An alternative to the classic Peanut Butter Cookie, these gluten-free, dairy-free and peanut-free darlings are seriously delicious and completely addicting. 

My son, now fourteen months, is at an age where I'm also SERIOUSLY addicted to him. His personality brings us SO much joy and he LOVES helping mommy in the kitchen.

Which, of course, makes this foodie's heart soar. 

You can credit little Grey with the impressive fork criss crosses in most of these cookies and he is becoming a champion stirrer of all batters and doughs. Give this kid a spoon and a bowl, and instead of drumming, he will always prefer to be "cooking". 

I know, I can't stand the cuteness either folks. Letterboard below inspired by my sons love of all things Sesame Street and Cookie Monster, or "cook cook" as he's called around here. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup organic sugar
• 1 stick dairy-free butter, softened (I use Earth Balance for baking)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup smooth Almond Butter (I Use Barney Butter's Bare Smooth for no added sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour 

​Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lightly grease your baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
• In a medium sized bowl, cream together sugar, almond butter and butter.
• Mix in egg and vanilla until smooth. 
• Stir in salt, baking soda and flour until well combined.
• Roll dough into 1 inch balls and press down slightly, flattening with a fork in the traditional criss-cross pattern. (My one year old LOVED helping with this part while I guided his little hand!) 
• ​Bake for 15 minutes. 

​Our first Christmas with little Grey was pure sweetness.Enjoying going through all of his photos and still making our way through opening our Christmas packages, because, new parents and the activities apparently take a lot longer to accomplish, haha. 

And speaking of sweet, this pumpkin pie was the perfect finish to a delectable Paleo Christmas feast.

​Sweetened with maple syrup and warm coconut sugar, this gluten-free and vegan Pumpkin Pie tastes just the real thing. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cans Organic Pumpkin
1/8 C. Maple Syrup
1/8 C. Coconut Sugar
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
2 1/2 TBSP. Tapioca Starch
1 TBSP. coconut oil
1/3 C. Coconut Cream 
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ginger 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingrendients in a bowl with a hand mixer until smooth. 

Pour into premade or homemade gluten-free pie crust. (I use Wholly Wholesomes Gluten-Free crust)

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Allow to cool and put in fridge overnight to set.

Serve with coconut whip cream. 

Ingredients: 

9 tablespoons ground espresso beans
5 tablespoons coconut sugar 

Directions: 

• Brew fresh, strong coffee with 5 cups water and espresso. Transfer hot coffee to a cake pan or shallow bowl, add sugar and stir until dissolved. Taste coffee and add more sugar of desired. 

Enjoy a cube of this decadent cake with coffee in the morning, tea at night or as a mid-day snack. The sweetness comes from bananas and dates, while the richness comes from light coconut milk.

This treat is especially helpful to those of us in our last trimester of pregnancy, as the dates can help prepare our cervix for a smoother natural birth. 

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup gluten-free oat flour
1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour 
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 very ripe bananas
4 ounces dates (about 8 large), pitted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup light coconut milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut


Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa, both flours, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda. Whisk thoroughly to eliminate any lumps. Set aside.
• Add bananas, dates, coconut milk, 2 tablespoons water and vanilla to a blender. Blend until dates are chopped very small and the mixture is thick and smooth, About two minutes.
• Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the banana mixture and fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined, taking care not to overwork the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle coconut on top. Bake until the top is firm and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
• Let the cake cool in the baking pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then remove cake from the pan and cool completely. Peel the parchment paper off the cake and cut cake into small cubes for serving.
  
• Wrap any remaining cake tightly and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

These brownies work well with most diets if cocoa is tolerated. They are easy to make ahead of time and take on the go. 

This recipe relies on unsweetened applesauce and almond milk to provide the classic moist texture of traditional carrot cake in a vegan form.
​

Ingredients: 

Carrot Cake
2 1/2 cup gluten-free all purpose flour (I use Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons egg replacer
2 cups light brown or coconut sugar
1 cup avocado or grapeseed oil
1 cup almond milk
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 pound carrots, finely grated (about 3 cups)
1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
1 cup seedless raisins

Frosting
12 tablespoons vegan butter
1 1/2 pound Daiya or soy cream cheese, cold
1 1/2 cup corn-free powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease three (9-inch) round cake pans; set aside.
• For the cake, put flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and egg replacer into a mixing bowl and whisk together to blend.
• Put sugar in a separate large mixing bowl and whisk in oil, almond milk and applesauce. When fully combined, add almond milk mixture to flour mixture and mix just until smooth. Stir in carrots, walnuts and raisins, then divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the center springs back gently when pressed. Remove from oven and transfer to racks to let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat margarine in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add cream cheese in pieces and mix until thoroughly blended. Slowly add sugar and vanilla and mix until blended. Increase mixer speed slightly and continue mixing for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
• Place a cake layer, bottom side up, on a cake plate or pedestal. Spoon one-quarter of the frosting onto the top and spread it evenly. Place a second cake layer, bottom side down, on top of the first, and spread with an equal amount of frosting. Place the final cake layer, bottom side down, on top of the others and frost the top and sides with remaining frosting. Cover and chill until ready to serve or set aside to let set for 30 minutes, then cut into slices and serve.

I have to admit, I was really intimated to try a gluten-free white cake. So many of the flour mixes and unrefined sugar cakes I've tried in the past were either dry, bland or way-too-obviously gluten-free in their flavor and texture.

When it came to my baby shower, (you can read all about my dream-come-true baby shower here) I knew I wanted to have a part in the cake process and I knew I wanted a white naked cake I'd seen before for a wedding. My sisters did an amazing job with the shower, but when it came to the cake I wanted to know it was made with the safest ingredients for me and my guests with sensitivities, celiac or allergies and that it was made in a completely gluten-free, dairy-free kitchen. 

After doing a test run a few nights before the shower (and eating entirely too many sample bites before tossing it out) I was beyond ecstatic with the results and I was pleased to see the cake was the first to go at the shower before any of the store bought cup cakes! It held its own and more and had a real "homemade cake flavor". I may have had seconds. Because. #BabyShower. 

I will have to make a bigger one for the next party we throw. Because it went lightning quick. 

The cake, with its gluten-free all purpose flour and coconut sugar has a warm, spice cake flavor to it due to the warm nuttiness of the coconut sugar. I used an organic dairy-free buttercream frosting and I found dye-free sprinkles. 

With my shower theme being pastel rainbow, I knew I wanted sprinkles but I didn't want the nasty artificial color and flavoring that accompanies the traditional jimmies. I found sprinkles online that were colored with beet juice, turmeric, blueberry and spinach and they tasted amazing. Just like when I was a kid, but healthier! Read on for the recipe. 

Baby Shower White Cake
Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

Dry
2 C. all-purpose gluten-free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1) 
1 C. Coconut Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1/4 C. + 2 TBSP. Tapioca Starch 
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

Wet
10 TBSP. dairy-free butter or high quality ghee
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract 
4 Egg Whites
1 Whole Egg 
1 C. Almond Milk (or other dairy-free milk of choice) 
1/3. C. Lemon Juice 


Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two 6-in round cake pans with coconut oil. (I prefer the smaller diameter cake, you could also do 8-in rounds for a cake that won't stand as tall)

Trace each pan on parchment paper, cut it out and put a round of parchment in each pan bottom so cake removes easily. (This makes a world of difference!)

In a medium bowl mix flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. 

In another medium bowl, mix room temperature butter, coconut sugar and vanilla with a handheld mixer or stand up kitchen mixer until light and fluffy. 

In a small bowl combine egg, egg whites, almond milk and lemon juice and mix well. 

Pour egg mixture in a large bowl and alternate adding dry mixture and sugar mixture in with the wet mixture. Use handheld mixer to mix until smooth and pourable. 

Divide batter between your pans, filling only 3/4 of the way full. Place in center of oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and done in the center. (In my oven it took exactly 37 minutes each time for them to come out perfectly.) 

Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove gently and allow to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

Once cooled add a thick layer of frosting to the bottom layer and place the other layer on top. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Bring back out and add a thick coating of frosting to the top of the cake and with a frosting knife smooth it out, and smooth down the sides to give the naked cake effect.

Top with sprinkles and enjoy! 

This gluten & dairy free Decadent Lava Cake is the perfect dessert for any holiday or date night. As our pregnancy is almost half-way (whaaaaaaaat? crazy!), we've been scheduling many date nights. .

When it comes to date nights & culinary delights, I try to cook up a special dinner and bake something delicious that is gluten-free and dairy-free, (and when I can, refined sugar free) because it’s hard to go out with a limited diet. My husband and I usually stay in and have a picnic by the fire and then go out to do something fun like catch a movie, go to the arcade or check into to a local resort for a weekend staycation. For tips on how to have an affordable getaway, check out my post on budget-friendly retreats.

This amazingly delicious gluten and dairy free lava cake has a delicious and warm ooey-gooey surprise inside and looks extra fancy when topped with a light sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar.

Serve warm with a side of dairy-free vanilla ice cream, fresh organic berries or a glass of bubbly champagne.

INGREDIENTS
​
4 oz. dairy free dark chocolate
2 tbsp. honey
½ tsp organic vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 tbsp. almond flour
3 tbsp. coconut oil
1 tbsp. sugar-free cocoa powder
dash of sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease four small ramekins with dairy-free butter or coconut oil spray and give a light dusting with cocoa powder. Melt dairy-free chocolate with coconut oil in a small sauce pan and set aside.
In a medium sized bowl mix eggs, honey, vanilla and sea salt. Add almond flour and cocoa powder and fold ingredients together until smooth. Divide the batter among the ramekins and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes and serve warm.

I’m currently snacking on these tangy little morsels as I type this. Crumbs trailing from my plate to the keyboard. And I don’t even care.​

And P.S. they are DE-LIGHTFUL with a mug of hot tea. It’s been quite rainy and overcast here in Arizona lately, so I’ve been trying to bake and cook up some sunny recipes to entice Spring to kick into full gear. I love this time of year, when it’s still a little cool and you can picnic and go hiking before the state turns into a 115 degree inferno.

It’s a funny story how I stumbled upon making these cookies. I was grocery shopping the other day and I came across an ADORABLE ceramic berry basket. It was a cheerful shade aqua blue, (one of the primary colors of my kitchen) and I had to have it. A total impulse buy. But when I got it home I realized I didn’t have any berries to put in it so I filled it with lemons. Lemons that had no set plan for where they would end up, as I’m usually not big on citrus. Squeezed over a grain-free chow mein dish perhaps? Added to a smoothie? And then, as I was up late writing last night I got an intense craving for COOKIES.

And the fruit had found it’s home. It took some experimenting as I turned my kitchen into cookie bake-off central. I used various flours to try to find the right combination and in the end my gluten-free oat flour took the cake… er, cookie.
​
The end result is a soft, zesty cookie that is naturally sweet with a citrus kick. If you like your cookies crunchy, pop them in the fridge to set for a while before enjoying.

INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Gluten-Free Oat Flour
3 Tbsp. Fresh Organic Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp. Fresh Organic Lemon Zest
¼ C. unsweetened coconut flakes
3 Tablespoons of softened dairy-free, soy-free butter
Dash of Sea Salt
½ Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Organic Egg (or flax egg for vegan)
¼ C. Raw Honey (I used Bee Free Apple Honey if you want to go vegan)
1 Tsp. Organic Vanilla


INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. (This step is crucial because the cookies are thin!)

Mix all ingredients in a medium sized bowl until well mixed. A spoon should suffice.

If batter is too thin, add more flour, although 1 C. was plenty for me.

Drop batter onto cookie sheet with a teaspoon and spread to make a circle. It should be thin but not to where the batter becomes transparent. You want them to be able to bake up a little in the center.

​Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden.

Let cool and gently remove from parchment with a spatula.
​
Enjoy soft from the oven or refrigerate for a crispy cookie.

This little beauty was my official entry to the Earth Balance Holiday Bake-Off 2015. I had never attempted a bundt cake before the bake-off, but felt ambitious. This spiced, flavorful cake came out moist, fluffy and perfect. It's perfect as dessert or a decadent breakfast with a mug of Crio Bru of coffee.

It's one of my most involved recipes, but well worth every moment.  It's also gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, soy-free and refined sugar free (except for the glaze, while optional, gives it an amazing rich, warm flavor) Serves 16. 

Ingredients:
Cake:
2 C. brown rice flour
2/3 C. potato starch
1/3 Cup tapioca starch
1 TBSP. baking powder
1 1/4 baking soda
3 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 C. coconut milk
1 tsp. lemon juice
3 TBSP. ground flax seed* (can be omitted, and use 3 eggs, if egg is eaten/tolerated) 
9 TBSP. water* (omit if eggs are used)
3/4 tsp. xanthan gum 
1/2 C. coconut sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 c. maple syrup  or bee-free apple honey
3 TBSP. apple juice
3/4 C. applesauce
2 C. apples, cored, peeled and diced. 
2 tsp. organic vanilla extract

Glaze:
1/3 C. Coconut Sugar
2/3 C. corn-free Confectioner's Sugar (I use Dandie's)
3 TBSP. Coconut Cream
3 TBSP. Earth Balance Soy-Free Butter
1 tsp. organic vanilla extract


​Directions: 
Preheat oven to 325 degree and grease bundt pan with vegan butter or oil generously. 

Whisk flours, xanthan gum, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt in a small bowl and set to side. If using flax eggs, prepare flax eggs by combining 1 TBSP. of ground flax seed with 3 TBSP. of water. Set aside for 15 minutes to gel. 

In a large bowl, mix Flax Eggs or regular eggs with coconut sugar and maple syrup until blended. Slowly add and mix on your lowest speed setting, applesauce, vanilla, apple juice, coconut milk, lemon juice and dry mixture. Do not over mix. Add in apples 1 cup at a time. Mix on low until coated. 

Slowly pour or spoon batter into prepared bundt pan. Place in oven for 50-55 minutes, not opening the oven for the first 45 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick. 

Remove from oven and allow to set for 10 minutes. Prepare the glaze by mixing all glaze ingredients in a small bowl until no lumps remain. Pour into small sauce pan and cook over medium-low until warmed. 

Remove cake and place on cooling rack over a sheet of parchment paper. Pipe on or spoon on glaze. Top with a dusting of confectioners sugar for presentation. Transport to cake plate once cooled. 

Enjoy within three days. May freeze up to two weeks.