Coconut Chocolate Patties

From Martha Stewart Living. No flour, no bake cookies to delight your gluten-free friends! They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. Makes about 20.

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
3 drops pure almond extract
3 3/4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted*

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread cocnut in a single layer on parchment. Place in oven until golden and toasted, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to color evenly. Remove from oven, let cool completely.

2. In medium bowl, combine toasted coconut, almond extract, and melted chocolate. Stir gently until combined. Press about 1 Tbls coconut mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture. Place in the refrigerator until cookies are set, about 20 minutes. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

*You can find non-dairy semisweet chocolate at a health food store if you are looking to avoid both gluten and dairy.

Christy's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 4 dozen

I had a craving for cookies the other night, and came up with these using McCann's Irish Oatmeal. They have a hearty, chewy texture unlike virtually every other gluten-free cookie I've tried. Even though two of my children and I react to gluten, we are able to tolerate McCann's Irish Oats with no trouble at all! We had tried Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats, and we all reacted to them. But I read about Irish oats being gluten-free, and the McCann's brand has really worked for us. I believe a small percent of celiacs also react to a protein in oats, but we do not. For some reason, American oats are not gluten-free.

1 cup Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread, room temperature*
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. gluten-free vanilla
2 1/2 cups Pamela's Baking Mix
2 cups McCann's Quick & Easy Irish Oatmeal, processed in food processor until finely ground (30 seconds to one minute)
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 bag Ghiradelli's 60% Cacao Bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnut pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cream buttery spread with sugar for 4 to 5 minutes, until very light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
2. Combine Pamela's Mix, processed oats, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Gradually to creamed mixture, stirring gently by hand until just combined.
3. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
4. Drop by rounded Tbls. onto greased cookie sheets (or cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, which I prefer). Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350. Remove from oven and let cool on sheets for 5 minutes before removing to rack to cool completely.
5. Enjoy!!

*Diary content: I used the Earth Balance instead of butter, but you can easily use real butter. My daughter reacts to dairy, so I cut the dairy down by using the Earth Balance. However, Pamela's Baking Mix does contain powdered buttermilk, so this recipe is not dairy-free. My daughter does okay if she only occasionally has a bit a diary.

Sugar content: Although this recipe has less sugar than most cookies, it is certainly not sugar-free! But I reduced the sugar from most recipes by 1/4 to 3/4 of a cup (depending on the recipe). Also, the bittersweet chocolate has less sugar than even semi-sweet. The oats are a healthful whole grain, and the walnuts are good for you as well. But these should still be considered an occasional treat for those watching their carbs and sugars.

Blackberry Shortbread

From Martha Stewart Living
Prep Time: 15 min. Total Time: 60 min.
Makes 1 dozen

I'm a terrible food photographer! These are much more delicious than the picture looks. If you make the gluten-free version, be forewarned that the shortbread can get a little soggy and ricey after a day or two. But they are delicious fresh! We enjoy making these with the blackberries we pick at Great Country Farms!

10 Tbls (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, or Pamela's All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Mix
1/2 cup whole roasted almonds (2 ounces)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbls confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
1/4 tsp pure almond extract
1 pound blackberries (about 4 cups)
Freshly grated zest of 1 orange

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9x13 baking pan. Line with parchment; butter lining. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Grind almonds in food processor until fine.
2. Whisk together flour, nuts, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; set aside. Put 3/4 cup plus 1 Tbls sugar and the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in almond extract. Add flour mixture in 2 batches; mix until a crumbly dough forms.
3. Press all by 1 cup dough onto bottom of pan. Toss berries with zest; scatter over dough. Sprinkle with remaining Tbls sugar; crumble reserved dough on top. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool on wire rack. Cut into 12 squares; dust with sugar.

Strawberry, Blueberry. and Almond Tart

Serves 10

For the almond crust:
2 cups almond meal
6 tbls melter butter or coconut butter
2 tbls sugar
pinch of salt

For the filling:
8 oz. marscapone cheese
2 tbls. pure maple syrup or honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
1 pint blueberries, washed and dried
1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled and dried
8 oz. currant jelly (optional)

1. Combine crust ingredients in a medium bowl. Press into tart pan. Chill in the refrigerator until set (about 1 hour).
2. Combine marscapone cheese, syrup or honey, and vanilla or almond extract in a small bowl. Spread evenly on top of almond crust.
3. Top with berries.
4. (Optional) Melt currant jelly in small saucepan over medium heat. Brush as a glaze on top of berries. May serve immediately or keep in the refrigerator overnight.