Biscuits are hit or miss for me and honestly, there are many other things I’d rather have if I’m going the bread route. However, last weekend I was craving a good, old-fashioned egg sandwich…on a biscuit. And, if you know me, you know I usually give into a craving. I just find a way to make it better!

Mission accomplished.

Better for you Biscuits (gluten free)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups almond flour/meal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp pure honey
3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
2 large eggs

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter and honey, until smooth. Add the almond milk and eggs, whisking together until well combined.
4. Using a spoon, stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until thoroughly combined.
5. Drop biscuit dough by large spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, placing the biscuits approximately two-inches apart. Bake about 15 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Disclaimer: These are definitely not your typical fluffy, buttery, unhealthy-but-delicious biscuits. These are nutty, slightly crumbly, healthy-but-delicious biscuits. If that’s not your thing, head to Biscuit World.

I don’t want to completely hate on everything about social networking because as someone who manages social media platforms as part of her job, I do definitely see some value in it. This is just a friendly reminder that everything is not as it seems, so when it comes to your personal life, do not let it determine your value.

Do please use social networking for delicious recipes. Like this one! And to contradict myself a little more, in some cases it’s okay to be fake.

Memorial Day Weekend Cheese”fake”
Ingredients:
Crust:
2 cups roasted almonds
5 pitted dates
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
pinch of salt (omit if your almonds were already roasted and salted)

Cheese”fake”:
2 cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 can (14 oz) coconut cream (I get mine from Trader Joe’s)
2 tsp unflavored gelatin
juice of 2 lemons
2/3 cup agave nectar or honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Berry topping:
2 cups frozen mixed berries
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp cornstarch

Directions:
1. Spray 8×8 baking pan and set aside.
2. Pull out your food processor, add to it the almonds and dates. Pulse until a fine meal results. Add salt if using and coconut oil and pulse until well combined. Press evenly and firmly into the bottom of your pan and refrigerate.
3. To make the cheese”fake” filling, combine the unflavored gelatin and lemon juice in a small bowl. Heat for 20-30 seconds in the microwave to heat mixture just enough to melt the gelatin. Set aside.
4. Add Greek yogurt and coconut cream to the food processor and pulse until combined. Add agave nectar, vanilla and salt and continue to process. With the machine running, pour in the gelatin mixture and let run for another 30 seconds.
5. Pour mixture over crust, spread evenly and refrigerate for two hours before adding berry topping.
6. For berry topping, combine frozen berries, honey and cornstarch in a small saucepan and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens slightly.
7. Let mixture cool for a few minutes and pour over top set-up cheese”fake”. Refrigerate for two hours or freeze.
8. Cut, serve, enjoy! Store in refrigerator or freezer.

I had high hopes for this recipe, but it blew away my expectations. I will definitely be utilizing this one throughout the summer. Enjoy the long weekend everyone!

Not too long ago, I was forced to watch my gluten intake. It was a hard concept to grasp, as the stuff is in everything. Until you try cutting it from your diet, you don’t realize how many products actually contain the wheat protein. It’s not just bread, my friends. I can’t complain too much though. Since celiac disease and gluten intolerances have become more common, there are a plethora of substitute products. However, you know me, I’m not a prepackaged, processed food type of person anyway. Creating delicious, good-for-you foods in my own kitchen is what I do.

One of the resources I turned to in this time of wanting snacks and baked goods was my paleo peeps. Let me state that I am not paleo. Being a vegetarian doesn’t make that lifestyle very easy. These people are crossfit loving, hunter gatherer eating, caveman lifestyle living, hardcore-determined individuals. They also know how to make a damn good brownie out of nothing but fruit, nuts and other paleo-approved foods. After falling off the wagon on my recent trip to Florida, my stomach was feeling the effects of my reckless, gluten-eating self. So, once back home I knew I had to cut out the addicting stuff and get back on track.

I have found that it’s best if you fake your way into getting yourself back on a healthy eating plan. You need to trick yourself into thinking you are still indulging, when really you are feeding your body delicious and nutritious meals. Since I had gotten myself on a bread kick, I decided to bake the paleo banana bread recipe from PaleOMG. I give this girl credit, this recipe is awesome. This is actually the second time I have made this and it is so good. You will never know that you aren’t eating any flour! Nuts, bananas, eggs and a few other ingredients and BOOM, it’s like I’m still in vacation mode. I’m not even ashamed that I devoured the loaf in only a few days. It’s that good and good for you. Try it.

And, yes, it is paleo.

Put the Lime in the Coconut Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 Tablespoons of coconut flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 Tablespoon grated lime zest
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce (mashed banana works too)
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon milk (I used almond milk)
3 Tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup pure cane organic sugar (large sugar crystals)
1-2 Tablespoons extra lime zest

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the cane sugar and lime zest in a bowl and set aside.
2. Combine granulated sugar, cream cheese, applesauce and coconut oil and beat with electric mixture until well combined. Add lime zest, egg, lime juice and milk and mix well.
3. Combine flours, coconut, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, stirring with a spoon to incorporate until all the dry ingredients are mixed in.
4. Scoop tablespoon size portions of dough and roll into balls. (if dough is too sticky to roll, refrigerate the dough for 15-30 minutes first) Roll the dough balls in the sugar/lime zest mixture and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
5. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until cookies are set. Let cool and enjoy!

God will not give you more than you can handle. So, remember that He believes you are strong enough to deal with whatever you are going through and it’s within this process you will discover your strength.

So maybe you aren’t where you thought you would be in life, but it’s through all these experiences that you will become the person you need to be in order to succeed in the job you want, be a great wife/husband and a loving mother/father. Things will happen in your life when you are ready for them.

A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. – Proverbs 16:9

Throughout my past experiences and the healing process I have had to go through, I have encountered a number of enlightening moments; one of them being this morning. After a fun night out with friends, discussing future plans, new careers that are starting and moves that are happening, I woke up with a freeing feeling that evoked such a feeling of happiness that I began to tear up as I completed my morning run. I suddenly realized that I am finally living my life….for me. This, right here, right now, this is real life and we only get one. I can easily let myself sit and wallow in years wasted, regrets, etc., but at the end of the day it doesn’t do anything except continue to hold me back from living the life I have imagined.

So, I encourage you, as Henry David Thoreau aptly put it: “Go in the direction of your dreams, live the life you have imagined.” Things may be rough right now and the light at the end of the tunnel may not be shining brightly, but embrace the hardship of the climb and know that the view from the top will be beautiful.

So, now that I’ve (for lack of a better term) beat a dead horse by reiterating this message in my past couple of posts, let’s celebrate new beginnings and life with chocolate. You may have gathered this by now, but I am a sucker for chocolate. One stipulation though, it must be dark. Don’t try coming at me with the milk variety, it just won’t do and don’t even get me started on white chocolate, which shouldn’t even be allowed to bear the name “chocolate”. Impostor.

So, when I’m craving something a little indulgent, one of my favorite desserts is flourless chocolate cake. It’s rich, fudge-like consistency is the perfect end to any dinner or the perfect afternoon companion to a cup of coffee. Most of the time when making flourless chocolate cakes, a springform pan is used. Since I currently don’t own one, I decided to create my love for this dessert into a brownie bar instead. The result was exactly what I needed. Topping these with fresh berries or a raspberry glaze is my favorite way to enjoy this dessert, but it is more than capable of standing alone in the spotlight too.

Flourless Chocolate Brownie Bars with Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

• 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For Ganache:

• 2 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 teaspoon almond milk
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8 brownie pan with parchment paper, excess hanging slightly over the side of pan (this will allow you to lift the brownies from the pan when ready to cut) and set aside.

2. Melt chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat and stir until smooth. Add sugar and reduce heat to low, stirring until all sugar is dissolved.

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly for a couple minutes. While whisking mixture, add eggs one at a time, making sure to incorporate each one entirely. Whisk quickly as you do not want the eggs to curdle from the hot mixture. Whisk in vanilla until a smooth batter forms. Sift in cocoa and salt to avoid clumping and whisk to completely incorporate.

4. Pour batter into prepared brownie pan and spread evenly. Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until the center of the cake is just firm to the touch.

5. In the same saucepan you used for the batter, heat chocolate and milk, stirring until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour the glaze over the brownies and spread evenly. Top with berries, let cool and enjoy.

I missed the “Sunday Mornings with Tracey” post today, so instead I bring you cookies. Grab a glass of almond milk and pull up a seat, friend!

Since cutting most gluten from my diet, I’ve been playing around with gluten-free baking. Mostly, I’ve had a lot of not-so-blog-worthy results. Gluten-free flours can be a tricky thing. Many times, I’m also trying to make substitutions to make the baked goods relatively healthy as well (not a surprise to most), which has led to many flops and recipe fails.

Well, 23rd time is the charm because these turned out quite well!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup almond meal

1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

6 Tbsp butter, melted (I used Earth balance vegan margarine. You could also try substituting apple sauce for a healthier twist, but I can’t guarantee results)

1/4 cup honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine almond flour, gf flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, honey, vanilla and egg until fully combined.

4. Create a well in the center of your dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until a dough forms and all flour is incorporated. Fold in your chocolate chips.

5. Scoop dough into rounds on your cookie sheet. Flatten with the palm of your hand.

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges begin to brown slightly. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes. I may have burned my mouth trying to immediately inhale one, but it was totally worth it.

Store cookies in an air tight container or freezer.

If you’ve happened to overlook that this holiday is less than a week away, have no worries, I’ve taken care of rounding up a list of delicious goodies suitable for any last minute party or gathering. Slainte!

Chocolate Stout Donuts with Whiskey Glaze

Irish Soda Bread

Vegan Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Guiness Cupcakes with Bailey’s Irish Cream Frosting

Bourbon Brownie Bites

(adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup bourbon of choice ( I use what I drink, which is typically Woodford Reserve)
• 3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips (could also use milk chocolate)
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• green sprinkles

Directions:

1.In a medium saucepan melt and stir butter and unsweetened chocolate over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat; cool.

2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray.

3. In a small bowl stir together bourbon and coffee granules; set aside.

4.Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture in saucepan. Add eggs, one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon just until combined. Stir in vanilla and bourbon mixture.

5. In a small bowl (or your measuring cup) stir together flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring just until combined. Spread batter evenly in the prepared baking pan.

6. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Using the edges of the parchment paper, lift the uncut brownies out of the pan.

7. To make evenly square brownie bites, first trim edges and feel free to consume at your leisure. Next, cut brownies into 1- to 1-1/2-inch squares.

8. Chocolate Glaze: Microwave chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish. Heat in 30 second increments, stirring between each. Once melted, stir in a tsp of coconut oil. Drizzle or coat brownies, top with green sprinkles and let set. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Thaw or bring to room temp before serving.

This is one of those desserts that I never thought I would eat outside of ordering it from a restaurant after the master chefs have done all the work preparing it and serving it to me. Well, master chef I am not. However, knowing that this sweet treat is my Valentine’s Day date’s favorite dessert, I decided to test my skills with a blow torch.

To my surprise it turned out to not be the stressful, mess in the kitchen, set something on fire undertaking I expected. So, I have faith that you can pull this one off as well.

Creme Brulee for Two
(makes two full, round ramekins)
Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks
pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 325F and place 2 round ramekins or custard cups in a roasting pan or brownie pan (something with sides).
2. In a small saucepan, combine cream, half of the sugar and vanilla. Gently heat over medium, just until mixture begins to bubble around the edges. Do not boil.
3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks, remaining sugar and salt until light and frothy.
4. Temper the eggs: Use a ladle to pour a small amount of cream into the egg mixture. You want to temper the eggs by slowly adding the hot cream so you don’t cook the eggs. Continue whisking and adding small ladles of cream until all the hot cream has been added.
5. To make things easier, I poured the mixture into a measuring cup to help fill the ramekins. Divide custard between the two cups. Pour hot water into the pan so water comes half-way up the sides of the dishes. Bake until custard is set. Depending on the size of the ramekins you use, the timing will vary. Check the custards after 30 minutes and continuing baking until set.
6. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and remove the ramekins from the hot water. Let cool for 30 minutes, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. I chose to make these the night before so they would be ready to eat after dinner on Valentine’s Day.
7. When ready to serve, lightly coat the top of the custards with sugar. Working with one at a time, pass the flame of the torch in a circular motion 1 to 2 inches above the surface of each custard until the sugar bubbles, turns amber, and forms a smooth, crisp surface. Top with berries and and serve immediately.

Problem solved.

So, while everyone is walking around in an “I stayed up too late, ate too many nachos, drank too much, I’m too old for this” haze, I’ve got cookies to help pass time until Tuesday.

Gluten-Free (flourless) Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter (Tip: to help prevent the peanut butter from sticking to your measuring cup, spray the cup with non-stick spray before scooping your peanut butter into it)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

chocolate chips (optional, I used dark chocolate)

Directions:

These may be the easiest cookies you’ll ever throw together. This means that even in your most tired or hungover state, you’d have a hard time messing these up.

Here’s what you do: Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Measure and dump all ingredients into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until all ingredients are well-combined. Stir in your chocolate chips. The dough may be a little tough to work with so, after washing your hands, feel free to mix manually if needed to incorporate the chips.

Roll dough into balls and gently flatten as you place them on to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Press the back of a fork onto them to create the criss cross markings.

Bake for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before handling, as they may break easily if they are not set first.

Now sit down, pour yourself a glass of milk (because wine and peanut butter cookies do not go together) and enjoy.

Mondays require an extra cup of coffee. Mondays with rain, require brownies.

Clearly you have already guessed that these aren’t your typical brownies, but then again, I’m not your typical girl. With my vegetarian and gluten-free ways, I somehow have acquired the desire to have everything I eat contain a fruit or vegetable. Since I have yet to master the world of gluten free flours when baking, I opted out of using the stuff at all. I found this recipe on a paleo website, which I am not, but the idea of using dates to make brownies seemed like something I would do. So I did.

The simple and pure nature of these beauties make you feel good when eating them. No sugar highs, no crashing after eating one, or two, or three (I can’t help myself). However, you’re probably wondering how a brownie made out of dates tastes like a brownie. Here’s my disclosure: They do taste like a brownie, a healthy one! Are they as sweet as a typical brownie? Not at all, but it’s also not laden with sugar. Are they still chocolatey and satisfying and magical because they’re made of dates and don’t contain any flour and I still don’t quite understand how they turned out? Yes!! In fact, PaleOMG calls them Magic Brownies. You can find the recipe here.

Mondays aren’t looking so bad now, are they?

Want more ideas on using dates for desserts? Check out a few previous posts.

Tre’s Tricked Out Truffles

Pecan Pie Truffles