GreenSunflower Cooks

Bittersweet Chocolate Chip Cookies with Hazelnut

I made these little babies to take to work today, mostly because I found hazelnut extract at Whole Foods.  For those that do not want to go gluten free, you could take any basic chocolate chip recipe and as the chips, hazelnuts, and extracts. 

The bittersweet chocolate is almost overpowering but in food fauxgasm sort of way.  If you like dark chocolate, you like cookies, and you like subtle flavors to complement stronger ones, these are the cookie for you.

GS's Bittersweet Chocolate Chip and Hazelnut Cookies

3/4 cup butter, softened
3 cups turbinado or raw cane sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp hazelnut extract (if you cant find hazelnut, use 3/4 tsp pure almond extract)
4 1/2 cups Pamela's Ultimate Baking Mix
1 package bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

With mixer cream sugar and butter together until fluffy and thoroughly mixed.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing.  Then let the mixture sit for 3-4 min and mix again (to let the sugar dissolve a little bit).  At the extracts, mix.  Add the baking mix and mix until combined.  Take mixer blade out and stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop large teaspoonfuls of cookie dough onto cookie sheet.  Flatten tops of cookies either with back of spoon or clean fingertips.  Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts.

Bake for 12-14 min until browned.  Let sit on cookie sheet for at least 5 min, then move to a rack. 

Enjoy!

Heavenly Almond Cookies

Heavenly Almond Cookies
Originally uploaded by greensunflowerRN.

Gluten free cookies that taste good are an incredibly hard thing to find already made.  I almost never eat a gluten free cookie, unless it is fresh baked. 

Gluten-Free Heavenly Almond Cookies

1 cup turbinado or raw cane sugar
1/4 cup unsalted, softened butter
1 large egg
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp pure almond extract
1 1/2 cups Pamela's Ultimate Baking Mix
handful roasted salted slivered almonds

Heat oven to 350-375 (depending on how your oven runs). Mix the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed.  Add egg and extracts, mix to combine.  Add baking mix and stir to combine (it will take a little working).

Place teaspoon full sized balls of cookie dough on cookie sheet, leaving enough room to spread out.  Flatten slightly with fork and top with three slivered almonds.

Bake for 12 min until the edges are crispy.

Endive, Mango, and Goat Cheese Salad

Endive, Mango, and Goat Cheese Salad
Originally uploaded by greensunflower.

It is getting to be the time for crunchy summer salads again.  I started getting a produce delivery, just to have more variety.  I am loving it.  This was made with the mango and endive from the delivery.  We ate it along side crab, but I think it could be eaten alongside just about anything.

GREENSUNFLOWER'S ENDIVE, MANGO, AND CHEVRE SALAD

• 1 tb white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tb walnut oil
• s/p
• 2 scallions minced
• 3 heads endive, chopped
• 1/2 cup candied walnuts
• 2 oz chevre, crumbled
• 1 less ripe mango, chopped

Add scallions to vinegar and let sit for a little bit, then whisk in walnut oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Assemble all other ingredients in a salad bowl, top with dressing and enjoy.

Coconut Carrot Cake

Coconut Carrot Cake
Originally uploaded by greensunflower.

Karina, the Gluten Free Goddess has this recipe for carrot cake.  I love carrot cake and hate being gluten free.  This makes it all bearable.

Salmon with Cilantro Lemon Pesto

Salmon with Cilantro Lemon Pesto
Originally uploaded by greensunflower.

This pesto tastes great.  I put it on a little thick here and Babe and I had to scrape a little off.  So I would do it much thinner, but the flavor was great.  We used wild Chinook Salmon.

• 1 bunch cilantro, leaves only
• zest of one lemon
• juice of one lemon
• handful of almond slices or pinenuts
• 2 handfuls pecorinio romano cheese
• olive oil
• 4 salmon fillets

Heat oven to 450.  In bowl of food processor place all ingredients except salmon and olive oil.  Pulse to blend and chop.  Set the food processor to on and then stream in olive oil until pesto has a nice consistency, is not to oily, but will stick together.  Spread a thin layer of pesto over each filet (this may require pressing it on by hand).  Place in greased baking sheet.  Bake for 20 min (for 1-1.5 inch filets) or until fish feels firm when touched.

Serve!