Baking

The change in the weather and the coming of the holidays brings out the baker in me. I love to bake! While I don’t completely understand it, I am intrigued by the science of how by putting certain ingredients together, they change into something else completely. It is more like magic than science. I love how the house smells when something yummy is just about to come out of the oven. The dark side of baking is in the potential for over indulgence, especially by one who needs to be very conscious about gluten and sugar. Oh yes, there are delightful gluten free and sugar free things to be made, and I do. My solution has become one of baking for others.

Today’s project is a repeat of baking for clients this week and is a gift for my go to Web, graphic arts, networking “guy”. Todd is responsible for the new web site and much much more in the history of For Life! personal chef services. He and his family were my first paying clients. Fortunately, we all survived!

Baking for others brings me the same joy and experience of the magic as baking for myself. I usually plan it so that I can have a piece, bite, one cookie, whatever it may be and then it is gone out of reach. I have the pictures I have taken, the smile on the face of the receiver, and the lingering aroma.

These Apple Almond Bars come from a wonderful food blog, via a personal chef colleague from Michigan. I love the internet for many reasons and seeing how recipes travel from blog to blog to person to person is pretty interesting. Who knows where it will pop up next?  As usual, I added my own touches, using whole wheat flour, agave nectar instead of white sugar, and I didn’t peel the apples. Too much work, plus we need the fiber. Oh, and I added some cinnamon. How will you make this your own ? Don’t like almonds ? Try walnuts. Add some ginger. Make it gluten free. Let me know how you like it.