SS&GF: Simply Sugar and Gluten Free

I love desserts that are healthier.  These chewy gluten free, sugar free, date sweetened cookies fit the bill.  Sweet potatoes and quinoa are ranked among the world’s healthiest foods, with sweet potatoes having vitamin A, vitamin C, and even have anti-inflammatory properties that can help my osteoarthritis.   I’ve talked about quinoa’s health benefits many times before, but I’ll remind you again that this tiny whole grain is a good source of protein, contains high levels of magnesium for a healthy heart, is simple to prepare and easy to digest.

Last week Karina, of Karina’s Kitchen, made Quinoa Pumpkin Cookies.  I headed straight to the kitchen.  We’ve gotten loads of sweet potatoes in our CSA distributions lately and I even had some sweet potato puree in the refrigerator, which was left over from making these.

So, I made my own sugar-free, rustic version with sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin.  Quinoa has become one of my ingredients because the earthy flavor seems to work will with almost anything – and instead of empty calories I can satisfy my sweet tooth with something that’s healthier.  Yea, they’re still cookies.  But they’re good for you, too.

A note about the brown rice flour:  I found finely ground brown rice flour for $12 a bag.  I am just too frugal (cheap!) to pay that much.  I threw my brown rice flour into my spice grinder and it worked beautifully.  No grit at all. I get this brand of brown rice flour through Amazon’s subscribe and save program and love it.

Reminders:

Tomorrow is Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays – come back and link your healthier recipe.

Thursday is the last Holiday Food Fest celebration of 2009.  Jessica of Life as Mom is hosting Holiday Desserts – make sure to link up your best recipe.  One lucky participant will win a D-Lux Kitchen Couture apron – these great aprons were on Desperate Housewives.  You don’t want to miss out on this.  If you’d rather buy one for yourself, they’re offering a 10% discount AND free shipping to our readers.  Use promo code: lifeasmom

This post is linked to The Cookie Exchange at Hoosier Homemade.

Printer-friendly recipe

Sweet Potato Quinoa Cookies
makes 2 – 2  1/2 dozen 2 inch cookies
adapted from Karina’s Kitchen

8 pitted medjool dates
1 cup organic quinoa flakes
3/4 cup fine organic brown rice flour
1/2 cup organic millet flour
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon good quality cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup Spectrum Organic Shortening
3/4 cup sweet potato puree
2 tablespoons organic yacon syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup organic raisins

Preaheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchement paper.

Pour one cup of boiling water over the dates and let them soak for 15 minutes.  In a large bowl, whisk together quinoa flakes, fine brown rice flour, millet flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, slat, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Add organic shortening and use a for to cut it into the flour mix.  Once the shortening and flour have formed large chunks, use clean hands to combine them until the mixture is coarse and mealy.

Place the soaked dates into the bowl of a mini food chopper, add 3 tablespoons of soaking water, and process until smooth.  Put date puree into a mixing bowl.  Add sweet potato puree, vanilla, yacon syrup, and lemon juice.  Mix well.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Stir in raisins.  Using a small, spring-release cookie scoop form dough into balls.  Place on parchment lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart.  Use wet finger to push cookies flat.  (I tried using a wet, flat bottomed glass and the cookies just stuck to the glass.)  Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden.  Let cookies cool on a wire rack.  Store in an airtight container or wrap and freeze for later.