Grain-Free, Gluten-Free Oreos

Yes. Grain-Free, Gluten-Free Oreo sandwich cookies. I get all giddy inside just looking at that picture. As a kid, I loved oreos. I, along with the rest of the world, used to separate each cookie - one plain chocolate wafer and one with cream - and lovingly dunk them into a large glass of milk. I daresay my favorite part was drinking the milk at the end, when all of the chocolate wafer pieces would be in that last sip. Yum. So, you can imagine my excitement when homemade oreo recipes started popping up all over the place. It seems like so many food blogs have their own version of the perfect chocolate sandwich cookie. But, unfortunately for me, none of these recipes were Kristin-approved. After some very fun experimentation, I have come up with this delicious, completely grain-free recipe. 

The chocolate wafers are refined sugar free as well as dairy free. The creme is another story. I will update as I continue to experiment with that. After many batches of these, the hubby and I decided the most delicious and oreo-like cookies were the ones that were not as crunchy. We like the cookies firm, but not too crisp. The creme is the perfect match for the wafer. These taste just like Oreos, but without all the chemicals. A grain-free Oreo cookie. Two years ago, I didn't think this was possible! Now that I have written about how wonderful these are, I think I may have to go make another batch now!

A few tips:

1. Don't skip the freezing step. If you do, it will end in disaster (or just ugly cookies).

2. Watch the cookies very carefully while they are in the oven. Rotating your cookie sheet 180 degrees is very important. Seven minutes for each rotation was perfect in my oven. 

3. Allow your cookies to cool completely. Don't get too excited! It's worth the wait! 

4. I highly recommend using a pastry bag to distribute the creme onto the cookies. I tried spreading it on with a knife, and it was very difficult. The pastry bag was so much easier, and the cookies looked prettier too.

Grain-Free, Gluten-Free Oreos

3/4 cup almond flour

1/3 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder 

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup grapeseed oil

1 cup coconut sugar

1 egg

1. In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine grapeseed oil, coconut sugar, and egg, and mix on medium speed until combined.

3. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add in the dry ingredients until all are incorporated.

4. Transfer dough to wax paper, and roll into a log about 1 1/2 - 2 inches in diameter. Flatten the ends, and wrap wax paper around dough and freeze for at least 3 hours.

5. Once dough is frozen, cut dough into very thin slices - 1/8" - 1/4" each, and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. 

6. Heat oven to 375. Bake cookies for 6-8 minutes, then rotate cookie sheet 180 degrees and bake for another 6-8 minutes. The cookies should be firm, but still give just a little. If they give too much, bake them for 1-2 minutes longer.

7. Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before adding the creme.

8. While cookies are cooling, make the Oreo filling! (See below)

Creme Filling

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup shortening (I use organic palm shortening)

2 cups powdered sugar (make sure it is organic and corn-free!)

2 tsp vanilla extract (make your own!)

1. Mix together butter and shortening on medium-high speed until fluffy. 

2. Reduce speed to medium-low, and gradually beat in the powdered sugar.

3. Reduce speed to low and add vanilla.

4. Increase speed to high until fluffy.

To assemble the cookies

1. Fill pastry bag with creme. I did not use a tip on my pastry bag; just cut about 1/2" off the bottom. 

2. Turn cookie upside down, and pipe a large dollop of creme onto the cookie.

3. Place another cookie (equal in size) on top of the creme to create sandwiches.

4. Continue with remaining cookies.

4. Eat and love.

Makes 12 cookie sandwiches

Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp

Hello friends! It has been quite a while since I have posted a recipe for you. The month of February has been much busier than I anticipated! With two out of town conferences and exciting changes at work, I haven't had the opportunity to spend as much time in the kitchen. However, I have some very yummy recipes for the days ahead.

I am excited to share this recipe review with you today: Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp! This was a delicious recipe that I stumbled upon a few weeks ago. The hubby and I have already made this twice in two weeks. It is so yummy and very easy to make. It also makes great leftovers!

Click here to visit the original recipe. See below for my version, with just a few modifications.

Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp
1 medium spaghetti squash
1/4 cup olive oil
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 package (or 2 large handfuls) spinach, washed
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and discard. Place squash face down in a baking dish filled with 1/2 inch of water at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until soft.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat and sauté garlic. Add shrimp, lemon juice, and spices. Sauté until shrimp are pink.
3. Add tomatoes and spinach and cook until spinach is wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
4. Using an oven mitt to avoid burning yourself, gently scrape out flesh of spaghetti squash with a fork.
5. Combine squash, shrimp mixture, pine nuts, and feta in a large bowl and toss to combine. Serve hot.

Thanks to cooks.com for this awesome gluten-free recipe!

A Trip to the Grocery Store

Grocery shopping can be a daunting task when transitioning to a gluten-free diet. I’d like to share my typical grocery trip with you – which parts of the store to stick to and which to avoid.

My favorite grocery  store, as I have shared many times, is Whole Foods Market. It is easiest to find everything I need at Whole Foods. While it is possible to find certain items at other stores (sometimes even at lower prices), I often leave feeling frustrated that they didn’t carry many of the necessities that Whole Foods always has in stock.

The best guideline for gluten-free (and any healthy eating) grocery shopping is to stick to the perimeter of the grocery store.

First stop: produce! While we receive most of our produce in our weekly co-op share, I do supplement with organic items in the produce section. It is important to double check that the produce you are purchasing is organic. Even Whole Foods carries both organic and conventional produce. The PLU number for organic produce always begins with a 9 and is five digits long, as opposed to conventional produce which starts with a 4 and is only four digits long. The PLU number for genetically modified produce (avoid at all costs) begins with a 3 and is also four digits long. Look for produce that is local and organic. The majority of our grocery bill is from produce. This is REAL, living food and should be the bulk of our diets.

After visiting the produce section, I continue around the perimeter of the grocery store towards the meat and fish counter. I only buy fish on an as-needed basis as I feel it tastes best when fresh and do not like to freeze it. I do like to keep a bag of wild caught shrimp in the freezer for last minute meals. They thaw quickly and are easy to make for a quick meal. Whenever purchasing seafood, avoid farm raised in favor of wild caught. (Read why here!) My hubby and I eat meat once or twice a week, and we are very careful to only consume organic meats. I purchase grass-fed beef and free-range organic chicken. Both the beef and chicken keep well in the freezer. Since we do not eat meat with every meal, I only need to visit the meat counter once a month or so.

In most grocery stores, the dairy section is also on the perimeter of the store, usually just past the meat counter. I suggest eating dairy only on a limited basis. As with produce and meats, it is extremely important to eat organic dairy. My hubby and I are not big milk drinkers, so our dairy purchases consist of butter and cheese, with the occasional need for sour cream (check for corn starch or corn syrup!) or heavy whipping cream. In regards to eggs, usually stored next to the dairy, I purchase organic cage-free brown eggs. If you are looking for an excellent cow milk substitute, I recommend trying Almond Milk or Coconut Milk. I have completely eliminated soy from my diet, as it is a common allergen and is often genetically modified.

One of the great things about shopping at Whole Foods is their bulk section. I like to keep many different kinds of organic nuts in my fridge. Purchasing nuts in bulk is a great way to save money. Be careful in the bulk section, though, because there are many processed foods in addition to nuts, dried fruits, and flours lurking there. Some Whole Foods stores carry Almond Flour in the bulk section. It is a reasonable price, but is usually located right next to corn starch. This poses a possible problem with cross-contamination, so I recommend purchasing all Almond Flour through Honeyville Grains online.

I also purchase many canned items (although their fresh counterparts are always a better option): canned tomatoes and tomato sauce (ALWAYS buy organic when using canned tomatoes), garbanzo beans, black beans, kidney beans, and coconut milk. I also keep many organic oils on hand - olive oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, and sesame oil.


In the frozen section, we stock up on frozen fruit, the perfect addition to any smoothie! Frozen organic fruit is an excellent way to eat fruit that isn't currently in season. It is also an affordable way to stock up! 

There are several other items that I recommend for a gluten-free and grain-free diet. These include:

-Plantain chips – I purchase Inca brand plantains or Turbana Plantains (double check ingredients of other brands, sometimes fried in corn oil) – great alternative to tortilla or potato chips

-Lara Bars – see this post on why Lara Bars are great!

-almond milk

-baking items – chocolate chips (Enjoy Life! brand is gluten-free and soy-free), organic and fair trade cocoa powder, coconut sugar (sometimes cheaper to purchase Madhava Coconut Sugar on Amazon), Celtic or Himalayan salt, Coconut flour

While the gluten-free and organic grocery bill is usually more than the typical American diet, it is well worth the benefit to your health. We have found that we now eat out less, appreciate food more, and cook more delicious meals than ever before. I love going to the grocery store and seeing all the beautiful, real, and wholesome food. When we provide our bodies with food that nourishes us instead of depleting us, we will stave off disease, have more energy, and enjoy food more fully!

Black Bean Soup

We have had some lovely cold weather here in Houston! Our week started out quite warm for January, humid and in the 70's. But by Wednesday, cooler weather was here with highs in the mid-40's! Ahhh, it is nice to have at least a little winter weather here. Too bad it won't stay for more than a few days. The only thing predictable about Houston weather is that it is unpredictable. Sunny and warm one day, raining and cold the next. Anyway, the cold weather was just begging for a warm, comforting soup. I looked at the veggies from my co-op share as well as the beans in my pantry, and voila! Black bean soup. Perfect for a cold winter night.

Black Bean Soup
1 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 jalapeños (depending on how spicy you want it), de-seeded and finely chopped
1 can organic diced tomatoes
3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth (check to make sure it is corn free!)
2-3 tsp chili powder (depending on how spicy you want it)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coriander
cilantro, for garnish
sour cream, for garnish
lime wedge, for garnish

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot. Add onion, celery, carrots, and jalapeño and cook until onions are translucent and carrots are tender.
2. Meanwhile, puree tomatoes (with juice) in food processor or blender.
3. Add spices, broth, beans, and tomato puree to stockpot. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.
4. Transfer half of soup mixture to blender and puree until smooth.
5. Return puree to pot and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
6. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream, cilantro, and a lime wedge.

Almond Crusted Tilapia

My friend Jamie is pretty awesome. She found this recipe and was nice enough to allow me to share it with all of you! Jamie and her husband are some of our closest friends. They are vegetarians (well, they eat fish, so that makes them pescatarians?), and they have recently gone gluten-free. Jamie knows so much about cooking and about eating organic; she was a huge help to me when I started changing the way I eat. A few months ago, she and her husband had me and the hubby over for dinner. She altered a recipe from the blog Green Lite Bites to be grain-free, and it was delicious! I have made it half a dozen times since that night, and I hope you enjoy it as well. Thank you, Jamie, for this delicious and healthy tilapia recipe!

Almond Crusted Tilapia (adapted from Green Lite Bites)
1/2 cup almond flour
2 Tbs whole flaxseeds
2 Tbs freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional if you are dairy-free)
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch salt and pepper
1 pound tilapia filets (3-6, depending on the size)

1. Line a baking sheet with foil. Turn oven to Broil.
2. Combine all ingredients except tilapia in a shallow dish (I use a pie plate).
3. Press each tilapia filet into mixture and coat evenly on all sides.
4. Place tilapia on foil-lined baking sheet.
5. Place baking sheet on rack in middle of the oven. Do not place close to the top.
6. Boil fish for 3-4 minutes per side.

Gluten Free in Fredericksburg, Texas

Happy New Year everyone! My hubby and I just celebrated our 1 year anniversary in Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country! We stayed at a beautiful bed and breakfast called Hoffman Haus just off Main Street. Their chef did a wonderful job preparing gluten-free and grain-free breakfasts for us both mornings. I'm so excited to share our gluten-free finds with you!

We dined at Navajo Grill on our first night in Fredericksburg. The staff was very knowledgeable about gluten; they even made a note on our reservation and knew not to serve us bread! Hubby and I ordered the same meal - we both started with the Butternut Squash Soup, and then had the filet with mashed potatoes and zucchini. For dessert, we had the Chocolate Fix, which was a completely flourless cake with pecan crust; what a treat to get gluten-free dessert at a restaurant! Everything was completely grain-free AND delicious. I do not have a picture of the food, because we were both so busy enjoying the experience that documenting with photos was the last thing from either of our minds. Don't worry, we realized this later and all of the other meals have photos! :)

The next day, we had lunch at this adorable cafe called Beat the Wheat (cutest name ever!!!). It is a completely gluten-free kitchen! This was exciting. Not only are they gluten-free, but there is NO corn in their baked goods. Double exciting. Hubby chose chicken salad sandwich, and I chose the turkey panini. (Note: the bread is not grain-free; it does contain rice, which I eat on rare occasions.) We also got a snickerdoodle cookie to share, but I do not have a pic of that as we gobbled it down before the camera had a chance. The triple exciting news about Beat the Wheat? They ship! For information, visit their website.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Turkey Panini

After our awesome experience at Beat the Wheat, we decided to tour several of the area wineries. We had a great time tasting the different Texas wines. 

Here is a list of the wineries we visited:

• Grape Creek Vineyard - very professional and knowledgeable; great first tasting
• Becker Vineyards - our favorite wines, crowded but beautiful, very friendly and kind staff
• Woodrose Winery - best tasting experience, each tasting is brought to your table, kind and welcoming staff
• William Chris Vineyards - eco-friendly methods used! My hubby's favorite of the day (Artist's blend) was here
• Chisholm Trail Winery - beautiful drive! West of Fredericksburg, off the beaten path

For dinner, we ate at the adorable Sunset Grill. Our waitress was so sweet and helpful with my food allergies. She made sure to check with the chef on anything she was unsure about. I have to admit, I had rice again at this restaurant. The hubby and I both got sushi, and it was very yummy. While I did not get sick, I do know that rice is something my system can only handle every now and then. The restaurant did an excellent job of making sure everything was gluten-free and corn-free. I started with this delicious, completely grain-free salad:

Next, the hubby and I both had sushi (with no soy sauce - it contains wheat!):

his

hers

 And lastly, we finished with homemade ice cream - no corn syrup! Hooray!

peppermint - for me

Peanut Butter - for my hubby

Lastly, I'd like to share a little more about our great bed and breakfast. Our room was beautiful, and the location was so convenient to restaurants and shopping. Our breakfasts both mornings were delicious and completely grain-free. The first morning we had crustless spinach quiche (no pic, sorry), and the second morning we had mushroom omelets. I highly recommend the Hoffman Haus! It's a great place for gluten-free travelers.

They deliver breakfast in a picnic basket!

We had a wonderful time in Fredericksburg; it was the perfect place to celebrate our first anniversary.