With a mere 4 ingredients (dark chocolate, coconut milk, xylitol and coconut oil) this low glycemic chocolate pudding is the perfect gluten free treat for Valentine's Day. I'm trying to keep my recipes as delicious and simple as possible and this dessert fits that bill. I hope you all enjoy it as much as my family did.

If you find yourself averse to using xylitol (and please don't feed it to your dogs!) then feel free to experiment with this recipe and try using alternative sweeteners. Just be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you used and how it worked out.

I cannot take credit for the method in this recipe. Recently, I was going through a stack of gluten free magazines. I found a nice recipe for a Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Chocolate Raspberry Pie in Living Without and decided to experiment with it. The result? This Easy Chocolate Pudding recipe. Sometimes my tinkering takes me in unexpected directions. I set out to make pie and end up with pudding --that is the fun of the process.

When I was a little girl, my mom and dad used to pack canned Del Monte chocolate pudding in my lunch. I loved it. This brings back those school lunch memories without all of the sugar and processed chemicals.

Finally, I want to thank Chocolate Covered Katie for inspiring the photo in this post. Very little of what we do is original.

Happy gluten free, dairy free Valentine's Day.

I can assure you, this is not a Paleo cookie. It is not even a Primal cookie. It is a special occasion cookie --a wonderful treat to serve at a gluten free Super Bowl party. It also makes a great holiday cookie (think gluten free Valentine's Day dessert). Lately, everyone who has been over to our house --gluten free or not --has been gorging themselves on these Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Whatever your thoughts about the healthfulness (or lack thereof) of this treat, when you're going to have a big dessert such as this, it's great to slow down all of the sugar with some high protein almond flour, which this chocolate chip cookie contains.

All in all, these cookies are a super easy homemade treat that will wow your friends. And family. My husband liked 'em so much that he asked me to bake up a batch for a business associate of his. Now that's one mighty big metaphoric seal of approval.

If you are looking for healthy gluten free cookies, leave the white and milk chocolate chips out of this recipe. The result?  A double dark chocolate chip cookie, made from high protein almond flour and anti-oxidant rich dark chocolate. Or try my gluten free Chocolate Chip Cookies if you're not in the mood to tinker with this recipe.

I made (and nibbled on) these cookies during the holidays last month on Colorado's "Everyday" Show (straying from my regular Paleo fare). This clip was broadcast on our local channel FOX 31 (KDVR) in Denver. You can watch the video below:

I think this may be the most decadent dessert that I make. What is your most indulgent treat?

If you're in a pinch for time, I have something just for you. Here's a quick and easy gluten free cookie recipe that requires no baking. I really like making no bake (think no hassle) cookies during the hectic holidays. This one works equally well for Christmas and Hanukkah parties --and is a wonderfully healthy snack throughout the year.

For those of you who aren't entirely in the mood for Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls and are looking for a chocolate covered peanut butter ball, be sure to see Nut Butter Cups recipe --it's a delicious no bake, healthier candy recipe that is quite the crowd-pleaser. My husband and children devour them.

This little dessert is my peanut-y version of the raw foods classic Fudge Babies, a recipe created by the wonderful Katie over at Chocolate Covered Katie.

If you like these peanut butter balls you will love my recent list of 10 Healthy Christmas Cookie Recipes!

Peppermint Hot Chocolate is easy to make, and far better than the instant hot chocolate that comes in a package, which is loaded with sugar and definitely not dairy free. Additionally, I find this soothing and healthy beverage to be a great substitute for all of the peppermint candy floating around this time of year.

I make this dairy free hot chocolate with coconut milk, and thankfully, it does not contain a coconut-ish flavor; it is a rich and chocolatey hot beverage. Use a high quality organic chocolate for a healthier and tastier result.

This Peppermint Hot Chocolate recipe is easy to make and full of nutritious ingredients --just don't tell your children!

Dark chocolate is a great treat during the holidays when we are inundated with sugary, unhealthy desserts.

Chocolate is a functional food that is both low on the glycemic index and full of powerful antioxidants.  The heart healthy flavonoids in dark chocolate lower blood pressure and decrease blood clotting.  It is also thought that dark chocolate fights cardiovascular disease, as well as premature aging and cancer.

Go ahead and get yourself some chocolate, and let us know what your favorite dark chocolate recipe is.

My fellow gym rats were delighted when I brought these Paleo friendly, high protein, gluten free snacks to the gym last week. The consensus? These gluten free power bars hit the spot.

Made with healthy, high protein almond flour and nutritious goji berries, the gang wolfed these down, then asked for more. I promised them I would post this recipe for gluten free power bars and so here it is.

First though, a bit about goji berries. Goji berries (also known as wolfberries) are a superfood, slowly gaining attention and popularity in this country.

Research shows that berries are superfoods and that eating berries such as goji berries, blueberries, cranberries, and strawberries can be beneficial for your health.  Berries contain powerful antioxidants and other compounds that can boost the immune system and lower cholesterol; further, it is thought that the nutrient properties in berries can prevent cancer, heart disease and other illnesses.

Goji berries in particular have compounds rich in vitamin A, beta-carotene and B vitamins.  These compounds are thought to have anti-aging benefits and boost immune function. Incidentally, goji berries have been used for centuries in Traditonal Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Dried goji berries tend to be a bit...dry. So I like to plump mine up before I use them by placing them in a bowl and pouring a bit of boiling water over them. This brings out their juicy goodness, makes them easier to digest and simply prevents them from being too hard.

When you plump your gojis, let them sit in the hot water for 10-15 minutes until the water is mostly absorbed, then discard any remaining water (there won't be a lot).

Here are some more Paleo friendly bars that you may also like:
-Spicy Power Bars
-Cherry Vanilla Power Bars
-Apricot Power Bars

Apricot Power Bars are a great grab and go breakfast or the perfect pick me up on the way home from the gym.  Kid-friendly (with white chocolate) and Paleo-friendly (with dark chocolate, or no chocolate at all) I've made these gluten free bars each and every way.

I used white chocolate chips from my local Whole Foods when I made these for the boys.  The chips come in a little unmarked plastic tub --sorry I don't have more info on that.  If you'd like to find out more you can try calling the Whole Foods in my neighborhood (it's actually called Ideal Market and is the smallest Whole Foods in the country) at 303-443-1354.

I love apricots because they are just a bit lower on the glycemic index than other dried fruits.  Further, they're high in vitamin A, vitamin C, tryptophan and full of good fiber.

If you're looking for more ways to get your daily dose of apricots and gluten free cake is your thing, try my magically moist Cherry Apricot Cake recipe. Or, if candy is what you've got a hunkering for, check out these Cranberry Apricot Truffles (one of my all time favorite gluten free recipes).

Here are some more gluten free treats made with apricots that you might like:
-Apricot jam with noyaux, spices and bourbon by Sean of Hedonia
-Simple Roasted Apricots with Honey Mascarpone by Joy of Joy The Baker
-Thumbjams by Dan of Renegade Kitchen

This Coconut Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is the perfect refreshment for a hot summer day.  Since every child in the neighborhood seems to be at my house at present, bouncing on our trampoline, it is going to make the perfect afternoon snack in a few short minutes.

It's fun (and super easy) to make dairy free ice cream from coconut milk.  Low in sugar, and high in protein and good fat, I feel great about feeding it to the gang.

You may notice there are raw eggs in this recipe.  If that does not work for you, feel free to come up with your own fix for it.  Given that I test every recipe numerous times before I post it here, it's just not possible for me to test your substitution questions.  And unfortunately, the only way to get the answer to those types of questions is to do an actual experiment --if you do try substitutions, please be sure to stop back by and leave a comment letting us all know if it worked!

If you are looking for gluten free recipes, be sure to check out my recipes page, it may contain just what you are looking for.

Here are some more dairy free ice cream recipes from other food bloggers:
-Fresh Mint Ice Cream (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan, Cane-Sugar-Free) from Sally of Aprovechar
-Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream (Dairy-Free and Vegan) from Alta of Tasty Eats at Home
-{Dairy-Free} Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream from Alice of Savory Sweet Life

Summer is definitely here and our house is the place to be.  The neighborhood boys congregate on our trampoline --with the sprinklers aimed at it for a good cool down and a great deal of healthy fun.

With all of this activity I keep the food flowing morning, noon and night.  From the time they arrive until dinner (sometimes a bunch of them stay for the evening meal too) I am setting out munchies --snacks, lunch, etc.  They really are a hungry bunch of rascals.

To keep them fueled between meals, I've been making up batches of these super healthy, natural popsicles from Amy Green's book Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free: 180 Easy and Delicious Recipes You Can Make in 20 Minutes or Less.  I made a big batch of these frozen treats last night and they're already gone today.  Amy's popsicle recipe is absolutely genius!

Why do I like to serve these popsicles to my boys and their friends?  First, they contain high protein almond butter, second, they're full of anti-oxidant rich unsweetened cocoa powder and finally, they're fruit sweetened.  Here's my version of Amy's recipe, I hope you like it as much as the boys and their friends did.

These Paleo pops make the perfect snack.  Amy's book has plenty of other mouthwatering and healthy gluten free recipes.

Some of her recipes are very similar to mine (such as her Pecan Pie Crust), whereas other recipes are quite different.  Amy uses ingredients such as quinoa and oats which I avoid (given the Paleo diet that I have followed somewhat closely for more than a decade; this diet excludes the use of grains as well as seeds derived from grasses, so quinoa and oats are a no-no for me, I actually cannot digest them).

Back to Amy --her book has more than 180 quick and easy gluten free recipes to enjoy.  Today I'm giving away 1 copy of Amy's book, Simply Sugar and Gluten Free. To be entered leave a comment below before 10pm (MST) tonight, June 28th, 2011. I will pick the winner at random using Random.org. This giveaway is open to everyone everywhere.

The winner of yesterdays giveaway for a copy of Triumph Dining's Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide and Gluten-Free Grocery Guide is Harry!

Update: this giveaway is now over and the winner was Ary!

These gluten free Chocolate Almond Joy Bars were inspired by Carrie of GingerLemonGirl.com who wrote a recipe for Almond Joy Impossible Pie.  Who doesn't like the combination of chocolate, almonds and coconut in the form of a high protein, gluten free treat?

I don't generally discuss nutrition because I assume most people who find this site know that that my recipes are different than most other gluten free offerings.  Ingredients such as almond flour and coconut flour do not compare to other gluten free flours (even those that are whole grain).  Almonds are a superfood, high in protein, fiber and good fat.  Coconut flour is wonderful as well, given its incredibly high fiber content.  When crunching nutritional numbers in my spreadsheets, gluten free flours such as brown rice, tapioca, sorghum, cornmeal, and ingredients such as potato starch don't compare to almond and coconut flour.

Personally, I love using almond flour for gluten free desserts like cookies because while my children think they're getting sweets, I know that I'm sneaking some high protein grub into them.  It's also nice to know that with all the good protein in my desserts that the boys won't get cranky from a sudden drop in blood sugar (that's what all that good fat and protein does, it stabilizes blood sugar levels).

I like to eat these gluten free bars for breakfast if I'm in a hurry and need some "grab and go" goodness.  In addition to the nutritious almond and coconut flours, they contain protein from eggs and another dose of good fat from coconut milk.  Of course they're lightly sweetened and dairy free as well.  Whenever I eat these before heading over to the gym, I have a great workout, especially important when I'm training with a Marine --but that's a story for another day.

Here are some yummy nutritious desserts from other food bloggers that you might enjoy:
-Chocolate, Cardamom and Coconut Power Bars from Naomi of Milk for the Morning Cake
-Chocolate Raspberry Cookie Bars from Kelly of The Spunky Coconut
-Double Chocolate Clementine Vita-Mix Cake and Cupcake from Diane of The WHOLE Gang

This high protein, dairy free Chocolate Mousse is made with anti-oxidant rich dark chocolate and contains no dairy products --a double win. I've also used coconut palm sugar rather than agave to sweeten it.  Many people do not like agave nectar, believing it is an overly processed sweetener (the agave nectar I use is pure and organic).  I don't mind agave, though I thought the palm sugar would be a nice alternative sweetener for those that do.

Summer is moving along for us over here.  The boys made over $300 at their lemonade stand last weekend during the Mapleton Hill rummage sale.  They ran the stand with 2 other friends and baked tons of cookies from scratch for their little business.  I was so proud of them.  Maybe at their next stand they'll sell this high protein, dairy free chocolate mousse!  I would love that.

If you can't eat eggs, check out my vegan Mocha Mousse recipe.  And if you would like more information on agave nectar, see my post called The Great Agave debate.  It contains a lot of useful information and the comments section of that post is chock full of good stuff!

The winner of last weeks giveaway for More Than Alive products is Kristi W!

For other chocolate mousse/pudding ideas check out recipes from these groovy bloggers:
-Coconut & Raw Cacao Pudding dairy-free, vegan from Kelly of The Spunky Coconut
-Gluten-free No-Soy Dairy-free Chocolate Mousse Recipe from SeaMaiden of Book of Yum
-Easy Chocolate Mousse from Kelly of Celiac Chicks

Update: (i) Dagoba dark chocolate is no longer formulated dairy-free (as a reader below kindly pointed out to me), to make this dairy free I recommend trying Ghirardelli Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips or 365 Dark Chocolate Mini Chunks; (ii) coconut fat is the semi-solid found on the top of a can of coconut milk; (iii) finally, feel free to try making this mousse with agave, if you do, please stop by and leave a comment to let us know your results.