Paleo Chocolate-Almond Cookies

Happy Valentine's Day friends! How is your day going so far? Any super romantical things happening out there? Tell me all your stories! I'm still in my PJ's, 2 cups of coffee into the day, and trying to wrap my head around getting outside to enjoy what seems to be a warm, sunshiney day out there. But first, I wanted to share this cookie recipe with you. There are some things about this recipe that are not often seen in my kitchen. First off, they have ZERO added sugar. There is a touch of honey but that is all. Second, these are Paleo AND gluten free! WHAT.

I was a little nervous when I first made these because the combination of ingredients did not equate cookie success. Without butter, sugar, and flour I thought they would for sure be a failure. But, because I was intensely determined, I went ahead and tossed everything in a bowl and gave it my all! I'm happy to report that they make the house smell delicious, just as any other cookie might.

A couple things to note before I send you off to make these for your GF, Paleo diet sweetheart:

• The dough will seem VERY dry when you roll it out. Placing it between two pieces of parchment after pressing it together with your hands will help.

• Depending on the consistency of your nut butter (I used almond but you could also use peanut) you may want to zap it in the microwave for about 10 seconds to loosen it up a bit so it is easier to stir with the honey.
• Do NOT- I repeat, do NOT- roll the dough out too thin. The cookies will absolutely crumble to pieces if they are to thin. Somewhere around 1/4inch and 1/3 inch is just about perfect.

The last tip I have for you is this: these cookies are best made with a tiny human who stole your heart the moment he entered this world...

Or with your bestie. Or while jamming out to your very favorite music. Whatever you do, make sure you have a happy heart and remember love in all it's forms. It's pretty great.

Paleo Chocolate-Almond Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup almond butter or peanut butter (Natural, unsweetened)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon almond milk
•  

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the almond flour with the cocoa powder.
3. In another medium bowl, stir the almond butter, honey and almond milk together until smooth. If the nut butter seems to stiff, microwave it for 10 seconds to loosen it up and make it easier to stir.
4. Add the almond flour mixture to the nut butter and stir until combined.
5. Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment laid out on a work surface. Press the dough together with your hands and flatten it into a disc.
6. Cover the dough with another piece of parchment paper and roll the dough to about 1/3 of an inch but no thinner than 1/4 inch.
7. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
8. Remove the dough from the fridge and cut it into shapes with a cookie cutter.
9. Carefully transfer the cut cookies to a parchment lined baking sheet.
10. Bake 8-10 minutes or until just beginning to turn golden brown.
11. Cool completely on the baking sheet then transfer to the refrigerator again for another 30 minutes before eating.

Chipotle Shrimp over Creamy Polenta

There is chocolate all over the inter-webs. All. Over. Chocolate, heart-shaped stuffs are here there and everywhere and I've decided to detour. I love chocolate just as much as the next gal but I wanted to contribute something a little different and off the beaten path. Chipotle shrimp with creamy polenta is simple to make (gentlemen, I'm talking to you!) and it has spice (a known aphrodisiac) and luxurious polenta that has been combined with tangy sour cream.

As I made this dish the other day, I was reminded of the first Valentine's Day Brad and I spent together. I wanted to impress him with something delicious, exotic, and like nothing he'd ever eaten before. I settled on red curry coconut soup with shrimp. It was beautiful. I somehow found huge, lovely shrimp in the middle of the Iowa corn fields (I don't care to think about how that was made possible) and the little kitchen in his on-campus house smelled divine. We sat down with a couple glasses of wine, dim lights, and bowls full of what I was sure would be a triumphant success of a meal.

Bless his heart, Brad took two bites before he said what we both were thinking. It was blazing hot and our mouths were almost certainly on fire. We ditched the wine and opted instead for splitting a gallon of milk to rid our tongues of the miserable sting of too much red curry.

On the one hand, I was heart-broken that I had ruined our first Valentine's Day meal. On the other hand, I was comforted that Brad cared enough so early in our relationship to endure a few bites of something completely inedible just to spare my feelings.

That humiliating experience has not gone far from my thoughts each and every time this holiday rolls around. This year, I think I've done it right. This dish is a perfect combination of slight heat balanced by the creamy sour cream spiked polenta.

And go ahead...follow it up with one of the many chocolate desserts. I know I will!

Chipotle Shrimp over Creamy Polenta

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the polenta:

For the shrimp:

• 1 cup stone ground (not instant) polenta
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh baby spinach or other greens for garnish
• 8-10 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 2 teaspoons chipotle powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Instructions

1. Move an oven rack to the top position.
2. Preheat the broiler.
3. Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan.
4. Whisk the polenta into the water. Continue whisking until the polenta has thickened slightly and there are no lumps.
5. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the polenta is tender.
6. Turn off the heat. Stir in the sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm while you make the shrimp.
7. Toss the shrimp in a bowl with the olive oil, chipotle powder, salt and pepper and transfer it to a large, rimmed sheet pan. Make sure the shrimp are in a single layer with a little space between them.
8. Place the shrimp under the broil and cook until they are pink and just firm, about 3 minutes.
9. Ladle some of the polenta into 2 serving bowls. Top with handful of baby spinach and divide the shrimp evenly and arrange on top the spinach.
10. Serve immediately.