All Day I Dream About Food: Low Carb, Gluten Free Holiday Cookie Round-Up

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Low Carb, Gluten Free Holiday Cookie Round-Up

What do you think of when you hear the words "low carb diet"? Do you picture someone gorging themselves on bacon, eggs and steak, and little else? Because I have to confess, that was certainly my impression of a low carb diet when I first heard of such a thing. And I don't think I was alone in this misapprehension, as I believe this is a fairly commonplace view of the low carb world. I remember being so very glad that my little one, the child with whom I developed gestational diabetes, would be born well before the Christmas season. I simply could not imagine having to restrict my carbs during a time of almost obligatory excess and over-indulgence. And what would become of my holiday baking extravaganza, if I couldn't use copious amounts of flour and sugar?

Chocolate-Glazed Mocha Shortbread, Chocolate Peppermint Cookie s and Cranberry Pecan Crescents

My, my, how times have changed! Here I am entering my second holiday season as a low carber with no fear of how I will survive without flour and sugar. Indeed, I have too many ideas of goodies to make and not enough time to make them. I think it's fair to say that this blog is devoted to proving that low carb, gluten free diets are more than meat, eggs and cheese. But just in case you still have your doubts, or you feel you are facing a holiday season of deprivation, I have called upon some of my low carbing friends to help me prove you wrong. I am certainly not the only one who likes to use low carb, gluten free ingredients in new, creative and delicious ways. If you don't already know these wonderful bloggers, I hope they will be on your radar now!

Cranberry Pecan Biscotti, Peanut Butter Caramel Shortbread Bars and Gingerbread Cheesecake Bites

And if you don't mind, I'd like to use this platform for a quick, shameless plug about our cookbook. Some of the people included in this round-up are my co-authors, and several others contributed one or two recipes to the book, and I can attest to the wonderful, varied talents that they all have in low carb cooking and baking. If you or any loved ones are on a low carb diet or have been thinking of starting a low carb diet, believe me when I say that this cookbook has so much to offer. Check it out HERE.

And now, on to the recipes. If this collection of cookies doesn't convince you that there is no need of deprivation on a low carb, gluten free diet, nothing will!

Gingerbread House from Maria's Nutritious and Delicious Journal