Almond Sesame Chive Crackers

Makes about 40 crackers, depending on what size you cut them

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond meal
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup freeze dried chives
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1 flax egg (2 tablespoons + 3 tablespoons warm water)
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 2 tablespoons water

Salt Oil

• 1 1/2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Whisk the sunflower oil and sea salt together in a small dish and set aside.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Combine the almond meal, flour, garlic powder, sea salt, chives and sesame seeds together in a medium mixing bowl
3. Whisk together the flaxseed and warm water in a small bowl to make your flax egg. Set aside a few minutes to thicken.
4. Add the oil, water and flax egg to the rest of the cracker ingredients and mix until combined and a ball of dough forms. You will have to get your hands in there to help make a ball of dough.
5. Roll the dough out about 1/8 of an inch thick on a piece of parchment paper. The thinner you roll it out, the crispier the crackers will be. Slice the dough with a knife or pizza cutter into small squares.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes, watching carefully until lightly browned and crisp. Allow to cool completely before brushing with the salt oil and removing from the pan. Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days. These are best eaten the first day. After a few days they are no longer crispy, but still yummy.

These crackers pair perfectly with a bowl of thick and creamy homemade tomato soup (recipe to come).

http://livelearnloveeat.com/2012/08/02/what-to-do-with-that-leftover-almond-meal/

Healthy Snickerdoodles

Healthy Cookies, what?!  Can this be real, snicker doodles healthy style. And what's more....they're de-wait for it -licious, delicious! Can you believe. So these are from a blogger, "Urban Poser". This is a great recipe with all natural ingredients, simple and easy and the best part they taste good. Here is her recipe and then I will give you my own thoughts and insight:

Snickerdoodle Cookies (Egg/Grain/Gluten/Dairy Free)There are two kinds of SNICKERDOODLES.....there's the big puffy, "cakey" ones and then there's the RIGHT ones! Sweet, thin, crackled and chewy; these are the only kind of Snickerdoodles that you'll find here at The Urban Poser. So if you are looking for the former then...."These are not the cookies you are looking for....move along."

I decided to make these lovely grain/dairy free cookies egg free as well. This combo makes them perfect for baking with your kids because it's safe to lick all that sticky, cinnamon covered dough off your fingers (not that my boys would EVER do that). Best of all though, they are super easy to make and super tasty too, so get ready for some finger licking goodness!

Snickerdoodles (Paleo,Vegan, egg/grain/dairy free)

Ingredients:

2 cups blanched, fine ground almond flour (such as Honeyville)

scant less than 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
4 tablespoons coconut oil, softened or liquid (5 Tbls for a softer cookie)

1/4 cup mild honey (like clover) or vegan alternative,*see note
1 tablespoon GF vanilla extract

Cinnamon coating:

2 tablespoons raw coconut crystals, such as Coconut Secret or Maple sugar (optional)

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

This may make more than you need. We keep the extra for sprinkling on grain free bread or butternuts quash. YUM!

Directions:

Preheat the over to 350 degrees F and line and grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Note: When measuring almond flour, remember to use the "dip & sweep" method for best results. Dip the measuring cup in to the loose almond flour and drag a knife of flat edge over the top. Pouring into the cup can result in too much or even too little AF in the recipe.

In a medium sized bowl, combine dry ingredients; mix together well. In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, honey and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the almond flour mixture and mix till combined. 

Combine the coconut sugar crystals/maple sugar (optional*) and the ground cinnamon in a small bowl.

Note: Coconut sugar crystals or maple sugar ARE optional. The cookies look and turn out great with just the cinnamon as well. 

Using a rounded tablespoon, scoop out the dough, then gently form into a ball. Roll in, or sprinkle all sides with, the cinnamon mixture. Place the balls of cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. 

Using a mason jar or your hands, slightly flatten each cookie. Dip the bottom of the jar in some of the sugar & spice mixture to help keep the cookie form sticking. to the jar.

Note: If the dough is still sticking to the jar, lightly grease the bottom of the jar. You may need to give the jar a little tap to remove the cookie (if your house is very warm, they will tend to stick more). 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-9 minutes. Leave cookies on the cookie sheet while cooling. They may seem under-baked at first, but they will firm up to just the right texture as they cool.

To help prevent burning on the bottom of the cookies you can double up on your cookie sheets.

Ok so here's some insight of mine... make your own Almond Flour. Thanks right make it, it's easy! You can look up recipes online to blanch* the almonds to make it beautifully white, like the ones you would buy at the store. Or you can be like me and do the lazy thing- throw Almonds in the blender. (I don't mind the skins.) Check out my Almond post.

Also I've found this to be a recipe you should follow with exactness including pressing, they just turn out better that way. I love how chewy they are.

They'll be a little "greasy" don't be scared- the oil is truly good for you! And it won't seem greasy when the cool. I love how chewy they are! Enjoy!!!