Recipe Review: Pecan Pie Bars from Without Adornment

Pecan Pie Bars

Thanks to Pinterest I found these yummy dessert bars that would be an excellent choice for a potluck. The shortbread crust and sweet cinnamony filling loaded with soaked pecans.....it all comes together for a great Paleo dessert that everyone will love.

This recipe came from Without Adornment and can be found here.

Note: I used coconut milk instead of almond milk, honey instead of maple syrup and opted for the grain free option of arrowroot starch. Arrowroot starch is not legal on the SCD, I think this filling would turn out substituting coconut flour for the arrowroot but I haven't tried it yet.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I saw these cookies on the blog, Healing Fork. They looked so good, all the things I miss about a crispy on the outside chewy on the inside cookie. As I was mixing up the dough something felt familiar and I realized this recipe is very close to the Almond Butter Blondies from Elayna's Pantry that I make all the time. I never would have thought about baking them as single cookies. They are delicious and have a wonderful texture you would not expect from the simple ingredients.

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 c. almond flour
2 T. arrowroot starch/flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/3 c. almond butter
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
3 T. oil or butter
1/2 c. honey
1 c. Enjoy Life Chocolate chips (gluten, dairy, and soy free)


1. Combine flour, salt and baking soda.
2. In a separate bowl combing almond butter, egg, vanilla, oil or butter and honey.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well.
4. Add chocolate chips to mixture.
5. Drop by teaspoon full onto parchment covered baking sheet.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on pan.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Note: Arrowroot starch is not SCD legal, replace it with 2 T. almond flour if on the SCD.

Chocolate Frosted Almond Cookies

These fun cookies are not too sweet and are fun for the kids to make. I used a cookie recipe from Elana's Pantry found here and I once again modified this frosting recipe. I didn't roll out the cookies, just placed balls of dough on the cookie sheet and flattened them with my hand. They look so fun everyone wanted one. I found out you need to work as quickly as possible with the frosting so it doesn't harden up in your icing bag. You can also spread the frosting on too, which is what I ended up doing when the frosting tip hardened.

Chocolate Coconut Frosting

1/2 c. coconut oil, melted
2 T. raw cocoa powder
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients with a whip, place in freezer for 2 minutes. Remove and stir with whip. Place in freezer again for 2 minute intervals, whipping in between. Once frosting is cloudy continue to whip and the frosting will become thick and creamy. Use immediately.

Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

These little lemon cookies are quick to make, gluten and grain free and have a healthy frosting to boot. What more can I say? This frosting was originally posted here on Nourishing Days. I changed the orange to lemon flavor and it turned out wonderful. What is really important is that they passed the kid test. My 9 year old asked if I would make some more!

Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

Cookie Ingredients

1 c. almond flour
1/3 c. coconut flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. melted butter, coconut oil or grape seed oil
2 T. honey
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 T. water
1 tsp. grated lemon peel

Frosting Ingredients

1/2 c. coconut oil
pinch of salt
1/2 - 1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. honey

1. Combine the flours, salt, oil or butter, honey, vanilla, almond extract, lemon peel and water. Stir until thoroughly mixed.

2.Pinch off a small amount of dough (about 2 tsp.) and roll into a ball. Place on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment. Make an indent in the middle of the cookie with your thumb.

3. Repeat until baking sheet is full. Bake at 325 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until just barely turning brown. Cool completely.

4. For the frosting melt coconut oil then combine remaining ingredients. Stir with a whisk. Place in the freezer for 2 minutes, stir again. Continue stirring in 2 minute intervals until it becomes cloudy. At this point remove from the freezer and whisk until creamy. Frost cookies immediately as frosting sets and is no longer spreadable. If this happens and you are not finished simply reheat and begin cooling process again.

Recipe Review: Elana's Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are not legal because of the chocolate, if you read my blog much you know I am not opposed to to cheating once in awhile, especially when it comes to chocolate. Anyway I did substitute honey for the agave, cut the salt in half and added some chunky pecans. I used Enjoy Life's Chocolate chips because they are gluten and dairy free. They tasted even better the next day.

The recipe is here at Elana's Pantry

Almond or Peanut Nut Butter Bars

This recipe is revised from an old favorite. Here is a Gluten Free Version my kids really like. The chocolate topping needs to be left off to make them SCD legal. I think you could make a honey/nut butter topping that would be good, or sprinkle nuts on top. Enjoy!

Almond or Peanut Nut Butter Bars

Crust:
1 1/2 c. almond flour
1/2 c. finely chopped cashews
1/3 c. honey
1/4 c. grapeseed oil
2/3 c. nut butter, divided
2 eggs

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Oil an 8x8 glass pan. Combine all crust ingredients in a bowl, using only 1/3 c. nut butter. Mix well. Spread into the oiled pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until barely brown. Spread with remaining 1/3 c. nut butter while still warm. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours.

Chocolate Topping:
2.25 oz 70% cocoa dark chocolate ( I like Newman's brand)
3 T. grapeseed oil
2 T. honey
1 tsp. vanilla

In a small saucepan melt together the topping ingredients. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated and the topping is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool till lukewarm. Remove crust from refrigerator and pour topping over the crust spreading to smooth if needed. Return to refrigerator for at least 8 hours (trust me on this one, it makes a difference). Cut into bars and serve.

Recipe Review: Lemon Curd Bars

I spend a little time each day looking at other blogs and what other people are cooking. One of those blogs is The Nourishing Gourmet. When I saw these lemon bars, and had a bag of lemons in the refrigerator I had to try them. The recipe says to let it sit overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Well, I am not a patient eater so I cut one before putting them away for the night. I almost threw out the pan, they weren't good. But I ended up putting them in the refrigerator (so I wouldn't have to wash the pan) and after a night's rest the flavors are intense. If you like lemon this is your dish! I topped it with some SCD Whipped Cream and it was absolutely gourmet and nourishing.

Here is the recipe from the Nourishing Gourmet

I didn't change a thing.

SCD Dishpan Cookies

This is a versatile recipe, it is fun to play with it and see what kind of cookies you get. I have put in parentheses the ingredients I used.

5 cups nut flour (almond flour)
1 cup raisins or any dried fruit (craisins)
1 cup nuts (pecans)
1 cup SCD legal unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup butter or oil (grapeseed oil)
1 cup honey
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix everything together in your largest bowl or dishpan. Drop by Tablespoonfuls onto a parchment lined baking sheet. You can flatten the balls of dough for a thinner, crispier cookie or leave them for a thicker, softer cookie (I liked them thicker). Bake for 9 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.

SCD Thumbprint Jam Cookies

SCD Thumbprint Jam Cookies

1 c. Blanched Almond Flour
1/3 c. coconut flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. melted butter or grapeseed oil
2 T. honey
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 T. water
SCD legal jam

1. Combine all ingredients except for the jam in a large bowl. Stir until thoroughly mixed.

2.Pinch off a small amount of dough (about 2 tsp.) and roll into a ball. Place on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment. Make an indent in the middle of the cookie with your thumb.

3. Repeat until baking sheet is full. Bake at 325 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until just barely turning brown.

4. Right after you take the cookies out of the oven place 1 tsp. of jam in each indent. Let cool.

Lauren's SCD Peanut Butter Cookies

SCD Peanut Butter Cookies

2 1/2 c. blanched almond flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt (omit if peanut butter is salted)
heaping 1/2 c. peanut butter
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. honey
1 egg

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Stir till well combined. Drop teaspoon sized balls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. If desired cross each cookie with tines of a fork. Bake at 325 degrees for 6-7 minutes.


Note: Thanks to a reader's comment I think these are much better with an egg added. Love those comments!