Pecan Shortbread Cookies

This is such a delicate cookie, great with your favorite hot beverage, and super easy to make. I'm eating one as I post this. I found the recipe from Elana's Pantry (elanaspantry.com). The only ingredient I needed to modify for my family is the agave nectar. Although I used to use agave nectar, I've studied research that agave has fructose amounts greater than high fructose corn syrup (or corn sugar, whatever you choose to call it). I replaced the agave with coconut crystals. I only use 6 tablespoons, but you can add more if you want it sweeter. Another good thing about this recipe ... no eggs. So you can taste the raw dough without fear of getting sick and adjust the sweetener accordingly.

Another trick to the recipe is rolling the dough into a log before slicing. Now I'm no Martha Stewart prodigy. That title belongs to my sister. So my dough logs are always flat on one side. My motto is, if it doesn't change the flavor, don't worry about it.

I will be using the recipe as a base for variations on the shortbread. To be continued ...

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup pecans, chopped

6 tablespoons Coconut Crystals (or more if needed)

1/2 cup salted butter, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl combine almond flour, coconut crystals, salt, baking soda and pecans
2. In a smaller bowl, mix together butter and vanilla
3. Combine wet and dry ingredients
4. Place dough in the center of a large piece of parchment paper or wax paper and form into a large log approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter
5. Place in freezer for one hour, until firm, unwrap and cut into 1/8 inch thick slices
6. Place slices on a parchment lined baking sheet or baking stone
7. Bake at 350 degrees until golden, 10 minutes (If not golden at 10 minutes, check every minute until they are. You don't want them to get too brown.)
8. Cool (When they come out of the oven, they will be soft. They will become crunchier once they cool.)
9. Enjoy!

Coconut Pecan Macaroons

I'm late getting this posted, but it's December and time for Cookie Fridays. For the first Friday, I chose Coconut Pecan Macaroons -- for no other reason than I had all the ingredients in the pantry and fridge.

This is a new recipe for me that I found at http://glutenfreebay.blogspot.com and modified for our needs. Family Review: Thumbs up. It's a keeper. We gobbled up most of them the first day.

4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
3-4 tsp Stevia*
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp ground pecans
2 cups dried shredded unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Whip the egg whites, salt and vanilla until frothy with an electric mixer. Add Stevia. Whip until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the pecans and coconut.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment (I used my baking stone, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray). Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto the parchment (or stone) about 1/2 inch apart. Bake approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.

Optional: Sorry, I didn't measure this next step. I just threw it together. Melt some chocolate chips and a pat or two of butter together, stirring frequently. Add splash of vanilla and stir. Add milk, if needed, to thin to drizzling capacity, and drizzle mixture over cookies. (I just now thought of this -- You can make more chocolate mixture, like a fondue, and dunk your macaroons. Ooh, I may need to make more.)

*Stevia brands vary. Some are not as good as others. I used NuNaturals Stevia, but I am still researching Stevia, so my views on this may change later. You can mix with a little bit of coconut crystals to even out the taste.

Key Lime Pie

In my quest to eliminate sugar and grains from my diet, desserts become tricky. After all, what is dessert without sweetness? In the past I have used honey and molasses, both more natural sweeteners than processed sugar,  however, these can make things like pie fillings too runny. Stevia, a plant-based sweetener, leaves a strange aftertaste for me. I use it in this recipe but in combination with Coconut Crystals which eliminates the aftertaste. Coconut Crystals are made from coconut tree sap and have a low glycemic index. The taste is similar to raw sugar and so far, works well. 

Note: If you are interested at all in your health, don't think just because it's a healthier "sugar" that you can eat a whole pie at one sitting. Warning: With this recipe, you'll want to, so don't say I didn't warn you.

I don't make desserts that often. Around our house, they're a luxury. I wanted to make my husband's favorite pie for his birthday -- Key Lime -- so I searched for a recipe, found one, and modified it for my family's way of eating. My family loved it. I enjoyed it but found the filling a bit rich. The crust can also be used for other pies (or eaten by itself with a spoon -- yep, I did it and will probably do it again next time -- it's that good).

For a completely homemade pie, this is easy to make (another must for me), so enjoy and feel free to comment.

Ingredients:
 

For Crust:

1 cup blanched almond meal, packed*

1/2 cup pecan meal, packed*

1/8 tsp. NuNaturals pure stevia extract

2 tsbp. Coconut Crystals**

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

3 tbsp. butter, melted

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp. salt

 

For Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

7 tbsp. Coconut Crystals**

1/4 plus 1/8 tsp. NuNaturals pure stevia extract

1/2 cup key lime juice (or use regular limes if you can't find key limes)

1/4 to 1/8 tsp. finely minced lime zest (depending on how tart you like your pie)

*You can buy the nut "flours" or make your own by grinding the nuts in a food processor.
**Sold at health food stores. I haven't seen it at a regular grocery store yet.

Preparation:

For Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk together almond meal, pecan meal, stevia, xanthan gum, and Coconut Crystals together in a bowl. Stir vanilla and salt into melted butter. Add to dry mixture, and knead together dough with hands until everything is distributed evenly. 

Lightly grease a large glass pie dish with butter. Press dough into dish, ensuring that the thickness is the same all over the pie dish. Poke holes with a fork all over the crust. (If air pockets rise while baking, gently prick those areas with your fork.) Bake crust for 14-15 minutes. 

When slightly browned, remove from oven and let cool completely before adding pie filling. (If you miss this direction, like I did thinking I could make this quickly, just put in refrigerator to cool while you make the key lime filling.)  

You can cover the crust with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator overnight if you'd like to prepare the filling the next day.

For Filling:

Set cream cheese out on the counter to soften to room temperature.

Beat cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add Coconut Crystals and stevia into cream cheese, then stir with mixer. Add key lime juice and lime zest to mixture.

Scrape filling into pie crust. Put pie in freezer until firm enough to cut. If it gets too hard, take out and let thaw somewhat before serving.

Behold He Comes

Photo by Jennifer Baxley

My cousin took this picture from the bridge that goes to Destin, FL. Thanks, Jennifer, for sharing.

My five-year-old daughter saw this picture, pointed to the sun and exclaimed, "Look, it's Jesus."

"...His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance." --Revelation 1:16