Coconut Shortbread Cookies

Trying to find a GAPS safe cookie for Kevin was a struggle.  Every recipe I tried either tasted bad or crumbled and would not stay together.  After a lot of playing around with the coconut flour (which takes some getting used to) I came up with a ratio that works perfectly and makes a tasty cookie.

The great thing about this cookie is that the recipe is so basic that you can add to it.  Sometimes I add vanilla powder or apple chunks.  I also have done a pumpkin spice one and a ginger spice one too.

Coconut Shortbread Cookie

12 tbsp. coconut flour
8 tbsp. coconut oil (softened)
3 tbsp. coconut nectar

Mix the ingredients together and let sit for 3-4 minutes.  Form into balls and place on the parchment lined cookie sheet and press down.  Bake at 250 F until the edges start to get brown.  Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes before moving.

Basic Meringue Cookie

To anyone that knows me they know that I am stubborn and tend to not give up on anything or anyone.  One thing that was evading my cooking abilities was making a meringue.  No matter what I tried (and believe me I tried a lot) I could not get it to work.  Since I am not one to give up I tried again and happy danced around my kitchen happily when it worked out.  I do not know why it worked after 12 previous attempts but it did and they were heaven.

Basic Meringue

4 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp purest baking powder (contains cream of tartar)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla powder

Beat the egg whites, baking powder and sea salt on medium until foamy.  Increase speed to medium high and beat until thick.  Slowly add the sugar and beat for 5 minutes.  Stir in vanilla powder.  Place by the tbsp. full on a parchment lined sheet and bake at 250 F for 1 hour.  Turn off the oven and open the door and let sit for another hour.

I also made these and added cocoa powder and chocolate chips and they were to die for.

Fruit Gummies

Brayden is my little man with the sweet tooth and is constantly asking for treats.  Every once in a while I will buy some Yummy Earth gummy bears to eat but they are not safe for Ry.  I decided to try and make our own gummies so Rylan could also enjoy the treats.

They were super easy to make and tasted awesome and the best part is they are healthy and packed with protein for my meat avoiding little man.

Fruit Gummies

3 cups fruit juice (or pureed fruit)
1/2 cup grass fed gelatin
1/4 cup coconut nectar
1 tsp vanilla powder

Pour the juice into a large measuring cup and add the gelatin.  Mix really well and then pour into a pot on the stove.  On medium heat add the nectar and vanilla. Do not boil the mixture, just warm through.  Pour back into the measuring cup and pour into the molds.  Let sit on the counter until slightly set and then refrigerate for 30 minutes to finish setting.  Pop out of the molds and enjoy.

Homemade Oreos

One of Brays favourite cookies was the Oreo but every time he ate one he literally went crazy because of all the sugar in the cookie.  He has become more aware that eating those types of foods do not agree with him and he keeps asking me to make alternatives for him.  He asked me to make Oreos that would be good for him and that is just what I did.

Homemade Oreos

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

Filling

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup palm shortening

3/4 cup icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Mix together the wet ingredients and then add the dry ingredients until a dough forms.  Chill for 20-30 minutes.  Roll out the dough and cut with a round cutter.  Bake at 350 F for 8 minutes.  Allow the cookies to cool.  Mix together the filling and make the cookies.

Marshmallow Fluff and Marshmallows

Marshmallows was one of those items that I was not sure Ry wanted but I really wanted to see if I could do it.  I needed to find one that did not use egg whites since Kevin is not tolerating them at the moment.  When the mixture started to turn into fluff I was overjoyed and happy danced around the kitchen.  The best part was Ry loved the marshmallows.  These ones do not hold up to baking but are actually a great snack since there is no sugar.

Marshmallow Fluff and Marshmallows

1 cup water

3 tbsp. grass fed gelatin

1/2 cup coconut nectar

Put 1/2 cup of water in the mixer with the gelatin and mix well.  Put the other 1/2 cup of water in a pot and add the nectar and heat until a small boil.  Slowly our into the mixer and blend on med-high for 10 minutes.

To use as fluff put it in a jar in the fridge immediately.

To make marshmallows, spread the fluff on a parchment lined sheet.  Allow to air dry for 5-10 hours.  Cut into squares and roll in either tapioca starch, coconut flour, cinnamon or cocoa powder.  Store in the fridge.

Buttercream Frosting

When we were trialling butter with Ry I had all my fingers and toes crossed.  I love butter and it just makes food taste so rich.  He successfully passed the butter and that meant icing for cookies and frosting for cakes and cupcakes.  The recipe is simple and so tasty.

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter

1-2 cups of powdered sugar (until you get the desired taste)

1 tsp vanilla

1-4 tbsp. milk

Place the butter in the mixer and add the other ingredients.  Whip until well mixed.

Lollipops

We knew that once Ry started school that he was going to see things that he had never seen before.  We also knew that we would deal with them as they arose.  He never really seemed that interested in the other kids lunches or snacks and never asked for anything that they ever brought.  One of the events at school a kid had a sucker and  it piqued Ry's curiosity and he asked me what it was.  I explained what it was and he looked at me with those big blue eyes and asked if I could make him one. That is how the research began to make a lollipop.  While the lollipop turned out my natural food colors are not strong enough to change the color of the cooked sugar.  Ry truly did not care the color of the lollipop and just kept saying that it was so yum!!!

Lollipops

2 cups cane sugar
2/3 cup Lyle's Golden syrup
2 tsp vanilla

Line the counter with parchment paper.  Fill a large bowl with ice water.  Bring the syrup and sugar to a boil over medium high heat.  Boil 5-7 minutes.  Put the pot in the ice water and add the vanilla.  Remove the pot from the water and pour in round drops on the parchement paper and add the sticks.  You must move quick!!

Chocolate Pudding

Brayden came home from school one day asking why he never gets chocolate pudding in his lunch like the other kids.  Most days he gets that we eat foods that are safe for Ry and then other days he wishes he could eat like his classmates.  The next day while he was at school I attempted chocolate pudding.  When he came home and I showed him he told me that I was the best mommy ever and that this pudding was actually healthy so he could eat two of them.

Chocolate Pudding

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 cups milk
2 tbsp. butter
2 tsp vanilla

Put the sugar, cocoa powder, starch and sea salt in a pot.  Slowly add the milk and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Allow to boil until it thickens.  Remove from the heat and add the butter and vanilla.  Pour into pint sized mason jars and allow to cool.  Once cooled I top them with chocolate chips or a square of Ry's safe chocolate and then refrigerate.

Kale and Butternut Squash Soup

The GAPS diet is big on soups and trying to find ones that taste good with our limited options is an ongoing challenge.  This soup was not only easy to make but was one of Kevin's favourites.  He eats a lot of soups so that says a lot.

Kale and Butternut Squash Soup

8 cups beef broth
2 tbsps. beef tallow
6 cups of chopped kale
1 onion chopped
2 small butternut squash peeled and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Put all the ingredients together in a pot and simmer until the veggies are tender.

Herbed Crackers

Crackers are one of those great items to have in the pantry for snacking.  They are great for Ry's preschool snack or for throwing into the purse.  I am always trying to find different ones to make up and these herbed ones were quick and easy and super tasty.

Herbed Crackers

2 cups flour
3 tbsp. herbs of choice -  I used basil and oregano
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsps. butter
1 cup milk

Mix together the flour, herbs, salt and sugar.  Add in the butter until the mixture is crumbly and add milk until a dough forms.  Roll out into a rectangle the size of a baking sheet.  Place onto a greased baking sheet and score the top with a pizza cutter.  Bake at 375 F for 15-20 minutes.  Let cool and then break into pieces.

Cheddar Biscuit - Better then Red Lobster

I am always trying to make foods that you can get when you eat out since we can't eat out.  While I have not been able to find safe sea food yet you better believe I attempted the Red Lobster Biscuit.  I am pretty happy to say that it turned out in my opinion better then the store.

Cheddar Biscuit

2 cups flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 cup milk
1 tsp coconut vinegar
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 tbsp. dried parsley

Mix together the wet ingredients and cheese.  Add all the dry ingredients in and mix well.  Scoop the batter onto parchment lined sheets.  Bake at 450 F for 10-12 minutes.

Powdered Sugar

I remember just after we learned of Ry's allergy I started to walk through the house reading labels and crying.  Every single item I picked up had corn.  I picked up the bag of icing sugar I had in the house and was only slightly surprised when I saw that corn starch was the second ingredient.  I am not sure why icing sugar with corn in it made me so upset but it did.  I sat on the floor holding the bag and cried. At that time everything felt so insurmountable and if something as simple as icing sugar was bad I was afraid to look at the rest of my pantry.

Once we found safe cane sugar for Ry I was so excited to make powdered sugar so that I could make him cookie icing.  Something so very simple but so very special.

Powdered Sugar

1 cup cane sugar
1/4 cup tapioca starch

Put both ingredients into the vitamix and blend until a fine powder.  Store in a jar and use as needed in recipes.

I have found that I need much less of my homemade powdered sugar then when I used store bought stuff.

Stuffed Mushrooms - GAPS Safe

Since Kevin has been on GAPS it has been tough to find a variety of foods that he can eat.  With so many of the ingredients the same it uses a lot of creativity to make something new for him.  As a treat I made him stuffed mushrooms when I had a large bag of bug organic crimini mushrooms to use up.  He loved the surprise and devoured the mushrooms.

Stuffed Mushrooms

20-30 crimini mushrooms
1 onion chopped
2 tbsp coconut flour
1 tbsp. basil
1 tbsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp tallow

Take the stems out of the mushrooms and place the mushroom caps on a foil lined sheet.  Chop up the mushroom stems and onion and sautee in the tallow.  Add the spices and coconut flour.  Stuff the mushroom caps with the filling and bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes.

Chocolate Banana Cake

When you have to order your bananas by 50lbs at a time you tend to get a few stock piled into the freezer.  I am always looking for ways to use the bananas that are different so the boys and I are not getting bored of what we are eating. 

This chocolate banana cake is probably the best cake that I have ever made and it is really hard to just eat one slice.  Trying to convince the boys to eat a small piece is also near impossible.

Chocolate Banana Cake

1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 mashed bananas
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup cacao powder
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix together the wet ingredients and slowly add in the dry ingredients except for the cacao powder and chocolate chips.  Divide the batter in half.  Add the cacao powder to one half.  Pour the chocolate half into a greased pan.  Top with the plain batter and sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.