Chocolate Cherry Cookies - SUGAR FREE!

Our new Favorite (sugar free (shhh)) 

Chocolate Cherry Cookies!!

These are seriously so much better than you would think! 

I was ecstatic when my husband said I could actually call these a cookie! :)

They are grain/gluten free and sugar free!!!!!

Recipe slightly adapted from wing it vegan

Ingredients

1/2 C dried unsweetened dried coconut

1/2 C Date Sugar or coconut palm sugar

1/4 C cocoa powder

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

Pinch salt

1/2 C almond or peanut butter

4 Tbs almond or coconut milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 - 3/4 C Dried Cherries!! The cherries are key! They really make the cookie.

Try to find unsweetened cherries, here is a link

Optional Add Ins: Dark Chocolate Chips ( I use cacao nibs for a sugar free crunch instead), toasted Macadamia Nuts - chopped, White Chocolate Chips - would be amazing if you weren't too concerned about sugar, Dried Cherries!! The cherries are key! They really make the cookie. 

Try to find unsweetened cherries, here is a link

Bake at 375, 15 minutes

(I flattened my slightly before baking)

If you can hold out - put them in a paper bag and let sit overnight. 

They taste way better the next day!

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Naturally Sweetened Banana Bread

You will not be disappointed  This is very moist and no one would guess there is 

no REFINED SUGAR OR HONEY!! 

Its all natural which makes me happy.

I was even more happy that my husband LOVED it - he's my toughest critic!

Or make muffins for a HEALTHY breakfast on the go!

 I 've also thrown them into lunch boxes

1 1/4 cup dried dates (about 7 ounces), pitted and soaked in about 1 cup milk

2 Tablespoons coconut oil melted

1 large eggs, at room temperature

1flax egg (1 Tbl of ground flaxseed mixed with 1/4 cup water. Let sit 10 minutes)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce or cinnamon applesauce

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda

1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1tsp cinnamon

3 large, ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup raw walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup raisins , opt. 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan. 
2. Place the dates in a mixing bowl and cover with milk.  Let sit at least one hour (or overnight). Blend. Add to kitchen aid or mixer. 
3. Turn the mixer on low speed and blend 
4. Add the oil and beat until well blended.  Add the eggs ad flaxseed egg, beating well after each addition.  Add the vanilla extract and mix.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add to the oil-date mixture and mix until just combined.
6. Fold in the mashed bananas and walnuts.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out barely clean.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from the pan and cool on a rack. For muffins I only did about 20 minutes.

I store on counter for a couple days then into the fridge for about 3-5 days.

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Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins with Streusel Topping

Toasted Coconut Goodness...

Chocolate Coconut Streusal Topping...

Ooey gooey goodness...

1 C Spelt Flour (or 1 C White Whole Wheat Flour)

1 C Oat Flour (or 1 C White whole wheat Flour)

1/3 Coconut Palm Sugar (or evaporated cane sugar)

1/2 tsp Salt

3 tsp Baking Powder

2/3 C Lite Coconut Milk (or almond, but coconut is good!)

1 Egg

1/3 C Plain Greek Yogurt (or applesauce)

1 tsp Coconut Extract

1/4 C Coconut Chips (unsweetened)

1/2 C Dark Chocolate Chips or mini semi sweet

Combine wet and dry together. DO NOT OVERMIX! 

Add more coconut milk if it seems dry.

Fill muffins tin and cover with streusel topping (below)

Bake at 400 for about 13-15 minutes

The last 2 minutes top with chunks of coconut!

Chocolate Shredded Coconut

(aka Streusel Topping)

I LOVE this stuff! I sprinkle it on ice cream, cereal, yogurt, or just eat it plane! Its so yummy.

Start by following the steps for coconut butter. You can use a processor or vitamix. 

Now - the only reason I discovered this, is because coconut butter is temper-mental and sometimes just doesn't work! So get it to the point where it is really hot and almost a liquid state, but not quite. It NEEDS to be very warm though. 

Put about 1 cup into a bowl and stir in cocoa powder. I just eye it, about 1/4 of a cup to 1 cup of coconut.  Then using a fork mash to combine. Add about 1/2-1 tsp of powdered Stevia and 1/2 tsp of vanilla if you want. Continue to combine with fork, until all incorporated. YUM!!!

For the streusel topping, you can blend about 1/2 cup of mix with 2-3 tsp of brown sugar. 

This sweetens it a lot, so I prefer not, but for others out there -this is DELISH!

ENJOY!

This went perfect this morning for Father's Day breakfast in bed next to Avocado Egg Boats!

I've seen them all over pinterest and was so excited to try!

Scoop out avocado in the middle a little bit. 

Crack egg, salt and pepper, 

bake at 425 for about 12-14 minutes. Until desired doneness. 

Top with cheese if you like!

Simple, Easy, Healthy, and Tasty!

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Banana Chocolate Chip Flax Muffins

I was so excited to try this recipe when I saw it! They just looked delectable! 

I made a few changes to cut sugar and fat, and ended up with a tasty, moist, fiber full, protein packed, perfect muffin! It's also GLUTEN FREE! Which means it will be easier for you to digest and easier on your stomach.

adapted from HERE

Ingredients:

1 C Ground Flaxseed

1 1/4 C Oat Flour (oats ground in blender)(GF if need be!)

1/2 scoop of any protein powder (optional)

1/4 C Sucanat

1 tsp Powdered Stevia

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Xanthum Gum

1 tsp Cinnamon

2 Ripe Bananas, mashed well

2 Eggs

1/4 C Cinnamon Applesauce Unsweetened

1/4 C Skim, 1%, or Almond Milk

1/2-1 C Dark Chocolate chips, or unsweetened carob chips (to lower sugar even more)

Whisk all dry ingredients in one bowl (except choco chips). And whisk all wet ingredients in separate bowl. Combine the two together and mix just until combined. Fold in Chocolate chips.

Bake at 325 for 25 minutes. LET COOL - they are pretty moist

Makes one dozen

6 Grams of protein per muffin!

Here's an even healthier/lower calorie version - for all you crazies out there! ;-)

Ingredients:

1/2 C Ground Flaxseed

1/2 C Wheat Germ

1/2 C Peanut Flour (my new fav ingredient!!- see below)

1/2 C Oat Flour

1/2 Scoop of Protein Powder

1 1/2 tsp Powdered Stevia

1/4 C Xylitol

1/2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Xanthum Gum

1 tsp Cinnamon

2 Ripe Bananas, mashed well

3 tsp Energy Egg Replacer (mixed with 4 Tbl water in a separate bowl)

1/4 C Canned pumpkin or Unsweetened Applesauce

1/4 Almond Milk

1/4 C Unsweetened Carob Chips, 1/4 C mini Chocolate chips/cacao Nibs

1/4 C Raisins

Place in Mini Muffin tins for  a quick pick me up snack! 

Bake 325 for 20 minutes. Makes 24.

Per Muffin: Calories- 71, Carbs - 11, Fat - 2, Protein - 3

ENJOY!

Check out my new FAVORITE Ingredient! 

Get the taste of peanut and the protein, but without the extra fat!

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Gourmet Tomato Soup With Gluten Free Flat Bread

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil
4 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup coarsely chopped leeks
4 pounds chopped tomatoes (or canned)
3 1/2 cups vegetables stock
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Bay Leaves
2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, or 2 tsp. dried
6 tbsp. tomato paste
1/3 cup coconut Milk

Saute Leeks and garlic in oil. Add the rest of the ingredients,
 except for coconut milk.
Bring to boil, then down to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir in Coconut milk and
continue to simmer until flavors have blended. Add Salt and pepper, garnish with
parsley, and serve.


Gluten Free Flat Bread
Recipe from Whole Life Nutrition.

I followed the recipe, used a little buckwheat for the rice and left out the baking
powder. It made for a nice flat bread!! I used it the next day for pizza!

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Whole Grain Berry Scones

These are a new Fav! 

Great for Guests, Holidays, or Sunday Mornings! 

You could easily make the dough the night before and let sit in fridge until ready to cook.

3/4 C Fat Free Plain Greek Yogurt

1 Egg

1 1/2 C Spelt Flour (or Whole Wheat Pastry Flour)

1/2 C All Purpose (or Whole wheat Flour)

1/2 C Old Fashioned Oats

4 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Stevia Powder (or 1/4 C Honey/or Maple Syrup or Brown Sugar (you choose!))

4 oz. Unsweetened Applesauce

1 C Berries - fresh or frozen ( I did blueberries, raspberries would be amazing!)

Orange Sweetened Cranberries (bulk bins)

Zest of 1 Orange

Juice of 1 Orange

1 Banana (melted in microwave)

Whisk Egg and Yogurt and set aside. Combine Flours, oats, Baking Powder, Soda, Salt, and stevia (if using  a liquid sweetener blend into yogurt). Use a fork and add applesauce, juice, and mashed melted banana to bowl. Mash with a fork until crumbly. Add yogurt mixture to dough. Use fork to combine. Just stir until combined. Fold in Berries and Cranberries.

Place dough in fridge at least 1/2 hour or overnight. Form about 1/4 c of dough into 1 inch thick circles (or thick balls - whatever you prefer) on greased sheet or silpat. 

Cook at 375 for about 16 minutes. (15-20)

If you want, when they come out of the oven, spread with a little melted butter and sprinkle with evaporated Cane Juice or Sugar.

105 Calories
20 Carbs
1 gram Fat
5 Grams Protein!!

ENJOY!

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Banana Nut Muffins

Yum! After going SOO long without bread, I was just Dying for something like these!!
Recipe altered from "Original Fast Food, by Simmons."

I replaced the Whole Wheat Flour with 1 C brown rice Flour (I just grind brown rice in my vitamix) and 1 C Spelt Flour (you can buy this at a whole foods, etc.)
Spelt isn't gluten free :( But it tastes like wheat and is A LOT easier on you digestive system than wheat flour is. It's also higher in protein and fiber! Whole Wheat is great, just try to replace it when you can with something that won't be so hard on your system.

1 Orange (or 2/3 C fresh orange juice)

2 Ripe Bananas

3 Tbs Lemon Juice

1/3 C Honey

1/2 C Applesauce

1/2 tsp Vanilla (optional)

1/2 C Chopped Walnuts!! (crucial)

1 C Brown Rice Flour (or white whole wheat flour)

1 C Spelt Flour (or 1 cup white whole wheat flour )

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Allspice Powder

1 Tbs Ground Flaxseed

1/2 C Raisins (optional)

Peel orange. Place in blender with about 1/4 C Water. Put through a mesh strainer into a bowl, taking out the pulp. THen add the bananas, lemon juice, honey and applesauce to blender (or processor). Blend until pureed. Add to orange juice in the bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to bowl and stir until just combined. Fill muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350. They don't puff up a lot, because of the flour, but the family LOVED them!!!!!

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One Hour Dinner Rolls

Ever need dinner rolls in a pinch and you realize your rhodes rolls are gone!!

(I have a weakness for those things)

Here is an awesome fast recipe.

I did pure white whole wheat instead of all purpose flour, and they were slightly dry, maybe less flour next time? Or I could put in a tiny bit of all purpose to balance it out.

I also nixed the butter on top.

Get the recipe HERE

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Carrot Zucchini Muffins - virtually fat free!

Okay - so excited about these! I have had a hard time getting a healthy, yet moist muffin to work. They always taste okay, but are so dry. I thought these turned out SO good! I took a recipe and changed some things up a bit. My husband even commented on how good they were. My three year old wasn't so much a fan, I think its because of all the chunks in them. But that's how I liked them. These would be a perfect neighbor or friend gift! ENJOY!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 C Whole wheat Pastry Flour
3/4 C White Flour
3/4 C Oat Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
3 Eggs ( I decided to keep these in, because I took out all other fat, you could use egg substitue or 6 eggs white if you wanted to lessen the fat even more)
1/2 C Canola Oil (I used Crushed pineapple and LOVED IT)
1/2 C Unsweetened Applesauce
2 Tbl Coconut Oil (optional - it just helps bind the muffins a little better) (can be found in the health section)
1 C Plain Yogurt ( I used plain greek yogurt, just to not add so much water, you could use vanilla flavored yogurt to sweeten it even more)

1 C White Sugar ( I only used 1/2 C and you couldn't tell!)

3/4 C Honey (I used 1/2 Agave, or you could nix all the sugar and use 3/4-1 C Agave)

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 C Shredded Zucchini

1 C Shredded Carrot

1/2 C Chopped Pecans (Optional)

1/2 C Raisins (optional)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400. Grease muffin tins

2) In bowl, mix or sift all dry ing. (flours, soda, powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg). In separate bowl beat eggs and oil (or pineapple) and applesauce, yogurt, sugar, honey, and vanilla. Beat well. Slowly mix in dry ingredients. Don't over mix! Huge key in baking muffins or cakes! Fold in Zucchini, carrots, pecans, and raisins. Scoop into tins.

3) Bake 18-20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan, before transferring to wire racks.

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Healthified Banana Bread

I LOVE to bake, but changing it up to make it better for me is even more of a passion. So when I found this recipe with some interesting suggestions (ie. cream cheese for butter! - such an amazing idea!) I was pretty excited to try it out!

I have to say it was slightly dry. I may add some applesauce or more bananas next time. And I think some chopped walnuts would be divine. mmmmm....

Hubbys score: 3.5 stars

My score: 3.5 stars

Three year old: "YUM"

Vegetable Oil ( I used canola oil)

4 large ripe bananas

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 C all purpose flour (I used white whole wheat)

1/2 C sugar

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tbl. canola oil

2 oz. fat-free cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces and chilled

1 - heat oven to 325. Lightly coat 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with oil.

2- Bake the bananas on a rimmed cookie sheet. until skins are completely black. (about 20 min) let cool. Then peel and mash.

3- Whisk eggs and vanilla together in small bowl, set aside. In large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Add the oil and cream cheese, 1 piece at a time. Mix until only pea-size pieces of the cream cheese remain, about 1 minute. Slowly beat in egg mixture, and only 1 1/2 cups of the mashed bananas (I might add more next time) and beat until just incorporated, (about 30 seconds).

4- scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. (50 - 60 minutes). Rotate the pan halfway through!

5- Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 min. and then turn onto rack and let cool 1 hour before serving. (VERY DIFFICULT!) The bread can be wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and stored at room temp. for 3 days.

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