Grain-Free and Green: Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

[Regular raw cookie dough balls mixed with a few Irish-inclined ones (green courtesy of spirulina)].

 No, it’s not your imagination; there has not been a single St. Patrick’s Day-themed recipe previously posted on this blog.  It’s not that I’m opposed to them–after all, at least 50% of what I cook is green–it’s just that, since I haven’t actually celebrated St. Patty’s in over a decade myself, it often slips by without my noticing. Then, once I start seeing all the themed blog posts popping up everywhere, I suddenly realize I missed it. . . again.  Well, not so this year. THIS year, I’m posting a St. Patrick’s Day recipe at the latest possible moment on the evening before St. Patrick’s Day!  Ha ha!! Faith and begorrah!

Q. What do you get when you cross poison ivy with a four-leaf clover?

A. A rash of good luck.

Another thing you don’t see much of here is any mention of the virtual panoply of other health issues that precede and sometimes supercede the ACD in my life. Without getting into too much detail, I’ve recently experienced a flareup of a different long-standing problem, and now my naturopath has decided it’s time to start an elimination diet (to rule out any offending foods that might be prompting more symptoms). Which means it’s time to revert, more or less, back to the early stages of the ACD.

To begin with, we’re cutting out grains and will cut out more foods as we go along. To prevent my renaming the blog to just, “Dogs,” I’ve been cooking and baking up a storm so that I have a stash of already-prepared recipes to blog about while I’m eating little more than celery, lemon and brown rice.

[A lighter shade of pale green. . . courtesy of matcha tea.]

What’s funny about this return to asceticism is that it feels remarkably similar to when I first started the ACD in 2009.  Back then, I continued to crave sugar for much longer than the standard time period cited by most holistic healthcare practitioners (Regular People: sugar cravings eradicated in 7-10 days.  Ricki: sugar cravings eradicated  toned down   on a short holiday still make the occasional appearance.)

Never iron a four-leaf clover, because you don’t want to press your luck.

In order to satisfy my raging sweet tooth (I like to think of it as my “sweet tusk”), I would often whip up a batch of Carob Coconut Sweeties and consume the entire thing (sans guilt, since it was a single-serve batch to begin with). Keeping with the “it’s-okay-to-eat-it-all” approach, I wanted to create a recipe for a sweet snack I (or anyone) could enjoy freely on a grain-free diet. Something that is quick, indulgent, and which I don’t feel guilty consuming in its entirety, if I’m so inclined (which, let’s face it, is pretty much every time I make it).

Therefore, consider this a “mini-recipe” for grain-free raw cookie dough balls.  Brittany’s recipe provided the inspiration, and I fiddled with it a bit to suit my own tastes.  And because I finally got hold of some Bob’s Red Mill almond flour, I used that as a base (though I’ve been told it’s inferior to Honeyville. What do you think, if you use it?).  I would love to try this with a different almond flour if I could, though I must admit it’s hard to imagine improving on this recipe. Even without the grains, these taste like veritable raw cookie dough!

 Q. What’s Irish and left out on the lawn all summer?

A. Paddy O’Furniture.

If you’re going for the whimsical St. Patrick’s Day touch, either of the green variations (matcha powder or spirulina) works beautifully.  I preferred the color of the matcha, which also contributed a hint of flavor as well; on the other hand, spirulina wasn’t as aesthetically pleasing but didn’t change the flavor at all.  So it’s your choice.

And even though this is a twelfth-hour contribution, these can be whipped up so quickly that you’ll still be able to get them on your party table in no time at all. In other words, after you’ve imbibed one too many green beers and you realize you need something solid to mitigate all that alcohol in your system, mix these up and be ready to eat in under two minutes. Consider it a St. Patrick’s Day miracle!

Knock Knock.

Who’s There?

Irish.

Irish Who?

Irish You a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

If you’re looking for other ways to satisfy a sweet tooth without succumbing to sugar,  I hope you’ll join Andrea Nakayama and me for our upcoming online sugar detox, Sweet Victory! With strategies, the latest research about brain chemistry and cravings, plus a full menu plan, recipes and discussion forum, you’ll leave the course armed with the knowledge and skills to tame those sugar cravings once and for all.  Check out the course details here.  Then head over to one (or all!) of the  three  blogs currently giving away a free spot in the course ($227 value!).  Hope to see you there! 😀

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[Jokes sources]

I’m sharing this recipe at Amy’s Slightly Indulgent Tuesday and Allergy Free Wednesdays.

Last Year at this Time: Happy Hemp Two-Bite Brownies (gluten free; ACD Stage 3 and beyond)

Two Years Ago: French Green Soup with Spinach, Lettuce and Peas (gluten-free; ACD all stages)

Three Years Ago: Maple Flax Cookies (gluten-free; ACD maintenance only)

Four Years Ago: Maple Walnut Cookies (not gluten free; ACD maintenance only)

©Ricki Heller, RickiHeller.com