Apple Almond Bars

Apple Almond Bars

Apple Almond Bars

I'm still fairly early on my SCD* adventure hoping to heal my stomach.  I was wanting something that was yummy, easy and SCD friendly.  This is what I came up with.  They would be amazing with a variety of other flavorings like cinnamon and cloves or other SCD legal extracts like almond or maple.  They are SCD legal, as well as being low carb, gluten free and dairy free if the yogurt topping is omitted.

Apple Almond Bars
Makes 9 cookies

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Prepare an 8" square cake pan with an olive or coconut oil cooking spray with no added ingredients or butter the pan.  Set it aside.

Place the following ingredients in a mixing bowl:

1 cup blanched almond flour
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup raw honey
2 tablespoons coconut oil, liquid state (above 70F)
2 teaspoons Homemade Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon salt ("Real Salt" or Himalayan)

Combine them well and spread the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.  Bake the bars for about 20 minutes or until they are just becoming golden.  Cool and cut into bars.  

I served mine with honey sweetened SCD yogurt and blueberries.  (Omit the yogurt for IC.)  Heavenly!

Enjoy!

*SCD = The Specific Carbohydrate Diet by Elaine Gottschall 


Simultaneously published on my other blog, here.

Raw Coconut Pecan Balls

The full recipe is here in my other blog.  Enjoy!

Simi's Cookies -- four (4) ingredient cookies

Simi's Cookies -- four (4) ingredient cookies

Simi's Cookies

Simi is two years old and has a boatload of food allergies.  His family was here for a visit, and his mommy forgot to bring his special cookies.  I verified what ingredients he could tolerate and came up with these easy-peasy cookies.  He, (and his mommy who is allergic to eggs), thought they were pretty delicious :)

Simi's Cookies are very simple -- with only four (4) ingredients.  They have a "flour" base, some "butter", flax seed mixed with water, and sweetener.  The flour could be just about any "flour,"  like almond, rice or ground oats.  The butter could be anything from coconut oil, to butter or margarine, like we had to do for Simi.  The flax seed and water stands in for the eggs, and we used honey for sweetener because it's safe for him, but I think just about any sweetener -- agave, coconut sugar or organic sugar would work.  These could easily have other optional ingredients like a tablespoon or two of nuts, raisins or chocolate or carob chips added.  Have fun with it!

Simi's Cookies
Makes about a dozen cookies

Pre-heat oven to 375F.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream together:

1/3 cup raw honey (or other tolerated sweetener)
1/3 cup Earth Balance Spread (or other solid fat)

Combine in a small cup or dish:

1 teaspoon ground flax seed plus 1 tablespoon water.  Allow it to gel a minute or so.  Add to the honey mixture and stir well.

Add a little at a time until cookie dough consistency:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or other well tolerated "flour")

Scoop by tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking oil spray or onto a parchment lined sheet.  Tap the tops of the dough balls with fingers so they will flatten during baking.  Bake about 11 minutes or until they are becoming golden.  Cool on paper towels.  Enjoy!

Simultaneously published on my other blog here.

Golden Cashew Coconut Cookies

Golden Cashew Coconut Cookies

These little babies are good!  They remind me of the frosting from German Chocolate cake.  Yummy!  Of course, they are gluten and grain free, soy and dairy free.  



Golden Cashew Coconut Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen

Pre-heat the oven to 350F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set it aside.

In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat:

2 eggs

Add and continue beating:

1 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup date sugar*

Add and mix well:

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I make my own.  Recipe here)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup cashew pieces
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed

Scoop by small scoopfuls, (2 tablespoon size), onto the parchment lined sheet about 2" apart.  Flatten the tops of the cookies, and bake them at 350F for about 10 minutes.  

Allow them to rest on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer them to a paper towel to continue cooling.  

Store covered with waxed paper or paper towels between the layers.  Enjoy!

*For low carb, use just coconut sugar

Note:  The oranges were just for the photo shoot.  Don't eat them on a low-acid diet.