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Almond Flour Chewy Ginger Spice Cookies

Sometimes, the best recipes are born out of complete and utter failure. Case in point- these ginger spiced, almond flour cookies. The five year old asked to make gingerbread men this week. Do you see little men down there in these photos??? Nope, nope you don’t. Because Mama broke the cardinal rule of baking. I started substituting. I know better. Guess what? Almond flour might give you a healthier treat, but it does not yield a dough you can roll out and cut into cute little cookie men. My small human was somewhat crestfallen, but I let him taste the cookie dough from his Spiderman spatula, so all was not lost in his world. In an attempt to avoid complete waste, I rolled up the dough, threw the pan in the oven and crossed my fingers. Twelve minutes later, my kitchen smelled like heaven and between the both of us, we gobbled up the lion’s share of these Ginger Spice Cookies before Alan even got home. Chewy on the inside, perfectly spiced with cinnamon, cloves and ginger- you want these almond flour cookies in your holiday cookie life.

Ginger spice cookies

On a whim and as a small cookie insurance policy, I pressed a big chocolate chunk onto each one right before I popped them into the oven and it was not a mistake.

I know better than to start breaking the baking commandments. I like a cookie as much as the next gal, but I so very much dislike the way traditional sweets make me feel. All sugared up followed by sugar crash/carb coma/grouchy mommy. Combined with a small human who feels the same does not equal the cozy, holiday baking, mommy and me afternoon promised in Norman Rockwell paintings and Betty Crocker ads.

So, I swap the white flour for almond flour which gives us fewer carbs, a little protein and a seriously delightful crumbly cookie texture. Our new ginger spice cookies use coconut sugar rather than the traditional white or brown. It’s less processed, has a lower glycemic index plus I just really love the flavor. And I used honey because to be honest, I forgot to procure molasses. Molasses would be lovely in these. I also increased the spices by about a third. I want to taste the ginger and the cinnamon and cloves, not just the sugar.

I know I’ve hit on something good when Alan asks me if I wrote down my mad-scientist process for duplication purposes. OF course I hadn’t and therefore had to make these again just to ascertain my memory was indeed correct. It was and now we have more cookies. Such a rough life I lead…..

Ginger spice cookies

Welcome to the world, Chewy Ginger Spice Cookies. Our family’s Christmas Cookie life is better with you in it. However, as no five year old’s Christmas would be complete without actual gingerbread men running around our kitchen, here is the recipe I adapted and that we will use to make traditional Gingerbread Men for our weekend baking project, white flour and all. It is from Sally’s Baking Addiction. She never breaks the baking rules. She may possibly have written them.

Ginger spice cookies

Happy holiday baking, friends! Thanks so much for hanging out with me in my favorite, cozy little corner of the inter webs.

-Amanda

Ginger Spice Cookies

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Ginger Spice Cookies

Chewy in the middle and spiced with ginger, cinnamon and cloves, these are the perfect addition to your holiday cookie line up.

Yields: 24 cookies

  • 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups almond flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • Chocolate chunks or large chocolate chips (optional)
  1. Using a hand mixer, in a medium mixing bowl, beat butter on high speed one minute until creamy
  2. Add sugar and honey and beat on low two minutes
  3. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined
  4. Set aside
  5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves
  6. Add wet ingredients to dry ones and stir to combine.
  7. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator at least two hours and up to 24 hours.
  8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  9. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
  10. Roll cookie dough into one inch balls
  11. Is using chocolate chunks or chips- gently press one on top of each rolled ball of cookie dough
  12. Bake 11-13 minutes until tops are golden. They may look a little underdone, but they will keep cooking for a couple minutes when removed from the oven. Do not overcook! About 12 minutes is perfect for a chewy center.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 79
  • Fat: 5 grams
  • Carbs: 9 grams
  • Protein: 1 grams

breakfast

Perfect French Press Coffee

french press coffee

French Press Coffee and I are a thing. We’ve had a standing date every morning for ten years. French press coffee is hands down, the very best version of coffee. It is coffee living its best life. I unashamedly judge a brunch spot on whether or not they bring me my own little individual french press to the table. And brewing it at home is a cozy ritual I enjoy. It’s just me in a quiet kitchen. I pour steaming water over freshly ground beans and wait four minutes for perfection. It’s one of my little luxuries. A small way to treat myself. It feels special, feels worthy of sitting down and sipping slowly with my journal or a good book.

french press coffee

WAIT. (Words come to a screeching halt!!!) THAT IS NOT MY LIFE ANYMORE. It was. For a solid decade. In my last post, I mentioned baby number two threw me for a loop. I felt so overwhelmed. That from the moment my feet hit the floor, I just couldn’t catch up. One of my many survival hacks was to be intentional about getting up BEFORE Baby in the morning. Even if I only had ten minutes to myself before chaos broke loose, those few minutes helped me feel like my day didn’t start with a fire drill. Most especially if I could manage to spend five of those minutes with a cup of coffee.

So, I told French Press Coffee, “I need us to a take break. I’m so sorry. It’s not you, it’s me. Maybe we can see each other once in a while, like on Sunday mornings? Because, as much as I adore you, right now, I need to rapidly inject caffeine into my bloodstream before the baby wakes up. I need 90 second coffee.”

I tossed a Nespresso machine into my Amazon cart and didn’t look back. My poor french press sulked in the cabinet, gathering dust for six months. I am pleased to report that our relationship is now on the mend. We have even met up a few Sunday mornings now. I’ve accepted the fact that being a mama of two is not the same as being a mama of one. That it is so much harder. That any extra “me time” has evaporated.

But you know what? It is so worth it. It’s worth all the extra snuggles. Worth watching the baby’s wobbly stagger down the hallway the second he hears big brother stir in his room every morning. Worth seeing Alan’s face when he hears DADA!!! in chorus with the six year old’s squeals the second he walks through the door. It’s so completely worth it that sometimes my mama heart just might burst it’s so happy.

And my Sunday morning French press coffee is now even more the treat, even more the luxury. Occasionally, Alan will let me sleep in and I’ll wake up to the aroma of French Press Coffee waiting for me. I may or may not drink it with two little monkeys in my lap. But it’s ok, because in a lot of ways, it is even better than drinking it alone.

french press coffee

So, good reader- whether you are ready for a serious relationship with french press coffee, or maybe something more casual – you need to know how to make it. So here we go. You are obviously going to need a french press. You can probably find one at your local grocery store or most big box stores. Or here is a link to the Bodum one I’ve had for years.

The first commandment is starting with good beans. This is a non-negotiable. Pre-ground stuff in a can won’t cut it. If you have a local coffee shop that roasts their own-bonus points. If you are local to me- Numinous in Marble Falls is an excellent choice. They source and roast all their own beans.

Otherwise, there are a gazillion places to source good coffee beans. Trader Joe’s has some really good options at a friendly price point. And your local coffee shop probably sells something worthy of your shiny, new french press.

By “local coffee shop” I do not mean Starbucks. You can do better. You can grind your coffee beans in store or at home. At home is best, as ideally, you want the beans ground right before you brew french press coffee. This is a link to the one I own and use.

french press coffee

Make sure to set your grinder on the coarsest setting. The amount of grounds to use is really a personal preference on how strong you like your coffee. I set my grinder on the four serving setting, unless my father in law is visiting. He likes his spoon to stand up in the mug, so I’ll use more if he’s here. A good place to start is three tablespoons of ground coffee for every one cup water.

Your water needs to be a pretty specific temperature- around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. You want the water hot, but not boiling. Boiling water will burn your beans, and your carefully crafted french press coffee will be bitter. You can bring the water to boil and then let it sit off the heat for about 2 minutes. The more often you brew french press coffee and get comfortable with it, you’ll be able to tell when to turn off the heat. I know the hum of my kettle changes octaves ever so slightly right before the water boils.

You don’t even need a kettle. For years, I used a sauce pot. Which is actually easier, because I can see when the water starts to steam. Once you pour the water, give it a very gentle stir with a WOODEN or PLASTIC spoon. Unless of course, you enjoy broken glass in your coffee. Let it brew four minutes- no more, no less and enjoy.

Now that you have that perfect cup of steaming french press coffee, you might want something to keep it company. Just so happens, I can make a few recommendations! (Click description or pic for recipes)

These Chewy Ginger Spice Cookies are insanely good and are made with almond flour for a lower carb, gluten free option. 

Chewy Ginger SPice Cookies

And these No Bake Energy Bites are for the chocolate/peanut butter lovers of the world.  

energy bites

Our Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Scones are probably the most popular recipe on the blog, for good reason. Almond flour, coconut sugar and gigantic chocolate chips. Yummmmmm.

chocolate chip scones

And if you are a coffee creamer kind of person here is our super easy recipe for Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer. All the spices, and just a teensy, weensy bit sweet.

Happy Cooking, friend. I do hope you find a quiet minute or five to treat yourself to a french press coffee in the very near future. You deserve it.

Amanda

French Press Coffee

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french press coffee

French press coffee. Coffee living its best life

  • 3 cups cold water + 1/2 cup to allow for any evaporation
  • 9 Tablespoons Coarse ground coffee
  1. Place coffee grounds in french press.
  2. Heat water over high heat in kettle or small pot.
  3. When the water is steaming, take it off the heat. Pour hot, (but not boiling) water over the coffee grounds.
  4. Stir gently with a wooden or plastic spoon.
  5. Wait four minutes and gently push the plunger down.
  6. Pour and enjoy.
  7. Makes four 6oz servings
  8. Please see full post for tips on brewing.

Gather

Ethiopian Chicken Stew

So…..hi, friends.  It’s been a minute or three since we’ve last chatted. That cute little baby of mine threw me for QUITE the loop – for over a year. Geez. I owe you folks a few recipes. We’re jumping back in with this Ethiopian Chicken Stew that goes into heavy rotation around here as soon as the temps stop hitting triple digits.

I am so stinking happy to be back in this little corner of the inter webs-for a couple reasons. Number one, you need this Ethiopian chicken stew in your life, like today. And probably every Thursday henceforth until Spring. I literally threw this together while the baby napped. (And to be clear, my baby naps exactly 49 minutes per day) School is back in full swing, soccer practice starts TODAY and my real estate business is BUSY. So I’ll take as many make ahead dinner recipes as I can get my hands on.

The other reason I’m happy to be back feels a bit like an overshare, but it also feels odd to hop back on here after a year without mentioning it. The thing is, that although this past year has been blissful in sooooo many ways, it was also the year I fought an ugly battle with postpartum depression. It was hard, it was awful and maybe one day we’ll talk a little more about that here, because I think there is a conversation to be had, and there are women who need to know they are not alone. For now, suffice it to say that I’m darn lucky to have the rockstar supportive husband that I do, a good doctor and an extensive and loving support system. I seem to have come out the other side unscathed. And selfishly, it helps me to be here. To indulge my creativity in the kitchen, to play with my camera and to chat with my sweet little community of food lovers here in my favorite little corner of the internet. So thank you for being here.

African Stew-3

Ok, enough of that. Back to this STEW. Holy smokes, it’s so good! First things first- there is an Ethiopian spice blend called Berebere (like berry, berry). Write that down. Better yet, type it into Amazon and hit order. Heck, I’ll do it for you- here is the link. Berebere is a blend of chiles with paprika, garlic and a host of other spices and it is what gives this stew its bold, intense flavor. It is also the secret to creating a stew with amazing layers of flavor without micromanaging a soup pot all afternoon. You can order berebere on Amazon, or find it at World Market (my favorite blend), Whole Foods, Central Market or most better grocery stores. The different blends can vary in flavor and heat level. The one from Central Market has a lot more heat. So taste and adjust as you cook. If you need Ethiopian Chicken Stew in your life this right this second, (and I don’t blame you) you can make your own version. Here is a link for how to blend your own.  It probably calls for a couple things you don’t have on hand (fenugreek comes to mind), but if you have most of the ingredients, you can make it work. I mean, it will be different, but certainly not bad.

Ethiopian Chicken Stew

I want to credit our source for this Ethiopian Chicken Stew. It’s official name is Doro Wat and it came to us via a recipe and spice subscription that Alan’s sister gifted him one Christmas years ago. I would tell you to go subscribe, but they are now defunct, which is a serious bummer.

I have a sneaky suspicion they dumbed down the spice level for the average American palate. I triple the amount of Berebere that it originally calls for and double the garlic, because that is just my M.O. We also like to add a scoop of quinoa (microwavable quinoa in a bag- because that is what my life looks like now) and avocado slices to round it out as a meal. And lemon zest on top because when is that ever a bad idea?

Ok, my lovely foodie friends. Thanks for being here. I mean, really, really thank you for being here. Nothing makes me happier than sharing seriously amazing food with you lovely people. So go forth, order your Berebere (lots of it), share with your friends. If you feel moved- please share on your social media platform of choice. Because, we really shouldn’t keep this to ourselves.

Couple pro tips for the busy mamas and cooks out there.

  1. There is no shame in buying pre-chopped onions in your produce section. Same for the pre-peeled garlic. Time and effort savers.
  2. Use a citrus zester for your garlic and ginger- it makes super quick work of both.
  3. Quick cook quinoa that comes in a bag and requires 90 seconds in the microwave (with no pot to clean) vs. 20 minutes on the stove is currently saving my life.

Happy Cooking,

Amanda

Ethiopian Chicken Stew

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ethiopian chicken strew

Spicy, savory Ethiopian Chicken Stew. A perfect make ahead meal.

Yields: 6 servings

  • 1 and 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks
  • 1 lemon zested and then juiced
  • 1 sweet or yellow onion diced
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter, separated- 2 + 2.
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced or grated on zester or microplane
  • 1" fresh ginger, minced or grated on zester or microplane
  • 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
  • 3 Tablespoons Berebere spice blend
  • 1 Tablespoon Paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 1/4 Cup Chicken or Vegetable Stock
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more to garnish
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 large avocado, sliced
  1. Zest lemon and set zest aside.
  2. Juice lemon into a large bowl
  3. Place chicken in a bowl with the lemon juice. Give a quick stir to distribute juice and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  4. While the chicken sits, chop onions, and chop or grate garlic and ginger. Have all ingredients ready to go- this moves quick once you turn on the heat.
  5. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large pan.
  6. Add the onion and cook until translucent - about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  7. Add garlic and ginger and cook one more minute.
  8. Add tomato paste, berebere and paprika and cook 30 seconds.
  9. Add olive oil and remaining two tablespoons of butter and stir to make a paste.
  10. Add chicken and salt and stir to combine.
  11. Add stock and simmer, covered 15 minutes.
  12. Remove lid, add cilantro and cook 5 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. The sauce will reduce and thicken slightly.
  13. Serve with quinoa and avocado slices. Garnish with cilantro and lemon zest
  • Preparation time: 30
  • Cook time: 30
  • Total time: 1 hour

Nutrition

  • Calories: 507
  • Fat: 34 grams
  • Carbs: 29 grams
  • Protein: 43 grams

 

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