Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies with Coconut Sugar and Coconut Oil

I had originally made these goodies with all things coconut: coconut flour, coconut sugar and coconut oil but the cookie gods told me I had a coconut problem and so those cookies did not bid well. The coconut flour, it turns out, is super dry and even if you add more liquid, the cookie falls apart. So, as a compromise I thought I'd try these with whole wheat flour. I've also heard almond flour works better than coconut flour but being that I've never baked with almond flour, I will let you brave bakers try it. Have a try at these and happy baking!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Coconut sugar
1/4 cup Sugar in the raw
2 1/2 Tbsp honey
1/2 cup organic Coconut oil, unrefined
2 cups Whole wheat flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking powder
4 oz Dark chocolate (I used 98% cacao which is super duper dark chocolate and just added honey to my liking when I melted it or you can simply use dark chocolate chips).
8-10 cherries, chopped and de-seeded.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet.
Mix the coconut sugar, sugar in the raw, honey and coconut oil in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the wheat flour, salt, and baking powder together. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture until well blended. Cookies may get a little crumbly but if they are too crumbly, add a bit more coconut oil.

Take tablespoonfuls of the mixture and roll into balls, gently squish the balls in the palms of your hands and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden browned.

Add the dark chocolate to a glass bowl that fits over a small pan filled with water. Bring water to a low boil and melt the chocolate on low heat until it is completely melted, making sure not to burn it. Set aside.

After cookies are done baking, use a butter knife or rubber spatula and dip it into the chocolate and drizzle over the cookies. Top with the chopped cherries and enjoy!

Creamy Italian Spinach Chicken Bake with Asparagus, Gouda, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts

Whew! What a mouthful. And you'll be getting quite a mouthful with this exquisitely tantalizing and hearty dish. This is perfect for those who love the taste of Italy without all the carbs but feel free to toss it with some pasta or dip some bread in the sauce, either way, you won't regret it!

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs, cooked and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 bunch asparagus chopped, lightly grilled with olive oil and salt
1 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 16 oz bag frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 14 oz artichoke hearts, quartered
22 oz light or regular alfredo sauce (I used about 1 and 1/2 jars of the 15 oz jars but feel free to use more)
2/3 cup chopped gouda cheese
8 oz pre-packaged shredded Six Italian cheese mixture (parmesan, mozzarella, provolone, asiago, romano, and fontina)
Black pepper
Rosemary
Basil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large casserole dish, drizzle a bit of the alfredo sauce on the bottom. Sprinkle a few of the artichoke hearts on top of the sauce, followed by a bit of the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, spinach and Six Italian cheese. Drop a few pieces of the chopped gouda evenly throughout the mixture. Repeat this until all of the ingredients are used. Top with black pepper, rosemary and basil. Bake for 25-28 minutes.

Lemon Raspberry Button Cookies

This is my summer version of the Susan cookie with a sweet and tart twist. Per request of my lemon-loving boyfriend, these are sure to please those with a sweet and sour palate!

Makes about 15 cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil
1-1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Tsp lemon zest
2-1/2 Tbsp Honey
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
Raspberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, coconut oil, lemon juice, zest, and honey together.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly add the flour mixture to the lemon and sugar mixture, stir until completely combined.

Roll the dough into small round balls and place a raspberry in the middle, making sure to secure it enough so it does not fall off in the baking process. Bake for 12 minutes or until firm and cream colored but not hard and golden.

Roasted Bell Pepper and Feta Pizza with Gorgonzola and Sauteed Almonds

This vegetarian pan pie is simple, hearty and delicious. I made this as four personal pizzas using the same pizza dough recipe for my Roasted Pear and Gorgonzola pizza down below but feel free to use it as a regular pizza crust. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Dough (see recipe from my Roasted Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza)
1 Sliced red bell pepper
3 whole cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup your choice of tomato sauce
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1/2 cup unsalted chopped almonds
Fresh thyme
Rosemary

Directions:

Prepare the dough, set aside.

To prepare the bell peppers:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the bell peppers and garlic on a tinfoil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of rosemary. Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes, or until slightly crisp at the ends.

To prepare the almonds:
In a pan on medium heat, heat the almonds until browned. Make sure to watch carefully as they can easily burn. Set aside.


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Roll out the dough into desired shape. Distribute tomato sauce evenly over the dough and sprinkle the bell peppers on top. Sprinkle the feta and gorgonzola cheese evenly, topping it with the fresh thyme.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until crust is crisp. Top with the sauteed almonds.

Honey glazed Bacon with Water Chestnuts and Gorgonzola

Every family has a special dish hiding in the family heirlooms and mine just happens to involve bacon. I've never been much of a bacon fan as just the thought of eating it made me think years had been taken off of my life but with all that aside, these little treats make wonderful appetizers at social gatherings.

Ingredients:
4-5 pieces of bacon
3 oz. can whole water chestnuts, drained
Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 tsp honey

Directions:
Preheat the oven for 400 degrees. Line a flat baking pan with tinfoil and lightly butter the surface so as to prevent sticking.
Taking one piece of bacon, cut in half and wrap around a water chestnut. Pierce with a toothpick and lay on the baking pan. Repeat until all of the bacon has been used. Using a glazing brush (or your fingers), lightly coat the bacon with honey. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until crispy.

After the bacon is done cooking, add the gorgonzola to the toothpick in a kabob-like manner. If you can't get the gorgonzola to stay on the toothpick, simple sprinkle on top of the bacon chestnuts. Enjoy!

Beet and Pear Spinach Salad with Walnuts and Orange Vinaigrette Dressing

This is "a salad that doesn't taste like a salad," as my boyfriend puts it. Now that is what I call cunning cookery. This combines the fruity flavors of a fall afternoon with the rustic classic, Greek salad. Not too shabby for a healthily delicious entree.

It's difficult to have exact measurements for salad, so go with your hunch for the proportions.

Ingredients:
For the salad:
Spinach, rinsed
Roughly chopped walnuts
Crumbled feta cheese
1 whole beet, sliced thin
1 pear, sliced thin

For the Orange Vinaigrette dressing:
Juice of one orange (about 1/2 cup)
2 tbsp. regular olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
1/2 tbsp. honey

Assemble the spinach, walnuts and feta in a bowl. Whisk together all the ingredients for the orange vinaigrette dressing and toss with the salad. Add the sliced beet and pear to the salad and serve.

Spicy Crunchy Peanut Noodles

Many people, if told to combine peanut butter with noodles would tweak their head in bewilderment as the two foods are not normally found together. I'm sure we've all heard about peanut sauce found in Thai dishes but I think this version gives the classic dish a much needed spice kick. It's not too spicy, but if you prefer to leave out the chili sauce, this dish is still delicious all the same.

Ingredients:
1 lb thin or regular spaghetti noodles, cooked
4 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chili sauce infused with garlic (if you can't find this specific kind then use about a teaspoon of minced garlic in the recipe)
1/2 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp honey
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

Topping:
Sliced water chestnuts 
Fresh thyme

Start cooking the noodles. In the meantime, in a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk thoroughly, making sure not to have any large clumps. After the noodles are done, drain and put into a medium bowl. Add the spicy peanut sauce to the noodles and mix well. Sprinkle on the water chestnuts and thyme and serve.