Grain Free & Tasty Chocolate Chip Cookies

So this week Ian the Elf has sent us with the challenge to bake something tasty for a community helper ~ so we opted for some tasty Chocolate Chip Cookies. 

Ian the Elf ~ Share a Treat to Eat

Policeman, Firefighters and soldiers where no cape

But they work real hard to keep us safe

Protecting us for a better tomorrow

Our many unsung community heroes!

So this Christmas season is the perfect time

To let them know that they really are divine

They work long hours away from home

Often leaving their families home alone

So why not make them a special treat

Something ooey gooey and fun to eat?

Let them know they are appreciated

And for all their work they should be congratulated!

These cookies are just yummy ~ so easy to whip up. The recipe makes about a dozen which is perfect for the daycare group size but if you want more for leftovers you will need to double or triple it!

 

Grain Free and Tasty Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Makes 12 cookies

 

What You Need:

• 1/3 cup coconut flour ~ more if needed to get consistency correct
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup raw honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of sea salt - optional

What You Do:

• Preheat your oven to 350F.
• Mix the coconut flour, salt, eggs, coconut oil, honey, and vanilla extract together thoroughly with a whisk. Will start out runny but firm up as coconut flour soaks up your liquids. If it feels too runny add more coconut flour a tbsp at a time until it is a cookie dough thickness
• Add dark chocolate chips and mix to distribute evenly.
• Roll into balls and spread evenly on parchment lined or greased baking tray ~ makes about a dozen cookies should do the trick.
• Pat down with your hand as they do not really 'spread out' like a normal wheat based cookies
• Bake on the centre rack for around 10-15 minutes ~ depending on the texture you want ~ less for chewy and more for crisp. 

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life

Melting Snowman Sugar Cookies

 

 

Melting Snowman Sugar Cookies 

Makes about a dozen cookies

 

What You Need for Cookie Base

• ¼ cup butter or ghee
• ½ cup coconut palm sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
  
• ½ cup coconut flour  
• 1-2 tbsp tapioca flour/starch 

 What You Need for Snowman

• Marshmallows
• Fuzzy Peach for nose or other 'orange' candy
• Pretzels ~ we used gluten free 
• Black food coloring or gel for eyes
• Frosting ~ we like Dairy Free Buttercream

 

What You Do

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• In a medium mixing bowl add the butter, coconut palm sugar, egg, baking powder vanilla extract and blend with a handheld blender for 2 minutes on medium speed.
• Add coconut flour and blend until combined.
• Allow the dough to sit for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes add 1 tbsp of tapioca flour and knead dough until firm. If it is sticky or not firm, add another tbsp of tapioca flour.
• Dust a surface with tapioca flour and roll out to desired thickness
• Use cookie cutters and cut desired shapes and place on cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes. We just did round for the bottom of the snowman but you can make any shape you want!
• Allow to cool before frosting.

 The kids just love these fun whimsical little snowman treats!

Have an amazing day!


Margaret
Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much
Be Totallyawake4-life

Elf on the Shelf Marshmallow Fun

I think that Ian is so missing the SNOW while he is here with us in the balmy 10+ degree freaky weather we are experiencing in Ontario right now! 

I do not think he is alone ~ lots of winter sports fans on social media who are missing the fluffy white stuff but shamefully I admit I am one of those Canadians who could do without the white stuff this time of year ~ I love FALL but our cold snowy winters are so not my favorite especially getting 5 children bundled up in winter gear ~ a light jacket and shoes is so much EASIER! 

So since he is missing the snow and building snowman ~ he brought the crew an invitation  to make some Marshmallow Snowman and forts and so forth!

Elf on the Shelf ~ Marshmallow Fun

Ian's Marshmallow invitation poem

I do not know about you, but I love to play out in the snow

Elves make fortes and snowman as the winter wind does blow!

But sometimes in the North Pole it gets so for every cold

That we cannot play outside “stay in the workshop” we’re told!

So when this happens to avoid getting ourselves in trouble

To the marshmallows and toothpicks we head on the double

We build our fortes and snowman inside the workshop

Having fun of our own and playing until Santa says STOP

So today I brought you some good old fashion elf fun

You can build with some marshmallows till the real snow does come!

The crew love this invitation ~ it was a lot of fun and when they were done I let them 'eat' one marshmallow from their structures for a treat cause the weather is gorgeous and we can run off the bit of sugar high that a marshmallow treat! 

I did not get too many photos of this years fun cause this crew, love them as I do, they can sense when my attention is divided and were using that as an excuse to try to do more 'eating than exploring' with their marshmallows. They had some nice 'toothpick' free towers being built although no one in this group but Ian and myself were inclined to actually want to build a snowman ~ they were more about building structures and trains and things!

 

A marshmallow TRAIN!

Raising a Roof up in here!

Making  a marshmallow circle while counting the 10 marshmallows!

Have an amazing day!

Margaret

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Be Totallyawake4-life