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Archive for the category 'desserts'

Peppermint Patties

Ok, when the idea of Peppermint Patties first crossed my mind I was not enticed.  “Chocolate and mint?” I said, “That sounds like toothpaste, not food.”
Well, a few weeks later, the idea lingered, gnawingly and I decided I just had to make those Peppermint Patties.  So I did.  And they are good.  Even to someone


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Double Chocolate Orange Torte

This gluten free Double Chocolate Orange Torte will make a nice treat for Passover, which is rapidly approaching!  My family, however, needed no holiday or excuse to devour the entire cake on a Sunday afternoon.  This treat is easy to make and even easier to eat.  Go ahead, try some and see for yourself.

Double Chocolate


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Mounds Candy Bars

We will be making these yummy gluten free candy bars for Purim which is coming up this week.  Of course, we also plan on making Hamantaschen as well, which is one of the boys’ fave treats.
These mounds bars are easy to make and rich with dark chocolate and a coconut filling consisting of shredded coconut,


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Cabernet Cookies

I’m still on my grape seed flour kick and made these yummy Cabernet Cookies the other day which were “all gone” quite quickly.  If you like the combination of red wine and chocolate, be sure to give these treats a try.
Grape seed flour is full of antioxidants, fiber and protein and adds a nice flavor


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Grapeseed Flour?

These yummy little protein-a-licious cookies are the result of a complimentary sample of Chardonnay Grapeseed Flour that I received from Eric Leber of AprèsVin.  Grapeseed flour?  Yes, you heard it right, grapeseed flour.
While these treats look like they are double chocolate chip cookies, they actually are not.  It is high protein, antioxidant rich grapeseed flour


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Magically Moist Cherry Apricot Cake

My husband loves this simple, moist gluten free Cherry Apricot Cake. I make sure to use organic dried fruit in this dessert since pesticides levels tend to be high in conventional cherries and apricots and more concentrated in dried fruits. I often purchase my organic dried fruit at the local health food store,


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Chocolate Raspberry Bonbons

Valentine’s Day is approaching, which means lots of bad candy and useless merchandise will be sold in the next week or so.  Over here, we’re having fun making our own (healthier) candy –especially these Chocolate Raspberry Bonbons.
My boys made an entire batch of these sweet confections last night and had a great time.  They love


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Nut Butter Cups

When I posted the recipe for Vanilla Almond Butter I had planned on sharing my Nut Butter Cup recipe with you shortly thereafter.  My children however, hijacked the Nut Butter Cups the night I tried to make them (with exact measurements for you all, of course).  They hacked my project, dumping loads of chocolate chips


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Lemon Lavender Cookies

I think I’m on a bit of a vegan kick these days.  First came the Marcona Almond Mayo sans eggs and now these vegan Lemon Lavender Cookies.
Don’t worry, even though this recipe sounds a tad weird, it’s subtle and I think, delicious.  It kinda reminds me of the recipe in my gluten free cookbook for


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“Molasses” Spice Cookies

These cookies were inspired by Dorie Greenspan’s delicious looking Molasses Spice Cookies which I saw in a recent Parade Magazine.  I read Parade every weekend (it comes in our local paper), and I especially enjoy checking out the recipes in it and then renovating them for my gluten free higher protein desires.
Spice cookies are perfect


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Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free! Cupcakes

I am more than happy to be hosting this month’s Go Ahead Honey, it’s Gluten Free!, blog carnival!
For this month’s theme, I’ve chosen grain free cakes and cupcakes.  I’m really looking forward to all of the delectable gluten free, grain free treats that people will submit for November.
And of course, I want to take a


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Tart and Tangy Cranberry Bars

These tart and tangy Cranberry Bars are one of my favorite treats.  I’ve been craving cranberries lately and this gluten free dessert more than hits the spot when it comes to mouth puckering goodness.
I first made these Cranberry Bars as a tart.  That was before Robyn and her children came over to have an afternoon


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Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

For those of you that have leftover zucchini from your gardens, here is a delicious gluten free zucchini chocolate chip mini muffin recipe.  Our garden is just petering out with the severe frost we had last weekend and I need to get going on pulling up all the wilted plants from the yard.
Meanwhile, with this


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Pumpkin Cinnamon Cheesecake

As the weather is changing I’m leaning towards recipes that call for pumpkin, apples, cranberries and the like and am craving time in the kitchen to make lots of warm food for my family.  Along those lines, this Pumpkin Cinnamon Cheesecake is a winner.  This gluten free dessert doesn’t last long around the boys and


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Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

This scrumptious fall twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie is a big hit in my household.  The tart dried cranberries and nutty, roasted goodness of walnuts, along with nutrient dense almond flour turn a plain old chocolate chip cookie into an antioxidant rich, nutritious treat.

Cranberry Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 ½ cups blanched almond flour
½


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Peach Almond Ice Cream

Peaches are in high season here in Colorado and we are making the most of it.  This week I made a gluten free (of course), fruit sweetened, dairy free, vegan Peach Almond Ice Cream.
To increase the peach factor, I diced up more fresh peaches and mooshed them into the ice cream after it came out


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Roasted Banana Coconut Ice Cream

The catalyst for this naturally sweetened, vegan, gluten free ice cream (don’t be scared by all the descriptors) is a recipe from Karina’s Kitchen for Maple Roasted Banana Ice Cream.  Thanks Karina, your creativity, spunk and inspiration continue to be contagious!
This ice cream is not the easiest to make, given that there are a couple


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Blueberry Cherry Crumble

I chose to go with a messy “action” photo of this crumble to demonstrate just how much my husband liked it!  He came home from work and devoured the section you see missing above.  I was somewhat surprised since it was another one of my experiments making a purely fruit sweetened dessert.
While this crumble is


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The Great Agave Debate

“Why do you use agave? I’ve heard that it’s very unhealthy”  I’m asked this question about my “go to” sweetener on at least a daily basis.
First off, there really is no perfect sweetener, so I recommend everything in moderation.
We often take sugar and other sweeteners for granted, forgetting that they were not widely available to


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Strawberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

My boys love this vegan Strawberry Ice “Cream.”  I made a batch and it was gone in a couple of hours.  So I made more and my husband got in on the act, consuming his share.
It is made with a coconut milk base and I added quite a bit of vanilla, in hopes of drowning


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Chocolate Cupcakes

The New York Times blog, Bitten, just did a feature on chocolate cupcakes, which made me realize that a recipe for gluten free chocolate cupcakes is conspicuously lacking from this site.  Well, I am happy to say that is no longer the case.
In my quest for the perfect gluten free chocolate cupcake, I made these


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Dina’s Delightful Cookies

These delicious cookies, chock full of coconut, walnuts and raisins are the product of our very recent visit to my parents.
Today the boys and I returned home to Colorado from visiting them in California. We went to have some family bonding time and distract them from a health issue one of them has been dealing


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Mini Blueberry Muffins (Video Tutorial)

Because of all of the requests I have had for more videos as well as for recipes using coconut flour…I have created a short video tutorial using coconut flour.

In this quick and easy tutorial I invite you into my kitchen to be taken step by step through a recipe for mini blueberry muffins. These


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Cranberry Orange Biscotti

These vegan, gluten free Cranberry Orange Biscotti are delicious with a cup of tea or after dinner as a light (or lite) treat.
My younger son thinks these are delicious and packed some in his lunch last night for today…the last day of school.  Summer.  Hooray!  The boys are very happy to be free.  And play


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Homemade Starbucks Orange Cake

During the last month Gluten Free Orange Cake has received a lot of play. And it’s certainly not because this tasty dessert is on my site.  Starbucks recently launched a classic Gluten Free Valencia Orange Cake to much fanfare from the gluten-free community.
A couple  of weeks ago I received this fabulous comment from LeAnne on


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Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream

This is my favorite ice cream.  It’s vegan.  It’s vanilla.  And it’s yummy.
I’ve been making this ice cream for the last couple of years.  Way back when in my New York days, my raw food friends turned me on to the fact that cashews make an amazing substitute for dairy.  While I love this ice


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Simple Fruit Salad

My children love to have fruit salad as an after school snack.  I often serve it to them with organic yogurt, adding a bit of vanilla and agave to the yogurt.
It’s just about fruit season here in Colorado and everything is starting to look luscious.  We have strawberries ripening on the plants in the front


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Gluten Free Twinkies

I’ve been on a quest this week for gluten-free dairy-free twinkies and after several attempts (make that 7) I seem to have come up with a good approximation of this infamous Hostess treat.
Whenever the subject of Twinkies comes up in our house a certain Twinkie vandalism story is told (of which I was not a


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Chocolate Chip Cookies Again

The other day, I received this lovely note from one of my favorite readers, CoconutGal.
I wanted to send you an email to let you know how thankful I am for your generosity in sharing your wholesome, creative, and super delicious recipes.
I would like to tell you a little bit about my story; I have been


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Carrot Muffins with Coconut Flour

These gluten free carrot muffins make a great addition to any brunch menu, though especially one for Mother’s Day.
These lightly sweetened muffins are made with high fiber coconut flour.  Don’t let all that healthy stuff scare you off though, they’re mighty tasty.  And with yacon sweetening them, they’re not too sweet.  If you want to


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Superfoods: the Almighty Almond

Almonds are in.  And guess what?  They’re good for you.
Almonds are easy to incorporate into your everyday routine.  Eat them as a snack (raw or dry roasted), or use blanched almond flour in your baked goods to reap the numerous benefits of this incredible superfood.  Almonds are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and fat.  Yes,


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Flourless Chocolate Banana Cake

Here’s another flourless cake for those looking for an alternative to almond flour or in search of a nut-free recipe.  My husband and older son loved this fruity chocolate cake.  I was thinking that with a nice strawberry frosting this cake would make a delicious banana split type dessert.
This gluten-free, grain-free cake is quick and


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Double Chocolate Mocha Biscotti

These Double Chocolate Mocha Biscotti are vegan and gluten-free.  Because eggs are a main component of biscotti, I haven’t seen a lot, if any vegan recipes, for this type of cookie.  My favorite thing about these gluten-free biscotti, however, is how simple they are to make.  Just throw everything in the food processor and you’re


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Chocolate Walnut Torte

Food is politics.  More than ever.  So, imagine my surprise when I found this comment the other day, right here on my little ol’ blog saying:
“I love your recipe blog, but really don’t agree with your political views or comments.  Try to stay more focused on the food instead of politics. You may keep more


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Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart

How low can you go?!  This gluten free chocolate peanut butter tart is sweetened with a delicious alternative sweetener that I have been enjoying of late –yacon syrup.
This lower glycemic sweetener is derived from the yacon plant which is often referred to as “apple of the earth.”  Yacon is high in fructooligosacharides (FOS), a form


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Sesame Cookies

These Sesame Cookies are yet another Passover friendly dessert recipe.
I wouldn’t necessarily have thought of making cookies with sesame. Why? Because I am surrounded by several choco-holics and bake primarily to their tastes. Let’s just say that the brownie recipe I posted a few weeks ago is still getting good play around


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Purple Velvet Torte

It’s amazing what you can do without any flour!  I made this gluten free chocolate cake using beets.  Being “Deceptively Delicious” I fooled my husband.  While my children are game to eat pretty much anything I make, my husband is known as the “picky” eater around here.
Because of his strong critiques and my perfectionist bent,


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Hamantaschen

Recently I was paid a visit by the lovely Eve who not long ago gave up gluten and white sugar.  We had tea in my kitchen and chatted about things, oh, I don’t really remember what, just that we had such a pleasant time together.  It wasn’t really the content of our conversation (that was


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Brownies

One of my favorite readers, Courtney, requested this brownie recipe in a comment last week.
Here is what she said, “Can we have another VOTE??  Every post I am hopeful that I might open it up to find your recipe for scrumptious dark chocolate brownies… I am NEVER disappointed by your posts, but I am still


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Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

We will be making these gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins at my class on March 17th at the Culinary School of the Rockies.  I am sharing the recipe here for those of you that won’t be able to make it.
This is my mother-in-law’s favorite little muffin.  When she came out to visit, I baked


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A New German Chocolate Cake

We will be making this Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake (and many other dishes) in my next cooking class at the Culinary School of the Rockies, March 17th.  If you want to sign up there is still some space left.
As we all know, there are many ways to make German Chocolate Cake.  An entire chocolate


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DIY Valentine’s Day Recipes

Here’s a quick Valentine’s Day recipe round up for all you procrastinating sweethearts out there (myself included).

Gluten Free Valentine’s Day Recipes
♥ Chocolate Chili Truffles ♥
Spice up your love life with these little vegan treats.
♥ Chocolate Covered Cherries ♥
Every bit as sweet and delicious as the store bought fare, sans the sugar


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Chocolate Covered Cherries for Valentine’s Day

Ok, I confess, it took a few batches to get this recipe “just right,” which for me means a couple of things.
First, I had to get these babies to to look decent, edible, desirable even.  Let’s just say my first attempts were rather inept.  I tried to make a rich and gooey sauce with cherries


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Double Chocolate Mocha Cookies

Recently, I created a flickr group so that all of you can share photos of recipes that you make from elanaspantry.com.  I know that some of you enjoy uploading photos to the comments section and I love seeing your shots of my concoctions.  So please, feel free to upload your pictures to the elana’s pantry


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Chocolate Chili Truffles

You heard it right.  Chili powder in your chocolate.
For those of you that don’t like to spice things up, read no further.  For the rest of you, I have this delicious vegan chocolate truffle, that you just might find yourself addicted to, especially in the cold weather.
These chocolate chili truffles are perfect for a slightly


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Raw “Tapioca” Pudding

Chia seeds are my new favorite food!
Rich in fatty acids, these seeds contain more omega-3’s than any other vegetarian source. They are also quite high in anti-oxidants, minerals and fiber.  Further, I find that they are quite soothing for my digestive system (and I’m always looking for a boost in that realm).
I got the idea


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Ginger Cookies

In a break from all inauguration news all the time, I present you with these chewy, yet crispy ginger cookies!
Ginger Cookies
2 ½ cups blanched almond flour
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons ground ginger
½ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup yacon syrup
½ cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon lemon zest

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt,


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German Chocolate Cake

Update: Please see my new Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake!
When I recently posted my Accidental Mocha Mousse recipe, Samantha requested this German Chocolate Cake so that she and her mother would not miss out on it during the holidays. I am more than pleased to add it to this blog, as German Chocolate Cake


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Christmas Cake

A while back, Lisa (and several other readers) asked me to come up with a gluten-free Christmas cake.  Being Jewish, and never having sampled Christmas cake, I had no idea what it was.
Lisa was kind enough to send me this definition:
A festive cake for celebrating Christmas here in Australia.   Commonly full of dried fruits (a


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Accidental Mocha Mousse

We had a super quiet Thanksgiving, which was fine with me.  It was just the 4 of us and we ended up making even less food than I had planned.  Around 4 pm we sat down to dinner, which was a delicious turkey (roasted by my darling husband, he really is a man of many


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Orange Cake

Yum. Gluten Free and Dairy Free Orange Cake. There’s something special about oranges.  Such a simple fruit yet, bursting with flavor and possibility, they remind me of winter, specifically Christmas.
A while back I told ~M, one of my favorite readers, that I would post my version of Claudia Roden’s Gateau a l’Orange.  This moist festive


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Sesame Truffles

These Gluten Free Truffles my final installment of the trufflemania series.  At least for now.
These super nutritious little bites of sesame sweetness remind me of the halva I used to devour as a child.  They’re easy to make, vegan, dairy-free and of course, gluten-free.  Don’t let all those labels scare you though, more than anything


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Chocolate Orange Truffles

It’s trufflemania!  Healthy organic truffles are not only easy to make, they are bursting with flavor in every bite.  In addition, these little treats are power packed with nutrients.  And on top of that?  My family has been devouring them.
The boys have been taking them to school in their lunches and yesterday I sent my


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Chocolate Prune Truffles

This delicious, healthy and somewhat sophisticated treat is not too sweet, making a great candy for adult palates.  It may appeal to the younger crowd as well –my 10 year old ate a dozen of these and then packed more in his school lunch.
Along with their rich chocolate-prune flavor, these vegan truffles are packed with


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Caramel Apples? The Lazy Way…

I read Heidi’s blog 101cookbooks.com religiously.  I love her photography, use of words and creative food combination utilizing natural ingredients.  So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I saw a beautiful shot of caramel apples on her site the other day.
Prior to reading her recipe I had not given much thought to making


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Pumpkin Custard

Getting into the spirit of the season, I whipped up this no bake gluten free and vegan pumpkin custard. Quick and easy to make, it is also dairy free and the perfect way to end an autumn meal.
I am on a major pumpkin kick right now as is the rest of the family.  Last


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Pumpkin Pie Muffins

These gluten free pumpkin pie muffins are, of course, a favorite of my younger son. When he was little, he ate so much pumpkin and winter squash that he turned a slightly orange hue. Luckily, he’s back to normal now.
I often forget how much I love cooking with pumpkin until fall arrives.  Well,


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Halloween Candy

Photo by Lauro Maia
Every year I receive countless emails requesting ideas for healthier Halloween candy.  Now there’s an oxymoron if I’ve ever heard one –”healthy candy.”  Does such a thing exist?  Well, probably not.
Now, with suggestions from many readers, I’ve gone ahead and compiled a list that is full of what I refer to as


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Orange Chocolate Coconut Clusters

New Year, new school.  Wow, this week has been busy.  The boys have settled miraculously into their new habitat and I can feel the relief flowing through my body.
My favorite comment this week was from Melissa, a reader who said, “It’s hard, but before you know it, they will adjust and be just fine. Kids


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Honey Cake

One of my favorite readers, ~M, who keeps me on my toes with her fabulous questions, comments and requests, recently asked for a gluten-free “honey cake” recipe for the High Holidays.  A few others did as well, so here it is!
You may notice that my “honey cake” actually has no honey in it.  Feel free


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Peach Crisp

The boys’ school is selling organic peaches.  I ordered two cases (about 40 lbs.) for my family; we will be getting our luscious Colorado fruit this Friday at 3 pm.
In the meantime, I am readying my peach recipes.  Of course, my all time favorite is peach crisp.  It is perfect for fall, which incidentally arrived


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And Now, Cake

My children have been stuck with me and my veggie creations for the past month; these final days of summer, they are not drawn into the kitchen so quickly. Sure, they eat the vegetable dishes I make, however they are not particularly excited by my recent culinary explorations.
Imagine their interest the other day then,


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Macadamia Caramel Clusters

We have a big all star game tomorrow, though unfortunately I will be missing it. One of my parents was hospitalized this week so I am flying back to California for a weekend visit.
As I tucked my older son into bed tonight he said, “I want extra snuggles since I won’t see you until


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Celebrating Independence

Yesterday my son and I made the delicious strawberry sorbet pictured above.
As July 4th approaches, our ice cream maker has been getting a real workout. It’s hotter now so we’re always looking for good frozen treats to cool us off. When I asked my older son what he thought about the sorbet, he


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Survey Says: Candy Bars

Baseball is what it’s all about in our house these days. We lost in the main bracket of the post-season tournament and are now playing in the consolation round and doing well. We were winning our game yesterday against the Red Socks and had the game postponed due to rain in the bottom of


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Rosemary Chocolate Truffles

Last night was the conclusion of a “grand” Memorial Day weekend. My parents came in and took the boys down to the Boulder Creek Fest where they all had a blast. There was much spoiling –meals out, bowling, batting practice at the amusement park and overall non-stop fun. A perfect weekend with


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Raw Chocolate Fudge

A few of my favorite things? Coaching baseball. Growing vegetables. Walking on a sunny day. Hanging with my husband late at night after the boys have gone to bed. Cooking with children –of any age.
Recently I have had the opportunity to teach cooking to my son’s third grade class.


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Carrot Cake

Today’s post is for of one of my favorite readers, ~M. She requested gluten free carrot cake a while back and I post it now in honor of her recent graduation. I find this to be the perfect time of year for carrot cake. It’s an ideal dessert for cookouts, picnics and graduation


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Almond Butter Blondies

Kelly over at Celiac Chicks does a fabulous job covering the latest in gluten-free news. On top of that, she is a lovely person. It has been great getting to know her through our email conversations these past few months.
I recently spent some time looking through the recipe section of Kelly’s site and


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Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

I am happy to introduce gluten free vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting and continue on my coconut flour recipe roll. I have been making (and testing) this dessert for close to two years and it is one of my personal favorites. I think it might be a hit with you too based on


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Vegan Chocolate Frosting

This is my all time favorite icing recipe. Lately, I’ve been using this vegan chocolate frosting for cakes, cupcakes, and also as a filling between chocolate wafers. My son loves this double chocolate treat –chocolate wafers with chocolate frosting– packed in his school lunch.
I promise, I’ll put chocolate wafers up here on the


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Passover Torte

Ok, so in yesterday’s “reach out and touch someone” post I failed. In fact, I fell flat. On my face. Do you know how many comments were posted? One. Not much community in one post.
To cheer myself up, I can always read some Dooce. That woman makes me laugh out loud.


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Coconut Macaroons

I make these gluten-free coconut macaroons all year round; when I retested it today, my younger son ate an entire baking sheet of these yummy little cookies!
Later than usual this year, my favorite spring holiday falls on April 19th, just over 3 weeks away. I especially enjoy the food traditions surrounding this holiday; during


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Chocolate Cake — Coconut Flour Continued

Yes, I continue to roll out the coconut flour recipes. This time it’s Gluten Free Chocolate Cake. I am having a great time experimenting with this unique flour. I have been doing so for almost two years now and have created a small stockpile of recipes that work well with its light and fluffy texture.
This


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Hamantaschen

Purim is this Friday, March 21st, less than one week away.
For those who aren’t familiar with Purim, it is a festival as opposed to a major holiday or “holy day.” Purim involves the story of the attempted destruction of the Jewish people, the subsequent escape to “freedom” and much feasting, a set of themes that


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Blueberry Muffins

UPDATE: check out my Mini Blueberry Muffins How-to video!
Blueberry muffins are such a classic little treat. Great for breakfast, an afternoon snack with a cup of tea or even dessert. These Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins, made with coconut flour, are light, fluffy and satisfying.
This is the first coconut flour recipe I have posted. My favorite


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My Favorite Gluten Free Valentine’s Recipes

Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us. I don’t buy into the flowers and Hallmark card aspect of this holiday. Rather than the usual hoopla, my favorite taste tester (that would be my husband) and I don’t do much, if anything at all. Simply put, I try to appreciate and show my love for him day


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Linzer Hearts

Here’s another fun Valentine’s recipe. Anina in my cooking class came up with this one. During class she suggested that the Black and White Cookies we were preparing could also be turned into linzer hearts by replacing the chocolate with raspberry jam and making a couple of other changes.
I liked this idea so much that


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Black and White Cookies

Today was a big day –I taught the first in a series of cooking classes that I will be offering quarterly.
The theme of this class was Valentine’s Day –we made the Cranberry Apricot Truffles that I have previously posted on this site, a new experimental flavor of truffles (to be revealed someday soon) and the


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Cranberry Lemon Muffins

My favorite taste tester is going on a diet. This is not good news.
This diet deal will require some serious re-inventing of the wheel over here. New standards will need to be implemented. No more –he ate two whole trays of that so it must be good– type ratings.
My favorite taste tester is also my


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Apple Crisp

Saying no. Sometimes this is the only thing to do. E (my 7 year old) was home with a bit of a flu this week. He has actually been lying on the couch whining and whimpering for several days. Today was the first day he felt better and he asked me to make him an


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White Chocolate Chip Cookies

My younger son E, did the drawing above. He has been very into his art lately, creating a series (crayon on paper) of skateboarders doing tough jumps.
Yesterday he asked me if he could have his own flickr account (as all cool budding artists do). I thought that was a bit precocious for age seven and


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Elana’s Pantry in the Denver Post

This past fall, the food editor of the Denver Post wrote an article on “addictive” food blogs. Not only was I surprised to find my blog in it, I was dumbfounded that Elana’s Pantry was mentioned in the same piece as Heidi Swanson’s 101 Cookbooks.
Swanson is everyone’s favorite food blogger. Her recipes are revolutionary; she


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Fig Newtons

Fig newtons seem to be everybody’s childhood favorite. Especially my husband’s. I made a batch of homemade, gluten free fig newtons this weekend and he ate the cookies so quickly that I had to hide some for friends.
What makes these little fig newtons so special? Well, I’m told they taste like the real thing. And


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Cranberry Apricot Truffles

This recipe for handmade, gluten free and raw cranberry apricot truffles is packed with nutrients, easy to make and aesthetically pleasing to boot.
After taking a brief hiatus from sweets, I am back on the dessert bandwagon! With Valentine’s Day rapidly approaching, I have been thinking of fun treats to give out to friends and family


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Many Hands Make Gingerbread

The other day we had friends over and made tons of gingerbread men. So many little hands rolling and cutting out dough. We decorated our gingerbread men with dried fruit and nuts. The kids even cut loose and made free form cookie shapes as well.

Gingerbread Men

5 cups blanched almond flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ginger powder
¼


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Chocolate Bark

Perfect for holiday parties and potlucks, this chocolate bark is a favorite of mine. It’s another gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan dessert that doesn’t taste it. And for those with no food restrictions whatsoever? Who can say no to candy, let alone chocolate? See for yourself, try some.
Chocolate Bark
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
6 tablespoons agave nectar
2 cups


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Video Tutorials: Chocolate Chip Cookies

This gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe video tutorial is the first in a series of video tutorials that I will be making of my favorite recipes. I hope you have as much fun watching this as I did making it. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 ½ cups blanched almond flour *
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½


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Chocolate Cream Pie

Justine, my new pen pal in San Francisco, recently went gluten-free. We have been corresponding about her quest to find a good gluten free pie crust for the holidays. I have had much fun chatting with Justine via email, enjoying her determination and attention to detail. Justine, here is my take on a flaky gluten-free


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Pumpkin Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

My son’s viola teacher, Sandra, asked for advice regarding traditional Thanksgiving family fare. The next thing I knew, she had given me a copy of a recipe for Pumpkin Cranberry Upside-Down Cake featured in Sunset Magazine’s November 2007 issue. I made several changes to it, most notably removing the sugar, dairy and gluten and was


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Baked Apples

To me, fall means baked apples. Simple. Delicious. Sweet. Warm. Comfort.
The other day, my older son asked if we could partake in our favorite fall ritual and bake up some apples. I was busy with a bunch of other cooking projects so he took matters into his own hands, cored a couple of apples, stuffed


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Lee’s Banana Birthday Cake

Gluten Free Banana Bread. Gluten Free Banana Cake. What’s the difference?
Last night we went out with our friends Debbie and Mike. They are quite the non-profit duo. Debbie founded the timely and super innovative Wellness Initiative, while Mike runs Progress Now. Two cutting edge organizations out to make the world a better


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Cream Cheese Frosting

Enjoy this gluten free cream cheese frosting on carrot cake or banana bread.

Cream Cheese Frosting
¾ cup heavy cream
1 cup cream cheese
¼ cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whip heavy cream until stiff
In a separate larger bowl, whip cream cheese until smooth, then blend in agave and vanilla
With a rubber spatula, gently blend whip cream into cream


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Stuffed Dates

Dates are as as sweet as candy, so of course, children like these treats. Adults enjoy the delicate blend of flavors. See for yourself, this dessert of Middle Eastern origin is quite tasty.
Dates Stuffed with Pistachios
1 cup pistachio nuts, shelled
¼ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 pinch celtic sea salt
20 large dates

In


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Lemon Pudding Parfait

After making too many gluten free angel food cakes and being left with more egg yolks than I knew what to do with, I decided to make this lemon gluten free pudding. It’s quick, sweet and refreshing.
Lemon Pudding Parfait
12 egg yolks
¼ cup agave nectar
pinch celtic sea salt
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup heavy cream

Place egg


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Yogurt with Orange and Coconut

Yum. My boys love this dish and somehow, a few simple ingredients thrown together look so elegant and appetizing. This easy snack for two takes mere minutes to make.

Yogurt with Orange and Coconut
2 cups yogurt (I prefer Organic Nancy’s Whole Milk Yogurt)
2 oranges, peeled and sliced
¼ cup coconut flakes

Take out 2 medium bowls and place


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Dairy Free, Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Update: I’ve created a video to show you how to make these gluten free and vegan chocolate chip cookies.
The other day I received a call from Kelly about a potluck at my children’s school. This superwoman who doubles as first grade room parent and I spoke about taking the “luck” out of potluck.
During our chat,


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Pecan Shortbread Cookies

These cookies are so good my friend Elizabeth tells me they’re addictive. Go ahead, bake these buttery treats and see for yourself.

Pecan Shortbread Cookies
2½ cups blanched almond flour
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
5 tablespoons agave nectar
½ cup salted butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl combine almond


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Cranberry Chocolate Biscotti

My friend Aimee was here the other day and I gave her one of these biscotti fresh out of the oven. She is not on a gluten-free diet, so I was concerned she might not be as enthusiastic about them as my family is.
I asked her how the biscotti tasted and she replied, “this is


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Chocolate Chip Cookies

Update: For those of you looking for a dairy-free version, try my other chocolate chip cookie recipe which uses grapeseed oil instead of butter.
These cookies are good and good for you. Gluten free, naturally sweetened, yum. Go ahead, try one.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 ½ cups blanched almond flour *
¼ teaspoon celtic


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