Almond Shortbread Cookies

I received a very important question on my facebook page the other day:

Do you have any gluten free bakery recipes? Using real food? I am sick of all the gluten free desserts that are loaded up with other junk.


I completely agree! Cutting out or eliminating gluten can be an important, and sometimes lifesaving, step towards better health. However, many gluten free foods have incredibly long ingredient lists comprised of foreign items. In my quest for a gluten free cookie that was made with real whole food, I came up with this tasty tea cookie. Warning, you may just want to eat the dough, and I won't fault you for that. However, if you end up baking these you will be surprised by their lovely flavor. These can be made as indicated below, or rolled out and cut into fun shapes with cookie cutters. It would also make a great whole food pie crust.

One of the ingredients that makes this cookie so yummy and satisfying is ghee. Ghee is a form of clarified butter that is essential in most Indian cooking. It is not hard to make but lately more and more stores are selling it. Ghee has a high smoking point (which means it can withstand higher heat without oxidizing), is a natural preservative and has great buttery flavor. It is lactose free so it is safe for those with lactose intolerance. Ghee is believed to stimulate the secretion of stomach acids to help with digestion and is rich with antioxidants. It aids in the absorption of vitamins and minerals, strengthens the immune system and has anti-viral properties.


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INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup almonds (soaked and dried or roasted)
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• splash of pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS


Blend almonds in a mixer until they become the consistency of sand. Add baking soda and cinnamon and blend. Melt ghee and maple syrup together and add to the mix. Add your splash of vanilla extract. Blend


This is what it looks like at first.

And here, after continued blending, it is starting to come together as a loose dough.

Place dough in the center of a large piece of parchment paper and form into a log (I usually form a narrow log because I like them bite size). Make the log the size that you want your cookies to be.


Roll up the log tightly in the parchment paper and place in the freezer for an hour.


Preheat oven to 350°. Remove dough from the freezer and cut into slices.


Bake for about 7 minutes, maybe longer depending on your oven. Let them cool until they are crispy. Enjoy!

Note: You can use almond flour, or skinless almonds, to create a lighter dough. You can also add chopped pecans or hazelnuts to the dough to change the flavor. Cinnamon can be substituted with your favorite spice.

Also, this recipe is essentially enough to satisfy the snacking needs of two people. If you need more, double or triple the recipe. 

 

The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg and Egg Salad

The perfect hard boiled egg. So easy in theory, yet it can easily (and so often does) end up undercooked, or overcooked with that unappetizing green ring around it. The beauty of a perfectly cooked egg gets my stomach rumbling, so let’s begin!

Place the eggs* in a pot with cold water. Make sure that there is enough water in the pot to cover the eggs. Bring to a gentle boil. Then, remove the pot from the heat and cover with a tight fitting lid. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Let the eggs sit for 8-12 minutes. 8 minutes leads to a more moist yolk that is a deeper orange color (shown above). 12 minutes leads to a pale yellow yolk. Both are perfect, it is just a matter of preference. After the time is up, place the eggs in the ice water for about 5 minutes. Done!

Perfect Egg Salad

Eggs are incredibly nutritious and a very inexpensive way to make a hearty and satisfying meal. Unless you are allergic to eggs, or vegan, eggs are awesome and your friend. One large egg contains about 6.5 grams of protein, as well as vitamin D, selenium, iodine, vitamin B2, phosphorus, vitamin B5 and vitamin B12. Eggs contain a nutrient called choline which helps to enhance brain function and reduce inflammation. Contrary to past belief, studies are currently showing that eating eggs helps to reduce weight, improve cholesterol profiles and increase cardiovascular health. It is important to underscore the vitamin D found in the yolk, as the majority of individuals do not obtain adequate amounts of vitamin D from the sun. Vitamin D enhances the immune system and promotes calcium absorption, resulting in stronger bones, a calmer nervous system and overall enhanced wellness.


The addition of pickles, when properly made, adds a probiotic boost to this salad that assists with numerous health issues. Please read the post on pickles for more information. If you use purchased pickles, try a brand like Bubbies that is found in the refrigerator aisle. If you want this to be a complete real food meal, check out this post for instructions on how to make your own mayonnaise.

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INGREDIENTS

• 6 large organic eggs, cracked and peeled

• 1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise

• 1 teaspoon mustard, or to taste

• 2 tablespoons chopped pickles or pickle relish

• a squeeze of lemon juice

• ¼ cup chopped scallions, or to taste

• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Mash all ingredients together with a fork or potato masher to desired consistency.

*This is not a recipe for your freshest eggs, as they are harder to peel after boiling. Quick tip: add baking soda to the boiling water for easier to peel eggs!

Strawberry Balsamic Sorbet

After my post on Five Spice Banana Cream, I received many emails asking for more satisfying and nourishing desserts, that are quick and easy to make. I love making sorbet with frozen fruit; it is so tasty and easy. The weather has started to been getting warm up here in the Bay Area, which reminded me how nice it is to have a frozen treat on a hot day. Sorbet can be made with a variety of flavor combinations, but my all time favorite is Strawberry Balsamic Sorbet. You already know that I love Strawberry Balsamic Jam and here is a great way to save those summer strawberries that don’t make it into jam—freeze them! Best of all about this recipe, it is only three ingredients!

Make sure to use good quality, pure Balsamic vinegar (read the label!), as most commercial Balsamic is made with red wine vinegar or concentrated grape juice mixed with strong vinegar, and then laced with caramel and sugar--not what nature intended! Balsamic vinegar has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties and contains the powerful antioxidant polyphenols. Polyphenols fights free radicals, boosts the immune system and protects the body against heart disease. Balsamic vinegar also contains a metabolism-boosting enzyme called pepsin and is chock full of minerals. Taste-wise, it really boosts the fabulous strawberry flavor making this an incredibly satisfying sorbet. I use maple syrup in this sorbet as a sweetener, due to its numerous health benefits and its ability to blend smoothly.

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INGREDIENTS 

• 3 cups loosely packed whole organic frozen strawberries
• ¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup maple syrup (grade B if possible)

DIRECTIONS

Let strawberries sit for 10-15 minutes, so that they are still cold but not hard. Blend with vinegar and maple syrup until smooth. Put back in the freezer for a few hours and then scoop out and enjoy! It can’t get any easier than that! :)

Almost Sopa de Ajo

Sopa de ajo is a wonderful soup, originally made with just garlic, bread and water. It has been adapted over time to include a rich broth, egg, spices and occasionally ham. I love making this soup when everyone around me seems to have the sniffles. It also cures a sore throat fast! My version does not include croutons or ham, so it is not very traditional. Instead, I use roasted asparagus because I think they go so well will eggs and add some extra vitamins, namely vitamin K, folate, vitamin C and vitamin A. There are so many germ fighters in this soup--broth, egg, garlic, cayenne and chives. This recipe makes four healing bowls of soup.


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INGREDIENTS

• 5 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 bunch asparagus, cleaned, trimmed and cut on a diagonal into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 large organic eggs
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
• sea salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS


Preheat oven to 450°F. Place asparagus on a baking dish and toss to coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until asparagus is tender, about 8-10 minutes. (Can be prepared ahead; let stand at room temperature.)


To prepare soup, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic; sauté 1 minute, ensuring the garlic does not burn. Add the paprika, cayenne and cumin and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Sprinkle in some sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Ensure your oven is still at 450°. Break 1 egg into each of 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the broth mixture evenly among bowls. Place bowls on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until the eggs are set. Remove from oven and top each serving with roasted asparagus and chopped chives. Sprinkle with extra salt and pepper to taste.

Lamb Meatballs with Roasted Grapes and a Yogurt Dill Sauce

Often I eat a yummy dish at a restaurant and then I rush home because I am so excited to try to recreate it. Well, recreate it with way less salt. One dish that I did that with, and I am excited to share with you, is skewered lamb meatballs with grapes and a yogurt /dill dipping sauce (similar to Greek Tzatziki). I think that the savory lamb, with the roasted grapes and cool dip work really well together. You have already read that I love lamb and anything with yogurt. I especially love the use of roasted grapes in this recipe. They are savory and sweet and loaded with nutrients.

Many of grape's health benefits come from a category of phytonutrients. These compounds appear to decrease the risk of heart disease, by lowering LDL cholesterol and strengthening the heart muscle. They are also beneficial for those with hypertension. Grapes prevent lung cancer, are anti-microbial and lower the risk of Alzheimer's Disease. Grapes are a great source of manganese, vitamin B6, thiamin, potassium and vitamin C.


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INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup of thick Greek yogurt
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh dill

• bamboo skewers
• 1 lb ground lamb
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons parsley, minced 
• 1 teaspoon salt

• bunch of red grapes
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS


Soak skewers in cold water so that they will not burn. Mix the first five ingredients together to make the dip and put aside to let the flavors meld.


Work the remaining ingredients together (minus the grapes) thoroughly with your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in the refrigerator for 30 min. Preheat the oven to 375F.


Once the 30 minutes is up, remove the meatball mixture form the refrigerator and roll into little meatballs. Remove the skewers from the water and skewer a meatball and then grape, alternating.

Once they are skewered, place on a rack in the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes (this depends on the size of the meatball). Then rotate with tongs, and bake for another 7-10 minutes.


Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Serve skewers with dipping sauce, either plated (as shown) or with the dip in a bowl on the side.