Gluten Free Graham Crackers

This is one of those stop what your doing, make right now recipes. Yes, it's that good. So good it pleased the picky neighbors. Made with homemade brown sugar, and you have the perfect snack. Or of course you use this recipe as an excuse to make s'mores. And I know we are always looking for an excuse to make s'mores, aren't we? This recipe is so versatile...it can be used for snacking plain (obviously), s'mores, graham cracker crust, tarts, or go onto Pinterest if you need any ideas.

 And how cute are these? My friend Anna came up with the idea when we had leftover dough- to make balls to put into yogurt, on top of fruit, or whatever other creative idea you can come up with. Thanks Anna!

Look who took herself for a walk this morning? ...In the rain

Gluten Free Graham Crackers
1 1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup brown sugar (I used my Homemade Brown Sugar)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
3 tbs water
3 tbs honey
1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cover 2 cookie sheets with parchment and set aside.
2. Mix first 9, dry ingredients, through salt. Whisk to incorporate. Add remaining wet ingredients, and mix well. Roll out dough in between two sheets of parchment, using a rolling pen. Cut the dough into even squares with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Prick holes into the dough with a fork in an even pattern.
3. Bake 15 minutes. Let cool on pan for 10 minutes. (You'll be surprised how much crispier they get after cooling). Then remove from the pan, and store in a cool, dry place.
4. Enjoy!

Source:Making Roma Roma

How To: Fresh Coconut Curls

I'm not typically the type to shy away from a challenge in the kitchen, but working with fresh coconut has intimidated me for quite some time. I've tried working with fresh coconut a couple times, and it never seemed to turn out. I decided to try a different method and it worked great! You can definitely taste how fresh these coconut curls are compared to store bought. Turns out, the whole process is really simple. I know this is my go-to method for when I need a fresh coconut topping from here on out.

I am aware some grocery stores sell pre-cut coconuts to make the process more simple, but for this tutorial I am going to use just a regular, whole coconut.

Time to start! Start out with taking a clean screwdriver and poking a whole through the two softest eyes.

Drain out the coconut water/milk into a fine strainer over a bowl. Discard or save for a later use.

Place the coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until cracked in multiple places. Set aside until cool enough to work with.

Wrap the coconut with a towel and hit with a hammer several times in the same place to break it in half or into several large pieces.

Pry away the coconut from the shell (I used a knife to get around the edge of the coconut.)

Use a vegetable peeler to peel away the tough, dark, outer skin.

Rinse the coconut and vegetable pieces with cold water. Shave along the broken edges of the coconut to make long curls.

Transfer to a skilled over medium and toast with 1 tsp of coconut oil. Stir occasionally until browned to  your liking. Use to garnish desserts, etc. as desired.

Source: Annie's Eats

Homemade Brown Sugar

I don't use brown sugar a lot, so it always seems to be as hard as a rock when I go to use it, no matter how airtight I keep it. So this homemade version has really worked well for me. Additionally, brown sugar tastes a lot better fresh! All you need is 5 minutes, a hand mixer, sugar, and molasses. Yep, that's it! With only two ingredients it couldn't more simple!

Homemade Brown Sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons mosasses

1. Place in a bowl and mix well, using a hand mixer if needed. Store in a cool, dry place.
2. Enjoy!

Fruit Smoothie

I don't know what to call this recipe...
Best Smoothie I've Ever Tasted
#1 Smoothie
Make Now...?
Well, I would recommend giving this summer treat a try. Especially if you love smoothies.

 It's hard to explain this smoothie. It has a complicated layer of flavors. First, you taste the tart raspberries. Then you taste the sweet orange, and lastly the chocolate. Honestly, this is the best smoothie I have ever eaten.

Fruit Smoothie for Two
1/4 cup grapes, rinsed and dried (off the vine, obviously:)
1 container of Voskos Greek yogurt (I used blueberry)
2 tablespoons cup orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup frozen cherries
5 strawberries, rinses, dried, and hulled
5 ice cubes
1/4 cup frozen mango
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1. Place in bender and blend until everything is broken down and smooth.
2. Enjoy!