Gluten-free, Low Carb Almond Flour Double Fudge Macadamia Nut Brownies

Chocolate. I dream about this stuff. What is it about that "dark-lord of all things evil" that just calls to me? Maybe the name says it all, eh?  It's my kryptonite. For reals.  I love chocolate. LOVE.  Sometimes a girl just needs some brownies, but being converted to a healthy lifestyle, I have to actually make my own treats. Granted, the old me would have just gone to the grocery store and had a carb and sugar loaded brownie and not really thought too much about it, but I'm not the old me.  Chocolate crisis averted with these bad-boys! They're rich and thick and fudgy. Mmmmm. Mama neeeeeeeeds....

 I used low impact carbohydrates that won't make your blood sugar trip out, and the sweeteners are from natural sources.  I also use almond flour in this recipe, making it a great source of fiber, good fats, and protein. 

 In this recipe I be using the healthiest oil on the planet! Literally. It's the healthiest.  Thanks to our friends at Ahuacatlan Pure Avocado Oil for sending me all the beautiful samples! We've had so much fun exploring this awesome stuff! I think you'll see why. The flavor is super buttery and perfect for awesome brownies!

So, without further introduction, here's today's recipe...

Gluten-Free Almond Flour Double Fudge Macadamia Brownies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Ahuacatlan Avocado Oil
½ cup  Pyure Sweet Stevia Erythritol Baking Blend

½ cup coconut sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup organic baker’s cocoa
2 Tbsp Arrowroot
1/2 tsp fine Sea Salt
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Directions: Cream together the oil, sugar, vanilla and eggs. Combine the dry ingredients and fold into the oil mixture. Spread into a greased 8 x8 baking pan.  It is going to be pretty thick. Sprinkle the chopped hazelnut over the brownies. Bake at 325° 20-25 minutes until outside edges are almost dry.  The middle will look a little moist.   Remove from oven.  The secret is to allow them to cool 1 hour before cutting.  Cut into 20 brownies.

My Fitness Pal Nutritional Information: Serving 1 brownie. 168 calories, 14 g fat, 8 carb, 2 fiber, 3 protein
  
Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Diabetic-Friendly Pistachio, Almond, Coconut, and Ancient Seed Grain Low-Carb Cookies and Granola

 I love recipes that can make more than one thing from a simple base, and this is no exception. This recipe makes 48 servings of granola, or 48 cookies. It just depends on what you want to eat, or if you want both, it will make 24 servings of ganola, and 24 cookies. Loaded with all the good stuff including no refined grain flours, sugar or junk, this is a keeper! 

These cookies are lightly-sweet and the taste of the toasted seeds and nuts really shines through with hints of orange, spice and vanilla.  It's just a really satisfying snack.  In this recipe we'll be using the healthiest oil on the planet! Literally. It's the healthiest.  Thanks to our friends at Ahuacatlan Pure Avocado Oil for sending me all the beautiful samples! We've had so much fun exploring this awesome stuff! I think you'll see why.

Here's what we found out...

https://draxe.com/avocado-oil/

Along with the Avocado Oil we'll be using flax and my all-time favorite chia seeds...
The first time I tried a Caramel Chia Tapioca Pudding Recipe I was hooked. This was long after learning the undeniable health benefits of chia. I'm so glad I discovered them  many years ago. Chia seed has been an integral part of my weight loss program because of it's ability to help keep me full while still providing me with energy and protein.  I'm down over 30 lbs and still happy as ever with the results!   Chia seeds are the highest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, and they contain more fiber than flax seeds or nuts. I won't apologize for using them often here on my blog because I'm so passionate about the benefits they bring to your health. 

In this particular recipe the use of higher fiber seeds along with the almond flour and coconut flour gives you a base that will fight hunger. That combined with the use of egg white powder, and natural stevia for sweetness, gives them a very low rating on the glycemic index. That means they are fantastic for any diabetic! In the post on The Health Benefits of Pistachios, we touched on last week are also incorporated into this granola and cookie recipe.  

That being said, because of how high in fiber and protein this recipe is, it doesn't take much to keep you full, as long as you drink plenty of water when you have it. 

Diabetic-Friendly Pistachio, Almond, 

Coconut, and Ancient Seed Grains 

Low-Carb Cookies and Granola

1 1/2 cup organic coconut flour
2 cups blanched almond flour
1 cup  Organic Pistachios
1/2 cup  Organic Grains Flax Seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup Organic Grains Chia Seed
2 scoops Creme Brulee Egg White Crystals 
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Orange zest
1 Tbsp Chef Tess Wise Woman of the East Spice Blend (  here )
1 cup Pyure Sweet Organic Stevia Sweetener Blend

1/2 cup Ahuacatlan Pure Avocado Oil
1 Tbsp Pure Vanilla extract
6 eggs
1/2 cup water

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.  Combine the wet and the dry (it will be thick, and almost crumbly.  You may need to at 2-3Tbsp more water if it seems really dry.

For Granola:

Crumble dough mixture onto a large baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees 20-25 minutes.  Turn off the oven and let the granola remain the oven for 10 more minutes.  Remove from oven and divide into 48 servings, about 1/3 cup each. 

For Cookies:

Form into 48 cookies, about 2 Tbsp dough each and flatten on parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees 14-18 minutes until golden brown.  Store in airtight container.  

My Fitness Pal Recipe Nutritional Facts: Yield 48 servings: 116 cal, 9 g fat, 6 net carbs, 2 g fiber, 3g protein. 

There you go! Some very filling very healthy cookies and granola that will help curb your appetite and keep you on track for your goals.  

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Gluten-free Grain-Free Almond Flour Blueberry Muffin Crisps

I tried a blueberry muffin crisp...and then I ate them by the case for a few months. Now when I see them I want them, but I know that they are higher in sugar than what I want and that I really need to be better. So, when given the chance to make them healthier, I went for it. Here is a great alternative to the multi-grain breakfast muffin-crackers that taste amazing and will give you all the protein and fiber you need to keep you going throughout the day. I love them!  The secret is making them grain-free using almond flour. The fine grind variety is what I prefer, and I'm pretty partial to the almond flour from Honeyville. Even now that I am not their corporate chef, it is my pet favorite for perfect texture. I've tried others and I'll always come back to theirs. 

Have you ever tried Coconut Sugar to the recipe have solved that! Plus, there is naturally occurring caramel flavor that comes with coconut sugar that I adore!

 Palm Coconut Sugar  is supposed to be great for helping regulate blood sugar.  It is low on the glycemic index and this really affects how quickly you extract the energy from the food. It is measured and used the same as sugar in baking, but I seriously use about half. Honestly, in most baking, you can almost count on the fact that you can reduce the sugar by almost half and it will still bake pretty similarly. 

Palm Coconut Sugar was explained by Dr. Oz. He showed the benefits of using it in This Video. There are still a few people who say it isn't as healthy a choice but I'm in the group that says hey, " It still has more vitamins and minerals than regular sugar and yes, it contains natural fructose. It isn't calorie free, but it is all natural." That being said, it is also very easy to harvest and is sustainable. 

Gluten-Free Grain Free 

Almond Flour Blueberry Muffin Crisps
1 3/4 cup Almond flour
2 eggs
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp LorAnn Princess Emulsion
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup freeze-dried blueberries, crushed to 2T
12-15 drops stevia
2T olive oil

Directions:  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients until a thick dough is made. Place dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baker's mat. 

Cover the dough with non-stick parchment paper.

Roll thin between the sheets using a small rolling pin or pressing with your hands. I have a rolling pin that I love and it works great for crackers. 

Remove the parchment. Lightly cut crackers into 1 inch squares. If you use a baker's mat you can use a simple pastry roller that won't cut the mat.  Roll to 1/16th of an inch thin. 

Bake 350 degrees 12-15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the crackers).

Store in an airtight container...if they survive that long. I'm not using them as ninja-stars. They're making snack-fest status for sure!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Nancy's Almond Flour Lemon Cake

My darling friend Nancy B shared this almond cake recipe with me in December and I've been making it about once a month since. Daggumit. We all need influences like this right? Actually. I think my bum needs less friends like this.  As far as cakes go, this one has been the best nut cake I have ever had for being super consistent in the finished product and perfectly rich and moist. I'm not a big fan of dry cake and this one has never failed me. Tomorrow I'll be visiting my darlings down at channel 3 for a summer dessert segment and this is one of the goodies I'll be making on air. Actually, I'll be grilling wedges of it on a grill pan and serving it up with fresh fruit and whip cream. It is the perfect consistency for grilled pound cake!  For the segment I'll be omitting the crumb topping since it burns on the grill, but for this blog post, it is a must. Try this recipe darlings. You'll never want for another recipe for perfect nut cake again. 

By the way, the nut flour matters. I'm using a fine ground version available here. It really makes a big difference in the consistency of the nut cake.  I also use all purpose flour but if you are gluten-free you can use my favorite gluten-free flour blend. It is a cup-to-cup ratio in baking so it is an easy replacement. 

Nancy's Almond Lemon Cake

1 1/2 cups Almond flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and sift well.

In a blender combine:
4 eggs
1 1/4 cup sugar
1T fresh lemon zest
1 tsp almond emulsion

Blend about 2 minutes until emulsified and sugar is dissolved. 

Add to blender:
5T melted butter
1/3 cup melted coconut oil

Blend on high for 1 minute more, until fully emulsified. While this is blending make the topping.
Topping: 
2T sugar
1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest
Combine the sugar and lemon zest. Mix together until lemon oil is released.

1/2 cup almond slices (optional)

Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and stir well. Pour into a greased 9 inch cake pan lined with parchment paper.  Sprinkle the almonds over the top of the cake evenly. Sprinkle with sugar mixture. Bake 55-60 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack about 15 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cake. Invert on a plate. Remove parchment paper. Let cake cool 2 hours and serve in wedges. Wrap. Will remain moist and delicious for several days. 

There you go my darlings! Bake some amazing almond cake!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Almond Flour Macadamia Fudge Brownies

For his birthday, my now eleven year old son {ask me how I feel about my baby being that old}, wanted something healthy, sugar-free, and made with almond flour. I can't help but think I'm doing something right when he wants that for his birthday. Not that there's anything wrong with having cake, but he's become such a healthy guy.  I first introduced him to these about a month ago and he's asked for them every day since...so maybe it isn't even so much a "birthday wish" as it is an "every day of the week wish".  I don't even feel guilty making them. They're a good source of vitamin E, high in protein and fiber...and sugar free, gluten-free, and very high in vitamin Chocolate {Don't mock vitamin chocolate...it is real}. . I use Almond flour because it is just almonds. It doesn't cause a spike in blood sugar and because it bakes just beautifully in these brownies.

  I also opted for the granulated erythritol because of how well it does in baking sugar free without the aftertaste of a lot of other sugar-free products.  Erythritol occurs naturally in some fruits and fermented foods. It has all the benefits of table sugar without all the harmful side-effects. This sweetener is almost 70% as sweet as table sugar and is also non-caloric, does not affect blood sugar and does not cause tooth decay.
Sugar Free Almond Flour Macadamia Fudge Brownies

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
3/4 cup granulated erythritol or  Truvia Baking Blend
2 eggs
1T vanilla
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup Dutch Baker's Cocoa
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 cup fine minced macadamia nuts (optional)

Directions: Cream together the the coconut oil, erythritol, vanilla and eggs. Combine the dry ingredients and fold into the butter mixture.  Spread into a greased 8 x8 baking pan.  Sprinkle with macadamia.  Bake at 325 degrees 25-30 minutes until outside edges are almost dry.  Remove from oven. Allow to cool 1 hour before cutting.  

Nutritional information (without macadamia nuts):

Yield 1 dozen brownies:

 125 calories, 10g carbohydrate (5 net carbs), 5 g fiber, 10 g fat, 6 g protein

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Nancy's Rediculously Amazing Almond Cake

 A few weeks ago, close to Christmas, my friend Nancy Beykirch brought in her amazing almond cake to the teaching kitchen.  That was the day she'd come to teach how to make her Killer Divine Christmas Baked Oatmeal. Nancy has a gift for bringing perfection.She's an amazing lady. I'm honored to even know her...and her cake.  I was blown away by the richness, density and complex beauty if this cake.  I begged her with numerous eye rolls and annoying whining displays to pleeeeeeeease bring me the recipe. Pleeeeeese share. Today she heard my pleas.
She did a class. It was just for me. I say it was just for me. I'm sure there were other people in the room but I didn't notice because I was too taken hostage by the intoxicating perfection of this cake.

 It is topped with this toasted coconut lemon sugar that absolutely takes my heart to happy places.

Here you go darlings.  You're going to die...in a good way.

Nancy's Almond Cake

1 1/2 cup Almond flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour or Gluten Free Flour Blend

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

4 eggs

1 1/4 cup sugar

1T fresh lemon zest

1 tsp almond emulsion

5T melted butter

1/3 cup coconut oil

2T sugar

1 1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Directions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Yes. That seems low, but it is the slow bake that makes it remarkable.

• Combine the almond flour, flour, salt, baking powder,  and soda in a separate bowl.  In a food processor, combine the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and almond emulsion.  Process for approximately 2 minutes until sugar and eggs are emulsified. Slowly pour in the melted butter and coconut oil with the processor at a low setting.  Turn off machine. Add the almond flour mixture to the egg mixture and process 4 or 5 pulses until it is combined.  Pour batter into a 9 inch round cake pan that has been sprayed with vegalene and lined with parchment paper.
• For topping, combine sugar and lemon zest, set aside.  Sprinkle sliced almonds over the unbaked cake evenly.  Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the almonds on top of the cake.  Bake at 300 degrees for 55-65 minutes. Turn the pan after 40 minutes.  Cake is done when a skewer comes out clean.  Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.  Run knife around the sides of the pan.  Invert on cake plate.  Take off the parchment paper and reinvert the cake onto a wire rack.  Let cake cool about 2 hours.  Cut into wedges and serve.

Just keep your eyes open for more from Nancy. She said she doesn't have a blog, but I'm gonna keep posting her amazing recipes here. She's a darling with mad baking skills.  Seriously Nancy. I love you. Come visit me anytime sweetheart. 

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Gluten Free Almond Flour Salted Caramel Butter Bars

It is Smart Cookie Week Here on the Blog darlings!  My boys go back to school this week and I have some fun ideas to share!

The Original Post on Salted Caramel Butter Bars was loaded with a pound of unhealthy butter fat,  over a pound of unhealthy caramel and sugar, and crazy blood-sugar freakin' white flour carbs. Since I started the 90 day weight loss challenge here and have lost close to 35 lbs this year, I've been really focusing on trying to "healthify" the recipes I love and make them better.  I know. That's got to be frustrating for those who really just want the crazy-delicious bars. I promise that 90% of my adventure has been still enjoying the recipes I love, never compromising on amazing flavor, but making things remarkable to eat as well as healthy.  Anyone can add a ton of sugar and fat to a recipe and make it taste good. I'm holding to the fact that it takes a really outstanding chef to make things healthy and still taste amazing!! So here it is...

I'm making these bars today with my  favorite Almond Flour.  I've got a lot of classes coming up this month (see the Class Schedule) and I'm using this flour a lot.  Why? Because it is amazing!! One of the things I love about almond flour is that it is loaded with vitamin E.  Vitamin E Keeps Your Brain and Body Razor Sharp! It can keep your mind almost a decade younger and has reportedly helped prevent dementia.  Just saying...it isn't just for the kids!   Keep in mind, that even though almond flour is lower in impact carbohydrates, it is still pretty high in calories and fat. Even thought they are "good fats", they still add calories. I use these cookies as an occasional treat. Don't let them be the only source of goodness in the lunchbox.

Gluten Free Almond Flour Salted Caramel Butter Bars

3 cups  Almond Flour

3/4cup granular erythritol (truvia will work)

½ tsp baking powder

2T powdered egg whites

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp  vanilla powder flavor

1/2 tsp xanthan gum (natural gluten replacement) 

1 tsp LorAnn Natural Caramel Oil

1/2 cup Organic Coconut Sugar

3/4  tsp sea salt (to taste, but I use about 3/4 tsp)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first 8 ingredients well with 1/2 cup water to form a thick dough. Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Pat 2/3 of the dough into a 9 inch by 9 inch square baking pan and bake 15 minutes.  Combine coconut sugar with 1T hot water and stir until dissolved. Remove pan from oven. Spread the coconut sugar mixture over the crust in a thin layer. Sprinkle with salt. Crumble remaining third of dough over the top of the bars in an even layer. Return to oven and bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes before cutting. Cut into 30 squares.

Nutritional information :  Each cookie: 77 calories, 5 g fat, 0 g cholesterol, 1.25 g fiber, 2.76 g protein, 5.8 carbohydrates (3.5 Net carbs).

There you go darlings! Make some delicious and healthy nibbles! Enjoy!

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess

Gluten-free Vegan Almond Flour Graham Crackers

I love graham crackers. I've made homemade graham crackers for many years instead of buying the boxed versions and I can honestly say that it has saved us a lot of money! However, as of late I've been trying to eat carbohydrates that are much lower on the glycemic index.  I have been using Blanched Almond Flour a lot more and have noticed some outstanding results.  Graham crackers were a challenge because of the light color of the flour, but the addition of balsamic vinegar and Coconut Sugar to the recipe have solved that! Plus, there is a naturally occurring caramel flavor that comes with coconut sugar that I adore!

 Palm Coconut Sugar  is supposed to be great for helping regulate blood sugar.  It is low on the glycemic index and this really affects how quickly you extract the energy from the food. It is measured and used the same as sugar in baking, but I seriously use about half. Honestly, in most baking, you can almost count on the fact that you can reduce the sugar by almost half and it will still bake pretty similarly. 

Palm Coconut Sugar was explained by Dr. Oz. He showed the benefits of using it in This Video. There are still a few people who say it isn't as healthy a choice but I'm in the group that says hey, " It still has more vitamins and minerals than regular sugar and yes, it contains natural fructose. It isn't calorie free, but it is all natural." That being said, it is also very easy to harvest and is sustainable. 

Here's my recipe for these amazing graham crackers!

Gluten-Free Vegan Almond Flour Graham Crackers

1 3/4 cup Almond flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp Xanthan gum
1/2 cup Coconut Sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2T balsamic vinegar ( I love Wild Groves blueberry balsamic vinegar)
1/4 cup water

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a full sized cookie sheet or pizza baking stone.  A baking stone will help pull moisture from your crackers and give you a crispier finished product.

 In a quart-sized bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and xanthan gum.

  In a separate bowl, combine coconut sugar, vanilla,blueberry balsamic vinegar and water.

 Stir the wet ingredients until the the coconut sugar dissolves completely.  It shouldn't have any crystals still in the bottom of the bowl.

 Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir well until a nice thick dough is made.

Generally I will flatten the dough out a little by hand on a lightly greased pizza stone and then cover the dough with unbleached parchment paper. This keeps the crackers from sticking and you won't need to add any flour to roll them out. 

 Roll it to 1/8th inch thickness.

 Gingerly remove the parchment paper on top, being careful not to pull it away to quickly. 

  Lightly score the dough with a knife into 2 inch squares.

 Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crisp.  If there are thinner spots in your dough they will need to watched closely.  Remove the baking stone from oven and allow to cool on the stone.   I serve mine with a low fat version of the Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cheeseball...

There you go! Some freakishly awesome crackers that taste amazing! 

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess