cool completely before serving.

c2113 Sharron Long and Adams Media, Inc.

Nutty Coconut Treats

This is a gluten free, dairy free, very low sugar and IC friendly recipe.  I'm trying to be back on my low carb way of eating, however, it is a challenge with all of my restrictions.  I bumped into this recipe online, but have significantly changed it.  I hope you enjoy my version!

Nutty Coconut Treats

In a food processor, with the chopping blade, process:

1 cup each almonds, cashews

Until they are coarse crumbs.  Don't overprocess them or you'll end up with nut butter.  Yummy, but not the effect wanted!

Add the following and process until combined:

1 cup unsweetened coconut, shredded
1/2 cup almond butter
2/3 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon rice flour
(1/2 teaspoon sea salt, if the nuts are unsalted)
1 1/2 tablespoons sorghum molasses (optional if unavailable)
6 packets Truvia type sweetener
1 tablespoon vanilla

Line a 9"x9"x2" baking dish with wax or parchment paper.  Pour the processed mixture into the pan and smooth the surface.

In a small bowl, microwave about 1 minute, stirring half way:

1/4 c white chocolate chips*
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

Drizzle over the nut mixture in the pan and smooth it down with the back of a spoon.  Place in a refrigerator for about an hour before cutting into chunks.  Enjoy!

* If the small amount of sugar in the white chocolate is bothersome, sugar free chocolate chips can be use if they are tolerated.  Otherwise, simply omit the topping.

cSharron Long and Adams Media, Inc., 2013

Zucchini-Pork Nuggets

Zucchini-Pork Nuggets



This will feed about 8.  I cooked about half of them then froze the rest for a

 "quick and easy" meal another time.  This is a gluten free, dairy free and IC 

friendly recipe.



Grind:

1- 8" zucchini

3 stalks celery

2-medium sized mushrooms


Add:

2 eggs

2 pounds ground pork (or whatever ground meat is handy)


Season with

about 1 tablespoon seasoning salt

1/2 tablespoon garlic granules. 


Mix very well. Drop by small scoopfuls, (1/2 ice cream scoop size), into a pie pan

with cornstarch spread across the bottom. Roll the balls in the cornstarch then 

flatten them lightly. Fry in hot oil until golden brown about 2 1/2 minutes.  These 

would be delicious with any dipping sauce, but they are fine plain.


Enjoy!


cSharron Long and Adams Media, Inc. 2013

Sugar-free, Gluten-free Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy (Like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups)

My daughter and I made some really easy, really yummy treats today.  We could have put them into muffin tins, so they would be like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  We didn't though, so the instructions will be for candies that are more like wafers.

Sugar-free, Gluten-free Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy (Like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups)

Line a small baking sheet or similar with parchment paper.  Have ready for when the chocolate is melted.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, melt

1 cup Hershey's sugar-free chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter

Pour the melted chocolate onto the parchment paper in a rectangle.  Using the back of a spoon, smooth it until it is even and level, about 1/4" thick.  Place into a freezer for about 10 minutes, until it is solid.

After the time is up, in another small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, melt

1 cup natural peanut butter (nothing added)
2 tablespoons butter
12 packets stevia based sweetener (Truvia-type)

Remove the frozen chocolate from the freezer, and spread the melted peanut butter over the top.  Smooth it as with the chocolate layer before.  Place it back into the freezer for about 20 minutes, until it is solid.

Once the chocolate and peanut butter are solid, in the first saucepan that had the chocolate, over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, melt

1 cup Hershey's sugar free chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter

Remove the frozen chocolate and peanut butter from the freezer, and spread the melted chocolate on top.  Smooth it as before.  Place it back into the freezer for at least 1/2 hour, or until the chocolate on top is frozen.

Once the candy is frozen solidly, remove it from the freezer.  Using a knife dipped into hot water, cut it into pieces.  They will break randomly, but it will yield about 24 pieces of candy.  Store covered in the refrigerator.

Yummy!

Blessings,
Sharron