Gluten Free (Vegan) Chocolate Chip Cookies

OK, I am going to brag - everyone says my chocolate chip cookies are the best. I have to believe it is because of the ingredients I use, which is specifically the unbleached spelt flour. They are delicious with the spelt but they are not gluten free, and some people must have gluten free. So, I set out to make a gluten free version following my same guidelines so that everyone can have this tasty treat. OMG! They are delicious, light and very flavorful and they are higher in protein because of the almond flour. Eat them as a snack or even for breakfast - and did I mention, they are so delicious!!!

Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour
1 cup almond flower
1 cup coconut oil
1 cup coconut sugar
2 tsp double acting baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp flax meal
½ cup water
¾ cup chopped walnuts
¾ cup shredded (dried) coconut
¾ cup dark chocolate chips
½ tsp Celtic Sea Salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add flax meal to ½ cup water and 2 tsp of vanilla, and let it sit while you combine the other ingredients.

Combine the rice, almond flour and baking powder together in a large bowl. Mix in the coconut sugar and coconut oil. Then mix in the flax and vanilla mixture. Mix well.

Fold in the shredded coconut, walnuts and chocolate chips.

Lastly add the salt.

Assemble cookies on parchment paper and bake at 350 for about 20 to 25 minutes. I like to bag my cookies and/or put them in a ball jar and freeze after they cool slightly. This keeps them very fresh.

Note: My famous cookies that are not gluten free are made the same way except with spelt flour instead of almond and rice (not the bleached spelt flour).

Enjoy!!

Easy Chia Pudding With Coconut Milk & Berries

It took me a few yeas to catch on to the Chia Pudding craze. Now, I find it one of the easiest snacks/desserts to serve for almost all diets. Below is a basic example of a large bowl to serve many. There are many variations that can be made from this basic idea. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 can of organic "whole fat" coconut milk + 1 can of water

1/2 cup chia seeds

1 cup + frozen berries or other frozen fruit

sweetener of choice (honey, stevia, maple syrup, coconut sugar, raw sugar). Sweeten to taste.

Options: Protein powders, green powders that may have already been sweetened (like Barlean's Greens), spices like cinnamon, cardamom, clove. Pinch of salt.

Place the coconut milk into the blender and add chia seeds. Blend just enough to break up the chia seeds. This will help it to thicken and create a smoother taste.

Put all ingredients together and blend softly on low speed just enough to blend. Pour into serving dishes or one large dish. Place berries on top and refrigerate until firm.

Note: If you want a richer pudding, then use the coconut milk without water. If you do this, then you should use less Chia Seeds. Chia Seeds thicken, but how they thicken depends on how much they are broken down. You may wish to alter the amount used depending on how firm of a pudding you would like. I personally like it a little more watery than a lot of people who like it very firm. Have fun with it!!