The other day I was in the grocery store and a distressed little boy was reading the ingredients of a box of cookies. I was a bit surprised to see such a young boy (about age 10) interested in what was in a box of chocolate chip cookies. In a frustrated voice he said, "Mom, why does everything have wheat and sugar in it?" I then realized this boy was on a gluten-free and sugar-free diet. My heart went out to this boy because he was right, everything does seem to have wheat and sugar in it, especially all the yummy treats young kids enjoy.

Since I have struggled with digestive issues for over 3 years now, I too follow a fairly strict diet that is void of sugar and wheat. My stomach isn't happy when I eat these two items. Since I love to bake and I love sweet treats every once in awhile, I found a number of delicious gluten-free and sugar-free recipes. I wanted to share these recipes with my readers since there is a lack of these types of treats available in stores. I hope you all enjoy these treats as much as I do!

Instead of sugar in the recipes, I use NuStevia, Stevia Syrup, or Lakanto. NuStevia can be purchased in most health food stores. Stevia Syrup by Kal is a bit harder to find but can be purchased on-line. Lakanto can be purchased from www.bodyecologydiet.com. Personally I don't feel the need to ever eat real sugar again after learning about stevia and lakanto.

Here are my favorite gluten-free and sugar-free recipes:

Perky's "Nutty" Power Bars

1 cup Nut Butter such as Peanut Butter or Almond Butter (make sure there is no added sugar)
1/2 cup Stevia Syrup (by the brand called Kal)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/8 tsp Salt
1 box Perky's Nutty Flax Cereal (this cereal can be found in almost all health food stores)
Optional: 1/4 Cup Nuts, Shredded Coconut, or Seeds

*The full recipe is on the back of the Nutty Flax Cereal

Coconut Macaroons (Thanks Elana for such a great recipe!)

http://www.elanaspantry.com/coconut-macaroons/

*Substitue Agave Nectar with Stevia Syrup

Almond Butter Cookies
(Taken from The Body Ecoloy Diet Book by Donna Gates)

1 stick butter
3/4 tsp stevia (more if a sweeter cookie is preferred)
1 large egg
1 cup almond butter (make sure there is no added sugar)
2 tsp vanilla flavoring
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups Rice Baking Mix

Cinnamon Sprinkles:

1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp stevia (or more if needed)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet.
2. Beat Butter until light and fluffy.
3. Add stevia and cinnamon. Beat until smooth.
4. Beat in egg, almond butter, vanilla, sea salt, baking soda, and rice baking mix.
5. Drop cookies on sheet by tablespoons.
6. Score cookies by crisscrossing them with a fork.
7. Sprinkle cinnamon and stevia mixture on top.
8. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly brown.

Colleen Canney is a Career, Life, and Wellness Coach based in Seattle, WA. For a FREE consultant, contact Colleen today. She provides guidance and support for those looking to live their best lives.

www.colleencanney.com
colleencanney@live.com