Gluten and Sugar Free Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

3/4 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup xylitol
3 eggs (room temperature, otherwise the coconut oil hardens into chunks due to the cold eggs)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract (no sugar)
1 cup gluten free flour mix ( I used 1/3 cup each tapioca starch, brown rice flour and sorghum flour)
3 cups rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup hemp hearts (chopped nuts work too)
1 cup chocolate chips or dried fruit (optional - we did not add these and the cookies were still amazing without them)

Stir together coconut oil and xylitol. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Add flour, oats, baking soda and cinnamon. Stir until just combined. Add coconut, hemp hearts/nuts, and optional add ins. Stir until combined. Drop onto baking sheet with a tablespoon or medium scoop. Flatten cookies slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes until cookies are firm and golden. Makes about 3.5 dozen cookies. These cookies even taste good the next day. I always find it a challenge to find a good gluten free cookie that still tastes good after it has sat for a day or two.

Grain Free Sugar Free Pumpkin Granola

1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup hemp hearts
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup ground flax seed
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup almond flour
1 cup sliced almonds
1 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/3 cup xylitol

Mix together all ingredients, until well combined. Bake at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes, until granola is dry. Stir every 20 minutes.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancakes

3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup ground flax
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp sweetener (honey, sugar, or xylitol)

Mix ingredients until well blended. Pour about 1/4 cup mixture onto a hot griddle. Cook a few minutes on each side. Gluten free pancakes tend to be more fragile than regular pancakes, so make sure that the first side is well cooked before flipping.

Lime Salsa

We are still on a yeast free and sugar free diet. This means no vinegar is allowed, except for apple cider vinegar with the mother. We are not big fans of ACV, and so I made up a new salsa recipe that I could can and keep in my pantry. It is impossible to find a store bought salsa that is allowed for our diet. This is a great recipe. Even though it is canned, it still tastes like a fresh salsa because of the lime juice!

10 cups peeled and chopped tomatoes (I prefer Romas as they are more meaty and less juicy)
3 cups chopped onions
4 bell peppers chopped
3 jalapenos diced, removing about 1/2 the seeds
6 basket of fire hot peppers or any small hot peppers will work, diced and seeds included
1 scant tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
3 tsp. garlic powder
16.5 oz tomato paste
1.5 cups fresh lime juice (about 8 large limes)
2 tsp. pickling salt

Mix all of these together. Simmer for about 30 minutes or longer depending on how much liquid you want in your salsa. Put into hot sterilized jars, and put on hot sterilized lids. Put hot jars into boiling water in a water bath canner. Process for 15 minutes, makes about 8 pints.

Gluten, Dairy and Sugar Free Zucchini Cobbler

We were given some HUGE zucchinis from my sister, and I really wanted to make my zucchini cobbler recipe but knew that it needed to be modified first. It was a success, and we enjoyed a yummy dessert this evening.

5 cups peeled, cored and chopped zucchini
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/3 heaping cup xylitol
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup oats (gluten free oats if needed)
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1 heaping tbsp. xylitol
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir zucchini, water and lemon juice until zucchini is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup xylitol, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg and cook one minute more. Remove from heat and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 8x10 inch baking dish. Pour zucchini mixture into pan. I a bowl combine last 6 ingredients well, spread topping mixture on top of zucchini. Bake about 30 minutes until top is golden brown. Serve warm or cold. This tastes like apple pie and a great way to use up extra zucchini!

Note: The topping used in this recipe is also really good with fresh or frozen strawberries and rhubarb instead of the zucchini, and most likely other fruit as well!

Paleo Rhubarb Coconut Cookies

One of our favourite spring baking combinations is rhubarb and coconut. Since we can't eat my other cookie recipe here due to dietary restrictions, I have created a new awesome grain, sugar and dairy free cookie! This recipe is based on this one here but I changed it since we can't have chocolate chips.

1/2 cup coconut oil (butter if you can have dairy), room temp
1/2 cup xylitol, powdered
2 free range eggs
3 cups almond flour
1 tsp pure vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp ground vanilla beans
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
3/4 cup diced rhubarb

Cream xylitol and coconut oil, beat in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add rhubarb and coconut, stir to combine. Spoon about a tbsp of dough onto the cookie pan (I use a small scoop to get uniform cookies), slightly flatten with your fingers. Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes.

Hawaiian Pulled Pork (Sugar Free)

I was in search of a pulled pork recipe that could fit my restricted diet. The original recipe was found here. I of course had to do some tweaking to make it sugar free and all whole foods, no processed ingredients. We all enjoyed this one, and it was so easy to make.

2.5 lbs pork butt, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup sugar free ketchup
1/6 cup cider vinegar
1/6 cup water
15 drops liquid stevia
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp coconut aminos
1 15oz can Pineapple, including juice
3 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper

Cut the pork butt into 2 inch pieces. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients on top of the pork butt and cover with the lid. This can be done the night before like I did or the morning you want to cook it. Set on low heat and cook for 8 hours until the pork is falling apart. Using 2 forks, shred the pork while still in the slow cooker and then let it soak up the remaining juice. Serve the Hawaiian Pulled Pork on a bun for a sandwich or on leafy greens if you can't have gluten and yeast like me.