Tag: gluten free

Low-in-Sugar Chocolate Almond Freezer Bites

by Rychel L. Johnson, LCPC, posted in happiness, health, mental health, nutrition, therapy, Uncategorized

 

I’m a therapist with a love-hate relationship with chocolate. Ha! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve craved a melty bar of cocoa goodness or a handful (or more) of dark chocolate-covered almonds, particularly during my most hectic or emotional-rollercoaster therapy days. Problem is, I’m also sensitive to sugar: a quick dip into a sugar stash is fine and dandy…and then 30 minutes passes and I feel like snoozing. Or worse, my mood suffers and I’m cranky. I intend to show up for my clients, so I’ve had to modify some of my favorite snacks a bit on the days I choose to have them.

I enjoy sharing recipes for treats I’ve been experimenting with at home! It’s not by accident I include specific recipes in a mental health blog: this treat is low in sugar and as we know, sugar can have a significant impact on moods. Dark chocolate can be an acquired taste but trust me–these freezer bites are delish AND easy to make.  If you love chocolate but not the sugar crash after eating it, check these guys out!!

Also, see my earlier post for Gluten free Chocolate Chip Sunny Buddies, which have been a hit at my house. 🙂

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup cacao powder

1/4 cup collagen peptides–not absolutely necessary but will add protein and health benefits of collagen, I use this brand [https://sportsresearch.com]

2-3 Tbsp coconut sugar (to taste–coconut sugar is my favorite and it’s lower-glycemic, but you could sub honey or maple syrup)

1/3 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut (optional)

Toppings, such as cacao nibs, goji berries, pumpkin seeds, or anything else (also optional, but adds color and crunch)

Directions: In a saucepan on the stove on low to medium heat, melt coconut oil and almond butter, stir in cacao powder until combined. Add collagen peptides and coconut and stir until collagen is dissolved.

Turn off heat and allow mixture to sit for a couple minutes. I poured the contents of the hot saucepan into a measuring glass with a pour spout, just for more ease with pouring. I then used a silicone ice tray with 1″x1″ cubes (use whatever ice trays you have but these are the most user friendly, mine was from [www.crateandbarrel.com], search “ice trays”); I filled each cube completely with chocolate.

Next, freeze the tray of bites for about 15 minutes, just until the chocolate sets up a bit. Add toppings and press lightly into the chocolate. Return the tray to the freezer for at least 2-3 hours.

Lastly, remove the bites. They’re ready to eat! Enjoy!

 

 

Gluten free Chocolate Chip Sunny Buddies

by Rychel L. Johnson, LCPC, posted in happiness, health, nutrition

Earlier this year I decided I would try the infamous elimination eating approach, the Whole30. I could write at length about my experience over those 30 days, but that’s another post. The instructions involved temporarily cutting out common dietary irritants–dairy (no biggie for me), added sugar (nooooo), and gluten (meh).

“Gluten intolerance” is a phrase we millenials like to toss around, seemingly for fun or for irony (*cough* you do you *cough*) and often without any legitimate basis in actual food intolerance testing. Whatever. It happens, and so do legit gluten intolerance and celiac disease. I’m grateful I don’t have to arrange my eating lifestyle to accommodate a serious condition like celiac disease; however, I found value in avoiding gluten for a month. My digestion definitely improved, and my energy levels felt more consistent. For the purpose of my mental health research, I gained wisdom about the impact of my 30 day gluten-free trial on my moods–I was overall less emotionally reactive (moods were more stable) and I noticed a decrease in my anxiety. Good enough, you know?

While desserts of any kind were forbidden for the duration of the Whole30 (again, whole other post!), I have experimented with several gluten free treats–including these little buddies. I noticed I could eat a couple without wanting to take a nap, which is occasionally how I feel after eating traditional cookies containing grains.

(***Note: These cookies are freaking delicious and with the option for non-dairy if you use vegan-certified chocolate chips. Gluten free or not, give them a try! They also turn slightly green after baking, due to tinting from sunflower seed butter. Your friends may think you’re trying to get them high. I live in Kansas, so I have no comment).

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Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour (I recommend Bob’s Red Mill brand for any grain free flour I’ve tried thus far: LINK)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)

1 egg

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 T. sunflower seed butter (could also use almond or cashew butter)

1/2 cup chocolate chips (let’s be honest, I stirred in at least 3/4 cup. And taste-tested a handful more, #sorrynotsorry)

Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Blend the almond and coconut flours with the baking soda and baking powder, set aside. In a second bowl whisk coconut oil, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla thoroughly, then pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and stir completely. Add sunflower seed butter until combined, then fold in chocolate chips. Scoop onto lightly greased cookie sheet and bake 11-12 minutes.

Enjoy!

~RLJ

***Disclaimer: Always consult nutrition pros and do your own research about dietary intolerances and links between mental health and food. I do not claim to be able to diagnose food intolerances and allergies. And while I am licensed to diagnose and treat mental illness, I am unable to do so outside the setting of my therapy practice.