Almond Butter Cookies

Peanut butter cookies are one of my top favorite kinds of cookies, but since I switched over to a Paleo diet, we haven't had peanut butter in the house. Instead, we have almond butter and I've been dying to come up with a good Almond Butter Cookie recipe.

Some people don't realize that baking is a science. All the ingredients involved work together to create chemical reactions that allow for certain qualities in baked goods to happen. Some key points to know in baking are which ingredients provide structure and which ingredients provide softness, sweetness and color. Check out this brief guide below:

Flour & eggs for structure; fat and sugar for tenderness:
In baking, flour and eggs are the structure-builders and essentially hold the recipe together. Fat and sugar do the opposite and provide tenderness and moisture. Baking soda and baking powder are used as leavening agents and cause baked goods to 'rise' during baking.

Eggs provide two parts: whites dry out baked goods, while yolks provide velvety, smooth texture. Since yolks are full of fat, you can add extra yolks to add smoothness to your baked goods without having to add more oil/butter.

When using sugar, most people assume it is used as a sweetener, i.e. in coffee/tea. However, in baking its role becomes more complex as it adds volume, tenderness, texture and color.

Brown sugar vs granulated sugar:
These two sugars are virtually interchangeable, however, using brown sugar will create a moister result with a more "butterscotch" flavor as the molasses in the brown sugar will add depth.

Initially I wanted the recipe to be Paleo-friendly, so I used honey in my test batch. While the cookies had great flavor, the texture was far too cake-y for my liking -- I prefer cookies to have a crispy outer edge and a chewy center.

My second round was far more successful as I nixed the honey and replaced it with good ol' fashioned sugar. While these cookies are no longer Paleo-friendly, they certainly are sweet tooth-friendly!!

Almond Butter Cookies:

Yields: 12 cookies

Ingredients:

1 C natural almond butter
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C granulated sugar
1/4 C ghee or regular butter, melted
1/2 C almond flour
1 large egg
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4-1/2 t cinnamon
1/8 t cardamom
1/2 t sea salt
1 t vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl; cream together almond butter, both sugars and ghee. Add vanilla and egg and beat together until mixed well.

In a separate mixing bowl; add almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom,  and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and fold together. Mix until well incorporated.

Spoon tablespoon-sized balls onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake 10-14 minutes, turning once. Adjust baking time to suit your oven. I baked these in a convection oven and had to add about 2-4 minutes to the baking time. Serve warm with a cold glass of milk!

*Try adding finely chopped nuts to this recipe. Next time I make these I will add some roasted pecans/hazelnuts to increase the "nut" flavor I was going for. Don't skip the cinnamon and cardamom, they add a beautiful hint of warmth and spiciness that are perfect for Autumn

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Sweet Potato Sausage Stew

I initially made this recipe with Chorizo sausage, which is to die for. The sweetness of the potato beautifully compliments the smoky, spicy flavor of the Chorizo. I should also mention that I use the most amazing sausages, which we buy from Falconetti's on Commercial Drive click 'here' for a direct link to their website. Falconetti's is a hotspot restaurant here in Vancouver and has been featured on the Food Network's popular show "Diner's Drive-Ins & Dives" with Guy Fieri. Aside from being a restaurant, they also have a butcher connected to the venue where they make their own sausages. Made from all natural ingredients, these sausages are amazing!!! I highly recommend trying their classic "Hot Italian", which I used in this stew recipe today, their "Chaurice", which is their version of Chorizo, and definitely try "Lamb Marguez". Excellent flavors and beautiful quality come together to provide excellence for Falconetti's customers. PS this is my Mom's favorite recipe and I made specially for her today :)

Sweet Potato Sausage Stew

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1lb Chorizo or Hot Italian Sausage
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic
1 28oz can diced tomato
olive oil
salt & pepper

Directions:

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add cubed sweet potato and saute until they begin to soften - about 15 minutes. Add diced onion and garlic, saute 5 minutes.

Add sausage and diced tomato. Stir well and let simmer 15-20 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste, serve hot - it would be delicious served over steamed green beans!

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Tomato Basil Soup

Now that it is officially Autumn, we can start busting out the best recipes for cold, dreary days. Soup is always a great recipe to make, since it generally yields large batches, which keep well in the fridge or freezer for later use. They are also a great way to get extra vegetables into your diet.

I am a huge fan of blended soups. I like the consistency, the flavor and the warmth of a nice mug full of piping hot, homemade soup. I would highly recommend investing in an "immersion blender", I will link a few places you can purchase one -- I highly suggest Cuisinart as theirs is high quality and very moderately priced at $69.99, but I snagged mine for $49.99 from London Drugs when it was on sale. It also came with a whisk attachment and a small food processor attachment. These immersion blenders are perfect for blended soups but if you utilize the other attachments that come with them you will find yourself using them for a lot of other recipes.

Today I made a basic Tomato Basil Soup, it's perfect for the rainy day we are having. It's very simple, very healthy and definitely satisfying.

Tomato Basil Soup

Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

2 28oz cans whole tomatoes
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 C fresh Basil, chopped
3 C low sodium chicken broth
clarified butter aka "ghee"
salt & pepper
1 C milk *optional*
1/4-1/2 t red pepper flakes *optional*

Directions:

In a large stock pot, heat ghee over medium heat. Add chopped carrot, celery, and garlic and saute 5 minutes. Add basil and saute another 2-3 minutes.

Add tomatoes and chicken broth to the vegetables, bring to a boil and let simmer 20-25 minutes, or until vegetables are fork tender add milk, salt, pepper & red chili flakes. Remove from heat.

Blend until smooth using an immersion blender. If you don't have one and use a regular blender, make sure you cool the soup completely before blending as hot liquids will expand and can blow the top off your blender.

Adjust the seasoning to your preference, serve hot and garnish with croutons or a bit of shredded cheddar cheese!

*Cuisinart Immersion Blender - London Drugs $69.99
*Cuisinart Immersion Blender - ON SALE - The Bay $55.99

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Paleo Hot/Cold Chocolate Crème

Last weekend I had the house all to myself and it was a real treat! Speaking of treats, it is important to allow yourself some indulgence every now and then, no matter how rigorous your diet/exercise regime may be. While the notion may be true that "it doesn't take one healthy meal to get skinny", it also doesn't take one unhealthy meal to get fat. We all need our "cheat treat" to stay balanced and happy!

This recipe takes about 5 minutes to put together and uses only 3 ingredients. It's dairy-free, refined sugar-free and it is rich, chocolate-y and oh so good. Try it hot or chill it in the fridge/freezer and try it as a cold treat - either way, if you are a chocolate fiend, you will enjoy this Paleo Hot/Cold Chocolate Crème.

Paleo Hot/Cold Chocolate Crème

Yields: 4, 2oz cup servings

Ingredients:

1/2 C coconut milk (Thai Kitchen makes a good one, they also offer a regular and lite version)
2 T cocoa powder
3 T agave syrup

Directions:

Pour coconut milk into a small sauce pot. Mix together agave syrup and cocoa powder, add to coconut milk and whisk until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, remove from heat, serve into 2oz espresso mugs and THAT'S IT!

*Place in the fridge/freezer to cool it off if you prefer this treat to be cold
*Try dusting the top with cinnamon or try adding a fruit component; orange or raspberry would be divine!

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Raw Paleo Energy Orbs

One thing I've noticed recently is that a lot more people are getting out and being active. I see more people outdoors, in their workout gear, on their bikes or on a run and it's inspiring! It creates motivation in others to see people getting out there and being physical and staying healthy.

Ensuring that you are consuming enough energy to fuel your marathon runs or your epic bicycle trek into work is very important. My mom is a long distance runner and has been looking for a simple, easy snack that she can bring with her on those treks to hit the pavement. These Raw Paleo Energy Orbs are perfect for that little bite you need to add that burst of energy to your longer, more strenuous exercise days.

I am sure you have seen many recipes that are similar to this and the beautiful thing about food is that you can add/remove pretty much anything you want, because creating flavors to your preference is what it's all about!

Raw Paleo Energy Orbs

Yields: 24+ balls

Ingredients:

1 C pitted dates
1 C mixed nuts *no peanuts if you are following a Paleo diet
4-6 T chia seeds
4 T coconut oil
4 T almond butter
*Optional: shredded coconut
*Optional, but highly suggested: 4 squares semi-sweet baker's chocolate

Directions:

In a food processor, blend dates, nuts and chia seeds until finely chopped.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt coconut oil and almond butter. Add to nut mixture and mix well. Melt chocolate and add to the same bowl, mix until thoroughly incorporated.

At this point you may want to add 1/4-1/2 C almond flour to the mixture if it is too runny. You want to be able to form ball shaped orbs. You can also add more chopped nuts/dates, shredded coconut or chia seeds to absorb some of the extra liquid.

Form 1 T size portions into balls, chill in the fridge/freezer and wrap in parchment paper. Consume before your exercise regime or bring some along with you!

*You could also form these into small squares by pressing the mixture into a small, square shaped pan. Chill and cut into small squares.

Nutritional Info:
per 1 orb serving
92 calories
9.4g carbohydrates
3.7g fat
1.29g protein
12.6mg sodium
6.8g sugar
(please note, nutritional info is approximate as it was provided by MyFitnessPal)


Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Marble Brownies

I love to bake! Generally, when I bake, I tend to stick to simple recipes that are easy to follow - i.e. quickbreads (muffins, zucchini/banana loaves, etc.), but one of the easiest, simplest recipes to make is a fresh batch of brownies. This recipe has nothing to do with the Whole30, Paleo or healthy eating at all, but these brownies sure are delicious and satisfying.

We used cake flour instead of all-purpose for a fluffier, less dense brownie and we also added in a rich cream cheese filling to marble into the top layer. Good luck keeping these in your kitchen, they are so tasty they will not last long!

Marble Brownies

Yields: 24 

Ingredients:

8 T unsalted butter

12oz semi sweet baking chocolate, chopped

2 1/4 t vanilla extract

3/4 t almond extract *optional

1 1/4 + 1 T cake flour

1/4 C cocoa powder

1 1/2 t baking powder

1 1/4 t salt

7 eggs

2 1/4 C sugar

4oz cream cheese, at room temperature

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a 9x13" baking dish with greased parchment paper, set aside.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate, set aside.

In a small bowl, sift together 1 1/4 C cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set dry ingredients aside. In a large bowl, whisk together 6 eggs and 2 C sugar until dissolved and frothy. Stir in melted chocolate and fold in flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared dish; spreading evenly.

With a hand mixer on medium speed, beat remaining sugar and cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth and fluffy. Add remaining vanilla, almond extract, flour, and egg; beat until smooth. Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the chocolate batter and swirl together with a toothpick. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (approximately 35-40 minutes). Let cool on a wire rack, cut and serve.

*Not everyone is a fan of almond flavor, it is optional and if you choose to use it, keep in mind that it can easily overpower the flavors in a recipe - use a little bit at a time.

*To improve the chocolate flavor, try using a combination of dark and semi-sweet chocolate, or add finely ground or brewed coffee to deepen the richness of this brownie.

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!