



I’m always an advocate for balance. I have been through the wringer with a variety of diets (you can read about my weight loss story here) but the only thing that has actually kept my mind in a good place with food but has kept the weight off was removing this pendulum shift of going to extremes in my thinking and eating. Finding balance when it comes to food has been the greatest gift to my sanity. Eating a diet full of whole foods made of mainly fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, and minimal animal products has been very good to ME (I put that in caps because what is good for me might not be good for you). However, it doesn’t mean that I don’t eat sugar from time-to-time. It’s my opinion (and the way I choose to live my life) that it’s important to have something small and sweet to balance out my diet. To say “I’m never going to eat _ ” is a scary place for MY mind (notice the caps again, see previous note) to be in so I abolish such foolish thinking. So when I was invited to team up with six other awesome women who are talking about hormone-balancing foods, I wanted to give my take on the subject. I made homemade chocolate Teddy Grahams to prove my point.

You’d think that this would be my opportunity to create a recipe that was full of kale, blueberries, and other richly whole foods that hormones would be grateful for. But if you know me and are familiar with Fork & Beans some of my recipes do have a healthy spin to them but the majority have a lot of sugar in them. This site is more about proving to those who have food allergies or are restricted from certain foods for whatever reason that food does not have to be boring and that you can still recreate the things you remember loving prior to.

Sugar however, should not be the focal point or the dominating item to your diet–that I understand and wish to convey. In fact, a diet full of too much sugar and processed food can be greatly detrimental to your health and hormones without a doubt. You know what I’m talking about–I’m sure there have been periods in your life (Lord knows there have been plenty in mine!) where your eating has been a bit off and your body has responded by being sluggish, moody and possibly a bit down on yourself. It’s what happens when you ignore what you are putting into your body. But it doesn’t mean that you cannot eat treats in a smart way and these homemade chocolate Teddy Grahams are perfect for those who don’t want to let go of the idea of baking but want to still feel good about what they are putting into their bodies.

These Teddy Grahams are full of buckwheat flour, dark cocoa powder, and a hint of maple syrup and coconut sugar making these cookies slightly sweet. Nothing like you remember from the box but still satisfying when you need a chocolate fix without having to send those hormones out of whack.

You can click here for a good suggestion on a mini teddy bear cookie cutter.

Homemade Chocolate Teddy Grahams ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 from 1 reviews Prep Time: Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: Total Time: 30 mins

Yield: Yield: 50 1 x Print Pin Scale 1x 2x 3x Ingredients Dry ingredients 1 c. buckwheat flour

c. buckwheat flour 2 Tbsp . dark cocoa powder

. dark cocoa powder 2 Tbsp . coconut sugar

. coconut sugar pinch of sea salt

1/2 tsp . baking powder Wet ingredients 2 Tbsp . solid coconut oil

. solid coconut oil 2 Tbsp . organic maple syrup

. organic maple syrup 2 – 3 Tbsp. homemade non-dairy milk Instructions Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. In a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Cut in the coconut oil until small lumps form in the flour. Add the maple syrup and 2 Tbsp. of non-dairy milk and mix until a dough forms. If it is too clumpy still add another tablespoon of non-dairy milk. You might have to use your hands at this point to ensure that that the dough fully forms without having to add more liquid than necessary. If the dough is sticky at this point, place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill. Otherwise roll the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper until 1/8″ thick. Using a mini teddy bear cookie cutter, cut into shapes. Use 2 small pieces of dough from the leftovers to make the nose and belly–one smaller than the other–and gently but firmly press down into the dough. with a toothpick make circles for the eyes, nose, and belly button. Dust with coconut sugar and bake for 8 minutes. Allow to cool to firm up. Nutrition Serving Size: 10 Teddy Grahams

Calories: 169

Sugar: 7g

Sodium: 39mg

Fat: 5g

Carbohydrates: 22g

Fiber: 3.2g

Protein: 3.6g

Candida-Friendly Tips:

Replace carob powder for the cocoa powder and omit the sugar and maple syrup, using Stevia in it’s place. Try several drops of liquid Stevia for flavor.

For an awesome look into more information on what it means to eat for hormonal control, check out the posts from these lovely ladies:

Kaitlin of Bowl Half full made Seaweed Spiced Nuts

Emily of This Rawsome Vegan Life made a Yerba Matte Smoothie

Gina of Hearty Bite made a Maca Citrus Swirl Cake

Nathalie of Vanille Verte made Veggie Collard Wraps

Ally of Om Nom Ally made a Green Adrenal Tonic Smoothie

For a Cinnamon Teddy Graham recipe, click here. They are also grain and refined sugar-free (and adorable!)