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

Perfect French Macarons

For me, the pinnacle of baking confectionery genius can be defined in two words...French Macarons.  Macarons take cookies to an unimaginable extreme of culinary perfection.  Macarons are not to be confused with the coconut cookies called "macaroons"...these almond flour cookies are made with a meringue base.  When baked correctly, they have a light crisp sugary coating surrounding a tender chewy cookie interior. Two of these perfect bites of heaven are then joined in holy-happiness  in a sandwich-style confection by creamy rich buttercream, truffle chocolate ganache, or tart jam.  The flavor is remarkable.  Resistance is futile. I save them for special occasions when  I can lock myself in a closet and be alone. I also share them with people who I really love. If Elvis was alive (or ever to come out of hiding)...he'd be the first to get one of these. Seriously. 
 
Macarons can be tricky to make, and the secret to success is of course, having a great recipe! This is the one I've used for the last few years in the bakery and for the farmer's market. The other secret:  Very fine milled almond flour.  The other trick I have found to making consistently awesome macarons is to carefully weigh and measure the ingredients. In fact, whenever possible, I prefer the weight of the ingredients to the volume measurements. It seems that even the slightest variation in ingredients' weight will not produce a perfect cookie. 

Tess' French Almond Macarons
yield 3 dozen small or 2 dozen medium

Ingredients:
120 grams (¾ cup) Blanched Almond Flour
230 grams (1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
140 grams egg whites (about 4 large) 1/3 cup egg whites
¼ teaspoon Salt
70 grams (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract OR 1/4 teaspoon flavored oils
¼ teaspoon pure Almond Extract

Directions:

• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 300°F.
• Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a separate bowl, Mix confectioners’ sugar with almond flour and SIFT well. This is a pivotal step if you want a smooth batter that will bake well and not be "bumpy".
• Beat whites with salt in mixer at medium-high speed in a metal bowl mixer until they just hold soft peaks, about 4 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium, then add granulated sugar, a little at a time, beating, and continue to beat until whites just hold stiff, glossy peaks (about 3 minutes).
• Add flavorings.
• Fold almond flour mixture in 2 batches into whites until just combined. Transfer meringue to pastry bag and pipe 16 (1 1/2-inch-wide) mounds 1 inch apart on each lined baking sheet (32 total).

Piping the perfect macaron takes a little practice. Treat it as you would a rosette, bringing the pastry tip to the side of the circle, rather than forming a peak, to finish. I allow my macarons to sit out at room temperate on the baking paper for about 20-30 minutes before transferring to the oven. This seems to help with the smooth finish and the "foot" on the bottom of the cookie that gives it the traditional trademarked look of a true macaron. 

 Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until macarons are puffed and tops appear dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Macarons should be crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. You may need to sample ten or fifteen to be sure they're just right...Okay...I made that part up.

  

Slide parchment with macarons onto racks and cool 10 minutes, then peel macarons from parchment, transferring to a rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes. 

Variation:
 Chocolate: Substitute 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process Cocoa Powder
 for 1/4 cup of the almond flour.

Tess' Favorite Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Ingredients:
2 lb powdered sugar
1 cups Butter
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla or Rum extract
3/4 cup very hot, almost boiling Water

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a mixer with the paddle attachment. Put on speed 1, with a spill guard installed or you will get powdered sugar all over the floor. Whip 3-5 minutes until very smooth. Pipe a dot of buttercream between two of the cookies. Resist the impulse to just pipe it right into your pie-hole...in public...

There you go darlings! The secrets to success in baking something really classic.  Enjoy!

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

Auntie Em's Soft Divine Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I didn't bake these. I did however, eat them. Those who know the ever zany trips I take to the fantastic state of Utah will also know that my adorable sister Em lives there. She's gluten free and also watches a lot of things, like sugar and junk in her diet. It's cool because she's not the only one! When Em shared these cookies she made, I couldn't help from smiling! They are the perfect pumpkin cookie. Never mind that they are gluten free, low sugar, loaded with the health benefits of pumpkin and um...chocolate. They are beautiful! No way anyone on earth would ever think they were gluten free...and I've tasted a lot of gluten free snacks. These blew me away. So, this one is all Em. She converted my pumpkin cookie recipe and I'm seriously in love. Thank you Em! Now I can't stop thinking about them...in fact, I'm making them today. Again.  

Auntie Em's Soft Divine Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar * 
1 cup white sugar*
2T molasses
1 can (15 oz solid pack) Pumpkin
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
6 cups Chef Tess Super-Grain All Purpose Gluten Free Flour Blend** OR you can use my  favorite white flour blend from Grandpa's Kitchen --it's not whole grain but it's awesome!
1T baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp xanthum gum
1T Chef Tess Wise Woman of the East Spice Blend OR 1T Saigon Cinnamon and 1/2 tsp nutmeg (note...this isn't even going to be close to how amazing they would be with the Wise Woman blend...it's available in all the Honeyville Farms retail locations)
3 cups gluten free chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream  the softened buter, sugars, and molasses. Scrape down the bowl. Add the pumpkin, eggs and vanilla. Mix well about 2 minutes. Add the flour, baking  powder, salt and Wise Woman Spice Blend. Stir well and add chocolate chips and pecans. Drop by rounded Tablespoon onto ungreased  baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from baking sheet to a cooling rack. Yield about 8 dozen pumpkin cookies. Yeah...that's a lot of cookies. Emily put them in snack size baggies in her freezer to take to work and for snacks. 

*Sugar free and natural? I use granular erythritol in place of the sugars in this recipe.

There you go. Make some awesome pumpkin cookies! Thanks Auntie Em!

Get the printable version of this recipe here.

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