Well, I suppose I would be remiss if I did not post a chocolate recipe in honor of Valentine’s Day.

So, I am going to share what I will be serving to all of my love bugs on this day of romance. I posted a version of this recipe a long time ago but it is one of those things that my children ask for again, and again, and…again.

And thank goodness for me…it involves chocolate.

I raised these boys right, I tell ya.

This in-demand Allergy-free Valentine’s Day dessert I am talking about is, of course, Gluten-free Dairy-free Chocolate Fondue (also easily made to be Nut-free as well)!

But do not thank me for this recipe posting. Thank my boys who reminded me of it as we were driving back from our family ski vacation yesterday.  I was quizzing them about what I should share with you all for an Allergy-free Valentine’s Day Dessert. This was what they came up with.

It was their choice. So, I declared them brilliant and called it a day. I hope you enjoy it as much as they will.

Oh, and here are some dipper ideas for your fondue:

Fruits: apples, pears, peaches, pineapples, citrus sections, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, sliced bananas (can even grill or caramelize them first), dried apples, dried mangoes, or any other dried fruit.

Cakes and Other Treats (all allergy-friendly versions, of course): graham crackers, brownie pieces, marshmallows, cookies, shortbread, biscotti, crystallized ginger chunks, bacon (yup, I said it).

There is no wrong answer for what to dip. Use your imagination. Have fun. Go wild.

Well, not too wild. This is, after all, a family-friendly blog.

What are your favorite things to dip into fondue? Give me some new ideas!!

SURPRISE!

IT’S A …….. BOY!

No not mine, sillies.

Although, I do already have two of them. Well, three, counting my husband. Geez…four, if you count my dog (who incidentally can be more mature at times than all three of the aforementioned boys).

No. This little boy I am talking about is Amy’s, of Simply Sugar and Gluten Free. Her little bambino is set to arrive any second. Literally. And today we are throwing her a SURPRISE virtual baby shower since we cannot give her one in person.

And I am making these Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free Apple Streusel Squares with an amazing Maple Cinnamon Glaze in honor of the event.

These little bite-sized gems are such a treat, with a healthier twist (they lasted all about two seconds in my house). And can so easily be made safe for multiple types of modified diets. Definitely a perfect addition to a baby shower.

Oh. I am not sure if I mentioned this yet. But, this may be a good time to tell you that these treats are totally and completely addicting. Consider yourself warned. If you have no will power, you may not want to make these.

Now. If you just happen to be throwing a baby shower in real life any time soon, we have a rockin’ gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and allergy-friendly menu ready to go for you right here:

• Daily Bites Blog - Chocolate and Vanilla Pudding Parfaits
• She Let Them Eat Cake - Gluten-Free & Vegan Gingersnaps
• Tasty Eats At Home  - Grapefruit Salad with Avocado & Jicama
• Lexie’s Kitchen  - Dairy-Free Crepe Quiche
• The Spunky Coconut - Lime Pound Cake
• Simply..Gluten-Free - Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
• Cara’s Cravings - Mushroom Pesto Pinwheels
• Diet, Dessert, and Dogs - “Wine and Cheese” Charlotte
• Alisa Cooks - Smoked Salmon Frittata Bites
• Cook It Allergy Free  - Apple Streusel Squares & Maple Glaze
• Gluten Free Life With Jen - Tomato Panzanella Salad
• Miz Helen’s Country Cottage - Cranberry Chicken Salad
• Cybele Pascal - Allergy Free Focaccia Bread
• Silvana’s Kitchen

Okay. Now for these Apple Streusel Squares. But like I said. If you have no self-control or will power…I will repeat what I said above. Do. Not. Make. These.

This post is being shared with Simply Sugar and Gluten’s Free Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

My family has arrived for the Holidays in full force. We have a house full of mouths to feed and I am loving every minute of it.

We are spending a lot of time baking right now and there have been many batches of these Maple Spice Cookies made so far.  These are one of my family’s favorite cookies. They definitely disappear quickly around here.

Even though I shared a version of these with you last year at this time, I thought I would re-visit them and share the version I am making this year with you. If you want your home filled with amazing holiday smells, then I suggest you get a batch of these going in your oven about now. They will make you happy.

These cookies are perfectly chewy and cake-like (as long as you do not overcook them). They puff up so beautifully while they are baking and are an amazing combination of holiday flavors. They keep very well and make a wonderful homemade gift.

I will be spending the next week with my family, but I want to wish all of you a wonderful Holiday week! I hope your days are filled with delicious allergy-friendly meals eaten with those you love the most!

This decadent gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and easily nut-free Salted Caramel Apple Pie was made once again in our house this weekend because I just had to test them out just one more time for our final week of Simply Sugar and Gluten Free’s Gluten-Free Holiday event.

I make such sacrifices for you all!

This week is all about everyone’s favorite part of the holidays…Desserts! And, of course, we have a great round-up of gltuten-free, allergy-friendly  goodies.

This week’s host is the adorable, amazing Maggie, of She Let Them Eat Cake!  She is sharing Gingerbread Cupcakes that I assure you you will want to try. They look stunning…I will be making those with the kids for sure.

She also has a gift for two of you. She is giving away two fabulous cookbooks.

The Blackbird Bakery Gluten-Free, by Karen Morgan:

And Simply…Gluten Free Desserts, by Carol Kicinski:

So go check them out and enter to win, and link up a favorite Holiday Dessert, if you have one!

Okay, so about this Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-free Salted Caramel Apple Pie...

It is naughty. But only a little bit naughty. It is decadent. It is sweet. But not in a too-syrupy kind of way.  It is super easy to make. It is one of my favorite indulgences this time of year.

But wait. It is also a bit healthy. Well, at least healthier than a gluten-filled, grain-filled, dairy-filled version. And, if you count those 9 health benefits of apples (and just ignore the fact that they are smothered in salted caramel yumminess) then, I would go ahead and say…dig in, my friends!

But, hey. The holidays are for allowing yourself a special treat here and there. So do not hate me. In fact, I dare you to make them. I think you will really love me once you do.

And then you will apologize for any mean thoughts you had about me for forcing this on you.

A few notes about this Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-free pie:

1. You can also just make these as bars, instead of a pie, in an 8 x 8 baking dish. I actually made this in a tart pan this time. They are very versatile.

2. I use an almond flour press-in crust for the recipe, but you can EASILY make this nut-free by using the press-in cookie crust that I note at the bottom of the recipe.

3. If you are short on time and are not dairy free, Trader Joe’s has a wonderful Salted Caramel Sauce that you can use in place of this homemade sauce.

4, This recipe is a very simple one to put together. But it has an incredible WoW factor that makes it look really difficult! A good way to impress your guests.

5. And, like I said above, you will love me when you make this.

In preparation for Valentine’s Day, I thought I would share with you these Easy Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Sweet and Salty Chocolate Bites. These are a hit with my Sweetheart as well as with my two pint-sized loves.


I am a hopeless romantic. My husband, on the other hand? Well…he tries.

In about one month, I will have been married to the love of my life for eleven years.

For the first decade of our marriage we had a song.  Well…I called it “Our Song”. My husband just nodded in absent-minded agreement whenever we heard it.

As we are getting ready to begin the next decade of our lives together, I thought it was time for a new song. I also thought I should let my husband know that, in fact, our song was changing.  I figured I should keep him up to speed on matters such as these.

For the record, I did choose a song he loves by one of his favorite artists, Daniel Ho. My husband, an amazing surfer, by hobby (as some of you may remember from this post), loves the beachy feel of Daniel’s music.

So I wanted to let him know he could now refer to one of Daniel’s songs as “Our Song”.  I was totally sure he would be ecstatic (I, of course, am being completely sarcastic).

Me: Honey, we have a new song.

Him: Okay.

Me: Do you want to hear it?

Him (as he continues to read his magazine, listening half-heartedly): Sure dear.

Fast forward to a few weeks later.

Said “New Song” comes through the speakers from my latest Feel-Good Playlist Mix.

Me (sarcastically, and with a hint of annoyance): Do you know what song this is? (completely certain that he did not have any idea what I was referring to)

Him (with a twinkle in his eye and his well-known smirk tugging on the corners of his lips): Absolutely Honey. This is “Our Song“ (as he grabs me, lifting me off of my feet, and planting a big kiss on my lips).

Okay. Maybe the movie-style kiss was the wishful-thinking part of my romantic self. But…he remembered. That, here, my friends, is the important part and all that really matters.

Now we have a new song.

I love this guy.

So, for your listening enjoyment, “Our Song” is below. You just may want to make it “Your Song” too.

You can listen to it while you are making these Gluten Free Dairy Free Sweet and Salty Chocolate Pretzel Bites for your Love this weekend.  The time it takes to listen to the song is just about how long it takes to throw this super easy treat together.

“Our Song”:  Cup of Joe by Daniel Ho

**For more information on Organic Dark Chocolate, see what Jenny, of Nourished Kitchen, has to say in a recent post about the Love of Organic Dark Chocolate.

Cheesy question for today: Do you have a song with your honey?

I had a deep desire to make some brownies for my “I Am Not Having A Superbowl Party” Party.


I did not have the energy to throw an all-out event like we usually do (every. single. year.).  Instead, I waited until the day of the game and told my husband to tell whoever wanted to come over to come. But…he had strict instructions to inform them that this was, in fact, most definitely, NOT a Superbowl Party.  In other words? He was informing them to not expect much.  I think the word he used was LowKey.

Please tell me that some of you had a party like this too.

In my mind, when you do not call it a party, you do not have the responsibility of having to be “on”.  I took this to heart – I left my guests to fend for themselves and I was able to watch the entire game, including all of the commercials, and that awesome half-time show. A rare and unusual treat.

But, even though I did not whip up my usual SuperBowl spread, I had an intense craving for chocolate. In my female mind, no football game is complete without chocolate.

These brownies have been taunting me ever since I saw them grace the cover of my February issue of Bon Appetit Magazine with the teaser title “BEST-EVER BROWNIES”.  I am a sucker for a challenge like that. I had to see for myself if these were, indeed, the Best-Ever. But with browned butter (or Browned Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread for my Dairy-Free version) in this recipe, I had a sneaking suspicion that they would be right.

The original recipe is written by Alice Medrich – chocolate expert, cookbook author, and cooking teacher. Her most recent book is Chewy Gooey Crispy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies.  And according to the recipe testers at Bon Appetit: “These are some of the best brownies we’ve ever had-fudgy in the middle and chewy on the outside with a shiny, crackly top. The browned butter adds a rich nutty flavor.”

All I know is that with a few simple substitutions, these brownies can be easily adapted to be gluten-free and grain-free. And with a few more substitutions, they can be transformed even farther into a dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free indulgence as well. Even with the substitutions, these brownies are spot-on with Bon Appetit’s review of them. Fudgy. Chewy. Crackly. Nutty. Unbelievable (okay, this last word is mine).

Perfect for your next “Not Really a Party” party.  Or, just the right Valentine treat for the love(s) in your life. I know that my husband and boys will be getting another batch of these on this upcoming day of Love.

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter:               Gluten-Free and Grain-Free

Easily Adapted to be Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, and Nut-Free

Adapted from Alice Medrich, as written in the February Issue of Bon Appetit Magazine

Ingredients:

Non-stick Vegetable Oil Spray

10 Tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces (For Dairy-Free: use equal amount Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread-this browns in it’s own way, still producing a slightly nutty flavor)

1 1/4 cups Coconut Palm Sugar (original recipe calls for sugar) – the Coconut Palm Sugar added a superior nutty flavor

3/4 cup Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (I used Rapunzel Organic Cocoa Powder)-spooned into cup to measure, then leveled

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 Large Eggs, chilled (For Egg-Free: use 2 Tablespoons Ground Chia Seeds mixed with 6 Tablespoons HOT water-let sit for 5 minutes to gel)

1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon Almond Flour, such as Honeyville (For Nut-Free: Use equal amount of your favorite Gluten-Free Flour Blend)

1 cup Walnut Pieces (I did not use any Walnuts in the recipe)

Directions:

1.  Position rack in the bottom third of oven. Preheat to 325 degrees. Line 8x8x2 inch metal pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against sides and leaving 2 inch overhang.  Coat foil with non-stick cooking spray.

2.  Melt Butter (or, for Dairy-Free, Earth Balance Buttery Spread) over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form on bottom of pan. STIR OFTEN. About 5 minutes.

3.  Remove from heat. Immediate stir in: sugar, cocoa, 2 teaspoons of water, vanilla, and 1/4 heaping teaspoon of fine sea salt. Stir well to blend. Let sit 5 minutes. Mixture will be very hot.

4.  After 5 minutes, add eggs (or chia mixture) to hot mixture, 1 at a time (or half of chia mixture at a time). Beat vigorously to blend after each addition.

5.  When mixture looks thick and shiny, add your flour choice and stir until blended. 60 vigorous strokes. Stir in nuts, if using. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

6.  Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with few moist crumbs attached), about 25-30 minutes.  Cool in pan on rack. Then lift out using foil overhang. Cut into 16 squares.  Store airtight at room temperature.

I walked away  from these brownies for just a few minutes and my boys decided to have a little photo staging fun of their own. These are their Brownie Soldiers, in line, ready to be devoured.

This post is linked to:

Hearth and Soul Hop

Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

These rock. Seriously. These chewy Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Granola Oatmeal Cookie Bars really take the cake.  They taste like an oatmeal cookie. They look like a granola bar.  Yet they have the nutrition of a power-packed snack.

My kids call these dessert.  I call these another of my sneaky tricks.  My husband? Well…he just calls me annoying.  He has long since stopped being amused at how excited I get when I know my family is eating well, even when they do not.

My favorite part about these is how easy they are to whip up. Just throw the dry ingredients into a bowl, add wet ingredients to a well in the middle, mix (aka, squish) everything together with hands, press into pan, bake, and viola. That is it.  Thirty minutes later you have a delicious and nutritious treat.

You can feel good about serving these as a snack.

Or for dessert.

Or even for breakfast.

In fact, this morning, I gave each boy a nice sized bar (excuse me, cookie), a hard-boiled egg, and some fresh fruit (kiwi and Gaiya melon, to be exact). And as they bounded out the door and off to school, I actually felt pretty good about what their brains would be fueled with for the next few hours.

And then I went and took a little nap.

I wish. Who am I kidding? But I bet I had you going…or at least a little jealous of this said nap.

Granola Oatmeal Cookie Bars Filled with Dried Cherries, Dark Chocolate Chunks, and Chopped Pistachios

This post is linked to:

Monday Mania

I know Nut Butter Cookies are not anything new to the blogging world. But, these are not your typical Nut Butter Cookies.  Made with Sunflower Seed Butter, buckwheat flour, flax meal, ground chia seeds, and allergen-friendly chocolate chips (if you so choose), these cookies are gluten-free, grain-free, egg-free, corn-free, and dairy-free (if you ignore the Hershey’s Kisses that my son insisted on for the picture below and  you use Vegan chocolate instead).  And, these are actually…(gasp) healthy!! And get ready for this…delicious!!

I have a secret addiction to these. I store them in the freezer because, as some of you may remember from a previous chocolate chip cookie post, I love hard frozen chunks of chocolate when I eat my cookies.  I also store them in the freezer to hide them from the hubby and the boys.  Otherwise I find this….

Notice that there is no head in this photo. He is actually ducking under the counter to swipe this.

For the males in this house, as long as it is out of sight, it is out of mind. Forgotten. Unfortunately, that does not hold true for me. Once I place those goodies in that freezer, it is as if they suddenly gain a voice of their own and are calling out to me. Shouting, really. I cannot forget. I wish I had that part of the male mind. I am not kidding.

So today, as my last post of 2010, I will share with you my recipe for a batch of cookies that will leave you not feeling so guilty about your secret sweet indulgence.

And while I have enjoyed every second of this last week spending time with my family and staying relatively tech-free, I will be back and blogging with gusto in 2011 (hard to believe that the new year is only a day away).

Until then, I wish all of you a safe, fun, and trouble-free New Year! I hope you spend it in what you deem to be the perfect way!

We will be spending our New Year’s Day the way we do every year. With family and close friends. With my Carne Asada Tortilla soup (next blog post). In our Pajamas. With a fire. And with Football. We cannot wait.

May the dawning of this New Year, fill your heart with new hopes, open up new horizons and bring for you promises of brighter tomorrows. Happy New Year to you all!

This above version is NOT Dairy-free, but my son insisted on the Hershey's Kisses for the photo.

HAPPY NEW YEAR’S TO ALL OF YOU! THERE WILL BE FUN THINGS HAPPENING HERE AND IN THE ALLERGY FRIENDLY COMMUNITY IN 2011! I CANNOT WAIT…..

This post is linked to:

Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist

My Meatless Mondays at My Sweet and Savory

Can you believe we are already to Day 10 of our 12 Days of Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies, being hosted by Maggie, of She Let Them Eat Cake? This event is flying by…with some amazing recipes so far (links to the recipes from the entire event are at the end of this post)!  And we still have two more days to go. YAY!

Okay, quick! Think back to one of your favorite childhood holiday memories. Now make note of that memory. You will be quizzed on it later.

Although I have so many favorites, the first memories that come to my mind must have stood out the most.  I remember…

Holiday caroling with my Mother’s Master Singers group through our San Francisco neighborhoods.

Parties at our house with copious amounts of food.  Laughter. More singing.  And did I mention the food?

Christmas programs with the Sunday School at church.  My Mom directed most of them.

And cookies. More cookies than you can imagine.

I have vivid images of freshly baked cookies cooling on racks on the counter and cluttering every kitchen surface with their delectable temptings as my Mom prepared to package them up for family and friends.

And now…shockingly , I have become more like my mother than I ever thought. My own counters are spilling over with cookies as we get ready to share with our neighbors and friends this holiday season.

What I find to be even more humorous is that my own boys have figured out the art of cookie thievery that my sister and I mastered 30 plus years ago. I can turn my back for no less than a moment and discover this….

So today, for Day 10 of our 12 Days of Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies Event, I want to share my gluten-free adaption of one of my Mom’s holiday staples.

Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Icebox Shortbreads.

These were a mainstay in our cookie jar growing up and I think they are also the reason that my husband married me.  He was keen on the fact that this union would also mean an unlimited supply of these cookies. Prior to going gluten-free, he was absolutely addicted to them. He could clear off a plate of these in a blink. And finally, this year, I decided that I would surprise him and try to re-create them to be gluten-free.  I am not sure that he has quite given me the approval that they are as good as my mother’s gluten filled version, but we have all agreed unanimously that they are pretty darn stinkin’ good.

I actually have two methods of baking these, both using the same recipe, and both giving two totally different results.

One involves rolling them into logs, chilling for a few hours, then slicing into the rounds. This method produces the cookies that my husband so adores.

The other involves pressing the dough into a cake pan and baking, then turning onto a cutting board and slicing into 12 triangles.  This method produces a very crunchy cookie that is PERFECT for dipping in coffee or hot cocoa.

Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Icebox Shortbreads

Gluten-Free, Egg-Free, and adaptable to be Dairy-Free and Nut-free

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Superfine Brown Rice Flour (I like Authentic Foods)

1/4 cup Almond Flour, such as Honeyville or Digestive Wellness (For Nut-Free: use Certified Gluten-Free Oat Flour)

1/4 cup Cornstarch

2 Tbsp Arrowroot Starch

1/4 tsp Xanthan Gum

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened – Room Temperature (For Dairy-Free: use 3 Tbsp organic Spectrum Shortening with 3 Tbsp Earth Balanced Vegan Buttery Stick, softened)

1/3 cup Brown Sugar, packed

We interrupt this scheduled Allergen-Friendly Thanksgiving Series to bring you an important announcement…. (okay, two, since I am also announcing the winner of the Gluten Free Girl and The Chef Cookbook giveaway at the end of this post).

Maggie, from She Let Them Eat Cake, has put together an exciting blogging event called the 12 Days of Gluten-Free Cookies. This event will make Christmas cookie swaps, parties, and school festivities so much easier for you this year!

For 12 days, starting on December 1st, 6 different gluten-free bloggers will share two of their favorite cookie recipes with you.  On the last day, December 12th, Maggie from She Let Them Eat Cake will host a special holiday link-up so that you, too, can join in and share your favorite gluten-free Christmas cookie recipe(s) with everyone!

And…there are going to be GIVEAWAYS!

Jen, from Gluten Free Life with Jen and the founder of the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo, has even donated a 2-day event pass worth $350!  Of course, you will need to find a way to Chicago and pay for lodging, etc.  But this is an event not to be missed, so one lucky person is going to get quite a treat!!

There will also be cookbook giveaways, with details on those coming soon.

So get your gluten-free cookie recipe ready, and if you need a little help, be sure to check out 12 Days of Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies for ideas!

12 Days of Gluten-Free Cookies:

The Schedule

December 1st – Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free

December 2nd – Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom

December 3rd – Gluten-Free Life With Jen

December 4th – The Mommy Bowl

December 5th – She Let Them Eat Cake

December 6th – Cook It Allergy Free

December 7th – Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom

December 8th – Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free

December 9th – Cook It Allergy Free

December 10th – Gluten-Free Life With Jen

December 11th – The Mommy Bowl

December 12th – She Let Them Eat Cake – Also the big Link-Up day with Giveaways

Okay, now for the winner of the Gluten-Free Girl and The Chef: A Love Story With 100 Tempting Recipes:

And the winner is…. (chosen by Random Number Generator)

#36 Christa!   Congratulations, Christa! I will contact you by email so that I can get the book to you.

And, I will be back on Tuesday with a final Thanksgiving wish for all of you and a recap of all of my Thanksgiving Series Links.

Until then, may visions of allergen-friendly cookies be dancing in your head…..