Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies

Hi, my name is Melanie and there is one thing several people in the family ask men I've dated, and that is "Do you cook?"  I'm known to be a horrible cook - when I was a kid I made a meal SO disgusting, not even the cat would eat it.  My Dad was the only one who ate every bite.

I've learned a lot since then (like which spices go together and which ones do not).  I also have children in the house with food sensitivities so it is much cheaper to make meals than it is to buy them or eat out.  I've had a lot of successes, and many more failures.  Hopefully you enjoy sharing some of the journey with me.  My friend from Second Chance Fitness asked if I could post a Gluten Free recipe for her niece.  This one is for you, Heat!

Lately I've made cookies with flax in them, and they were awesome.  The kids devoured them.  Brownies with flax... check.  Cupcakes with flax... check.  But nothing quite compares to the GF chocolate chip banana cookies.  They are HANDS DOWN our family favorite.  Here we go!

 Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies
3/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup arrowroot flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 tsp. nutmg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. clove
2 tbsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup sugar (or a little less)
2 tbsp. molasses
1 egg (or egg replacer)
3 bananas
1 3/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Put all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix on low until dry ingredients are mixed in.  Mix well.  Spoon mixture onto cookie sheet, or do what I do, and use your cupcake tins.  This way, the cookies come out the same size every time!  (Read: I don't have cookie sheets)  Bake for 13-15 minutes.  Makes 24 cookies.

Ideas: Mix and match whatever gluten free flours you like - add a little ground flax to the mixture (2 tbsp. would be good) and see how you like it!  I use different flours all the time - in total, the flour should equal approximately 1.5 cups of flour.

Important: please make sure you are using certified gluten free oats.  Quinoa flakes could also be a great substitute.

These cookies are DELISH!  Crunchy on the outside, moist and chewy on the inside.  A hit with every single one of us.  That's why they are not going to make it until tomorrow (also why I don't make them often).

Tell me how you like them, and/or any substitutions you make so I can try them sometime.  I imagine they'd be pretty awesome with walnuts, too.

Black Bean Soup and Salad with Fig Vinaigrette Dressing

We haven't been buying much meat lately.  And that is OK.  The other night we had a fantastic and filling dinner!  The best part is that it was easy to make (with a blender or food processor) and it was a vegan delight.

Black Bean Soup

3 cans black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
2 carrots
1 onion
2 cloves garlic (or one large)
small bunch fresh sparsley
dash of sea salt and pepper

Directions:
Blend all ingredients EXCEPT one can of black beans.  Pour into pot with last can of beans and heat (if desired).  Or, if you would like a creamy soup only - add/omit the 3rd can of beans and blend for 3-4 minutes until hot.  Eat.

Spice it up a bit!  Add some chopped onion, carrots, tomatoes, and beans and give yourself a real nice black bean "stew".  Maybe add some cilantro, or vegan cheese.  My boyfriend and I get into it sometimes over terms.  He calls anything that isn't pureed "stew".  I call it all soup if it goes into a bowl, LOL.

If you want it to be somewhat of a "raw" soup - just blend it in a Vitamix or Blendtec or other high powered blender for 3-5 minutes and it will be warm enough to eat immediately.

Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

I modified this one from Yummly.  I don't tend to chop or do things in many steps.  If I can put it all in a blender at once and it is done... I do it!

4 figs
4 dates, pitted
6 prunes, pitted
2 cloves garlic
1 cup olive oil
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1 dash sea salt
1 dash freshly ground pepper

Put ingredients into blender/food processor and blend until smooth.

Salad
Mixed field greens to fill a large bowl
2 zucchini squash
1 onion

Put zucchini and onion into blender/food processor and chop well.  Mix into salad greens.

The family LOVED it.  Next time, I'll take some pictures!  Still new to "pretty" blogging".