Guest Post: Skillet Cookie Sundaes, Clean Eating with a Dirty Mind

CONGRATULATIONS TO DAWN FOR WINNING THE GIVEAWAY!

From the moment when Vanessa Barajas’s Clean Eating with a Dirty Mind cookbook arrived in our house, the whole family was fighting over who got first rights to look through it and flag recipes. We had a family rock-paper-scissors fight over who got the final pick on which recipe we wanted to try first! Perhaps you’re not familiar with Vanessa and her spectacular blog, but we’ve been fans for years – she even guest blogged these Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars for us in 2013. We’ve been waiting with antici [say it, say it] pation since seeing previews of her debut cookbook in social media this year!

I am happy to say that the printed book does not disappoint. While the title aptly says “paleo-inspired” because of the amount of treat recipes, we found the ingredients to fit well within our definition of paleo without the needs for psyllium husk, gums, or weird sweeteners sometimes found in gluten and grain-free goodies. While these recipes aren’t for everyday consumption, they are a fantastic fit for special occasions. Like Stacy’s birthday later this week; after a walk through the mall last week for back-to-school shopping, Stacy saw and smelled the classic cookie cake of her youth and came home to declare THIS was the recipe we had to try!

Of course, before we had a chance to make these incredibly delicious Skillet Cookie Sundaes for Stacy’s birthday, Finn took to making the first recipe from the book himself! As a result, Finn made incredibly delicious and moist Pumpkin Bread cakes all by himself which we then ate on vacation this weekend! [sadly the cake pan is no longer made]

Now that we’re back home, we can’t wait to make these special treats for Stacy’s birthday later this week! Trust us when we say, this book is a visual masterpiece – you will definitely eat with your eyes as you page through! Clean Eating with a Dirty Mind is available TODAY, go page through a copy at your local bookstore or check out the preview online for some seriously gorgeous food… if you’re into that sort of thing 

 ***CHECK THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK***

Paleo Parents Guest Post: Skillet Cookie Sundaes, Clean Eating with a Dirty Mind

“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” —Ernestine Ulmer

I’ve always had an uncommon sweet tooth and a passion for dessert. Mostly because it’s delicious—I mean, who are we kidding?—but also because there is something so sophisticated and extraordinary about it: the stunning presentations, the perfect decorations, the unbelievable flavors, the remarkable creativity behind it. I absolutely love everything about dessert. 

Whether you’ve been eating Paleo for a week, a month, or a year, I’m sure at some point you’ve wondered, “Is dessert Paleo?” So what’s the deal? Is it really Paleo? Well lucky for you, I’ve written an entire 432-page book about just that question! Dessert often gets demonized throughout the Paleo community, it’s kind of like the Paleo dirty secret that everyone is doing behind everyone else’s back. I’m here to tell you, it doesn’t have to be this way. I want to show people that you can still eat Paleo, you can still eat clean, and you can still reach your goals and eat dessert too. So literally, I’m telling you that you can have your cake and eat it too!

When I transitioned into a gluten-free Paleo lifestyle, I knew that I couldn’t live without sweets, but I also knew that I couldn’t take my beloved desserts with me. Alas, Oreos and Chubby Hubby became ghosts of lifestyles past. I even began to wonder if they had just been figments of my imagination. After finding little success at satisfying my cravings with online Paleo dessert recipes and slowly becoming a miserable and deranged dessert-starved person, I decided to bake matters into my own hands. 

When I first got in the kitchen, I had no idea what I was doing. As a self-taught baker, making my cookbook instructional was something that was very important to me. I thought If I can take all this information that I’ve learned and taught myself over the years, and make it simple for people to understand, then I could make a book that everybody can use, regardless of skill or experience level, and that is exactly what you will find throughout the pages of my book.

Paleo Parents Guest Post: Skillet Cookie Sundaes, Clean Eating with a Dirty Mind

As far as the recipes are concerned, there is seriously something for everyone in this book, sweet and savory alike. I went to the deepest darkest depths of my dirty mind and came up with some crazy delicious stuff. I wrote Clean Eating with a Dirty Mind: Over 150 Paleo-Inspired Recipes for Every Craving to make Paleo cooking and baking approachable for the average person, with something to satisfy everyone. From guides and tutorials to tried-and-true products, it’s all in there! You can find the book on Amazon.com (and even take a sneak peek inside!) or barnesandnoble.com. It will also be available in all Costco stores nationwide this Holiday Season! Be sure to check your Costco Connection for more details! If you’re in the market for a digital copy, because you like to cook with your iPad handy (guilty as charged, raises hand) then check out the Apple iBooks version, it’s identical to the print copy so you won’t be missing out on anything! So before I bid you adieu and look forward to putting a gold star on your Paleo baking chart, I’ve left you with a parting gift, this delicious recipe, because that’s what real dessert friends do for each other.

Paleo Parents Guest Post: Skillet Cookie Sundaes, Clean Eating with a Dirty Mind

This recipe is talking to you. Directly to you. It wants you to make it. Have you ever been to BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse and had a Pizookie? This recipe is my take on that. Up until a few years ago I thought Pizookie was just a clever word for a delicious dessert treat that was fun to say. It actually stands for the words pizza and cookie, which they smashed together because A) smashing things is fun, and B) they bake the cookie in a deep-dish pan, the same way they would a pizza, therefore it’s a pizza cookie or “Pizookie”—ta-da! Look how I act like I thought of it myself.

Skillet Cookie Sundaes

Yield: Two 6-inch mini skillets, one 10-inch skillet

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or two 6-inch mini cast-iron skillets; set aside.
  2. Prepare ice cream by combining all the ingredients in the pitcher of a blender. Cover with the lid and blend until combined, then transfer the entire pitcher to the refrigerator to cool for 30 minutes. If the coconut milk thickens, just put the pitcher back on to the blender base and process until creamy. The mixture is ready to use when cold. Pour the mixture into the bowl of your ice cream maker and follow the instructions according to the manufacturer. If you want firmer ice cream, transfer to a container, cover, and place back into the freezer for an additional 30 minutes or until the desired firmness is reached.
  3. While the ice cream is setting in the freezer prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In a large mixing bowl combine almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir together using a fork until well combined. In a separate medium-size bowl combine the honey, coconut oil, vanilla, and egg. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Add honey mixture to almond flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Stir in chocolate chips with a fork.
  4. Transfer the cookie dough into the skillet(s), pressing down to even out as needed, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center.
  5. To assemble sundaes, scoop ice cream onto the center of the cookie. Garnish with your choice of toppings.

Notes

Not a plain vanilla ice cream fan? Me neither. Jazz it up with any of your favorite ice cream flavors! Store bought or homemade! It’s your sundae, go wild!

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Now for the giveaway!!

Using the form below, enter for a chance to win a copy of this book. Winner will be announced one week from the date this post goes live.

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[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://paleoparents.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/vanessabarajas102of122.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Vanessa is a San Diego Native who loves food with an insane passion. She’s been known to drink almond milk straight from the carton and expensive wine out of plastic red cups. Connect with Vanessa! Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |Pinterest [/author_info] [/author]

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