Perfect Chewy Chocolate Chip Skor (gluten free)

Follow up to a previous cookie recipe that I worked on following some much needed cookie-research: Gooey Chocolate Chip

This recipe was constructed for a lovely campfire get together with friends celebrating Jesus life, death and importantly, His resurrection on Easter Sunday! We spent the night with friends chatting and then ended the evening with singing. Best.


Why do we celebrate? Because Jesus changes everything. It's through Him, that I can gain a relationship with God- what I was created and purposed for.

Need more info? Here's some amazing resources:
1. http://www.desiringgod.org/
2. https://p2c.com/
3. http://crazylove.org/

An added bonus to this night? These cookies are literally the best ones I've made, gluten free or not. Chewy. Melty. Buttery. Yes.

Perfect Chewy Chocolate Chip Skor (gluten free)

3/4 cup soft butter

1.5 cup organic coconut palm sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 egg yolks + 1 whole egg

2 1/4 gluten free all purpose flour (Compliments brand)

2 tsp baking soda

Semi-sweet chocolate chips (pour until you are good with the amount)

Skor bits (the more the merrier)

1. Set the oven to 375F
2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper
3. Combine sugar and butter in mixer with paddle attachment or use a spatchula until creamed
4. Add egg + yolks and vanilla
5. In a separate bowl, add in gluten free flour and baking soda
6. Slowly mix dry into wet ingredients
7. Combine thoroughly and then add the yummy skor and chocoalte chips
8. Roll into ~1in diameter cookies and place on cookie sheets about 5 cm apart
9. Place in the oven for approximately 10 minutes. They will be lightly golden brown!
10. Eat and enjoy with friends!

When your sister is your taste tester

Celiac-Friendly Snack Options for the Busy Bee on the Run!

On the go! *this was take #5 maybe? Very skilled at action shots.

The last few months have been pretty interesting. I've been mourning the loss of gluten in my life but have slowly been adjusting to the different grocery shopping and in general, food-experience that I have on a daily basis. If you're like me though, you're busy and often on the go and honestly, don't have a lot of time to continually read labels on random granola bar boxes or gum packages. I'm slowly getting better at knowing "what's good" but definitely have a ways to go in terms of efficiency. There's always easy snack options around (like in my previous post on various snack recommendations) but I thought I'd give my newly discovered celiac friendly favourites that might help you be quicker and more efficient in those grocery aisles . They're yummy and healthy; win, win!

**Click on the images for purchasing information**

1. KIND Bars
So many yummy flavours! They have a lot of nuts, seeds and natural sweeteners in them so they're a bit more calorie dense than regular oat-based granola bars and I think, are more filling. My fav? Dark chocolate + Almonds + Sea Salt. LOVE.

2. Inno Foods Coconut Clusters
Addictive. That's all I'll say. Make sure you ration these out because my oh my, they're hot tamale level of addiction.

3. Glutino Pretzels
Not quite the same texture as regular pretzels, but they have a satisfying crunch and salty-goodness flavour. Don't eat these in the library though- they've got a crunch that's pretty loud lol.

4. Cinnamon Chex
These literally taste like cinnamon toast crunch. Need I say more?

5. Breton GF Crackers
With lactose-free cheese, turkey pepperettes or hummus, these have a great texture and taste great.

6. Homemade Granola
I'm obsessed with granola (as you can probably glean from the recipe index of this blog). Making your own is easy, SO fast and can be a really health alternative to store-bought options. Add it to lactose free greek yogurt or regular yogurt, apple sauce, eat with milk or munch on by itself!

7. Grimm's Turkey Pepperoni
So yummy. Lean. Excellent source of protein. No guilt.

8. 180 Snacks Almond Rice Pops with Blueberries
Easy peasy, no fuss, no mess goodness. Sweet but not too sweet and that hint of blueberries is a nice touch.

9. Mason-jar fruit
I really like berries but I also have a rather small wallet and spending $$ on fresh fruit can really add up. Solution? Frozen fruit of varying kinds. At my supermarket there is generally one type on sale on any given occasion so it's not only affordable but the fruit is usually frozen at peak season/sweetness (bonus!). For snack or breakfast, I add a cup of my chosen frozen fruit to a mason jar- zap in the microwave for 35 seconds and either get going or add yogurt and/or granola. You can also leave the fruit in the fridge overnight with oats or alone, to have your breaky all made by morning, ready to go! So easy. So good.

10. Pure Protein Bars*
Good amount of protein. Great on-the-go-because-there-is-literally-no-time-to-even-cook-anything snack/meal. Pair with a piece of fruit and you've got yourself a delicious and nutritious gluten free meal.

11. Premier Protein Drink*
Literally tastes like chocolate milk but is gluten free and a great on-the-go meal replacement or something that you can add to a smoothie or even your morning coffee for a chocolatey kick.

*Just a caveat: I am usually not about drinking your meals or compressing them into a bar format (ie. meal replacement bars or drinks) but if that's literally all you got, have time for, or you need some extra protein to make 'em gains after a workout, go for it. It's not about counting or cutting calories, but rather giving your body the nutrients that it needs to be a busy-bee, when time is super limited. When you can: Eat your greens. Cook your meals. Use bright and vibrant ingredients that showcase their nutritional profile in their awesome chlorophyl showcase of green or vitamin-C zestiness. That's my stance at least.

Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free)

Happy Val/Galentines everyone!

In light of Valentines Day yesterday I wanted to make some lovely, but reasonably healthy, treats for my gal-pals at a valentines get-together! :)

I LOVE Valentines Day! Why? Because I love the idea that you stop, pause and acknowledge and celebrate the love that you have in your life.

Love of family.
Love of friends.
Love of my amazing Saviour Jesus Christ.

What's not to celebrate??!!?

Lately, I've been trying to read around gluten free baking and key info to know when making basic things...such as chocolate chip cookies. What can I do to make them gooey, crispy on those edges and overall, not cakey and saw-dust-like.

Best. Roommate. Ever. Cupcake balloon and all <3

Tips I've picked up so far and applied here? (taken from here and here)

1. Butter: melted = flatter, more chewy. More= more flavour.

2. If you use egg yolks over whole eggs it adds a higher fat content to the mixture and causes the cookie to be more fudgey and well...delicious.

3. Brown sugar has leavening effects (given it's slightly acidic properties) vs white sugar which does not

I highly recommend reading http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2013/12/the-food-lab-the-best-chocolate-chip-cookies.html. What an enjoyable and simple read!

I used a recipe found here, but tweaked it a little bit. I used organic coconut palm sugar because it has an amazing caramel flavour and can be substituted 1:1 for sugar. I also, in light of the above info, purely used egg yolks rather than whole eggs or a substitute. The flour mixture that I've used lately tends to work very well and bonus, tastes good: compliments gluten free all purpose. Cheap. Easy to find and works well in general bakes. (Find here)

Cookin Tunes:
Gravity [Jen and Brian Johnson]
Finally [James Arthur]
Red Sea Road [Ellie Holcomb]

Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies

Leftovers enroute to a friend :)

3/4 cup soft butter
1.5 cup organic coconut palm sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup egg yolks (approx. 3)
2 1/4 gluten free all purpose flour (Compliments brand)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
Semi-sweet chocolate chips (I just pour until it looks like a good amount :)

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
3. Cream butter, sugar together until smooth and fluffy.
4. Add egg yolk and vanilla.
5. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, baking flour)
6. Slowing sift the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in small incriments (~4). Stir until well combined.
7. Pour chocolate chips in (until your hearts content!) and mix well.
8. Place ~ 1 inch diameter rolled cookies on cookie sheet ~ 1.5 inches apart. No need to squish them down, they'll spread during the cooking process.
9. Bake for ~8 minutes until on the light-gold side.
10. Cool and then devour with friends! (and your favourite milk!)

Chocolate puffed quinoa cranberry, roasted coconut and almond granola

I love granola. You can probably glean that from all the granola recipes on this blog :) This is another that goes down in the books as one of my favourites. No added sweetener. Gluten Free. Crispy and satisfying for breakfast, a snack or as a crunchy addition to salad.

This was inspired by literally the most random ingredients in my pantry and inspiration to try and bake some gluten-free items this weekend. I have just finished a relatively busy season of my life and have had the last few days off, enjoying time with my mom and getting back to the kitchen. Enjoy :)

Cookin Tunes:
Tremble [Mosaic MSC]
What a Beautiful Name [Hillsong]
Castle on a Hill [Ed Sheeran]

Chocolate puffed quinoa cranberry, roasted coconut and almond granola

2 cups gluten free oats (small)

1.5 cups chocolate puffed quinoa cereal

1/2 cups dried cranberries (unsweetened)

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup dried coconut shavings (unsweetened)

1 egg (separated) or 2 tbsp egg whites

1 cup lactose free 1% milk (or non-dairy alternative)

1. Set oven to 375F

2. Combine everything in a bowl and stir until well mixed

3. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

4. Spread mixture evenly, divided onto 2 baking sheets

5. Place in oven for approximately 15 minutes and then flip/stir mixture to brown the opposite sides

6. Continue baking for 20 minutes

7. Remove from the oven when browned and crispy

8. Donezo!

Enjoy by itself, try with a banana chia smoothie bowl, or add to a delicious yogurt parfait! So delicious! :)

Roasted Cashew Sea Salt Brittle

When I was younger one of my favourite traditions was making peanut brittle with my dad around Christmas. Yes, I know: It's January- why are we talking about Christmas? Well, today I had the treat of spending some time with my dad and we resumed our tradition despite the lack of Christmas in the air. Plus, who doesn't need another excuse to make one of the most simple and versatile confectionaries?

Now, this recipe is not my own. It's an altered version from my favourite go-to childhood cookbook from the Met Church in Ottawa. Those pages are filled with basic recipes that for me, turned baking into something manageable, exciting and honestly, were the start of my love of this field!

Now what is brittle exactly? 

noun

a confection of melted sugar, usually with nuts, brittle when cooled. 

Melted sugar? That's it? The key to crisp but easily broken brittle is the addition of baking soda near the end of the preparation process:

 

"As the sugar is cooking and begins turning amber in color it accumulates small amounts of acid, and that acid reacts chemically with the alkaline baking soda releasing about a zillion minuscule bubbles of CO2 that get trapped, making the sugar porous and, well…brittle.

Adding the baking soda at the end is important because you need to wait for enough acid to accumulate, and the candy needs to be poured out onto the prepared pan to set up as soon as the chemical reaction occurs. Aeration of the sugar will cause the clear, glassy syrup to turn opaque immediately, and it will increase in volume—so be sure to use a saucepan large enough for the job." (click here for source) 

Chemistry and cooking, so interesting!! That's the nerd in me buried oh so not deep. 

Fun facts about (peanut) brittle?

1. January 26 is national peanut brittle day (USA)

2. There are some weird and wonderful legends about how it was invented (here). Mistake? Save a village? Who knows.

3. peanut brittle was the original recipe but there is now a wideeeee variety of this candy

Cookin Tunes:
Castle on the Hill [Ed Sheeran]
Red Sea Road [Ellie Holcomb]
Train Wreck [James Arthur]

Roasted Cashew Sea Salt Brittle

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup water

1.5 cups unsalted butter

2 cups roasted cashews

1 tsp baking soda

coarse sea salt (to taste)

1. Line 2 pans with parchment paper or grease pans with butter.

2. In a large pan add together sugar (brown and white), corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil.

3. Add butter and keep stirring (so it doesn't burn!) until the mixture reaches 280F (soft crack stage).

4. Add the cashews and continue stirring until the mixture reaches 300F (hard crack stage).

5. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda. The mixture will become opaque and increase in volume. 

5. Pour onto lined baking sheets and spread evenly.

6. Sprinkle sea salt over top. Let cool.

7. Eat that stuff- it's so good!

On-the-Go Snack Ideas

Crazy Life = No posts for a while.

I've been in the midst of the last bit of medical school, which involves various placements in various specialties. Needless to say, I haven't been cooking that much. To be perfectly honest, it's been a real lesson in being able to have nutritious meals that are 1) the easiest to prepare in the history of the world 2) balancing more pressing desire to use my spare time for studying, exercising and trying to stay sane with intermittent episodes of Once Upon a Time and Glee.

What have I learned over the past couple of months?

There's nothing wrong with buying prepared stuff. This was a lesson forced upon me by my roommate. I've been really against it in the past because...I've felt really guilty. I would stand for too long in grocery stores thinking about all the things I should buy to make something that's prepared and ready to go, right in front of me. A container of hummus- well, I could buy the ingredients and make it right?
Yes, it's often cheaper to buy individual parts and put stuff together at home.
Yes, sometimes it truly is healthier, but when you're in a time crunch and you just want a salad?

Get that stinking prepared salad. 

Problem solved. 

Time saved. 

Tummy happy. 

Stress less. 

All you have to do is be smart about it- read labels. Choose the healthy options. Cook when you can, but don't sweat when it's tight. Thanks roomie- my groceries have been more than a single cabbage and a can of chickpeas because of this.

I am now an expert snacker. During my rotations, there is often no time to sit down and eat a meal. You eat when you find a couple of minutes between patients. You have to have food that is often not requiring a microwave, refrigeration and won't leave you needing a napkin.

I've got a few favourites:

1. Individual 100 calories hummus from Costco. Carry some crackers or veggies with you in a disposable ziplock and BAM, healthy filling snack accessible. No container required. No daytime refrigeration.

2. Cliff Bars. These are great meal replacements- calorie dense and o so yummy.

3. Trailmix granola bars. Good natural ingredients. No extra empty calories. Portable and yummy.

4. Simply granola bars. Really healthy option. Gluten free. Great flavours.

5. Raw nuts. Grab and handful of almonds, cashews or whatever you fancy. They're mess free and can fill me up for a bit!

6. Apples. These are a bit tricker because if they're tooooo juicy, they may be a bit messier than say...a carrot. But they're so yummy, nutritious and come in many varieties. No peeling. No refrigeration. Way easier than a pesky (but delicious) orange.

7. Any raw veggies: carrots, celery, baby tomatoes, cut cucumber (or baby cucumbers). These don't nessessarily require refrigeration to stay tasty and not smelly but if you want to bring in raw broccoli, you're on your own there (been there- it gets pretttyyy odorous as the day goes on and then well, you don't want to be that person that's brought in the stinky veggies)

8. Something carby- bagels, muffins, english muffins etc. These really don't need a lot of cleanup, they're fast and pretty much always delicious and satisfying. Just don't go crazy with the sweet pastries, we want to stay on the healthy end of the spectrum. Plus, then after a long day's work, you don't have to regret having something sweet after dinner like a piece of chocolate or whatnot because you've already ate something sweet that day and you said you wouldn't have anything else (my daily experience lol; the struggle is so real) If you have a spare moment, why not try Banana Honey Muffins or Apple Oat Muffins  as a nice healthy version of baked goods ready when you need them!

These are just a few random ones that I've come across these last few months that have made my life so much easier and overall, simpler.

Any go to favourites? What do you grab on the go?

Zingiest of the Zinggy Green Smoothie

My mom has recently started making smoothies a regular part of her and my dad's diet. Why? They're yummy, versatile and you can pack a million vitamins in there!

The best Summer skyyyyyyyy

She made one for me the other day that was so good that I was inspired to make more smoothies for myself! It's zingy and yummy and works as a good sip-able drink for breakfast, a refreshment on the go or a palate cleanser at the end of a meal.

Enjoy!

Cookin Tunes:
Pieces [Amanda Cook]
The Secret Place[Phil Wickham]
Through and Through [United Pursuit]

The Zingiest of the Zingy Green Smoothies

1 cup Baby spinach
1 cup water or coconut water
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 large apple (I like macintosh or even granny smith for a little extra umph)

Combine all in a high powered blender. Serve over ice or by itself. Feel free to substitute the apples for pears (bartlet or ya) which will give a little extra sweetness or you can throw in a few dates. If you like it a bit thicker than add chia, ice cubes or plain yogurt.

Boom- deliciousness served!

Vanilla and Banana Spiced Granola with Roasted Sunflower Seeds and Almonds.

Spring is Coming!

Another granola recipe. I just can't get enough. There's so many combos of things to try! Granola is a great healthy breakfast atop some yogurt, apple sauce or even by itself with milk. Additionally, its an easy to assemble meal that can be used as a quick grab and go breakfast when I'm in a rush! Plus, it's super cheap and easy to make- win win!

This recipe was inspired by the amazing weather we've been having. Sun= sunflower seeds. Banana= reminds me of the caribbean and tropical awesomeness. Roasted almonds= because they're way better than regular almonds. No eggs. No added sugar. No problem.

Cookin Tunes
The sappy mix:
Dancing on my Own [Calum Scott]
Purpose [Justin Bieber]
Night Changes [One Direction]

Vanilla & Banana Spiced Granola with Roasted Sunflower Seeds and Almonds

1 Medium banana (mashed)

2 tbsp Vanilla extract

1 cup Milk of choice (I use unsweetened almond)

4 cups Small flake oats

1 cup Almond slivers

1/2 cup Sunflower seeds

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowel and mix well.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread granola mixture evenly across the pan.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip over/ mix on pan. Return to oven.
5. Bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown and crunchy!
6. Serve with plain yogurt, fruit, on pancakes or with milk!

What do you serve with your granola? You might also like Autumn Apple and Maple Granola.

Butterscotch Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

Sad. It's all gone.

Who says it needs to be Autumn for us Canadians to enjoy pumpkin? Not this girl. I like pumpkin any time of the year, whether roasting in the oven, in a soup or...in a smoothie!

Cookin Tunes:
Over and Ovcer Again [Nathan Sykes]
Love Yourself [Justin Bieber]
Jealous [Labrinth]

Butterscotch Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

1/4 inch firm tofu

1tbsp butterscotch pudding mix

1 large frozen banana

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/4 cup pureed pumpkin

1/2 tbsp pumpkin spice

1 tbsp vanilla

3 ice cubes.

Combine all ingredients in a high power blender and blend! Bam! Magic! Deliciousness awaits.

Want something warm and pumkin-y? Try the Spicy Pumpkin Latte. Another great way to use that available-all-year pumpkin goodness :)

Peace y'all.

Autumn Apple Maple Granola

It's AUTUMN! You know what that means? Copious amounts of apple picking which leads to endless amounts of yummy apples in the pantry! I went apple picking with my family and some friends over the Thanksgiving weekend and came away with 80lbs in apples!

What on earth can I do with that many apples? After making pies, tarts and loads of apple sauce my family and I are still left with about 30lbs haha.

Next step? Slowly devour them as snacks, with peanut butter or use them in making delicious autumn inspired granola! Hope you enjoy this recipe, it's one of my favourites!

Cookin' Tunes:
Completely [Among the Thirsty]
This is Amazing Grace [Phil Wickham]
Say Love [JoJo]

Apple Maple Granola

3 cups oats

1-2 tbsp cinnamon

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup chopped almonds

5 dried, pitted dates

1 1/2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 medium apple

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Finely chop medium apple and dates.
3. Combine all ingredients into large mixing bowl. Mix well.

4. Spread parchment paper on two baking sheets and spread mixture evenly over the two pans.
5. Bake for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from oven, flip the granola
7.  Return to oven for 15 minutes- when golden brown and crunchy!
8. Enjoy!



Try with vanilla yogurt, as an addition to cereal (I eat mine with some vector) or apple sauce!

Love granola? Try the Apple Pecan Granola!
Love apples? You might like Apple Oat Muffins or a Dijon Apple Wrap!