Sinless Cupcakes

I adapted this recipe from Paleo.com
Great treat that is guilt free!

What You Need:
Batter:
1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
1/2 Cup Honey
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
6 Eggs
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 Tbs Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Frosting
1 Cup Dark Chocolate
2 Tbs Honey
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
Pinch Sea Salt

What to Do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry batter ingredients in bowl and mix. Combine wet ingredients in bowl and, using hand mixer, mix. While mixing, add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Pour into greased cupcake pan. Makes 12.
Bake for 18 minutes.

Frosting: Melt coconut oil in small saucepan. Add chocolate, vanilla, honey, and salt. Mix thoroughly, transfer to food processor or blender (make sure this can fit in the freezer) and let sit in freezer until it has a thick consistency (about 10 minutes). This took me a few times of taking it out, re melting in the microwave, and re freezing to get it right but if the top is somewhat hard and you catch it just before the bottom hardens, it is perfect. Keep an eye on it every few minutes.
Remove from freezer and whip in food processor.

Allow cupcakes to cool completely before adding frosting. I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to decorating frosting.. I plopped a blob on each and swirled a fork around it to create the rose-like look. Better than nothing!

Enjoy!

Post Workout Chocolate (Almond) Milk

Great healthy alternative to chocolate milk, Gatorade, or "Recovery" drinks!


I started Insanity today and also am coupling the p90x diet into it. I am not into sugary drinks, so the "Recovery" drink they recommend is not something I would purchase. I read somewhere, however, that chocolate milk works as a substitute. Being that this is also super full of bad sugars, I decided to come up with my own! This gives even more protein than regular milk, without the sugar that can make you crash!

8oz unsweetened Almond milk
1/2 Tbs plain cocoa powder
1 tsp raw honey

Tip: Mix honey, cocoa powder, and just a little almond milk until well blended before adding to milk, unless you have one of those awesome shake cups!

Chocolate Blueberry Energy Smoothie

This smoothie does everything I need: satisfies my sweet tooth, gives me energy, gives me the PROTEIN I need for a quick workout (30 mins or less of cardio) and fills me up!

What You Need:
1 cup frozen blueberries
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate Chobani yogurt
1 Tbs Chia seeds
1 Tbs honey
1 Tbs peanut butter

What to Do:

Blend ingredients, and enjoy! (Serves 2)

Oat-Almond Raisin Cookies

What You Need:
2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
2 organic eggs
1/2 cup sliced almonds (or walnuts)
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbs melted butter

What to Do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grind oats in food processor until mostly ground, I left it with a few whole oats. Combine remaining ingredients and add to cookie sheet. Makes approximately 16 cookies.

Bake for 15 minutes, enjoy!

Maple Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola

What You Need:
1/8 cup EVOO
1/8 cup Coconut oil
1/3 cup PURE maple syrup
1/4 cup of my homemade peanut butter
1/2 tsp organic sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
4 cups old fashioned oats
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup raw peanuts
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2/3 cup chopped dark chocolate - buy lindt or ghiradelli 90% dark bars and chop them up. This is very close to being sugar free, and no extra work is required.
Another option is to buy unsweetened carob chips.

My personal choice for an option is to buy a bar of unsweetened chocolate. Chop it up, put it in a double boiler, and add raw honey to sweeten. Once mixed to desired sweetness, spread the mixture over wax or parchment paper and place in the freezer for 20 minutes. When it's frozen, chop it up. 

What To Do:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Bring oils, syrup, peanut butter, salt, and cinnamon to a simmer on the stove. Allow to simmer, stirring to mix well, for 3 to 5 minutes.

Combine dry ingredients and pour warm mixture over them and mix until coated.

Spread granola over two aluminum-lined baking sheets and place in oven for 40 minutes. You may wish to stir halfway through.

Allow granola to cool completely before adding chopped chocolate.

Enjoy :)

PANCAKES

These have interesting ingredients but I promise they taste like french toast! You'll love them.

What You Need:
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 organic eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp raw honey
Food processor or blender
Butter or coconut oil

Toppings of your choice :) I put kiwi

What To Do:
Blend oats in food processor until flour-like
Add the rest of the ingredients, blend until smooth!
Heat pan, add butter or coconut oil, pour batter and cook on medium. Flip to other side when cooked.

These keep me full all morning :)

If you are hungry - double this recipe (originally serves 2).

Enjoy :)

Granola Bars - My favorite snack!

What You Need:
2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup sliced or chopped almonds
1/2 cup peanuts (roasted or not, either way non-salted)
1/2 cup raw honey
1/3 cup packed homemade PB
1 oz butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 - 2 cups dried fruit (I used cranberries and apricots - NO sugar added!)
Greased 9x9 (or equivalent)

** I always make a double batch to have them for snacks for the week! **

What To Do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sunflower seeds, oats, and almonds on half pan and place in oven for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Meanwhile, combine honey, PB, butter, vanilla, and salt in saucepan and cook on medium, stirring constantly until well combined. Time this so you are taking the mixture out of the oven and adding to directly to the sauce. In large bowl, combine oat mixture and sauce, peanuts, and fruit. Mix until well combined. Reduce heat in oven to 300 degrees.

In baking pan, press mixture down evenly and bake for 25 minutes.
Allow to cool completely before cutting into approx 2x2 squares.

Enjoy!

Paulina's Pancakes!

CELEBRITY POST!

My pal Paulina sent me this recipe!

I made it this morning it was DELICIOUS!

What You Need:
1/3 cup oats
orange zest
Nutmeg
salt
1 apple, sliced into flat medallions and cored
cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg (Paulina used just an egg white, I used the whole egg)
A stove
A microwave
Food processor
Paper towels
raw butter
Frying pan
MAYBE some milk - still testing out that theory
Banana - optional
This is enough for one person - double the recipe if you are eating with a pal, or even more for a family!

What To Do:
In your food processor, grind your oats into flour. Add in salt, zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, grind some more! (I left out orange zest because I didn't have any but I am really excited to try it!) Add egg and grind until batter-like. This is where Paulina added in a banana and pulsed.. as we all know my repulsion with bananas, I left this out. I also found the nutmeg reminded me more of fall. If you're looking for a seasonal fall recipe - this is great with lots of nutmeg! For winter I like it with more cinnamon than nutmeg.

Warm apple slices in the microwave until ALMOST mushy. I put them in for about 1.5 mins.
Pat them dry with a paper towel.

Heat butter in frying pan, dip apples in batter, and fry!

Topping recommendation: pure maple syrup with splash of OJ and orange zest. Again I did not have these ingredients, but I can't wait to try it!

Here is a pic she sent me of hers:

Thanks Paulina! They were delicious!

Better (for you) Than Reeces!

Healthy Peanut Butter Cups!


Just please learn from my mistakes! I have made these multiple times now, MOST times they come out delicious. Little did I know that chocolate is a thermo plastic substance.... I had no idea what this meant. My chocolate that I had melted hardened a bit and I put it back on the stove, thinking I could re-melt it. Didn't happen. THEN just as I'm getting really frustrated.. my boyfriend says "are you sure chocolate isn't a thermo plastic substance?"

In my irritated state I wanted to hear nothing of his definitions and looked it up online. Chocolate falls in to this category. I am sure that some of you are more experienced with desserts and have found out one way or another that chocolate does not re-melt once you melt it... I, however, have never much been into baking or dessert making. I made them anyway, but you better believe I will always make sure to have my cups prepared with peanut butter before melting the chocolate!

This is one instance where my love for efficiency did NOT come in handy at all.

What You Need:
3/4 cup of LB's peanut butter (a few posts down)
6 TBS raw honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 - 1/4 cup coconut oil (if you made my peanut butter with the coconut oil as suggested, and do not like coconut flavor, you may want to add less than the recommended 1/4 cup)
1/3 cup chopped peanuts
4 oz unsweetened chocolate - that's the key to making it good for you! NOT dark or semi-sweet
Double boiler or heat safe bowl
Mini muffin cups

What To Do:
Combine peanut butter, 2 tsp honey, vanilla, coconut oil, and chopped peanuts. Drop a teaspoon into each of the mini muffin cups.
*Should make approx 24 minis. If you do not have minis or want larger cups, use about double the amount to make 12

Heat water in double boiler (or if you do not have one, heat water in pot and place heat resistant bowl on top) and place chopped chocolate in the top portion. Stir until melted, adding in remaining honey as you'd like. I now add around 2 tsp.. but if you like them sweeter use all 4. MAKE SURE your cups are filled with peanut butter before doing this! Quickly drop about a tsp of chocolate onto the cups (double if using large) and place in freezer.

I refuse to show you a picture of my awful mistake - but they looked great before I hardened my chocolate!

(pic is recipe doubled)

Enjoy!

PALACINTAs :)

Hi Ma! Adapted your palacinta recipe to make it 100% healthy .. go me!

Everyone else ... palacinta is fancy for "awesome crepe with good stuff inside"

What You Need:
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup coconut flour
1 cup rice flour (preferably brown)
4 tsp honey or stevia
1 container cottage cheese
2 cups raw whole milk
1 tsp salt
coconut oil or raw butter
A frying pan
An oven
Self control

What To Do:


To Make Crepes:
In mixing bowl mix 4 eggs and 2 cups milk. Add 2 tsp honey. Mix in coconut flour and salt. Mix in rice flour.

NOTE: You CANNOT substitute for both cups of coconut flour.. it is too dense and does not hold together well enough. You CAN, however, if you are not trying to be super healthy, substitute for 2 cups regular flour. I don't recommend it, but it's your ass, not mine.

Heat a small amount of coconut oil or butter in pan on medium low. Add 1/4 cup of batter to pan to make a thin, large crepe. Cook through. You can flip and brown the other side if you feel like it.

To Make Filling:

Combine remaining egg, honey (or stevia - if using stevia use half the amount) and vanilla. Spread on crepes and roll. You can add other things if you want .. if you prefer fruit, add it on top or add it alone. Keep in mind you can still top it later. I like mine with just the filling- John (my boyfraaand if you didn't know) wanted to add strawberries.

 Once they are all rolled up - layer them in a baking dish. It is fine to layer them on top of each other. Add dollups of real butter, sprinkle with some stevia or stevia blend and pop in the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes. I made them the night before I wanted to eat them so I am just going to pop them in the oven for a few minutes in the morning.. but otherwise they are good to enjoy immediately!

Makes approx 8 servings of 2-3 Palacintas. Will depend on how thin you make yours. I made them a little thicker so it holds the filling.. that and since the flour holds differently than regular flour you may need them thicker in order to keep them together when you flip it on the pan.

Enjoy :)

The first staple - PEANUT BUTTER!

Easy Peanut Butter :)

What you need:
2 cups raw peanuts
1.5 TBS coconut oil
Raw honey
Salt

What to do:
Slowly pour 2 cups (or 1.5 cups if you want chunky PB) peanuts and coconut oil in the food processor while it is on. Once it is to a smooth consistency begin to add honey in the same fashion.
Taste-test and add as you like :)
If making chunky PB - add remaining .5C and pulse until desired texture.

Enjoy :).