Friday, January 16, 2015

Chocolate Chip Almond Flour Cookies


I need to talk to you about the last chocolate chip cookie recipe you will ever need.


It’s this one. This recipe for amazing, delicious, silky Chocolate Chip Almond Flour Cookies is the game changer.

I know these are big statements but I cannot stop eating this cookies. And neither can Cory. Mr. “I don’t eat sweets” REQUESTED that I make ANOTHER batch of these glorious cookies because, well, they change lives.


The secret is in the flour, or rather the fact that I replace half of the all-purpose flour with almond flour. The crumb is so soft and delicate that I almost named these Chocolate Chip Cloud Cookies!

Like any soft-batch cookie, this recipe requires a few tablespoons of melted butter and that is totally OK. We will add 2 egg whites, a cup of brown sugar, and a generous 4 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the party. The vanilla and the almond create one of the tastiest cookies I have ever known.


Wet ingredients mix with dry, which as I mentioned include almond flour, along with regular flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and cornstarch. A wooden spoon and a bit of elbow grease is all you need. Things finish up with semi-sweet chocolate chips, and that requires no explanation.


Be sure to keep an eye on these cookies while they are in the oven. They should hold their shape for the most part. They are baked until just set, to the point that they may still seem under-cooked, but trust your instincts. A tender cookie makes for a happy belly. Let’s get baking!

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Loaded Vegetable Honey Whole Wheat Flatbread


See, I have this problem.


Every year I am so ready to start up my New Year's Resolutions just like every other basic betch. I want to get in shape, I want to eat healthier, I want to feel good.


But then I remember how much I love pizza and BAM! New year, same me.

This year I resolve that loving pizza and sticking to a healthier diet doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. Enter: Loaded Vegetable Honey Whole Wheat Flatbread.


We are taking all of the vegetables and a fresh, homemade tomato sauce, piling them high on a honey whole wheat quick pizza crust and topping it all with melted, gooey part-skim mozzarella cheese. Sure, this isn't totally guilt free, but when those insatiable pizza cravings hit and you start to reach for the take-out menu, let this delicious pizza be the new norm.


The really great thing about this pizza is that you can customize it to your liking. My vegetables pictured here include kale, asparagus, zucchini and mushrooms, but feel free to dig through your crisper drawer and find what veggies work for you! In fact, you may notice only half of my pizza has mushrooms. That's because a certain fiance who shall not be named, for some crazy reason, does not like mushrooms. We don't judge. We accommodate the picky eaters in our lives.


For the sauce, instead of using store bought pizza sauce that's loaded with unwanted sugars and salts and who knows what else, I simply added a can of no salt added diced tomatoes to a food processor with garlic and a salt-free Italian seasoning. Cook it down a bit until it's thickened and there you have it. It's great knowing exactly what you're putting into your body.


When it comes to this flatbread, I know I am eating whole, fresh ingredients that make my taste buds do the happy dance.


P.S. Over New Years Resolutions? Here are some outrageous pizzas from Gas Stove Girl, previously.

Chicken, Spinach and Artichoke Pizza
Sausage and Broccoli Pizza
Chicken Pot Pie Pizza with Parmesan Ranch Cream Sauce