May 2016 - FODMom

As the weather starts to get nicer, we spend a lot of our weekends out of the city – beach, friends, back out to Cali :). That limits how much cooking I can do on the weekends, so you will find my posts shifting a bit to sharing restaurants and meals and travel fun over the coming months.

A few weeks ago, I took some time in Connecticut exploring the gluten-free / FODMAP options with one of my best friends. I arrived in CT to a homemade steak and kale salad with all FODMAP-friendly ingredients (because I have the best friends!) and the beach 🙂

We went around to a few restaurants as well that weekend, trying out the great options, just 1.5 hours outside the city!

We took a trip to a local seafood spot called Lenny’s and got a lobster roll over lettuce – delicious!

One evening, we stopped for a glass of champagne and a snack at Shell and Bones. The fact that the shrimp cocktail was in a heart shape only made it better 🙂

We wrapped up my trip with a night walk on the beach, with the sun beginning to set. Perfect weekend away!

In case you have missed this about me, I will tell you – I love the beach. Absolutely adore it. Winter, spring, summer and fall – all you have to do is call. No, but really…it has this strange power of me. It is also the only place where I can truly relax.

And, lucky me, I got a little one who loves the beach as much as I do!! 🙂 Matt and I will take any opportunity to get close to the water. A few weeks back we went to a picnic with some friends out at the beach in the Rockaways. We had the best kite-flying weather I have ever seen, and a great day of sun, sand and friends! I also made some yummy cookies (see recipe below) for the day.

And now on to the fun snacks!

Gluten-free Chocolate Chip and Coconut Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups gluten-free flour (I use Bob’s 1:1)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups flaked coconut (unsweetened)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place foil down on a cookie sheet or lightly coat with extra coconut oil to prevent sticking.

In a large bowl, beat together the coconut oil, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla.

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Slowly stir into the liquid mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips and coconut.

Spoon cookie dough onto the cookie sheet. Bake for 7 – 9 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for several minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool.

The recipe will make about 25 – 30 cookies depending on size. Let me know how you like them!