Green Tea Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 C white sugar

1 C butter, softened

1 + 3/4  C flour

3 egg yolks

2 green tea bags

1 t vanilla extract

Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Remove tea from 2 tea bags and grind to a powder using a mortar and pestle or food processor.  Add tea powder to white sugar and butter - mix well.

2. Gradually add flour, egg yolks, and vanilla to make a stiff dough.  Roll into a log and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Slice the dough into approximately 1/2" thicknesses, place on parchment-lined cookie sheets, and bake for about 15 minutes until the edges are slightly golden.  Dust cookies with powdered sugar.

Japanese Almond Cookies

Ingredients

 Red Food Coloring

1 C + 3T Vegetable shortening

1C Sugar

1 egg beaten

1 t almond extract

2 + 1/2 C flour

1/2 t salt

1/2 t. baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. With an electric mixer, beat the shortening and sugar together until creamy.  Beat in egg and almond extract.

3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add to shortening mixture and mix well.  Scoop up a scant tablespoon of dough with a spoon and form into a walnut-sized ball. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and press slightly with your thumb to make a small indentation (don't flatten).  Dip the end of a chopstick into the red food coloring and touch the center of the cookie to make a red dot.

4. Bake in a preheated oven until slightly browned, 15-18 mins.  Cool on a rack.

Nutrition facts

Per serving: 173 calories, 1.6 grams of protein, 18.3 grams of carbohydrates, 7.8 mg of cholesteral, and 77.8 mg of sodium. 

BEST Chocolate Zucchini Bread (Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Paleo)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup zucchini, finely grated
1 large egg , room temperature
1/4 cup Greek plain yogurt, or dairy-free yogurt
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoon raw honey
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips, dairy/soy-free brand

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray an  8½ x 4½-inch medium loaf pan with non-stick spray.
• In a bowl, mix the almond flour, baking soda, cacao powder, ground cinnamon and salt.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg then mix in yogurt, coconut oil, vanilla, honey and apple cider vinegar. Make sure all is well combined.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently mix in the grated zucchini, chopped pecans and chocolate chips. 
• Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Do not over mix batter. 
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, approximately 35 minutes.
• Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Gluten-free, Sugar-free vanilla cookies

Ingredients

1 Cups Gluten free all purpose flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 Cup Granulated monkfruit or Splenda
1/2 Cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 Egg, at room temperature
1 tsp Vanilla extract

• Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• in a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, cornstarch and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the monkfruit and butter with an electric hand mixer until it is light and fluffy and pale in color.
• Add in the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.
• Gradually stir in the flour mixture into the butter mixture, stirring just until combined, and the dough forms a ball.  
• Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough into balls on the prepared cookie sheet, pressing down until they are about 1/2 inch thick.
• Bake until the edges JUST begin to turn golden brown, about 13-14 minutes. They will still feel very soft and unbaked, that is good.
• Let them cool on the cookie tray for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Sugar-free, Gluten-free No-bake Berry Icebox Cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups HeavyWhipping Cream

• 1-1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

• 1 teaspoons Liquid Splenda

• 1 batch of  Gluten-free, Sugar-free vanilla cookies (included on this blog)
• 1-1/2 lbs berries trimmed and sliced

Instructions

1. Place the bowl of an electric mixer, or a large glass bowl if using a hand mixer, in the freezer to chill for at least 10 minutes. Fit electric mixer with the whipping attachment then add heavy whipping cream and vanilla to the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed while gradually adding Splenda then gradually increase speed as whipped cream thickens. Whip until cream can hold it’s shape but is not lumpy.
2. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream into the bottom of an 8x8” baking dish. Layer in 9 of the cookies, spread on another layer of whipped cream, and then top with 1/3 of the strawberries. Repeat layers - cookies, whipped cream, and berries - two more times to create three layers total (you might have a little extra whipped cream at the end.) Cover dish with saran wrap then refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, slice then serve immediately.

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef, turkey, or a combo
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 lb bacon cooked & crumbled
• 1/4 cup crushed french fried onions
• 8 oz  cheese cubed (cheddar, Monterey jack, provolone, etc)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine egg, ground beef, parsley, garlic powder, flour, milk, bacon crumbles and crushed french fried onions.
2. Mix well.
3. Shape meat mixture into a ball shape.
4. Stuff a cube of cheese into each meatball and cover with remaining meat mixture.
5. Place meatballs onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.