Pumpkin Cookies (Paleo)

Time to join the blogging world’s festivities and post my holiday recipe! And what is more holiday-ish than cookies!?

I know, I know. Everybody has had their fair share of cookies by now, but these cookies have actually kept me a bay from eating any other this season. Chewy and soft with a pumpkin flavor, I’ve been munching on these instead of the sugar-filled goodies. Plus, the recipe yields 25 decent-sized cookies- distributing the honey to a small amount per cookie.

Bonus: You can store these in the freezer and take them down as desired. They thaw very nicely! (Although, I just eat them straight from the freezer 😉 )

Pumpkin Cookies (Paleo)

(Makes 25 cookies)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup tapioca flour

3 tbsp GROUND flaxseed- do NOT omit! (helps thicken batter)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cardamom

1 egg

1 cup pumpkin

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup plain, whole milk yogurt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 375 (Note: it is very important that the oven is at this temperature! I tried experimenting with lower and higher, and it did not work well flavor-wise )

In a food processor, mix together coconut flour, tapioca flour, flaxseed, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cardamom. Add in egg, pumpkin, honey, yogurt and vanilla and blend altogether. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.

Drop batter onto parchment covered-baking pans. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes for the bottom rack, and 25 minutes for the top. Check near the 20 minute mark to prevent burning.

Happy Holidays!

Advertisement

Baked BBQ Onion Rings

Onion rings have been on my to-do list for a looong time now. My first attempt was not so good. And so, I had to rebuild my ego up before trying again. This time, I am proud to say, I have succeeded in making the perfect onion ring. And it is soooo worth the first failure to be able to stuff these in my mouth. My brother and I were left by ourselves last weekend and we had the pleasure of gobbling these down for dinner along with avocado nuggets (recipe soon to come!) Just make sure to use a good BBQ sauce!

In other non-related food news, I am very excited for today. Why? It’s my birthday! And this so happens to mean that I get treated to my favorite food, sushi! (Is it bad that my greatest joy comes from consuming raw fish???) Now oddly enough, I’m very much hoping that Hurricane Sandy comes through strong tomorrow night so my college closes down for Monday. That way, I can get an extra day to study so I can enjoy a study-free birthday without feeling guilty. According to the weather channel (yes, I know, such a reliable source) South Jersey is supposed to get hammered. I already know people are stocking up on water bottles and flash lights. As for me, I think I’ll just barricade myself in with some left-over sushi and onion rings 🙂

Baked Barbecue Onion Rings

Ingredients: 

2 medium onions

2 tbsp whole wheat flour

1/3 cup barbecue sauce (I used cajun-seasoned sauce)

1 egg

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper

1 and 1/3 cup panko crumbs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spay a pan with oil. Peel off the the hard outer layer of the onions. With a medallion, slice the onion into 1/4 inch thick slices. (Careful with your fingers!) In a shallow bowl, combine and mix the flour, barbecue sauce, egg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. In another shallow bowl, place and spread out panko crumbs. Either using your hands or tongs, take one onion ring and place it in the barbecue sauce mixture. Shake off the excess sauce and place in panko bowl. Completely cover with crumbs and, again, shake off the excess and place on the baking pan. Repeat with every onion. Bake in oven for 18 minutes.

Energy Balls

I feel so sad. Labor day has arrived. That means the end of summer and back to the books for me 😦 Many late-night-paper-writings to come. Lucky I have these little power balls to give me some energy.

For those weary of dates, fear not- they are not detectable at all. I know this for a fact as my mom, who hates raisins and everything similar to it, unknowingly ate one and asked for another… and then some more.

Energy Balls 

Ingredients: 

1 cup pitted dates, packed

1 cup oats

2 tbsp peanut butter

2 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

Directions: 

Soak dates in water for at least 2 hours. Drain and blend in a food processor until smooth. Add in the rest of ingredients and blend until combined. Roll the mixture into desired-sized balls (you can also shape these into bars).