Pina Colada Cookies! GF, V, SCD, Paleo & Raw!

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS: 12 DAYS!!!!

Wait a minute!! Rewind! Hold the phone!!  LESS than 2 weeks?!! Yikes!! Xmas is sneaking up on us, folks!

Aaaanywhoo... one of my favorite things to do during the holidays is to listen to Christmas music. I turn on Pandora and let Bing Crosby and Mariah Carey serenade me as I walk the streets of NYC - or more accurately, dodge shoppers and tourists/brave inclement weather/avoid sludge puddles/attempt not to get frostbite or get trampled by protesters....you get the picture ;)

Well, I was strolling away today, when one of my favorite --albeit "out there"-- Christmas tunes came on: Mele Kalikimaka! Maybe it was my fascination with Hawaii growing up, or my slight obsession with the Disney movie, Rip Girls, but I have always found that luau-tastic, tropical Christmas tune to be a welcomed delight!

So, with that tune stuck in my head, and envisioning Santa donning a Hawaiian shirt and board shorts, I came up with today's recipe.

You can call it a Hawaiian Christmas Cookie :)

Because you see, once I started to think about Santa on the beach...my mind only took me to one place.....................PINA COLADAS!! :D

Introducing, my Pina Colada Cookies!

Raw, Gluten and Grain Free, Vegan, Paleo, and Specific Carb Diet friendly....these babies are, in a word, DELICIOUS!!

Tropical little healthy cookie bites that take your taste buds to Hawaii:)  ((Sorry...I'm a little cheesy today)) lol

Here's what you need! (Makes 10 cookies) -- enough for 3-4 people ;)

5 dates, pitted
4 dried pineapple rings
12 almonds
12 cashews
1/4 cup shredded coconut
2 Tbsp coconut butter (NOT oil)

Optional: melted dark chocolate (not SCD)

Put everything in the food processor and process for about a minute until everything is roughly the same size. (Like the size of peppercorns). Then, roll 1 Tbsp of dough into balls. Chill for at least 20 minutes, and enjoy.

(Tip: the dough may feel a bit wet when you roll it into balls initially, but that's just the heat from the food processor melting the oils in the coconut butter. This will go away and "firm up" after 20 minutes in the fridge.)

Optional: Melt about 1/4 cup dark chocolate in the microwave (do 30 second increments, stirring in between) or double boiler, and dip half of the cookie. (Do this after they've firmed in the refrigerator for 20 minutes).

Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way.....oh sorry guys, you caught me day dreaming about my toes in the sand while chewing on these AMAZING COOKIES!!

They're so tropical -- it's seriously the cookie form of a Pina Colada! You've got the pineapple, you've got the coconut, you've got the sweetness from the dates....now all you need is rum!

But seriously, these are delicious. They're sticky and chewy, and the dark chocolate just takes them over the top.

Not to mention they look super elegant and "dressed up!"

I can't wait to share these at the next Christmas party!

And you don't have to tell anyone that they're secretly healthy!! :D

So Cheers to you, Old Saint Nick!

I'll take a Pina Colada over Eggnog any day! ;)

What's your favorite holiday tune?

See you soon!

Pumpkinut Bread Puddin'! GF & DF!

Hey Happy Tummies!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

I just love when the family is all together:)

So we had a treat this weekend. We had the AMAZING Anna May come to our house and take family photos.

She is seriously the most talented photographer ever.

She's based out of Louisville, but will travel to capture beautiful moments for your family, or engagement or wedding.

So thank you Anna May Photography for such gorgeous photos!

Look at that little goober:)

Light and shadows with yours truly :)

Alright...now onto a show stopping recipe!

I made this for my family for breakfast on Thanksgiving, but it could also be dessert. :)

Here's the secret: it's actually pretty doggone healthy!

It's made with Gluten and Dairy Free ingredients, and can easily be made sugar-free by subbing agave or honey for the sugar in the recipe!

I call it: Pumpkinut Bread Pudding! (get it -- pumpkin and coconut :) )

Here's what you need:

1 loaf (14 slices) of Udi's gluten free bread

Custard:
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp salt
1 can of pure pumpkin puree
1 cup coconut milk

Garnish:
coconut milk
sprinkle of cinnamon
pecans

Preheat oven to 250. Place your bread slices on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes per side, until the bread is dry and toasty.

Turn up the oven to 350.

In a medium sized bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and spices together. Then, stir in your pumpkin and coconut milk. ((This all can be done the night before, and refrigerated overnight.))

About 2 hours before you plan on eating, assemble and bake your bread pudding.

Thoroughly spray a deep casserole dish with coconut oil spray. Spread a layer of the custard mixture on the bottom of the pan.

Break your toast slices in half, and arrange in a shingle pattern in the casserole dish, like so.

Then, spoon the custard over the toast shingles until everything is thoroughly smothered in the custard.

Let the dish sit for about 10-15 minutes, allowing the bread to absorb the custard. (If you let it absorb and soak overnight, the gluten free bread will become gummy.)

Bake for 1 hour - 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the custard sets. Rotate the pan if any dark spots develop.

Before you serve, mix some coconut milk with a dash of cinnamon. You can also add some honey, stevia or sugar if desired to taste.

Also, chop some pecans or other nut of choice for a garnish.

Serve warm, and liberally drizzle with the coconut milk.

OK, you guys. This was a winner.

To be completely transparent, I could not eat this, because I can't have the ingredients in the gluten free bread, but it gave me so much joy to prepare a dish that my family loved. And boy, did they love it! My entire family (G-Free'ers and gluten-full-er's alike) polished it off!

I can attest to the custard and WOW, the flavor was amazing. Rich and creamy, and perfectly sweet -- not too sweet, but juuust right.

And the texture was great. The bread was wonderfully spongey and light. Gluten Free bread can become notoriously gummy when soaked for casseroles or bread puddings. But the trick is to really dry it out, and then soak it shortly RIGHT BEFORE you cook and eat it.

My sister-in-law said that it tasted so light, yet decadent. "Light, airy, comforting, and warm, with soft palate flavors -- not overwhelming at all. SO GOOD!" -- and this is coming from a woman that's NOT gluten free!!

And my dad (also not gluten free) loved the coconut drizzle. He said it made the dish so luxurious and moist. I think he had three helpings ;)

So there you have it, folks - the proof is in the pudding :) hehe

And one last thing -- look at how sweet my bro and his wife are: They know I don't eat turkey for Thanksgiving, so he made me a veggie turkey!! Isn't that so sweet?! And look closely at the feet -- he even used celery tops for the "toes" haha!! I'm a spoiled baby sister :) hehe

Alright, until next time! :D

PALEO PUMPKIN PIE! GF, SCD & Paleo!

Hey Happy Tummies!

ANNOUNCEMENT: 2 ½ WEEKS UNTIL THANKSGIVING!!

Whaaaaaat??!! 

I. Know. Craaaazy, huh? Time is literally flying by. 

Have you started making plans for Thanksgiving yet? I am going home to be with family for turkey day. I'm super excited. Bought my plane tickets and everything! :D

Well, as promised, I'm sharing a gourd-geous dessert recipe with you all today:) ((See what I did there?!)) :) hehe

I’ve got a show stopper here folks. PALEO PUMPKIN PIE!!

It’s Gluten Free. It’s Dairy Free. It’s Specific Carb Diet Friendly. It’s Paleo. It’s fan-frickin-tastic.

I made this for Thanksgiving last year and it was an absolute hit. It brought the house down!

Filling: (Makes 2 pies)

1/3 cup raw cashews
2 cups pumpkin or butternut squash puree
2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground clove
1/8 tsp ground ginger
4 droppers full of pure liquid stevia, alcohol free (SCD omit, and use an extra Tbsp honey instead)
2 healthy pinches of salt
2 Tbsp honey
3 egg whites
12 oz coconut milk – I used light

CRUST: (Makes 2 crusts)
16 dates
1 cup cashews
1 cup almonds
4 healthy pinches of salt

Preheat oven to 400. Cut your squash or pumpkin in half length-wise, scoop out all the seeds and place cut-side-down on a tin foil-lined, olive oil-sprayed baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes, until tender. Take it out and let cool for about 7-10 minutes, until you are able to touch it. When you take it out, increase the oven temp to 425.

Meanwhile, make your crust. Pit and chop your dates into small pieces to help out the food processor. Then, add all nuts and salt to the food processor and process until they have broken down into small bits. Then, add your dates and process until it forms the consistency of chunky, wet, sand. You’ll need to scrape the sides once or twice. Spray two, 9-inch pie pans with cooking spray and divide the crust evenly between the two. Then, with your fingers, press the crust together along the bottom and up the sides. The dates will hold it together. Set aside.

Reassemble your food processor. You will now make the rest of the pie.

Place your cashews in the food processor and process until it forms a fine dust. Then, scoop out the flesh of the cooled squash and add it to the food processor. Process until smooth, scraping the sides several times. Then, add your stevia, spices, honey, and egg whites. Process to combine. Then, in 2 batches, add your coconut milk and slowly pulse to combine, so as not to splatter. The batter should be a thick, creamy liquid.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pie shells. Place in the 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to 350 and bake for 40-50 minutes. When you reduce the oven to 350, plaee a tin foil “hat” around the edge of your pie, so the delicate crust doesn’t burn. It is finished when a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 2 hours before cutting into it.

Oh. My. Gosh. You guys, I don’t mean to brag, but my dessert stole the show for Thanksgiving. ;) We had this and a store bought gluten free apple pie. Let me just tell you – we polished off my entire pie….and there was only one piece of the apple pie gone!

Everyone RAVED about it. They couldn’t believe that there was no butter or cream in it. They said it was so decadent and delicious. Everyone - GFree'rs and "omnivores" alike -- thought it was incredible. 

The flavor was warm and spicy, and the texture was so rich, luxurious and creamy. And the crust – wow: nutty, sweet, chewy, sticky! The perfect compliment to the luscious center.

These pies were like my little babiesJ Oh- just thinking about them warms my heartJ #proudmama haha

SO whether you use butternut squash, or pumpkin, these puppies come out fantastic!

One last thing: A tip on gourds ;)

Butternut squash can be a bit intimidating to prepare, simply because they can be tricky to prepare. But fear not friends, I'm here to break down how to break down squash in an easy and safe way!

You'll need a sharp knife -- and I suggest honing your knife's edge before hand. (It goes without saying to be careful whenever using a chef's knife)

Step One: Cut off the top and bottom of your butternut squash. 

Step Two: Cut the squash in half, (like the equator), where the thinner part meets the rounder part where the seeds are. This gives each part a solid base to stand on while you peel the skin.

Step Three: Peel the skin of each half.

Step Four: Cut the round part in half, lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Discard.

Step Five: Cut the remaining part in half, lengthwise. 

Now, you have manageable pieces of squash to slice and dice:) Hope that helps and makes these gourds less intimidating! 

Alright, see you guys tomorrow with a new recipe! :D

This was shared on delishknowledge's link party.