Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles - Gluten Free, Egg Free

photos Brunch at Saks

I'm over at the lovely Nikki's blog Cupcakes for Breakfast today sharing my gluten free/dairy free chocolate chip cookie dough truffles. They're also egg free, so the worry of eating the dough is gone (the guilt, however, slightly remains).

These make for the perfect Valentine's Day treats, too! Jump over there for the recipe.

Churro Snack Mix Recipe - Gluten Free

*To answer a few email questions: The pattern above is actually a wallpaper sample I have from Phillip Jeffries Ltd. This is their Moroccan print in chocolate brown (found here).

I debated posting this allergy friendly cinnamon sugar "churro" Chex Mix recipe merely because its components are less than camera friendly. However, this recipe is so quick (5 minutes), simple (5 ingredients), and delicious (cinnamon sugar yumminess) that I had to share, regardless of its photographic appeal. Instead of using butter, as most traditional Chex Mix dessert recipes require, I swapped a third cup of coconut oil and it worked like a charm. Put these in a jar and grab a handful throughout the day, or pack in a clear bag tied with a bow and send to a friend in the mail; this is the perfect snack to eat anytime, anywhere.

*To answer a few email questions and a comment below: The porcelain measuring spoons are from World Market here.

Click below for the recipe.


"Churro" Chex Mix - gluten free, dairy free
- 5 C. Chex Mix rice cereal (or any plain cereal)
- 1/3 C. coconut oil, melted (or butter)
- 1 Tbs. brown sugar
- 1/2 Tbs. of cinnamon sugar (recipe below), plus more for dusting
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

- wax paper

Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/2 C. sugar
- 1 Tbs. cinnamon
Mix sugar and cinnamon. Store in an airtight container. (This makes way more than the recipe calls for. In total I used about 1.5 Tbs. of this and put the rest in a container)

In a large, microwavable safe bowl, add cereal. Set aside.
In a small, microwavable safe bowl, add coconut oil and microwave for 30 seconds, or until melted. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon sugar mix, and vanilla.
Pour sugar mixture over cereal in the large bowl and toss gently until coated evenly.
Microwave cereal mixture in 1 minute intervals for 5 minutes, carefully stirring after each minute.
Spread cereal mixture over wax paper. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar to taste (I suggest doing this slowly because it can quickly become too sweet). Let cool, about 30 minutes.
Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Homemade Cheez-Its - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free Snacks

The greatest challenge I found after being diagnosed with food allergies was finding snack foods with suitable ingredients. Naturally I began with simple eats, namely fruits, veggies, and a few nuts that I was still able to tolerate. While those are still the safest route for me, every once in a while the need for a salty, gluten-resembling snack arises, which led me to this recipe for gluten free cheezits. With only 7 simple ingredients, these delectable little crackers carry the exact same taste as the name brand, but without the long list of ingredients and allergens. The only thing I would do differently next time is make a bigger batch.

photos by Brunch at Saks

Click below for the recipe.

3/4 C. shredded cheese (I shredded a block of 100% sheep's milk from Trader Joes in my food processor. For dairy/casein free, try Daiya mozzarella or cheddar shreds)
3 Tbs. butter, room temperature (I used Earth Balance Dairy Free-Soy Free)
3/4 C. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbs. milk (I used SoDelicious unflavored coconut milk)
sea salt to taste

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease pan.
- In a bowl, combine cheese, butter, cornstarch, salt, xanthan gum, and baking powder until mixture is crumbly.
- Add in milk and stir until dough forms. (At this point my milk was not incorporating well, so I tossed the entire mixture into the food processor, pulsed it a few times and the dough came out perfect. Hand held mixer would work great too.)
- Sprinkle a small amount of cornstarch on a flat surface. Roll out dough until 1/8-inch thick. (To save my wood rolling pin, I drape a large piece of plastic wrap over dough before rolling)

- Cut into squares. Poke each square with a toothpick in the center (not necessary- it was just fun)
- Transfer squares to baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until edges are just barely golden.

Original recipe found on Adventures of a GF Mom here.

DIY Chocolate Cups + Vegan Hot Chocolate Recipe

How amazing are these chocolate cups? Click here to see the entire DIY.

I love nothing more than a cup of hot chocolate at night this time of year. Below is my favorite recipe, which is gluten free and vegan.

Click below for recipe.

1/4 C. cocoa powder (I use Ah!laska)

3/4 C. sugar

pinch of salt

1/3 C. boiling water

4 C. coconut milk (I use SoDelicious)

3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Add in boiling water and coconut milk. Stir in vanilla extract. Top with whipped cream (gluten free and vegan whipped cream recipe here)

Adapted from this recipe.

Happy Halloween! Gluten Free Cupcakes + Dairy Free Whipped "Cream" Frosting Recipe

- Vanilla Cupcake recipe here . Vanilla "Whipped Cream" Frosting recipe here -

Celebrating the night by making these gluten/dairy -free witch hat whoopie pies and ghost cupcakes.

Hope you're having a fun and safe night!

Fried Banana Bites - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free Desserts

During our adventurous day in NYC last weekend I was frequently stopped in my tracks by the deliciously intoxicating smells of freshly made desserts omitted from bakeries and food carts alike. Since being gluten free means staying away from such yumminess while out, I decided to recreate a few of the treats I saw once I got home, the first being fried banana bites. A sweet blend of rice flour, coconut milk, egg, raw sugar, and coconut shreds, these bites are simple to make and perfect topped with powdered or cinnamon sugar. Just be careful...they have a tendency to disappear at an alarming rate.

When life gives you extra batter...make funnel cake:

Click below for recipe.

You'll need:

5 Tbs. white rice flour
1 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. shredded coconut
1 egg, beaten
1/4 C. milk (of any kind- I used coconut)
2 bananas, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
Oil for frying (I used canola)

Fill a shallow frying pan with about 1 inch oil and heat over medium until warm.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together flour, sugar, coconut, egg and milk until fully incorporated and cake batter like.
Roll cut banana rounds in batter and drop into oil until golden (about 1 minute each side).
Remove from pan and place on paper towel to drain.
Repeat with remaining rounds.
Sprinkle with powdered or cinnamon sugar and serve warm.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Whoopie Pies - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free

I've been dreaming about indulging in a whoopie pie since the day I was diagnosed with gluten, dairy, and soy allergies. Prior to my diagnosis I'd only ever had a whoopie pie once in my life, yet for some reason, as I sat in my doctor's office listening to her tell me all the foods I should avoid, it was the thought of never having another whoopie pie that left me most distraught. The mind goes to bizarre places, I tell you. Luckily I found this pan at Williams-Sonoma and was able to successfully recreate a gluten free whoopie pie strikingly similar to the original. I added in one half tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice to the recipe for no other reason than it's officially fall, and it was marvelous. Self restraint is in full force this morning, as these lovelies are sitting on my counter...

Click below for recipe.

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies
1 1/2 C. all-purpose gluten free flour
1 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 Tbs. pumpkin pie spice (I found this at Trader Joes)
2 eggs, room temp
1/4 C. canola oil
1/2 C. coconut milk (or any of choice)

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, oil, and milk. Add into dry ingredients. Mix just until fully incorporated.
If you have a whoopie pie pan, fill each round until 3/4 full (about 1 Tbs.) Otherwise, on a parchment lined baking sheet, spread out about 1 Tbs. mixture to form pies - 2-3 inches apart.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Let sit for 2 minutes on pan, then transfer to wire rack to cool.

Using your favorite frosting (click here for my homemade vegan vanilla frosting), spread about 1/2 Tbs. on bottom side up of each pie, and top with another. Makes about 8 pies.

Recipe adapted from Silvana Nardrone's Cooking For Isaiah.

Gluten Free Banana Bread Recipe- Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, Nut Free Bread

I've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately, practicing new-to-me gluten free bread recipes in preparation for fall and winter. It may sound silly to "practice" such a thing, but I love homemade breads in the colder months and since gluten free baking is a bit trickier, I like to have a few trial runs down before serving anything to friends and family during the holidays. This gluten/dairy/soy -free banana bread recipe is from Silvana Nardone's new book, Cooking for Isaiah (excellent recipe book for allergy sufferers*), and it is delicious. After taking a bite, I literally sat in awe for a few moments, not believing I could actually eat a dessert bread like this again without fear of becoming sick. I may or may not have had a piece or two in lieu of lunch yesterday...

*this was a not a sponsored post or paid review. personal opinion only

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Click below for recipe.

1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder (I used Rumford because it's aluminum/gluten -free )
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar (or agave/sugar sub would work)
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or 1 scraped vanilla bean)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Gently whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in large bowl.
In a separate bowl, mash bananas and add in eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Mix well.
Pour wet ingredients into dry, and mix just enough until incorporated. Be careful to not over mix! Gluten free flours do best just barely incorporated, otherwise the final product will be spongy.
Pour into a parchent lined or greased bread loaf pan.
Cook 45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Toasted Coconut Marshamallows - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free

As these last few weeks of summer quickly approach, I'm feverishly working my way through a list of seasonal recipes that won't be of much use come fall's new produce selection. While these toasted coconut marshmallows can certainly be made any time of year, my intention was to pair them with chocolate and graham crackers for the ultimate summer-associated dessert: s'mores. Sadly, I've yet to find gluten free graham crackers without soy, so my allergy free, s'more eating dream came to an abrupt halt. However, these marshmallows are so delicious on their own that they truly don't need to be roasted in the slightest, nor paired with chocolate (although a little piece of such never hurts).

the key players: I loved that this recipe only called for vanilla, gelatin, honey, water, and a pinch of salt.
Simple and delicious.

recipe from The Nourishing Chef here

DIY: Homemade Beauty Recipes - Allergy Free Hair Mask, Face Mask, and Body Wash

Do-it-yourself beauty treatments can be a great, inexpensive way to enjoy all the benefits of a day spent at the spa without the expensive price tag. I often use homemade recipes that work wonders for skin; my favorite being a dash of table salt + olive oil as a quick exfoliator for my hands after cooking and washing dishes. Recently, I decided to expand my beauty recipe making ways and tried a few treatments that were simple yet made a noticeable difference once finished. These were my three favorites:

{Lavender recipe here. Avocado & Pumpkin recipes are a result of various ingredients from a few recipes I found}



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Mini Strawberry Vanilla Cakes w/ Homemade Whipped "Cream" - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free Dessert

{you can frost the entire piece, but I liked the rustic feel of seeing the cut cake}

As I walked into the grocery store the other day, I found myself completely engulfed in the sweet, intoxicating smell of fresh picked strawberries on display. My mind immediately returned to warm summer nights by our pool growing up, where my Mom would always have a bowl of fresh strawberries as a side dish at dinner. Sometimes she would sprinkle sugar atop, making the seemingly healthy fruit a bit less of the sort, but most of the time we ate them plain; establishing a lifelong palette of summer's subtle gifts. Not wanting to pass up a seasonal favorite, I bought a rather large container of them and decided to use some of the bunch to accompany this gluten free / dairy free vanilla cake recipe I've wanted to try. The top and filling is my favorite homemade dairy free whipped "cream" recipe, which is a treasure by itself as well. To be honest, the only downside of this dessert is figuring out ways to stay out of the fridge until they're gone!

{I didn't have the heart to throw away the cake trimmings, so I made a few bite sized square treats}

Click below for the dairy free whipped "cream" recipe.



Vanilla Whipped "Cream"/Frosting Recipe

In a stand mixer fitted w/ paddle attachment (or hand mixer) mix:
1/2 c. shortening (I used Spectrum Organic palm oil shortening because it's soy-free)
4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
Pinch of salt
Up to 1/8 cup water

-Slowly add in water until consistency is thick, smooth, and spreadable

**This is absolutely NOT healthy in any way, shape, or form, but I can promise you it tastes SO good!**

Blueberry Coconut Bars - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, Vegan

With summer in full swing, I've been avoiding using the oven as much as possible, but I was forced to reverse my stance yesterday after realizing I had the ingredients on hand for these blueberry coconut bars with a lemon zest crust. They're gluten free and vegan, but I can almost guarantee that anyone who eats them will not have even the slightest inclination of any missing gluten or dairy components. I've noticed a lot of the grocery stores are having sales on fresh, seasonal fruit, so if you can find some discounted blueberries that would make these even better!

adapted from this recipe via allrecipes.com

Simple Summer Pasta Salad (Vegan & Gluten-free)

I love making this meal in the summer for a few different reasons. For starters, it's simple, quick, and doesn't heat up the kitchen. It's also extremely cheap for the amount of meals it provides, and can be eaten alone or as a side dish, which is a major plus for those nights that you just don't have the time or energy to cook. Substitute any ingredients with your own- it will still taste fabulous :)

*Update to answer a few email questions* The shallow pasta dish is from IKEA, and I actually found them in their clearance corner for $1.25/ea. I think they were on display before so that's why they were so cheap. But here is IKEA's full line of dishes that you may be able to find them in. The wood tile placemat is from West Elm here and the linen napkin is from World Market here (not sure if they still sell the same pattern but they have some really great ones for summer).

French Vanilla Meringues - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free Desserts

On one of my many grocery store quests to find gluten free foods I have yet to try, I happened to stumble upon Trader Joes french vanilla meringues. With just two ingredients, egg whites and powdered sugar, they are light, airy, and crisp, with the perfect touch of sweetness. Quite honestly, I could probably eat an entire container in one day, but (thankfully) I have yet to make this feat a reality. Since I had both ingredients on hand, I decided to dust off my KitchenAid and give this recipe a whirl. The end result? Dangerously delicious.



Click below for recipe


2 egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 185 F

Using the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until stiff peaks form (about 5-8 minutes).
Switch to paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed, slowly adding in powdered sugar and vanilla.
Mix until shiny and satin like, about 12-15 minutes.
Scoop meringue into a pastry or zip-lock bag and pipe onto parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for 2 hours, until crispy on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside.

Homemade Girl Scout Cookies - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free Cookies

As I stood in the kitchen trying my hand at making these delicate cookies from scratch (they're gluten, dairy, and egg -free), my mind was flooded with the sweetest memories of my Mom. She loved thin mints, and I can remember us sharing a few cookies at a time as a special treat after school while we talked about our day. She taught me to appreciate and savor each light, crispy bite, as Girl Scout cookies came but once a year. Sadly, I had buried these small memories underneath more bold, prominent ones. As soon as the swirls of peppermint and chocolate wafted through my kitchen, I once again felt like that giddy little girl, excited to be sharing not just a cookie, but moments in time with my Mom that I'll forever remember.


These were rather simple to make, a happy surprise as I was prepared for them to be quite the task. I always put on the lovely Diana Krall for some background music while baking, and I'm sure to test the batter frequently, just to be sure :)

Click below for recipe



(Feel free to sub any type of flour, butter, and milk)

Thin Mints

2 1/4 C. brown rice flour
1/4 C. potato starch (not potato flour. Cornstarch will work too)
6 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C raw sugar
1/2 C. vegan butter, room temperature
1/3 C. coconut milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. peppermint extract

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, starch, cocoa powder, and salt. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. On low speed, add in milk and extracts. It will look curdled. Gradually add in flour until fully incorporated.
Shape dough into (2) equal sized logs and wrap in plastic. Freeze 2 hrs, or up to 2 weeks if not baking right away.
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Slice dough into thin rounds, no more than 1/4 inch thick. Place onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes.
Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping.

Chocolate Coating

10 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

In a microwave safe bowl, melt chips, stirring every 45 seconds until smooth.
Dip each cookie into melted chocolate, turning over with a fork to coat completely.
Transfer to a piece of parchment paper until chocolate is cool and firm. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week, or freezer up to 3 months.

And because I'm obsessed with calculating nutrients in everything I eat, here are the nutrition facts (if using ingredients listed above): 1 cookie (60 cookies per batch) 67 calories, 3.5 g fat, 11 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein

Adapted from Baking Bites