Halloween Vegan and Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

They appear more orange in color in person

My sweet husband put this recipe together for my daughter who suffers from some common and some not so common allergies. This recipe was adapted from THIS recipe which looks to be adapted from another recipe. I love how creative we all can be! My daughter loves them. Enjoy.

1/4 cup Tapioca Starch

1/4 cup Brown Rice Flour

1/4 cup Sorghum Flour

1/4 cup Potato Starch

1/4 cup Coconut Palm Sugar or Rapadura

1/4 tsp Xanthan gum (non GMO)

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Real Salt

1/4 cup Red Palm Oil (this gives it the orange color), or for regular cookies use Coconut Oil

1/3 cup Pure Grade B Maple Syrup

1 1/2 tsps Pure Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup Chocolate Chips (check out how to make your own HERE)

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheet(s) with natural parchment paper or silpat.

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add liquid ingredients individually by hand or with mixer. The dough may be thin. Fold in chocolate chips and let dough stand for 10 minutes to thicken.

Drop cookie dough mixture by tablespoon onto your prepared cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes. Let cookies rest on cookie sheet for another 2 minutes. Move cookies to cool on a cooling rack.

Store in airtight container. This should make 16-18 cookies depending on the size you choose.

Rich Chocolate Pudding

You may be surprised by the main ingredient of this rich chocolate pudding but I promise no one will even know!

2 ripe medium AVOCADOS!!!
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup agave
1 tsp pure vanilla

Blend the insides of the avocados in a food processor or blender in till smooth. Add the remanding ingredients and process again till fully blended. Your pudding should turn out to be smooth, rich, and chocolaty! You may enjoy right away but it's better served chilled. This is also delicious topped with bananas, strawberries or even raspberries. Enjoy!

* Verdict from my kid taste testers ~ I served this to four kids ages 10, 7, 5 and 3. Next time I will double the recipe because they all LOVED IT! They were absolutely clueless it was made from avocado. My 10 year old hates, I mean HATES avocado and he was licking him bowl asking for more. I will be keeping this one a secret for awhile, but I sure can't wait to tell him. ;)

Fish Tacos

This is such a fun and easy dish to make. Remember not to skimp on the white sauce and lime juice!

2-3 Cod Fillets
2-3 tablespoons Braggs Liquid Aminos
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Real Salt
Red Cabbage, super thinly sliced
6-8 Sprouted Corn Tortillas
6-8 Lime wedges

White Sauce:
1/4 cup Vegenaise
1/4 cup Plain Yogurt

Dairy Free White Sauce:
1/2 cup Vegenaise
Juice from 1/2 Lemon, then to taste

Marinate cod in Bragg's Liquid Aminos and olive oil for a few minutes. Prepare a skillet pan on medium high heat. Cook cod in skillet for 3-5 minutes then flip and cook other side for another 3-5 minutes until lightly browned and flakes.

While cod is still warm prepare fish tacos. Layer tacos first with tortilla, fish, then cabbage. Top with white sauce and sprinkle with lime wedge juice.

Pita Pizza

This is great for a 'fast Friday fix' when you are not wanting to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. One of my favorites too! For my two-week weight loss meal plan I don't include cheese. I usually opt out the cheese when I'm not on it too.

Favorite Pita Bread ( I like Naan whole wheat pita bread)
1 recipe of our raw Red Sauce
1 Shallot, minced
1 wedge of each, red and yellow bell pepper, sliced and diced
Any other toppings you like

Place pitas on an oven sheet. Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of red sauce onto each pita. Spread sauce on each pita leaving a 1/2 inch edge. Sprinkle evenly the shallots, and peppers. Broil pitas on low for 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Pink Lemonade

My girls and I love making this together. They love to watch the hibiscus seep pink into the water right before their eyes. This is super refreshing and hibiscus is known to be hydrating. Enjoy.


6 cups Water
1 Tb dried Hibiscus Flowers (you can find this here)
Juice of 2-3 Lemons
Raw Agave

In a large preferably glass bowl combine water and hibiscus. The hibiscus will give the lemonade that amazing pink color. The longer you let it soak in the water the deeper pink color you will achieve.

When you have reached the color you like, drain water and hibiscus into a pitcher using a strainer.

Add the lemon juice and sweeten to taste with the agave.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

By Guest Blogger: Jena Demarco

Mini loaves for the adults and mini muffins without chocolate chips for the children.


1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
¾ cup Oatmeal Flour
¼ cup milled Flax
1 Tablespoon Wheat Germ
1 teaspoon Baking Soda (aluminum free)
½ teaspoon Real Salt
½ cup Egg Beaters*
2 cups Mashed Bananas
½ cup Honey
¼ cup Applesauce
1 Tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice
½ teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Chocolate Chips or Carob Chips(optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Combine wet ingredients together in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake mini muffins at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes or until done. For large loaves bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes or until toothpick/knife test comes out clean.

*Note: I leave out the eggs and just add a little more banana and flax seed. I have yet to notice a difference in the banana bread.

Whole Wheat Tortillas

We love, love, love, LOVE these!

2 3/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup Ground Flax Seed
1/2 tsp Real Salt
1 tsp aluminum free Baking Powder
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1 cup hot water

Start by mixing all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the Olive Oil and mix well with your hands. The mixture will start to form into little pea shape balls. Then add the hot water slowly and start to knead until smooth. You may need less or more water so be careful and just add it slowly. You want your dough to be moist and soft but not sticky.

Next form your dough into golf ball sized balls. This recipe makes about 17 tortillas.

Before rolling out your tortilla, it makes it easier if you take a dough ball and flatten it a little in your hand to make a 3 inch circle.

Then flour up the surface you will be using and roll out your tortilla. You can make them as thick or as thin as you like. After you have one rolled out place it in a warm pan and brown on both sides. No oil in necessary in your pan because of the oil in the tortilla. These can also be frozen.

I make these all the time. They are surprisingly quick and easy to make. Try them out and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Almond Butter Balls

My kids love these for after school snacks!

1 cup Almond Butter or Natural Peanut Butter
2 1/2 cups Oats
1/2 cup Ground Flax Seed
1/2 cup Agave or 3/4 cup Honey
Carob Chips or Unsweetened Coconut, Optional

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, I use my hands. When it is mixed well, form into balls. Store these in the refrigerator.

Carob Butter-Balls

This dessert is best when chilled. Eat sparingly though. In two-three dates there can be 25 grams of sugar.

2 cups Dates (you can presoak in Rice Milk if you like)
½ cup unsweetened Rice Milk
2 cups Raw Almond Butter
½-3/4 cup Raw Carob Powder

In a food processor or Vita Mix blender, while blade is spinning drop dates and rice milk in and blend until smooth. Continue with the almond butter and blend until incorporated (you may have to stop and stir the mixture a little to blend). Put mixture into a mixing bowl and fold in carob powder. Use enough powder to make the mixture thick and be able to ball-up. Take spoonfuls of mixture and roll between hands to make balls. Roll balls into loose carob powder. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper; place balls onto cookie sheet. Chill for a few hours or overnight. You can serve them how they are or roll them again in loose carob powder and then serve.

Tofu Kabobs

I like to serve this over brown rice with a side of Edamame.

You will need:
1 pkg. Extra Firm Tofu, cubed
1 zucchini, sliced into round chunks
1 summer squash, sliced into round chunks
cherry tomatoes
pineapple chunks
Any other veggies you would like!

Marinade:

1-2 cups Teriyaki sauce
2 tbsp Braggs
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp honey, if you like it sweeter

Combine the tofu and marinade in a shallow dish and cover for 1 hour. If your using wooden skewers remember to soak them in water so that do not burn when cooking. After the marinade is done soaking into the tofu start threading the tofu chunks and the veggies onto the skewers. Cook them on a grill or under a broiler, rotating and basting occasionally, until veggies and tofu is nicely browned. Serve over brown rice.


These are fun for the kids to help with and you don't have to worry about little hands on raw meat!

Breakfast Flax Muffins

This is a great mildly sweet muffin, perfect for your morning meal. We made these muffins with golden raisins, my favorite. Also if you notice, there is no oil used in this recipe. Ground flaxseed can be substituted for cooking oil and shortening with a ratio of 3 to 1 in baked goods (1-1/2 cups ground flaxseed can replace 1/2 cup butter, oil, or margarine) and will still end up surprisingly moist.

1-1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
¾ cup organic Flax Meal
¾ cup Oat Bran or Oat Meal
1 cup Honey
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Real Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1-1/2 cups Carrots, finely shredded
2 unpeeled, shredded Apples
½ cup Raisins (optional)
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
¾ cup Rice Milk
2 beaten Eggs, Egg Substitute, or Egg Replacer
1 tsp Vanilla

Mix all of your dry ingredients together starting with the whole wheat flour and ending with the cinnamon. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a Vita Mix and blend thoroughly. Pour wet ingredients into the dry mixture and fold gently. DO NOT OVER MIX. Mix until ingredients are just moist. Fill muffin cups mostly full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Makes about 12-15 muffins.

Broccoli and Penne Pasta

This is an easy dinner, for those crazy nights, that the whole family will enjoy.

1 box whole wheat or brown rice Penne
olive oil
2 to 3 cups fresh or frozen broccoli
3 cups or 28oz of homemade or your favorite jar tomato based sauce
Sea Salt

Cook your pasta according to the directions on the box. When your pasta is done lightly coat it with a little olive oil. Steam your broccoli just enough to be tender. Do not over cook, you don't want it to be mushy. Also the least amount it is cooked the more nutrients it will have. Add your broccoli and sauce to the pasta. Then season to taste with sea salt. It's really that easy! I usually serve this with sour dough bread and a spinach salad.

Of course homemade sauce is best but if you are using a store bought pasta sauce, make sure you are reading the labels. You don't want to buy a sauce that is loaded with sugar, high fructose corn syrup, salt or preservatives. Try to stick to a sauce that is pure and simple. For example the sauce I have on hand for those crazy nights is made from, organic tomato paste and tomatoes, organic basil, chopped onions, garlic powder, oregano, chopped garlic. That's it! Pure and Simple!

Quinoa Super Cookies

Quinoa is a great source of protein. I would classify these cookies as a transitional food. Something on your way to being healthy.


1 cup Quinoa Flour
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
½ cup Sugar or favorite all natural sweetner
2 teaspoons Vanilla Flavoring
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
½ cup Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs or Egg Substitute or Replacer
1-2 teaspoons Coral Calcium (100% above ground coral calcium), optional

In a large bowl, mix all wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Combine dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix by hand or with a mixer. Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie mix onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for eight minutes at 350 degrees.

Classic Hummus

This is a great classic hummus recipe. You can use this as a base recipe for other hummus variations too.

3 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold pressed)
Juice of 1 Lemon
1-2 Garlic Cloves
1/8-1/4 cup Raw Tahini (I use less usually)
1 can Garbanzo Beans, drain most water leaving a little
1-2 teaspoons Cumin
Garlic Herb Bread Seasoning (Spice Hunter) to taste
Real Salt or Sea Salt to taste

Blend all ingredients in a Vita Mix blender or food processor until smooth. Serve with your favorite veggies, sprouted wheat tortilla, or use as a spread in wraps and sandwiches.

Christmas Tree Veggie Platter

I saw this adorable idea on the cover of the "Pillsbury Holiday Appetizers" magazine. Last night I took this to a Christmas dinner we attended. It was a huge hit! This would also be a fun platter for a children's Christmas party. My kids thought it was "awesome". Not only is it awesome, but teamed up with a dip like hummus over the traditional ranch dip, it's also very healthful.

HaPpY HoLiDayS!!!

Blender Pancakes

 

Easy, Fast, Nutritious and little clean up!

1 cup red or white wheat kernels
1 1/4 cup water
1 egg or 1 Tbs ground flax seed
2 Tbs apple sauce
1 or 2 Tbs honey, maple syrup or agave
1/2 ts sea salt
1 Tbs baking powder

Blend the wheat kernels and water in your blender in till smooth. (I promise this won't hurt your blender) Then add the next 4 ingredients and blend till all the way mixed. Lastly add the baking powder and pulse your blender a couple time. The batter should foam up a little bit and become somewhat airy. Then pour right onto your hot pan.

You can also use this batter for waffles. Enjoy!

Reindeer Sandwiches

Aren't these so cute! My friend Michelle showed me how to make them. When I made these reindeers today for my kids I wanted to make them not only cute but healthful. So these little guys are made with multi-grain bread and are filled with natural peanut butter, honey and banana slices. Their antlers are pretzels and their eyes and nose are made from raisins. I served them with blackberries. My kiddos went crazy, they loved them! Try them out and let us know what your healthy reindeers are filled with.

Whole Wheat Berry Pancakes

My husband makes these every Saturday morning. The kids love them!

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbs aluminum-free baking powder
3 Tbs ground flax seed
3 Tbs sugar
3/4 tsp sea salt
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups milk or alternative (I used soy)
3 Tbs apple sauce
1 Tbs vanilla
3 egg whites
1 1/2 cups berries, fresh or frozen (I used white raspberries this time)



Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and flax in a bowl. Add the egg yolks, milk, apple sauce and vanilla and mix well. Beat the egg whites in a bowl until stiff peaks form. (as shown below) Fold the egg whites into batter.



Beat in your berries.



Now your ready to cook them up. Depending on if you use fresh or frozen berries you may need to add a little more milk to make it the consistency you like. We like to eat these with pure maple syrup. Enjoy!