Sautéed Apples (AIP, Whole30, 21DSD, Vegan)

In March, I received some blood work results, from my integrative doctor, that indicated my gut is not as healed as we had hopped. After nearly 2 years on the autoimmune protocol, it was a little disappointing, but honestly, I’m proud of how far I’ve come not just in what I’m eating, but also with sleep & stress management & other lifestyle factors. Really, it wasn’t that long ago that my doctor and I were navigating the world of SIBO. So, in the spirit of gut healing, I’ve embarked on not just an AIP reset, but I’m also incorporating variations on a Whole30, a 21 Day Sugar Detox (energy modifications), and the Repairvite protocol, along with some targeted supplementation.

This mishmash of protocols won’t last forever. Restricting so many food items is really not something I recommend longterm or without the guidance of a good functional medicine doctor. I plan to stay very strict for a minimum of 30 days, but hope to stretch most of the principles out for at least 60 days, depending on how I’m feeling both physically & mentally.

The Whole 30, 21DSD and Repairvite protocols all shun the consumption of sugar, even the less refined options like honey & real maple & coconut sugars etc. The 21DSD & Repairvite protocols take it even further & reduce the types and amounts of fruit (and thus the natural sugars).

One of the hardest parts about giving up sugar & many fruits is that I’m not really able to do any baking. I’ve been baking almost my whole life & it’s become almost therapeutic for me to make something from time to time. But AIP/allergen-free baking is expensive & I simply cannot justify making something I can’t consume (don’t even get me started on our lack of freezer space, so making ahead & freezing isn’t an option either). These sautéed apples aren’t quite the same as baking, but they do help fill that baking hole…. They’re a great low-sugar option that allow me to feel like I’m having a bit of a treat while still staying compliant with my chosen protocols. I especially enjoy the sautéed apples warm from the skillet with a drizzle of cold coconut milk.

Sautéed Apples
Yields 1 serving

2 tsp Coconut Oil 
1 Apple (use granny smith if following the 21 Day Sugar Detox)
1/4 tsp Cinnamon 
1/4 tsp Mace (can substitute Nutmeg if not following AIP) 
pinch Sea Salt 

Coconut Milk, for serving 

1. In a small skillet, melt the coconut oil over medium heat
2. Meanwhile, peel, core, slice the apple into 12-ish slices. I prefer to quarter the apple & cut each quarter into thirds. 
3. Arrange the apple slices evenly in the hot pan with the melted coconut oil. Sprinkle with the cinnamon, mace & sea salt. Gently stir to coat the apple slices with the oil and the spices. 
4. Saute the apples for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the apples have slightly softened. 
5. Serve warm with a drizzle of coconut milk & an extra dusting of spices, if desired. 

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Bulletproof Pumpkin Spice Latte (Paleo)

It’s the season for all things pumpkin spice. I can’t say I’m complaining, especially since I’m able to experience some fall-ish weather in October while I’m traveling for a cookbook photo shoot job (if you follow me on Instagram, you can see updates of what I’m doing, of “what work looks like today”/#wwllt). I love that I'm getting to experience the changing leaf colors, the slightly cooler temperatures, & rain.

About this time last year, I created my own homemade pumpkin spice latte, which I loved making, only now my lifestyle & dietary choices have prohibited me from enjoying that version (and any other commercial PSL). Not wanting to miss out on a favorite treat, I went back to the drawing board on making a new version, paleo style, that is dairy free, AIP friendly on the spices, & naturally sweetened using dates instead of refined sugar. And I wanted it to contain actual pumpkin, unlike most store-bought PSLs.

Coffee isn’t allowed on the initial portion of the Autoimmune Protocol, but after going through my initial detox period, one of the very first things I reintroduced was coffee. I know, the experts usually recommend reintroducing other things first, but I really love the ritual of drinking a little coffee in the morning. I don’t drink it every day, but when I do, I usually mix half coffee and half coconut milk & more often than not, I make also make the beverage “bulletproof” by adding coconut oil (or you could add butter/ghee, if you tolerate dairy).

It might sound a bit weird to add coconut oil (or butter/ghee, if you tolerate dairy) to coffee, but I promise it’s delicious! Bulletproof coffee helps my digestion & keeps me feeling full longer. I typically mix freshly brewed coffee with warm coconut milk & a couple tablespoons of coconut oil. The whole thing goes in a high speed blender & is blended together until very frothy. Voila, dairy free bulletproof coffee.  Note: the blending step is not optional--it emulsifies the ingredients together, otherwise you just have oily coffee.

For this pumpkin spice version, I also needed to create an AIP-friendly pumpkin pie spice blend. I substituted mace for nutmeg, omitted the allspice, and added a little ground cloves. This spice mix is a great blend of warmer fall-ish/winter-ish/holiday-ish flavors. Now that I have it on hand, I find myself adding it to more than just pumpkin things, like homemade applesauce, and cranberry compote, and even mashed sweet potatoes.

If you’re following AIP & have not reintroduced coffee yet (or if that reintroduction did not go well), you could make this as a steamer instead.  Just omit the coffee & add additional coconut milk, or substitute brewed tea for the coffee.

Bulletproof Pumpkin Spice Latte (Dairy Free & Paleo)
serves two

Technically, my version is more of a cafe au lait (meaning, it has extra coconut milk), but for “Pumpkin spice latte” is more fun to say ;) 

6 fl oz / 3/4 c Coconut Milk
3 Medjool Dates, pitted & coarsely chopped
2-3 Tbl Organic Canned Pumpkin
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (see AIP recipe below)
1 tsp Vanilla (may omit on AIP)
6 fl oz / 3/4 c Coffee, freshly brewed, plus additional if needed (may substitute Tea if following AIP)
3 Tbl Coconut Oil

1. In a small skillet or saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, dates, pumpkin, spices & vanilla. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly. 
2. Pour the heated milk mixture into a high speed blender or food processor, and add the coffee and coconut oil. Blend on high speed until smooth. 
3. Pour into two cups & enjoy.  Top off with additional coffee if desired. 

AIP Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Tbl Ground Cinnamon
2 tsp Ground Ginger
3/4 tsp Ground Mace
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves

1. Mix all together & store in a small airtight container. 

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Sweet Treats. 

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Sweet Potato Paletas (AIP)

It’s been hot. Super hot. Like +110 F hot, and it’s only June..... While I wouldn’t discriminate against a frozen treat any time of the year, I especially crave them in the summer time. Since I cannot just run to any store or shop & purchase a frozen dessert that would fit within my unique dietary guidelines, I have to make my own. I have a feeling my ice cream bowl will be working overtime, if only I can find a way to clear enough freezer space to actually freeze it. But, I did manage to clear enough space for my popsicle mold, so that’s where I’m beginning this summer. 

Paletas were not something I’d heard of until I moved to the southern border of Texas--they’re the Mexican version of a popsicle, only not usually as sweet as their American counterpart. We’re able to get paletas in just about any local gas station or grocery store & they come in much more interesting flavors than the regular popsicles I was use to seeing. Coconut. Watermelon. Pineapple. Pecan. Rice Pudding. Pina Colada. Tamarind. Fruit flavors spiced with chile. (The rice pudding ones use to be my favorite....).

Sweet potatoes have become one of my staple foods--most often either baked or roasted. Since paletas already come in such interesting flavors, I thought that adding sweet potato variation to the mix wasn’t such a stretch :)

Traditional paletas aren’t super sugary & my sweet potato paletas follow suite--they get their limited sweetness from the sweet potato & the apple juice. Even with the limited sweetness, they are cold & very refreshing, especially on a hot day when you’re just dying for an ice cream.

If I wasn’t following a sugar-free diet, I’d add a couple tablespoons of honey or maple syrup. Or maybe some candied pecans. If you prefer a creamier pop, adding some yogurt (whether sweetened, or plain) would also work.

One final note: I made & styled/photographed these sweet potato paletas while watching Diane Cu & Todd Porter of “White on Rice Couple”  give a 3 day food styling & photography workshop on Creative Live. While the presentation isn’t free anymore (unless CL rebroadcasts it), I’d highly recommend checking it out if you’re interested in furthering your photography skills. I learned some fun new tips & was reminded of some things I should have been remembering anyway. 

behind-the-scenes image of shooting these paletas while watching Creative Live

Sweet Potato Paletas 

Yields approximately 12 pops, depending on mold size 

1 large sweet potato (mine weighed just under 1lb, pre-baking & around 12 oz after) 

4 Tbl Apple Juice

1 1/2 c (13.8 oz) Coconut Milk (beverage, not the culinary coconut milk from a can) 

2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Vanilla

optional: sweetener of choice (especially if you’re not following a sugar free diet).... I’d use a couple tablespoons of honey or maple syrup, if it was allowed for me.  OR add a little vanilla coconut yogurt.  

1.  Wash sweet potato & pierce the skin with a fork or sharp knife. Place sweet potato into an oven safe dish & roast at 350 F until fork-tender. (Mine took approximately 60 minutes in our toaster oven). 
2. Once cooked, let the sweet potato cool completely (I put mine in the refrigerator overnight. 
3. After the potato has cooled, remove the skin & add to a blender or food processor.  Add the apple juice, coconut milk, cinnamon & vanilla.  Process on high speed until well blended.  Add additional coconut milk if the mixture is too thick. 
4. Pour into your popsicle molds, leaving some headspace at the top to allow for expansion during freezing.  
5. Place in the freezer and freeze for 2 hours.  
6. After 2 hours of freezing, insert the sticks. Continue to freeze for an additional 10-24 hours.  
7. To unmold, fill a large bowl with warm water. Set the frozen mold into the warm water for 30 seconds & remove the mold. Gently lift the paletas out of the mold & place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Top with a second layer of parchment & allow to freeze for 30 additional minutes. 
8. After the additional freezing, the pops are ready to be consumed. If not eating right away, wrap them well & store in the freezer. 

For more information on paletas, this article is really helpful!

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Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

This holiday season, I’m trying to keep many things homemade, or home crafted.  Some in the spirit of frugality, and other simply because I like to challenge myself to use things already on hand. 

In past years, we’ve been back visiting family on actual Christmas Eve/Day, so I have been content with a tiny artificial christmas tree & minimal decorations.  But this year, we will be staying here in Texas, and thus a mini tree simply would not do!  I grew up with real Christmas trees, but my husband’s family always had artificial trees, so it took some convincing to persuade him we should get a real tree this year.

I don’t mind artificial trees, I just know that we don’t really have space to store one during the off season & also a decent artificial tree costs a good chunk of change!  And there is something so, almost magical about going and picking out your own tree each year. 

After buying the actual tree, plus the tree stand and lights, I knew that I wanted to be a bit more creative with the remaining decorations (we only had mini ornaments & a tiny string of lights for our aforementioned tiny tree of the past). Instead of a tree skirt, I used a big piece of burlap I already had. I crocheted a simple garland for the tree out of some leftover white homespun yarn. We added some old snowflake ornaments that I at one time intended to tape on windows, as well as some candy canes. And finally, I made some Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments from a recipe I pinned last year.

I have a vague childhood memory of one of my sisters making something similar to these ornaments either in grade school or Sunday School.  But I really do not remember.... What does stick in my mind is how fragrant these type of ornaments are!  Isn’t it amazing how much of a memory trigger smells can be?  Cinnamon, along with evergreen, bayberry, cranberry & peppermint, really is one of those smells that transports me to Christmas time.

With only three ingredients, cinnamon, applesauce & ground cloves, the ornament dough is easy to make, though I will say that I’ve never measured out quite this much cinnamon for only one recipe before! The dough rolls out just like cookie dough (only cinnamon is used for dusting, not flour) and can be cut into whatever shapes desired. The dough does not spread at all, so the shape will stay true to whatever cookie cutter chosen.  And seriously, the smell while the ornaments are baking is quite fantastic.

Once baked until hard, the ornaments just need a hanger & they are ready to use. I, of course, am rather partial to baker's twine, but really any sort of string or wire would work.  It is best, though, to determine what kind of hanger will be used before the ornaments are baked (that way the opening for the hanger can be made into the appropriate size).

I did really intend to post this recipe earlier, but my computer hard drive had to be unexpectedly replaced this week and restoring my system ended up being a more complicated process than I originally anticipated.  Thankfully, with the help of the Genius Bar employees & Apple’s phone support, my computer is completely restored & running smoothly! Even if the tree decorating is already done for this season, these ornaments would also make lovely additions to embellish wrapped packages or hostess gifts. Or, remember this craft for next year :)

Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments
Adapted from Katy Elliott 
Note, since these ornaments aren’t actually eaten, I went for the cheapest ingredients I could find--this is not the time for fancy applesauce or spices! 

1 cup (244 g) Applesauce
1 1/2 c Cinnamon (divided into 1c and 1/2 c) 
2 Tbl ground cloves
additional cinnamon for sprinkling

1. Preheat the oven to 225 F. Line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat. 
2. In a bowl, stir together the apple sauce with 1 cup of the cinnamon.  Keep mixing, switching to using your hands if it is easier, until a wet dough is formed. 
3. Sprinkle over the additional 1/2 c of cinnamon and the cloves.  Knead, with your hands, in the bowl until everything is the same consistency.  Be aggressive--you don’t want wet spots & dry spots.  If the dough remains super sticky, add a little extra cinnamon.  If the dough is excessively dry, add a spoonful of applesauce. Note: I didn’t have to add any additional cinnamon or applesauce.
4. Sprinkle a clean board or counter with a little cinnamon (like you would flour for rolling out cookie dough). Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to between 1/4” and 1/8” and use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes.  Place the cutouts onto the parchment lined baking sheets.  Gather up the scraps, knead them well & repeat the rolling process until all the dough is used up.  Use a skewer/toothpick/small dowel to poke a hole where string (or another hanger) can be added after the baking process.
5. Bake the ornaments at 225 F for 1 hour, though check to make sure they are not developing any browning on the edges.  Flip the ornaments over (they may have warped slightly) and bake for an additional 30 minutes.  Turn off the oven, flip the ornaments again & allow them to cool completely in the oven. They should be rock hard once done.  More baking time may be required for more humid climates.  
6. Once cool, add a loop of string (I, of course, am partial to bakers’ twine) and hang them on the Christmas tree, or use them to decorate packages.

note: this post may contain affiliate links. 

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Gingerbread Pound Cake (GF)

How did it get to be December 9th already?!? I’m a bit behind on holiday prep this year, but maybe this gingerbread pound cake will help me get into holiday overdrive.  

Most gingerbread recipes produce cake that is fairly light and delicate, but in this case, I wanted a sturdier cake while still retaining the warm spice & molasses flavor of a traditional gingerbread.

And a loaf-shaped cake somehow feels a bit more relaxed, not to mention eating it on the go is easier (though perhaps that isn’t so much a good thing to mindlessly be eating cake while doing other things).

I’m sure it would be great with a glaze or an icing, but in the spirit of trying to keep things a bit lighter during the holiday season when indulging is inevitable, I decided to forgo any glaze.  It was just the right amount of sweet without any extras.

We enjoyed eating cold slices of the cake just on their own accompanied by piping hot cups of Holiday Tea. But to dress it up a bit for a dinner party with friends, I added a scoop of eggnog ice cream & a drizzle of orange sauce (from this post) --absolutely delicious!

Gingerbread Pound Cake (GF) 
adapted from Channeling Contessa via The Every Girl
Yields one 9x5 inch loaf

8.5 oz / 2c Jeanne’s Gluten Free AP Flour Mix (or substitute cake/AP flour if not GF)
1 tbl Ground Ginger
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Cloves
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Cardamom 
1 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 tsp Salt
6 oz / 12 tbl (1.5 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened
8 oz / 1 brick Cream Cheese, softened
3.5 oz / 1/2 c Granulated Sugar
5.6 oz / 3/4 c packed dark brown sugar
4 oz / 1/3 c Molasses
4 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Grease a 9x5 loaf pan with pan spray (or additional softened butter).  Line with parchment and grease the parchment too. 
2. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, spices, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
3. Place the softened butter & cream cheese into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until smooth & completely combined. Scrape down the sides.
4. Add the sugars & continue mixing on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the molasses & beat until smooth.  Scrape down the sides.  
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, as well as the vanilla, & mix until completely combined. 
6. On low speed, stir in the dry ingredients.  Mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer & use a spatula to finish mixing by hand.  
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan & place into the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hr and 25 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean). 
8. Cool for 30 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan.  
9. Allow to cool completely before slicing. Store any leftovers, well wrapped, at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Loaf may also be frozen for longevity. 

Note: this post may contain affiliate links. 

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Cinnamon Chip Scones (GF)

No matter whether it was Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter, I grew up with the tradition of having a special holiday breakfast.  My mom would make an egg casserole (which we called “egg bake” in the upper midwest) and cinnamon rolls, and there would also be fruit & juice. Mom would set the table with a festive tablecloth, the crystal juice glasses that otherwise lived in the china cabinet, sometimes the fine china, but always with holiday napkins. After my dad said the blessing, we would clink glasses, toast to whatever holiday it happened to be, and then, of course, eat!

With my insatiable sweet tooth, my personal favorite part was the Pillsbury cinnamon rolls that Mom would bake in a round cake pan. As most siblings do, my sisters and I would all try to vie for the middle roll which usually had the most frosting. I still have a particular fondness, even to this day, for freshly baked Pillsbury cinnamon rolls.

As a somewhat newly married couple, my husband and I are still developing our own traditions. One of the the traditions I’m trying to pass into our “micro-family” is the holiday breakfast concept. Of course there are a few adaptations my husband and I like to make (coffee is a must and sometimes we mix a little bubbly with the juice), but I still dearly wish to include my beloved cinnamon rolls.  Once I started living mostly gluten free, though, suddenly the options changed.  There are very few gluten free options in our small-ish town, unless you want to make things yourself.

I’ve done a fair amount of gluten free baking & cooking these days, but yeasted products still are a bit of a mystery to me. I’m well versed in how bread flour works in artisan breads & I just haven’t mastered how to mimic those items in gluten free versions. Last weekend, I attempted to adapt a cinnamon roll recipe to be gluten free, but the results were not good. The texture was all off & so was the flavor.... I guess it may take a lot more testing before I am confident in adapted gluten filled yeast products to be gluten free.

Luckily, scones ARE easily adapted to be gluten free.  This particular cinnamon chip variation tastes surprisingly a lot like my favorite pillsbury cinnamon rolls.  I added a bit of leftover pumpkin puree to the dough.  Rather than tasting “pumpkin-y,” the puree just adds a bit of extra moisture & helps deepen the complexity of the flavors.  Once the glaze is added they became a perfect substitution--in fact, I couldn’t stop eating my test batch! I had to put the leftovers in the freezer to curb myself.  Since scones fit in the non-yeasted “quickbread” category of baking, they don’t require rising time! I love recipes that save time during busy holidays. These scones absolutely will be making an appearance on this year’s Thanksgiving brunch table.

I hope that wherever you are this Thanksgiving and holiday season, you are able to spend time laughing and giving thanks with friends & family, and that you take time to make & eat good food. Perhaps you can start your own holiday breakfast tradition.

Cinnamon Chip Scones (GF) 
yields 12 to 16 scones, depending on the size

Scones
4 oz / 1 stick Unsalted butter, cold
2/3 c Whole Milk + 1 tsp Lemon Juice (or substitute Buttermilk )
8.5 oz / 2 c Jeanne’s Gluten Free AP Flour Mix (or substitute regular AP flour, if not gluten free) {LINK} 
1.85 oz / 1/4 c Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
120 g / 1/2 c Cinnamon Chips
122 g / 1/2 c Pumpkin Puree 
Tapioca Starch, for dusting

Glaze
Confectioners’ Sugar
Milk 

1. Grate the cold butter, using the large grate part of a box grater, onto a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Place the grated butter into the freezer while measuring & preparing the remaining ingredients. If not using buttermilk, mix the whole milk with the lemon juice & let stand at room temp. 
2. Measure the remaining ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper & set aside. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, soda, powder, salt & cinnamon.  Add the frozen butter pieces & toss quickly with your hands to combine.  Break up any large clumps.  Add the cinnamon chips & briefly toss to combine. 
4. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk with the pumpkin puree. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients & quickly mix with your hands until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Be careful not to overwork the dough or let the heat from your hands melt all the butter.  
5. Dust the clean counter or board with additional tapioca starch (or AP flour, if not gluten free).  Pat the dough out, adding tapioca starch on top of the dough & onto your hands, until the dough is approximately an inch tall.  Use a small round cutter (or any shape you like) to cut out scones.  Place the cut scones onto the prepared baking sheets. Carefully gather the scraps & re-pat them out, repeating the process until the dough is all used.  (Note: re-rolling works well with the gluten free dough, but if regular flour is used, the re-rolled scones may be a bit tougher.) Alternately, you can use a large cookie scoop to make drop scones by scooping the scone dough out of the bowl & portioning it directly onto the sheet pan. 
6. Use a try pastry brush to brush off any excess tapioca starch.  Bake both pans in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, rotating the pans & swapping the top and bottom pans halfway through.  The scones are done when they are lightly brown & the cinnamon chips begin to caramelize.  
7. Remove the pans from the oven & allow to cool slightly while the glaze is made.    
8. In a separate bowl, sift a little confectioners’ sugar to remove any lumps. Add a splash of milk & whisk until combined. Adjust the amount of milk & confectioners sugar until you achieve a thick glaze. Either stripe the glaze across the slightly warm scones, using either a cornet paper piping bag, a zip-top bag with a corner cut off, or a pastry bag.  Alternately, dip the slightly warm scones into the glaze.  Allow the glaze to set & serve. 
9. Store any leftover scones at room temperature in a covered container for up to 2 days, or freeze for longer.  

Note: As far as cinnamon chips go, I usually use Hershey’s brand.  However, they can be a bit difficult to find sometimes...   In some areas, like I discovered in South Carolina, they are only available during the holiday season, so I recommend stocking up.  Or, King Arthur has they available to order from their website (as does Amazon. ).  

This post contains affiliate links.

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Cowgirl Cookies

To continue my “Week in the [Project] Life” series for Project Life 365, today’s prompt is #whatever.  For background on this project, please read my previous #breakfast, #lunch, #dinner, and #dessert posts. You can find me on Instagram @lauravein and Project Life 365 at @projectlife365.

"#Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.” -Lord Chesterfield (1694-1773) Life is too short for bad cookies (or bad coffee)...  And if you want to eat a couple for breakfast, I’ll never tell! 

They have oatmeal in them after all :)

I'm not exactly certain about the background on the name of these cookies, but Cowgirl Cookies been one of my favorites since I first made them in culinary school.  They're full of oatmeal, coconut, pecans, chocolate chunks & plenty of spices!  Talk about a flavor explosion in a cookie.

Oats haven't made an appearance in my diet much at all in the past couple of years, nor have I eaten much gluten in the past year.  However, in preparation for some medical testing,  I have been doing some "cheating," because a few of the tests are more accurate if I actually have a little gluten in my system.

If I'm having a last hurrah with gluten (I'll find out once I complete my testing & the results come back), I want to be certain I am making and eating things that are worth it! Things that I will miss if I'm officially told to say goodbye to gluten forever. Things that use good, high quality ingredients. Not just eating gluten-y things for gluten sake. With wheat flour from King Arthur, locally sourced pecans, oats from Bobs Red Mill, and good chocolate, I'm confident these cookies fit the bill :)

Cowgirl Cookies


I cut down this recipe from the giant culinary school batch to a more manageable home batch.  I’m sorry I don’t have a yield amount.... We started eating the cookies before I could get an accurate count! 

4 oz Unsalted Butter, room temperature
3.65  oz Granulated Sugar
4 oz Brown Sugar
2 large Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
5.30 oz AP Flour {you could also make these Gluten Free by using a GF baking mix}
4 g Baking Powder
4 g Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
scant 1/2 tsp Salt
6.65 oz Chocolate Chunks {I chopped up some Trader Joe’s chocolate} 
2.5 oz Oats {use Gluten Free, if you like} 
2.65 oz Sweetened Shredded Coconut
2.35 oz Chopped Pecans  

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugars on medium low speed until the ingredients completely mix together, become lighter in color & increase in volume.  Scrape down the bowl. 
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix at low speed until just incorporated.  Add vanilla. Scrape down the bowl and mix a few more seconds. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon & salt.  
4. Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl & mix on low speed until half way combined.  
5. Combine the chocolate, oats, coconut & pecans and add them to the mixing bowl.  Mix on low speed until the ingredients are just incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary.  
6. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes while the oven is preheating to 350 F. Line to baking sheets with parchment paper. 
7. For large cookies (which I believe have the best combinations of textures: crunchy edges & soft centers), use a large cookie scoop (mine is 3oz) and pan the cookies 6 to a half sheet pan. 
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan & bake an additional 4 to 6 minutes, or until the edges just begin to brown. Remove from the oven & cool completely. 
9. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the freezer. (I happen to think these cookies are fabulous when eaten straight from the freezer... though don’t damage your teeth in the process!). 

Note: if you make smaller cookies, pan them in 4 rows of 3 & bake them less time, rotating as necessary, until the cookie edges are just beginning to brown.  

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