If you give a spoonie an AIP cookie...
If you give a spoonie an AIP cookie...they're going to want the recipe.
If you don't know what a "spoonie" is, let me explain it to you. It's a term that describes the daily energy supply of a person with a chronic illness. Christine Miserandino, a blogger and patient advocate, first described the use of energy in people with chronic illness using a spoon metaphor. The idea is that people with chronic illnesses start off with a certain amount of spoons every day. Their "spoons", or energy supply for the day, are used up by even the simplest of tasks, like getting out of bed, cooking a meal, getting dressed, etc. Once their "spoons" are gone, they can choose to borrow spoons from the next day but at the price of chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and worsening symptoms. Once "spoons" are depleted, the bedridden stage has been reached until the "spoon" supply has been replenished. For a person with a chronic illness, this may take significantly longer than an hour nap in the middle of the day....days, weeks, even months.
People who suffer from chronic illnesses don't have the luxury of giving away their "spoons". They're always deciding what's a priority in life because there's only so much that can be done in one day. Oh man, can I relate to this right now! I have this insurmountable list of things I need to do but I know I can only skim the coating of the list on a daily basis....with plenty of rest in between. Sometimes that's just the way it is, no matter how well you take care of yourself. Other things get in the way of progress and you have to give yourself a little grace instead of beating yourself up over it.
I've been told by medical professionals that when you have an autoimmune disease and become pregnant, your body can go into remission. Allergens that typically bother you may not during this time. Your body could also go the other way and become more sensitive to allergens and react even more unfavorably during this time. Oh, hormones! How cruel you can sometimes be! Can you guess which street my current pregnancy has taken me down? Fortunately, for me, I am able to maintain my current wellness objectives if I am incredibly careful about what I consume. Nutrition has played a major role in how I feel on a day-to-day basis. That being said, I definitely still have those intense pregnancy cravings that often try to steer me off my wellness track.
I've really had to reassess my thoughts about food during this time in my life. I sometimes have to tell myself that I am not lacking, I have everything I need. I have the tools, the knowledge, and the nutritious ingredients to create anything and everything I could ever want during this pregnancy. I am swimming in a sea of abundance! So instead of wallowing in self-pity because my family got to eat those scrumptious-looking cookies at the cafe, I made some for myself....and believe me, they are scrumptious!
Note: These are technically a reintroduction because of the chocolate chips, but they are delicious without the chocolate chips or with a substitute instead (raisins or even just dusted in coconut sugar....sugar cookie anyone?)
AIP Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup vanilla collagen (can also be unflavored)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup palm shortening (melted)
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
chocolate chips (Chocolate is not AIP but this can be replaced by raisins OR you can roll the individual cookies in coconut sugar before baking for a "sugar cookie" effect)
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350° F
In a mixer or medium-sized bowl, add and mix together all dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.
Add the two bowls together and mix well until dough forms.
Roll dough into cookie-sized balls and place on a cooking sheet, slightly flattening them in the process. If you are making "coconut sugar cookies", this would be the time to roll them in the coconut sugar.
Bake at 350° F for 8-10 minutes
Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before devouring them.
Tips:
Although I try to be AIP compliant, sometimes the ingredients listed are not always so. Keep in mind that I do like to put together "reintroduction" recipes as well.
I put a few links to the ingredients listed above but I tend to buy the majority of my AIP baking supplies on Thrive Market. Thrive Market is an online grocer in which you can shop by "diet"....Yes, you can click on "AIP" and everything AIP on their site will pop up (pretty cool, right?). Plus, they sell wholesale, so the price is right.
Make sure to check out ingredient labels on food packages. As you probably know, not everything is AIP compliant. In fact, sometimes it's even hard to find AIP-compliant ingredients.