Breakfast is now served! Looking for an on-the-go breakfast bar that you can feel good & healthy about? Try these yummy fruit, nut, and nutrient packed granola bars! They're so good my family has eaten the last 5 batches I've made... which can be frustrating if you're trying to shoot a picture for your website... but also complimentary to the taste! They're very versatile so be sure to check out my notes at the bottom. 

Enjoy!

(Gluten Free, Can be Dairy Free)
Created by jalene

Makes 8 bars
Ingredients:

• 1 & 2/3 cups gluten free quick oats
• 1/3 cup quinoa flakes (sub quick oats if you can't find)
• 1/3 cup oat flour
• 1/2 cup raw cashews, chopped
• 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
• 1/2 cup pitted dates, diced
• 2 Tbsp flax seeds
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup sugar (we use evaporated cane juice sugar)
• 6 Tbsp melted butter (for dairy free use Earth Balance or coconut oil)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp !00% pure maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 tsp gluten free vanilla
• 1/3 cup peanut butter (we use organic)

This recipe has tons of room for alterations: 

• Want to turn this into a Sweet Cookie Bar dessert? Increase the sugar to 1/2 cup.
  
• Not fond of almonds or cashews? Sub in 1 cup nut of your choice.
• Can't find dates? Sub in 1/2 cup dried fruit of your choice.
• Allergic to peanuts? Sub in your favorite nut butter. 

Ever wonder what pumpkin pie tastes like as a bread? Walla! This gluten free paleo bread is moist, yummy, and may even help you forget you've been laying off the grains... Enjoy!

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Grain Free, Paleo) 
Created by jalene but inspired by my Almond Cranberry Pound Cake

Makes about 8-10 (1-inch thick) slices
Ingredients: 

• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp Almond Flour
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp Coconut Flour
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 & 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder (to be truly grain-free use 1 part cream of tartar + 1 part baking soda + 2 parts arrowroot)
  
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (or to make truly corn-free use guar gum)
• 2 eggs
  
• 2 tsp gluten free vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp water
  
• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large bread pan with parchment paper. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder (or sub) and xanthan gum (or sub). Whisk to combine. 
3. In a mixing bowl, add your eggs and beat for 30 sec. Add the vanilla extract, water and pumpkin puree. 
4. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet and mix until uniformly moist. 
5. Scoop the batter into your prepared pan and smooth down the top. 
6. Bake for 60 minutes or until the top is starting to brown and will slightly bounce back up with touched. Allow bread to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing. 

Cut about 1 inch thick to serve. Store any leftovers (if there is any!) in an airtight container and consume within 3 days.

Is it too early to start posting pumpkin recipes?!? I heart pumpkin. Seriously. I've been known to cook pumpkin delights all year... but when fall comes around... I kick it into high gear. ;)

Speaking of high gear, my almost 3 year old is constantly in high gear. So much that she's decided that she no longer needs naps. The girl gets up "when the sun comes up" (as she calls it) but wont go to bed until super late (making up every suggestion in the book to stay awake). 

Any suggestions?!? 

I look forward to my sacred time of when both my daughters are napping but I fear that special window is disappearing forever! Any advice moms? 

K, back on track. While you're thinking of great advice to share with me, sink your taste buds into this next pumpkin recipe... It's a YUMMY granola with an addicting taste & hint of pumpkin festivity. Enjoy! 

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Adpated by jalene

Ingredients: 

• 4 cups gluten free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 3/4 cup unsweetened raw coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2  tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup coconut oil 
• 6 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp gluten free vanilla extract

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. 
2. In a large bowl combine your rolled oats, pecans, coconut, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice.
3. In another bowl combine the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla. Pour this on top of the oat mixture. Combine well and pour onto a cookie sheet. 
4. Bake 45 minutes total, stirring every 15 minutes. Allow the granola to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. 

Good morning folks! Well, it's not morning time so much anymore but any morning you make these is bound to be good. Talk about a recipe that has taken months to perfect! My family have been great sports as I have made these over and over again! Sometimes they were too chewy, other times they were too salty. But persistence prevailed and the result is great! Top these with a little butter and honey fresh out of the oven and mmmmmm! Awesomeness. 

Enjoy! 

(Gluten Free, Can be Dairy Free)
Created by jalene

Makes 7 muffins (1/4 cup each)
Ingredients: 

• 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 1/2 cup milk (or to make it dairy free use a milk alternative)
• 3/4 cup white rice flour (I grind my own from Calrose Rice)
• 1/4 cup potato starch
• 1 & 1/2 Tbsp organic cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/8  tsp sea salt 
• 2 Tbsp sugar *see note (I used evaporated cane juice sugar)
• 3 TB organic unsweetened applesauce
  
• 3 TB butter (or to make dairy free use organic non-hydrogenated shortening)
• 1 & 1/2 almond extract or gluten free vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup blueberries (I used frozen but fresh would work as well) 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. 
2. Combine the milk and cider vinegar in a bowl and set aside. (This should sit for at least 5 minutes). 
3. In a mixing bowl combine the white rice flour, potato starch, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and sugar. 
4. Add the applesauce and butter (or shortening) and mix until crumbly. 
5. Add the almond or vanilla extract to the milk mixture. Slowly pour that into your mixing bowl and mix until just combined. Carefully fold in the blueberries. 
6. Scoop batter into 1/4 cup mounds and place onto a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for around 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown. 

Now what good is a new pizza sauce recipe without a great crust to go with it?

This hearty, thin crust is a fun one I invented for my husband who LOVES a thinner, cracker-like crust.   I was experimenting using flaxseed meal instead of eggs and the result is surprisingly wonderful and hearty. (Needless to say, my husband loved it! And so did my in-laws who happened to be stopping in during dinner... So this small, simple picture will have to do until I can make this one again!)

Though I'm not typically a fan of the thin crust pizza it does have it's good points:
You can make more pizzas out of the dough than a thicker crust and you don't have to wait for it to rise before baking. It's a win-win folks. 

Enjoy! 

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Can be Nut Free, Vegan)
Created by jalene

Makes 3- 14" thin crust pizzas
Ingredients: 

• 1 cup warm dairy free milk (about 110 degrees)
• 1 Tbsp yeast
• 1 & 1/2 tsp sugar (I used Evaporated Cane Juice Sugar)
• 1 & 1/4 cup Brown Rice Flour
• 1/2 cup Sorghum Flour
• 1/2 cup Potato Starch
• 1/4 cup Flaxseed Meal (ground up flaxseeds)
• 1/4 cup Cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp Xanthan Gum
• 1 & 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp water
• 1/4 cup Grapeseed Oil (or other healthy high temperature oil)
• 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Combine the warm milk, yeast, and sugar in at least a 2 cup bowl and set aside to double in size. 
3. In a mixing bowl add your dry ingredients: brown rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, flaxseed meal, cornstarch, xanthan gum, salt, garlic powder and onion powder. 
4. Add your yeast mixture to your dry ingredients as well as the water, oil, and vinegar. Blend on low speed for 30 seconds then increase speed to medium and blend for 2 & 1/2 minutes more. 
5. Divide the dough into 3 parts and roll out each crust in between 2 oiled pieces of parchment paper to about 1/8" thick. See the video below for help.
6. Cook the pizza crust (on the parchment paper & without toppings) for 8 minutes on a pizza pan.
7. Pull out of the oven and discard the parchment paper. Top with your favorite toppings (I recommend this pizza sauce) and return to the oven for another 15 minutes or until the cheese and crust is starting to turn golden brown. Serve warm. Store leftovers in an airtight container or ziplock in the fridge. Can be frozen as well. 

Note: This crust is NOT recommended with my New York Style Pizza Sauce. 

Want to have this great pizza crust on hand for when you need it? Well, this thin crust can be frozen! Simply follow steps 1-6 above and then cool the crusts completely. Place them into a ziplock bag and freeze. Then, when you want a quick crust, pull one out, top, and bake on a pizza pan at 400 degrees until golden brown.  Walla! 

Ever started making a pizza and realize you were out of pizza sauce?! Well, it happened to me. ;) Good thing I have this next recipe. And now, you have it too! This sauce is my go-to-throw-together pizza sauce that can be whipped up and ready in about 15 minutes. If you have longer than 15 minutes for the sauce to marinate together the better but either way it's a yummy savory & slightly sweet sauce that compliments any pizza. 

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Can be Sugar Free)
Adapted by jalene

Makes 1 & 1/2 cups or 12oz of sauce
Ingredients: 

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
• 3 oz of tomato puree (or 3 Tbsp of Premier Tomato)
• 2 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 1 & 1/2 tsp dried oregano 
• 1 & 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp sugar (I use evaporated cane juice sugar), optional
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/8 crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. Pulse (for chunky) or Puree (for non-chunky) all of the ingredients in a blender (I use my Blendtec). 
2. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce is thick to your desired consistency.  Use right away or refrigerate overnight for more enhanced flavor. 

This recipe can be adapted to use on Dr. Nielsen's Candida Cleanse. Simply use FRESH tomatoes and fresh spices instead of dried and omit the sugar. 

Oh man, do I have a cookie for you!!! You won't believe these are gluten AND dairy free! They taste magically like the gluten-infested originals! Seriously, if you were to bake these for a gluten eater, they wouldn't even know the difference! In fact, they  might beg you for the recipe... They're that good! 

Ever since my baby girl was born and I started nursing, I've had to go off of some things besides my gluten and dairy free diet. Sadly, chocolate is one of those things! Being gluten and dairy free is not a big deal to me (because I've done it for so long now and I have tons of recipes to curve any craving I might have) but take away my chocolate and it's borderline tear jerking. ;) So, naturally when I wanted a cookie, it had to be a chocolate free. These cookies kiss my pain better. Ha ha. 

Here's my disclaimer though: These cookies are not the healthiest (but let's be honest, not too many cookies pass as healthy anyways). I'm supposed to tell you (by order of my husband) not to eat them often. They're a treat... so eat responsibly. ;)

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Adapted by jalene from an old family recipe

Makes 27 cookies (from 1 & 1/4 inch balls)
Outside snickerdoodle coating (mix together and set aside):

• 2 Tbsp sugar (I used 
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup white rice flour (I grind my own from Calrose Rice)
• 5 Tbsp potato starch
• 3 Tbsp tapioca starch
• 3/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cream of tarter
• 3/4 cup sugar (I used evaporated cane juice sugar)
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance Butter (You can use regular butter if you're not dairy free)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp gluten free vanilla extract

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degress F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silkmat. 
2. Mix together in a medium size bowl the white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, sea salt, baking soda and cream of tarter.  Set aside. 
3. Cream together the sugar and butter. Then beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture until well combined. 
4. Scoop the dough into 1 to 1 & 1/4 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture until completely covered. Place onto the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. 
5. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the pan for 1 minute before placing onto a cooling rack. Store cookies in an airtight container. Taste great up to 3 days after baking.