THE BEST GF Chocolate Chunk Cookies

After years of mediocre GF cookies from many, many different recipes, these win the GRAND PRIZE. Based on a King Arthur Flours recipe-- I guess they know what they're doing! Honestly, they remind me of my mom's :)


INGREDIENTS

• 1c cool butter (not straight from the fridge, but not yet room temp)
• 1/2c maple syrup
• 2t vanilla
• 2/3t sea salt

• 2 eggs, whisked

• 2 1/2c GF flour (Trader Joe's brand)
• 2t xanthan 
• 1t baking powder
• 1t baking soda

• 2c dark chocolate chunks (Trader Joe's)
• 1 1/2c walnut halves & pieces

DIRECTIONS

• Cream butter & maple as best as possible
• Beat in vanilla and salt
• Beat in eggs
• Add dry ingredients
• Add chocolate and nuts by hand with spatula
• Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out dough balls, flatten slightly with fingers
• Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, allow to finish baking on pan for a few minutes before removing to cooling rack

Chocolate Granola + Strawberries & Coconut

Really happy with this great granola I just made. Been eating it all day from breakfast to dessert- yum.

INGREDIENTS

• 4c old fashioned oats
• 1c slivered almonds
• 1/3 - 1/2c cocoa powder
• 1t sea salt

• 1/2c melted butter
• 1/4c+ honey
• 1T vanilla

• 2/3c unsweetened coconut chips
• 1/3c+ semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 bag (~1.5c) dehydrated strawberries (Trader Joe's for the win!)

DIRECTIONS

• Combine dry ingredients
• Add wet ingredients and mix until well combined
• Spread onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper
• Bake at 350 for 20 minutes
• Add coconut chips and cook 5 more minutes until lightly browned
• Remove from oven; add strawberries and chocolate chips
• Cool and store air tight

GF Lemon Bars

Summer time = Lemon bars!

(Any time = Lemon bars!)



INGREDIENTS:

• 1c GF flour
• 1c almond flour
• 3T corn starch
• 1/4t salt
• 2T honey
• 6T chilled butter, diced

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• 2 eggs
• 1/3 c honey
• 1c fresh lemon juice + 3T zest (used 6 small lemons)
• 2T cornstarch (sift in for best results)
• pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:

• Stir together all dry ingredients
• Add honey and cut in butter, blend with fingers until fine
• Press crumb mixture into 8x8 pan
• Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes

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• While crust is baking, beat all filling ingredients together very well
• Gently pour over hot crust
• Bake at 350 for 15-25 minutes until center is not too jiggly
• Allow to cool before cutting

DIY Natural, Soothing Pregnancy Belly Balm

(DO NOT EAT!)

Saved tons of money-- and tons of B.S. ingredients-- by making my own pregnancy belly balm. Only took a few minutes, and I have been using it generously for 6 months, and will have TONS left over at the end of my pregnancy! Even the high quality natural belly balms on the market (which cost a fortune) come in tiny jars and are primarily made from water, glycerin, etc. - ingredients that aren't doing you any good. Go straight to the source with this oil- and nutrient-rich alternative. All ingredients were a reasonable price from either Trader Joe's or Amazon. Filled an entire wide-mouth mason jar + the container the shea butter came in. Tons of product! And NO stretch marks!! Major score!


INGREDIENTS: *where possible, I used organic ingredients

• 8 ounces shea butter
• 4 ounces vitamin E oil
• 4 ounces jojoba oil
• 1 ounce rosehip oil
• 30 drops lavender essential oil
• 30 drops frankincense essential oil

DIRECTIONS:

• Gently warm (don't melt!) shea butter and jojoba oil in a sauce pan
• When the shea butter is just starting to melt, transfer to a blender
• Blend on medium/high while slowly adding in remaining ingredients
• Blend on high until whipped and fluffy (several minutes)
• Transfer to a glass jar and refrigerate (this helps it stay together without needing to add stabilizers, plus it feels nice and cool on the belly coming straight from the fridge)
• Gently rub all over abdomen, breasts, and hips morning and night

Chocolate Banana Nut Bread

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c GF flour
• 1/4 c ground flaxseed
• 1/2 t baking soda
• pinch of salt 
• 1/3 c cocoa powder

• 2 eggs
• 1 c mashed, ripe bananas (about 3)
• 1/4 c honey
• 1/2 c oil
• 1 t vanilla
• ~ 1 c each of dark chocolate chips and walnuts

DIRECTIONS

• Mix dry ingredients until cocoa looks evenly distributed
• Beat together wet ingredients
• Add wet to dry and gently incorporate
• Add in walnuts and chocolate chips
• Pour into loaf pan
• Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes until cooked
• Allow to cool slightly before slicing

Berry Crumb Bar

Like a hand pie-- can be eaten without a fork or plate. And makes an excellent breakfast with plain yogurt!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c GF flour
• 1.5 c almond meal
• 1/2 c ground flaxseed
• 1 c oats

• 1/4 c milk
• 1/4 c oil
• 1/4 c honey
• 1t vanilla
• 1/8 t salt
• 1 t cinnamon

• 3 c frozen berries (cherries are my fave!)
• 1/2 c water
• 1/4 c lemon juice
• zest of one lemon
• 2T tapioca
• 1/2 t xanthan gum
• pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:

• Bring berries, water, lemon juice and zest to a gentle boil in a sauce pan
• Add tapioca and xanthan, simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly until thickened
• Allow to cool slightly
• Combine all crust ingredients
• Press 2/3 of crust mix into the bottom of an 8x8 pan, bake 10 minutes at 350
• Pour berry mixture over crust
• Sprinkle the remaining crust mixture on top, gently press into berry mix a bit
• Bake 20 minutes at 350 until crumb topping is browned
• Allow to cool completely before slicing 

GF Fruit Cobbler

INGREDIENTS:

• 20-30 ounces frozen fruit (cherries are the tastiest!)
• Zest and juice of half a lemon
• 2t tapioca
• 1t xanthan gum

• 1 1/4c gluten free flour (can use half almond flour, too)
• 2T honey
• 1t baking powder
• 3T cold butter, cut into tiny pieces
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c milk

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine fruit and lemon in a saucepan to heat. When fruit is thawed, add tapioca and xanthan. Bring fruit to a bubbly boil, until tapioca is soft. Pour into 8x8 baking pan
• Mix together flour, honey, and baking powder
• Cut in butter, blending with fingers
• In a separate bowl, use a fork to beat milk and egg together. Then pour into dry mix and blend well
• Spoon batter into 9 cobbles on top of the fruit
• Bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes, until cobbles are browned