Double Chocolate Orange Almond Flour Cookies (Naturally Sweetened and low carb)

Sometimes a girl just need chocolate.  I know ladies. It's just a fact. I've been having these little bad-boy chocolate cookies to save my sanity over the last year...and they have. 

Men, in case you need the scientific facts about chocolate and women, read on!

The unmistakable woman chocolate truth:

• Truth: Never underestimate the power of a woman who needs to eat chocolate and still fit into her jeans. It's an evil vortex of genius.
•  Truth: All  really bad  female headaches can only be cured by rubbing an intense dark sea salt soiree bar in the mouth and counting to 100.
•  Truth: The secret cure  to female moodiness that has baffled husbands for years is to do a choc-incantation while holding a chocolate doughnut with each index finger for added balance. This incantation must be done while wearing chocolate ceremonial garb...

•  Truth: Woman wearing ceremonial garb must also be  watching at least 2 hours of Pride and Prejudice...particular during a certain cycle of the moon that will only be discussed in secret woman circles (in hushed tones) for fear that men will actually understand us.

 **Men Please note: there are 3 days in the month that men must never question the seemingly evil chocolate force that overtakes a girl and can only be cured by creamy smooth dark squares of chocolate taken orally...and alone. Let her hide in a closet undisturbed during this phase and you will find peace in the land. Deny her chocolate during this phase...and sleep on the couch with a pillow over your...never mind. I've been told that during menopause this phase is extended from 3 days to 3 years. I'm getting a villa in France for that phase Here.

 To my husband Ace, I'm sorry. 3 years is a long time but I think it would be better if you didn't see me like that. Knowing Ace, he'll probably follow me anyway and just pat my shoulder and say (in a hushed tone), "poor, poor, thing." {By the way if you've never seen my favorite movie Harvey then that last "poor, poor, thing" won't mean a thing to you.}
 There is however, the very high chance that Ace will  throw  his hands in the air and say, "FINE!#$*%***# Have it your way Mrs. INSANE!!...France is really nice this time of year!"  


Here we go ladies. It is time to be sucked into the vortex of evil genius. I sense there is still some good in you. { Giggle. Giggle.}

Double Chocolate Orange Almond Flour Cookies
2 cups Natural Almond Flour
1/2 cup Pyure Natural Organic Stevia granules (natural sugar-free calorie free sweetener)
1/2 cup egg whites
2 Tbsp. Chia Seeds 
zest of one orange
1 tsp rum extract
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 Lily's Sweet Dark Chocolate Bar, Stevia Sweetened, chopped

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well. Dough will be stiff.  Divide into 20 cookies and roll into balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart, smashing lightly.  Bake 350 10-12 minutes.  Allow to cool on the sheet, about 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

My Fitness Pal Nutritional Information: Yield 20 servings. 63 calories each, 5 g fat, 3 g low-impact carbohydrates, 1 g fiber (2 net carbs) 2 g protein. 

There you go darlings! Let's rock the weight loss and healthy whole food eating! Ya know, it isn't about losing weight so much as it is about making sure I take care of this body that God gave me. It is a gift to be alive. I'm treating it that way. 

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, 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

Healthy Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Black Forest Brownie-Bite Cookies

Day two of the 90 day weight loss challenge and I'm sharing a cookie recipe. Yup. That's because these are healthy and low calorie! In fact, each cookie only carries 73 calories, 2 net carbs, and 5 grams of heart-healthy fat from almond flour! You can't go wrong with that. Did I also mention they are sugar-free and gluten-free? Well...how can they taste like a black forest brownie and still be good for me? I'm not asking. I'm just eating. Two cookies for a snack and I'm good to go for the rest of the afternoon.  Happy. Giddy happy! Dancing around the test-kitchen happy! Does dancing around the test kitchen count as cardio? Pump up the Broadway show tunes...because I'm making it count! Bwhahahaa! Now there's a visual...I'd just as soon not show you...

On the other hand, here are some cookies I think you'd like to see. 

 My friends at North Bay Trading sent me some gorgeous Freeze Dried Organic Cherries to try out and I have to tell you I've been addicted! Adding these to the cookies have been pivotal.  I love cherries anyway, but these have been so cool! I love the crunch, the tartness and the absents of guilt associated with eating these! 

 Nutritionally, they are as close to picking cherries right off the tree as I can get. Calorie wise, they are low and I don't feel guilty. Did I mention the guilt again? Well...here you go. Look for yourself.

 Have you ever met my favorite Almond Flour? On this one I'm brand specific for a reason. This is the finest milled almond flour I can find and it has remarkable texture in baked good. I didn't want almond meal. I wanted a flour that would bake remarkably well. Thank you Honeyville! To find out how I'm connected to Honeyville, go here.

I've done a lot of tips and techniques on baking with Almond flour Here. 

At any rate, here's the recipe for the cookies. I think you'll really enjoy them. I know we do!

Black forest Almond flour Brownie-Bite Cookies 
2 cups Almond Flour 
1/4 cup  organic coconut flour
1/2 cup Granular Erythritol (natural sugar-free calorie free sweetener)
1/4 cup egg white powder*
zest of one orange
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup Freeze Dried Organic Cherries

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well. Dough will be stiff.  Divide into 20 cookies and roll into balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart, smashing lightly.  Bake 350 10-12 minutes.  Allow to cool on the sheet, about 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container.
*Note: If you do not have egg white powder, you can use 1/2 cup of egg whites and omit the water.

Nutritional information: Yield 20 cookies.  Each cookie contains 73 calories, 5 g fat, 4 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 2 g fiber (2 net carbohydrate).

There you go darlings! Let's rock the weight loss and healthy whole food eating! Ya know, it isn't about losing weight so much as it is about making sure I take care of this body that God gave me. It is a gift to be alive. I'm treating it that way. 

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Almond-pistachio breakfast nutri-bars. Grain-free, gluten-free, guilt-free

A while ago I shared my delicious healthy version of Homemade whole grain Nutri-bars for breakfast.  Since then, I've learned about some lovely gluten-free, grain-free options for making these bars that also make them lower glycemic, no sugar added and completely delicious. I don't miss the sugar.  I will admit, I do miss my sanity sometimes. 

 To my dear sister Auntie Em...these are for you! I could just picture her in her little car driving past the wind and waves of the Great Salt Lake while munching one of these in the morning...and it made me smile. It also made me terribly happy. Love you girlie. Love you.

Chef Tess' Almond-Pistachio Breakfast Nut-ri Bars 

 Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups Blanched Almond Flour
1/2 cup natural pistachio butter or almond butter
1/2 cup  granular erythritol
2 Eggs (vegan omit egg and use 1/2 cup water plus 1/2 tsp xanthan gum)
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp xanthan gum 
1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup naturally sweetened 100% fruit jam 

Directions:
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients. Stir wet ingredients into dry mixture until thoroughly combined. 

I make my own fruit jam but you can easily use any low calorie sugar-free fruit jam, as long as it is really fruity.  

 Oh. Special shout-out to Superior Nut Company for the divine happiness of pistachio butter . Holy cow. I'm in love.  

 Take dough and roll out on a baker's mat or an oiled baking sheet. This is a half-sheet pan. 

 Roll into a rectangle, 16 inches by 20 inches.  Cut into 4 sections, 5 inches by 16 inches each. 

 Very gently ease a long cake-spatula under the edge of the cookie and roll it over the filling, just overlapping the two sides by about half an inch. This always makes me break into singing "Roll-roll-roll your boat"...and I'm really weird. Merrily...Merrily...scarilly...scarilly...Chef Tess is insane...

Pinch them closed. cut in half. 

 Gently roll over so the logs are seam-side down. 

Bake 350 degrees 17-20 minutes. Allow to cool on the pan. 

Remove from pan and wrap for breakfast...or eat them all in one sitting. Whatever you want. 

There you go! Some awesome breakfast grabs for the very coolest ever! YOU! Onward and upward my darlings!!

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess

Laura Madden's Gluten-Free Healthy Blueberry Cookie Bites

One of my favorite foodies and health and wellness coaches named Laura Madden shared this great recipe on her website using my Wise Woman of the East spice blend. I really love how crips-tender the cookies are with the taste of a fresh blueberry muffin! Plus, they are gluten-free, low glycemic, clean eats!

Laura's health and wellness services are outstanding! 

Laura will be at my favorite Honeyville Farms AZ store tomorrow morning at 10 AM for a free great class on making coconut sandies that are just her style:

High protein

Paleo
Vegan
Very filling
Low glycemic index

Here is the last recipe she shared and it is just remarkably good!

BLUEBERRY COOKIE BITES

from LauraMadden.Com

2 ½ C Honeyville blanched almond flour

¼ t sea salt
¼ t baking soda
1/2 T  Chef Tess Bakeresse Wise women of the East spice (or cinnamon)
½ C organic unrefined coconut oil
3 T raw organic coconut nectar, raw honey, agave nectar*
1-2 T water (if dough appears too dry & crumbly)*
1 t Bakery Emulsion (optional)**
1/2 Cup freeze dried blueberries***

*If sweeter taste is desired, omit water, & +1T extra sweetener of choice
**Used LorAnn Princess Cake&Cookie brand
***Used Honeyville Farms brand

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Soften coconut oil if not already liquid form. Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients, except water. Combine the two mixtures. Add blueberries. Add water once mixed well, and add additional if batter is too dry & flaky- should be the consistency of normal cookie dough. Form dough into large ball on parchment lined baking sheet. Place 2nd piece parchment over dough and press dough into thin, even layer between the two sheets with your hands. Remove top layer parchment and with wet spatula or butter knife score dough into squares. Bake 15+ minutes. Once cooled, break apart into small squares. Store in airtight container or jar in fridge.

There you go! Make some of Laura's cookies! Better yet, go visit her class! I'll be sitting in on it myself. I always love what she brings to the table!  They are always awesome eats!

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess

Almond Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies...100% Gluten free!

When I was visiting my glorious sister Auntie Em I spent a little time with her making some gluten free goodies! I love developing recipes that will be put to good use, and this one is a keeper! It's an adaptation on the almond flour sugar cookies I used for my gluten free class yesterday, with a few extra ingredients...like chocolate chips! Who doesn't love chocolate chip cookies?! Plus, the almond flour these are made with is a little different than the blanched almond flour I've used in the past. It's the Natural Almond Flour so it looks a little more like a whole wheat flour when it's baked. Ironically, there's not a speck of wheat or gluten in this cookie!

These ones are also low sugar, and lower carb than most gluten free cookies. This is largely due to the fact that auntie Em is also diabetic. So...she has issues. Don't we all. Xoxo. Love you Em. 

Chef Tess' Almond-Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies 

(Gluten free)

4 Cups Natural Almond Flour

4 large eggs

16 packets Splenda or eqivalent of 1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp Almond Bakery Emulsion

1/2 tsp LorAnn English Toffee Flavor

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips (gluten Free)

I'm not gonna lie...I'm a huge fan of the English toffee flavored oil. I've used it before on my blog but I'm telling you it just adds some rockin' flavor to the cookies. Plus, for gluten free and sugar free...you can't go wrong. 

For this recipe, just combine all the ingredients. It's very simple. 

Place by rounded Tablespoon on a lightly oiled  cookie sheet, about an inch apart. 

Lightly flatten the cookie dough balls. 

Bake 375 degrees 10-12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack...or your open mouth. 

Yield 2 dozen cookies.

There you go! Make some delightful lower sugar, gluten free almond-toffee chocolate chip cookies! Xoxo!

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess