I don't miss butter one bit.

As previously mentioned, this is my year to step outside my comfort zone and to do things that make me anxious,

I am facing, amongst other things,

>handstands in yoga class 

>NIA dance class

>swimming proper laps [trying to learn a flip turn]

>communicating my feelings honestly and openly and in a timely fashion

>asking for and admitting what I need, not what I want [There is a difference]

>cooking, involving the application of heat, via stovetop or oven range. Microwaves do NOT count. 

The cooking thing is a really big deal. LittleJohn likes to say I have a treasure's trove worth of recipes and recipe modifications in my brain...The problem is I lack the skills of realization.

This all started to change around Christmas time when my friend Alabama and I decided to start a 'supper club' on Sunday nights. The first thing I contributed, besides hosting it at my place, was dessert.

BROWNIES.

Now, my [gluten free, soy free, dairy free] guilt-free brownies are always a hit. LJ calls them his kryptonite [When he's lucky enough to be around when I've made a pan, those little squares are wrapped in wax paper and become fuel during epic bike rides]. I can't take too much credit for them though, because despite the fact that I modify the bejeeezus out of a pre-packaged allergen free baking mix, it is still a pre-packaged mix.   The same can be said for my [again, GF, SF, DF] chocolate chip cookie bars. They are almost as popular, depending on w

ho you ask. The PDG once ate 1/3 of a pan in an evening and claimed he had another 1/3 immediately before a run with NO GI issues what-so-ever.  For those that are runners, to find a pre-run food that sits well [and to have it be cookies?!] is a very very good thing. So, after a brief baking hiatus, 'bama, being the true southerner he is, challenged me to biscuits. 

BISCUITS. 

I guess it's not fair to say it was a challenge because I wasn't up against anyone but myself and my insecurities in the kitchen. But I have never baked biscuits from 'sorta-scratch' before. I used a general gluten free baking mix. The package claimed it was for 'biscuits and pancakes'... The recipe on the back called for one to add 1/2 cup of butter and 3/4 milk. Obviously, despite the fact the dry ingredients were GF, DF, and SF, the addition of butter and milk were out of the question.

So what did this dairy free girl to do?

This is what:

I used REFINED COCONUT OIL* [Refined is KEY when baking or cooking and the ever so slight flavor of coconut is NOT desired...If you desire a touch of coconut flavor, say in brownies or cookies, UNrefined is fine]
and APPLESAUCE.
and RICE MILK.
and WATER.
and [as if cutting some of the oil with applesauce didn't modify the recipe enough] I also added some ALMOND MEAL FLOUR to the dry ingredients to give the biscuits a touch more heft and moisture...

I made 6 plain biscuits and then for the remainder of the dough, I added a healthy dash of cinnamon and nutmeg, a squeeze of light agave nectar, dried bing cherries, and roasted almond pieces.

YUM! The camera phone picture I took just does NOT do these treats justice. Seriously. They are the perfect density, crumbly, but not too much so, sweet but not overly so, and just the right size so you can have 2, guilt free.

*A note about coconut oil: It is a solid at room temp. and perfect for baking. Watch the video below or  Go here to read about the metabolic benefits of this oil.