Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Cookies
I realized about a year ago that grains, especially wheat, was wrecking havoc with my body. Not only had I begun having IBS symptoms, but little did I know that the radiating pain in my low back area was from inflammation of the gut. I Decided to experiment with the GAPS diet and within one short week I realized that the burning aching back pain was GONE. Not a little bit better. It was G-O-N-E... Completely. I relished in the feeling and for three full months enjoyed much improved health. My Acid Reflux symptoms were gone. My IBS symptoms disappeared, and I started losing the inflammation weight (about 25-30 lbs).
Well, I admit I fell off the wagon when our family took a week long family vacation to the south. I've been on and off GAPS back and forth for the 8 months since then, but mostly I've been striving for grain free. Sometimes I'll have the grains, like maybe rice, but usually not. But then, once in a while I'll cave and have something with wheat. If it's only one thing, my body will be mostly forgiving but that burning in my back will flare up a little. Not painful to the touch, but I know it's there. Make it two or three days of cheating in a row and I'm in PAIN. and I'll usually spend some extra time in the loo because of it. I know... TMI, but it is what it is.
One of the best parts of the journey has been finding really good foods that help me stay grain free. Not the junk labeled "gluten-free" from the store. That "stuff" (because it really isn't food when it's still so processed) is filled with all the more detrimental-to-health ingredients that I just don't need or want for my body and they really don't take or feel satisfying to me. But I have found recipes... SO many recipes! (feel free to follow my grain-free recipe board on Pinterest)
Most of the recipes on my board I've actually tried and they are good! Not just good, but amazing good! Better yet, I'm excited because I've been doing it long enough now that I'm now starting to be able to experiment with making my own recipes for things I can't find already. My first recipe? I've had a hankering for pumpkin spice cookies! I couldn't find one so I made my own and I have to say... I am impressed with myself! It turned out really good!
So without further ado, I give you the Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Cookies!!
Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Cookies
- 1/4 C. Butter
- 1/4 C. Honey
- 1 Lg Egg
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- 1/2 C. Pumpkin Puree*
- 2 C. Almond Flour
- 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves
- 1/8 tsp. All Spice
- 1/2 - 3/4 C. Craisins (optional, organic or homemade are best)
- 1/4 C. Chopped Walnuts
Mix honey and butter together. Add in egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree *(this was canned pumpkin puree. It needs to be pretty thick if it's not canned because homemade is pretty watery, so you will need to strain homemade puree in cheesecloth for a few hours to make it nice and thick).
Mix Almond flour (Scooped and leveled but not packed), baking soda, salt, spices, craisins and walnuts. Stir into honey-butter mixture and stir until completely incorporated. Cover dough with lid/plastic wrap and refrigerate about an hour (or overnight worked really well!)
Place by spoonfuls on baking sheet and press down some with back of spoon. Bake in preheated oven at about 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes. (It's going to take some experimenting. Watch closely so it doesn't burn. If the inside is not cake-like and seems doughy, but outside is threatening to burn, reduce temperature and cook a minute or two longer. I tend to bake almost everything in my toaster oven and the magic number for that is 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes and letting them stay in the toaster oven to "cool" for 10 minutes.)
Makes1 1/2 - 2 dozen
