Every once in a while, a girl needs something sweet.

Adapted from a recipe featured on Facebook, these little gluten & dairy-free Apple & Cinnamon Cookies are to die for! And if you’re following a Paleo diet, they’re an allowed cheat as they’re free of grains, and full of Paleo-approved foods.

Made of apples, almonds, macadamias and coconut, they’re definitely a splurge, but they’re still within the Paleo constraints, and they fit perfectly with a Primal, Gluten-free or Dairy-free lifestyle. They’re going to score low on the glycemic index and will satisfy those occasional cravings when they hit. Some other suggestions include adding raisins, dates or vegan chocolate chips.

Enjoy!

Paleo Apple & Cinnamon Cookies

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Paleo Apple & Cinnamon Cookies

Ingredients

  • 3 large apples, peeled, and grated
  • 1 cup almonds
  • 1 cup macadamia nuts
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil, melted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
  • 1 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
  • A pinch of salt
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350f
  2. Peel & grate apples into a bowl.
  3. Process almonds and macadamia nuts into a rough crumble, add into the bowl.
  4. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.
  5. Shape into cookies on baking paper (I used egg rings to get them even) and bake for 25-30 minutes – or until edges begin to turn brown.
  6. Let cool off for 10 minutes and enjoy!
http://inspiredeats.net/gluten-free-apple-cinnamon-cookies-gf-df-paleo/

There’s something about Fall that makes me crave warm, gooey foods; foods that satisfy a sweet tooth, or perhaps a hearty soup or chili.  However, living a mypaleo, allergy-free diet means I have to be a bit creative to enjoy them without guilt! And if you follow my site regularly, you know that I believe whole-heartedly in the power of foods to help us heal.

So, while I’m a bit strict in my approach to a healthful diet, I do encourage you to enjoy a cheat once a week. And by a cheat, I don’t mean a gluten-ful slice of cake, or a too-sugary candy; be sure to still focus on healthful foods that satisfy your urge, without setting you back.  Whenever I prepare foods to indulge in, like these amazing little peanut butter, banana and oatmeal cookies (which I discovered from my cousin Rita),  I freeze the majority of them so I can take a couple out to thaw, enjoying them as the urge hits.And if you’re saving up for a weekly cheat, I can’t think of many cookies I recommend more than these guys!

I love the consistency of the oats combined with banana and PB which makes a thick, rich and chewy cookie. Quick note – these tasty treats contain peanut butter, so if you are avoiding PB you can substitute almond or cashew butter, which will slightly change the flavor of the cookies, but still remains a delish treat!  Remember, living an allergy-free life doesn’t mean living without the occasional indulgence, nor does it mean that indlugence can’t still be good for us.

With a bit of creativity, you can create healthy, yummy treats that are loved by all – allergies or not!

Rita’s Healthy PB, Banana & Oatmeal cookies

Rita’s Healthy PB, Banana & Oatmeal cookies

Ingredients

  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 tablespoon GF vanilla
  • 1/2-1 cup natural chunky peanut butter, by preference for peanut buttery taste
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup or agave
  • 2 cups GF Harvest Gluten Free Organic Rolled Oats
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (note: if you are using salted peanut butter, you may not need any salt, do a taste test with the batter)
  • ½ cup semi-sweet vegan or GF chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  2. In a large bowl, mix bananas, vanilla, peanut butter and maple syrup or agave into a creamy consistency (best to do with a hand mixer).
  3. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder and salt
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until they are well combined, the batter should be slightly sticky.
  5. Fold in the chocolate chips (note the batter will be somewhat runny)
  6. Place heaping tablespoon-sized balls of the batter onto a ‘greased’ baking sheet (can also place on wax paper) and cook for 15 minutes.
http://inspiredeats.net/ritas-healthy-pb-banana-oatmeal-cookies/

I have to admit I was a happy girl when I saw the Today Show showcase allergen-free, low glycemic foods on their segment today.  Too often, national TV shows feature allergen-laden foods that many of us can’t tolerate, so it’s encouraging to see an allergen-aware author have a moment to showcase her healthy recipes on national TV. 

In her cookbook and nutrition guide “Must Have Been Something I Ate,” Peggy Kotsopoulos (a registered Holistic Nutritionist) shares mouthwatering recipes that help boost energy and satisfy cravings. Here, she shows how to transform zucchini into noodles, hide quinoa in chocolate chip cookies and sneak pumpkin into chocolate mousse. Peggy says there is a connection between what you eat and how you look. – no kidding! She offers healthy alternatives to pasta, cookies and chocolate cake, and spotlights some lesser-known ingredients that have healthy benefits, such as Savi seeds, kelp and sunflower seeds.

Below are her recipes and you can watch her video clip from the Today Show here. Let’s hope they keep up the good work on showcasing healthy and allergen-free friendly foods!

 

Zucchini linguini with omega-rich pesto

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Zucchini linguini with omega-rich pesto

This pasta dish looks like pasta and satisfies your pasta craving, but without all the refined carbs! A kitchen-gadget spirooli slicer transforms your regular summer squash into zucchini noodles!

And since the zucchini is served raw, the vital nutrients are maintained.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash
  • For the toppings:
  • 1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup black Kalamata olives
  • 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Savi seeds
  • 1 teaspoon kelp granules
  • Sunflower sprouts
  • For the pesto:
  • 1/2 cup Savi seeds (plain/sea salt)
  • 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
  • 2 cups fresh basil
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Squeeze 1/4 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  1. To prepare the noodles:
  2. Add zucchini to spirooli and turn until noodles are formed.
  3. Add noodles to a bowl, add sunflower sprouts and toss with pesto (recipe below).
  4. Then top with the following: cherry tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, olives, Savi seeds and kelp granules.
  5. To make the pesto:
  6. Add all ingredients to food processor and process until well combined.
  7. Add 2 tablespoons of pesto to 1 cup of zucchini linguini and mix until well combined.
  8. Top with fresh cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives and sundried tomatoes.
http://inspiredeats.net/low-glycemic-gluten-free-goodies-featured-on-the-today-show/

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