Sugar Cookies

Christmas is my favorite time of the year! I love the excitement and anticipation, the brisk, cool air, the Christmas carols playing everywhere, the decorations, and all of the Christmas cheer! I decorate my Christmas Tree on the day after Thanksgiving, with the Mariah Carey Christmas album blaring (who doesn't love singing "All I Want for Christmas is You" at the top of their lungs?). My favorite Christmas album, though, is Andrew Peterson's "Behold the Lamb of God," which tells the story of advent through song. I love the opening phrase of the album:

"Gather 'round, ye children, come

Listen to the old, old story

Of the power of death undone

by an Infant born of Glory.

Son of God, Son of Man"

My family loves celebrating together with sweet treats, singing, laughter, and the joy of the true meaning of Christmas. One of our "sweet treat" traditions are Christmas tree sugar cookies from my Aunt Kathy. I don't know what she does to those cookies, but they are AMAZING. So this year, I decided to make a gluten-free version of these delicious cookies so I won't miss out on all the Christmas tree cookie fun. These gluten-free sugar cookies are dairy free and refined sugar free. They taste great with or without frosting! And the best part is, they taste so close to my Aunt's classic cookie that my cousins might not know the difference!

Sugar Cookies
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder (make your own!)
3/4 cup grapeseed oil
1 egg
1 cup coconut sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract (make your own!)

1. In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine grapeseed oil, egg, coconut sugar, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
3. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until everything is incorporated.
4. Form the dough into a disc, and wrap in wax paper, and then in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Place dough between two sheets of wax paper. Roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness, and cut with cookie cutters. (You will not need to flour the dough if you roll between wax paper.)
7. Carefully transfer cut dough to parchment lined baking sheet.
8. Bake for 7 - 9 minutes, being careful not to over bake.
9. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a cooling rack.
10. Cool completely before serving or frosting.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Sugar Cookie Frosting
This frosting is taken from All Recipes. I used Almond Milk and India Tree natural food coloring,  so it is dairy free! I highly recommend using natural food coloring over regular food coloring, which contains harmful chemicals. I also used Spectrum Organic Shortening, which is dairy free and soy free! Instead of soy oil, it is made with palm oil.

4 cups powdered sugar (make sure to buy organic for corn-free)
1/2 cup shortening
5 tablespoons almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
food coloring, if desired

Cream shortening, powdered sugar, and shortening until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.
Stir in vanilla extract. Color the frosting in smaller batches.
Frost cookies with a thin layer of frosting.

Autumn Chopped Salad & Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

I have a new obsession: Pinterest. It is so much fun! It was on Pinterest that I found this beautiful salad with pears, cranberries, pecans, and feta, and knew I had to try it. The recipe calls for two dressings - poppy seed and balsamic vinaigrette. Since I don't use store bought dressings because of their mysterious ingredients, I decided to come up with my own poppy seed dressing for this yummy looking salad. I have since made this salad twice - in one week! Instead of using both dressings, I used just the poppy seed dressing, and it was great.

Click here to go to the Autumn Chopped Salad. 

Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

1/3 cup white wine vinegar

2/3 cup olive oil

1 tsp dry ground mustard

2 green onions, white parts removed

1/4 cup +  1 Tbsp agave nectar

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp poppy seeds

1. Combine vinegar, dry ground mustard, green onions, agave nectar, and salt in a blender and blend on high until combined.

2. Reduce speed to medium, and very slowly drizzle in olive oil. 

3. Once combined, turn blender off and stir in poppy seeds.

4. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.