Pamela's Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Not sure about everyone else, but I like to know what I am buying (Is it any good? Does it work?) So since becoming Gluten Free, I have relied on reviews and recommendations of others for products I know nothing about.

But it's been hard to find reviews and GF is expensive.  I hate spending money on something that is just going to be thrown away.  Hence, one of the reasons I started this blog.. not only in case others happen upon it and can find it useful, but also for me to keep track of what I have tried and liked.

During a recent grocery store run, I found Pamela's Chocolate Chunk Cookie mix (http://www.pamelasproducts.com/product/Pamelas_Chocolate_Chunk_Cookies_Mix/13196.aspx) and since I was needing a dessert for an upcoming movie night, I figured they were worth a shot (as a side note, I had tried other products by Pamela's and really liked so I knew chances of it being awful were fairly slim).

The mix was easy to make and the end result was just as I expected - delicious!  No offense to Pamela's, but the deliciousness doesn't quite make up being able to whip up something from scratch.. but it comes close. And even my non-GF friends really enjoyed them. :)

Strawberry Cupcakes

One of the things I have missed the most since transitioning over to GF is the baking.. it was my "therapy". Any time I needed some stress relief, I would bake (which always made my co-workers and neighbors very happy).


But now baking entails googling GF baked goods and scouring magazines, books and blogs for ideas instead of the good ol' days when I could just choose any recipe and make it.  Nope, gluten free means having to weigh flours and add other things I have never heard of  before like arrowroot and agave syrup.


So my to get back into the groove of baking my first post will be:

Strawberry Cupcakes

(from Delight, Fall 2011)

Yields: 8

1/2 C. coconut flour

1 Tbsp. arrowroot powder* 

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

4 large eggs

1/4 C. agave nectar

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1/2 C. finely chopped strawberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line 8 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, arrowroot powder, salt, and baking soda.  In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, agave nectar, and vanilla.
3. Blend wet ingredients into flour mixture with handheld mixture until thoroughly combined, then fold in strawberries.
4. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin cup and bake for 20-25 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean). Let the cupcakes cool for one hour, then frost and serve.

*Tip: While searching for arrowroot powder, I kept finding it in huge quantities, which I certainly didn't need. So after a final stop to my local health food store, I found they had jars of specific powders, etc and she scooped out 1/4 cup of it, weighed it and sold to me that way.  Cost me less than $1 for that 1/4 cup instead of  over $10 for huge bag.