Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

My friend MEC took a picture recently of some cookies she'd made. I initially thought they were regular -- only to my delight did I see her note that they were gluten-free. 'They look like that and they're gluten-free?!' I thought... I HAD to try the recipe.

I've had a hankering for cookies, ever since being back at school. Blame it on the stress of 16-18 hour days. And no Italian Hot Chocolate from Watson's Shelter to keep it in check. I whipped these up late at night over MLK weekend after driving (suffering?) through Boston-area traffic from NH. Warning, be sure to have a full-tummy when making them. Or, you'll definitely be nibbling on the dough before the cookies emerge from the oven. Best yet? Serve sandwiching some vanilla ice cream, perhaps swirled with some salted burnt caramel sauce...

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies 
Recipe derived from Bob’s Red Mill

1-1/3 cups King Arthur GF flour

1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/3 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a large cookie sheet or line with parchment paper; set aside.
Stir together the GF flour, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt; set aside. 

In a large mixer bowl, cream together butter (room temperature, not melted), granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and egg; scrape sides of bowl frequently. Stir in flour mixture on low speed, mixing thoroughly. Stir in chocolate chips

Shape dough into flat disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2” apart on baking sheet, or roll into balls if dough is hard to work with. Bake 1 minutes on center rack of oven or until lightly browned. Cool 2-3 minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Makes 16 cookies.

Easy Pinto Bean Hummus

No game day celebration, cocktail party, or even casual gathering with friends is complete without a snack, and I have to say, cheese and crackers aside, nothing quite beats hummus. It's perfect for us gluten-free folk, and equally as fabulous for vegetarians and vegans.

When I discovered a myriad of food sensitivities nearly two years ago, some made sense (Gluten. Oats. Dairy. Shrimp. CORN!). Others didn't, but after eating them again (Lentils. Chickpeas. Quinoa), I realized I couldn't fool my body.

So commenced a hummus dry spell in my life. Quite sad and unfortunate. Until I started experimenting with the two kinds of beans that didn't leave me doubled over in pain and my tummy frozen for days: Pinto Beans and Black Beans.

There are a number of ways of dressing up this blend. I kept it simple, with lots of garlic and ample seasoning, along with some cumin and cayenne for a kick. PERFECT with carrots, and awfully tasty with potato chips (hey, I can't do pita chips anymore) -- and fabulous with melted cheese on rice tortillas or in burritos.

For those of us allergic to chickpeas and sensitive to tahini, now you won't be deprived!

Easy Homemade Pinto Bean Hummus

12 ounces cups dried organic pinto beans (I used Laurel Hill's Heirloom beans) *preferred over canned
3 cloves garlic
Salt, to taste
Cumin, to taste
Cayenne, to taste
Paprika, to taste

Soak beans overnight. Rinse twice, agitating with hands each time. Cover beans with 2x their depth of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender and beans can be smushed with a fork easily.

Blitz garlic and 1/2 cup of beans, and 1/4+ of cooking water, in Cuisinart (I had to do mine in batches as all I have is a mini-prep). Place in bowl. Repeat with more beans, water, and seasonings. Repeat until all beans have been blended. Check for seasonings, adding more cumin, salt, or cayenne as desired.

Serve warm with pita chips and/or carrots -- or save as a spread for lunches. The sky is the limit!

Healthy Fudgy Brownies (Perfect for a Birthday)

I remember my first bean brownie experience. It was in Westport, CT, at this little natural foods store called Food for Thought. Everything and anything in there was virtuous and healthy. And flavorless and dull, or so I thought. Until my mom brought these home. Super moist, chocolaty, and a bit fudgy, I figured there had to be tons of butter and sugar in them…

Not black beans. Yeah, THOSE black beans.

Now that I’m gluten-free, these are the perfect, easy, chocolaty fix I often crave. Plus, I don’t feel all too bad knowing they contain black beans, packed with protein, nutrients, and other goodness. It’s like a super food sweet.

I recently made these for a friend for her birthday. Topped with one of my favorite Talenti flavors, and homemade whipped cream. Later this week, they’ll likely be served for a late-night, study-break/schoolwork snack infused with some peanut butter, perhaps – ‘cause we killed the caramel last week…

Birthday Black Bean Brownies 

1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed, and pureed until smooth
3 large eggs
1/3 cup melted butter, more for the baking dish
1/3 cup cocoa powder plus 2 tablespoons dark hot chocolate mix
1/8 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter an 8-inch baking pan. Place the black beans, eggs, melted butter, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, or with an immersion blender in a medium bowl, and blend until smooth. Remove the blade and gently stir in the chocolate chips. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan. Bake the brownies for 30 or so, or until just set in the center. Cool before cutting into squares.

Think Potato Chips, But A Whole Lot Healthier

Ever since I purchased a bag of maple coconut covered kale chips this past winter, I've been slightly obsessed with a crispy version of one of my favorite vegetables.

When did my love affair with crispy greens begin? Probably about 13 years ago, at a birthday dinner at the restaurant Baang in Greenwich, CT. Crispy spinach. Now, don't get me wrong, I try to avoid fried foods, but fried spinach? Any trace of toughness this green powerhouse may have is obliterated as these leaves are left thin and crispy, melting in your mouth.

Fast forward to this winter, when I picked up a bag of these coconut maple kale chips. Slightly sweet, definitely chewy (thanks, coconut), these little morsels were too good to be true. Though I did eat them plain, I much prefered them crumbled on a salad with teriyaki flank steak. Oh my...

But, as anything sweet with me, the wonder wears off quickly. I discovered a savory version from my favorite health food store, Lifethyme, and had a brief obsession with them. Yet, something was missing. The clean kale flavor was certainly overwhelmed by a salty-mustardyness. Yes, delicious when sprinkled (again) over a salad, or even with an omelette. But for snacking, I prefer something much more simple. Clean. And delicious.

So, luck be have it when I came across a recipe for baked kale chips from one of my favorite food blogs, Smitten Kitchen. How could I resist getting my fingers on this recipe, when there is an abundance of Lacinato kale at the Farmers Market?

Baked Kale Chips
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 bunch Lacinato kale (I didn't weigh mine, but it was a large bunch from the market)
2 tablespoons olive
Sea salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Rinse the kale in a sinkful of water. Tear leaves off stem and place into a bowl. Toss one half with a tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread on silpat-lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway so that all the torn leaves are able to crisp.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Remove from silpat, and repeat with remaining kale.

Store in air-tight containers (or enjoy immediately). I'm kind of wondering what this would taste like sprinkled on vanilla ice cream. Salty and sweet? Yumm...