The D-man is on a special diet.

Oh, in case you didn’t know, the D-man is my best friend, web designer, photographer and confidant.  His diet is a combination of many things: gluten free, grain free, sugar free, and soy free.  Umm…that’s a little too much freedom, if you ask me.

Needless to say, baking dessert for him is not so easy.

After butter, the first thing I reach for is sugar-typically brown.  Since it’s on the banned list, I’ve had to improvise.  When you can’t have  sugar, visit this place for the next best thing.

The Bennett Honey Farm is amazing!  They have at least 10 different kinds of honey and let you taste each one.  That’s right!  If you’ve never experienced it before, I highly recommend a honey tasting.  Clover isn’t the only flavor, folks.  Currently, my favorite is Eucalyptus.  Although, Wildflower is a close second.  I use it for honey mustard chicken, lemonade, and now…nut & honey cookies.

I never thought I’d enjoy a sugarless cookie…I thought wrong.

Nut & Honey Cookies
adapted from Elana’s Pantry

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
5 tablespoons honey, hopefully Eucalyptus
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and walnuts
2. In a smaller bowl, mix together honey, butter and vanilla
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry
4. Place dough in the refrigerator while preheating the oven
5. Form dough into walnut sized balls
6. Place balls on Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet and press them down with your palm or the bottom of a glass.
7. Bake at 350° until lightly golden, 10-12 minutes
8. Cool and serve

Makes about 20 cookies

Last night I had a nightmare;  someone had stolen my spinach!  Now I know that doesn’t make any sense to you, so let me explain.  Someone took my spinach, therefore I couldn’t eat my Spinach Salad with Warm Honey Bacon Dressing.  The spinach is important, but not as much as the dressing.  If someone had stolen that, I would’ve woke up screaming!

Here’s what happened.

Recently, I went to a lovely little eatery called Blue Star.  It’s quite hard to find unless you work at the scrap metal companies downtown.  It was there I tasted this incredible dressing.  Let me write it again….Warm Honey Bacon Dressing.  Hmmm…

Let us not forget the rest of the salad:  sauteed shallots and mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, hard boiled eggs and a generous portion of what…more bacon?  All atop a beautiful mound of spinach,  slightly wilted by the heated dressing.

It felt like they created it just for me.  When I finished there was nothing left except a large pool of liquid.  Best believe I asked for a container,  so I could take it with me.

Warm Honey Bacon Dressing.  Blue Star Cafe.  Downtown L.A.  Go!!!

It’s hot!  It’s always hot in my kitchen.  Maybe it’s because the oven is always on.  Maybe it’s because I’m always cooking or baking something.  The fact it’s summertime is not helping much.  This little diddy chilled me out.  Maybe, it will cool you off too.
Seriously.  Try it.  It’s my new favorite thing.

Mondo’s Honey Lemonade
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup plus 2T lemon juice, about 3 lemons
3 cups cold water

Stir honey and hot water over low heat until blended.
Let cool and add lemon juice and cold water.
Chill or pour into iced glasses.

Makes 1 pitcher

Enjoy!