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Paleo Shortbread Tea Cookies

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Today I am sharing my recipe for Paleo Shortbread Tea Cookies along with instructions for creating them in the shape of a tea bag. Perfect for tea time!

What Does Mozart Have to Do with Cookies?

Have you ever seen the movie Amadeus? It’s my favorite movie of all time. There is a scene where the composer Antonio Salieri, looking at the impeccable first drafts of Mozart’s compositions, marvels at the perfection of the work. He recognizes the hand of God.

“He had simply written down music already finished in his head. Page after page of it as if he were just taking dictation.”

I have to agree with Salieri that God was clearly involved in Mozart’s musical genius and used him to grant us amazing beauty in the form of his compositions. I could write a thesis on how God has provided mankind with many blessings of beauty and how those things point us back to Him. But this is a recipe post and right about now you are probably wondering what in the world this has to do with Paleo shortbread cookies! Well…..you see, I can relate to poor old Salieri. At one point in the movie he laments how, in his view, God has not granted him genius but has, instead, cursed him with the ability to recognize genius when he encounters it. This frustrates Salieri and causes him to hatch a plot against Mozart.

While I am not hatching any plots against others who happen to be more artistically talented, I do find myself at times feeling a bit envious of their abilities. When I see works of great artists, or hear amazing music or read brilliant poetry I long for a similar talent. This is also true when it comes to crafts. I can appreciate the crafts of others but have never been blessed with the crafting gene. HOWEVER, today I feel as though I have finally overcome my deficit in a small way with the following paleo shortbread tea cookies!

This recipe falls into the category of dessert/treat AND craft. (Look out, Martha Stewart!) It would work really well at a tea or a wedding or baby shower. The paleo tea cookies could even be used as party favors. They are grain free, gluten free, nut free and sweetened only with maple syrup and a small amount of sugar in the dark chocolate coating.

Gluten Free Shortbread Tea Cookies

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Korean Shingo Pear Flaugnarde (Clafoutis)

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flaugnarde slice with yogurt

flaugnarde slice with yogurtWhen I initially made this recipe I referred to it as a clafoutis.  But it turns out a clafoutis is a rustic French dessert traditionally made with black cherries. Whenever the same dish is made using a different type of fruit it is known as a flaugnarde. Here’s how to pronounce flaugnarde. I had to play that soundbite a few times to get the pronunciation down (in spite of my slight Texas twang). It’s a funny word that sounds a lot better than it looks. And the dish itself is delightfully warm and filling.

This flaugnarde recipe makes use of Korean Shingo pears. These pears are similar to other asian pears but they are larger and very round. (You could substitute with other types of pears or even apple slices.) The Shingo pears have a high sugar content and a delicate, almost floral taste. They are nicely crisp and would probably be terrific in a salad. But they also work particularly well with this flaugnarde which is perfect as a breakfast or brunch dish. It is not a particularly sweet dish but could still be used as a dessert. If you like custards and/or bread puddings like I do then you will probably enjoy this moist flaugnarde. The 1/4 cup of coconut crystals is optional. I tried it both ways and it was good each time – just a little sweeter with the coconut crystals.

A slice of the flaugnarde for breakfast with a couple of farm fresh eggs fried in ghee is pretty heavenly. My sons, who eat dairy, like to slather it with full fat Greek yogurt.flaugnarde slice with eggs

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Apple Cider Paleo Donuts

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paleo donuts

paleo donuts

This recipe for apple cider paleo donuts is inspired by the amazing apple orchards in my adopted state of New Jersey. Apple cider donuts are commonly found at farm stands, primarily in the autumn, and usually accompanied by glasses of hot apple cider. Contrary to its image, New Jersey retains its rural and agricultural flavor throughout much of the state. (It is known as “The Garden State” after all.) The apple industry here is vibrant and farms have survived development and other economic pressures by promoting orchards as educational and recreational experiences. Consumers contribute to the preservation of the farming heritage by patronizing local farms. Farms in turn have used festivals, school tours, u-pick operations along with roadside retail to survive and thrive by meeting consumer demands. We enjoy patronizing local farms and have always looked forward to indulging in cider donuts when visiting them. This recipe for cider paleo donuts allows us to enjoy this treat while sticking with our paleo diet.

My husband was initially shocked at the sight of my newly purchased mini-donut maker. He thought I had really gone off the deep end. (Oh, he of little faith!) But in spite of his skepticism, these donuts are grain-free, gluten-free, casein-free, soy free and contain only natural sugars. So I consider them a bonafide paleo treat. And these paleo donuts go great with some eggs and coffee at breakfast. You can also serve them as an after school snack. (Something my boys love.) They are fairly quick and easy to make – you don’t need to drag out your stand mixer. And the $20 for the mini-donut maker seems like a worth while investment.paleo donut collage

Here’s a look at some of the ingredients I used:

paleo donut ingredients

Ingredients (makes 10-12 mini-donuts)

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Gluten-Free Skillet Cornbread And Cornbread Dressing

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I have been eating Paleo for many months now and that means I do not eat grains. Having been recently diagnosed with celiac disease it has become clear the removal of gluten from my diet has been instrumental in the general improvement in my health. I strongly believe the benefits of Paleo go way beyond the inherently gluten-free nature of this way of eating. Having said that, I will admit a willingness to indulge in eating other gluten-free grains on rare occasion.

Thanksgiving is one of those times.

Now, this does not mean I am willing to throw Paleo eating out the window even if only for the Thanksgiving meal. So we will keep everything totally Paleo but for one thing – cornbread dressing. I NEED to eat cornbread dressing at Thanksgiving. It is in my genes. It just is. So I searched far and wide for a good cornbread recipe. I found one at a blog called The Art of Gluten Free Baking. The recipe ingredients and directions have been altered a bit with the specification of coconut crystals in place of sugar, Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream and more milk to thin the batter because of the extra thick nature of the Greek yogurt. The easy recipe results in a gluten free cornbread that is very moist and tender. I like the fact it uses masa flour because it was just about the only non-Paleo food I did not throw away. It is a very fine flour similar to regular wheat flour and is used in its place in this gluten-free cornbread recipe.

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Coconut Flour Paleo Pancakes

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Paleo Pancakes
Paleo Pancakes
Paleo Pancakes!

The good news is you can follow a strict Paleo diet and still enjoy awesome tasting pancakes – Paleo Pancakes! The bad news is…well, there IS no bad news. After trying several different recipes for coconut flour pancakes I have finally found one that truly stands out. They are so good I was motivated to go out and buy a new griddle because I know I will be making them quite frequently. (Big Boy is thrilled!)

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