Gluten-Free Russian Tea Cakes

I hate to be a kill-joy, but I'm still following a low lectin diet.  Yes, even though it's the holidays.  I did great over Thanksgiving and did not gain any weight for the first time in years.  And we basically had two Thanksgiving since my sister had dinner at her house and then the next day, I hosted a post-Thanksgiving meal so everyone could come over who had other obligations on Thanksgiving.  That way, we can also use up the leftovers from Thanksgiving and Bruce and I can still do a turkey which we like to do.  I like having leftovers and making soup with the bones afterwards.  

I ate traditional foods at Thanksgiving but stuck to low lectin for the most part.  I've found that I don't have to do it 100% for it to work.  I'm doing it mostly for the anti-inflammitory reasons.  I can tell that it's easier to get in and out of the car, go up and down stairs, I have more energy, sleep better, etc.  I didn't follow it in Japan and after four days, I had to start taking Advil because of all the walking (five to ten miles a day, plus LOTS of stairs because of the train stations.) 

After returning home, I started noticing a difference about two weeks of doing the diet again.  I have really bad arthritis and this diet helps on a daily basis, although, it will not "cure" my arthritis.  I've accepted the fact that I am not young anymore and I can't eat the way I ate when I was young.  But it's O.K. because I've been finding lots of recipes that are compliant.  There are so many people following weird diets these days, the grocery stores have all kinds of compliant food now and I guess you could say I'm jumping on the band wagon.  Last night, Lauren came over for dinner and I made my Lectin-Free Swedish Meatballs and Egg Noodles.  This is such a good recipe, I'd make it anyway, diet or no diet!  I also made these "Healthy" Russian Tea Cakes cookies for dessert last night that I really liked and decided I wanted to post today.  Lauren preferred regular Russian Tea Cakes because she said she could taste a slight sugar-sub after-taste, but I think it's very mild and if you're drinking coffee with your cookies, you hardly notice.  But seriously, there is only 1 gram net carbs in one cookie.  If you are diabetic, gluten-intolerant, or just trying to avoid sugar or whatever, I think this recipe is an excellent alternative. Fortunately for Lauren, I also made my Chocolate Snowflake cookies

(with no alternative sugar replacement after-taste.)  I got this new Russian Tea Cake recipe from a blog called Sugar Free Mom.  The author has children with allergies and she has gluten and dairy intolerances so she started her blog that has many great recipes.  Like I said, it's very easy these days to find good, alternative recipes.  These Russian Tea Cakes us confectioners Swerve sugar replacement.  Swerve is made of erythritol, oligosaccharides and natural flavors and is compliant with the Plant Paradox diet. 

 They are making some pretty good sugar alternatives these days and I also like Lakanto products made with monk fruit. I'm still experiementing but I want to post good recipes when I find one and I think this one is worth it.  You could use regular confectioners sugar if you aren't watching your sugar/carb intake and then these would just be an excellent gluten-free cookie option.  So, go make your holiday "Healthy" Russian Tea Cakes this year for Christmas.

Makes 2 dozen (112 Calorie per cookie; 1 gram net carb. per cookie)

8 Tbsp. butter
1-1/2 cup almond flour
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup Swerve Confectioners Sweetener
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. vanilla liquid stevia
1/4 tsp. salt
extra confectioners to roll ball in

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

2.  Place all ingredients into food processor and process until batter forms a ball.  Pulse if needed.

3.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4.  Use a teaspoon and scoop out dough making 24 mounds.  Roll each mound in the palm of your hand to form balls.

5.  Place in freezer for 20-30 minutes.  (Hopefully, you have room in your freezer.  We have an extra refrigerator/freezer in our basement, otherwise I wouldn't be able to do this step because our freezer is always stuffed!  Chilling in your refrigerator for about an hour would be a good alternative.)

6.  After dough is chilled, place in oven for 15 minutes or until golden around the edges.

7.  Allow to cool slightly.

8.  Once able to handle, roll each in some confectioners sweetener.

9.  Allow to store completely before storing in an air tight container.