Recently, a major cookie company tracked me down, because they wanted my business during The Season of Sugar Overload, as I call it.  Indeed, this firm sent me a glossy, brightly-colored catalog brimming with delectable, sugary, buttery, super-sweet concoctions.

Obviously, the firm didn’t realize that it was trying to sell sugary cookies to tone of the most dedicated anti-sugar advocates.

Indeed, ever since quitting sugar and processed carbs on doctor’s orders in 1998, my willpower is strong. So is my dedication to remaining healthy and sugar-free.

After 17 years of staying (mostly) sugar-free, I know that if I sampled only two bites of one of these cookies, I’d soon feel wiped out, headachy, disoriented, confused and brain foggy. The room would spin around me. I’d get jumpy, irritable, and easy to anger. In short, I’d feel like I’d ingested poison.

So I happily abstain. But what about the millions of people, who also received this or another tempting catalog that touts sugar-filled “goodies” galore? Inevitably, many will succumb to the holiday marketing hype and order cookies.

In fact, 25 percent of shoppers bought holiday gifts such as the sweet offerings in my cookie catalog, according to a nationwide survey of 3,000 people performed by Epsilon.

In addition, 39 percent they were likely to purchase gifts through the mail, such as with mail order cookie catalogs.

But you, dear reader, need to know that continually loading up on sugary, carb-loaded junk can leave you feeling terrible and harm your long-term health.

But, wait. You can enjoy yourself this holiday season. And you indulge in yummy, health-supportive ways.

To show you how you can enjoy healthy, sugar-free treats, I’m sharing my recipe for Connie’s Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free, Coconut Cacao Nib Cookies.

This paleo-style recipe, sweetened with low-glycemic index stevia, won’t mess with your waistline or blood sugar levels.

Not only are these cookies gluten-free, nut-free and vegan, but this nourishing treat features superfoods such as coconut, which contains immune system-strengthening lauric acid and medium chain fatty acids, which keep your cardiovascular system strong.

Then, instead of sugary chocolate chips, Connie’s Clean Coconut Cacao Nib Cookies features a smattering of antioxidant-strong cacao nibs. (That’s basically raw, unprocessed, unsweetened chocolate.

Let me know how you and your family like them!

Connie’s Paleo Coconut Cacao Nib Cookies

Makes about 12

Rich with the immune-system-boosting benefits of coconut flour, coconut oil and cacao, this “Connie-approved” cookie is not only nourishing, but it’s delicious. Plus, you can eat one without worrying that it will set off a tsunami of rebound sugar cravings.

3/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
6 eggs
1 cup coconut milk (not light. Also make sure you buy the sugar-free kind.)
2 to 3 dropperfuls of liquid stevia or a pinch of powdered stevia (If you’ve been sugar-free for a while, you’ll find that you want a lot less.)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
¼ to ½ cup cacao nibs (Use to taste.)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with foil or baking parchment.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together coconut flour and salt. Set aside.
4. In a food processor, pulse eggs until frothy. If you don’t have one, just use a hand whisk.
5. Add coconut milk, seven (or less) drops of liquid stevia (this is to start; you can add more later) and vanilla extract to the eggs. Pulse until thoroughly combined.
6. Add coconut oil to the mixture and pulse several times to blend.
7. Add dry ingredients to the mixture in the food processor and pulse just to blend. Taste a small bit of the dough and pulse in one to three drops more of stevia if desired. Taste again and correct sweetness if necessary
8. Stir in cacao nibs by hand.
9. Now you can do one of three things. Cover mixture tightly with food wrap and store in the refrigerator for several hours; put in fridge until you’re ready to bake, or bake cookies immediately.
10. When you bake, use a teaspoon (or a teaspoon-sized cookie scoop) and drop dough onto prepared cookie sheet, allowing two inches between cookies.
11. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until just firm to the touch. Note: Coconut flour does not brown much, so cookies will be pale. Be careful not to over-bake or your cookies will be overly dry.

Please let me know what you think after you try this recipe.

Did you like them? Did your family like them?

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