Paleo Breakfast Cookies inspired by AgainstAllGrain, Almond Milk Latte

If you are Gluten-Free, Grain-Free or Paleo then by now you have run across AgainstAllGrain.com.  Danielle Walker is our heroine of the day!  Her recipes have made Gluten-Free and Grain-Free far less scary not to mention incredibly tasty.  As I was awaiting delivery of her new book Against All Grain: Delectable Paleo Recipes to Eat Well & Feel Great, I did some hunting around on her site and found these yummy Breakfast Cookies.  Kid #1 isn’t a fan of raisins nor craisins, so I didn’t think he’d like the dried cherries.  Besides, I was craving chocolate…so we made a few changes and skipped the cherries, walnuts and currants opting for the last of the Toll House chocolate chips in the house (just being real)…next time I will use dark chocolate pieces and try Danielle’s Real-Deal Chocolate-Chip Cookies from her cookbook.  These breakfast cookies were perfect alongside a Dairy-Free Almond Milk Latte.  Talk about a perfect Sunday morning!

Breakfast Cookies inspired by AgainstAllGrain

• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut flour (I added the tablespoon after my dough was too thin)
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 6 pitted dried dates, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes
• 3/4 cup shredded coconut (I used 1/4 cup shredded, 1/2 cup macaroon coconut)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (I used vanilla bean paste)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine coconut flour, almond butter, and dates in a food processor.  I tried my Blendtec at first…bad idea.  Use a food processor.  Process until well combined and the dates have broken up into really small pieces, about a minute.
3. Add shredded coconut, applesauce, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and baking soda and process for 30 seconds until a wet dough forms.  This is where I added an extra tablespoon of coconut flour.  Add a small amount since a little goes a long way.  Stir in chocolate pieces to incorporate.
4. Scoop dough onto a cookie sheet lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper.  Gently press down each ball until 1/2″ thick.  Dough will not spread or rise so form the cookies to your desired shape.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.  Mine were still gooey after 15 minutes and weren’t done until 20 minutes.  I’m at higher elevation which means most things need to bake longer so start checking at 12 minutes until you know how long it will take in your oven.

Almond Milk Latte

Exact measurements for a Latte, in my opinion, can vary with your personal preference.  Sometimes I use coffee so it’s really a Cafe au Lait and other times I use espresso making a true Caffe Latte.  The most important part is having the right tools for the job.  No, you don’t need a super fancy espresso machine, but they are pretty awesome.  My cousin has one like this:

But, since I don’t use dairy milk and didn’t want to invest into the pods, I opted for this super easy milk frother:

I really love this milk frother.  I’ve heard people complain that almond milk doesn’t froth up.  I haven’t tried other methods, but I can assure you that with this Nespresso Aeroccino Plus, you can froth your almond milk in about a minute.

Add to coffee or espresso with a stovetop espresso maker like this:

It takes me about 3 minutes longer to make a latte this way than to use my Keurig® Vue®.  Don’t get me wrong, the Keurig® Vue® is super convenient, the lattes are super tasty and only run about 110 calories, but I don’t know what’s in them.  I have no control over the sugar content and they don’t offer dairy-free lattes.  They work in a pinch, but not every day.

To sweeten up my latte, when I am being really good I use just cinnamon.  When I am being only a tad naughty, I use Liquid Stevia which is also available in flavors like Vanilla Creme, Hazelnut, English Toffee, and Berry.  And, if I want a special treat, I use these:

1 ounce of the sweet syrup will cost you 80 calories.  They also come in Sugar Free but I try to avoid stuff made with Splenda.

We all love to indulge with a fancy coffee shop latte once in a while, but you won’t have those cravings when you make them at home.  And, they don’t have to be an indulgence – they can be your little daily treat!