We have finally arrived in sunny Arizona! Here is a picture that I took on our drive. We
took a wrong turn and ended up on 50+ miles of switchback road through the mountains. It was getting dark so this was not a fun part! We made a short stop to let our cars cool down and this was the view that we had :). Isn’t it pretty!
Yesterday I put my kitchen gadgets away and got organized so naturally the first thing I did this morning was bake chocolate chip cookies (isn’t that what anyone else would do?).
This drive was not easy – 27 hours total! We split it up over 3 days but sitting for so long really tested my patience… and my hip flexors. I brought a couple healthy snacks like pistachios, dried apricots and corn nuts.
Side note: Yes, I know corn nuts are not healthy.
Meals were difficult because on road trips you’re expected to eat fast food, right? I brought food with me but that only lasted so long. I tried to pick the best foods for me which consisted of hamburgers, French fries and unsweetened ice tea. Based on my food sensitivities, that was the best option. I know that I can handle bread, beef and potatoes. The frying oil was questionable but all went well!
Some may ask why didn’t I get a salad? And the answer is that I have a lot of foods that cause my IBS to flare up, several of them are the proverbial “healthy” foods. There are so many ingredients in a salad, not to mention the dressing. At a minimum there is lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrots. Then you add salad dressing, which is an oil, vinegar, and a boat load of spices – which typically includes garlic. In this short list, I am sensitive to tomato, carrots and garlic. These are some of my biggest triggers so I went the safe route and ate a hamburger and French fries.
Now back to cookies!
Our pantry is sparse right now but I managed to alter a recipe from The Food Fanatic to meet my food sensitivities as well as my clients.
Grain-free, Egg-free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Author: Carie Perrino, RDN, LDN, CLT
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
- ¼ C coconut oil (solid)
- ¼ C allowed liquid sweetener
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 5 Tbsp coconut flour
- ¼ C almond flour
- ¼ allowed chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix together solid coconut oil, allowed liquid sweetener, vanilla and salt.
- Add baking soda, coconut flour, almond flour and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chip cookies.
- Let cookie dough sit for 5-10 minutes so that coconut flour can absorb the moisture.
- Place cookie dough on prepared baking sheet in 1.5-2 tsp portions. Using your finger, spread out the cookie dough (they don’t spread like traditional cookies)
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Let sit on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack. These cookies will be soft right out but as they cool they become chewy and delicious.
Notes
Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.
Alternatives:
Allowed liquid sweetener – honey, maple syrup, rice bran syrup, tapioca syrup, corn syrup
Almond flour – try cassava flour or make your own sunflower seed flour
Products:
What is your favorite sensitivity-friendly cookie recipe?