Connect Group Goodies

What's better than baking?
Baking for people!!

So I love meeting with my Connect Group through church. We talk about the prior week's church sermon and fellowship over a meal.

The best part, for me, besides my obvious love of food, is getting to talk through what the sermon means to us. I love seeing other perspectives and learning how I can apply it to my life. Like, last meeting time, we talked about hearing God's voice and discerning what's real and not. Over the last two weeks, there's been lots of the "signs" Pastor Peter was talking about that other girls in the group talked about, that I would've missed otherwise.

The other best part is that knowing I'm not alone. The struggles and trials that I'm going through, someone else is sharing in that hurt, disappointment or life. These people have been there, or are going to be there soon, and we can all feed off of each other for that support.

So for Connect Group tonight, I'm bringing desserts. I'm trying to focus on the no gluten part of my detox, then no dairy, then no extra sugar. So finding a dessert that treats all of that isn't going to be a great dessert for anyone. So I decided that we're going to stick with the no gluten and then substitute and little more.

I found flourless brownies that I thought I could bring.
But, because brownies are only okay plain, I decided I'd add some goodies.
The result? Flourless brownies with caramel and pecans.

My recipe:

• 6 tbsp. coconut oil
• ¾ c. granulated sugar
• 8 oz. semisweet chocolate morsels
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp. cornstarch
• ¼ tsp. salt (first batch I actually forgot to put it in and it tasted ok)

Recipe for caramel.
Add pecans or berries.

Since I used coconut oil instead of butter, it gives it a cocnutty flavor. Then adding the "caramel" and pecans, it kind of reminds me of a Samoa (the girl scout cookie) or those 7-layer-bars that show up only at pot lucks.

Whatever it tastes like, what it lacks in gluten, it makes up for in sugar!!

Happy baking, if you so choose!
<3XOT