Vegan, Paleo & Gluten Free Archives

Somoa Gooey Bars

on March 18, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley

These Somoa Gooey Bars are loaded with extra gooey caramel, toasted coconut, and dark chocolate, layered on a crumbly shortbread. They will surely satisfy your Girl Scout cookie cravings without the guilt! They are easy to make and taste amazingly delicious, rich, and decadent! Grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, pegan and paleo!

March is Girl Scout cookie time! I remember the years when I was a Brownie, and I would make my yearly trek around the neighborhood, knocking on doors, peddling arguably the BEST cookies of all time. NO ONE turned me down, and it wasn’t because I was a little kid with a big smile. It was because no one, I mean NO ONE, can turn down those dang cookies! They are addictive, and worst of all, they make you wait ALL year long until those sweet intoxicating cookies can meet your mouth again. Cruelty!

Well I am here to save the day. I not only have a Somoa cookie remake for you, but it’s grain-free, gluten-free and paleo! Plus I pumped it up a bit, wanting to improve upon the already phenomenal cookie, and added extra gooey caramel. You can never have too much of that, right!?

These gooey, chocolatey treats are also easy to whip up, and made in bar form for convenience. There is no need for the saucer-shaped cookie with the middle cut-out…. Why do they cut out the middle of the Somoas anyway!? No middles cut out here and you can cut them as BIG as you want:)

Somoa Gooey Bars

1 cup unsweetened coconut shreds (toasted)
1 ¼ cup coconut flour (you can sub almond flour but then reduce the amount of coconut oil]
1/4 cup + coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup coconut milk/cream (one can of full fat coconut milk, cream only, save liquid for another use)
½ cup coconut sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ cup chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a pan over medium heat, toast the coconut shreds, moving them around the pan to ensure they are evenly golden, then set aside.
Next in a bowl combine the coconut flour, salt, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla and mix well until you can form a ball of dough with your hands. Add more coconut oil if needed. Dough will be crumbly.
Push dough into a even compact layer in a parchment lined 8″x8″ pan.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until just golden brown.
In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the coconut cream, coconut sugar, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Let it come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the caramel has thickened to a honey consistency.
Pour the caramel on top of the shortbread, then sprinkle with the toasted coconut.
Melt the chocolate chips in a saucepan over medium-low heat and drizzle it on top of the coconut and then let the bars chill for 30 minutes in the fridge, then remove and cut into bars.

NY Style Thin Crust PIZZA {Easy, 4 Ingredient Veggie-Based Crust}

on March 14, 2016December 22, 2020 By Kelley 31 Comments

I made a pizza yesterday. Like, A REAL Thin Crust PIZZA! With one bite I died and went to pizza heaven. Seriously, it blew away all expectations I had for this pizza. It is that good! And EASY! And VEGGIE-BASED (no cauliflower:))! Only 4 INGREDIENTS! Seriously! Can you tell how excited I am? This pizza is for everyone. Your traditional eaters will LOVE it, I swear. Best of all this thin pizza crust secretly is grain and gluten-free, paleo, vegan, dairy-free and healthy. No eggs. No yeast. You’re gonna love it!

What is your all-time favorite pizza? I originally hail from the NYC area (CT to be exact) and NY pizza was where it’s at. I mean it’s world famous right? But I happen to love a little pizzeria in New Haven, CT the most! I’ll get to that in a sec….

As a child I wasn’t much of a pizza fan. I’ve always had a hot and steamy love affair with fresh bread so at the many pizza parties of my youth you could find me peeling off the cheese and eating the bread and crust alone! My friends, on the other hand, would peel off the cheese, and eat that all alone! Haha. The cheese was always so greasy and when the pizza wasn’t super hot and fresh from the oven, the cheese would be a solid gummy and chewy mess, yuck!

Then one day I discovered New Haven pizza- the famous Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana. Now this was the real deal! The crust is intoxicating. The sauce is flavorful and fresh and topped with just a bit of the perfect kind of cheese for the ultimate flavor. Check out their website and if you happen to be in the New Haven area, do yourself a favor and stop (if you can eat wheat occasionally of course), but if you can’t for dietary reasons that is A-OK because I have the perfect grain and gluten-free alternative for you!!

This crust is just like the authentic Italian thin crust pizza. It’s crispy, light, flaky, and has a nice bit of chewiness. Even Cricket, who isn’t a big fan of baked goods (she prefers her meat served straight-up, no fillers!), likes this crust. She stood at attention in front of the oven while it was baking, the wonderful smells wafting in her direction. Unfortunately it was so good I could only sacrifice a small crumb, which she swallowed without chewing and glared at me as to say “where’s the rest mom!?”

When you make the dough it will be sticky, and that is ok! It should look something like this:

And I’ve added a personal-size crust option too in the recipe!

So the main ingredient in this pizza crust is yuca, aka cassava. It’s a starchy root veggie that happens to be the star of this crust. And it’s also healthy, packed with vitamin C and has a low glycemic index of 46 (a white potato is 85). Best of all, cassava bakes up light and crispy, but still has a wonderful chew. You can even fold your slices just like real pizza!

NY Style Thin Crust PIZZA {Easy, 4 Ingredient Veggie-Base Crust}

This AMAZING crisp, flaky, light and chewy NY Style Thin Crust Pizza is intoxicatingly delcious! And it’s super EASY! And VEGGIE-BASED (no cauliflower:))! Only 4 INGREDIENTS! Seriously! Can you tell how excited I am? This pizza is for everyone. Your traditional eaters will LOVE it, I swear. Best of all this thin pizza crust secretly grain and gluten-free, paleo, vegan, dairy-free and healthy. No eggs. No yeast. You’re gonna love it!

LARGE PIZZA CRUST:

1 cup yuca (cassava, boiled and mashed)
¼ cup light olive oil
1/8 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coconut flour (sifted)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

PERSONAL PIZZA CRUST:

1/2 cup yuca (cassava, boiled and mashed)
2 tablespoons light olive oil
dash of sea salt (optional)
2 teaspoons coconut flour (sifted)
1/8 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F,
Peel the yuca and cut into chunks.
Boil the yuca for 15-20 minutes, or until very fork tender.**
Mash the yuca in a bowl with the olive oil, use a hand blender or food processor for best consistency (should be smooth and sticky, no lumps).
In a small bowl mix the coconut flour, baking soda and salt.
Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly into the mashed yuca and form a ball (will be sticky!).
Place the ball of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place another piece of parchment on top.
Use your hands to smooth out the dough until it’s about 1/8″ think or less. (very important to get it very thin to ensure crispiness. Dough should be somewhat transparent when it’s thin enough.)
Remove the top sheet of parchment and place in the oven.
The large crust will cook for 15-20 minutes and the personal-sized crust for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. I baked it on the middle rack then moved it one rack lower the last few minutes.
Remove the crust, add toppings such as tomato sauce, pastured-raised cheese (if you eat dairy), veggies and/or meat.
Place back into the oven for a few minutes until toppings are cooked to desired temperature.
**note: make sure to drain yuca well before mashing to ensure dough isn’t too wet, and mash while it’s hot otherwise dough isn’t easy to work with.

Toasted Sesame Noodles {Under 15 Minutes, Grain-Free/Paleo Option}

on March 6, 2016December 22, 2020 By Kelley 1 Comment

I am so excited to bring this awesome Toasted Sesame Noodle recipe to you guys today AND announce the release of my ASIAN NOODLE BOWLS e-cookbook complete with VIDEOS! The popularity of my noodle recipes have blown away any expectations I had, so thank you all for loving them so much! The ASIAN NOODLE BOWLS e-cookbook is a collection of 12 easy, 15-minute, single-serving, healthy, and delicious recipes that have options for every popular diet restriction (grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan). In fact, the book actually has the potential for over 64+ different variations (given you can top the noodle bowls with various proteins including chicken, pork, beef, tofu, and you can swap out the zoodles/noodles and use rice or cauliflower rice in place.) Really the options are endless! In addition, there is a video for every recipe with complete ingredients so you can cook your noodles right from the video, easy-peasy!

CLICK HERE to ORDER Your ASIAN NOODLE e-Cookbook with VIDEOS for only $2.99!

So these Toasted Sesame Noodles are a little peak inside the book :). These noodles are easy, tasty and addictive! Be sure to eat them with chopsticks to slow you down a bit. Fork= shoveling noodles into my mouth….Haha.

These Toasted Sesame Noodles are a flavor explosion of nutty, buttery, rich goodness! And they are so very, very addictive! The toasted sesame seeds are the highlight of this dish with a rich nutty flavor, and the noodles are saturated with a light flavorful sauce making an amazing flavor combination. Best of all the dish is crazy simple and quick to make. It just takes a few simple ingredients and 15 minutes or less! There is a recipe adaptation for every diet including traditional, gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, pegan and vegan! Everyone can partake in noodle joy!!

When I make these noodles, I actually use zoodles most of the time, you know zucchini noodles made using a spiralizer. (You can find one here– it’s a must have!) Zoodles make an awesome super healthy and grain-free stand-in for noodles. They happily take on whatever flavor you subject them to 🙂 (These pictures were taken with quinoa noodles by Ancient Harvest which make an excellent gluten-free option if you don’t want zoodles.)

I’ve been zoodle crazy at my house cooking up all these noodle recipes! I’ve even tried spiraling carrots and cucumbers, which, I must say, are AWESOME as well! This recipe would also be amazing with chilled cucumber noodles. Just let the sauce cool and toss them in with “cucoodles,” you know- cucumber-noodles. Hehe.

Cricket has even gotten in on all the noodle action. She’ll happily slurps them from her bowl, as long at they are coated in some yummy sauce 🙂 Today I served her up some noodles a la chicken broth and she was smitten! Remember that scene in Lady and the Tramp where the lovebird pups slurp the same noodle over a spaghetti supper? Well, I think Cricket would make the perfect “Lady!” Here we are practicing the scene for her someday debut:

And if you love noodles, be sure to check out my other popular noodle recipes:

PEANUT NOODLES STICKY GARLIC NOODLES

Ok, ok, I know your probably very hungry….I won’t make you wait any longer, here it is!

Toasted Sesame Noodles {Under 15 Minutes, Grain-Free/Paleo Option}

These Toasted Sesame Noodles are a flavor explosion of nutty, buttery, rich goodness! And they are so very, very addictive! The toasted sesame seeds are the highlight of this dish with a deep, nutty, and complex flavor, and the noodles are saturated with a buttery, yet light, sauce making an amazing flavor combination. Best of all the dish is crazy simple and quick to make. It just takes a few simple ingredients and 15 minutes or less! There is a recipe adaption for every diet including traditional, gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, pegan and vegan! Everyone can partake in noodle joy!!

3 cups of noodles or zoodles (spiralizer for zoodles)
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons broth (veggie or chicken)
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or tamari or soy sauce)
2 teaspoons rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha
2 teaspoons almond butter (or peanut butter)
2 teaspoons coconut sugar
1 tablespoon green onion (chopped for garnish)

Spiralize your zucchini to make your zoodles and set aside, making about 3 cups. Or boil your gluten-free noodles according to the box’s direction.
Over medium-high heat, dry roast the sesame seeds until golden. (Alternatively you can add 1/4 t of butter, ghee, or oil of choice to add a bit more flavor to them.)
In a saucepan over medium-high heat combine the sesame oil, broth, tamari, rice vinegar, sriracha, almond butter, and coconut sugar. Mix thoroughly and let simmer for 30 seconds. (If using toasted sesame oil add it at the end once you remove the sauce from the heat.)
Toss the noodles with the sauce, plate and garnish with fresh green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Maple Almond Butter and Chocolate Cups

on March 5, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 7 Comments

These tasty melt-in-your-mouth cups are for all you Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup lovers out there. The super creamy almond butter pairs perfectly with the rich dark chocolate shell making a flavor explosion that will satisfy your deepest chocolate desires. Best of all they are GOOD for YOU! Dairy-free, paleo, gluten-free and grain free. They are super easy to make with just 4 simple ingredients!

I know it’s not October, not even close, but I often find myself thinking about Halloween. I think about what costume Cricket should wear, that of course has to be compatible with mine. Like Shaggy and Scooby Doo or Bo Peep and her one black (and white) sheep. (The later actually would be a throw back to my younger years circa 6 years old when I was Bo Peep and my younger sisters served as my “flock” of sheep.lol.) Cricket often looks like a baby lamb when she’s sleeping all curled up in a ball. 🙂

If you guys have any other ideas I’d love for you to share them, please! I only have, well let’s see 9 months! Lol. So besides the costumes, what’s the next best part of Halloween? Yes, I think I heard you say “Peanut Butter Cups?” Yes! You’re right. The biggest goal of Halloween, besides finding an epic costume of you and your dog, is to hoard as many peanut butter cups as possible… and then eat every single last one.

I discovered a fantastic way to make my own almond butter cups, which upstage peanut butter cups, really! They are super simple and easy to make and they are actually good for you! The almond butter is creamy, nutty and has a hint of maple. The dark chocolate blankets the gooey middle perfectly and melts in your mouth upon contact.

There is a simple hack to get these cup-shaped chocolates…. a mini cupcake tin. It makes the perfectly sized Maple Almond Butter Cups! They pop right out and then POP them right into your mouth. Swoon!

If you love these, which I am sure you will, try these Peppermint Crunch Cups….

Maple Almond Butter and Chocolate Cups

1 1/4 cups chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)
2 tablespoon coconut oil plus 1 teaspoon for greasing muffin tin
3/4 cup almond butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Melt the chocolate chips plus 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat.
Grease the mini muffin tin with coconut oil.
Pour a teaspoon of melted chocolate into each compartment. Chill in the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes.
Melt the almond butter, maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat.
Spoon a heaping teaspoon of almond butter mixture into each compartment.
Spoon the remaining chocolate on top of the almond butter layer and chill in the fridge until set, about 1/2 hour in the fridge or 10-15 minutes in the freezer.
Carefully pop the cups out of the tray using a fork or butter knife.

Chocolate-Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookies {Video!}

on February 21, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 2 Comments

This is the my ALL TIME FAVORITE secretly healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe.These Chocolate-Dipped Chocolate Chip cookies taste like the real thing. In fact, they are so much better (and better for you)! They are soft and moist on the inside thanks to a combination of ingredients that allow them to stay plump and thick. They melt right in your mouth! The best part is that they are dipped in chocolate, because the only thing better than a chocolate chip cookie is a chocolate chip cookie with EXTRA Chocolate, right? {Grain-free, Gluten-free, Paleo, Pegan}

My love for cookies, chocolate chip cookies that is, goes way back. They have always been a long time favorite of mine and I have been testing up so many batches of cookies lately to find the perfect one. One that reminds me of my childhood. It has to be crisp on the outside, soft, moist and crumbly on the inside. It needs to be plump, as I am not a fan of the flat-as-a-pancake cookies. I like them to be fat and plump. And finally, this cookie is studded with dark chocolate chips and then DIPPED in rich dark chocolate.

It’s amazing. It’s pure joy at first bite. Heavenly.

Cricket has been right by my side baking up these cookies with me. She even got to sample the dough before I added the chocolate chips (no chocolate for dogs;)), and she has officially approved these cookies 🙂

The dough is actually good for you as it’s made with almonds, coconut, palm shortening and grass-fed butter. Not that they are low cal, but they are made with whole food ingredients that are dense with nutrients. When you eat these babies they leave you feeling full and satisfied. There is no sugar crash because there is little sugar in these beauties, just some coconut sugar and maple syrup. (You can read about why coconut sugar is a better sweetener option HERE.)

I used to be all about low cal foods, focusing on low fat specifically. I thought that if I ate low fat foods I would not gain fat, but now I know eating fat doesn’t equal a tire around my mid section. The days of low cal/low fat are over. There I said it. They are over. I am proof that you can increase the amount of healthy fats (think avocado, coconut, almonds, some grass-fed butter) in your diet and boost your metabolism. I must tell you it took me so long to jump onto this bandwagon. It really did. I had read other peoples stories about eating high fat and losing weight and I thought: “No way, how can that be?” and “Maybe that works for some, but it won’t for me…” But I was wrong. Eating more healthy fats has lead me to decrease my sugar intake, as my once out of control sugar cravings have now subsided to a healthier level. Healthy fats stoke my metabolism and leave me feeling energized and then I burn more calories throughout the day. I feel great, and that is what is most important above all!

Chocolate Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookies {Video!}

These Chocolate Dipped Chocolate Chip cookies taste like the real thing, in fact, they are so much better (and better for you)! They are soft and moist on the inside thanks to a combination of ingredients that allow them to stay plump and extra thick. They melt right in your mouth! The best part is that they are dipped in chocolate, because the only thing better than a chocolate chip cookie is a chocolate chip cookie with EXTRA Chocolate, right? {Grain-free, Gluten-free, Paleo, Pegan}

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 1/2 tablespoons of coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 pasture-raised egg (or flax egg)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons grass-fed butter (or sub for 2 T palm shortening, softened)
2 tablespoons palm shortening
1/3 cup of chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)
additional 1/2 cup chocolate chips for dipping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl: almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt.
Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture and add the egg, vanilla, coconut sugar, maple syrup, butter and shortening; mix well until the dough is uniform.
Add the 1/3 cup chocolate chips and mix.
Place a heaping tablespoon of dough per cookie spaced about 2″ apart on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees F or until just slightly golden.
Remove and let cool (or cool in the fridge for a few minutes).
Melt the 1/2 cup chocolate chips over low heat in a small saucepan.
Pour the melted chocolate into a small bowl and dip each chilled cookie into the chocolate and place onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Place back into the fridge until chocolate is hardened, about 10 minutes.
Enjoy!

Yuca Crisps

on February 17, 2016March 11, 2021 By Kelley 3 Comments

These Yuca Crisps have the perfect combination of crunchy and salty goodness. They make an excellent stand-in for potato or corn chips and you can make them easily in your own oven!

Have you not tried yuca yet? It’s becoming more and more popular and I see it now at most grocery stores in the produce section. Yes, it’s ugly! It’s a large tuberous root with a hard dark brown bark on the exterior, but inside the ugly exterior is a beautiful white slightly sweet and potato-like flesh.

A few week ago I stumbled upon a fellow food blogger’s post on Yuca Fries….Did she say FRIES!? OMG, just that word F.R.I.E.S. makes me want to run to the closest McDonalds and order up some of those salty and greasy sticks of awesomeness! So that was it. With one word she won me over and I was on a mission to find the YUCA.

I must admit I was overwhelmed when I found it in the grocery store! Yuca is also known as Cassava. This is what this thing looks like when you buy it:

Yikes! What am I suppose to do with that? Well, I am here to calm your fears. It’s not as bad as it looks, and it is so very worth it. Crisps, fries, mashed, whatever you want to make with it you will not be let down. And it’s gluten-free and an acceptable starch for paleo-ians.

So when you get your wonderful large and overwhelmingly tough-looking root home, break out your best pairing knife. Unless you have an industrial strength potato peeler you are not going to make much progress un-barking the exterior! They usually have a protective wax coating, so don’t freak out if you see that….. It’s ok!

Use you pairing knife to trim off the ends, then trim off the bark, leaving only the white interior. Please be careful with your knife wielding!

Next you want to cut it into “chips.” This is best accomplished with a mandolin, but you can use a knife as well. Just try to get them as thin as possible. Now you’re ready to cook!!

I have two recipes where I utilize this awesome root….The ULTIMATE Nachos….

And Smoked Salmon Bites that are on of crispy “smashed” yuca:

And Cricket wanted me to remind you not to forget your furry family members! One of her favorite crunchy snacks are these Chicken Jerky Treats. They are very easy to make. So when you make your Yuca Crisps, be sure to bake up some jerky for your pup! Hey, dogs like to snack too ya know!

Yuca Chips

These Yuca Crisps have the perfect combination of crunchy and salty goodness. They make an excellent stand-in for potato or corn chips and you can make them easily in your own oven!

1 yuca/ cassava root
2 tablespoons of oil of your choice (olive oil, ghee etc.)
1 + teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt (s)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Peel and cut the yuca according to the directions above in the post.
Place the yuca rounds in a bowl and coat evenly with oil or use a oil spray to coat both sides of the rounds and place them on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes, then flip the rounds and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. If they are browning too quickly, or not browning at all, adjust the temperature of your oven. I did end up turning my oven up the last 5 minutes to 425 degrees F to get the golden edges.

Strawberry Frosting Shots

on February 9, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 3 Comments

These Strawberry Frosting shots are sweet and berry-ful, and will surely satisfy your sweet tooth. They taste just like creamy and rich strawberry frosting, but they happen to be healthy, so have a few! Made with only 3 simple ingredients, you can whip these up in 5 minutes! They are dairy-free, gluten-free, and paleo.

Are you the kinda person who eats the cake or the frosting? I’ve always been a frosting gal. I’d rather lick all the frosting off a cupcake than eat the cupcake itself. Remember those birthday cakes our parents used to get us from the grocery store? The ones with the giant frosting roses or rainbows? Yes, those ones! The cake was always subpar, but the sugary creamy frosting was pure awesomeness. I would request a corner piece (extra frosting because you got 2 exterior sides, duh!) and a large frosting rose on top. The largest rose on the cake. Then I would pretty much eat all the frosting and leave the cake behind. Haha. Sooooo Gooooood….

If you are looking for a chocolate version, Chocolate Cover Katie has got that one for you! Maybe you can make a frosting shot swirl- chocolate and strawberry! Yum!

So I’ve figured out a healthy way to get my frosting fix, with only 3 ingredients and you’ll have frosting ready in under 5 minutes! No way you say?? Yes way! Your going to love them and the best part is you don’t have to feel bad about eating them!

The frosting shots are made with coconut milk/cream, which gives them the rich creamy texture. No funky additives, no strange ingredients, and they are low low low in sugar. Have one, have two, heck have THREE! Make them for a party. There sure to be a big hit.

And if you love strawberries you must try these Stuffed Chocolate Covered Strawberries complete with “Fluffy” Dip:

And wash is all down with this Red Velvet Hot Chocolate!

**If you want a more INTENSE strawberry flavor you can use this Natural Strawberry Flavor 1 Ounce by LorAnn Oils. It’s great for all sorts of things like homemade fruit chews, baked goods, and shakes. (Affiliate link)

Strawberry Frosting Shots

1 can of coconut milk or coconut cream (full fat, chilled)
6 frozen strawberries (fresh would work as well, thawed)
10-12 drops of stevia or 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup (or more to your liking)
optional: 1/2 teaspoon natural strawberry extract and Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips (for more intense flavor, see link above for the one I recommend)

Place the strawberries in a bowl and mash with a fork.
Add stevia and/or maple syrup and extract, mix.
Scoop the coconut cream from the can (leaving the liquid behind) into the bowl. (The can should be refrigerated overnight.)
Beat with an immersion blender until silky smooth.
Use a frosting piping bag to pipe frosting into plastic shot glasses.
Serve immediate or keep in the refrigerator.

Red Velvet Hot Chocolate {Dairy-Free}

on February 6, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 3 Comments

This Red Velvet Hot Chocolate is amazingly rich, silky, and decadent. It’s the perfect beverage to warm you up on a cold winter’s night! Best part about it is that it tastes like it must be bad for you, but it’s not. It’s dairy-free, gluten-free and paleo, really!

I love dessert of all kinds, especially chocolate! I am definitely a chocoholic, are you? I especially like desserts you can drink, like this Red Velvet Hot Chocolate. Drinkable desserts give you an excuse to enjoy two dessert at once, one you drink AND one you eat. Haha! You gotta have a little somethin’ else to go along with hot chocolate, like my Marshmallow Stuffed Chocolate Covered Strawberry Hearts! This pair makes the perfect, easy, breathtakingly beautiful, and SECRETLY healthy Valentine’s Day dessert pairing!

So I got a little bit creative in the making of this drinkable dessert. I wanted it to be red, and chocolatey, but Houston we have a PROBLEM! The chocolate always masked the vibrant red hue and then it no longer was a “Red Velvet” Hot Chocolate. 🙁 So here’s what I did… I decided to pour the chocolate sauce into the bottom of the glass and then pour the velvety, silky, rich and RED concoction on top. It made a beautiful layered beverage. You MUST have glass coffee mugs to show this beauty off.

Give it a stir and drink! YUM!

You can also get fancy and dip the rim of the glass into the chocolate sauce and dust some red and pink sprinkles if you eat that kinda thing 😉 For those of you who don’t do sprinkles, you can add some fine chopped chocolate slivers or coconut shreds (blended to be extra fine) for a fancy touch.

So while I was making this delicious beverage I caught something else in my eye that was red and I wanted to share the beauty with you….

Gorgeous, huh? A little bit of spring in my kitchen on a cold winter’s day.

This Red Velvet Hot Chocolate. A good book. These gorgeous tulips. Flickering candles. Sounds good to me!

And don’t forget your pup this Valentine’s Day- treat them too with these easy Heart Shaped Cookies!

Red Velvet Hot Chocolate {Dairy-Free}

This Red Velvet Hot Chocolate is amazingly rich, silky, and decadent. It’s the perfect beverage to warm you up on a cold winter’s night! Best part about it is even though it tastes like it must be bad for you, it’s not. It’s dairy-free, gluten-free and paleo, really!

1 1/2 cups cashew milk or almond milk
1 tablespoon of coconut sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4-5 drops of India Tree Natural Food Coloring (or here’s a few recipes to make your own natural coloring

Chocolate Sauce:

1 tablespoon cocoa
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want it)
Optional: coconut whip cream and sprinkles/shaved chocolate or coconut flakes on top

To make the chocolate sauce:
Over medium heat, combine the coconut oil, cocoa and maple syrup in a saucepan, and mix until smooth.
Dip the rim of the glass into the chocolate sauce, then pour the remaining sauce into the bottom of the glass mug.
Rinse out the sauce pan, then over medium heat combine and mix the cashew/almond milk, coconut sugar and red coloring.
Once it’s hot remove from the heat and mix in the vanilla.
Pour it carefully into the glass mug, letting it run down the inside of the glass so it rests on top of the chocolate sauce, creating the layer effect.
Top with coconut whip cream and sprinkles or alternative.

Marshmallow Chocolate Covered Strawberry Heart Bouquet with Pink Fluffy Dipping Sauce {VIDEO!}

on February 5, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 4 Comments

This beautiful bouquet of marshmallow chocolate covered strawberry hearts makes a unique and tasty gift for your Valentine!

Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching! I love to create unique treats for the holidays and Valentine’s Day is no exception. What do you give your valentine? I enjoy making things for my loved ones, and these chocolate covered strawberries are no exception. I didn’t want to make just any chocolate covered strawberries, I took it father….much farther! I cut them into heart shapes, stuffed them with Dandies Marshmallows (which are delicious as well as vegan and gluten-free!), put them onto wood skewers and arranged them in a ball jar to make an extraordinary and breathtakingly beautiful bouquet. AND you can eat it!!! It is truly DIY craft meets yummy delectable dessert!

And I didn’t stop there! I made a ooey gooey strawberry marshmallow fluff dipping sauce to accompany the berries. Can you say YUM!? This indulgent dessert may look, sound, and taste sinful, but it’s secretly healthy. No worries here. You don’t have to sacrifice taste or your healthy eating habits this year. And Valentine’s Day is NOT one of those holidays that you eat-to-you-pop. You know what I mean?? Haha.

Dandies Marshmallows are stuffed inside these chocolate covered berries, and you get to double-dip into some sticky, sweet and fluffy marshmallow sauce. I adore these marshmallows. I couldn’t stop eating them when I was shooting. They are all-natural, vegan and gluten-free and you can TASTE the difference. PURE. SOFT. FLUFFY PILLOWS OF JOY 🙂

All you gotta do is DIP IT:) YUMMY!

This beats the the whole box of chocolates routine, eh?

And if you need a hot bevy to wash these delicious berries down be sure to check out my Red Velvet Hot Chocolate!

**For a paleo compliant version omit sprinkles and use coconut shreds, and make your own paleo marshmallows, recipe HERE.

Marshmallow Stuffed Chocolate Covered Strawberry Heart Bouquet

This beautiful bouquet of marshmallow chocolate covered strawberry hearts makes a unique and tasty gift for your Valentine!

1 box of strawberries
1/2 cup chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)
1 cup Dandies Mini Marshmallows
1/4 cup of shredded coconut or sprinkles
6-8 wood skewers or wood chopsticks
1 ball jar filled with crushed ice

Cut tops off of the strawberries in a V-shape to make the strawberry look like a heart. (set 3-4 strawberries aside for juicing.)
If needed use a pairing knife to core the strawberry.
Stuff the strawberry with 1-2 mini marshmallows. Repeat for the remaining strawberries.
Melt the chocolate chips over low-medium heat in a small saucepan.
Blend the coconut shreds or sprinkles in a high speed blender to make finer shreds or use sprinkles.
Dip half of the stuffed strawberry in the melted chocolate, then into the coconut. Repeat for the remaining berries.
Place 3 chocolate covered and stuffed berries onto every skewer.
You can use the strawberry leaves at the bottom to make a flower.
Place the skewers in the ball jar filled with ice. The ice will keep the skewers in place.
When you are ready to eat the berries make the pink fluffy dip, do not make ahead.
Melt the remaining marshmallows over low heat.
Once melted add the strawberry juice (about 3 tablespoons) (or natural red food coloring diluted with water), and mix until smooth. Serve with the berry bouquet immediately, enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

on January 24, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 2 Comments

These Peanut Butter Cup Brownies are so fudgey, rich, and decadent thanks to a SECRET ingredient, and they are actually good for you- no guilt here! As always they are grain-free, gluten free and paleo (sub almond butter for peanut butter) and they only have 6 simple ingredients and NO FLOUR!

Peanut butter and chocolate is a flavor match made in Heaven! Who’s with me? There is something about that combination of creamy, salty and nutty peanut butter and dark, rich, and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate that makes my tastebuds extra happy. These days I often use almond butter as a perfectly good stand-in for peanut butter, because it is a healthier choice. With this recipe you can use either one!

Cricket is also a huge peanut butter fan, especially after a energetic romp outside. Peanut butter and almond butter are a great protein-packed pick-me-up after a good workout for humans and dogs alike.

Yesterday we ventured out into the winter wonderland in the midst of the blizzard because Cricket loves to play in the snow. Every time it snows she is like a kid at Christmastime. Her eyes have that excited spark and twinkle, and her excitement is palpable. I mean she literally stands at the door and groans until we get to go outside. Every time you look her way or walk by her she, not-so-quietly, says “Errrrr….Mmmmm….Errrr.” So after 15 minutes of the grunts and goals I broke down, bundled up the family, and out the door we went.

We were greeted by a forcible wind that drove the snow sideways, the ice flakes settling on our eyelashes and making it difficult to see. Oh boy, this is going to be fun, I thought sarcastically. Upon opening the door, which took some effort with the opposing gusts, Cricket was out in a flash! She bounded into the white powder with as much exuberance as a young puppy with a new squeaky toy. The light and fluffy snow was up to her shoulders and she flew around the snow-covered field at top speeds, bounding into the air like a bunny. It made me so happy to see her have so much joy! You have got to watch this crazy dog in action:

So that fun lasted about 10 minutes, before our frozen fingers and toes ached so badly that we had to retreat to the warm indoors. I de-thawed and made these yummy and healthy Peanut Butter Cup Brownies and Peanut Butter and Bacon Biscuits for Cricket. Everybody had their snow fix and their peanut butter fix for the day!

And the SECRET ingredient that makes these brownies extra moist and fudge is…..butternut squash! No joke- it makes an amazing base, and you’ll never guess it’s hiding in these awesome brownies.

And if you like these Peanut Butter Cup Brownies you will also LOVE my BEST Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies too!!

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

These Peanut Butter Cup Brownies are so fudgey, rich, and decadent thanks to a secret ingredient, and they are actually good for you- no guilt here! As always they are grain-free, gluten free and paleo (sub almond butter for peanut butter) and they only have 6 simple ingredients and NO FLOUR!

BROWNIES:

¾ cup of pureed butternut squash or apple sauce
½ cup natural peanut butter (or almond butter, melted)
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
½ teaspoon baking soda
optional: 2 tablespoons coconut flour
for more cake-like brownies.

PEANUT BUTTER CREAM:

½ cup natural peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 tablespoon coconut oil

CHOCOLATE GANACHE:

½ cup chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)
1 tablespoon full fat coconut milk (or you can use coconut oil but it will be less creamy and more of a chocolate “shell” coating)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Place pureed butternut squash in the bowl along with the peanut butter, coconut sugar, cocoa and baking soda, mix well.
Grease a 8”x8” pan with coconut oil and spread the brownie batter evenly in the pan.
Bake for 25 minutes at 325 degrees F, or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove when done and chill in the fridge.
Meanwhile melt the ½ cup of peanut butter with the coconut oil in a small saucepan; once melted and smooth, pour on top of the chilled brownie, and spread with spatula.
Place it back into the fridge.
Next melt the chocolate chips and coconut milk in a sauce pan until smooth and then pour on top of the chilled peanut butter layer and spread.
Chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, then cut and serve!