Thumbprint Cookies

Hey guys!  Decided to do a little baking today, trying to keep warm from the Wisconsin blizzard outside.  I love it when I have a little extra time to try out new recipes.  I heard about these Almond Flour thumbprint cookies from Nourished Kitchen.  These cookies are gluten, dairy, and sugar free!  

 

 Now I know what most of you are thinking..."How good can these really be without sugar?"  But I promise you, you and your kids will not be able to tell!  They will have no idea they are actually eating something that isn't bad for them!

 

So what's really in these things?

 

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup coconut oil melted

1/4 cup organic maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

fruit jam or chocolate

 As part of a new years resolution to eat healthier, we've been getting our produce and some meats at the local indoor farmers market.  We bought the organic maple syrup and homemade strawberry jam there.  I also found the coconut oil and almond flour at Woodmans in the organic aisle.

 

Place the almond flour, salt and baking soda in a small bowl.  In a seperate bowl mix together maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla.  Slowly combine liquid and dry ingredients while mixing with electric mixer.  Cover and chill the dough at least one hour, or up to 2 days.

 

Once dough is chilled, roll into balls and press thumbprint into center.  Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Add a small dot of jam or chocolate into the center.  Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

 

These cookies are best when served within first hour.   Almond flour tends to soften over time, but they can be reheated in oven to re-crisp them. 

And here they are.....

 

Its a great treat to serve with no preservatives!  You will be amazed at how good they are.

 

 

     

Quinoa & Broccoli Casserole

I'm sure most of you have heard the recent craze about quinoa. Quinoa is a gluten free grain that has numerous health benefits. It is complex carboyhydrate which won't cause spikes in blood sugar, extremely high in protein, non fattening, along with many other nutritious factors. So I thought I would see what this amazing powerfood tasted like.

I found a recipe for a Quinoa Brocolli and Chicken Casserole:
1 1/2 Cups Quinoa
1 head brocolli (boiled)
3 tbsp. Flour
3 tbsp. butter
2 Cups Milk
1/4 tsp. garlic powder and cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to season
8 oz. Cheddar Cheese schredded
2 Cups shredded chicken

First I boiled and thawed my chicken breasts, shredding it into small pieces.

In another pot I boiled the quinoa. The box I bought says that it is pre-rinsed, however unless noted, quinoa always needs to be rinsed after boiling. Otherwise it may keep a bitter taste. I placed 3 cups of water in the pot, brought quinoa to a boil, and then simmered until it soaked up all the water.

In another pot I placed melted butter, flour, garlic and cayenne pepper, and whisked in milk until it thickened. Then I added in the cheddar cheese until it was melted.

In a large bowl I combined the cooked chicken, quinoa, brocolli, and cheese sauce mixture. I placed it in a 9x13 inch pan that was greased. Baked at 400 degree for 25 minutes.

After its cooked it looks similiar to a chicken and rice dish.  Tasted pretty similiar too, but healthier.  Its a great way to see how you like quinoa.

Easiest Homemade Pizza

Ryan and I were introduced to a great new meal idea at a friends house that we now use almost weekly in our household.   Homemade pizza is a quick, easy dinner that I think tastes so much better and healthier than fast food pizza. 

It starts with some Rhodes pizza dough or white bread rolls you can find in the freezer section of the grocery store.  If you buy the white bread rolls, you get 2 extra rolls for almost the same price.  We haven't noticed a difference in taste compared to Rhodes pizza dough rolls.

All we do it take a roll out of the freezer before we leave for work, place it in a pan and cover it with a towel to help keep the outer layer from getting crusty.   While we are at work the dough will thaw and rise and be perfect by the time we get home.

Ryan will roll the dough out with some flour to keep it from sticking.  Then place it on a pizza tray or stone. 

Yes, I will admit, at one time I was a PaPa Murphy's pizza maker and wore a cute visor.  The one thing I did learn from that job was how to twist the outer edge of the pizza, so that is always my job.  Then we put a layer of prego sauce down, mozzarella shredded cheese, and then whatever toppings we have in the house. 

Bake it at 400 degree for about 15-20 minutes.  It is delicious.  We make it all the time for guests and they love it.  The crust is my favorite part. 

Try it out and let me know what you think!

What's your favorite kind of pizza?

How do you make your homemade pizza?

Get "Raw"

I am always on the look out for quick and healthy things to eat for breakfast.  I wish I was a morning person, but if I can find anything that will give me 5 more minutes of sleep in the morning I am all for it!   

So I found RAW when I was grocery shopping the other day.  It comes in a convenient box with 5 pouches.  They had it on special for $1!  I figured even if it tasted bad, $1 won't break the bank.     

I debated over all the flavors, but went with the Pure & Simple Bare.  I've been trying to look at the ingredient labels more as I grocery shop and was really excited when I read that it contained all organic whole grain rolled oats, barley, wheat, flaxseed, quinoa, rye....all great stuff!

The next best part of this product is the convenience.  You place the oatmeal in a bowl, and then fill up this pouch with water to the water line on the packaging, mix it together and place in the microwave for 2 minutes.  You don't even need a measuring cup, which saves a dish for me to wash....and you know how I feel about that!

It also tasted great-I made it with some raspberries on top.  It made for a quick, easy breakfast before I ran out the door for work.  Definitely worth the $1 spent! 

Have you ever tried any Better Oats Raw oatmeal flavors?

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?

Best Christmas Cut-Out Cookies!

It's that time again!  Growing up in my household it was an annual Christmas tradition to spend up to three days baking cut-out cookies.  First making the dough.  Baking. Then frosting and decorating.   The weekend started out with many sneaky spoonfuls of dough and licks of frosting covered spoons when mom wasn't looking.  By the end of the weekend we had tummy aches, and multiple Tupperware filled with delicious decorated cookies ready for holiday visitors!

So it seems that I have taken over the tradition of making them.  Even days before our wedding I was baking and frosting batches of these cookies to have on our candy bar.  Crazy. I know.  But if you love soft cut out cookies with delicious creamy and sugary frosting, you will love these!

Christmas Cookie Recipe:

1 1/3 cup butter salted
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
8 tsp. milk
4 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

After combining all the ingredients, place in a tightly closed bowl overnight in the refrigerator.  Roll out the following day with flour and bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes.  If you like your cookies nice and soft, the trick is to take them out just before or just as the edges are turning slightly golden.  Its usually around 8 minutes. 

Frosting:

1 bag powder sugar

1 stick of butter

1 stick of crisco butter

heat about 1/4 cup milk in the saucepan

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine butter, powder sugar, and vanilla in bowl.  Add heated milk slowly while beating until desired consistency.  Should look similar to the picture below.  If not creamy enough, add more crisco butter.  Otherwise if too buttery, add more powder sugar. 

 

 

Ryan brought up his folding table to give me more room to work with in the kitchen.  With limited countertop space it helped out a great deal having this close by.

Here is my bowls of frosting with food coloring added....my project only beginning!

And here they are finished!  If only they weren't so addicting; once you eat one, you have to keep eating more!

Anyone else have any great Christmas cookie or holiday dessert recipes? 

What are your baking traditions for the holidays?