Apple Cinnamon Cookies

These cookies are very easy to make and low sugar.  I'm sorry I don't have a story to tell you about these.  I had intended to make them for Thanksgiving, but didn't have time.  I finally got around to it! This is the first batch of cookies I make using the almonds directly rather than almond flour.  These are perfect for someone trying to avoid too much sweetener of any kind.  This is just sweetened with apples.

Ingredients:

2 cups red apple skin on
2 cups raw almonds (I soaked mine overnight, but not necessary)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 TBS cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp coconut oil
3 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine all ingredients in food processor except eggs (split up ingredients if they don't all fit in your food processor).
3. Pulse them until they are small, but chunky
4. Combine the ingredients with the eggs in a bowl and mix well
5. Make patties with your hands and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. (Mine were about two inches across).
6.  Bake for about 30 minutes until done.

Gluten Free Bento Lunch 1

What's in this lunch?This is a gluten free lunch.  Some items are grain free, some items are dairy free, some items are vegan.  This is a whole mestizaje of types of diets.

1. Raw Candied Nuts

2. Dried Apricots

3. Flax Muffins

4. Carrots and Hummus

5. Rochel's Cashew Bread

6. Low Fat Chicken Salad

7. Asparagus and Quinoa Salad

Asparagus and Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 lb asparagus (about 10-12 stalks)
2 bell peppers
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup red onion
2 TBS parsley
2 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp coconut sugar

1. Rinse quinoa very well and put in the saucepan. Add the water to the quinoa in a large saucepan.  2. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.  Simmer until tender about 15 minutes.
3. Cut the asparagus.  Roast the asparagus in the oven with a little bit of olive oil sprayed on the asparagus or brushed on the asparagus.
4. Combine the asparagus, bell pepper, sunflower seeds, spring onions and parsley with the quinoa.
5. Whisk the lemon juice, sugar, oil, and paprika until well combined and add the mixture.
6.  Season with black pepper and sea salt to taste.

Low Fat Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
1 lb cooked skinless boneless chicken breasts.  This is one of my time saving tricks - I always have a stash of this precooked chicken breast strips in the freezer.
1/2 cup celery chopped into small pieces
1/3 cup pickles minced
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use the reduced calorie version from Trader Joe's, but if you want a paleo mayonnaise, there are plenty of recipes --- here's one: Paleo Mayonnaise
1/4 cup non fat sour cream (maybe you can adjust this and add more as needed).
2 TBS parsley
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix until blended.  This is a great quick lunch.

Flax Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown flax meal
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 TBS coconut flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup Medjool dates, pitted
3 large eggs
2 TBS coconut oil
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line approximately 8 muffin liners with paper lines
3. In a food processor, pulse together the flax meal, pumpkin seeds, coconut flour, making soda, and salt until the mixture is grainy.
4. Add the dates and pulse until the dates are well chopped.
5. Pulse in the eggs and coconut oil until combined.
6. Remove the blade and fold in the raisins, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.
7. Scoop about 1/4 cup of the batter into each muffin cup.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Raw Candied Nuts

1. Use any combination of soaked nuts of seeds with a liquid sweetener such as agave or maple syrup.  Use a 1 cup nuts to 1/4 cup sweetener as the ratio. 
2. Add spices and flavorings. 
3. Stir the nuts until evenly coated.  
4. Spread on a lined dehydrator for 24 hours at 118 degrees.  
5. Store in a glass, air tight container.  

In this combination I used:

1 cup soaked almonds

1 cup soaked walnuts

(I threw in a few cashews because I had some leftover from something else)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

Raw Vegan Breakfast Bars

These require no baking or cooking - just soaking of almonds and using a food processor.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup almonds, soaked
1 1/2 cups dates (dried, pitted)
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dried mango
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
3 TBS cacao nibs.

Note: I dried my own cherries and mango.  It took about a cup and a half to get 1/2 cup dried.  However, you don't have to do this of course.  Just buy them already dried if you want to avoid this step.  Unfortunately you can't skip the soaking of the almonds.  They are so much better tasting, they work better when you blend them, and you get the full nutritional benefits of the almond when you soak.

1. In a food processor, process the almonds and the dates until they are well chopped and stick together. 
2. Add the cherries and mango and pulse to incorporate. 
3. Add the sunflower seeds, pepitas, and cacao nibs and pulse until combined.  
4. Press the mixture into an 8x8 container.  Place the in the freezer so they are easier to get out from the container, turn out onto a board, and cut into squares.  
5. Wrap them and store them in the fridge or freezer.  

You can play with this recipe by substituting the nuts or different dried fruits.  I was thinking about using dried apricots instead of dates because Atzin is not crazy about dates and I was thinking about trying cocao powder instead of the nibs.  So go ahead and experiment with this one.  The basic idea is using nuts as the base, something like the dates as a sweetener and to hold it together, then the other seeds and fruits as additional flavor and texture. I do love the look of the cherries and the pumpkin seeds.