Nut free "peanut butter" cookies grain free dairy free gluten free egg free

Have to post this here so I can find it - I just dug through 6 months of facebook posts to find the link!  My sister found this recipe and introduced it to us this fall when she was visiting.  I KNOW it sounds crazy, but I swear, they are GOOD.  We tried several versions - including tahini.  Believe it or not, the tahini ones were my favorites!  These can also be made with peanut butter, sun butter  or almond butter.    The only thing you need to watch is that it is the ALL NATURAL version.  No added oils, etc.  The original is here:

http://www.texanerin.com/2012/04/grain-free-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-bites.html

They worked great for us - particularly for Ben who is ridiculously hard to find snacks to take to preschool.  The only downside is I ate more than my fair share.  You know, because they're almost "healthy".

Not Peanut Butter bites

• 1¼ cups canned chickpeas, well-rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste - usually you'll find it in the peanut butter aisle)
• ¼ cup real maple syrup (or honey) 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• a pinch of salt (unless you're using a nut butter that has it already)
• ½ cup mini chocolate chips (Enjoy Life is completely allergy safe or regular Nestle mini chips if small amounts of soy are tolerated) or flake off a Lindt 80% bar for another soy dairy corn free option
• Preheat oven to 350°F.  Combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth. Scrape the sides and process again til smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.  Important: do NOT eat the dough.  It tastes awful. LOL  No idea how it works, but I swear when you bake it they taste good!  The mixture will be very thick and sticky.  Wet hands and form into 1½" balls. Place on a piece of parchment paper. Press down slightly on the balls to form a cookie shape as they won't rise much.  Bake for about 10 minutes. The dough balls will still be very soft when you take them out of the oven. They will not set like normal cookies.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature (or in the fridge) for up to 1 week.

Allergy free Dark Chocolate Cake in a Cup

I've wanted to adapt this recipe for a while, but just never tried.  Last night I made Bryan brownies for his birthday and made the mistake of tasting them.  Which initiated a must.have.chocolate.now frenzy.  A couple recipes on google later I had some basic ratios and poof, in less than 5 minutes a rich, dark chocolately cup of dense chocolately goodness.  It was so rich I could only eat half a cup, so I threw a wrap on and let the rest sit overnight.  Even better.  I'd undercook it slightly next time, but all in all, a HUGE success.

Allergy free Dark Chocolate Cake in a Cup

In a microwave proof mug, measure 3 T warm water. Add 2 T ground flax seed. Let set 30 sec.  (Alternatively, if you can handle eggs, use 1 egg instead).
Add:
 3 T milk (I used coconut)
 1 tsp vanilla
 1 T melted coconut oil
 3 T flour (my next step is to try it gluten free for my boys...I see no reason why it won't work.)
 3 T cocoa powder
 4 T sugar
1 oz chopped dark chocolate or 3 T chocolate chips (optional)

Mix well.  Microwave 2 to 2 1/2 min..

I wish it was more difficult.  But seriously, this will give you a dairy free, egg free, soy free personal chocolate cake (I'd say it's closer to a brownie) in a matter of minutes.  You can thank me later.

Allergy Free, Gluten Free Chocolate Cake in a Cup

So, I've been slowly cutting wheat out of my diet, thinking that some of the residual swelling issues I still have are related (and they seem to be...).  We have 3 boys who are allergic to wheat, but seem to tolerate spelt (and of course, other gluten free flours such as sorghum, buckwheat, rice, etc).  The other night I was having a serious chocolate craving and there wasn't a drop to be found (like, seriously.  NO chocolate.).  Except unsweetened baking chocolate.  So, I decided to play around.  I tweaked it again tonight and honestly, I might like it better than the original and, it's even MORE guilt free.

In a microwave proof cup add:
3T milk (I used unsweetened almond)
1 square unsweetened baking chocolate

Microwave 30 sec-1 min or until chocolate begins to melt.  Let set, stir and return if needed until mixture is smooth and chocolate is completely melted. Add:

1 tsp vanilla
3 T sugar

Stir til smooth.  Add:

2 T gluten free flour mix (I used spelt since I had it on hand, and, as I said, I'm experimenting)
2 T almond flour/meal

Return to microwave for about 1.5 min depending on your microwave.  You want it to still a little gooey in the center -- it will set up more as it cools.  At 2 min mine was too dry for my taste.  Let set a couple minutes so you don't burn your tongue...logistical really.  If you have a tough tongue, you can have at it. Ha!  Add a scoop of vanilla coconut ice cream on top if desired.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I'm sitting here on this grey and blustery Monday with a bowl of this soup. It's just such perfect comfort food. A good friend brought up this soup about a month ago when Bryan and I were both really sick. We loved the delicate and unique flavors -- it seems like most chicken soups get to tasting the same after a while! This one has dill -- a spice I just wouldn't normally add to chicken soup, but it adds a beautiful complex flavor! We loved it so much I asked her for the recipe so I could tweak it and make it allergy free (I knew it was close)! The original is a chicken noodle soup -- some of ours are allergic to wheat. I used wild rice since I had it on hand, but regular noodles or rice noodles would work great too! Just add them in the last 10-15 min or cook them separately and add just before serving. Now, this does make enough for an army...feel free to cut it in half or use leftover chicken!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

*Note: I used leftover chicken from a roast chicken and homemade chicken broth, sidestepping the first section!

1 whole chicken (preferable organic)

1 onion, chopped

Slow cook in crockpot with 4-5 c water (or simmer 1-2 hours in a large pot until meat "falls off bones"). Seperate meat and bones -- allow skin and bones to simmer longer to make broth. Shread/chop meat.

3 T olive oil

1 med onion, finely chopped

1 lb carrots finely chopped

1 portabella mushroom or about 4 oz other mushrooms, finely chopped

1 large parsnip, grated or finely chopped

1 leek, tops removed, washed and finely chopped

1 crushed garlic clove

Heat oil in large pot (or in a pan if you'll be using the crock pot), saute veggies for about 5 min.

Strain broth and add to veggies (or add all to crock pot). Add:

1 T dill (or to taste)

2 tsp salt (or to taste)

2 tsp pepper (or to taste)

2 c. wild rice (or wait until end and add rice or other noodles if desired)

Chicken (as much as desired)

Simmer until rice is tender. Add water as needed to desired thickness.

Perfect comfort food for a day like today!