I love those days that you walk into a kitchen with a thought in your head — in this case, “God, I’d really love some brownies right about now,” and you think on it for a minute, then you give it a shot.  Then the batter looks good, and the brownies look good, and then they even taste good, which, really, is all anybody can ever ask for out of a sleepy evening with some chocolate cravings.  🙂 topped brownie
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This ice cream is more rich than sweet (though it is still sweet!); it’s good with just peanut butter, but even better when you add the chocolate, too.  This is the first time I’ve used locust bean gum in homemade ice cream — the recipe works fine without it, but it freezes and softens more quickly and more smoothly with it, so it’s definitely worth adding if you keep the stuff around.

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Finally I have a decent cooked dessert that’s grain- and sugar-free.  It was a bit of a leap of faith for both parts of this recipe, donuts and glaze, but it’s paid off.  The donuts are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, which is all I’m asking for really, and the glaze is fantastic. donuts
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A delicious banana cake for any occasion, though it featured at a third birthday party at my house :-). Banana Cake Served Up

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It may not look like much, but a little goes a long way.  🙂 mini icebox pie
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When Jocelyn and I made the final version of these cookies last night, four people ate them all in ten minutes flat.  🙂 cookies
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I presented versions of several desserts in progress at our Easter feast — this one was definitely a hit.  If you really, really like bitter dark chocolate, you can use cocoa powder straight up; for a sweeter-tasting version with a brighter taste, you can use some carob powder, too. no-sugar mousse
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So, it turns out we don’t need to be as strict about cutting out dairy as we do about cutting out, say, sugar and grains, which have demonstrably made my sister and me both sick at this point.  You can expect me to go on an oh-wait-I-can-use-dairy-again-really-let’s-get-cracking! spree for a while as a result, and here’s the first finished recipe:  waffles.  🙂 grain-free waffles
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Jocelyn’s posted before about how to make wassail, a wonderful wintry drink made of spicy fruit juices.  So, you know, naturally, I’m posting a new, low-sugar version in April, which in Texas is nice warm weather even in the wake of polar vortexes.  🙂 low-sugar wassail
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 It took me forever to figure out why I couldn’t get coconut cream ice cream to behave, but once I finally did, it was worth the wait.  🙂  The solution?  Agar-agar powder, and some cashew butter to make it even creamier and richer. chocolate chip
 cherry orange
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