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Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Written on April 29, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

When you find a recipe that just works, you never want to stray from it. This is the third time I’ve posted about these cookies; I didn’t realize that the original recipe post is almost 2 years old until I sat down to write this one. In that time a lot of commenters have made these and enjoyed them and I hope a lot more will continue to.

I’ve tried to make other gluten-free cookie recipes in the past and ended up with a tray of flattened, cooked dough; thankfully I’ve never had a problem with these. They bake and spread just like regular chocolate chip cookies. This time I mixed some chopped pecans and walnuts into the batter. I didn’t think that they could actually get better but that proved me wrong.

I’ve now made this recipe with almond meal(finely ground almonds) and almond flour(finely ground blanched almonds) and can tell you it doesn’t make much of a difference. The ones with almond flour were a little softer as they baked and lighter in color but the end results were pretty much the same.

Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 12 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 12 cookies):

1 1/2 cups(6 ounces) almond flour or almond meal
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped nuts(optional)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
Gradually beat the egg into the butter and sugar mixture.
Add the almond flour, salt, vanilla and baking soda in with the other ingredients and mix well.
Add in the chocolate chips and nuts if using and fold them into the batter.
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and press them down gently onto a non-stick baking surface.
Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookies rise and the edges have browned.
Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool before moving. Store at room temperature in a sealed container.

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Strawberry Cashew Granola

Written on April 23, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

The best thing about Spring so far has been buying produce that’s not potatoes or shipped from the other side of the country at the supermarket. I even got suckered into buying a plant just because it was on sale and comes from a local town; I’m a marketer’s dream.

After a long, exciting weekend outdoors I couldn’t bring myself to do much more on Sunday night other than stay in watching TV and making this granola. Thankfully the recipe is simple enough that you can throw it together whenever. The next morning I slept through my alarm for almost an hour and hastily threw together a breakfast of yogurt, fresh strawberries, and this granola. Even on the run it tasted delicious.

The flavor of this granola is very subtle which is great over plain or vanilla yogurt in the morning before your taste buds really wake up. If you don’t feel like making the strawberry syrup you can also mix 6 Tablespoons of maple syrup with 2 Tablespoons of a good strawberry jam and have the same flavor.

Strawberry Cashew Granola

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 2 1/2 cups):

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup strawberry syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup roasted salted cashews

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl mix together the oats, syrup, salt, and oil.
Spread the oat mixture over a non-stick baking surface in a thin layer.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the oats are toasted.
Remove from the oven and let the granola cool.
Break the granola apart and toss the clumps with the cashews.
Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

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Oat Bran Raisin Cookies

Written on April 9, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I love that every season there seems to be new gluten-free products on the shelves. I thought I was done with oat bran years ago since gluten-free oats are hard enough on their own to find, but wouldn’t you know Bob’s Red Mill now makes those, too? I was excited to bake with them because oat bran has a finer texture in baked goods not to mention a higher fiber and nutrient content.

These cookies are just like oatmeal raisin cookies except using oat bran for a different crunch. They aren’t your soft, pillowy oatmeal cookies; since this recipe uses oil and has very little moisture in it, the cookies come out crunchy and chewy. They’re perfect for a dunk in milk or almond milk.

If you don’t have oat bran on hand, you can make oat flour instead by pulsing rolled oats in a food processor or blender. The nutrient contest isn’t quite the same but the textures are very similar. You can add in chocolate chips or any other type of mix-in but make sure not to add too many since they can make it difficult for the dough to stick together.

Oat Bran Raisin Cookies

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 18 cookies):

1 cup oat-bran
1/2 cup all-purpose flour(I used gluten-free all-purpose flour)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
6 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup raisins

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the oat bran, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
Beat in the egg and oil until the mixture forms a sticky dough.
Add in the raisins and fold until they’re incorporated.
Roll the dough into roughly 1-inch balls and place them on a non-stick baking tray flattening them slightly.
Bake for 14-16 minutes until the edges turn golden. Remove them from the oven and let them cool for 10-15 minutes before moving to prevent them from crumbling.
Store at room temperature in a sealed container when not eating.

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4 Killer Potato Recipes

Written on April 5, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

It’s no secret that I love potatoes. They aren’t the healthiest vegetable for you by any stretch of the imagination but there’s not much you can’t do with some potatoes, oil, salt and pepper. Besides—they’re gluten-free naturally and less than a dollar a pound so there’s a lot to love.

I make potatoes a lot because they fit in as a side dish with just about anything. It helps that there are so many different ways to cook them. If I’m baking some, I’ll throw a few extra in the oven to dice later and turn into home fries. So that’s why I have enough potato recipes on this website to feed a small army; here are four of my favorites that I end up making again and again:

Rosemary Hasselback Potatoes are probably the most impressive to look at out of these recipes. They come out as fun to eat as they are to make. Using olive oil as the fat instead of traditional butter makes them healthier and have a lighter flavor while the slits let more of the potato soak up the oil to cook in.

Grilled Potatoes are a lot like thick-cut, deep fried potato wedges except without all the added oils, flour, and fat. They have a smoky, charred flavor that you can’t get in the oven or in a frying pan making them all the more irresistible in the Summer time. They also just look darn impressive coming off of the grill.

Balsamic Herb Oven Fries are a step up from your regular fries because they already have a sweet tanginess baked into them. I’ve gotten into a habit of buying frozen fancy french fries at the store and popping them into the oven before dinner; fortunately recipes like this remind me it’s cheaper and almost easier to make them yourself.

Vanilla Rosemary Potatoes are great if you want to try something new and a little foreign with the same old ingredients you have at home. The vanilla adds a sweet and savory flavor that’s hard to put you finger on if you don’t know it’s there. This is one potato recipe where it’s better to skip the pepper and just enjoy a touch of salt.

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Maple Hazelnut Granola

Written on March 29, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a recipe for granola. That’s mostly because I’ve been reluctant to pay $7 for a bag of gluten-free rolled oats at the grocery store near me. But this week I finally caved in because I’d missed a bowl of hot, soft oatmeal in the morning and chewy, crunchy granola on my yogurt.

I love the subtle flavor of maple syrup; when I sweeten my yogurt I usually choose maple syrup over honey. It’s even better with a little cinnamon and vanilla mixed in to remind you of warm french toast. This granola is great over some maple yogurt but also by the handful.

This granola isn’t too sweet on its own. If you prefer a sweeter granola, increase the maple syrup to 1/2 cup. You can also add some chocolate chips once the granola has cooled for a fun flavor.

Maple Hazelnut Granola

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 3 1/2 cups):

2 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup raisins

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, syrup, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and salt thoroughly.
Lay the oats out on a non-stick baking tray in a thin layer.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the oats are toasted but not burnt.
Remove the granola from the oven and let the oats cool.
Once cool, toss the oats with the hazelnuts and raisins until thoroughly mixed.
Store in an air-tight container at room temperature when not eating.

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Easy Nutella Brownies

Written on March 26, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

A lot of the time when it comes to food blogging there’s usually a pressure to make everything homemade. Homemade cake. Homemade frosting. Homemade powdered sugar. Homemade butter. Everything.

This recipe has just about nothing homemade. If you want to make your own Nutella and brownies from scratch that’s fine; invite me over when you do. But if you’re in a rush or just alone on a Friday night and feel like making brownies this is probably a better choice because it’s more convenient and you can eat Nutella off of a spoon while you’re waiting for the brownies to cook.

You can use any brownie mix for this recipe as long as it’s for an 8 x 8 baking pan. I used the gluten-free kind pictured below and they came out delicious. Ignore the suggested egg and oil mix-ins and use the amounts listed below.

Easy Nutella Brownies

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients(Makes one 8 x 8 pan):

1 16oz brownie mix
1 egg
1/2 cup Nutella
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup water

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. If the batter is too thick, add an extra 1/4 cup of water to thin it to a brownie batter consistency.
Grease an 8 x 8 baking pan.
Pour the batter into the pan and spread it into an even layer.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the center of the brownies has set.
Remove from the oven and let the brownies cool before cutting.

Frosting choice should be obvious.

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Balsamic Herb Oven Fries

Written on March 18, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

When I think about the foods I eat most often, potatoes climb that list far too high. Potatoes are almost always my side dish of choice; there’s just so much you can do with them.

Personally I’m a fan of any potato that’s roasted. These aren’t quite your traditional french fries; they’re more accurately roasted potatoes in your classic french fry shape. The balsamic vinegar and herbs add a unique flavor that puts these a step ahead of any fries you can get at a restaurant.

You don’t need to go very heavy at all on the wet ingredients and they bake off fairly quickly in the oven. If you don’t have herbes de Provence, make a mix of your favorite savory herbs and use that instead.

Balsamic Herb Oven Fries

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 4 servings):

1lb Russet potatoes, scrubbed and washed
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon herbes de Provence
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Slice the potatoes into 1/2-inch thick fries lengthwise.
Toss the fries with the oil, vinegar, herbs and seasonings
Lay the fries out in a single layer on a non-stick baking tray
Roast the fries for 45 minutes to an hour until the ends brown.
Remove the fries from the oven and serve hot.

With some tangy ketchup of course.

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Gluten-Free Thin Mints & Other Girl Scout Cookies

Written on March 14, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Needless to say Girl Scout cookie season is a lot less exciting when you can’t have gluten. You feel a little bit guilty walking past the 10-year old girls trying to get you to overpay for charity while secretly wishing you could have some Thin Mints or Samoas.

Last year I made these gluten-free thin mints. After the page started being active again thanks to plenty of google searches for people looking for the same, I remembered to make them again this year. I’m not sure why it took me a whole year to make this recipe again because these are cookies I’d gladly eat any month or season.

The recipe(found here) is made with coconut flour and almond flour, so it’s grain-free as well as gluten-free. It’s not quite paleo as some commenters have pointed out because of the sugar content. But if that’s not your thing and you’re just looking for a sweet treat then this is easily for you.

Here are some other Gluten-Free Girl Scout cookie recipes from around the web I’ve been eyeing:

Grain-Free/Gluten-Free Samoas by Elana’s Pantry
Gluten-Free Tagalongs by Forks & Beans
Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free Do-Si-Dos by Angela’s Kitchen

Your move, Girl Scouts

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Healthy Chocolate Walnut Bread

Written on March 1, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast, Snack

If February is the month of chocolate, March is probably the month of dessert detox. I could never give up chocolate cold-turkey, though; I would never want to. There are always ways to lighten up chocolate treats to make them better for your every day.

Stonyfield Farm asked some of their Clean Plate Club bloggers to make a chocolate treat healthier using yogurt and Divine Chocolate. Chocolate quick-breads are always delicious but usually too sugary to eat for any meal except dessert; yogurt and less sugar is an easy fix to make this a lighter food.

This chocolate loaf looks decadent but has a lot to offer besides fat. It’s only a little sweet—perfect for a quick breakfast with a cup of coffee. The nuts on top offer some healthy fats while using yogurt in place of more oil cuts down the calories. Using a whole-grain flour like brown rice flour also adds nutrients to each slice.

The Divine Chocolate was incredible to work with. I used the milk chocolate bar to make this recipe but couldn’t stop eating the dark chocolate bar all on its own. It melted incredibly smoothly and evenly; that’s always the benefit of using actual baking chocolate instead of chocolate chips. Instead of plain yogurt you could always use sweetened vanilla yogurt or even one with more flavor to it.

Healthy Chocolate Walnut Bread

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 loaf):

1/2 cup coconut flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup Divine cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
6 Tablespoons maple syrup
6oz plain Stonyfield low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 5.3oz 38% Divine milk chocolate baking bar
1/2 cup crushed walnuts

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl sift together the coconut flour, brown rice flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.
Mix in the eggs, maple syrup, yogurt, water, and oil until the batter is wet and mixed.
Melt the milk chocolate baking bar in a microwave or over the stove top.
Slowly fold the melted chocolate into the batter until entirely mixed.
Grease a 9-inch loaf pan.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Add the crushed walnuts on top and press them in gently.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until the center of the loaf is cooked through. Let the bread cool before cutting.

You’ll never guess it’s any good for you.

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White Chocolate Peppermint Brownies

Written on February 27, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I don’t often try to mess with perfection when I think I’ve found it. For almost two years now I always return to this brownie recipe because I haven’t tried any that are better. But lately I’ve been on a white chocolate kick and needed a way to enjoy that along with my favorite brownies.

These are basically that same brownie recipe with some white chocolate thrown in. I also added peppermint because even though it’s almost March the temperatures have been below freezing and there’s snow on the ground so it feels a lot like December. Besides, white chocolate and peppermint just go together; I’m pretty sure there are about 10 Starbucks drinks that confirm that.

These grain-free brownies are made with almond flour to keep them moist and fudgy. They’re very rich and keep well refrigerated or frozen for an anytime treat.

White Chocolate Peppermint Brownies

Prep time:

Cook time:

Ingredients(Makes one pan):

3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the almond flour, salt, cocoa powder, and baking soda and set aside.
In a separate bowl, melt together the 1/2 cup chocolate chips with the butter.
While the chocolate is melting, beat together the eggs, sugar, and peppermint extract.
Slowly pour the melted chocolate and butter into the egg/sugar mixture while whisking until fully incorporated. Don’t go too fast so that the raw eggs don’t cook upon contact.
Add the chocolate mixture in with the dry ingredients and mix completely.
Pour the batter in an 8 x 8 pan.
Sprinkle the top with the white chocolate chips and gently press them into the batter.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Let these cool completely before cutting in.

Perfection

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