Gluten-free fudgy chocolate-coconut cookies

Keeping with the chocolate theme, here's a gluten-free recipe for chocolate cookies. Of all the chocolate recipes I've developed recently, this one is my favorite. I don't mind telling you this: I'm munching through a plate of these as I type.

These cookies are moist and fudgy, and packed with coconut flavor. They remind me of bounty bars, without the sugar overload.

These cookies are easy enough to put together after a workday, and I make these whenever a chocolate craving strikes. Like today. They also keep well in the fridge for 3 days. I like to warm them up in a toaster oven to enjoy with tea or coffee.

If you're here for the chocolate, give these a go!



Prep time: 2-3 minutes
Cooking time: 16-18 minutes per batch

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup brown rice or oat flour (see notes)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup greek yogurt (see notes)
4 tbsp flavorless oil or canned coconut milk/cream (see notes)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
About 1/4 cup flaked coconut to top the cookies

Method:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees f.
- Mix all the dry ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients and mix well to combine. Mixture will be stiff.
- Drop by heaped tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet. I used a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop in the demo video. Top with a little extra flaked coconut. Flatten with a spoon to embed the coconut into the batter.
- Bake for about 15- 16 minutes or until just firm to the touch.
- Cool on the cookie sheet for a minute or two and then enjoy warm.

Notes, substitutions and variations: 

Brown rice or oat flour: Either kind of flour works here. You could also try buckwheat flour, or even sub with regular flour, if you don't need a gluten-free cookie. If you don't have oat flour, you can grind your own from rolled oats. Just put them in a blender and blitz until fine. And be prepared to put some time into getting the right texture, because that flour has got be fine... like flour.

Greek yogurt: I really wouldn't recommend using regular yogurt. I feel that the moisture content varies from brand to brand and your results wouldn't be consistent with mine. On the other hand, I've tested different brands of greek yogurt in this recipe and the results are fairly consistent across the board. If you can't get a hold of greek yogurt, just strain a little more than 1/2 cup of regular yogurt through a cloth-lined sieve for several hours until yogurt is thick. This should give you a little more than the 1/4 cup needed for this recipe.

Canned coconut cream/milk or flavorless oil: First of all, do not confuse coconut milk with coconut water. Nor is it the same as coconut-derived milk substitutes. This is much richer and denser. Do look for coconut milk without guar gum or other additives. This is likely to separate and solidify in the can. If that happens, just put the can into some hot water and the coconut fat will melt. Then mix and use.

This recipe does need some fat for moisture.  I've used coconut milk because it lends an additional layer of coconut flavor to this recipe, but it isn't essential. I've also made these cookies with flavorless oil, which works great too.

If you're of a mind to substitute the fat with, say, applesauce, I will only say that you do need some fat in the recipe or the cookies will be too dry. But never be afraid to experiment :-)

That's it for variations and substitutions! If you have suggestions, questions, or if you try this recipe, I'd love to know!

Amina

Turmeric-ginger tea: Boost your energy!

Today, I’m going to share my method for making a turmeric and ginger infusion. It takes only a few minutes and just 4 ingredients, one of them being water. I make this whenever I’m under the weather or suffering from seasonal allergies.

I will discuss the ingredients in greater detail below. But first, the ‘recipe’. 

1.5 cups of water 

1/2 inch piece of turmeric root, sliced (or use 1/4- 1/3 tsp dried turmeric)

8-10 pepper corns

1/2 inch piece of ginger root, sliced

Put all of these ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 4-5 minutes. 

Today, I wanted to use this infusion as a base for tea, so I’ve added some tea bags and milk. I simmered that for an additional 2-3 minutes, then took it off the heat. I then added some honey and mentally checked out while I sipped the tea for the next 20 minutes. 

The addition of black tea suppresses the flavor of the turmeric, while the spicy notes of ginger come through the milk and honey. It’s really quite nice! 

So why this particular combination of ingredients, you ask? 

I use ginger and turmeric roots for their anti-inflammatory properties, black pepper to maximize the absorption of Curcumin from the turmeric, black tea for its astringent properties (and the caffeine), and milk for its fat content, as a carrier for the Curcumin. 

Ginger tea or infusion has been used in my family for many, many years to soothe sore throats and calm coughing. Ginger’s anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties also might help strengthen the body’s responses to inflammatory aggressors, so ginger tea is often part of most South Asian traditional and home medicine repertoires. 

Turmeric also has an anti-inflammatory and immunity-supporting compound called Curcumin, which has been the subject of some research over the past decade or so. Studies have found that Curcumin may help sooth inflammation and fight infection, lower blood pressure and support the liver, among other things. You can read more about it here: Uses of Turmeric on Web MD and Article citing studies on prevention.org

Now, I always encourage looking for at least 2 independent sources for any information we might be basing important decisions off of, such as decisions pertaining to our health and wellbeing. So please do that if you intend to use turmeric or ginger for medicinal purposes. 

We do find tons of anecdotal evidence going back many generations for the health benefits of ginger and turmeric roots. Turmeric in particular is often cited in Indian Ayurvedic medicine as a cure for many ills. But without further studies to determine optimal dosage and efficacy, both ginger and turmeric are supplements at best. 

One final note: Ginger, turmeric and black pepper are all considered warmth-generating spices. You will notice I haven’t used very much of these in my ‘recipe’ above, and that’s mainly to keep the spices from overwhelming my system. I want this tea to make me feel good, not bouncing off the walls. 

If you’ve never tried this combination before, my advice would be to start low, perhaps one cup of this tea every other day and gradually build up from that. You could always play with the recipe quantities to get the best mix for you.

I do hope you give this infusion a try. If you do, let me know what you think... share your photos or feedback below! 

Amina

Zingy, tangy, spicy chicken

This citrus-y recipe is one of my favorite ways to prepare chicken. When I’m meal-prepping this recipe, I know I’ll find a way to finish it before any other proteins I’ve prepared for the week. This savory dish works just as well with lemon, and I wouldn’t be averse to trying it with grapefruit. Try adding a quarter teaspoon of grated zest for added zing.

Prep time: 10 - 15 minutes
Marinate: 10-15 minutes (optional)
Cook time: 9- 11 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb Chicken, cut into strips (see notes below)
3/4 tsp salt
1.5 tsp garam masala (see notes below)
2 tbsp jalapeño, chopped (see notes below)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (see notes below)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
3 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/4 cup cilantro chopped extra

Method:

Coat chicken with all the ingredients, reserving the extra 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro.

Let sit for 10-15 minutes. This is optional, but if you have the time, this will make for a more flavorful chicken.

Heat 2 tsp flavorless oil in a skillet. Sear chicken on high heat for about 1.5 minutes on either side. Then lower heat to medium and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, until chicken is done. Cooking time may vary according to how thick your chicken is sliced.

Turn off heat.

Stir in the reserved 1/4 cup of cilantro and serve.

Notes: substitutions and variations

Chicken: You can substitute with fish or shrimp which do just fine without marinating. Just be aware that garlic doesn’t go all that well with all kinds of fish, so stick with less pungent varieties.

Garam masala: This has become available in most American supermarkets over the past few years. If you’ve never cooked with it before, I’d recommend buying a small jar or bottle, unless you know you like the flavor.

Garam masala is a mix of several different spices, including black pepper, black cumin, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves, so it’s difficult to substitute it with other things. But if you don’t like spicy foods, try cumin in this recipe instead.

Jalapeño: Jalapeño provides heat in this recipe. If you don’t like spicy foods, try substituting with green bell pepper. It won’t be the same thing in my opinion, but it’ll give you the pepper flavor without the bite.

Cilantro: Can I substitute parsley for cilantro, a work friend asked me. My gut response was no, they’re very different herbs. But on second thought, you could make this recipe with parsley and lemon (not lime), and add a sprig or two of thyme to ground the flavor. If cooking with parsley, add to the dish only after turning off the heat at the end to preserve both color and flavor of the herb.

If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to see your photos or hear from you.

Happy cooking!

Decadent Dark Chocolate Dessert Squares - Gluten-free, no added sugars, no butter!!

These delicious chocolate squares are luscious, silky and decadent, without an ounce of butter or added sugar. They are also gluten-free and full of fiber and healthy fats. Serve with raspberry coulis, ice cream, or lemon custard cream (recipe coming soon).

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Baking: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup dutch process or red cocoa powder (I used Guittard)

1/4 cup hot water

3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate (I used Guittard) or sub with 1/2 cup cocoa powder+ 2 tbsp vegetable fat

2.5 medium avocados (I used Haas) sub with 1/2 cup fat of choice

22 Medjool dates, pitted. Sub with 3/4 to 1 cup sweetener of choice 

1/4 cup hot water

4 large eggs

1 cup oat flour or sub with equal amount of four of choice. For wheat flour, reduce quantity to 3/4 cup 

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease and line a 9 by 9 inch cake pan.

- Bloom the cocoa in 1/4 cup hot water
- Break the baking chocolate into chunks. Microwave on high for 20 seconds and stir. Then microwave in 10 second increments until chocolate is melted, stirring after each blast. Allow to come to room temperature.
- In food processor, blend the avocados until creamy.
- Blend the pitted dates with 1/4 cup hot water until smooth. Try to get this as smooth as possible.
- In a large bowl,  mix the avocados, cocoa mixture and dates mixture. Add the eggs and combine. Add vanilla.
- Stir in the oat flour.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center of the mix comes out clean.

Let cool completely before removing from pan. Chill before serving.

If you try this recipe, I'd love to see your photos. Please leave a comment here, on my YouTube channel or reply to my pin if you followed it here.

Happy baking!!

Is that ginger, or turmeric?

Some of my local American grocery stores have recently begun stocking turmeric root next to the ginger. That made my heart sing: No longer do I have to make an extra trip to specialty store to pick up the root. And since its easier to come by now, I tend to use it more often and prefer its taste over that of dried turmeric. I just use a little more of the fresh stuff. So about a tablespoon of fresh turmeric where I would use perhaps 3/4 teaspoons of regular old dried turmeric.

But several folks have asked how to identify fresh turmeric roots. Especially if its sitting next to ginger and other roots in an Asian grocery store where produce isn't labeled in English.

I'm assuming you already know what ginger root looks like. Kind of. Right? But you're holding another root that looks like ginger and are wondering if that's turmeric, or something else? If that's you, read on!

First, the looks:

The ginger root you'll find in most American grocery stores is typically larger than turmeric root. It's also mostly a light yellow color, under a yellow-brown skin.

Turmeric root is just a hair smaller, but decidedly more orange. Its color can range from light coral orange to a more saturated hue. The skin is papery and thin, like very young ginger roots. Or raw carrots. Turmeric will also stain skin and nails a bright orange-yellow within seconds of contact when cut. So watch out for that too.

Second, the feel:

Ginger root, even fresh, young roots, are fibrous compared to turmeric. Turmeric breaks easily when flexed, while ginger root tends to break with more of a snap. Turmeric root also feels springier to the touch, whereas ginger root doesn't give much, if at all.

Third, the aroma:

Ginger root has a spicy fragrance. If you are familiar with dried ginger, fresh ginger will have a brighter aroma, where dried ginger is a little earthier. But they're very similar. If you are familiar with one, you'll recognize the other.

Turmeric root sometimes smells like dried turmeric, but not always. It will sometimes have a faintly floral, woody smell.

Finally, if you're still unsure, just chew on a small piece. Turmeric root will have faint turmeric notes with spicy tones. Ginger will taste like, well, ginger.

If you're still in doubt (and Asian grocery stores don't always have staff available to help in the aisles), just take your roots to the checkout counter, and they'll help you. Perhaps not service with a smile, but you'll walk out with the right root for your food!

Now that you have your turmeric root, why not give my easy, clean and delicious soup recipe above a try? It’s great for a quick pick-me-up and full of good-for-you ingredients.

Hope this helps!