Drinks/ RECIPES

Chocolate Cashew Mocha Smoothie

This has been my go-to smoothie when I need a creamy and decadant snack. I love coffee and chocolate together, and the soaked cashews give this smoothie an amazing creamy texture. It is dessert-like, but so filling, and packs a great protein punch with 5 grams of protein. I love when my desserts are not just empty calories but actually have some nutritional value.

Not only are the cashews a healthful whole food, but cacao nibs are considered a superfood. Cacao nibs are my new favorite food, and they contain heaps of anti-oxidants to boot! They add a great texture to smoothies that reminds me of little chocolate chip bits. They are not sweet, but add a great chocolatey flavor to this smoothie.

Coffee Cashew Smoothie

via Shape.com

The creamy texture in this decadent drink comes courtesy of the cashews, which also add 5 grams of protein to help keep your blood sugar—and hunger—steady, Brazier says.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup cashews, soaked six hours or overnight (just add water to cover nuts and refrigerate)
1/2 banana, peeled and chopped (frozen optional)
1 tablespoon cacao nibs
1/2 cup Ice
1/4 cup cooled coffee
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tablespoon coconut sugar (optional, or sweetener of choice)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

I added a bit of almond butter & cocoa nibs on top for pretty.

Nutrition score per serving: 361 calories, 7.5g protein

GF, Vegan & Raw/ RECIPES/ Sweets

Creamy Chocolate Vegan Ice Cream

by Teniel Moore, Raw Foods Contributor

Do you love indulging in ice cream but always feel guilty afterwards?

I never do when I make this ice cream. It satisfies every desire for that rich creamy chocolate experience.

I’ve eaten it for breakfast or just as a snack. Give it a go and guarantee your kids will love it also.

Best part about it, it’s so easy to make.

YOU WILL NEED:

Ice cream maker ( I use a cheap one I got for $30 )

Container to store the ice cream in

High speed blender ( I use vitamix )

1/2 small frozen avocado- does not need to be frozen.

1 can of BPA free organic coconut cream

pinch of good quality salt (never use table salt)

small capful of vanilla

1 heaped tbs of raw cacao powder ( add more if you prefer a stronger taste )

2 tbs of raw honey (this can be replaced with coconut nectar or maple syrup if you prefer and will make it vegan)

You will need to plan ahead when making this by freezing your ice cream bowl overnight. Unless you have a fancy ice cream machine that does not require this step. Also pop your peeled 1/2 avocado in the freezer to freeze.

MAKE IT:

Pop all your ingredients into a high speed blender and mix till creamy and all incorporated.

Have a taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking. Try not to eat it all now because it is delicious just like this!

Then simply pour your liquid chocolate mix into the ice cream maker as per your ice cream maker instructions and turn on. Mine takes 20 minutes. It then can be eaten straight away or if you prefer pop it into the freezer to firm up even more.

CHANGE IT UP AND ADD THINGS LIKE:

Nut butter

Pecans

Almonds

Macadamia nuts

Frozen banana

Ginger

——————–

Raw Foods Contributor

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Chocolate Blackberry Brandied Truffles

{Don’t you love the homemade, stamped gift tag?}

I have a handful of what I call ‘heart friends.’ You know, the kind where you feel that your hearts are literally knit together and could not imagine life without. Well, that is what I call my friend Ann. We have known each other for years, and being her hairstylist for years has kept us getting together regularly every 5 weeks. Thank goodness her hair takes at least 2 hours, because we always have so much to share and it takes at least this long to get caught up!

Thanks to these regular hair dates, and thanks to how very dear Ann is to me, she knows me. She knows all my junk and loves me anyway. We joke that our hair dates are therapy for us both.

A form of ‘therapy’ that Ann brought this last visit was a beautiful Christmas gift of Homemade Blackberry Brandied Truffles. Oh. My. Yum.

I cannot tell you how delicious these are. The nuts are crunchy, the chocolate deep & creamy, a hint of blackberry. They are amazing.

She handed them to me sheepishly knowing I usually eat pretty healthy. I reassured her that when it comes to dessert I do it right! I may not do it often, but you bet I’m gonna eat her homemade goodies and enjoy every, last bite. Cancer survivors learn how to live fully, and I think eating a real dessert once in awhile fits perfectly into living fully!

The minute I bit into one of these truffles, my eyes got big, and I knew I had to share this little treasure of a recipe with you all! Enjoy…every last bite!

Blackberry Brandied Truffles

1/2 pound chopped bittersweet or semisweet or milk chocolate (don’t use unsweetened!) (I like the dark chocolate the best 🙂
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted real butter
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons of blackberry brandy

COATING CHOICES: coconut or almonds (either sliced or crushed) but definitely toasted! Toast in the microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring every 30 seconds. The presentation is beautiful when you use different coatings!

SURPRISE IN THE CENTER CHOICES: nothing (great as is!) or tuck a well-drained maraschino cherry inside or a whole almond.

Directions:
Melt chocolate & butter together in the microwave until hot, being careful not to scorch the chocolate.
Wisk in the egg yolks until mixture is shiny.
Stir in the brandy.
Put in the refrigerator until cool enough to form into soft balls.
Use a teaspoon size cookie scoop, leveled off, for each truffle. If desired, tuck in a cherry or almond & roll into a ball. Coat the ball as desired. Put each truffle in a miniature muffin liner or paper nut cup (can be purchased at Hobby Lobby in the cake decorating section).

Store in refrigerator.

//

Tips:

To make orange flavored truffles, you can use Gran Marnier in place of the blackberry brandy. It is more pricey, but I just read online that you can go into your local liquor store and ask for an “airline bottle” of Gran Marnier. The commenter said she does this all the time for recipes that call for small amounts of liquor.

Brunch/ Featured/ GF, Vegan & Raw/ RECIPES/ Sweets

Chocolate Chia Pudding

I needed some chocolate asap, and I also knew I needed to figure out how to get a bit of protein, iron and fiber into my body. I had skipped my daily green smoothie so I knew I was missing some of these key nutrients. Enter, the chia seed, and hello Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding!

I got this craving at 7:30 in the evening just as the sun was going down. I hurried to gather my ingredients to take advantage of the fading natural light for photos. I’m not kidding when I say this takes just a minute to make. It was so easy! Milk of your choice, cocoa powder, chia seeds, peanut butter & maple syrup. Throw it all into a cup measure and stir!

The hardest part of this recipe is having the patience for the chia seed to do its thing. It takes a few minutes for the chia to swell and absorb the liquid to turn it into a pudding consistency. The top photo was take after 5 minutes of refrigeration. It still was on the runny side, but I was impatient and my light was fading. It thickened up enough to use as a dip for apples in just about 10 more minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding

{makes 1 serving}

1/2 cup milk ( I used almond. Can use dairy or coconut or whatever you desire)

2 tbsp chia seeds

1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp maple syrup

_____

Frozen berries (optional)

Throw all into a cup and stir. Refrigerate, stirring every few minutes, until desired consistency…up to 20 minutes. (I ate mine after 10 minutes)

CHIA: The Complete Guide to the Ultimate Superfood

I’ve talked about chia before. It is a superstar superfood and I love it. I bought the above book and devoured it in 2 days. My family had fun teasing me, as I sat and read my book while drinking a bottle of chia kombucha.

More about chia from The Wellness Warrior:

1. Chia is gluten free

2. It is super high in dietary fibre, making it great for digestion and healing digestion issues.

3. It contains 20% Omega 3 ALA, making it a super food for the brain and heart. Chia has eight times more Omega 3 than salmon!

4. It boasts 20% protein

5. The protein is a complete protein with all 8 essential amino acids

6. It is high in antioxidants (It has a four times higher ORAC value than blueberries)

7. Chia contains five times more calcium than milk

8. Chia contains seven times more vitamin C than oranges

9. It contains three times more iron than spinach

10. It contains twice the potassium content of banana

11. It is food for healthy skin, hair and nails

12. It has a positive impact balancing blood glucose levels (making it awesome for diabetics)

13. Chia makes a great egg replacement. Just combine with water to form a gel, and add it to recipes that call for egg.

FUN/DIY/ Holidays/Parties/ RECIPES/ Sweets

5 Minutes To Chocolate Sauce Heaven

A repost from the archives. It deserves a repost..it is delicious!! I plan on making a dairy-free version this weekend with earth balance spread instead of butter and serving it over coconut milk ice cream. I will let you know how it turns out!

I’ve given this away as a gift and made it a few times for my own family. It is one of those recipes that I know I will be in the family for a very long time–it is SOOO good. It is quick, it uses ingredients we usually have on hand, and it tastes WAY better than store bought chocolate sauce. When I served it to my husband, he just kept grunting and saying “MMM”& “YUM” as he scraped his bowl clean. I’m surprised he didn’t get his face in it and lick it clean! Yes, it is that good.

Here is the recipe, it is from recipebzaar.com. It was recommended by another blog, but I can’t remember which one, which I’m feeling pretty bad about because they deserve a big thanks from me!

Lee Lee’s Famous Chocolate Sauce For Ice Cream

2 min/1 minute prep time

Serves 4-6

1/2 cup sugar (I use whole cane sugar -rapadura)

2 Tablespoon Cocoa

1/8 tsp Salt

1 1/2-2 Tablespoon Butter

1/4 cup water (more or less, as needed to make a stirable consistency)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract (can’t beat 100% pure vanilla extract!)

1. Combine sugar, cocoa, and salt in a small saucepan.

2. Add enough water to make stirable consistency.

3. Add butter to cocoa mixture.

4. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly.

5. Allow to boil for 1 minute, stirring.

6. Remove from heat.

7. Add vanilla.

8. Serve warm over ice cream.

Drinks/ Frugal/ HOME/ RECIPES

Easy 3 Ingredient Chocolate Almond Iced Latte

I posted “Perfect Iced Coffee” a few months ago, and though it still remains my favorite, this is a very close runner up! The process of making this is so very easy. It may be a bit more familiar to you than the cold brew process, and familiar is nice sometimes– plus, I love how drip brewing process makes my house smell in the morning!

Starbucks Iced Coffee blend is new, and GOOD! It is “roasted to accentuate its full-flavored taste when chilled. It is medium bodied , well-balanced and caramelly smooth.”

You brew it just like regular coffee, but make it double strength and serve it over ice. Here are the directions from the package:

1. Brew as if you’re making a full pot, but use half the water.
2. Slowly fill remaining pot with ice, or add same amount to a pitcher.
3. Serve fresh, over ice.
*By double strength, we mean: 4 TBS GROUND COFFEE to 6 OZ. WATER.
(I do not make mine that strong)

——————————————
HERE IS HOW I MAKE MY CREAMY, DREAMY, EASY..
––––––––––––––––––––––––––

..CHOCOLATE ALMOND ICED LATTE: (V-Vegan; ND-Non-Dairy)

~8 HEAPING TBS Starbucks Iced Coffee Blend coffee
~16 OZ Water (this is my Mr. Coffee pot filled to the 4 line)
~Chocolate Almond Milk (I use Silk brand, Dark Chocolate, found at Walmart)
______________________________
Brew coffee and water. This is your coffee concentrate.

Fill a mason jar (or glass of choice) with:

1/2 coffee concentrate & 1/2 Chocolate Almond Milk (or 2/3 coffee concentrate and 1/3 almond milk, according to personal taste)

Add Ice.

Add sweetener if desired. I do not think this is necessary as the Chocolate Almond Milk is sweetened.

Pop in a straw and enjoy!!

Store leftover concentrate in a jar in the refrigerator, for up to 2 days.
____________________________

This particular brand of almond milk has 120 calories per cup (2% chocolate dairy milk has 190), no saturated fat, no cholesterol, 45% DV of Calcium (milk has 25%) and added Vit C and Vit E. They use pure cane sugar to sweeten instead of high fructose corn syrup, and it uses Non GMO (non-genetically modified) almonds. I do wish it were organic and a little less sugar, but all- in- all not too bad, especially compared to syrup sweetened, high calorie, budget- breaking drinks available to buy!

Let me know if you try this! Enjoy.

RECIPES/ Sweets

Gooey Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes-Easy!

My step-mom was having a birthday and I wanted to bring her a birthday dessert. Something that looked special and was full of chocolate. We share our love for chocolate! I was still in zombie-land due to a medication I was taking, so I knew I had to figure out something simple.

Trader Joes to the rescue! I picked up a box of their chocolate cake mix, chocolate frosting mix, and a bottle of their amazing caramel sauce. I stopped at the craft store to find paper cups that were cute- a special touch. I grabbed 2 Skor candy bars, and got a bit excited as I envisioned myself taking a hammer to them. 🙂 I also grabbed a squeeze bottle that I found it in the cake decorating aisle, it was only a buck. Lastly, I found some candles that sparkle and trick the birthday girl by re-lighting themselves over and over. Hee. Hee.

Of course, any box cake mix, frosting mix and caramel can be used for this, but I am a HUGE Trader Joes fan. Why?

All Products In The Trader Joe’s Label Promise:
NO artificial flavors, colors or preservatives
NO genetically modified ingredients
NO MSG
NO added Trans Fats

Let’s take the cake mix. When I read the ingredients, they were the ingredients you would read on a recipe card. All pronounceable. This is true, REAL convenience food. Taking ingredients I would use to make it from scratch, and putting them together for me.

Trader Joes Cake Mix Ingredients:

White Flour

Wheat Flour

Cocoa

Corn Starch

Baking Soda

Soybean Oil

Salt

Buttermilk

Natural Vanilla Flavor

Pillsbury Cake Mix Ingredients:

Ingredients:

ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), MALTODEXTRIN, SUGAR, MALTITOL, WHEAT STARCH, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, BAKING POWDER (BAKING

SODA, SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE) CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF PROPYLENE GLYCOL MONOESTERS, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SALT, CELLULOSE, CORN STARCH, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, CELLULOSE GUM, XANTHAN GUM, POLYSORBATE 60, SUCRALOSE (NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER), COLORED WITH RED 40, TBHQ AND CITRIC ACID (ANTIOXIDANTS), SOY LECITHIN.

The Pillsbury cake mix has sugar, plus artificial sweetener. Does that make ANY sense to you? Me either. It also adds artificial red food coloring. Many, many food allergies in children are caused by artificial colors. I am not saying these cupcakes are healthy by any means, but I enjoy knowing that they are not full of man- made ingredients, some of which are chemicals. So…on to the good stuff!!

How I made Gooey, Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes:

~Made Chocolate Cupcakes according to the directions on the box of Trader Joes Chocolate Cake Mix

~Made Chocolate Frosting according to the directions on the box of Trader Joes Chocolate Frosting Mix

~Used a hammer to crush 2 Skor candy bars (while still in the wrapper)

~Warmed Caramel sauce and put into a squeeze bottle.

~Squeeze some caramel into the center of each cupcake. This makes them super moist and gooey!

I gotta stop here and take some time to rave about this particular caramel sauce. IT IS SO GOOD. I think it should be called “Salted Caramel Sauce” because there is just enough salty to the sweet to make your mouth water. It is divine.

~Frost cupcake

~Drizzle with more caramel

~Sprinkle with crushed Skor bar

~Enjoy!

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