Gluten Free Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

 

Sometimes you just gotta do it. Try something new. And yes, it can be really hard. I am trying the gluten free business. I have noticed lately that my body does not react well to foods containing gluten. Straight up? It doesn't make me feel too good. So I am going to test out going gluten free for a couple of weeks and see how it goes (who knows, maybe it won't make a difference, maybe it's something else, maybe its the weather). But bodies are really weird things. Sometimes they have violent reactions to nature (allergies to bee stings anyone?), plants (poison ivy isn't usually friendly), and foods. Yep, science is cool.

New things are scary. New things require additional planning -- wait! I love planning. So this could really be ok. And hopefully the outcome of this change is going to be a major "feel good" outlook. The texture of rice flour is not the same as all purpose, but I love my treats with kamut and whole wheat, which makes things taste a bit different anyways.  Life would be so much easier if you didn't have to worry about what was in everything you eat. But if your body isn't going to process is properly and it's not going to make you feel good then is it really worth it?

It was like growing up when your parental figures would try to get you to eat something new. "Just try it Maia, maybe you will like it," was how they would always frame the request. Of course regardless if you liked it or not, it was going to be the worst experience of your life. That. first. awful (ok, so chili really just looks weird, but tastes kind of good). bite. Bleh. "Can I have dessert yet?"

Oh dessert! Might as well start there since it's a perfectly difficult thing when the enemy (sort of enemy) is now wheat based foods. 

So, let's test it out with a small batch of cookies. Yes? I think so too.

Gluten Free Coconut Oatmeal Cookies (Adapted from Lauren's Latest)

Ingredients: 

4 tbsp butter, softened
4 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 small egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt

4 tbsp brown rice flour

1 tbsp corn starch
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon gluten-free oats
2 tablespoons shredded sweetened coconut
2 tablespoons chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butterscotch chips

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or a baking lining (I didn't do that and totally regretted it after).

2. Cream butter and sugar together. Add in the egg and vanilla and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

3. Ad in the baking soda, salt, flour, and corn starch and stir until just combined. Add in the oats, coconut and chips and stir.

4. Drop cookies on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 8-9 minutes. After about a minute transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes. Serve still warm, or store in an air tight container (they should last about 5 days, unless they don't get eaten first).

Note: You can make these cookies non-gluten free by using 5 tbsp all purpose flour instead of the rice flour and corn starch, and using regular oats.