Photo a Day Challenge Week 42

Im still a week behind everyone, but slowly catching up...

Day 19 - S is for... Soap

Day 20 - T is for... Time

Day 21 - U is for... Umbrella

Day 22 - V is for... Victory (celebrating Melittas B-day)

Day 23 - W is for... Wash

Day 24 - X is for... X-cited (for Therapy Dog Visits)

Day 25 - Y is for... Yarn

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Gluten Free Sugar Free Gingerbread Cookies

These little lovelies are proof that you dont have to give up amazing flavor to eat gluten free and sugar free.  I took them to two different parties this weekend and everyone loved them.  Total sugar and wheat addicts were passing over sinful store bought chocolate covered treats in favor of these simple little cookies.  Now that is saying something when sugar eaters go for your cookies instead of Peeps.  I was even able to provide a vegan party goer with a tasty treat since these cookies happen to be egg less as well.

I first made these for Christmas, using half the dough.  The rest of the dough I discovered recently and it was just as great as it was when it was first made.  So yes the recipe makes a huge number of cookies but its worth it to save half of them for latter.  I love leaving surprising myself by hiding random things in the freezer that will make me happy when I find it later.  Its one of the small pleasures of life.

The frosting issue is still a problem however.  Ive tried twice now to make sugar free frosting without some unwelcome ingredient like cream cheese or boxed pudding mix and neither worked out well at all.  I tried this recipe on Saturday and ended up with a pot of sticky brown goo, Im still not sure what I did wrong but it didnt work out for me.  So I will keep trying.  If you have a good sugar free frosting recipe please do send it my way.

Really these cookies are so good they dont need frosting though.  They are just spicy enough from the cinnamon and amaranth flour that the agave and molasses even it out for a perfect gingerbread flavor.  They are totally addictive so beware.

Gluten Free Sugar Free Gingerbread Cookies

2 1/3 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups amaranth flour
1 1/2 cups arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 unsweetened applesauce
1/3 canola oil
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together the rice flour, amaranth flour, arrowroot powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. 

In a separate bowl, combine the agave nectar, molasses, applesauce, canola oil, vanilla.  Mix well and pour over the dry ingredients.  Stir until the 2 mixtures are thoroughly combined.  Cover and chill the dough 2 hours or more.

Sprinkle your work surface with arrowroot powder.  Divide the chilled dough into 4 equal parts.  Return 3 parts to the refrigerator to keep chilled.  Roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick.  Cut out gingerbread with cookie cutters and place them on the prepared baking sheets.  Bake for 6 to 7 minutes.

The cookies will be slightly soft when they are removed from the oven.  Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes then move to cooling racks to cool completely.  These freeze very well in plastic freezer bags.  Makes approximately 5 dozen cookies.

From Baking with Agave Nectar  by Ania Catalano.

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Gluten Free Sugar Free Hazelnut Brownies

Just recently I finally had the chance to go back and cook the outstanding hazelnut brownies I made over the winter, this time adjusting the ingredients for baking with agave nectar.  I didnt think it was possible but they were made even better this time around.  Cooking without sugar made them richer and moister, not to mention much less likely to be crumbly and fall apart.  It was a pleasant surprise.  The only problem with this recipe really is to try not to eat them all in one sitting.  They are very much worth the effort of making hazelnut flour which I will admit is no small task.  And even sugar free they still pair amazingly well with my vegan variation on David Lebovitzs Pear and Caramel Ice Cream with Raspberry Topping.

Gluten Free Sugar Free Hazelnut Brownies

6 tablespoons butter

3 ounces dark unsweetened baking chocolate

3/4 scant cup agave nectar
1 whole egg plus 1 egg white

1 and 1/4 cup hazelnut flour


pinch of salt
3 tablespoons brandy

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with butter.


Combine the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring occasionally. When chocolate is just about melted, remove from the heat and continue to stir until smooth.


Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in agave. Then beat in the egg and egg white one at a time. Gently stir in the hazelnut flour (make your own by toasting, removing the skin from and grinding the nuts in a coffee/spice grinder until very fine), salt, and brandy. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until just barely set in the middle, about 20 minutes. If in doubt under cook them slightly rather than over cooking them.

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How Lucky Were We

On December 9th... the day after I completed all the requirements needed to finish my Masters degree... my grandmother left this world and entered into Heaven. At the time, even though I was sad... I was more relieved that she was no longer suffering or in any type of pain.

Now, after almost a month has passed by I can feel the grief setting in. I miss her and now am feeling a lot of what I should have been feeling when it all happened. So many things remind me of her every day and my heart aches to hear her voice, or get a letter from her, or have her hold me in her arms.

Not too long before she got really sick I had breakfast with her one morning where she explained to me how she wanted her funeral to go, where certain things in her apartment were, etc. For a very long time she had what would happen after she was gone planned out. She never wanted to be a burden to anyone. So when she passed away, it was no surprise to find a journal with every detail written out and I knew most of these plans. One thing I didnt know about was that she wanted me to speak during her funeral. I wasnt sure if I would be able to do it, but Im so glad I did. So on that day I stood up and read these words that I had written about her....

My Grandma was an amazing lady! But that is no secret to those of you who knew her. 

She was many things to many people, but for me she wasnt just my Grandma...

She was my best friend, mentor, shoulder to cry on, 

Skip Bo partner, pen pal, secret keeper, and biggest cheerleader.

There is no doubt that many of our hearts ache today because of the loss of this

special women, but she gave us many memories to remind us of her as we 

continue on our journey through life. 

During this time I would like to share a few special memories, on from each of her grandchildren.

(Here I shared three memories... one from myself and my cousins Ryan & Stephanie)

All of us have our own special memories that weve shared with her... 

and what a blessing that is! 

So today remember, she would not want this to be a time of sadness,

but instead a time of celebration of her life. 

I want to leave you today with one of my favorite quotes that comes to us 

today from Winnie the Pooh...

"How lucky we were to have someone in our lives 

that makes saying goodbye so hard."

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