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!

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.

PALEO PUMPKIN PIE!!!!!

Hey guys!!

I hope everyone had a fabulous fabulous Thanksgiving! I know we did! I was in Cincinnati for the weekend and gosh, it was just so wonderful to be with family! I have so much to be thankful for. I’m healthy, have an amazing family and wonderful friends. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t count those blessings. But it’s nice to have a day to devote to just being thankfulJ

We traveled to Indianapolis to be with my brother, his wife, and their sweet little 4-month-old daughter 

for Thanksgiving!

Well, since we were traveling, and they have their hands full with a new baby, we did something crazy. We packed the gluten-free Thanksgiving in the car and had an INSTANT THANKSGIVING!!

Yep. Allllllll day on Wednesday, my mom and I cooked all the dishes (all gluten free, might I add) and packed them up into Tupperware containers (even the turkey!). We cooked from 11am to 11pm. Then bright and early on Thursday morning, we piled it carefully into the car and drove to my brother’s house! INSTANT THANKSGIVING!

It was so fun. And crazy. Actually, rather insane. But we did it and it was awesome to be together.

SO for the meal, it was all gluten free. We had turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, salad, and pies! 

Unfortunately, just because things are gluten free doesn’t mean they’re Specific Carb Diet Friendly- or vegan, for that matter.  All SCD is gluten free, but not all gluten free is SCD --- (get it? I know, It’s confusing.)So—I made myself a meal, and made enough for everyone to have someJ

For the Specific Carb Diet/Gluten Free/Vegan/Paleo meal, I made Roasted Beet and Brussels Stuffed Acorn Squash with Pistachios and Roasted Apples. Oh. My. Gosh. WOW! That post is coming soon.

But for dessert…….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.

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.

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

Be sure to check back next week for my mouth-watering stuffed acorn squash. Let’s just say, there were no leftovers! J Here’s a teaser:

Want more GFHT?  You can now get my e-cookbook, The Best of GlutenFreeHappyTummy for only $2.99 on Amazon!

Sugar Free Vegan Strawberry FroYo! GF, Vegan, SCD, & Paleo!!

Hey Happy Tummies!

My goodness, I am so sorry for not posting in a while.

Things have been beyond insane here. 

I actually battled the flu for the better part of last week/weekend. Being away from home when you're sick is never fun.



Here's what I ate during that time...I may have been hallucinating from the fevers but I was able to whip up some homemade organic vegetable soup! I'm not 100% sure, but I believe there's some zucchini, orange pepper, green beans and garlic in there :) I can't be sure, I was in a daze. I actually slept 8 of the 12 hours I was awake one day. Glad that's over.



So the day after I began to start feeling better, I had a callback for a film. And it's a good thing I willed myself out of bed because.....I booked the role!



Yep, I'm excited to announce that I'll be playing the role of Ally in the film Come On! We'll be filming in August. I can't wait.

 



So one of the "trendiest" foods now a days is FroYo. I swear, I can't walk half a block without seeing someone walking and eating from a pinkberry, red mango, 16 handles, or other frozen yogurt cup. I'd be lying if I didn't say I secretly long for FroYo.

But, a gal that's a SCD Vegan (which includes being sugar free, y'all!) conventional FroYo is not an option. There are "vegan" versions, but they're not sugar free, and there are sugar free versions, but they're not vegan. They must think that if you take out the dairy and sugar that all you'll be left with is air!

Well friends, that is positively NOT the case! How do I know? Because I DID IT!! 

I made Sugar Free Vegan Strawberry FroYo!! And it was INCREDIBLE! I thought it was the perfect cool treat to kick off the summer! I can't decide if I'm more excited about this recipe or the Cauliflower Hamburger Buns from last week!

This recipe is...Gluten Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet friendly, and Paleo!

Here's what you need: (serves 1)

6 dates

8 whole frozen strawberries

1/4 cup cashews

1 1/2 Tbsp coconut butter

1/4 cup cashews, pulverized (garnish)

Couldn't be simpiler: Put 1/4 cup cashews in to the food processor and blitz until they resemble "sprinkles." Put in a small bowl and reassemble your food processor. Put everything else in the food processor, and process until thick, creamy and smooth! Freeze for 25-30 minutes. Garnish with blitzed cashews!

Oh my gosh where to begin with this amazingness?!? First of all, the flavor was magnificent. It was sweet and fresh and just bursting with strawberry flavor. But it wasn't just "strawberry" like you imagine an artificial strawberry ice cream. Now this was complex strawberry. The coconut butter combined with the dates gave the strawberries a deep sweetness that had some weight to it. Sounds strange but that's the way my brain processes things:)



and then the texture was marvelous! It was super creamy and rich! The coldness was so refreshing on a hot day. I also loved the crushed cashews on top too. They gave a slight crunch that went perfectly with the luxurious and thick ice cream.



This was such a treat. I am so excited to share it with you guys. Hopefully you can enjoy some this weekend!

Just a quick reminder! You can now get my e-cookbook, The Best of GlutenFreeHappyTummy for only $2.99 on Amazon!

No Kindle Needed! Just download the free app, here!