No-Sugar-Added Mini Banana Cookie Bites (Gluten-Free)

No-Sugar-Added Mini Banana Cookie Bites

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Happy Easter / Passover / Ostara! Whatever it is you’re celebrating, even if it’s nothing, I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I’ve got a day off, which I’m going to spend checking out the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit at the de Young Museum and riding my bike around the city with my honey.

As for baking and cooking, well, I have to admit that these cookies are already gone. Gone! They were delicious, easy, and very nibble-able.

I figure, sometimes you just want a bite of something sweet. A taste. A smidgen of sweet with a cup of tea and you’re good.

That’s why I decided to make these cookies miniature! Soft, light, and good for you. They’re the perfect healthy sweet treat.

There’s no sugar added, just a bit of stevia, and they’re very low in calories. They’re also high in fiber and potassium, making them a great little recovery cookie before bedtime, at the end of an active day.

No-Sugar-Added Mini Banana Cookie Bites

These cookies were inspired in part by What Runs Lori’s Refreshing Lemon Blueberry Coconut Flour Cookies, but I did make quite a few changes.

I kept the coconut flour, but left out the blueberries, for one thing. I also used way less lemon and used granulated stevia instead of honey. Coconut flour can get a little dense, which is why I used two eggs ~ and the ripe banana added enough texture to make these soft and delicious.

You could, of course, make these cookies large! But I love them as a mini, bite-size treat.

They’d also be good with a small amount of chopped nuts or some nutmeg. If you play around with ‘em, I’d love to hear what you did!

No-Sugar-Added Mini Banana Cookie Bites

Mini Banana Cookie Bites (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raw coconut flour (I used Coconut Secret)
• 1/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. granulated stevia
• 2 eggs
• juice from 1 large lemon
• 1 large ripe banana, mashed

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. In a small bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, lemon juice, and banana.
4. Stir in the dry mix by hand until just combined.
5. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper.
6. Spoon the batter, roll into 1″ balls, and lay on the baking sheet. Press each ball gently with the back of a spoon to flatten.
7. Bake about 18-20 minutes, until dried on top and light brown on bottom.
8. Cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

Do you like bananas?

Do you like to have a treat before bed?

Almond Butter Cut-Out Cookies (Vegan)

To see all recipes, scroll to the top and click on Recipes or just click here!

Almond Butter Cut-Out Cookies (Vegan)

Since my first attempt at baking with coconut sugar was such a success, I could hardly wait to try making other cookies ~ you know, just to verify that it carmelizes well and tastes good in all cookie recipes! Quality assurance testing

Luckily, Valentine’s Day rolled around, which brought into my hands a brand-new heart-shaped cookie cutter. Awwwww!

Almond Butter Cut-Out Cookies (Vegan)

Around here, we loooooooove our almond butter. I’m a fan of raw but my honey likes it roasted, so we switch it up. I made these cookies with raw almond butter, but I know that depending where you are in the country (or world!), raw almond butter can be hard to find and/or extremely expensive.

The point is, ANY nut butter would make these cookies work! Peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, cashew butter… ooooh, I’m getting ideas! Must. Make. More. Cookies.

Ahem. Once we polish these off, that is.

Almond Butter Cut-Out Cookies (Vegan)

If you’re in a rush ~ or super-eager to get these cookies into your belly ~ you don’t have to make them cut-outs, either!

Instead of refrigerating the dough (see Step 6, below), use it right away. Roll it into 1″ balls and press flat with the back of a fork, then bake at 350F for 12 minutes. Refrigerating helps stiffen the dough, making it easier to handle for cut-outs… but if you just can’t wait, then go for it!

Almond Butter Cut-Out Cookies (Vegan)

Almond Butter Cut-Out Cookies (Vegan)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups pastry flour (I used Arrowhead Mills Organic)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
• 2/3 cup raw almond butter
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tsp. coconut (palm) sugar
• 1/4 cup rice milk, almond milk, or coconut milk
• 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger OR 1 tsp. ginger powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Steps

1. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Beat together the almond butter and 3/4 cup of coconut sugar. Beat in the milk until fluffy, followed by the ginger and vanilla.
3. Stir in the dry mix at low speed or by hand until just combined. Do not over-mix.
4. Gather the dough into 2 balls and knead each one a few times. Flatten each ball into a disk, then cover and refrigerate 3 hours or up to 2 days.
5. Preheat oven to 350F.
6. On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll one disk of dough at a time unti it is 1/6-inch thick. Press together any dough cracks with your fingers.
7. Cut shapes with cookie cutters or a paring knife. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets. Re-roll the dough scraps and continue until you’ve used all the dough.
8. Sprinkle the top of each cookkie with a pinch of the remaining coconut sugar.
9. Bake about 12 minutes, until just dried on top and light brown on bottom.
10. Cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

Do you like almond butter?

Do you eat nuts, and if so, do you have a favorite?

Carrot Breakfast Cookies (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

To see all recipes, scroll to the top and click on Recipes or just click here!

Carrot Breakfast Cookies

I’d been reading some articles about coconut sugar ~ also known as palm sugar ~ and got curious! From what I’ve read, coconut sugar:

• Is a low-glycemic food (35), which provides sweetness without the crash and burn of refined white or brown sugar.
• Carmelizes when baking, unlike stevia or agave, making it an excellent replacement for refined sugar in baked goods.
• Is often (or usually) sustainably harvested, making it an eco-friendly choice.
• Is high in amino acids, minerals, and B vitamins!

Check out the Wikipedia entry here

So, when my local organic market had coconut sugar on sale, I couldn’t resist and picked up a bag.

I was also eager to get rid of some extra carrots, so decided on one of my favorite old recipes: Carrot Breakfast Cookies!

Carrot Breakfast Cookies

There is nothing inherently “breakfast” about them, except that:

• They taste delicious in the morning!
• They’re filling ~ two or three with some almond butter is plenty for a small breakfast (for me).
• They’re very low in fat and cholesterol-free!
• They provide fiber and protein to keep you fueled-up for several hours.
• They’re extra-yummy when topped with raw almond butter.
• The coconut/palm sugar worked as I’d hoped and was a delicious replacement for refined sugar!

Carrot Breakfast Cookies

I made these with garbanzo (chickpea) flour, but you could try whole-wheat flour or any gluten-free flour. You can also make these with eggs instead of egg replacer, but I like the extra healthy boost from chia.

Chia Egg Replacer:

• For one egg equivalent, add 1 Tbsp. chia seeds to 3 Tbsp. water.
• Let sit for 15 minutes. Stir, then use as you would eggs in baking.
  

  Carrot Breakfast Cookies

Carrot Breakfast Cookies (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup coconut/palm sugar
• 2 servings of chia egg replacer (see above)
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup garbanzo flour
• 1 1/2 cup steel cut oats (try Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Steel Cut Oats)
• 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Make your chia egg replacer and let sit while you prepare the rest.
3. Sift together all the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the applesauce and palm sugar.
5. Add the chia egg replacer.
6. Beat well for one minute.
7. With a wooden spoon, mix in the carrots.
8. Fold in the dry ingredients until fully incorporated.
9. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
10. Spoon out in 1″ balls and flatten slightly or leave puffy (like I did) for more muffin-y cookies.
11. Bake at 375F for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

Have you ever cooked with coconut/palm sugar?

Do you have a favorite replacement for refined sugar?

Things I Love Thursday

Following the tradition of great bloggers and photographers around the globe, I’m instituting one of my favorite bloggy themes: Things I Love Thursday, also sometimes known as Thursday Things. Ten things (or thereabouts) from around the Internets that I love for any reason. It’s random and educational! Enjoy and happy almost-Friday.

1. Yoga with Santa

from "Santa's Christmas Routine" by Sanga Yoga

Brought to you by the creative minds at Sanga Yoga, this e-book is both adorable and beautifully produced!

2. Gluten-free Almond Butter Espresso Freezer Cookies

(from Eating Bird Food)

Courtesy of Eating Bird Food. All I have to say is YUM. And I love the idea of using chia as an egg replacer. I have a delicious sugar-free protein cookie recipe, made with almond butter and chia, that got me through triathlon training. I’ll have to post ‘em up here one of these days!

3. A Year of Discipline

Having trouble coming up with resolutions for 2012? This Harlequin Blaze author practiced a different discipline each month during 2011, including a month of going to the gym every day; giving up coffee for a month; and giving away an item a day to Goodwill.

It reminds me of 2010, when I resolved not to buy any clothes for an entire year. That resolution was so successful, in fact, I’m thinking of doing it again in 2012!

One of my 2011 resolutions was to complete my first triathlon. As we know, it was a huge success. In 2012, I’ll be doing my first marathon: the San Francisco Marathon on July 31! After that, who knows?

Do you make resolutions? Do you stick to them?

4. Speaking of triathlons…

I registered for the Mermaid Triathlon in Alameda, on June 9, 2012! I’ll admit, my first one was so much fun, I can hardly wait to start training for my second. The Mermaid Series events are fun and supportive, and they’re women-only! Interested in joining me??

5. Vintage Spacemen Magazine covers

from swapsale.com

For those of you who don’t know, my nickname for years has been Spacegirl (alternatively known as Spacekitten). It’s a long story why, but suffice it to say, I have a soft spot (very soft) for vintage sci-fi images. So when I saw these old issues of Spacemen Magazine, I just about flipped.

6. Tomboy Style

from Tomboy Style

One of my new favorite fashion blogs. Super-classy, prep-meets-urban, girl-meets-outdoors.

Another soft spot? Aspen in the 1970s. Swoooooooon.

7. Before and After: Tahoe Cabin Makeover

(from Sunset Magazine online)

Needless to say, I would like to dress in some cute Tomboy Style clothes with a ’70s Aspen twist and hang out here.

8. The art of Lori Earley

(art by Lori Earley)

Any and all, but particularly this lovely lamb image.

9. The Mel Bochner exhibit at the National Gallery of Art

Amazing! by Mel Bochner

If you’re in D.C., you’ve got to check it out!

10. NPR’s Favorite New Artists of 2011

Free music downloads! Also, good stuff

Any other good stuff I missed out on over the last week??

Happy Thursday! ♥