I am a lazy baker. I prefer recipes with short ingredient lists. Its for this reason that Chestnut Flour continues to appeal to me. Not many gluten free flours work well all on their own. Chestnut has proven to me in several different recipes now that it doesn’t always need additional flours to play a supporting role. That’s not to say that it has to be baked alone. This is just my preference.

Chestnut flour reminds me of cake flour. Its light, and proved to me in my Grain Free Carrot Cake Cupcake recipe that it would work well without eggs. Today I wanted to take it to the next level and see how it would do as an eggless quick bread. The results were great! Chestnut has a distinct flavor that I’m crazy about- nutty and slightly sweet. It tastes phenomenal with warm spices (i.e.. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves). Everything made with this flour ends up having a brown tint to it- rest assured there is no heavy whole grain taste.

 Please note that Chestnut flour CANNOT be exchanged for Almond or Coconut. I have had a few readers assume this would work and then contact me upset that my recipe “did not work”. If you are seeking out a recipe using another flour- let me know as I may have another recipe for you somewhere else on the site or in my books.

Feel free to use just about any variety of granulated sugar in this recipe. I used coconut palm sugar. I feel pretty confident that even xylitol should work. Just stick to a granulated variety. (liquid will add too much moisture).

Grain Free/Vegan Banana Bread

1 cup pureed ripe banana
1/2 cup milk (dairy or nondairy) or water.
1/4 Cup oil or melted butter (any mild flavored variety)
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Sucanat or Palm Sugar (see note above)
2 1/2 packed cups Chestnut Flour
1 Tbs Baking Powder (I use double acting)
1 Tsp Vinegar or Lemon Juice.

1. Preheat Oven to 325 degrees. Oil a small or medium bread pan.
2. Puree ripe bananas and mix with other wet ingredients (milk oil and vanilla).
3. Stir in remaining ingredients, mixing in the baking powder and vinegar at the very end.
4. Quickly pour into prepared pan and bake 50-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

I noticed the bread became slightly crumbly as it aged (though not terribly so). This is partly due to the fact that I did not include of any gums (xanthan or guar)  In the future I will be playing around with including a small portion of flax meal in the flour mix.

OH, and that glaze? Its just cashew butter mixed with a little coconut oil and melted. I added some chai spice and stevia to fancy it up. Another recipe for another day..

xo,

Brittany

Hashimoto’s disease can be difficult to figure out. On a  daily basis I receive emails, messages and comments from various readers desperate to feel better, and to find answers.

I launched this podcast to provide REAL ANSWERS . Twice a month I will be interviewing my very own Dr-. Richard Herbold who has helped me get a strong understanding in how take care of myself and treat this disease. I am so excited to have him on board, as I know his knowledge has the ability unravel the mysteries to all kinds of different chronic health issues. He has helped me in great ways.. I wanted to share the wealth!

In this weeks episode we talked about Hashimotos disease, Leaky Gut, Food Intolerances and more.

In future weeks we will be covering a wide array of health issues (Outside of Hashimotos)

This podcast is for YOU. If you have any questions or have a topic you would like us to cover- please leave a comment below. 

xo,

Brittany

ps. Please excuse the presence of my precious little dog Chloe towards the end..  she was very upset that she could not sit on my lap, and wanted her voice to be heard. Consider it a big hello!  Next time Chloe will be on a playdate while we record.

Flax milk has entered the marketplace. I was intrigued and picked up a carton for my husband to test out. Knowing that I’m highly sensitive to most fillers, additives and other things of the like that are in processed foods- I was’t really interested in giving it a trial run.

But making my own? Sure, why not. I always love a little challenge.

After some playing around I found I had the best results NOT soaking the flax seeds, as you would to make most other nut/seed milks. All I needed to do was throw my ingredients into a blender, strain and then I had milk.

I like the flavor of flax, so I enjoyed this milk. If you don’t like the distinct flavor of this seed, this recipe is probably not for you. Though adding a little flavoring (i.e.. vanilla hides the flax flavor well!)

Homemade Flax Milk.

3 Cups Cold Water
1/2 Cup Whole Flax Seeds
1/2- 1 cup additional water (to add after straining)
Liquid Sugar OR Stevia to taste. 
Vanilla Extract to taste (or fresh vanilla bean).

1. In a blender combine the 3 cups of water and 1/2 cup of flax seeds. Process for maybe a minute. Using cheesecloth or Pantyhose. (new ones – that you don’t mind cutting up!)  Strain the milk.    Tip: Pour a bunch of the milk into the cheesecloth, twist the top and then gently squeeze thick milk into a cup.
2. To the strained thick milk add 1/2-1 cup of additional water.  Sweeten to your liking and add a splash of vanilla.
3. Store in the fridge. Yield 1-2 servings.

Flavor Ideas:

• Try blending the finished milk with fresh strawberries to make strawberry milk.
• Blend with a little cocoa powder for chocolate milk.
• Add a little almond extract or another flavor of choice.
• Warm up and spice with Cinnamon, Nutmeg etc.
• Add your favorite protein powder and blend well.
• This milk can be sweetened with dates. Combine milk and pitted dates until smooth in blender.

xo,

Brittany

I have spent the past several years 100% Dairy Free. I knew that dairy gave me outrageous heartburn, poor digestions and horrific sinus issues. I dismissed goat cheese along with all dairy assuming it must be just as deadly.

Last month I noticed in my local coop these cute little mason jars of local goat yogurt.. with each passing trip to this store I became more and more tempted. The day I gave in and tried it- I enjoyed every bite .I also relished in the fact that I was not experiencing itchy ears, heartburn. Not only was I symptom free.. but my belly was so happy! Its amazing what some live cultures can do to improve digestion.

This is the first Goat Cheese recipe to show up here on Real Sustenance. I know many of you must avoid all casein and therefore promise that this site will remain predominately dairy free.

Chronic high blood sugar has been one of my recent health battles. Its just another lovely issue that loves to hang out with Hashimoto’s disease. This explains why following a high protein, low carb diet has been crucial in my ability to function day to day. This recipe is the perfect example of a diabetic safe dessert. Loaded with protein and sugar free thanks to the use of some stevia.

Recipe Alteration Notes:

• I used a soft goat cheese. Think cream cheese (not hard feta). This texture is the only that will work.
• I selected Peanut Butter as its my favorite and works well for me. Feel free to sub in any other nut or seed butter. Coconut Butter (coconut manna) might even work!
• Sugar is my enemy.. and therefore I like to use stevia from Nunaturals. If you aren’t a stevia fan feel free to use just about any other variety to taste. Granulated sugars may leave a gritty texture, but sometimes I really enjoy that.
• If you are not wild about the flavor of goat cheese, feel free to up the percentage of peanut butter in this recipe.

30 Second Peanut Butter Cheesecake

2 1/2 Tbs Natural (unsweetened) Peanut Butter
3 Tbs Soft Goat Cheese
Pinch of Salt (to taste)
Tiny Pinch of Stevia (to taste)

Mix all ingredients together and eat! Serves 1 (maybe 2, if you are good at sharing).

If you can’t have your cheesecake without crust try eating it with a cookie (or crumble one on top) Or add some chopped nuts/seeds or even some toasted coconut flakes! You could also just add some chocolate chips as I did (Keep in mind that they are not sugar free!).

xo,

Brittany

I have a  confession to make. I am afraid to eat.

This fear has nothing to do with weight, with self image, with anything along those lines. This fear has come about from years of chronic health issues.

When doctors are unable to figure out what the underlying cause is- many as I did take the situation into their own hands and start to analyze and pay attention to every morsel of food that they put into their mouth. They hyper tune into the  facts or myths (in many cases) of each foods properties. For example: Cauliflower can negatively affect thyroid health. Fact or Fiction? I don’t know… and from here on out. I DON’T CARE.

Did you hear me? I do not care. I don’t care what “doctor google” says.  And let me tell you why..

Psychological Stress is a powerful thing. If I stress and fear as I take each bite of food that I’m going to have an autoimmune attack.. guess what. I’m going to have an attack. If I sit there and analyze how I feel after every bite, oh yes I’m going to find a symptom that I think I shouldn’t be having.  I can’t tell you how many times I said to myself “Ugh I think that avocado made me feel crappy.. no more avocados. Just like that I would swipe out and limit what I allowed myself.  Little by little what I allowed myself decreased, and the list of things that I felt safe eating could fit on a small piece of paper. Hello Unhealthy! Our bodies NEED variety.

It was mentally draining and was catching up to me physically. I felt deprived, sad, helpless and on top of everything I wasn’t getting my nutritional needs. That’ll only make any autoimmune individual MORE off balance and proned to attacks.

Food allergies and intolerances are a very real thing. But, its important that they don’t control your psyche.

Another thing to understand is that food allergies/ intolerance’s come about usually due to an imbalance in the body. Something else is off and needs tending too. Its so easy to fall into the “food is everything” trap as its usually the only thing we have full control of at home. Usually, if you are able to get under the other health issues- the food issues will settle as well.

If you are feeling chronically ill, and continue to lose more and more foods- please spend some time with a number of different doctors. There’s something deeper going on.

The past two weeks I have added back into my life probably 10 different foods. Do I feel perfect everyday? No. But I didn’t feel perfect before either, so I’m no longer pointing my finger at a green been or cauliflower as I once did.  What his this brought me? I’m happier.

I’m letting go of the fear, I’m pushing away the need to analyze.

I’ll always be gluten free, and I’m sure there will always be many foods beyond that I may need to avoid. But from here on out, I will enjoy my food.

Stop Analyzing and eat. Savour each bite. You might have adverse reactions here and there- But understand that living in fear of them will only create them.

To Good Health and Fearless Eating.

xo,

Brittany

ps. Please understand that I am not encouraging the consumption of foods in which you are allergic to.  I’m merely talking about the negative manifestations that can come from fearing food. 

Experimenting with alternative flours is extremely exciting for me. My recent time spent with Chestnut Flour has been no exception. It bakes up extremely light and fluffy, has a nice nutty slightly sweet flavor and tastes phenomenal with warm spices. Its baked goods have a light brown color, but yet do not have that heavy “whole grain” taste that we often associate with darker flours.

I found that this awesome flour worked great in graham crackers and most recently to make fluffy pancakes. I wanted to take things a step further and see how it would behave being used as a singular flour and without the eggs.  These cupcakes are the happy result of this experimentation. Just by looking at the beautiful crumb structure, I’m sure you will agree that Chestnut flour is a superstar.

Different varieties of sugar create different levels of moisture! Cake and Muffin recipes tend to be pretty flexible and forgiving when it comes to this range. I call for granulated sugar in this recipe.  I feel confident that you should be able to get away with subbing in whichever variety works best for you- be it organic cane, Sucanat, Palm Sugar, Xylitol and on. Just stick with a granulated variety for best results. 

Chestnut flour flour can be a bit tricky to find- though I have seen it popping up all over the place in my area lately. I recommend ordering some online- there are a number of great companies that carry it!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

1/4 Cup Applesauce
1/2 Cup Milk (any variety)
1/4 Cup Oil or Melted Butter (any mild flavored variety)
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 Cup Chestnut Flour
1 Tbs Cinnamon 
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar (*see note above)
2 Tsp Baking Powder (I like to use Double Acting)
pinch of salt 
1 Cup Grated Carrots
1/2 Cup Raisins (optional)
1/2 Cups Chopped Walnuts (optional)
1 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (Or lemon/lime juice) 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line  a muffin tray with 10-12 liners.
2. Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the dry- and stir until the batter comes together. Mixing in the Vinegar last.
3. Quickly pour the batter into the cups and place into the oven and bake 30 minutes. (Cupcakes will be finished when toothpick comes out clean.)

Notes: The raisins and walnuts can be left out! If you choose to leave out the raisins you may want to consider increasing the sugar in the batter to 1 full cup. (Depending how sweet you like your carrot cake!).  If you leave out these ingredients you will only need 10  liners.

For the frosting I used my Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting (its totally Soy/Dairy/Nut Free!). This recipe can be found in the frosting section of both of my new cookbooks The Essential Gluten Free Baking Guides Part 1 & Part 2.

And Speaking of my Books! As part of Celiac Awareness Month Wellesse a fantastic certified gluten free vitamin company is giving away several signed copies of my books this month on their Facebook Page! (as well as a number of other great gifts!) Stop over for a chance to win! 

xo,

Brittany

Chestnut Flour just keeps surprising me with its capabilities.  When I start working with a new (to me) flour I put it through a series of tests to really get a feel for how it works in comparison to others. I find that a basic pancake recipe is a fantastic and quick way to learn how light the flour is. If the pancakes  become fluffy- I know that this same flour will work well for me in cake, muffin and bread recipes.  The chestnut flour did just that for this recipe.. I see many more fun recipes to come using it!

What I’m posting here is about the lightest pancake I have ever had. Its borderline cake-like. This is due in part of the eggs, baking powder and of course the chestnut flour. I used eggs as a starting point for my own learning process. I suspect for those of  you allergic that replacing them with a typical substitute like bananas, flax eggs, chia eggs etc you should have good results- though they will undoubtedly be less fluffy.  If anyone takes the liberty to experiment- let us know how they turn out.

Chestnut flour has a unique flavor. Its nutty but in a different way that almond flour. I used an entire Tbs of vanilla extract in this recipe to compliment it. I find chestnut tastes really wonderful with warm spices too, for example: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg etc.

At the moment I am sourcing my Chestnut Flour locally at a store called Niblack. You may not be able to find the flour in stores- but its available to order from many online companies.

Extra Fluffy Chestnut & Almond Flour Pancakes

3 Large Eggs
1 Cup Chestnut Flour
1/3 Cup Blanched Almond Flour
4 Tbs Granulated Sugar (any variety, refined or unrefined including xylitol)
2 Tsp Baking Powder (I like using Double Acting)
Pinch of Salt
1 Tbs Milk or water (any variety)
1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
1 Tsp. Oil or Melted Butter (any mild tasting variety)
1 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (Or other vinegar variety OR lemon/lime juice)

Beat the eggs, then mix in the remaining ingredients. Cook in a small amount of oil in a nonstick skillet (cooking maybe 1 minute per side).  Yields 8-10 pancakes.

Hope this recipe inspires you each to pick up a bag of chestnut flour!

xo,

Brittany

A few days ago I posted my latest developed graham cracker recipe (this one being grain free!). Naturally  I have had marshmallows on the brain since.  Wafting through my dreams unique flavor combinations have taken control of my every thought.. many flavors which I plan to implement and share here. This summer is going to be all about out of this world marshmallow creations for an extra special bonfire experience. Classic Graham Cracker, Vanilla Mallos and Chocolate? Oh, we can do better than that.  Get ready..

I will be experimenting with all kinds of different sugar, to perfect my craft and to provide the healthiest mallo possible. I may even head in the Vegan direction just for fun.

Today a trip to our local coop provided some inspiration.  All Natural Banana Flavor made by Frontier. I knew Palm Sugar would create a caramel-like flavored marshmallow. That plus some banana and a little rum and I had myself a winning flavor combination.

A few notes before we begin:

• From what I had found so far, marshmallows using anything but white sugar (aka white cane sugar and corn syrup or agave nectar) Don’t get quite as fluffy. I’ll be working to find a way around this if possible. With that being said- this recipe is fluffy and very marshmallow like- though slightly less than the store bought varieties.
• The amount of Banana flavoring you want to use in this recipe is up to you. The full Tablespoon that I have suggested packs a powerful punch of flavor. You can also scale it back to 1 teaspoon and make up for the difference in liquid with some extra vanilla extract.
• Making marshmallows is an easy task as long as you have all your ingredients out and ready to go before you get started.
• Using a stand mixer makes this job the easiest (A hand mixer should work too) and a candy thermometer is essential.
• If you don’t feel the need to keep this recipe low glycemic- go ahead and  use cane sugar instead or even Sucanat (It will offer the same caramel flavor as the palm sugar). You could also use agave in place of the coconut nectar anywhere that it is called for in the recipe.
• For some added pizzazz add some yellow food coloring to the mallo’s during the last few minutes of whipping them. (Naturally they are a bit of an off white color- compliments of the coconut palm sugar)
• These Mallo’s won’t need much time in the flames of your bonfire- just melt the edges slightly and you’ll find the center has also softened to perfection!

Banana Foster Marshmallows

4 Tsp.Gelatin (Unflavored)
1/3 Cup Cold Water

1/4 Cup Coconut Nectar
1 TBS Banana Flavor
1 TBS Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Coconut Palm Sugar
1/4 Cup Coconut Nectar
1/4 Cup Rum
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 Tsp. Salt

1. Prepare your pan: Select either a 9×9 square pan (for 1 inch marshmallows) or bread pan (for 2 inch tall marshmallows). Place into your selected pan a sheet of parchment paper.  For easiest removal I also like to gently oil the paper .  Set aside.
2. In a small bowl combine the cold water and gelatin and set aside for 5-10 minutes (It will become a firm mass).
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the 1/4 Cup of Coconut Nectar, Banana Flavor and Vanilla Extract.  Mix until it comes together.  Microwave the bowl of gelatin for 30 seconds and then pour into the stand mixer bowl with the sugar/and extracts. Turn the mixer on low and let it continue to mix while you prepare the hot sugar:
4. In a heavy bottomed pan combine the Coconut Palm Sugar,  Coconut Nectar, Rum, Water and Salt. Bring to a boil using a candy thermometer bring to 240 degrees.  (Do not touch the candy thermometer to the bottom of the pan as this will throw off the temperature).
5. Slowly poor the hot syrup into the stand mixer with the gelatin mixture. Increase the speed of the stand mixer to medium and beat for 5 minutes. Then turn up to medium high for 3 minutes and then finally beat on high for 1 minute.
6. Using a spatula scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth out surface. (Do this quickly!)

I topped my marshmallows with additional Coconut Palm Sugar! I prefer its texture over the typical cornstarch topping. You’ll find too that when it comes time to roast these mallo’s over a hot fire the sugar melts and caramelizes. It tastes DIVINE. This marshmallow recipe isn’t overly sticky and I found it doesn’t really need all the cornstarch that many mallo recipes depend on.

After topping the marshmallows with the palm sugar let them set for a few hours at room temperature. Then remove from the pan and slice. I had the best results lightly oiling a pizza cutter to do my slicing! You could also use a lightly oiled knife or even a strand of waxy dental floss.  Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

Here’s to a fun summer ahead, I know I’m ready!

xo,

Brittany

I get bored easily. Before my days as a recipe developer, I went from job to job and after a few months I lost interest and was ready to explore a new opportunity.  Discovering this passion  that now allows me the freedom to explore and create in any new direction that I please is the perfect fit for my life.  Pretty amazing to be able to do what I love, and call it a job!

 Writing the Essential Gluten Free Baking Guides Part 1 and 2 with Iris Higgins gave me the opportunity to delve deep into learning how 12 different gluten free flours work.  Now, baking primarily grain free the itch to learn has once again taken over.  I have about 6 new flours on my list that I’m planning to tackle with full force over the next few months. You may start to find some recipes here with more unique ingredients.  Like for example in today’s recipe which uses Chestnut Flour!

Chestnut Flour is fascinating. The flour itself appears reminiscent more to a grain based flour than any of the other grain free flours I have seen to date. Its light and powdery. I could tell just by its appearance that it was going to behave quite different than any other nut flour. Doing some quick research I discovered that chestnuts contain a higher starch content than say almonds. My theory is that it will bake some fabulous light baked goods for me down the road.  For my first cookbook I created a Chocolate Mint Graham Cracker Recipe. That recipe contains starch, for sometime now the wheels in my head have been spinning to figure out how to remove it ( and still obtain the light crunch it provides). Chestnut flour was my answer. I simply used it in place of the starch, reduced the liquid slightly and out from my oven came incredible classic cinnamon graham crackers that taste EXACTLY like those you would buy from the store. High in protein & low in sugar they  have the perfect light crunch and will melt  in your mouth.  I even used these graham crackers as the crust for a key lime pie- amazing results.

Where to buy Chestnut Flour? I purchased mine from a local store called NiBlack. One of my favorite companies Nuts.com also carries it. I have not yet tried their Chestnut Flour to compare it to the brand I used. I will be doing this soon- I’m hoping that there is not a big difference brand to brand as that could affect how this recipe turns out.

I do not at this point have any alteration suggestions to offer. This flour is so new to me, that I don’t want to steer any of you in the wrong direction. I can tell you though that the Almond Flour CANNOT be exchanged for coconut flour. If you are unable to consume one of my listed ingredients I suggest you take this as an opportunity to do some exploring of your own.

Grain Free Graham Crackers

1  1/4 packed cup Blanched Almond Flour 
1 packed cup + 4 Tbs Chestnut Flour
3/4 Cup Coconut Palm Sugar 
2 1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda (or baking powder)
1/4 Tsp. Salt 
2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Powdered Ginger.
1/4 Cup Applesauce. 

1. Preheat oven to 315 degrees.
2. In a bowl combine all ingredients (this could also be done in a food processor). Using your hands mix the dough until it becomes thick and holds together. Kneed it for a few minutes until it is smooth.
3. Divide the dough in half, and roll out thin (1/8 inch or thinner) onto a sheet of parchment paper into a large rectangle. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into square pieces. Gently separate each piece so that that all of the edges are exposed. Using a fork, prick a few holes into each cracker. Transport the sheet of parchment onto the cookie tray (Do not bake crackers directly on sheet as they may stick)
4. Place in the oven and bake 13-15 minutes. Crackers will become lightly brown. Keep an eye towards the end of the cooking time to make sure the edges do not burn. Remove from oven and allow the crackers to cool and harden before removing them from the pan.
5. Repeat with second portion of the dough. (Note: Prepare the second tray of crackers while the first bakes, you do not wanting the dough to sit around for a long period of time as the baking powder/soda will loose some of its oomph.)

Store crackers at room temperature once cooled in a sealed bag, or in the freezer for another day!

xo,

Brittany

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*ALL RECIPES AND TEXT ON THIS SITE ARE THE ORIGINAL CREATIONS AND PROPERTY OF BRITTANY ANGELL. IF YOU MAKE A RECIPE FROM THIS WEBSITE AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IT, THIS MAY BE DONE BY SHARING PHOTO’S AND INCLUDING A DIRECT LINK TO THIS WEBSITE.  DUPLICATION OF RECIPE TEXT, OR “ADAPTIONS” CONTAINING LESS THAN 4 MAJOR CHANGES TO THE RECIPE IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN *

Before I get into talk about these awesome cupcakes I want to share that my first newly released book The Essential Gluten Free Baking Guide Part 1  is now available for Kindle! (Part 2 will also be available very soon!) The price is only $9.99 per book. For more info on the content check out the FAQ or read some of the reviews on amazon!

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8lbs of Almond Flour and 19 different recipe trials- this recipe took me nearly 5 full days of work. Phew.

Cupcakes are easy to throw together, really easy when you use grain based flours + eggs. But the grain free flours (at least the nut based varieties) are pretty heavy and without the use of eggs they are not likely to bake up light and fluffy. My mission the past few months has been to bang out as many Grain, Egg and Sugar free recipes as possible. This combination of “free’s” is really hard to come by! I hear all the time from various readers that they tried to convert their favorite grain free recipes to egg free with disastrous results as its really not easy to do, and takes quite a bit of patience.  I’m starting to scheme and dream about the recipes for my next book and my game plan is to experiment heavily with all the various grain free flours and create as many recipes as possible without the use of eggs! The challenge of these cupcakes was exciting, and I’m feeling a strong drive to continue on this learning journey.

These cupcakes, to be perfectly honest are more like brownies than cupcakes. But, I do believe I stretched the restricted ingredients to the fullest of their “light and fluffy” potential.  With that being said, they are not light and fluffy.. BUT I am happy to say that they are  lighter than a brownie. This recipe will be a work in progress, as I experiment heavily with the other grain free flours I’m sure I’ll make some fun discoveries in how to achieve the exact texture that I want. For now, I’m pretty pleased with these results!

Often, I like to provide all kinds of substitution instructions. Today I will not be doing that too extensively. Why? Little changes to this recipe make a big difference, a very big difference infact. 1/2 tsp more or less of liquid will make these cupcakes bake perfectly or fall in the last few minutes in the oven.

A few things I learned along the way:  Almond Flour is HEAVY. I started this project using it as my primary flour and no matter what I did, the rise I could get was extremely limited. Flax Meal is slightly lighter than Almond which is why I used it as almost 50% of the mix. The more I used, the lighter the cupcakes became.. but when I went beyond the 50% mark the cupcakes started to get an off putting gummy texture. The Starch and Cocoa Powder help provide some lift, but I had to be careful with the amount I used as they made the cupcakes hard as rocks if I used too much.  I did not test out  any other nut and seed flours, so if you have that desire- feel free to give it a try. But be prepared that you may need to experiment a little.

*Every time I post an almond flour recipe, I get asked multiple times is coconut flour will work. Coconut flour works extremely, extremely different. Trying to use it in place of almond will almost always provide bad results*

Different types of sugar affect this recipe as well. I did the majority of my trials with Organic Cane Sugar as thats what I was most stocked up in. In my last few trials I used Sucanat and Palm sugar and noticed I needed to make a tiny change in the liquid amount as Sucanat and Palm contain less moisture than Cane Sugar!   I did not experiment with xylitol or any other “sugar free” sugars. If you want to do this, I think it would be safe to try- but I cannot guarantee perfect results.

You’ll notice that this batch is on the small side. I did this due to the sheer volume of times that I needed to retest the recipe. Unfortunately I ran out of almond flour just as I finished the recipe and was not able to source anymore locally to see if the recipe functioned well as a double batch. So, for now I’m leaving this in your hands. If you give it a try, please come back and let us all know how they turned out.

Grain & Egg Free Chocolate Cupcakes. 

1/2 Cup + 1 TBS Blanched Almond Flour
1/2 Cup Flax Meal
1/4 cup + 2 TBS Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
5 1/2 TBS Starch (Tapioca or Arrowroot)
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar 
1/8 Tsp. Salt
1 3/4 Tsp. Baking Powder
(If you are able to eat it, I highly recommend Double Acting from Bob’s)
1 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract 
1 Tsp. Oil
5 TBS Milk (Dairy or Nondairy- any variety)
1 3/4 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar. 

Note: If using Cane Sugar follow the ingredients  listed above. If you choose to use Sucanat or Palm Sugar add an extra 1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract or milk as the recipe will need that extra bit of liquid).

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Line 6-7 cupcake tins with liners.
2. In a bowl, combine all cupcake ingredients. At first when you stir the batter will look very dry. As you mix it, it will gain a thick wet consistency.
3. Spoon the batter into the cups. If you want your cupcakes taller divide the batter among only 6 cups. (I personally like using 7 cups).
4. Bake 23-25 minutes. (I use a toothpick to test for doneness. it won’t ever come out completely clean, but I look to make sure the stick isn’t covered with wet batter.
5. Remove from oven, and place the cupcakes into a sealed bag. The tops of these cupcakes can get on the hard side, and placing them to cool in this warm environment provides the best overall texture.
6. Once cooled, top with frosting!

As these sit, over time I found that they dry out some. A quick 30 second trip to the microwave will make them nice and soft again.

Cookie Dough Frosting

1/2 Cup- 3/4 Cup Blanched Almond Flour
7 TBS Milk (Dairy or Nondairy)
1/2 cup- 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar (to taste)
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract 
Pinch of Salt.
2-3 TBS Starch (Tapioca or Arrowroot).
Allergy Free Chocolate Chips.

Note: any variety of granulated sugar can be used here- keep in mind that the color of the sugar will affect the frosting. For those that like to use honey and other liquid sugars – feel free. You just may need to adjust how much almond flour and starch you use to thicken the frosting.

1. Combine in a sauce pan the Almond flour and Milk. Depending on how thick you want your frosting you can use more or less almond flour.  Add the Sugar (to taste), Vanilla and pinch of salt and continue to stir over low heat. The mixture will thicken (and the granules of the almond flour will become less obvious).  A a few minutes add as much starch as you would like to create your desired thickness.  Place in the fridge (or freezer) to cool.
2. Once chilled pipe or spread frosting onto (cooled) cupcakes.  Top with Chocolate Chips!

One of the things that I dislike about frosting in general is the way that it is hard to travel with. I loved this recipe as it developed a thin “skin” and therefore travels well and will look nice even if it comes into contact with plastic wrap.

Yields 6-7 frosted cupcakes.

xo,

Brittany

***

*ALL RECIPES AND TEXT ON THIS SITE ARE THE ORIGINAL CREATIONS AND PROPERTY OF BRITTANY ANGELL. IF YOU MAKE A RECIPE FROM THIS WEBSITE AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IT, THIS MAY BE DONE BY SHARING PHOTO’S AND INCLUDING A DIRECT LINK TO THIS WEBSITE.  DUPLICATION OF RECIPE TEXT, OR “ADAPTIONS” CONTAINING LESS THAN 4 MAJOR CHANGES TO THE RECIPE IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN *

Cinnamon Rolls and Cookies are my two all time favorite desserts. So, I thought why not bring the best of both worlds into one baked good.  The crust is basically a sugar cookie which I then loaded up with a simplified pecan pie filling. Then I topped each baked delight with Cinnamon Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting. These deep dish cookies are sensational. They really do taste a ton like a moist cinnamon roll- but possibly even better.

For those of you that have in your possession my first book- (The Essential Gluten Free Baking Guide Part 1) this Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting recipe can be found in the frosting chapter. Just add 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon to the recipe) This recipe is extra special and its gluten/dairy/soy/nut/egg free – and I’m afraid I can’t share it here. For the rest of you- Below I will provide a simple cinnamon coconut whipped cream recipe.

Every time that I post a recipe calling for Blanched Almond Flour I get asked at least 8-10 times if coconut flour can be used as a substitute. Sadly, the answer always is no.  So, sorry guys its not going to work here. For more information on how coconut flour works- I cant help but recommend my new books. They explain how it (and 12 other flours work) in much more detail.

If you cant have almonds- I suggest you experiment with other nut/seeds flours here only. A fabulous selection can be found at Nuts.com 

To make this recipe Sugar Free. I like to use Xylitol or Erythritol Crystals in the cookies. Xylitol tends to make cookies a little extra moist and the Erythritol Crystals sometimes dry baked goods out. So I have found if I do a 50/50 mix of the two, my baked goods turn out perfect.  For the Pecan filling I use a combination of one of these granulated sugars + a little vanilla stevia from Nunatruals (and only from nunatruals) This product is really compliments the pecans flavor.  If you are not strictly sugar free I highly recommend using Sucanat or Palm Sugar as they both have a lovely caramel flavor that will also compliment the Pecans.

Deep Dish Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Cookie Crust

2 cups Blanched Almond Flour
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
(Xylitol, Erythritol Crystals, Sucanat, Palm Sugar, Organic Cane Sugar etc.)
2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 TBS Oil or Melted Butter
1 TBS Vanilla Extract
1/8 Tsp. Salt
2 TBS Milk (any variety) or Water.

Pecan Filling

1 Cup Toasted Pecans
Granulated Sugar to taste.
(I recommend a Brown Sugar Sub. Here like Palm Sugar or Sucanat) You may also add a little maple syrup. (see note above for sugar free) 
1 Tbs Oil or Melted Butter
3 Tbs Milk (any variety)
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Tsp. Starch (ie. Tapioca, Arrowroot or Cornstarch) 
1 Tsp. Cinnamon 
pinch of salt 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 6 Muffin tins with cupcake liners OR get out 6 ramekins.
2. Make Cookie Dough. Combine all ingredients and mix with your hands until it becomes a thick dough. (It won’t seem like its going to come together at first)
3. Press the dough into the cupcake liners or ramekins like you would a piecrust- leaving the centers empty.
4. Make the Pecan Filling. In a small saucepan combine all the filling ingredients. Stir over low heat until mixture becomes thick. Give it a taste test and adjust the sugar to your liking. (use as much or little as you would like). Once thick spoon the filling into the 6 prepared cookie cups.
5. Place in oven and bake 18-20 minutes until crust is  lightly golden brown.
6. Make Frosting. Use recipe from the Essential Gluten Free Baking Guide Part 1 OR simply place a can of heavy coconut milk from thai kitchen into the fridge to chill. Once cold, open the can and remove the top cream portion. Mix it with a little powdered sugar or liquid sugar and 1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon. Place on top of cookies.

Note: Homemade powdered sugar can be made with any variety of granulated sugar by running it through a coffee grinder or processing it in your blender.

Top each cookie with a sprinkle of cinnamon! Yields 6 Deep Dish Cookies. A mini muffin pan could also be used here in which case you will end up with at least a dozen cookies. Baking time will need to be shortened- in this case also remove as soon as the crust becomes lightly golden.  Make sure to always use cupcake liners as otherwise the cookies will stick to the pan.

xo,

Brittany

More than often, I post recipes that are indulgent and dessert themed.

As many of you know right now, I’m avoiding nuts (and all other foods high in lectins) to give my leaky gut a chance to heal. Which means.. I don’t actually go to town eating many of the dessert recipes that I post. I give them to my husband, family and friends. I am often asked what it is that I eat?  Here’s an example.

Our most valued piece of kitchen equipment is our cast iron skillet. It stays oiled and ready to go at all times on the stove.  Our fridge is always stocked with veggies and freezer with local organic meat. I don’t follow recipes, I just cook, throwing various medleys of a meat + veggies into my skillet and sauteing them until perfection.

If like me, you aren’t generally crazy about parsnips I think you will be pleasently surprised with this healthy recipe idea. Cooked in this way they taste more like delicious starchy potatoes, than a vegetable. The key is to use plenty of oil. Don’t be shy! I always have on hand coconut and grape seed oil. Both taste great here.

Today I’m not providing you specific ingredient amounts. There’s no need. Learning to cook requires the act of taste testing as you go.. as long as you do that you’ll have great results.

Ingredients:

Finely sliced Parsnips
Garlic Powder
Dried Rosemary
Sea Salt 

Oil. 

Combine several Tablespoons of oil and parsnips and skillet. Cook over medium heat 20 minutes or so until cooked through and crispy on the edges (If at any point they soak up all the oil, add a little more). In the last 10 minutes of cooking add the rosemary and salt. Garlic powder sticks to my cast iron skillet- so I always throw it on at the very end.

Be careful not to overfill the pan with parsnips, or else you will be sauteing these homefries for longer than you may like to. Feel free to experiment with other spices too! I often throw in a little turmeric just for its anti-inflammitory properties. If used in small amounts you can’t even taste it.

Served with some applegate sausage or bacon and a big mug of tea (sweetened with Nunaturals Stevia)  you have a perfect delicious breakfast, that will keep your blood sugar stable! What more could you ask from a meal?

xo,

Brittany

Thanks to all the participated in the giveaways this week! I wish I could award each of you with a slice of this Grain Free blueberry Buckle.. (recipe can be found in the Essential Gluten Free Guide Part 1)

Here are the winners listed by day. I will be contacting each of you  by email.

Day 1:

Navitas Gift Package: Sara Rapport

Big Tree Farms Gift Package: Jenni Allan

Day 2:

Simple Organic Gift Package: Julie Foreward

Nunatural Stevia Gift Packages:

1. Rachel

2. Melissa Herrera

3.  Amber Shea

Day 3:

Nuts.com gift package : Betty Norris

Dakota Prairie Flour Gift Package : Kristi Gueho

Wholesome Sweeteners Gift Basket : Sunny B

Signed Copy of  The Essential Gluten Free Guide Part 1 :  Lisa

Be sure to check over at Iris Higgins site The Daily Dietribe for the other 10 winners! They will also be posted tonight.

Congrats to each of you!

xo,

Brittany

This morning I nearly jumped out of bed in excitement. March 1st is the coveted day I have been waiting for..for months! When you start the process of writing a book as we did in June the finish line feels eons away. And somehow we are here.. we made it. Shipments will go out to all that pre-ordered TODAY!  With the arrival of each I hope you feel the love  vested into them.

If you are hearing about these books  for the first time today I highly recommend you take a few moments to read the page dedicated to explaining their content + a FAQ. 

To celebrate this release my co-author Iris Higgins and I have been sharing our very favorite baking ingredients from the companies that we love! These are the ingredients that we used to develop each and every recipe. We wanted you to also have only the best! The last two days of giveaways are STILL OPEN. Go Enter before Midnight Tonight!

Tuesday:   Gift Packages from Big Tree Farms and Navitas Naturals 
Wednesday: Gift Packages from Nunaturals , Simply Organic and Triumph Dining. 

Today’s Giveaway is extra special. During our recipe testing process it became quickly obvious that some flour companies out shined others in both quality and price!  We are so pleased to be giving away giant flour gift packages that will stock up your gluten free pantry for months to come! Plus, wait till you see the gift basket from Wholesome Sweeteners!!

What are we giving away today?

1. Nuts.com Gift Pack:

I learned about Nuts.com when she first began getting into grain-free baking. I won’t ever forget the day I found their website. It is PACKED not only a ginormous selection of flours but also some really cool ingredients that I knew I would have a ton of fun experimenting with in the kitchen. For the gluten free baker, Nuts.com is paradise.. and their same day shipping and phenominal customer service is all just added bonus.  Today they are giving away two gift packs. Iris is giving away flours on her blog that correspond to the flours in book 2, and I am giving away flours that go with the recipes in Book 1.

Enter here to win  a 1 lb bag of each from Nuts.com  Almond Flour, Coconut Flour, Rice Flour, Tapioca Flour, Potato Starch +  Their NEW organic chia energy squares. 

Head over to Iris’s blog to enter to win the other gift pack from Nuts.com

*

4. One copy of The Essential Gluten-Free Baking Guide Part 1!
I will be signing my very first copy that I receive and sending it to one winner!

To win a copy of Part 2 signed by Iris , stop by her blog and leave a comment.

How to enter: 

All of these giveaways are open to addresses in the continental U.S. only. There will be eight winners for this giveaway (winners posted on Friday), and five winners for the same giveaway on Iris’s site today as well! You have until midnight today so start getting those entries in! Here are all the ways you can enter. Please leave a separate comment for each entry, and you MUST leave an e-mail address or way for me to contact you.

1. Leave a comment telling me which gift pack you would like to win.
2. Visit one of the sponsoring companies and tell me something you like about them (they are truly awesome companies).
3. Post about the giveaway on your Facebook page.
4. Tweet about this giveaway
5. Help us promote the book launch by Pinning our Book Covers onto Pinterest from the Book Information pagethat can be found here. (2 points for this one!)

All of the winners from this week’s giveaways will be posted tomorrow! ALL submissions are due at midnight tonight EST . Good luck!

Iris and I appreciate all the kindess and support you have given us- a special thank you goes out to our recipe testers and photographer Matt Calabrese /Calabrese Studios. Among many others!  We hope these books empower you to make whatever your gluten free hearts desire!

xo,

Brittany

Simply Organic Gift Pack:

 Simply Organic pure vanilla extract is the absolute best, we were so happy when they offered to send one lucky winner a package of their almond extract, lemon flavor, orange flavor, peppermint flavor, vanilla extract, and Ugandan vanilla extract.  Their products are as pure as they come, and this valuable package will last you forever. This giveaway is open to addresses in the continental U.S. only.

NuNaturals Gift Pack:

Iris and I decided early on not to do stevia-based recipes in these books, but we do give lots of tips on how to adapt recipes to use stevia, as well as our favorite brands. And NuNaturals is it!  NuNaturals stevia unlike most other brands is not bitter. I use it on a daily basis, and you’ll find many sugar free recipes here calling for it. Today NuNaturals is giving away not one, but four gift packs that will include: one box of NuStevia Packets, and one bottle of NuNaturals Vanilla Liquid Stevia. This giveaway is open to addresses in the continental U.S. only.

Triumph Dining Gift Packs:

Trimph Dining is our publisher. And we absolutely loved working with the team there!  Today, they’re giving away a gift pack of their Gluten-Free Grocery and Restaurant Guides. These are essential for anyone who needs help in navigating shopping and eating out gluten-free. They are the perfect gift especially for someone new to gluten free living or to those traveling and looking for great safe places to eat! I found several gluten free restaurants in my area that I had never been to- thanks to my guide!

How to enter:

There will be six winners for this giveaway (winners posted on Friday), and six winners for the same giveaway on Iris’s site today as well! You have until midnight on Thursday so start getting those entries in! Here are all the ways you can enter. Please leave a separate comment for each entry, and you MUST leave an e-mail address or way for me to contact you.

1. Leave a comment telling me which gift pack you would like to win.
2. Visit Simply Organic, NuNaturals and/or Triumph Dining and tell me something you like about them (they are truly awesome companies).
3. Post about the giveaway on your Facebook page.
4. Help us promote the book launch by Pinning our Book Covers onto Pinterest from the Book Information page that can be found here. (2 points for this one!)

If you haven’t already, head over to Iris’s blog to enter there as well! There will be twelve winners in all. And come back tomorrow for our final giveaway! We have four new gifts for you, each more exciting than the last!

xo,

Brittany

On Thursday, The Essential Gluten-Free Baking Guides will officially be available and in the mail to anyone who has pre-ordered them! (If you want in on part of this first shipment be sure to put in this order today or tomorrow!)

This 9 month project was life changing. Iris Higgins and I deconstructed Gluten Free Baking to is core. We spent endless time with 12 different flours. On a daily basis we are asked questions like “Can I replace Almond Flour with Coconut?” “I can’t have rice flour, what can I use instead? “I can’t have eggs, how do I replace them?”. “I don’t like to use xanthan gum, how do I replace it?” These guides are dedicated to those questions! It can take  years to become a proficient gluten free baker. We decided to spill  all of our time earned baking secrets into each and every page.  The knowledge you will learn will allow you to look at any gluten free recipe and have a solid understanding in how to convert it to meet your dietary needs, saving you time and money! We wanted to answer the questions that have never been answered before.  Each of these goals were accomplished and we could not be more excited to lovingly share all of it with you!

And then of course, there are the recipes! Our testers were a happy bunch! The Cinnamon Roll recipe pictured above  brought tears of joy when I taught a class at the Dallas Gluten and Allergen Free Expo. Nilla Wafers, English Muffins, Bread made without all of the most common allergens… there is something in these books for everyone! Want to know more? Read the answers to these FAQ.

In celebration of this big release for the next three days, Iris and I will be giving away daily gift baskets from companies that we love! All of the gift baskets have been donated from the companies themselves, so be sure to send them lots of love for sharing their goodies with us all! And these companies were chosen for one reason: We use their products regularly. You’ll notice in our books that when we talk about different ingredients, we also let you know which companies we prefer. We know that when it comes to baking, quality of ingredients is extremely important, and we want you to have only the best when you try our recipes!

What are we giving away today? 

Big Tree Farms Gift Pack:
Big Tree Farms is sending one lucky winner one 8.5 ounce bag each of Ginger, Turmeric, and Cinnamon Flavored Coconut Palm Sugar plus a jar of Korintje Cinnamon Honey. We use their coconut palm sugar all the time in our baking, these flavored versions are spectacular! This giveaway is open to continental U.S. addresses only. 

Navitas Naturals Gift Pack: 
Navitas Naturals is giving away a great sampler that includes flax seeds, chia seeds, palm sugar, and organic sweet cacao nibs. Many of our xanthan/guar gum free recipes use flax or chia seeds, so this gift pack will definitely be a must-have for your gluten-free kitchen! This giveaway is open to addresses in the continental U.S. and Canada. 

How to enter:
There will be two winners for this giveaway (winners posted on Friday), and two winners for the same giveaway on Iris’s site today as well! You have until midnight on Thursday so start getting those entries in! Here are all the ways you can enter. Please leave a separate comment for each entry, and you MUST leave an e-mail address or way for me to contact you. Each Entry increases your chances of winning!

1. Leave a comment telling me which gift pack you would like to win.
2. Visit Navitas Naturals and Big Tree Farms, and tell me something you like about them (they are truly awesome companies).
3. Like my Facebook page and/or post about the giveaway on Facebook. (2 possible entries)
4. Subscribe to my website by Email or RSS (Sign up is on right panel of this site)

If you haven’t already, head to Iris’s blog to enter there as well! There will be 4 winners in all. And come back tomorrow to see what we’re giving away next!

xo,

Brittany

Back in January I posted a recipe for Layered Brownie Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars .That recipe received glowing reviews all around. After I developed my 30 Second Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough a few days ago the wheels in my head began to spin for some additional fun uses of this dough. This recipe is the result. These Brownies are ridiculously good.

What could be more delicious than brownies topped with cookie dough? AND then also dipped in chocolate. Nothing. Ok, nothing maybe aside from my crack brownie recipe, those are pretty  good too.

 To make this recipe Sugar Free leave out the Chocolate Chips and follow the directions to use the Stevia and Xyltol. Coconut Flour will not work in this recipe- if you are looking to make an alteration for the almond flour I suggest using another nut or seed flour with a mild flavor.

Chocolate Dipped Brownies topped with Raw Cookie Dough

Brownie Base. 

 Raw Cookie Dough Topping

1 1/2 Cups Blanched Almond Flour
1 TBS Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 TBS Butter, Earth Balance, Ghee or Coconut Oil. (I use Garden of Life)
Any Variety of Granulated Sugar to taste OR  pinch of  Powdered Stevia to taste + 2-3 Tbs Xylitol. 

1 1/2 Tsp. Any Variety of Milk or Water.
1/3 Cup Allergy Free Chocolate Chips (optional)

Melted Allergy Free Chocolate Chips for dipping  (Such as Enjoy Life). or Homemade Sugar Free Sauce. (see recipe below)

1. Place a sheet of parchment into a bread pan. (9 x 5) Allow the paper to overhang slightly on the edges.
2. Preheat oven t0 350 Degrees. Make the brownie base: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until it comes together. Use your hands to assist in the mixing is needed- dough will be extemely thick.  Stir in the chocolate chips (optional). Press the dough into the prepared bread pan.
3. Bake the brownies- for 30-35 minutes. until toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from oven and allow to cool 10-15 minutes.
4. Make  the raw cookie dough. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth. Evenly press the Cookie dough on top of the surface of the brownies in their pan.
5. Place the pan into the freezer for about 30 minutes for easy slicing. Remove pan from freezer and slice into squares. Dip each square into melted chocolate or carob. Place back into the freezer until the chocolate sets.  And then.. EAT!

To Make Homemade Chocolate or Carob Sauce Combine(adjust this recipe to your taste and preference) 

1 Cup High Fat Cocoa Powder or Carob Powder
1/2- 3/4 Cup of Coconut Oil Melted (The amount needed will vary between Cocoa and Carob)
Pinch of NuNaturals Powdered Stevia (to taste)
1/4- 3/8 Tsp. Salt (to taste)

On another Note..

March 1st is an exciting day here at Real Sustenance. My two new books (The Essential Gluten Free Baking Guides Part 1 & 2) that I co-authored with Iris Higgins are coming out! To celebrate starting tomorrow  Iris and I are giving away a ton of our favorite products that we used throughout the books (think BIG gift packages) including signed copies of the very first two books printed! Come back tomorrow to find out more and to enter to win! 

Here’s to a wonderful Monday for each of you!

xo,
Brittany

—-

*ALL RECIPES AND TEXT ON THIS SITE ARE THE ORIGINAL CREATIONS AND PROPERTY OF BRITTANY ANGELL. IF YOU MAKE A RECIPE FROM THIS WEBSITE AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IT, THIS MAY BE DONE BY SHARING PHOTO’S AND INCLUDING A DIRECT LINK TO THIS WEBSITE.  DUPLICATION OF RECIPE TEXT, OR “ADAPTIONS” CONTAINING LESS THAN 4 MAJOR CHANGES TO THE RECIPE IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN *

My darling husband, usually does not care for sweet things. Scroll through a few of my recipes and you’ll notice quickly that I am the complete opposite. Dessert recipes are my driving inspirational force.

When he told me the other night that he had a sweet tooth as you can imagine, I got really excited! However, on this particular night I was short on time.. so this cookie dough is what I quickly made him. When he requested it again and again the next 3 days I knew I had a winning recipe. Though I didn’t consider it really a recipe at all,  It was just one of my mindless concoctions. He insisted that I post it.

 Please adjust ingredients to your personal taste and liking. I used Xylitol and Powdered Stevia from Nunaturals (by far the best tasting stevia). Any granulated sugar that you have in your pantry will also work here, use as much or as little as you like.  I added the xylitol to this dough as it gives that little bit of gritty sugar texture that I think should be present in cookie dough. I also like the way it balances out the Stevia flavor too!

If you can’t have almond flour try another nut/seed flour. Nuts.com has a fantastic selection.

Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

1 Cup blanched Almond Flour
1-2 Tsp Vanilla Extract (to taste)
1-2 Tbs of Butter, Ghee, Earth Balance or Coconut Oil (to taste). (I use Garden of Life!)
pinch of salt
pinch of powdered Stevia (to taste)
1 Tbs Xylitol
1-2  Tsp Water or Nondairy Milk.
1/4 cup of allergy free chocolate chips.

In a cup or small bowl combine all ingredients. If you want the dough thicker, add some extra almond flour.  Adjust flavoring. Eat with a spoon! Yields roughly  1 1/4 cup. 

Want to make cookie dough ice cream? Roll this dough into little balls and place in the freezer. Mix frozen balls of dough into your favorite ice cream.  I have not yet tested baking this cookie dough but I have a good feeling that it would work. The cookies will spread more or less depending on how much butter you use. One of these days I’ll experiment with this myself..

Tip# 1 Almond flour baked goods (and unbaked in this case) tend to gain moisture as they sit. Therefore I recommend that you eat this dessert within a few hours for the best texture. (Eventually It may start to look greasy) If you are planning to only eat some, and save the rest for later I recommend using 1 TBS or less of the butter.

Tip # 2 Regular Butter, Earth Balance or Ghee are going to provide the best flavor. If using the coconut oil- you probably won’t want or need as much. (I would use 1/2-1 Tbs of coconut oil tops)

On another note. Check out today’s podcast from the Spunky Coconut! She interviewed me!  We talked about the content of my new books coming out March 1st, plus Hashimotos among other common health issues. Thank you Kelly for having me!

xo,

Brittany

I’m coming out of my hashimoto funk. Finally. The last few months have been a bit on the brutal side.  My least favorite symptom has been the brain fog that makes it nearly impossible in my case to think or be creative. Without brain power- recipe development and life itself becomes tough. I lost my desire to bake or do much of anything. Which is so unlike me.

I started treatment with Dr. Richard Herbold a little over a month ago- and he was the first practitioner able to get under the underlying causes for my volatile leaky gut. He discovered my adrenal fatigue and a gut infection.  Within just a few days of my new supplements I began to perk right up. A healthy me spends every moment thinking about new recipes ideas. That part of me is coming back, and I can’t even begin to tell you how thankful I am.  The healthy version of me is always happy, always positive and excited about the possibilities that each day brings. The dark, irritable and negative hashimoto girl is almost gone. Thanks be to all that is good, because I hated that girl I was becoming.

Sunday morning for the first time in at least 6 months I woke up feeling great. So great that I jumped out of bed excited to get into the weekend house cleaning routine, excited to take the dogs out. Above all else- I was excited because I had a fun little recipe idea to test out and I had the desire to get out of bed to do so. I made breakfast for my husband.  It may not sound like a big deal, but for me it felt monumental. Nothing brings me more happiness that feeding that man that I love so dearly. Blame it on my Italian momma maybe for instilling that desire.

I made him this recipe. Its quite simple and took me all of 15 minutes start to finish (including clean up) .  I used an Ebelskiver pan which I have been dying to find an excuse to pull out. If you do not have one- feel free to make these as regular pancakes. The  sausage links can still be pressed into the pancakes (Think sausage pancakes instead of blueberry!)

If you want to try something new and fun- try pouring the batter into a greased muffin pan and bake them like popovers. I would try cooking them at 400 until cooked through.

I have had a number of readers make this recipe with great success replacing the eggs with either chia or flax gel.  I have not yet tried this myself, but do suggest you give it a try if you need to avoid the eggs.

Sausage Stuffed Pancake Bites

Sausage cut into bite sized pieces.

1 Cup Blanched Almond Meal (such as Nuts.Com)
3 Large Organic Eggs
2 TBS Oil (I suggest Grapeseed or Coconut Oil- I Love  the brand Garden of Life!) 
3 TBS Water or Nondairy Milk
3 TBS Granulated Sugar (refined or unrefined. Stevia may also be used to taste)
1/4 Tsp. Salt

Oil for Cooking

1. Cook Sausage and set aside.
2. To a blender add the 3 eggs. Turn on high for about one minute. Add the remaining ingredients and process another minute until smooth.
3. Drizzle a little oil onto pan. Turn the burner on to medium. Let the oil warm for maybe 30 seconds and then pour in the pancake batter. Place a piece of cooked sausage into each mini pancake.  Flip after about 1 minute of cooking.

At night I dream about food. Vivid thoughts of  of color, design and of course now  since becoming a recipe developer flavor combinations are always running through my mind.  This recipe was one of those ideas that I woke up with one morning terribly excited to test out. I’ll admit I wasn’t thinking about the flavor- I just needed to execute the lovely vision  in my head. When I bit into one of these cookies today.. I was overjoyed. A vanilla sugar cookie + strawberry cream cheese + chocolate = pure heaven.

For this recipe I used my Strawberry Cream Cheese Recipe. Its free of Nuts/Soy/Corn and can be made sugar free.  For those looking for some variation it can be made with any berry puree- Cherries would taste incredible, especially in this recipe. Feel free to use any other frosting recipe in its place. For those not concerned with Dairy or Soy store bought cream cheese can be mixed with fresh strawberries and used here too.

To make these cookies Sugar Free- I recommend using Xylitol in the base of the cookies. Xylitol tends to make baked goods a little extra moist the day they are baked. By the next day the baked good  usually “settles” and gains the perfect texture.  Use stevia in the Strawberry Cream Cheese recipe. Most chocolate chips contain sugar, even the allergy free brands.  Its quick and easy to make your own! For those sensitive to caffeine Carob Powder can also be used.

Sugar Free Chocolate or Carob Sauce. 

1 Cup High Fat Cocoa Powder or Carob Powder
3/4 Cup of Coconut Oil Melted (Highly recommend Living Foods Virgin Coconut Oil)
Liquid or Powdered Stevia to taste (NuNaturals brand is the best!)
1/4- 3/8 Tsp. Salt (to taste)
1/2 TBS Vanilla Extract

Now lets make some cookies! These are easy, egg free and wonderful. If you are unable to use Almond Flour- I suggest testing the recipe out with other nut or seeds flours. A great variety can be found at Nuts.com.  Please note that Coconut flour will NOT work.

Chocolate Dipped Sugar Cookies with a Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling.  

2 Cups Blanched Almond Flour
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
(Any variety of sugar, though keep in mind that Palm or Sucanat sugar will darken the dough)
2 Tsp. Baking Powder
2 Tbs Oil (or melted butter, melted coconut oil etc) (I Love Garden of Life Coconut Oil)
1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
1/8 Tsp Salt
3 Tbs Nondairy Milk or Water

Strawberry Cream Cheese.

Allergy Free Chocolate Chips melted OR Sugar Free Chocolate/Carob recipe (above)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cover 1-2 cookie trays with parchment. In a bowl combine all cookie dough ingredients. Roll dough between the palms of your hands into 16 heaping TBS balls. Flatten balls and place on prepared cookie sheets leaving 1-2 inches of space between each cookie.
2. Bake 12-15 minutes once the edges become golden brown.
3. While the cookies are baking, make the Strawberry Cream Cheese.
4. Remove cookies from oven and let them cool. Remove from pan once cool.
5. Sandwich between the cooled cookies the Strawberry Cream Cheese.  Prepare the chocolate sauce by either melting the chocolate chips in your microwave for about a minute, or by making your own chocolate sauce.  (Note: if you want the sauce a little thinner for either of these applications a tsp of coconut oil can be added).
6. Place the chocolate dipped cookies on a clean sheet of parchment and place in the fridge or freezer to chill briefly until chocolate has set.

Happy Day of Love!

xo,
Brittany

I am so pleased to share with each of a you a bit of an inside look at my new books that I co-authored with Iris Higgins. We are very excited for their March 1st release, as we believe they will change your gluten free baking experience drastically for the better.

Our Publisher Triumph Dining is giving away 25 copies right now! Go stop by and  enter to win!

“In the world of gluten-free baking, I am often the teacher. But, today I feel like the roles
have been reversed and I am the student, learning droves of information about gluten-free baking and flours from authors, Brittany Angell and Iris Higgins“. -Beth Hillson. Living Without.

“Brittany Angell and Iris Higgins have painstakingly worked through 12 gluten-free flours, profiling  taste, texture and best uses along with invaluable baking tips, nutritional profiles and substitutions. Their guide will only lead you to baking greatness—and the thankful realization that they’ve done the heavy lifting for you. Now, all you have to do is soak in the knowledge and you’ll be ready for anything.” -Silvana Nardone. Easy Eats.

The first of their kind, these Essential guides are the all inclusive one stop shop to gluten and allergen free baking. In each book Six chapters are dedicated to a specific flour including 50+ diverse recipes that are packed with the information you need for successful gluten free baking. In Part 1 you will find everything from  delicious Stove Top English Muffins, Cheesy Skillet biscuits, and Chocolate Babka Bread to Fig Newtons, Graham Crackers and Funnel Cake. In Part 2 you will learn to make recipes ranging from Bagels, Naan and Tortillas to Cinnamon Rolls, Oreo Cookies and Nilla Wafers. You will be delighted with these unique and hard to find  allergen free recipes.

Authors Brittany Angell & Iris Higgins will help you:

• Learn how to successfully bake with 12 different unique gluten free flours. 
• Learn how to best substitute each flour
• Learn the basics of baking without eggs, corn, soy, dairy
• Learn the ins and outs of all the unrefined sugars and how to exchange them.

Also Included are baking tips from some of today’s leading gluten free experts:

Elana Amsterdam of Elanas Pantry
Beth Hillson of Living Without and Gluten Free Makeovers
Ricki Heller of Diet, Dessert and Dogs
Amy Green of Simply Sugar and Gluten Free
Linsey Herman of Cake and Commerce
Kelly Brozyna of The Spunky Coconut
Katie Higgins of Chocolate Covered Katie
Carol Fenster of CarolFensterCooks.com 
Silvana Nardone of Easy Eats & Silvana’s Kitchen
Peter Bronski from No Gluten, No Problem
Sara Boswell- Food Scientist Extraordinaire
Nicole Hunn of Gluten Free on a Shoestring
Kim Maes of Cook it Allergy Free
Dr. Jean McFadden Layton of Gluten Free Doctor

As a complete guide these books will provide all the information and useful tips needed to prepare wonderful baked goods you never thought possible and will gift you with the knowledge to create your own.

—

-FAQ-

What Flours are used in The Essential Gluten Free Baking Guide Part 1?  
Part 1 is divided into 6 different chapters. Each chapter highlights a different flour and goes into great detail on how it works, including 6-10 recipes that feature it. The headlining chapters in this book include: Amaranth Flour, Almond Flour, Garbanzo Flour, Quinoa Flour, Millet Flour, and Coconut Flour.  This book also covers Rice Flour and the starches: Potato, Arrowroot and Tapioca. 

What Flours are used in The Essential Gluten Free Baking Guide Part 2?
Part 2 is divided into 6 different chapters. Each chapter highlights a different flour and goes into great detail on how it works, including 6-10 recipes that feature it. The headlining chapters in this book include:  Sorghum Flour, Buckwheat Flour, Teff Flour Cassava Flour and Potato Flour.  This book also covers Rice Flour and the starches: Potato, Arrowroot and Tapioca. 

Are the recipes Egg- Free and Vegan Friendly?
100% of the recipes can be made with or without Dairy based products. Over 50% of the recipes are egg free. Each book will include a detailed guide that will teach you how to swap out the eggs in the remaining recipes- and in your own recipe applications.

Are the recipes Soy Free?
Yes, all of the recipes are free of all soy products.

Are the Recipes Sugar Free ? 
Each recipe in both books was tested with a variety of unrefined and sugar free sugar alternatives. Throughout each book there are suggestions and provided instruction to help you make the best substitutions to meet your dietary needs. You won’t want to miss the section dedicated just to sugar provided in both Part 1 and Part 2.

Are the recipes Yeast Free?
While many of the bread recipes do contain yeast, there are also several that are free and clear for those that are sensitive. Be sure not to miss the Grain and Yeast Free Cinnamon Raisin bread recipe!

Are the recipes Grain Free?
 Flours such as Almond, Coconut, Amaranth, Quinoa and Buckwheat are considered grain free. Included in these chapters are several  grain free recipes. These books will offer you a strong understanding in how each of these flours works and how to substitute them which will enable you to vastly improve your  baked goods no matter what your baking style. 

Do the recipes contain Xanthan or Guar Gum?
Approximately half of the recipes use xanthan or guar gum, while the other half call for flax seeds, chia seeds and or whole psyllium husks. For those looking to avoid the gums, included in both books is a section which will teach you how to replace them in your own recipes.  

Are the recipes listed by Weight or Volume?
Both! Each baked good recipe is listed both by cups and grams. 

Now Available on Amazon.com for

Pre-Order!

Both release March 1, 2012

photography provided by Calabrese Studios.

I have had Spinach & Artichoke dip on the brain for a few weeks now. Figuring out how to make it without Cheese, Cheese Alternatives, Soy or Nuts has been a challenge.

What I’m sharing with you today is my latest experiment. What I ended up was a dip with a texture similar to hummus, but with yummy creamy smoothness and flavor. I boosted the flavor with a big bunch of leeks.  I thought I would share this recipe to give some inspiration. Know though before you make it, that it is unique and not quite the same as the Spinach & Artichoke dip that you may expect. I’m determined to duplicate the dip as I remember- and will figure it out eventually. But in the mean time due to many request on facebook I’m sharing my work in progress. I think you might enjoy this little number.

So long description short. Health food nuts, that love experimenting with new ways to prepare old favorites, and those into the idea of trying new textures and flavors. This recipe is for you. If you are looking for a classic hot spinach and artichoke dip- pass this one by! (and stop by again soon to see what I come up with in take 2)

Iris at the Daily Dietribe recently posted a cream sauce recipe! Check it out as that was my inspiration here. I mimicked her process, and then added my own little spark with the Coconut “butter”.

This recipe makes a fairly large amount. It can be cut in half for those looking to make less.

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

1 head of Cauliflower chopped.
2 Leeks Chopped
1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
2-3 Tsp Salt
1-2 Tbs Dried or Fresh Parsley
pinch of pepper
The fat creamy portion from 1 can of heavy coconut milk.

2 Cups Coconut Flakes (not reduced fat)
1 Tbs Lemon Juice 

1 bag (12 oz) Frozen (thawed) Coarsely Chopped Artichoke Hearts
2 cups coarsely chopped spinach

Fresh Chopped Parsley and Chives or Scallions for serving

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large rimmed baking dish combine the Cauliflower, Leeks, Garlic Powder, Parsley, Salt, Pepper and Coconut Cream. Bake 60-75 minutes until cauliflower is fork tender. Stirring contents of the pan several times throughout the baking process.
2. Meanwhile- make coconut butter out of the coconut flakes. Process the two cups in a coffee grinder or powerful blender until it becomes creamy (similar to nut butters). You may need to give it a stir several times during this process. If using a coffee grinder- process one cup at a time. (It will make about 1/2 cup of coconut butter)
3. Remove cooked veggies from the oven and place in a food processor. Add the Coconut butter and process until smooth. Add Lemon Juice. Give it a taste and adjust salt and pepper amount if you want more.
4. Stir in Artichoke Hearts and Spinach. Pour mixture into baking dish of choice. (anything near the 8 x 8 inch range will work). Place in oven and bake at 400 degrees 15-20 minutes until hot throughout.

What to use when you are restricted from all of the most common breading vices and you really want popcorn chicken??

Coconut Flakes. I use them for everything. Yesterday I posted in a recipe how to use them to make Strawberry Cream Cheese. I eat them as chips ( Curried Coconut Flake Chip recipe)..  I also have found they make awesome Breakfast Porridge when combined with pureed squash. Coconut is the one ingredient that I seem to be able to eat and eat, without developing an intolerance. I’m thankful for that.

This recipe is a guide. I’m not providing exact measurements as you really don’t need them. Use it as a tool to get you started- add your own flair by experimenting with different spices.

I’ll be making a giant batch of these for the Super Bowl on sunday.

Popcorn Chicken.

2-3 Cups Unsweetened Shredded Coconut Flakes (not- reduced fat)
Several TBS of your favorite spice. (I love Garlic Powder + Smoked Paprika)
1 lb Chicken Thighs cut into small bite sized pieces. 
Dash of Salt. 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut the chicken. In a bowl combine the coconut flakes, spices and salt. A handful at a time add the raw chicken to the coconut flake breading. Toss until each piece is well covered.
3. Place breaded chicken on a dry baking sheet. (Do not coat with oil). Place into oven and bake 45-55 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the breading is golden. (Toss popcorn chicken around with spatula on baking sheet a few times during the baking process)

The Essential Gluten Free Baking Guides Part 1 & Part 2. 

 Triumph is giving away 25 copies.  

Cream Cheese without dairy can be found at most grocery stores these days. But, typically it contains soy. Soy, once considered a super food has now gotten a bad rap for itself. I don’t really care about the debates, what I do care about is the fact that I know Soy does not make me feel well. My hormones are topsy turvy enough with this hashimoto’s. I don’t need to complicate my issues further. No soy for me.

You cant have soy either? Take a moment to google “Dairy Free Cream Cheese” and you will find a large number of recipes calling for  various Nuts and Seeds. Again, another problem for me. Nuts are high in lectins which trigger for me not so pleasant autoimmune symptoms. That meant cream cheese was out- unless I figured out a new way to create it. It took me a few months of heavy thinking, and lots of trial and error to arrive to this recipe. Iris and I wanted to include in our books The Essential Gluten Free Baking Guides Part 1 & Part 2  several “cream cheese” recipes that could work for a large variety of people. In them will be a Cream Cheese Frosting & Basic Cream Cheese that I have not posted here.

Today I’m sharing a recipe that I thought would work glorious in all kinds of Valentine Allergy Free recipes, due of course to its awesome color and flavor. Depending how much sugar you use, it can work great as a thick frosting or can be sandwiched between two cookies.

My biggest goal is to encourage and teach each of you to navigate your allergy free kitchens with confidence. This is why I often give general directions- suggesting you adjust recipes to your own personal taste. That is the case with this recipe. Follow my basic directions and feel free to experiment.

I discovered several months ago that when coconut flakes were thrown into a coffee grinder they made a thick butter very similar to the various nut and seeds butters. That butter acts as the base for this recipe! *Note: some packages of Coconut Flakes are labeled as “reduced fat”. Avoid those packages at all cost, those flakes will not grind into coconut butter.”

Without further ado- I’m so excited to share the very first Coconut Based Cream Cheese recipe in the history of the world. (I think At least that I have ever seen) It has its own little unique thing going on- a little different than traditional cream cheese. But quite, wonderful in its own right. I love it!

Strawberry “Cream Cheese”

1 1/4 Cups Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
1/4- 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
(see step 2 below to make unrefined powdered sugar)
1/8 Tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Strawberry Puree
1 – 1 1/2 Tbs Lemon Juice
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract 

Optional: If you want the cream cheese thicker- add  a pinch (up to 1/8 tsp) of Xanthan or Guar Gum OR add as much additional coconut flakes ground into “butter” as you want. The recipe without adding either will be on the thin side. I did this to give each of you more freedom to customize it to your preference.

1. Using a coffee grinder  (a vitamix or blendtec should also work) process the coconut flakes into butter. You may need to stir them several times before they process fully.
2. Next, make your own powdered sugar (or just use store bought). Select your favorite granulated sugar and process it in your coffee grinder or blender until it becomes powdered (Note: make sure to process until the sugar is no longer gritty). I recommend using a mild tasting sugar like Cane or Turbinado. Coconut and palm sugar have a caramel flavor that may not work best in this application. I tested Xylitol and was not fond of its flavor for this recipe either. (For directions to make sugar free see below)
3. Puree Fresh or Frozen (thawed out) strawberries.
4. Combine The Coconut Butter, Powdered Sugar, Strawberry Puree, Salt, Lemon Juice and Vanilla and mix together. (This can be done by hand or in a small food processor). At this point, give it a taste test and add additional sugar if you want it, more lemon, more salt- whatever floats your boat.
5. Its at this point that I really like adding a pinch of Xanthan Gum (or guar) I find it adds a nice smoothness and mouthfeel. If you oppose xanthan and want the cream cheese thicker- make some more coconut butter and add a little at a time.

If you have any questions regarding the recipe- please ask them here in a comment! I am often asked the same questions over and over on facebook, and its become impossible to keep up! Thanks

xo,

Brittany

——————–

Snack food is typically the first thing that has to get thrown out the window for those with a long list of food sensitivities. While I typically don’t crave carbs anymore- I was pretty thrilled when I came up with this little recipe idea. These crunchy little morsels are the perfect combo of sweet and salty.

I follow a sugar free diet- hence the use of stevia. If you don’t care about sugar free- any other granulated sugar can be used (to taste.)

Curried Coconut Flake “Chips”

2 Cups Large Coconut Flakes
1 Packet Stevia (1 gram)
1 Tsp Curry Powder (I used garam masala)
Salt to Taste

Combine all ingredients in a dry skillet. Cook medium-high 5-8 minutes until toasted and golden. Let the “chips” cool. They will gain their crunchy texture as they cool.

xo,

Brittany

In sickness and in health. Yes, I uttered those words and I meant them with all my heart. They were easy to say before I developed this autoimmune disease that has claimed me as its own for life.

Living with an autoimmune disease (hashimotos in my case) will change you. It will make you tough as nails.  If your not careful it will also make you selfish, thinking only of your own pain.

This post today is dedicated not to you, but to the one’s that love you. To the one’s that stand by your side and listen to you vent on the hard days. Be it your husband,wife, boyfriend,girlfriend, best friend, mother , father, sister or brother. To the one’s that pick you up off the ground and tell you, you wont be sick forever.

How about your friends- the one’s that continue to care about you even though you feel too crummy to go out on a friday night ?  Or your family? Maybe they have stopped bringing gluten into the home because they don’t want to put you at risk. Maybe they have even gone gluten free with you!

Hashimoto’s has tried to change my personality. Some days it makes me low, and other times extremely irritable and short tempered. Prior to this disease I was always happy, always positive and generally quite calm. That’s the girl I was when my husband said I do. Little did he know what he was getting into. Bet he had no clue he was going to have to help provide heaps of money for supplements, expense big grocery bills to keep the house stocked with the limited food I can eat. Bet he didn’t know I would stop buying all of his favorite foods- so they weren’t a temptation to me sitting in the cupboards.

You know what I’m most thankful for? The fact that he doesn’t judge me. I can tell him that pine nuts made me really sick and he won’t bat an eye or think I’m crazy. I know I must sound crazy when I run off the long list of foods that cause autoimmune attacks for me. He believes me, and knows I’m not just making it all up. Thats a gift.

Chronic Illness can destroy a marriage, a friendship. Don’t let it. Just because you are sick does not mean people owe you kindness. Take the time to say thank you, take the time to say sorry when you have been over-reactive or short temppered because you weren’t feeling the best that day. Take the time to count your blessings.

Your chronic illness can make your relationships stronger, make YOU stronger, teach you to structure your life and make better decisions,teach you to eat healthier, teach you to advocate for yourself. It can be the biggest blessing of your life. You just have to let go of feeling sorry for yourself day in and day out. As long as you keep on the journey to find better health- you will! Keep Peddling.

xo,

Brittany

With the new  year comes often comes new diets, new gym memberships- a whole bunch of new that doesn’t always last. I like many fluctuated up and down right along with this system. Weight gain in the winter, weight loss in the summer and of course feeling the need to detox after the holiday season.

I was thrilled when my friends Hallie and Lexie invited me to join in on their  New Year, New You  event this month! This week its all about staying hydrated.

Roughly 6 months ago, I was forced to give up sugar. My inflammation was off the charts, and it was taking over my life , as well as my ability to function. Sugar of course triggers inflammation. The amount of peanut butter and chocolate chips that I inhaled on a daily basis was lethal.

Giving up sugar, was hard. For about 3 weeks it was all I thought about. Then one day I woke up and I didn’t care. Didn’t miss it, didn’t want it. My skin starting looking clear and bright, my skinny jeans started to fit like they once did before my thyroid issues took over my life.  To my amazement, all my other junk food cravings also diminished.  I don’t crave chips, or empty carbs anymore. Its wonderful! I believe there is a strong link between these cravings going away and my sugar free lifestyle. Now, I feel in control of my diet.. My weight does not fluctuate and I never feel the need to detox. While my health is still not perfect, I appreciate the stability that being sugar free has brought to my eating life.

Ginger being highly anti-inflamitory is my best friend. I put it in and on everything. On the days Im having a bad autoimmune attack I find it lessons my symptoms.  Here is a simple, healthy recipe that I love, and use often. Staying hydrated is important, this is my favorite way to do so.

Sugar Free Ginger Ale.

2 Cups Water + 3 Inches Finely Chopped Ginger
Stevia to taste (I used 3 (1 gram each) packets.)
Pinch of Salt
1 1/2 Tbs Lemon or Lime Juice
3 cups Chilled Sparkling Water

1. Combine in a sauce-pan the 2 cups of water and the ginger. Bring to a rapid boil until the liquid reduces in half.  Place in the fridge overnight.
2. The next day strain the ginger pieces out and  add Stevia, Lemon or Lime Juice, the pinch of salt and the sparkling water.  These ingredients can be adjusted to suite your taste.

Don’t throw away your strained ginger! It can be used multiple times. Try using it to make a quick hot tea.

Be sure to check out the other New Year, New You  post’s this week!

To good health!

-Brittany-

A chill of silence enters the room, who wants to talk first?

Me? No, I don’t want to start the conversation. I don’t like it for one, and I hate the feeling that I get in the pit of my stomach when I have to. I can be the rather outspoken type, but then as soon as I understand someone is mad  I cower in a corner and feel regret for saying anything at all. Like most, I want to make everyone happy. Which is a big reason why I work so hard to develop recipes that work for a wide range of people with varying allergies and sensitivities. I don’t want to leave anyone out!  I also have a naturally competitive nature. I drive myself crazy trying to figure out the unknowns.  This obsession may be a little unhealthy. The happy/ excited feeling I get when I solve these little kitchen mysteries cannot even be described in words. Baking is my addiction, its all I do, all I think about, all I talk about.

In knowing this, you won’t be surprised to hear that I put hours, sometimes days of time into everything that I post on this site. Even when I’m not in the kitchen, my brain is running trying to solve questions like “how can I make cheesecake without nut , soy or dairy based cream cheese?”.

Often on Facebook I will ask friends to describe the texture and taste of a favorite recipe. I did this last week for a Samoa Cookie recipe that I developed and posted. I wanted to make sure my memory of the cookie was similar to others so that I could create the best copy cat possible. More than often when I do this- people are quick to link up another recipe to show me. While I am grateful, I must tell you all that I never look at them. While I am working on a specific item, I will not look at any other gluten free versions on the web. To me this is idea stealing.. I want to learn how to do it on my own! I am like your stubborn 2 year old that wants to buckle her own seat-belt all on her own!

Developing new recipes is a process. First I often will study the classic ratio. In the case of shortbread for the samoa cookies, I knew that I needed to find the correct balance between butter and flour. A few months ago I spent a large amount of time playing with a grain free shortbread recipe that I ultimately used as the base for a twix bar recipe that I posted. To make the samoas I used that same  shortbread recipe, made a few tiny alterations so that the dough held together better and found it worked wonderful. I don’t look at a box of Somoa Cookies as Im not looking to reproduce their recipe exactly- I’m just trying to replicate the flavor and texture that I remember using my own set of ingredients. I’m able to build my archive of recipes by slowly building my skills. As I learn new tricks in how things work, I’m able to use the new knowledge I gain in a new application.

Being able to create a wide variety of recipes that are 100% my own has taken me almost 2 years now of constant experimentation. Plus of course a boat load of cash.  It takes time to learn how to be a recipe developer- its an exciting and frustrating journey (one that I highly recommend).

This past week several times my recipes were essentially copied by their ingredient list and placed on other website. In each instance, the blog author did it in a very kind manner, giving me credit. Their intentions were wonderful,  I felt torn. I spent some time thinking on this further, and spoke to a number of wonderful blogger friends to ask how they dealt with these situations. I didn’t want to be that “mean” blogger demanding to have my recipe taken down. I was flattered and highly complimented that my recipes were even given a second posting.

Long story short. I have to say, what I don’t like saying.

Please Fellow Bloggers, do not re-post the ingredients and directions to my recipes into your own websites. Each recipe represents me, my time, money and a lengthy thought process that brought me to the end result. Naturally, I would like to keep it here, the place it was designed for.  Legally, it belongs only here too, but thats a discussion I’m not looking to push hard tonight.

My photographs are also my original creations.  If you would like to share  these photos in reference to my recipes with a link, feel free! . If you made my recipe, loved it and want to show off one of my photos, feel free! These images are here to give my recipes a little visual extra spark, they are here for you to share!   I think it goes without saying that using them as representation for your own recipes isn’t so cool. Fortunatly, I haven’t had much issues with that happening

In order for a recipe to be  placed in the “adapted” category it needs to have had major changes. I’m not talking a spice or two added or changed, Im talking new flours introduced, and the measurements of the other ingredients drastically changed. At least 4 big differences must be noted in the comparison of the two recipes.  For example: Using hazelnut flour in a recipe in the same proportion to the almond flour called for- does not mean the recipe has become yours to post.

Here is an example of a blog that shared my recipe in a perfectly acceptable manner. You will note that she talked about her alterations, shared my photo and provided a link to my website so that her readers could come to my website to get the recipe. This is wonderful and perfect! (Ps. Thanks for the sweet review Susan. You all should check out her awesome website!)

Sharing the link to any of my posted recipes on facebook, pinterest, twitter etc. is always welcome!  Talking about the recipe and your alterations on your website is also perfectly fine. These things support my site- and I am grateful for each time they happen. I just prefer to keep the actual recipe and directions here. 

Ok, so there. I said it. the pit in my stomach is starting to vanish. We all make mistakes, and often times they come from really wonderful intentions. I know I have made plenty!

Oh, and those blueberry pancake popovers pictured way up at the top. Thats one of many recipes going into my new books that I co-authored with Iris Higgins coming out in March! The Essential Gluten Free Baking Guides Part 1 & Part 2. I though they might lighten the mood.

xo,

Brittany

It came to my attention yesterday that there are hundreds of little girls- hard at work selling girl scout cookies. Cookies, that they cannot eat. WHAT? Are you kidding me? What a sad, sad reality.

I’m hoping today to help put an end to this madness. Every little girl sure as heck should be able to have a Samoa Cookie- and so should her parents! (and so should the rest of you that have an addiction to these outrageously good cookies.. ) This recipe is dedicated to a little girl named Abby & to her amazing, caring mother Jessica that has become such a great friend.

As usual, I have a big list of alterations that I would like to mention. Before I get into that- I have an important request. IF you have any additional alteration questions for this recipe can you do me a BIG favor and post your questions as a comment here on this site, rather than on facebook? I find myself answering the same questions over and over in various feeds of conversation. I do my best to keep up to them all- but its becoming impossible. 

I also  must use this as an opportunity to plug my brand new books that I co-authored with Iris Higgins. The Essential Gluten Free Baking Guides part 1 and part 2 go into vast amounts of detail that will teach you how to replace all of the various flours, how to replace dairy, soy, eggs, How to exchange all of the different unrefined sugars and so much more. This was an effort to answer all of your questions in one place. Once these books become available March 1st  I will be answering less baking questions here- as everything that I know can be found in the pages of those beautiful books that I put my soul into.

Lets talk Samoas.

The recipe I am providing today is grain free. If you are unable to consume almond flour- I suspect that another nut or seed flour will work in its place. I also have heard great things about the Bob’s Red Mill Shortbread mix which is grain based. While I haven’t tried it- you may be able to use it or another favorite shortbread recipe instead.

• Looking to avoid sugar? Sorry guys.. I have failed you slightly on this front. I have yet to figure out how to make caramel without sugar. One day I might. For now, I can offer you the use of Palm Sugar as  low glycemic option. It will work both in the crust recipe and to make the caramel sauce. I do not suggest using xylitol in this recipe. It will make the crust too soft and I can’t image it will do anything pretty in the caramel sauce.
• Need to avoid Corn? I called for baking powder in this recipe- with the corn free’ers in mind. Make sure you buy a brand that is safe for you! In the Caramel sauce use either real butter or Coconut Oil, and instead of using Vanilla Extract (unless you have some homemade) use 1 TBS of water instead in the crust.  Obviously, your going to want to avoid using Corn Syrup in the caramel too. (Side note: I LOVE Garden of life Coconut Oil.. its the best stuff around.)
• Need to avoid Dairy?  In both the Caramel and Crust use either Earth Balance Butter OR Coconut Oil. For the chocolate I highly recommend the brand Enjoy Life.
• There will be extra Caramel. This recipe yields about double of what you will need. So you have two options. Either double the cookie recipe. OR save the caramel for other fun uses. To do this tuck a sheet of parchment in a 9 x 5 bread pan. Pour the leftover hot caramel into the prepared pan and put it in the fridge to  set. Once solid- it can be sliced & wrapped up into individual candies or melted again to use on top of another baked good.
• Feeling intimated by the Caramel or want to simplify the recipe further? First of all, the caramel is easy, anyone can do it. I promise. But if you really just don’t want to be bothered with it, try drizzling the tops of the cookies with Honey instead (and then topping with coconut and chocolate of course!)
• Preparing your sugar is important. If you select a grainy sugar (like Sucanat or Palm) I really recommend you take the time to run it through a coffee grinder or blender to powder it before using it in the crust. It just works so much better that way. This extra step is not needed if you are using Cane Sugar. Just Sucanat or Palm I have found to be extra course.  None of this extra powdering treatment is needed for the caramel as its all going to melt anyways.

Gluten Free Samoa Cookies

Crust:

Caramel:

Topping:

Chocolate Chips (melted in microwave)
Toasted Unsweetened Coconut Flakes.  (toast in oven in pan at 350, 5-8 minutes)

 Please Note : Due to the fact that this is a shortbread cookie crust- it is on the crumbly side. I found that it was a little bit difficult to cut out each cookie and then also cut out the inner circle. That was- until I tried using my awesome donut cutter!. This tool cost me maybe $3 at a local cooking store in my area- it made the cutting-out process a dream.  Here is the link to my donut cutter on amazon- on that site its only $2. If you don’t want to bother sourcing this tool or something similar- you can just cut the cookies into circles (or another fun shape) They will still turn out really gorgeous!  

Crack? Yes. Crack. I dare you to try to eat just one. You will then understand the title.

But what is the crack? Its a flavor and texture combination that will change your life. Think Oo-ey Goo-ey brownie topped with a Peanut Butter no baked cookie.

As I often do, I have about a million possible alterations  to discuss, this is in effort to provide a recipe everyone can enjoy. So lets get started:

• Can’t do peanuts? The Peanut Butter portion of this recipe can be subbed out for ANY nut or seed butter. As I’m sure most of you have noticed, some are thicker than others. I always keep on hand the cheapo processed Peanut Butter for inexpensive recipe development. So, that is what I used. This is not to say that other healthier versions of “butter” wont work. You may just need to add a little oil to to the healthier brands to make the consistency smoother.
• Need to avoid Sugar?? This morning I wen’t to make these for the 3rd time to test out the use of powdered Xylitol. I discovered that I was about 1/3 cup short. So,here’s the scoop. I have a strong suspicion that using xylitol will work in both the brownie and peanut butter portions of this recipe- but until I try it myself I can’t tell you 100% that this is the case. For my friends up for a little experimenting: please, give it a try and report back to us how they turned out.  Another great option is to use Coconut Palm Sugar. While technically it is not sugar- free. Its much much lower on the glycemic index than most sugars, and it works beautifully in this recipe. I have yet to find a brand of Sugar free Chocolate Chips- so try using Raw Cacao Nibs instead (optional)
• The Almond Flour/Chex Cereal/Oats/Quinoa flakes etc. in the peanut butter topping all taste AMAZING. Use whichever option works best for your families dietary needs- each will contribute a different texture. All of these options are basically acting as a “binder” to hold the bars together. I added some unsweetened coconut flakes to mine! Be creative, and have fun with this part. (note: the use of almond flour again, takes away the “flourless” status. But, I don’t mind if you don’t ) 
• Need to avoid Dairy? The Butter called for in topping can be swapped out for a number of things. I had success with Earth Balance, Coconut Oil (I LOVE the brand Garden of Life) or Ghee. I DO NOT suggest the use of shortening.. that would make these just weird. Also, replace the chocolate chips with an allergy free brand (such as Enjoy Life!) 
• Can’t do eggs? No problem, use the following recipe to make the brownie base instead. This comes from my popular Brownie Chocolate Chip Cookie bar recipe. (Going this route- this recipe is no longer flour-less. But I wanted to provide the additional option). For more specific directions on this option check please check out the original recipe.
  

I think thats it! Time to make some Brownies..

Flourless Crack Brownies.

Bottom Brownie Layer:

3 Cups of *Powdered* Granulated Sugar of choice (see note below on how to make)
1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa or Carob Powder
1/4 Tsp. Salt
2 Tbs Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Allergy Free Chocolate Chips

Peanut butter Topping:

1 Cup Peanut (or other nut/seed butter)
1/2 Cup (8 Tbs) Butter, Ghee or Coconut Oil.
1 Cup *Powdered* granulated sugar of choice. (ie. Sucanat, Cane, Coconut Palm, Turbinado etc)
2 Cups of Almond Flour  (or other nut flour) OR Rice Chex, Rice Crispy Cereal, Gluten Free Oats, Quinoa Flakes etc. (this could be a mix of several of these things too!)
Pinch of Salt.
1 Cup Allergy Free Chocolate Chips (optional)

1. Place a sheet of parchment in a baking pan. (a 7×7, 8×8 or something near these sizes will work- use what you have)
2. Make your powdered sugar! (this is very important) Select whichever variety you will like and powder it by running it through a coffee grinder or placing it in your blender. (no need for a fancy blender- any run of the mill brand will get the job done!)  Neglecting to do this step will result in bars with a weird grainy texture. IF you want to just use regular white refined powdered sugar, that is fine. Just know that you will need 1 extra egg in the recipe (as store sold powdered sugar contains cornstarch and which will soak up more moisture than the homemade.)
3. Preheat oven t0 350 Degrees. Make the brownie base: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until it comes together. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour into the prepared pan. Note: This batter may seem like its not enough. When baked it will triple in size.
4. Bake the brownies- for 25-28 minutes.
5. While the brownies are baking Making the (no bake) peanut butter topping. In a sauce pan combine the Peanut Butter and Butter and melt. Add the sugar, and your “binder” of choice. (Almond Flour, Cereal, Oats etc.) throw in a pinch of salt and give it a taste test. If you like your bars sweeter, add a little bit more powdered sugar.
6. Remove the baked brownies from the oven. Pour on top of them the Peanut butter topping. Smooth the surface and then sprinkle with chocolate chips.
7. Place the pan into the fridge or freezer until firm.

Have fun with this recipe! Make it your own. Additional nuts and seeds ( or whatever your heart desires) can be added to the topping. Use this as an opportunity to clean our your pantry.

Brittany

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*All recipes and text on this site are the original creations and property of Brittany Angell. If you make a recipe from this website and would like to share it, this may be done by sharing photo’s and including a direct link to this website.  Duplication of recipe text, or “adaptions” containing less than 4 major changes to the recipe is strictly forbidden *

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