Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Every now and then my husband and I try a new diet, or a new way of eating just to see if we like it or if it makes any difference in our general health.  Currently my husband is trying out a Gluten Free lifestyle, and therefore, so are the rest of us. 

So far it's been pretty easy because I haven't baked anything in a while anyway and pasta's are easy enough to find in any grocery store.  It wasn't until I happened to notice the banana's on the counter looking a little dark that I decided to give a gluten free banana bread a try.  I already had all the ingredients so it was easy. 

If gluten free it new to you, your grocery store might have a section already dedicated to gluten free items which makes life so much easier. 

This recipe is easy to throw together.  The bread doesn't rise much to don't expect a big loaf here.  But the flavor is very good.  It's soft, full of banana and chocolate flavor and not overly dense.  I love that the sweetness from the banana's came through so no sugar is needed.  I have to be honest, that surprised me a bit.  Sometimes you try a no sugar recipe and you can definitely tell, but not on this one. Definitely a great gluten free recipe that I'll be making again. 

Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Recipe from AmbitiousKitchen

Ingredients

• 3 medium (1 1/4 cup) ripe banana's, mashed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (diary free if needed)

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray, then line with parchment paper and spray again.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the banana's, vanilla extract and almond butter and mix well.
4. Add the remaining ingredients mix until combined.
5. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle, comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 20 minutes before removing from the loaf pan.

Granma Pressley's World Best Cookies (Ranger Cookies)

Worlds best cookie? Well, I haven't eaten nearly enough cookies to decide if this is actually the worlds best or not.  I can tell you that it's pretty darn good.

Believe it or not, cookies can be made (and made well) without chocolate.  I know!  I was shocked too!

I was surfing Facebook one day when one of my friends posted this recipe.  It was her grandmothers recipe and she gave me permission to put it on my blog.  I'm so glad she did because I shared some with my neighbors (because this recipe makes a ton of cookies) and they all raved about them!  I find myself going back and then back again.  They are so buttery, the center is chewy but the edges are crispy.  All the flavors are really subtle but they work so well together.

The cookie itself is very light feeling, which is probably why I think I can just eat them continuously.  Make no mistake, they aren't diet food AT ALL!, but the texture is right on. And it helps if you tell yourself that oatmeal is good for you. ;)

Grandma Pressley's Worlds Best Cookie (Ranger Cookies)

Recipe from grandma Pressley via Cindy C. (Thanks for sharing your family recipe with me)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 whole egg
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup crushed cornflakes
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325º
2. Cream the butter and both sugar's together in the bowl of your stand mixer until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and incorporate.
4. Add the oil and mix.
5. Add the oats, cornflakes, coconut and pecans and mix well.
6. Add the flour, baking soda, salt and vanilla. Mix well.
7. Form balls about the size of a walnut and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Flatten the balls using a fork dipped in water.
9. Bake for 12 minutes.
10. Makes about 18 dozen cookies.

Gaia Cookies

Yea, these are good cookies.

I mean the list of ingredients is everything that I like, but I put it to the test with my daughter, and guess what? She liked them.  I didn't tell her there was coconut and walnuts in there.  She wouldn't have even given them a chance if I had done that. I pretty much had her after "chocolate chips" anyway.

Where as these cookies are much flatter then other cookies, I find that they are still chewy and hold together well when cooled.  I'm not going to tell you that they are a gorgeous looking cookie, but their taste makes up for it.

I used raisins and craisins for the "dried fruit" portion of the recipe but I really can't wait to try it with some of the other suggestions. Dried cherries is pretty much all I can think about right now.

I got this recipe from one of the books I read recently, Bread & Wine, where it was indicated that the author got/duplicated this recipe from a favorite place that she used to visit.  I was curious about what the word Gaia meant.  According to wikipedia, Gaia was in Greek Mythology "The personification of Earth", "The great creator of all", "The Primal Greek Mother Goddess".  So, this cookie is under a little bit of pressure don't you think? I certainly can see how it got the name.  It does seem like it's got all good things from the earth in it.  Maybe by eating them you begin to feel more Goddess like? I don't know but I've eaten about 10 so far and I don't feel much different.  Well my clothes might be a little tighter...

Gaia Cookies

Recipe from Bread & Wine page 211

Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter at room temperature.
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped dates, raisins, dried cherries or cranberries or any combination

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
3. Cream together the butter and brown sugar
4. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. 
5. Add flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and mix well. 
6. Add the coconut, walnuts, chocolate chips and whichever dried fruit you are using.  Mix well. 
7. Drop by Tbsp onto the prepared cookie sheets. 
8. Refrigerate so the dough is cold - 10 minutes or so.
9. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden. 

Coconut Macaroon Nutella Nests

I can hardly believe that Easter is right around the corner.  I'm not prepared, as usual.  I just thought these little cookies were so adorable I had to make them.  My daughter won't eat coconut but that's OK, I will. 

I love a good macaroon.  If you're coconut, there is nothing like a good chewy macaroon. Ton's of sweet coconut flavor which is already sweet enough, add the center of Nutella and top it with some candy eggs and you have got a very decadent treat. 

Adorable for your Easter table, even if the adults are the only one's eating them!

Coconut Macaroon Nutella Nests

Recipe from Two Peas and their Pod

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 large egg white
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 cup sweetened coconut
• 1 cup Nutella
• 1 bag Easter Egg Candy (I used Cadbury White Mini Eggs)

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325º
2. Line two cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
3. In a medium bowl, add the sweetened condensed milk, egg white, vanilla and salt and stir together until smooth.
4. Add the coconut and stir.
5. Drop about two tablespoons of the mixture onto the cookie sheet. Use your thumb to make a hole in the middle and shape like a nest.
6. Bake for 17 - 20 minutes, or until the coconut is turning golden brown. Remove and deepen the hole in the middle again. 
7. Let sit on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. 
8. Let the cookies cool all the way before decorating. 
9. To decorate, add about a small amount of Nutella in the middle hole.  Top with eggs. Serve. 
10. Store in an air-tight container on the counter. 

Sweet Potato Spice Cookies

I know I'm a little late, compared to other food bloggers, to be breaking out the fall recipes.  I wanted to try something different from the usual pumpkin recipes (but don't worry because I'll be getting some pumpkin this weekend). I happened to have all of these ingredients in my pantry so it seemed meant to be.

After the first batch was in the oven I was thinking, yea these are gonna be good.  The smell is so homey and holidayish.  Cinnamon just floods my brain with memories of gramma's house, so comforting.

There is every ingredient but the kitchen sink in these cookies, most of which are healthy.  Don't get me wrong, this isn't health food but if you're going to eat a cookie at least you can feel good about the added healthy ingredients, right?  And don't worry, if you're not a fan of some of the ingredients like coconut, you can't really taste that, it's more of a texture thing. The orange juice is a very faint background taste.  The best way to describe it is warm and comforting.  The spices are perfect and after two days they are still moist and delicious.  Definitely a new holiday favorite in my house.

Sweet Potato Spice Cookies

Recipe from TasteOfHome

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup finely shredded raw sweet potato
• 3 Tbsp orange juice concentrate*
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats*
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350º
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, blend the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. 
3. Add in the egg and shredded sweet potato and blend. 
4. Next add the orange juice concentrate and mix. 
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg and then slowly incorporate it into the rest of the mix. 
6. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined. 
7. Use a cookie scoop or two Tablespoons to place balls of dough onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. 
8. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until set. 
9. Move to a cooling rack. 

*I didn't have orange juice, or orange extract, or a fresh orange.  I used one tangerine and I zested it and juiced it.  Seemed to work out just fine. 

*I didn't have quick cooking oats, I took old fashioned oats and cut them into smaller pieces. 

Samoa Brownies

If you've got any Girl Scouts in your life or your neighborhood then you've probably heard of or eaten those insanely good Samoa Cookies they have.  They are one of my favorites, so I was thrilled to see a brownie that mimics that flavor.  

Much to my dismay, my husband said he wasn't a huge caramel fan AFTER I'd already made a batch of these.  How he's been married to me for 14 years without my knowledge of this personality flaw is beyond me.  Caramel is by far one of my favorite flavors.  However, he's a trooper and still tried them to make sure they were edible.  After his third one, he agreed they are pretty fantastic.  Very chewy, gooey, sweet and flavorful all rolled into one brownie.  

My husband said that his only fix would be to have less topping.  So if you'd like to scale back feel free to cut that part of the recipe in half. This full recipe does pile on the caramel and coconut. 

Easy to assemble but do allow yourself some time for cooling the refrigeration time needed. 

Samoa Brownies

Recipe from SixSistersStuff

Ingredients

• 1 box brownie mix, basic
• 3 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• 2 (14 oz) packages individually wrapped caramels
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp milk
• 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips - add a tiny bit of shortening if you need it more pourable. 

Cooking Directions

1. Bake the brownies as indicated on the box, use the 9x13 inch pan option. Let cool.
2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees, spread the coconut all over a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 2 minutes, then stir and bake for 2 more minutes keeping a careful eye on it so it doesn't burn. Remove when golden brown and let cool.
3. In a medium sized microwavable safe bowl, unwrap the caramels, add the salt and milk and microwave on high at 1 minute intervals, stirring after each minute until smooth and completely melted.
4. Add the coconut into the caramel and mix thoroughly.
5. Spread the coconut mixture over the top of the cooled brownies and let cool, then refrigerate for at least 4-5 hours or overnight.
6. Remove from the refrigerator an hour before you plan to serve and drizzle with the melted chocolate. Let chocolate set before cutting.
7. Store in the refrigerator but remove at least 30 minutes before you plan to serve because the caramel will be very hard.

Dressed-up Coconut Macaroons

I know what you're thinking.  OK, actually I have no idea what you're thinking.  Why dress up a perfectly delicious macaroon? Because I can. Because it's pretty. Because it's perfect for Easter!

I'm a big fan of coconut and I know that some people don't like it at all, if you're one of those people then you won't like this recipe. 

If you're still with me then you're in for a very big sugar high to start out long sugar filled weekend. Macaroons are already pretty darn sweet, dip them in white chocolate and add sugary sprinkles and you've got yourself a jolt for sure. I think a nice dark chocolate would work very well here if you want to tone it down a bit. 

I love seasonal sprinkles, such an easy and cute way to decorate.

I love the macaroons all by themselves, I sampled a small piece before dipping them and they are golden and crunchy on the outside but chewy and moist on the inside.  Definitely a keeper even if you don't want to "dress them up".

Happy Easter everyone!

Coconut Macaroons

Recipe from Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large egg whites at room temperature
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or other non-stick liner.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the coconut, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
4. In the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form.
5. Carefully add the egg white mixture into the coconut mixture and fold together.
6. Use a 1 and 3/4 inch cookie scoop to place the mixture on the prepared cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown, cool and serve.

Additional Items needed to "Dress-up" your macaroons: 

• 2 - 4 oz white chocolate bars, melted over a double boiler
• sprinkles, candies, nuts or whatever.

1. Take each cooled cookie and dip half way into the melted chocolate and all the way on the bottoms.  
2. Place on a sheet of wax paper and then garnish with whatever topping you're using. 
3. Let dry completely. 

Toasted Coconut Smore Bark

I created this little bark recipe because apparently there aren't already enough ways to eat a smore.  I admit that I love smores very much, and I've passed this similarity down to my daughter.  I'm lucky that I have a gas stove so that I can pacify my daughters whim's when they roll around.  I of course have one too just so she isn't eating alone. It wouldn't be nice to let her eat by herself after all.  I'm a good mom like that.

The chocolate layer is first on the jelly roll pan, make sure to cover the pan with wax paper.  I only used one bag of chocolate above which is why it doesn't go to the edges of the pan. 

Once you've poured the marshmallow on top of the chocolate, sprinkle it with the graham cracker and coconut right away while it's still warm so it'll cling to the warm marshmallow. The heat from the marshmallow will also adhere to the chocolate. 

I decided to create my own version of a smore by changing it up a little and make it a bark and then fancied it up with some toasted coconut.  It's a winner for sure.  I find it best to serve the bark pieces on top of a graham cracker and then microwave it for about 8 seconds.  Now you have an ooey gooey marshmallow and it's easier to hold.

If you're not a fan of coconut feel free to leave it off or replace it with something else yummy that you enjoy.  I'm betting your favorite nuts or candies would be delicious.  If for some reason you feel like making the marshmallow from scratch isn't really your thing, I bet you could pour a bag of mini marshmallows over the top of the chocolate and toast it with a kitchen torch or maybe very quickly under a broiler (be careful with this option as you might get a melted chocolate mess).

I hope you enjoy it as much as my family has.  This would be a great little dessert to bring to a party, just sayin.

Toasted Coconut Smore Bark

Ingredients

• 2 (12 oz) packages milk or dark chocolate chips
• 1 recipe marshmallow (below)
• 2 cups sweetened coconut (toasted)
• 2 cups graham cracker pieces

Cooking Directions

1. Line an 11 1/2 x 17 inch jelly roll pan with wax paper, set aside.
2. Use a double boiler to melt the chocolate over a simmer. Immediately pour the chocolate into the prepared pan and spread around so you have an even layer of chocolate.
3. Refrigerate the chocolate for about 30 minutes.
4. In a large fry pan, toast the coconut over medium heat until golden brown, stirring constantly. Be careful as it can quickly burn.
5. Remove from the heat and put into another dish to stop the cooking process.
6. Use your hands to break up the graham crackers to desired size. Place in the same dish as the toasted coconut.
7. Pour the marshmallow (below) over the cooled chocolate and immediately top with the crushed graham cracker and toasted coconut.
8. Let sit for several hours or overnight to harden.
9. Use a sharp knife to cut squares.

Ina Garten Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows

Recipe from Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine 1/2 cup of cold water and the gelatin. Let sit while you make the syrup.
2. In a medium sauce pan combine 1/2 water with the sugar, salt and corn syrup.
3. Over medium heat dissolve the sugar, then turn the heat up and cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees.
4. Slowly pour the hot syrup down the sides of the mixing bowl into the gelatin mixture.
5. Start the mixer on slow and slowly increase the speed until it is on high. Mix until the marshmallow has tripled in size and is very thick, about 10-15 minutes.
6. Generously dust a 9x12 inch non-metal baking dish with confectioners sugar.
7. Pour the marshmallow into the prepared dish and dust with additional confectioners sugar.  
8. Let sit overnight to harden. 
9. Turn the marshmallows out onto a board and cut into squares.