2/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if you almond butter contains any added salt)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup almond butter
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir to combine.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the almond butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth, about 2 minutes.

4. With the mixer on low, slowly add the oat mixture. Mix until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. The dough will be very sticky!

5. Scoop 2 tablespoon rounds of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake each batch for 9-11 minutes. Cool 2 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

The post Flourless Oatmeal Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free) appeared first on Northshore Naturopathic Clinic.

• 11/2 cups Gluten Free flour mix (Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1 scoop of protein powder (Vega)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 11/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp clove
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 can of pumpkin purée (398ml)
• 1/4 cup apple sauce
• Few drops of stevia
• 2 flax eggs (2TBS ground flax & 6TBS warm water)
• 2-4TBS almond butter
• Pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven 350°

Mix flax “eggs” and let sit 5 minutes. Combine flour, protein powder, salt and spices. In a separate bowl mix pumpkin purée, vanilla, apple sauce, flax eggs and stevia. Line muffin tins with Parchment paper liners (5 large or 10 small). Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until combined.

Fill bottom half of liners, then add a dollop of almond butter for the center of the muffins, proceed with filling the top half of the muffins. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top of muffins and bake at 350° for 40 mins or until the tops crisp up.
ENJOY!!!

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This can be made as a last minute treat for the holidays.

• 8 oz high quality organic semisweet chocolate (the highest cocoa content that you like)
• 1 ½ cups of your favorite nuts*, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup dried fruit** (dried cherries or cranberries are nice)

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

2. In the top of a double boiler, over low heat, stir the chocolate until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts and dried fruit.  Mix to coat all the pieces.

3. Place heaping teaspoonfuls of the mixture on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until set.  The clusters can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 months.

Makes about 30 pieces

*Nut options:  almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, macadamia, ribbon coconut, etc.

**Dried fruit options:  raisins, cherries, cranberries, apricots (chopped), blueberries, etc.

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A few of our patients have asked for a recipe for a yeast-free gluten-free bread that they can make themselves, so after a lot of research and testing, this is what I’ve come up with. Keep in mind that when making yeast-free breads, especially if they’re also gluten-free, you will not end up with light fluffy bread that resembles the store-bought varieties; yeast is what causes the bread to rise and gluten provides elasticity. If you’re not familiar with gluten-free baking, be sure to read this month’s Health Tip.

This bread is good eaten warm, right out of the oven, with butter or nut butter on it. It’s also good toasted. See the list below for substitutions.

• ¼ cup (50 ml) melted coconut oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
• ·2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey
• ¾ cup (175 ml) sorghum flour
• ¾ cup (175 ml) brown rice flour
• ½ cup (125 ml) tapioca starch flour
• ½ cup (125 ml) millet flour
• ½ cup (125 ml) buckwheat flour
• 1½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) guar gum or xanthan gum
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) alum-free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) unprocessed sea salt
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350º F (180º C). Lightly grease a metal loaf pan with butter or coconut oil and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the coconut oil, eggs, milk, vinegar, and honey. (If possible, bring the eggs, milk, and coconut oil to room temperature before mixing; this will prevent the coconut oil from solidifying when you mix the wet ingredients.)

In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the wet ingredients and stir just until combined—be careful not to over mix as this destroys the delicate air bubbles in the mixture and will result in a heavier bread.

Spoon batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth down the top. Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Substitutions:

• You can use melted butter instead of coconut oil.
• I used vanilla flavored unsweetened almond milk. You can substitute rice milk or oat milk or, if you’re okay with dairy, you can use low-fat milk or buttermilk. If using buttermilk, omit the vinegar.
• Instead of millet and buckwheat flours, you can try other gluten-free flours (see this month’s Health Tip). I’ve made this bread with quinoa flour instead of buckwheat and it passed the taste test with 3 out of 4 of my family members. If you don’t like the taste of quinoa, don’t use it as it has its own distinctive flavor and aroma. If gluten is not a problem for you, feel free to use spelt, kamut, or wheat flour instead of the millet and/or buckwheat.
• Instead of the flours listed in this recipe, you can substitute 3 cups of a commercial gluten-free flour blend. Just be sure to check the ingredient list—if it already contains salt and/or guar gum or xanthan gum, don’t add any more.
• Spoon the flours into measuring cups designed for dry measures and level off with a knife, rather than packing them down.

The post Yeast-Free Gluten-Free Bread appeared first on Northshore Naturopathic Clinic.

These bite-size treats are low in sugar and contain healthy fats, fiber and protein. The cocoa powder will help to satisfy chocolate cravings while providing antioxidants. For information on the health benefits of: nuts and seeds see the Health Tip for April 2003; and coconut oil see the November 2003 Health Tip.

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) virgin coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) unpasteurized honey
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (60 ml) almond butter
• ½ cup (125 ml) finely ground pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup (125 ml) unsweetened shredded coconut
• ⅛ teaspoon (.5 ml) fine unprocessed sea salt

Combine coconut oil, cocoa powder, honey, vanilla and almond butter; mix well. Stir in the remaining ingredients until well-blended. Shape/roll into ¾ inch balls. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge. Makes about 25 balls.

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A healthy snack or dessert that even the kids will love, this dish is quick and easy to make.

• 4 ripe pears
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) virgin coconut oil (see Notes)
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon (2 ml) ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) unprocessed sea salt (see Notes)
• chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans (optional)

Cut the pears in half lengthwise, remove the stems and cores, but do not peel. Place the pear halves cut side up in a baking dish. Cut a small slice off the bottom of the pears so that they are level to keep the sauce on top of them.

In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil over low heat. Remove from heat, add the lemon juice, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, and sea salt; mix well. Drizzle this sauce over the pears, then cover and bake at 350º F (180º C) for about 30 minutes or until tender. Baste the pears with the sauce on the bottom of the dish and top with chopped nuts, if using. Makes 8 servings.

Notes:

• Virgin coconut oil adds a slight coconut flavor; if you don’t like the taste of coconut, use regular coconut oil instead. The oil helps to decrease the glycemic response of the sugars in this recipe.
• The pears are naturally high in potassium and sugar, making them cooling foods. The sodium in the sea salt combines with the potassium to make them neutral—neither warming nor cooling.

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Compared to typical pumpkin bread recipes, this one uses healthier flours and less fat and sugar, making it a better choice for an occasional treat for those who don’t have any intestinal yeast overgrowth. Please see the Notes at the end of the recipe for any item marked with an asterisk (*).

• · ½ cup (125 ml) butter
• · ½ cup (125 ml) sucanat *
• · ½ cup (125 ml) unsweetened applesauce
• · ¼ cup (50 ml) unpasteurized honey
• · 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
• · 3 eggs
• · 1 14-ounce can (398 ml) pure pumpkin *
• · 1⅓ cups (325 ml) oat flour *
• · 2 cups (500 ml) spelt flour *
• · 1 tablespoon (15 ml) xanthan gum *
• · 1 tablespoon (15 ml) non-alum baking powder
• · 1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda
• · ½ teaspoon (2 ml) unprocessed sea salt
• · ½ teaspoon (2 ml) stevia powder
• · 2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cinnamon
• · 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground nutmeg
• · ½ teaspoon (2 ml) ground ginger
• · ½ teaspoon (2 ml) ground cloves

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sucanat. Add the applesauce, honey, vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin and mix well. In another bowl, combine the flours, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, stevia, and spices; stir into the pumpkin mixture just until moistened. Divide the batter evenly between 2 lightly buttered loaf pans, smoothing down the top with the back of a spoon or a spatula.

Bake the loaves on the center rack of a preheated 350º F (180º C) oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes then slide a knife around the edges and remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 2 16-slice loaves.

Notes:

• · Sucanat is the evaporated juice of sugar cane. It is golden brown in color, looks like sugar, and contains the natural nutrients of sugar cane. Sucanat is a healthier alternative to refined white sugar and can be substituted on a one-to-one ratio.
• · If you don’t have oat flour, make your own by grinding large flake oats in a clean coffee grinder until they are the consistency of flour.
• · You can substitute whole-wheat pastry flour for the spelt flour and omit the xanthan gum. For more information about spelt, see the Health Tip for January 2003.
• · Xanthan gum improves the texture of baked goods when using non-wheat flours by helping to make them less crumbly.
• · These ingredients can be found in health food stores or in the natural food section of some grocery stores.
• · Use canned pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling. Alternatively, you can substitute freshly cooked pumpkin; the small “sugar pumpkins” are best for eating.

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½ cup (125 ml) plain yogurt

4 teaspoons (20 ml) unsweetened shredded coconut

½ teaspoon (2 ml) vanilla extract

pinch unprocessed sea salt

½ to ¾ cup (125 to 175 ml) fresh raspberries

Mix together the yogurt, coconut, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Gently stir in raspberries. Makes 1 serving.

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This is a great way to use up bruised or overripe strawberries. The sea salt may seem like an odd ingredient to use in this recipe but it’s important to add it to help avoid ileocecal valve problems because the strawberries are ‘cooling’ foods (and you can’t really taste it). Strawberries usually have enough sweetness on their own but you can add the stevia if you prefer it sweeter.

• 1½ cups (375 ml) sliced fresh strawberries (about 6 large), washed and hulled
• scant ⅛ teaspoon (.5 ml) sea salt
• 1 or 2 pinches stevia powder (optional)
• ½ teaspoon (2 ml) fresh lemon juice (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor, or use a hand-held blender, and process until smooth. Taste and add more stevia and/or lemon juice, if desired.

Use on pancakes or waffles instead of maple syrup, as a sauce over other fruits in the summer, mixed with plain low-fat yogurt, or to make sorbets or strawberry frozen yogurt. Or use in the following recipe:

Strawberry Cream Cheese or Yogurt Cheese
Combine ½ cup (125 ml) cream cheese or yogurt cheese with approximately 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of strawberry puree. Spread on whole-grain crackers, toast, bagels, or tortillas.

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Here are 4 healthy alternatives to the sugar-laden frozen treats you buy in the grocery store.

• 1 cup (250 ml) non-fat plain yogurt
• 1 cup (250 ml) fresh or frozen raspberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries
• ¼ cup unsweetened whey protein powder
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) pure vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon (1/2 ml) stevia powder

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into Popsicle molds, add the stick and place in the freezer until frozen. If you don’t have Popsicle molds, use small containers and Popsicle sticks (available in dollar stores). To remove, hold the outside of the mold or container under warm running water until the frozen pop slides out. Makes 6 to 7 servings.

Frozen Cranberry Pops

Make a batch of Cranberry Juice (see January 2005 Recipe) and freeze as directed above.

Frozen Lemon Pops

Make a batch of Lemonade (see page 245 of Eating Alive II) and freeze as directed above.

Frozen Fruit Puree Pops

Place sliced fresh fruit and a small amount of purified water in a blender. Add a pinch of stevia (to taste) if you want more sweetness and process until smooth. Freeze as directed above.

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