Peppermint Pattie Cookies

 Happy St. Patty's Day!

I dunno about you, but I am going to celebrate with some mouth-melting peppermint pattie cookies. It's no green beer, or corn-beef and cabbage, but really, does anyone really love that stuff anyways? Patties full of fresh and minty peppermint will just add to the fresh spring air coming through your newly opened windows. And for some reason I just feel like the peppermint pattie is the perfect treat for a day like today.

This cookie was inspired by some homemade peppermint pattie recipes that I have been wanting to try, but I wanted to make my pattie with a cookie and a little crunch. So I guess they could be considered a close cousin to the scout's thin mints, but because I never was a scout or ever really ate any scout cookies, I decided to call this cookie what it is to me, a peppermint....pattie....cookie. 

Plus these babies are made with some pretty simple ingredients with lots of health benefits. If you are looking for a way to add more love to your life with raw honey and coconut oil, you may just need to make this recipe today! Raw honey is a great food to eat in the spring to help clear your sinuses and mucus glands. But you must buy local raw honey to really reap the benefits for your own regions seasonal allergens. Here is a great resource about raw honey as well! And here is a great reason to try and add more pure organic coconut oil to your life as well. (See, I told you I could justify any healthy treat!) And you are gunna need it after you try one of these....you just can't stop after one!

Peppermint Pattie Cookie Recipe- Gluten and Dairy Free
[there are 3 parts to this cookie and each part is listed below in order with instructions]

Chocolate cookie base:

1 cup of freshly ground buckwheat flour

1/4 cup of cocoa powder

1/2 ts. of sea salt

4 TB of sucanat or coconut palm sugar

4 TB of soft coconut oil

4 TB of non-dairy milk of choice

Grind almost 1 cup of buckwheat groats in a magic bullet or high powered blender to make fresh ground buckwheat flour. Mix one cup of flour with the rest of the above ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to mix well and it will start out crumbly like a pie crust and will turn into a cookie dough. Take Tb sized balls and roll them in the palm of your hand and then press down the little quarter-sized balls on a parchment papered baking sheet. This recipe will make between 2 1/2 to 3 dozen cookies depending on how large you roll your cookies. Bake cookies in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes and then let cool for at last one hour. Then make the following mint cream topping...

Honey mint cream:

1/2 cup of soft organic extra virgin coconut oil

1/3 cup of raw honey (local is best)

1/2 ts. of peppermint flavoring (or oil)

In a small bowl, whip up the raw honey and soft organic coconut oil until it turns into a creamy whipped substance. Add the peppermint flavoring or oil and continue to whip. Then put mix in the freezer for just a few minutes to stiffen up a little bit to a frosting like consistency. Then with the mix you can either pour into a zip lock bag to "frost" the cookies (you do this by pouring cream in bag and then cutting a 1 inch slit at the bottom corner to squeeze out cream over cookie), or use a flat knife to frost the cookies, whatever is easier for you. Top each cookie with a teaspoon sized portion of the cream and spread all over the top flat and thin. Then return the frosted cookies to the baking sheet and place in the freezer for the cream to harden on top of the cookie. Freeze at least one hour, but can up to 6-8 hours as well. Then get ready to coated them in melted chocolate. 

Chocolate coating:

1 1/2 cup of dairy-free chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life)

1 ts. of organic extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 ts. of peppermint flavoring (or oil)

In a small glass bowl, melt 1 heaping cup of dairy-free chocolate chips with a ts. of coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds, then stir and melt again for another 30 seconds. Then after a minute of heat it should be easily stirred into a liquid form. Then add the peppermint oil and stir well. You can also melt your chocolate over boiling water if you prefer. When chocolate is liquid, you can drop each frozen mint topped cookie into the glass bowl and use a spoon or fork to fully cover the cookie with chocolate. Return the coated cookie to the parchment papered baking sheet. After you are done coating all of the cookies, you can use the remaining melted chocolate in the bowl to sprinkle over the cookies to add an extra touch of drizzled chocolate to the cookies. Then return the cookies to the freezer and let the chocolate coating harden for at least one hour before eating. Then after the coating is fully hardened you can keep the cookies in a container in the fridge or even leave in the freezer if you desire. This recipe will make about 2 1/2-3 dozen cookies depending on how large you make them and how many you sneak before you share with others :)

These cookies are really truly simple too. Just 3 steps, but not many ingredients and they could last a long time being chilled in the fridge. A definite new found love in our house. I will be making them again for an Easter treat and probably again for Christmas with a festive touch. You could easily impress your friends and family with a treat like this! The only problem may be that you will not want to share, and will want to hoard them all to yourself as long as you can. I am pretty sure that when it comes down to the last one my husband and I will be fighting to see who gets it. So perfect and yummy in every way!  

Just look at that cookie! Melt-in-your-mouth perfection.

Well, whatever you do to celebrate this fun day of Irish and green cheer and I hope it involves getting outside in this seasonably warm weather. In my neck of the woods, we are five days into a week long warm-up of 70 and 80 degree tempts. It's just heavenly. Perfect for spring cleaning, outdoor naps, and babies to be born!

I hope you have a beautiful weekend with lots of fresh air and sunshine.

Much love to you!

So Delicious' AlmondPlus Milk and Dessert Review

Well, it's no secret I'm a fan of the company, So Delicious Dairy Free. They have created so many amazing treats for the gluten-free-dairy-free soul like myself. They continue to surprise me with their passion against GMO's, their love for organics and their amazing generosity and support for their customers. I love how I can indulge in a treat from So Delicious and not feel like I am going to suffer from sugar-overload, sickness or JUNK in my choice. They stand by their quality and I as a loyal customer I can easily recommend this brand to anyone.

This great company recently sent me some of their latest treats to review. Of course I couldn't decline and pretty much had my mind made up before I tried ALL of the samples. Just after one bite of their newest ice cream treats had me blurry-eyed and swooning. They really know what they are doing folks. Seriously- I have tried a lot of GF/DF treats over the years and let me just save you the time and money and tell you to go straight to their company's offerings. They are the best. No question. Always creamy to the last bite and always worth the dollar spent. When you go dairy-free or vegan, you can no longer say you can't eat ice cream anymore. You will LOVE their treats and will recommend them to all people alike. They are that good.

My favorite part is that they are actually healthy too. Lots of good healthy fats and even though they are processed, they do not contain anything artificial or toxic and this company is committed to getting the best quality of ingredients they can. You do not have to compromise your health any longer friends. Really.

This spring So Delicious revealed their newest line of products in the almond milk family and they of course have a twist of their own. They added a touch more of plant-based protein to the mix, coming in pea and rice form. The milk is creamy, tasty and less sodium and sweeteners to boot.

Here is a chart showing the comparisons of protein and sodium and sugars for the new AlmondPlus. It is packed full of plant-based proteins. No soy, gluten or dairy to be found. Less sugar and more goodness. If you are going to use almond milk, why wouldn't you want to use the best quality one that is packed full of protein?

Here is the run-down of their latest almond milk treats. 

They are set to start appearing in a store near you this spring (like now!).

Call me a plain-jane, but I loved the plain chocolate with a scoop of the cherry amaretto. 

So yummy and lots of flavors and creamy texture.

Also- this Mocha Almond Fudge bar reminded me of eating a frozen candy bar from years long ago. It was a perfect treat. No scooping required and small enough to not go overboard, and yet it is the perfect size to actually feel like you are enjoying a dessert. The calories are low and the sugars are low as well. Totally worth the splurge on one of these.

Those were my favorite's this week. But really, they are so delicious that you could try any of the varieties and I know you will not be disappointed. Here is a link to get access to a coupon towards one of their amazing products of your choosing. 

Well friends, I wouldn't share my opinion if I didn't care. I do care about these products and recommend them to any and all looking for a healthy alternative to dairy filled treats and milk products. My review is of my own opinion and choosing and I was not paid for any of my words. So Delicious did gift me samples of their product to try, and my only wish is that I could share them with all of you. 

p.s. looking forward to posting again before Saturday 

with a yummy St. Patty's treat... think minty... and pattie...

Coconut Shamrock Shake (vegan)

This past week I had the stomach flu bug of some sort. Terrible in a word. It takes days to feel normal again and when you have celiac disease and plenty of other sensitivities it only adds to the misery. It was a good reminder to me though of how important our health is. How important food is for your body. How food is medicine. Even when you can't keep the dang stuff in your stomach to last through the hour. But, I guess being sick really reminded me of how our bodies are an amazing ecosystem. They contain so many systems all going on at the same time and to have them all run smoothly you really need to give it all you can. Lots of vitamins, rest, and lovin'. And this time of year our bodies are ready for some spring cleaning. Just like the yard, basement and house. Your body needs to do some cleaning and get out the gunk from the more sedentary months of winter. So as I try and recover from a bug in the gut I have been extra careful this week to digest foods that will bring more minerals, vitamins and life back to my ecosystem. 

This yummy green shake is a reminder of just that. The bitter greens and chlorophyll help clean your cells and bring more oxygen to your body. And that's just a jump start. They continue to help your bones, your blood and your whole being. 

Not to mention...It's a special time of year of green popping up everywhere. New growth and new life. Or it's possible you may be driving by the advertisements for a something-shamrock-green-something at the 'golden arches'. Something I remember from my younger years. Something you really only like to think about this time of year. And, if you are a mom trying to get your kids to eat more 'green' this may be a fun way to celebrate spring or st. patty's day. So make a REAL green milkshake at home with a tasty combo of fresh greens, mint and some creamy coconut deliciousness.

Homemade Coconut Shamrock Shake (vegan-style)

8-10 washed small kale leaves

1 heaping cup of washed spinach leaves

2 cups of unsweetened homemade canned pears

2 cups of pear juice from homemade canned pears

1 can of chilled coconut milk 

1 ts. of organic peppermint flavoring (or use fresh mint to your taste)

30-35 drops of liquid stevia extract (or use ground stevia powder to your taste)

Blend the above ingredients in a high power blender until your shake is smooth and creamy. Serve right away. Or if you prefer chill it up in the freezer, or even leave it to make a coconut green ice cream. This recipe makes enough for 4 people to have about a 8-10 ounce shake.

Some notes:

*If you do not have canned pears from last fall, then you can use 2 cups of frozen pears thawed just a bit. Then add juice/water till you get a smooth consistency. Of you can try using fresh pears as well, just eyeball the fresh to be between 2-3 cups and use water or juice to get the consistency you desire. 

*You can use fresh mint to your taste, but I liked using the flavoring as well because it really brings out the flavor. It is just peppermint oil with a little sunflower oil  as well. Super simple and it makes it taste so fresh as well.

*I used stevia to avoid sugars. But you could easy add honey or maple instead. Or soak 4-6 dates to add to the mix as well to sweeten it up. 

Well, that is something green I will be enjoying this March. I hope to see some fresh and local greens in the coming weeks and looking forward to planting my own soon. Here is another great GREEN juice recipe from a local friend and blogger that I just love. Hope you are finding new ways to add more green to your life and let the spring cleaning begin.

Much love and life to you today!

Date Sweetened Spice Donuts with Pear Butter

There's nothing fancy about these delicious donuts. Just pure goodness. There is no need for sugar to make them worth sinking your teeth into and they are still mouth-watering sweet and moist. I love when I can bake, eat, and love a donut without any side affects to a sugar-shock or an allergic reaction. Sometimes I do justify a treat if it is a special occasion. I will say sugar or a rich delicacy can be tried in those special moments, but the truth is I usually suffer in the aftershock. So is it worth it? Is eating sugar and dairy or whatever else ails you worth the treat in the long run? I usually decide it is in the thick of the moment, but then regret it later. Maybe you have found yourself in similar situations...

Well, these donuts are made as a beacon of hope in a sugar-filled world. They are made sugar, nut, gluten and dairy free, with the added touch of a fruity, spicy pear butter that will have you licking your lips and fingers and whatever else you can accidentally spill it on. They are a far fetch from a jelly-filled deep fried or traditional buttermilk donut, but trust me, you will forget all of those past indulgences once you try this delicious healthy treat that tastes good and won't make you feel awful either.

Date Sweetened Spice Donut Recipe (vegan)
1 cup of de-pitted dates
1 cup of pure water

Soak the dates in a blender, or bowl for at least 1 hour in 1 cup of water. You can soak for many hours as well, but you should at least soak for one hour to soften the dates. Then pour the date/water mix in a blender or magic bullet and blend until it is a liquified mixture that resembles pudding or a smoothie. 

1 cup of gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob Red Mill's gluten-free baking mix)
1/2 cup of coconut flour
1 1/2 ts. of baking powder
1 ts. of baking soda
1/2 ts. of sea salt
1 ts. of ground cardamon
1/2 ts. of ground cinnamon
1/4 cup of coconut palm sugar or sucanat
2 TB of melted coconut oil
1/4 cup of chia-egg-gel (2 TB ground chia seeds mixed with 4 TB of pure water)
*buttermilk mixture*
1 cup of So Delicious coconut milk beverage with fresh juice from 1 lemon (about 1-2 TB's of juice)

In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together first, then add the wet with the blended date mixture, "buttermilk" mixture and the rest of the wet ingredients. Mix well and then let sit for a few minutes for the batter to come together. Then use a rubber spatula to pour the batter in a gallon-sized zip lock bag. Make sure to get all of the air out and then press the bag shut and the batter to the bottom of the bag. Then use a kitchen scissors and cut a 1 inch slit off one of the bottom corners of the bag. Then in a non-stick donut baking pan, squeeze out the batter into the donut sized holes in the pan. Fill the batter tot he tops of the holes and then bake in a 350 degree oven for 22-25 minutes. This recipe will make 12 large donuts, or 24 smaller donuts. Pull donuts from the pan when they have cooled for at least 5 minutes, then continue to let the donuts cool on a cooling rack or plate.

You can top these donuts with whatever you like. But my favorite topping is homemade pear butter. You could also try a homemade apple butter or other fruit butter you prefer. You could also brush the baked donuts in a maple syrup glaze or an sun-butter-fruit glaze or coconut oil and cinnamon sugar glaze. Whatever fits your fancy, but the pear butter is my chosen love for this recipe because it soaks into the warm donuts and tastes like a warm fruit filled fritter that will leave you dreaming for more.

Spicy Pear Butter Recipe

2 gallons (8 quarts) of frozen pears (with or without peal)

Pears don't have to be exactly measured- You can use whatever you can get your hands on. Also, if you don't have frozen pears, fresh pears will work too. I do not think canned pears will work because of the excess moisture, but maybe some one out there can prove me different.

In a large 8-10 quart pot, dump your semi-defrosted frozen pears and basically you let them simmer down into a boil and you let them simmer on the stove for 6-10 hours until the pears have turned into a very thick sauce. You can add your spices after a few hours of cooking down and taste test to see if you want to add a touch more. Start smaller so that you don't over do it though.

start with these spices, and then add a pinch more if you want more spice:

1/2 ts. of allspice

1/2 ts. of ground nutmeg

1/2 ts. of ground cinnamon

1/2 ts. of cloves

Then, after the pears are cooked down, Let cool for 6-8 hours and then pour into a blender to whip into a nice thick and smooth butter. The butter should really look like a creamy butter...:)

Then if you want to preserve your butter you can follow traditional preserving methods and can it for a later date. I like canning the butter in pint-sized jars so that they are easy to get the butter out with a small knife or spoon. Perfect.

The 2 gallons of pears roughly made about 4 pints of butter. Just to get an idea of how much water is reduced.

Well, friends, there you have it. This recipe has become a new favorite in my house. The donuts are yummy from the oven, but will last 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. We toast the leftover donuts in the toaster and they are toasted and warmed just enough to top with some pear butter and they are just as perfect as the minute you ate them warm from the oven. So a great leftover breakfast or snack - basically a great treat to have laying around when you have hungry kiddos asking for something in between meals.

This recipe could also be baked as a muffin recipe, or add another 1/2 cup of milk and make it a great pancake recipe. Maybe I will re-post this recipe as a pancake recipe soon. Dates are so delicious in baked goods and a perfect ingredient when trying to avoid the processed granulated sugar.

Hope you try this treat. It's worth buying a donut pan for because you will use it again ;)

Much love to you as always!