Flourless Sunbutter Cookies

These are so yummy!  I feed them to my neighbors and they rave about them.  I also included my own modifications below to accommodate for my kid's egg allergies.  Sunflowerbutter is seed butter made from sunflower seeds.  I buy the organic, because the flavors and non-organic varieties have pre-added sugar.

From: The Sunbutter Website

Flourless Sunbutter Cookies

Ingredients

* 1 cup SunButter
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* Pinch of salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Mix the sugars and SunButter together until smooth.

Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix; then add in the salt and baking soda. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop the dough on to the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Smash down with a fork and then sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then move to a wire rack and cool. You don’t want them to overbake; you want them to be soft.

MY VERSION (Valerie Douglas')

I  make a big double batch to share with my neighbors who's kids are allergic to peanuts too.  Plus I glut myself on the cookie dough.

2 Cups organic Sunbutter (it is the only kind without pre-added sugar)

1 cup raw coconut sugar

1 cup raw sugar (I omit this often and just do the one cup raw coconut sugar.  It makes a little crumblier cookie, but cuts down on the sugars for my family and still tastes delicious!)

2 TBS ground flax seeds plus 6 TBS water

2 tsp alcohol free vanilla

2 pinches Himalayan salt

2 tsp aluminum free baking soda

2 tsp cultured, organic, salt free butter (you could also use coconut oil, but they get a more flat and brown)

1 1/2 cups mini Enjoy Life allergy friendly chocolate chips (I omit often, again to cut down on the sugars and just make the cookies without the mini chips.  My kids still love them.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and coat a cookie sheet with coconut oil using wax paper. Mix the sugars, cultured butter and SunButter together until smooth.

Add in the flax seeds, water and vanilla extract and mix; then add in the salt and baking soda. Stir in the chocolate chips (if you want chocolate chips).

If you don't eat the cookie dough first (no salmonella risk due to lack of eggs and it is such yummy cookie dough),  drop the dough on to the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Smash down with a fork. (I don't sprinkle with more sugar.)

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then move to a wire rack and cool. You don’t want them to overbake; you want them to be soft.

*Note: I tried making these with almondbutter, and they turned out way too flat.  They just oozed all over the pan.

Kettle Corn Recipe #2

Kettle Corn

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup organic virgin coconut oil
• ½ cup organic popping corn kernels
• 1 tbsp organic, raw coconut sugar
• fine sea salt to taste

Directions:

Melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat in a large stock pot. Add the kernels and cover the pot with a lid. Be sure to shake the pot continuously over the flame to avoid burning. When the first kernel pops, add the sugar and cover the pot. Continue to shake the covered pot vigorously over the flame while the kernels pop. This will happen quickly! Once the popping slows down, remove from heat and keep covered until you no longer hear popping. Transfer your popcorn to a serving bowl and sprinkle with salt to your liking. Munch and enjoy!

Almond Joy Fudge and Kettle Corn

GreenSmoothieGirl’s “Almond Joy” Fudge (the only fudge I will eat and not throw away)

Put 2 cups each agave nectar (found in health food stores) and coconut oil in the BlendTec Total Blender. Set the blender container in a sink of hot water for 10 minutes to warm them. Add 1 cup powdered raw chocolate (or unsweetened cocoa) and blend well. Pour into a 9×13 pan and stir in 2 cups each of shredded coconut and chopped or sliced almonds. Chill and cut in squares.

Kettle Corn

Over 3 batches air-popped popcorn in a brown paper bag or very large bowl, pour 1/3 cup agave nectar and 1/3 cup coconut oil, warmed double-boiler style (submerged in hot tap water). Sprinkle mixture with 2 tsp. Original Himalayan Crystal Salt, and stir or shake well.

Everything and the Kitchen Sink Chewy Granola Bars

Everything and the Kitchen Sink Chewy Granola Bars

Source: Valerie Douglas  This recipe can be easily doubled using a 9X13 inch pan.

2 cups old fashioned oats

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup butter (could substitute another 1/4 cup coconut oil)

1/2 cup turbadino sugar (could substitute coconut sugar)

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried fruit (NOTE: I use honey covered banana chips, un-sulfured apricots and dates.  You can use anything just avoid pineapple because it turns hard as rocks when cooked.)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped mixed nuts (NOTE: If nuts are not already salted, add 1/4 tsp. sea salt)

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup finely shredded, unsweetened coconut

1 tsp. vanilla

OPTIONAL*

*1 TBS chia seeds

*1 TBS flax seeds

*1/2 C semi sweet Enjoy Life chocolate chips or carob chips

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Coat an 8-inch square pan thoroughly with a healthy fat (NOTE: safflower oil, palm kernel shortening, coconut oil and butter all work well) and set aside.  Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a medium sauce pan combine honey, butter, vanilla, and coconut oil.  Melt together over low/med heat just until honey is soft.  Drizzle warmed mixture over dried mixture and stir until well coated.  Press bars into the 8-inch square pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Cool bars completely before cutting and serving whereas they will stick together much better when they are cooled.  I place mine in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.

*NOTE: I can easily decrease the sugar content and they still taste yummy by about half if you are interested 

Flax Crackers

Ingredients:

2 cups Flax Seeds

1 cup Ground Flax Seeds

1/4 cup Nama Shoyu, Tamari or Bragg’s (I used sea salt instead)

3-4 T finely chopped Italian herbs to taste

Preparation:

In a large bowl soak whole flax seeds in 4 cups distilled water and nama shoyu or tamari for 4-6 hours. After soaking mix in ground flax seeds, herbs and extra water if necessary. The consistency should be like a thick almond butter.

Spread the mixture evenly on dehydrator trays about 2-3 mm thick. Dehydrate at 40-45 C (110-118 F) for 6-8 hours then flip over to dry the other side for another 2-4 hours until desired crispiness is achieved.

Special Health Teaching:

Brown flax seeds or linseeds are more readily available. Golden flax seeds have higher nutritional value.