Thank you Laura at Heavenly Homemakers for this wonderful, healthful recipe of hers! The kids flipped out over this! Soooo good! Doesn't seem like it could possible be healthy, but it is!

Ingredients:
1/4 c organic baking cocoa
1/4 c pure maple syrup
1 T butter
3 T sucanat

4 egg yolks
3 c milk
2 T arrowroot powder
1 t vanilla

I cook with stainless steal so I spray the pan first, then begin by adding milk, baking cocoa, egg yolks, maple syrup, sucanat, vanilla, and arrowroot powder. Stir continually over very low heat until starts to thicken. As soon as it begins thickening, remove from heat and add butter. Stir in until dissolved. 

Gluten free/Dairy free Gingerbread Cupcakes:
Pre-heat oven to 350

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups gf free all purpose flour mix ( i use Red Mill)
1 teaspoon xanthum gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening (Spectrum vegetable shortening which can be purchased at Giant)
1/2 cup white sugar (Agave can be used instead)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs
1 cup molasses
1 cup boiling/hot water

ALL ITEMS MUST BE AT ROOM TEMP (other than hot water lol). If you find that your mixing bowls have gotten a little chilly to the touch (even during the course of mixing) run the outside of the bowl in warm water.

Directions:
1) I first sift and mix together: flour mix, xantham gum, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Put aside
2) In a mixer, combine shortening and the two sugars. Beat at high speed for at least five minutes. You need the sugar/shortening mix to be light and fluffy. Cannot stress the importance of this step enough. This is where we will get lift without gluten.
3) Add the two eggs. Beat. Add the molasses. Beat.
4) Carefully and slowly add the dry ingredients and the hot water. Add each about a third at a time. Blending until just incorporated after each addition. I usually go dry, wet, dry, wet.
5) Fill either cupcake pan or cake pan only about 1/2 full.
6) As soon as you put the batter into the oven, lower the temp to 325
7) 20 min for cupcakes, check after 30 for cake

Best topping? A frosting with orange zest added

With this recipe for a 9-inch gluten-free graham cracker pie crust you can make a myriad of delicious gluten-free pies.Prep Time: 5 minutesCook Time: 8 minutesTotal Time: 13 minutesYield: 1 9-inch pie crustIngredients:

• 2 cups (about 6.5 ounces) crushed gluten-free graham crackers (I used Kinnikinnick brand "S'Moreables" Graham Style Crackers with good results.)
• 1/2 cup soft Spectrum vegetable shortening (this can be purchased 
• 2 tablespoons cane sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Preparation:Place 6.5 ounces gluten-free graham crackers in a ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush crackers into fine crumbs. Place crumbs in a bowl and add soft butter, sugar and nutmeg. Use a large spatula or your hands to thoroughly combine ingredients.

Pour crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate or tart pan with a removable bottom. Use your fingers to press the crumbs evenly into your pie pan.

For a baked crust place crust in a preheated oven to 375° F / 190° C. Bake for about 8 minutes or just until edges of crust start to brown.

For unbaked crust - chill in the refrigerator until firm, or alternatively, wrap crust and freeze.

Reminder: Always make sure your work surfaces, utensils, pans and tools are free of gluten. Always read product labels. Manufacturers can change product formulations without notice. When in doubt, do not buy or use a product before contacting the manufacturer for verification that the product is free of gluten.

Pumpkin Pie with Coconut Crust

PUMPKIN PIE
TOTAL TIME: 55 MIN.* MAKES 8-12 SERVINGS

Ingredients:
1 coconut crust
1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree or 2 cups fresh baked pumpkin
3 eggs
1/3- ½ cup honey or other natural sweetener, to taste
1 tsp dried ginger or 1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp powdered cloves
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 cup coconut milk (full fat)* Make sure it is Gluten free 

Steps:
1. Line a 9 inch pie pan with your choice of gluten-free crust. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat well. Add the rest of the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Pour batter into pie crust.

2. To avoid the crust getting burned, cover edges of pie pan with strips of aluminum foil until they just over the edges of the pie crust.

3. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes or until firm.

Per Serving (doesn’t include crust): 96 Calories; 4g Fat (37.2% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 64mg Cholesterol; 77mg Sodium.



NUT-FREE COCONUT PIE CRUST
TOTAL TIME: 10 MIN.* MAKES 8-12 SERVINGS

Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 cups dried, unsweetened coconut meat, finely shredded

Steps:
1. Mix the coconut with the butter or oil in a small bowl. Transfer to a buttered or oiled 9-inch pie pan and press firmly and evenly against the bottom and sides.

2. For pumpkin or pecan pie, add the filling and then bake according to recipe directions. This pie crust can also be baked by itself for 30 minutes at 300 degrees and then used with filling that doesn’t need to be baked, such as a Coconut Cream Pie.



Alternative Graham Cracker Crust in another post! 

For those of you who may be looking for a sweeter option for your wheat and dairy free diet, here is a classic that most people would think they'd have to live without but which is really simple to make.  

Ingredients

• 1 (11.5 ounce) package Enjoy Life (dairy, soy etc... free) chocolate chips, divided
• 1 cup organic peanut butter
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar (I used Organic Powdered Sugar)

Directions

1. Trim 12 paper baking cup liners to half of their height.
2. Place 1/2 chocolate chips in a microwave safe container. Microwave for 2 minutes, stirring after each minute. Spoon melted chocolate into muffin cups, filling halfway. With a spoon, draw the chocolate up the sides of the cups until evenly coated. Cool in the refrigerator until firm.
3. In a small bowl, mix together peanut butter, confectioners' sugar and salt. divide into the chocolate cups. Melt the remaining chocolate, and spoon over peanut butter. Spread chocolate to edges of cups. Cool until firm.  

Yummy Protein Bars

These are yummy and super easy! I hope you enjoy!
Ingredients:
1/3 bag natural or organic chocolate chips (I use Girardelli 65% cacoa)
2 cups almonds
1/2 cup prunes or raisins (I like it with prunes best)
1/2 c flax seed
1/2 c coconut, unsweetened
1/2 c coconut oil, 1 t coconut oil
1/2 c natural, no sugar added peanut butter
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t sea salt
1 t vanilla
2 T honey, agave, or maple syrup

In a food processor, chop nuts until tiny pieces but not crumbs. Add prunes and blend again. Add peanut butter, coconut, flax seed, cinnamon, salt. In a small saucepan, melt coconut oil, vanilla, and honey together. Pour into mixture and process on high until well blended.
Scoop into 8x8 pan. Refridgerate 30 minutes.
In a small saucepan, very low heat, melt 1 t coconut oil, then add chocolate chips. Whisk constantly until melted and spread over top. Refridgerate another 30 minutes.
Cut into bars or squares. Freezes well.






Peanut Butter Yogurt Delight

Jessie's Favorite Meal:
While I was messing around with our menu trying to find ways to work more calcium and Omega #'s into the kids' diet, I stumbled across this quick little combo and three of my kids love it. The other child doesn't eat yogurt so we are still working on hers.
Now, granted we go through outrageous amounts of yogurt but it is so good for them. The flax provides much needed fiber in a very digestable form (whole grains are great sources of fiber but are actually hard to digest unless they are soaked). Flax contains Omega 3s which assist in heart health and lignans which help protect our bodies from certain cancers. And of course, it provides diety fiber which benefits our digestive health.

1 cup organic vanilla or banilla yogurt ( I usually use Stonyfield because I am not into making my own yet)
1-2 T all natural or organic, no sugar or salt added peanut butter
1 T ground or milled flax seed

Mix together. SOOOOOO yummy! SHe eats everyday, at least once/day.

This recipe is from Laura over at Heavenly Homemakers....she has wonderful, healthy dessert and treat ideas. Her site is filled with tons of wonderful recipes and I must say I have enjoyed every one I have tried!

Creamy Vanilla Pudding

2 1/2 cups milk
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup real maple syrup (grade B is best for you) or honey
4 T. arrowroot powder (or organic corn starch)
1/4 t. sea salt
1 T. butter
1 t. vanilla

In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, egg yolks, maple syrup, arrowroot powder and salt.  Cook over medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY until pudding begins to thicken.  Stir over the heat for about 15 more seconds.  Remove immediately from the heat, and continue to stir until pudding is creamy.  (I use my whisk the whole time for stirring and find this works great!)  Add butter and vanilla and continue to stir until mixed.  Pour into serving dishes and serve warm, or chill for two hours and serve cold.