I'm grateful that my kids go to a small private school (we're very blessed), and that all the teachers and staff know my kids eat gluten-free. If another student brings in cupcakes for his birthday, I send in a gluten-free treat for my child to enjoy -- so far our system is working out great. Today, Big C's class is learning about Russia (each Friday they have lessons on other cultures) which includes making potato latkes in the school kitchen. The teacher was awesome enough to send me the recipe ahead of time for review, and yes, it has gluten in it (sigh). So I searched the internet for an alternative Russian recipe that I could make and have Big C bring in to also share with the class.
Most of the recipes had flour and a lot of butter, so I had to dig deeper. I eventually found a coconut cookie recipe that I modified just slightly. Yeah, it has sugar in it (and Big C is still mainly sugar-free), but I figured it is just one tiny cookie... and in the grand scheme of things, that's not so bad. And she might actually feel normal for a change at school, sharing her Russian cookies with everyone instead of being the odd one out when it comes to food. Oh, the things we do for our health and our kids.
Paleo Coconut Cookies
Makes about 18 cookies
1 egg, beaten
3 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups coconut flakes, unsweetened
1 Tbsp coconut flour
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together egg, honey, vanilla and salt. Stir in coconut flakes until completely coated. Add coconut flour and mix again until all evenly distributed.
3. Fill a disher or a very round and deep ice cream scoop, packing in the coconut with another spoon to make it tight and firm. Release onto the baking sheet. Leave about 1 inch between cookies.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes until nicely browned. Cool and serve.