For a recent party, I handed over the confection reigns to a capable baker. Yet, it was my party after all. I just HAD to provide something delicious AND healthy, right? Well, what would you think about a scrumptious treat that tastes like cookie dough but has none of the hazards such as processed sugar, wheat/gluten, grains, or even eggs? Read on for a Surprising Gluten-Free Dessert Recipe below!

In the healthy food world, there are a lot of raw treat recipes that feature ingredients such as nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, etc. Healthier sweeteners such as raw organic honey, grade B maple syrup, coconut crystals, shredded unsweetened coconut, or whole leaf stevia, etc. are also sometimes added.

What happens when you mix some of these ingredients together WITHOUT BAKING?

You get a surprising delicious

nibble of goodness.

When powerfully nutritious ingredients are whizzed up together and formed without using heat — the fiber, enzymes, and nutrient values are preserved — just as nature intended.

To make these recipes typically requires a food processor, but a blender, immersion blender, or even a hand chopper can be used as well.

How to begin?

Simply experiment with your favorite ingredients you have on hand until you achieve a satisfying flavor combination and a desirable consistency. It’s time to get your creative juices flowing.     

There’s so many recipes to try! Here’s a few “energy” dessert treats to sample: 

But there’s much more to gain than just a few new treats to add to your after-dinner repertoire. In fact, your skills will trickle down to all of your meals. Here’s just a few things you can learn when you start to experiment in the kitchen:

You’ll become proficient in:

1. Working without a recipe
2. Making healthier substitutions and swaps
3. Creating meals on the fly using the ingredients you have on hand AND getting inspired to try new flavor combos

What do 1 – 2 – 3 add up to?  

Confidence in the kitchen!

Here’s a quick tip on item #2. Swapping healthier ingredients for not-so-healthy ones is easy. For example, in the recipe link above, the sweetener suggested is agave. That’s a good one – to avoid. (For more information on why – check out this Huffington Post agave article).  

Instead, I’d use honey or coconut crystals – or none at all. Surprisingly, nuts (including coconut) and seeds are very sweet. Oftentimes, there’s no other sweetener necessary.

So, it’s time for the recipe you’ve been waiting for.

Here’s the surprise – and, this one is PEA-U-tiful! Yep, you can actually achieve the taste and texture of cookie dough using chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) as a main element! Nope, not kidding.

Here are the ingredients I used in my recent kitchen endeavor. The measurements are very flexible as I just used what I had available. 

Cookie Dough Gluten-Free Recipe

1 16 oz can of chickpeas (organic, no added preservatives/etc., drained and rinsed very thoroughly)

2 to 4 Tablespoons of organic almond butter  (or cashew butter)

1 Tablespoon of raw, organic, local honey (more or less to taste)

1 Tablespoon coconut crystals

1-2 Teaspoon(s) vanilla (I used raw, organic vanilla bean powder)

1 C raw cacao nibs, OR, mini chocolate chips (Enjoy Life makes a gluten-free, vegan variety of mini chips)

Directions:

Mix the above ingredients until smooth and creamy. Suggestions: If too thick, can add more nut butter or coconut oil. If too creamy, can add shredded unsweetened coconut, chopped nuts, gluten-free oats, or cacao powder to thicken. Spoon dough onto parchment or wax paper and roll into ball-shapes by hand. Freeze several hours to harden completely.

Optional: Can dip each frozen Cookie Dough serving into melted chocolate. Use the remaining mini-chips (melted), or try the Nibbling Chocolate Recipe from this delicious chocolaty post.

Can be served frozen or thawed a bit if a softer center is preferred.

So, can treats actually be good for you? While these treats do contain many healthy ingredients, I can’t say that sweetened treats are completely healthy. But, by definition, a treat means once in a while, right? 

Go ahead, enjoy a treat! Tell me how YOUR kitchen experimentations are going!

Do you know why breakfast has the greatest potential to contribute to your PAIN? If not, grab your FREE Stop Feeding Yourself PAIN guide here, and learn why!

Did you miss out on any of the Adrenal Summit interviews? If so, I have exciting news! You can STILL participate in ALL the interviews and take notes to your heart’s content. Simply click this Adrenal Summit 2014 link to find out more.