During my fruition through evolution to improving my own health, I have followed a AIP diet (Autoimmune diet.) Think Paleo - no gluten, grains, dairy, legumes and no sugars. It was very nice to get to reintroduce some fun new recipes along the way as I moved past the phases of restrictions and playing with reintroducing foods. As a former cheese & ice cream extraordinaire, giving up dairy was very hard a first. One great way in the beginning to safely have a non dairy alternatives was using coconut milk (no guar), as I didn’t do well with almond milk at least not at first. This can be different for different people’s unique needs. Some safe milk alternatives on a AIP diet are things like coconut milk, almond milk, cashew milk, and hemp milk. If you’d like to learn more on the subject check out Dr. Amy Meyers article here.

I really enjoy creating my own almond milk to drink these days. You may ask yourself why would someone who works full time and has two little kids at home do something that takes more time verse enjoying convenient almond milk from the store? Well, no additives is one great reason to do it. Those pesky additives can cause gut upset, and a cleaner healthier product to consume is simply making it on your own. The Center for Fully Functional Health located in Carmel, Indiana has a great recipe here on how to make your own nut/seed milk.

I purchased this fun gadget to assist me in making my own almond milk and macadamia nut milk. The best part of making your own milk is you can make “clean eats, tasty treats” like my now “world famous” or at least famous in our home “Almond Joy” cookies from the left over almond pulp! I’ve always been a huge fan of turning left overs into something special because “waste not, want not” is a good proverb to live by. If you are like me, you might love all things coconut and these cookies will hit the sweet tooth spot without the havoc of it affecting your immune system from the added sugars. Not familiar with sugars and the affects on your immune system? Check out this article to learn more. I’d love to personally work with you or a loved one to kick your sugar habits while finding fun ways to recreate the items you love in a healthier manner. This is always a welcomed challenge to recreate any meal or treat to make it fit your dietary restrictions or needs. What was once a huge frustration in the beginning of my evolution has became a mindset shift that is now something I find passion and joy in!

So without further ado, here is a recipe to take your almond pulp and turn it into a yummy treat you and your loved ones can enjoy!

Dry Ingredients

1.5 Cups of Left over Almond Pulp

1/2 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut

1/2 tsp of baking powder (Make your own AIP friendly if you’d like - Recipe)

1/4 tsp of salt

1/4 to 1/2 cup depending on your liking … of Dark Chocolate Chips

(Great brands that are refined sugar free, non gmo, gluten free, etc are Lilly’s and Hu)

Wet Ingredients

2-3 Tbsp of Coconut Oil

2 Small Organic Free Range Eggs

(Aldi has some great gluten free eggs, that are not budget busting!)

(Vegan alternative for eggs - use the liquid from a can of chickpeas or unsweetened applesauce)

1 tsp of Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Set your oven to 375 to warm up while you are mixing up your yummy ingredients. This part is the most important step - set your Pandora or Spotify channel to something dance worthy, because what fun is baking without a dance party?! Now that you are prepared for fun, begin mixing all your dry ingredients (minus the chocolate because we should always save the best for last) in a large mixing bowl. Be sure to dance around the kitchen as you mix in the yummy ingredients. Some people like to mix their wet ingredients separately but honestly I like less dishes so skip that and just add in your wet ingredients. You can thank me later. By now your neighbors or family have seen you dancing and either think you’re crazy or that they want to join in the fun. Either way you probably created a lot of JOY so that is all that matters. At the last minute you need to dump your delicious chocolate in and let’s be honest you don’t need to measure this but I put something down for those rule followers…. you know who you are! When it comes to chocolate you eye ball it and measure it with your soul. Be sure to do a little shimmy to left for good measure before placing the parchment paper on your pan for baking. Use a spoon to help you create yummy dollops of dough for baking. They don’t need to be perfect - again let the music hit you and create a look and feel of cookies that fit your mood best. Now we don’t simply just wait around for the cookies to bake - you continue to shake your body to the music for the next 18-20 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown on the edges. Maybe clean some dishes while you are at it. I personally think these cookies taste best after being chilled in the fridge as these will not be a crunchie cookie but more like a a true almond joy softness and with a hint of crunch texture.

P.S. Autoimmune issues can take a huge toll on you mentally and physically. So, find joy and gratitude in the small things - your best life may be a fraction of what others experience but it’s still your best, don’t get caught up in comparison and rob only yourself from YOUR JOY. Own it - autoimmune warrier!

P.S.S. You can add things like coconut sugar, stevia, organic honey or organic maple syrup if you like sweeter cookies, but it’s not my jam…. you do you boo <3