Paleo Christmas Cookie Cut-Outs

The air is becoming cool, crisp; the houses are lit up with Christmas merriment; the trees shine brightly through all the windows; cheery music is in the air. It’s time to bake cookies. Warm, crispy, salty-sweet Christmas cookies that can be devoured by your whole family by the cozy fireplace. That’s December to me, and these cookies really bring that vision to life.

Makes one dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

1½ cups blanched almond flour

2 Tbs coconut flour

1 large pinch sea salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

¼ cup pure maple syrup

Directions:

1.     Using an electric mixer or a large bowl and a spoon, mix together the almond flour, coconut flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.

2.     Stir in the vanilla, coconut oil, and syrup, and mix until thoroughly combined.

3.     Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

4.     With a rolling pin, roll the cookie dough out on a parchment paper-lined surface until it’s about 1/4 inch thick.

5.     Using your favorite, most adorable cookie cutters, cut out your dough, then place the shapes on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

6.     Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, then cool the cookies and serve.

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Peppermint Patties

It’s December, “The Most Wonderful Time Of the Year”! Yay! Time for my favorite treats ever. I have just returned from an incredible Thanksgiving trip to Mexico with my family and another awesome family, great friends of ours. I took a little break off baking over the vacation, but now I am back, and with lots of scrumptious goodies for all of you to devour this holiday season!

First up for this season is a refreshing and decadent peppermint pattie recipe. These cute little guys are super simple to make, super delicious, and sure to please all party hostesses greatly!

Makes about 16 peppermint patties.

Ingredients:

½ cup coconut manna/butter, melted*

½ coconut oil (not melted)

2 Tbs pure maple syrup

1-2¼ tsp peppermint extract**

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions:

 

1.     Place the melted coconut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and peppermint extract in a medium mixing bowl and stir until smooth.

2.     Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

3.     Form the coconut mixture into balls (about 1" sized) with your hands, then flatten into patties with the palm of your hand.

4.     Place patties on a parchment paper-lined plate, then place in the freezer to harden for 30-60 minutes.

5.     While patties are freezing, melt your chocolate in a double boiler or a small saucepan over low heat.

6.     Place each frozen pattie on a spoon and dunk in the melted chocolate.

7.     Put each chocolate-covered pattie back on the lined plate, and freeze for at least 30 minutes. Remove patties from the freezer at least 5 minutes before eating, and enjoy!

*To melt your coconut manna, place the (tightly closed) jar in a bowl of hot water for 5-15 minutes, then stir and use.

**The amount of peppermint extract needed depends on the quality of the extract; the brand I used wasn’t strong, so I had to use a lot. If  your extract is strong, start with using just ½ a teaspoon, then add more to your liking.

Healthy Homemade Nutella

You may end up eating the whole jar of this homemade hazelnut chocolate butter. Yes, it's that good. It must be time for hazelnut-chocolate goodness because I was going to make a hazelnut chocolate torte. Then my oven broke. But I was holding hazelnuts in my hand. Then... BAM! It hit me: I needed to make Nutella! A homemade Nutella using nothing artificial and using only four ingredients; a treat that only takes five minutes to make.
The making was all going so perfectly until... I was only half way done grinding the hazelnuts, then my food processor went out! (Our house has been having electrical issues.) That explains why the Nutella in the picture looks so grainy. Well, it all tasted wonderful, anyways, and this is a fun and easy treat to make at home! The best part about it? You can eat it on everything!

Ingredients:

2 cups hazelnuts*
3/4-1 cup coconut milk (depending on desired richness of the Nutella)
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 Tbs cacao powder

Directions:

1. Pulse the hazelnuts and 3/4 cup coconut milk in a food processor until it forms a hazelnut butter.
2. Pulse in the maple syrup and cacao powder, then, if desired, add more coconut milk.
3. Process until your Nutella forms a smooth and creamy consistency.  

*If you don't want any hazelnut skins in your Nutella, you can blanch them by roasting them, or you can just keep the skins, like I did. The hazelnuts I bought came roasted, so most of the skins were already off, so I recommend buying roasted hazelnuts. If yours have skins, this may help: How to Skin Hazelnuts

I store my homemade Nutella in a Mason jar in the fridge, then take it out 10 minutes before using it, for easy spreading.

Grain-Free Apple Pie

^{Apple pie? Seriously?! Apple pie was my favorite treat ever when I was a kid… or should I say right now; I’m only twelve, people! Anywho, this apple pie is DELICIOUS! The filling tastes all sweet and cinnamon apple-y, and the scrumptious crust has the texture of a giant sugar cookie, just not overly sweet.  I know what I'll be munching on all afternoon, (my mom says I should save some for the rest of the family, though...) and DEFINITELY be having for Thanksgiving dessert. Yum!}

^Ingredients:

For the crusts:

2 cups blanched almond flour

2 cups arrowroot powder/flour

½ tsp sea salt

6 Tbs (1/4 cup + 2 Tbs) coconut oil, melted

2 large eggs

4 tsp (1 Tbs + 1 tsp) honey

For the filling:

5 medium-sized apples

2 Tbs lemon juice (fresh-squeezed or Santa Cruise Organic)

¼ coconut oil, melted

2 Tbs ground cinnamon

¼ cup coconut sugar

1 Tbs coconut flour

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and position one rack on the 2^nd to upper level, and one on the middle level. To make the crust, whisk together the arrowroot powder, almond flour, and salt using a stand mixer.
 2. Place the oil, eggs, and honey into the flour mixture, and stir until the mixture resembles course crumbs.
 3. Knead the dough with your hands and squeeze it, until it forms a ball.
 4. Divide the dough in half, setting one half aside.
 5. Press one of the halves of dough into an 8½ or 9-inch pie pan, then place it in the fridge.
 6. To make the top crust, use the other half of the dough and form it into a ball and place it between two pieces of parchment paper.
7. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a flat disk, until it’s a little bit bigger than the size of your pie pan.
8. Set the rolled-out top crust aside, while you make the filling.
9. To make the apple filling, peel, core and thinly slice all your apples, one at a time.

10. As you cut your apple slices, add them to a large glass bowl and sprinkle them with a little lemon juice to prevent browning. 

11. Once you have sliced all the apples, pour out all the leftover lemon juice from the apple bowl, (make sure not to pour out the apples!) then toss the slices with the melted coconut oil, cinnamon, coconut sugar, and coconut flour, making sure to coat all slices.
12. Remove the bottom crust from the fridge and place all the coated apple slices inside it.
13. Carefully, place the top crust on top of that, and pinch all the edges to seal the top and bottom crusts. Now, using a sharp knife, make four small slits on the upper crust, for ventilation.
14. Place the pie in the oven on the 2^nd to upper rack, and bake for 35 minutes. 

15. Remove the pie from the oven, put a loose tent on it made of aluminum foil, then place it onto the middle rack and let it bake for 12 more minutes.

16. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Power Balls

Ahhh... pumpkin spice lattes. Delish! What about pumpkin spice lattes that are super easy and fun to make that are in the form of a ball? These addictive power balls are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth, while giving your body tons of nutrients so it can power you throughout your day!

When coated with espresso, they are perfect for an autumn snack (or breakfast, if you're like me). When dunked in chocolate, they make the ideal Halloween treat!

Makes about 30 power balls.

Ingredients:

2 cups roasted unsalted almonds (or raw)

¼ hemp seeds

¼ cup chia seeds

8-10 Medjool dates, pitted (amount depends on desired sweetness)

½ cup pumpkin puree

1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice

¼ cup cacao nibs

Coatings:

2-3 Tbs FINELY ground espresso beans mixed with 1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice, or

½ cup melted dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a strong food processor, pulse together the almonds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds until they form the texture of course sand.

2. Slowly pulse in the dates, pumpkin puree, and spice, making sure to give your processor some breaks in between pulses.

3. Remove the blade from the food processor and work the nibs into the dough with your hands.

4. Place the dough in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill.

5. With your hands, roll the dough into bite-sized balls, about the size of 1 Tbs.

6. Coat half of the balls in the espresso and spice, and dunk the other half in the melted chocolate.

7. Refrigerate the balls until served, and freeze the chocolate-covered ones for 5 min. Eat and feel GOOD!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Biscotti

These crispy biscotti have warm, pumpkin-y notes, and rich, chocolate-y highlights. They are incredible dunked in a warm drink, or just on their own! Ciao!

Makes 7 long biscotti or 14 short.

Ingredients:

2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 cup + 2 Tbs arrowroot powder/flour/starch
1/4 tsp baking soda
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup organic honey
3 Tbs organic pumpkin puree
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a food processor, pulse together the almond flour, arrowroot powder/flour, spice, and baking soda.
2. Pulse in the honey, pumpkin, and egg yolk until the mixture is thoroughly combined, and it forms somewhat of a sticky ball.
3. Remove the blade from the food processor, scoop all the dough out of it, and transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Work the chocolate chips into the dough with your hands, then form it into a ball.
4. Place a piece of parchment paper on your counter and cut four flaps on it, one on each corner.
5. Transfer the ball of dough onto the parchment paper, then place another piece of parchment paper on top of the ball. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it's about 1/2 an inch thick, or would fit a 8x8 inch baking dish well.
6. Remove the top piece of paper and, with the bottom piece still on the dough, place the rolled-out dough rectangle in an 8x8 or 81/2x8 inch baking dish.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes.
8. Remove it from the oven, and let it cool for 1-2 hours. While it's cooling, turn the oven down to 275 degrees.
9. Carefully remove the "giant cookie" from the dish by pulling up on the parchment flaps, then place it on a wooden chopping block. Using a sharp knife, cut the biscotti lengthwise, into 7 long pieces, or 14 short.
10. Transfer the biscotti pieces onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake the biscotti for 10 minutes. While the biscotti is still in the oven, turn it up to 300 degrees and bake for 25 more minutes.
11. Let the biscotti cool for 1 hour, then take a piece, dunk it in a hot drink, and enjoy!

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Ice Cream

Where the heat of summer and the coziness of autumn meet. We are not quite ready to let go of those endless days of swimming at the beach and getting sunburned, but at the same time, yearning for those cozy rainy days (not here, though) reading stories by the hearth, sipping Trader Joe's Pumpkin Rooibos Tea all day long. Where do they meet? Ice cream... pumpkin... Pumpkin Ice Cream! Minus the dairy, of course!

Ingredients:

2 cups full-fat coconut milk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
10 Medjool dates, pitted and softened*       
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice OR 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, and 1 pinch ground ginger
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional thickener: 1 Tbs gelatin dissolved in 1/4 cup boiling water
Optional garnish: 1/4 cup pecans, chopped

 To soften your dates, remove the pits, place them in a bowl of boiling water for 1 minute, then discard the water.
Directions:

1. In a high-speed blender, blend together the coconut milk, pumpkin and softened dates.
2. Blend in the spice, vanilla extract, and the (optional) thickener, and puree until smooth.
3. Pour the mixture into a glass container, place a lid on it, and freeze for one hour, or refrigerate until the mixture's cold.
4. Pour the cold mixture into your ice cream maker, and make per manufacturer's instructions.
5. Serve the ice cream immediately, or scoop it into a glass dish with a lid and freeze it, while whipping up this (optional) pumpkin sauce recipe to drizzle on top (below).

Maple Pumpkin Drizzle:

2 Tbs coconut butter/manna
1-2 Tbs maple syrup (depending on desired sweetness)
1 Tbs pumpkin puree
4 Tbs almond milk
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat, and stir until smooth and creamy.
2. Drizzle over the ice cream, garnish with pecans, and serve!