Sugarless Chocolate Chip Cookies

YES! You did read that correctly. I made chocolate chip cookies without adding sugar. My family has a history of diabetes so I look to reduce sugar in my cooking to take care of them...and, perhaps, to reduce my chance of developing diabetes!

Since I was young, baking has always been a form of stress reduction for me. As I am completing my second masters thesis, I have turned back to cooking and its creativity to relieve my stress. I love reading recipes and looking at flavor profiles to find ways to develop my cooking and modify current recipes.

I used Bob's Red Mill Quinoa and Almond Flour in my recipe. The cookies are a treat...and high in protein!

When I make quinoa I make a large batch. This recipe is a great way to use the quinoa for something sweet...but not too sweet! The chewy texture of the cookies is satisfying!

Base Ingredients:
1 very ripe banana (that's the natural sweetness)
1 cup of flax seed meal
1 cup of almond flour (it's gluten free)
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/3 to 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used cacao that I cut into pieces)
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup nut butter (I used almond butter to keep "nuts" consistent)

** I use Bob's Red Mill Ground Flax Seed Meal, Almond Flour, and Quinoa **

Substitutions:
Milk Chocolate or white chocolate for the cacao (makes cookie sweeter than cacao)
Switch flours
Add 1/4 cup brown sugar or 4 TBSP Honey or Agave

Bake for 20 minutes at 350 on a parchment lined baking sheet
Let cool
Store in an airtight container OR enjoy right away!

Quinoa Stir In With Bell Peppers

Weekday meals are a breeze when you plan ahead. We like to eat CLEAN and, for us, the only way to do that is to make meals ahead of time and either warm them up, or add to them to freshen them up.

I always make a large batch of quinoa. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the ratio is 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of liquid. I will double or triple the recipe so that I have quinoa for the week!

To keep the quinoa interesting for a handful of days, I add FRESH "stir-in" ingredients. This ensures that each time the quinoa is eaten, it appears to be a fresh meal!

INGREDIENTS:
For this stir in I cut half a yellow bell pepper, 1/2 of an onion, and 3-5 garlic cloves (depending on size and your personal taste). One or two shallots (depending on size) could be substituted for the onion AND garlic.

DIRECTIONS:
Sautee the vegetables in olive oil for 3 minutes - stirring once or twice.
Add 1 cup of liquid (water or broth)
Cook until liquid is just about gone.
Add 1 cup of cooked quinoa. Stir. Cook till all liquid is absorbed.

Prep time...30 minutes to cook quinoa if it is not pre-made. Cook time is 10 minutes.

NOTE: You can double or triple the recipe. This recipe is for 2 servings.

To serve:
Place to a bowl
Sprinkle basil and/or chopped nuts on top.
Eat with a spoon...you do not want to lose the pieces of quinoa in your bowl!

Herb Substitution Chart

I found a link to find a CHART of HERB SUBSTITUTIONS!

PB & J Bars

Peanut Butter and Jelly. Two food items that bring many people a feeling of comfort as they remind us of childhood, a simple time in life! Often I find myself looking for a sweet treat and end up putting peanut butter and jelly on a piece of gluten free toast or a rice cake. I decided to modify BAR recipes to create a PB & J Bar!

My PB & J Bar can be made with ANY NUT BUTTER! I personally have tried peanut, almond, and cashew butter. I have also made a nut butter that is a combination of all three butters...I liked that one!!! Experiment with what tastes best to you. Perhaps start with peanut or almond butter as they are most widely available. Perhaps go with what is on sale when you are at the store (nuts for making butter or jars of "nut butter").

Cooking should be fun, creative, and economical! Save money when you can. Splurge from time to time! You can cook healthy ... at any budget!

BASE RECIPE:
1 cup creamy NUT butter of choice
1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar (or use honey and double flax/chia)
1 stick butter (I use unsalted) at room temperature
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups rolled oats (uncooked)
1 cup flax seed meal (or 1/2 cup CHIA SEEDS) (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 1/2 cup Flour (Oat, Almond, or Coconut ... I do 1/2 cup each) ***

1 Jar of Jam/Jelly (or homemade) 10-15 ounces (I used reduced sugar/organic or make my own with CHIA Seeds

*** I use Gluten Free Flours from Bob's Red Mill. You can use Bob's 1-1 Gluten Free Flour OR gluten flours...

Directions:
Combine all ingredients (not Jam).
Lightly spray 9 x 13 glass baking sheet
Press half of the mixture into the pan. Firmly press down.
Add the jam in a layer on the base.
Add the remaining granola mixture to the top...press down to form an even top layer.

Cook 375 for 30-40 minutes - until edges turn golden brown and jam begins to bubble a bit. Let cool then cut.

Serving Suggestions:
Have for breakfast with fruit or Greek Yogurt.
Eat as a snack
Have for desert - with fruit, frozen yogurt or ice cream, or with Chia Cups (see earlier post - Jan. 12, 2015)

OPTIONS:
Add Cinnamon
Add Coconut
Add diced, chopped nuts
Add diced, chopped, dried fruit

Cooking with DRY Beans

I purchase DRY beans as the cost is much lower than canned beans and there is less packaging than opening several cans for a recipe!

My trick to convert DRY beans to HYDRATED beans:

1 cup dry beans to 3 cups liquid (I usually use 1/2 vegetable broth and 1/2 water).
I add 1 bay leaf.
I put the combination in an airtight container over night (or during the day while I work).
Transfer the beans (and bay leaf if using) to a pot and add liquid if needed.
Cook on low for a few hours, stirring from time to time. Cook time will depend on volume you are cooking and size of pot you are using. (Small amount and a big pot = more surface area of beans on the pot so a faster cooking time). Cook SLOW and on LOW heat.
You know they are done when you taste them and they are the consistency YOU like. You may leave with a bit of a resistance or you may cook until very soft and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Believe me...this IS easy! You just have to do it once to realize how easy it is...EVEN on a busy schedule! MOST of the time is INACTIVE on your part!

Hummus Your Way

In an effort to cut out as many packaged/processed foods from my diet as possible, I have been experimenting with making hummus and different varieties of hummus.

You CAN use canned beans...I use dehydrated. I also do not always use chickpeas...I use a variety of beans which makes each batch a bit different.

Food should be fun and exciting. We should NOT live to eat, but rather eat to live. Here's a base recipe for hummus that can be customized.

TIME: If you are using canned beans, 10 minutes. If you rehydrate beans, it will take a day to prep the beans before the 10 minutes of hummus creation. MY NEXT Blog post will explain cooking with dry beans.

Base Recipe:
2 cups of beans (if using a can, 1 can)
2 TBSP lemon juice
4-6 cloves of garlic (depends on size and your taste)
1/2 cup toasted sesame oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup water

Directions:
Put ingredients in a blender/food processor. Pulse till a creamy consistency forms.

Put in an airtight container to store...or serve right away with vegetables or gluten free crackers.

Garnish with sesame seeds.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serving Suggestions:
As a dip for vegetables or gluten free crackers/bread
As a spread on a sandwich (add protein to a roasted vegetable sandwich)

Quinoa Mirepoix

A traditional mirepoix is comprised of carrots, onion, and celery...my QUINOA MIREPOIX substitutes garlic for celery! This simple change highlights the carrots in the dish.

Quinoa is a complete protein that is naturally gluten free and high in fiber. Quinoa will keep you satisfied for a long time. It is an idea work day lunch that can carry you over to your post work yoga class or gym workout! The Beauty of quinoa is that it is versatile! This is just one example of a meal that you can make from this ancient grain.

Quinoa can be found in most stores in either the gluten free section or near where specialty rices are found. If you cannot find it in your local store, Bob's Red Mill sells (Organic Quinoa Grain and Organic Red Quinoa Grain) direct from their website.

Any quinoa works for this recipe. I tend to purchase quinoa and add it to a jar. Each time I purchase a new variety I mix the jar to create a quinoa variety mix. This adds great color to your meal! After all, we do eat with our eyes first! I try to make my food look good, so my eyes convince my palette how wonderful the food is!

STEP 1: Start by making quinoa.
The ratio is 1 part quinoa to 2 parts liquid. I use vegetable broth (reduced salt) but you can use chicken broth, beef broth, or water.
Bring to a boil.
Cover.
Stir from time to time.
Cooking time will be 15-30 minutes depending on temperature of your stove and quantity you make.
You can STOP HERE if you wish. The quinoa can be stored in an airtight container until you wish to use.

If you wish to fix a dish immediately:

STEP 2: Dice 1/2 of an onion, 4-6 garlic cloves (depending on size), and 2 cups of diced carrots.
Add to a pan with 2 TBSP Olive Oil.
Sautee till the onion turns translucent then add 1 cup of broth.
Satuee until carrots soften and almost all broth is reduced.
Add 2 cups of quinoa back into the pan. Stir until all liquid is absorbed.

Serve in a bowl with a spoon (you do not want to miss out on any quinoa and a fork definitely does not get the small grain as well). Garnish with tarragon and add cashews or peanuts (unsalted) if you wish additional crunch and protein.

Cook Time: Less than 1 hour

Options:
Serve as a side dish to a salad or a sandwich
Dice in pieces of chicken or pork
Satuee tofu and serve on top of the Quinoa Mirepoix
Serve on a bed of spinach