Almond Butter Cup Protein Cookies

Today I made a really tough decision. Life changing. I decided that it was time to take a break from peanut butter and give almond butter a chance to show me what's up. Ok, so maybe it's not so serious. Or maybe you just don't realize how much PB I actually consume on a daily basis. I currently have a nearly empty crunchy bae sitting in the fridge with 2 brand spankin' new jars up in the cupboard. No grocery run is complete without a trip down the Isle of Creamy Dreamy. To my shock and dismay, I recently read somewhere that a fellow PB loving baker actually developed an adult stage PB allergy from consuming waaay too much (I will still argue that too much PB is not a thing)! Reading that scared the crunchy-creamy dickens out of me, so I picked up some alternates. Sooo... to help me get through this rough patch, I decided to let almond buttah do me a solid and whip up the kind of cookies you make when you're heartbroken: the sweet, salty, sinful-but not so sinful that you feel guilty- kind of cookies. These are flourless, gluten free and refined sugar free with a pea protein pow! Crunchy, chewy, sweet and salty satisfaction. There is light at the end of the tunnel... or maybe that's the fridge light. Whatevs.

Almond Butter Cup Protein Cookies

1 cup almond butter

2/3 cup coconut sugar

2 scoops unsweetened pea protein (can sub other unflavored or vanilla protein powder if desired)

1 egg

Chocolate Glaze

2 to 3 tblsp dark choco chips

1 to 2 tsp coconut oil

Almond Butter Glaze

1 heaping spoon almond butter

1 to 2 tsp coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees anf line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the almond butter and coconut sugar with an electric mixer. Add in the egg and whisk until combined. Whisk in the protein powder. A crumbly but moist dough should form. Roll about 1 inch balls of dough in your hand and place on your prepared cookie sheet. (I was able to get 24 cookies this way. You can definitely roll bigger balls of dough if you want larger cookies)

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly golden but still soft. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. While your cookies cool, prepare the chocolate coating and almond butter drizzle. Melt each in separate bowls with coconut oil. 30 second increments until smooth. Dip each cpokie halfway into the chocolate and place on a tray lined with parchment. Pop in the fridge or freezer to set. Remove from cooling and drizzle with melted almond butter. Place back in the fridge or freezer until set and enjoy!

I like to keep these in the freezer. Keeps them nice and chewy.

Gooey Gluten Free Brownies

Chocolate and I have carried on a long time love affair. Chocolate and I understand each other. Chocolate and I have a bond that cannot be broken. That's why you may notice that nearly all of the recipes I post have chocolate in them. When I think sweet, I think chocolate. Brownies are the ultimate chocolate dessert. I have tried a lot of brownie recipes in my day, but this one might just top all other brownies. First of all, they are made with my favorite flour to bake with: oat flour (xoxo). Secondly, you can change up the sugar and use either cane sugar or coconut sugar (my other fave baking buddy). Both result in ridiculously delicious brownies, but for different reasons. I'm not really a fan of cane sugar, and I reaaallllyyy try to keep that refined babe out of my sweets... but using white sugar creates a crazy beautiful and satisfying crust like nobody's business. The brownies will puff up when baking and then sink when you take them out of the oven, creating cracks of crusty goodness hugging a shy, gooey center. That was my first experience with these brownies, following the original recipe (sans coffee), which you can find here. My second time baking these brownies, I swapped out the refined sugar for coconut sugar. This resulted in a more dense, fudge-like brownie with crazy-complex flavors. The coconut sugar and butter create a sort of (ah-mazing) caramel base, and when they are baked and cooled (I always put my brownies in the fridge or freezer), they taste faintly of coffee. Don't even get me started on the crazy-good and chewy texture with studs of dark chocolate. I cut these babies into bites and store them in a ziplock in the freezer. I eat them cold, but popping a few in the micro for 10-15 seconds is something I can't (and won't) argue with.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups oat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 (1 1/2 sticks) cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups coconut (or cane) sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8x8 ceramic baking dish with parchment paper. In a separate bowl, mix together the oat flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Mix in the sugar and then microwave for another minute. Whisk by hand with a wire whisk or fork until smooth and creamy. Add in the vanilla and cocoa powder. Mix in the eggs one at a time until smooth. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Don't over mix! Top with dark chocolate chips or chunks and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.

*NOTES:

I baked these in a ceramic baking dish and they turned out beautifully. I also tried a batch in a metal pan, but they turned out dry and cakey.

These are best a bit under-baked. They will look too gooey when you remove them from the oven, but they will firm up as they cool.

Vegan Double Chocolate Cake

I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day or the expectations that come with it. Sure, hearts are cute, and who doesn't love a box of chocolates? I'm just not a fan of how the holiday creates a buying frenzy. Love should be celebrated everyday, and I fully believe in showing the people you love how you feel in little, meaningful ways - every single chance you get - ...but I don't think that should mean buying a bunch of 'stuff'. I also hate the question, "So, what did he/she/they get you for Valentine's Day?", like it's some sort of competition. Now, I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but I just think that this holiday is LAME. This is coming from a hopeless romantic (I know it may not sound like it with all of my anti-Valentine's ranting). I have never thought that this holiday was romantic, and that's just my opinion. I'll take those, stay up late talking about life, kiss me in the middle of an argument, hold my hand while watching TV, bring me a flower you picked on your way home when you thought of me, and pinch my butt in the middle of the grocery store because you think I'm really cute (P.S. not an invitation to strangers) kind of moments. It's the little everyday things that matter to me.

Anyway, you know what's not lame? CAKE. Here's a yummy recipe:

Vegan Double Chocolate Cake
Slightly Adapted from Minimalist Baker

1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup hot coffee (I used instant)
2/3 cup melted coconut oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups + 2 Tbsp whole wheat white flour
1 1/3 cups coconut sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt

FROSTING
1 cup vegan butter, softened
2 1/2 powdered sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup dairy-free dark chocolate, melted and cooled
Splash of almond milk if needed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray and dust with cocoa powder. Tap the pans over the sink to shake out the excess, and set aside.
Mix the almond milk and vinegar in a large mixing bowl, and let set for a few minutes to thicken. Add the oil, coffee, and applesauce and beat until foamy.
Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a separate bowl and whisk together. With your mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until smooth and creamy (batter should be thick, but pour-able). Divide batter evenly between your 2 cake pans. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

While the cakes cool, whip up your frosting. Whisk the vegan butter and powered sugar until creamy Add in your cooled, melted chocolate and mix until smooth, then add in the cocoa powder. Whisk everything on high until light and fluffy. Add in some almond milk if the frosting is too thick. You can always add more powdered sugar or cocoa if it's too thin. Once the cake is cooled, frost with your chocolate frosting. If you want to write a note, melt a little bit of white chocolate in the micro for 30 seconds at a time until smooth and melted. Transfer to a plastic sandwich bag, and cut the tip off one corner. Pipe your message onto your cake, and add some pretty flowers if desired. *Note: I always wrap a little parchment around the stems of my flowers before inserting them into the cake.

Whatever your opinion is of Valentine's Day, I hope you enjoy!

xoxo





 

Soft and Chewy, Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, these cookies are also vegan and refined sugar free but I thought the title was already a little lengthy. Anywho, these are my current favorite cookies to bake. They. Are. So. Good. I often (like, always) find myself in dire need of a sweet and salty fix. The ultimate sweet and salty combo being, of course, peanut butter and chocolate. I am also somewhat (completely) interested (obsessed) with using oat flour in my goodie recipes. I have also completely stopped using refined white sugar and switched to coconut, which adds Ah-maz-ing flavor, in my expert opinion. The one thing I have never, EVER tried in a cookie recipe is adding milk. Spoiler alert! It's awesome! That one little addition keeps the oat flour from making the cookies too dry and crumbly. Well, yes, a dry and crumbly cookie is still a cookie, but nothing beats a soft, chewy chipper in my book.

Soft and Chewy, Vegan, Gluten, Refined Sugar Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (phew!)
Adapted from Coco Bakes Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup chunky natural unsalted peanut butter
1 cup coconut sugar
2/3 cup oat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
1/4 cup chocolate hemp milk
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate (or more if you like a higher chocolate to dough ratio)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silpat mat. Using an electric mixer, whisk the peanut butter, sugar and Himalayan sea salt until creamy. In a separate bowl, mix together the oat flour and baking soda. Add into the peanut butter, sugar, salt mixture. Whisk in the hemp milk, and then the chocolate chunks. Use a tablespoon to scoop out dough and form balls. Flatten them a bit on the cookie sheet and bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer them to a fresh piece of parchment paper to cool (I would usually use a cooling rack, but these cookies are very soft when hot. Cooling them on a flat surface works best... if they last that long).

Enjoy!!

No Bake Almond Butter Bars (Creamy & Crunchy!)

 Sometimes you just strike gold. Almond butter, for example, is gold. Ok... well some may argue with me on that, but you can't say that almond butter isn't AMAZING.... and this is coming from a die hard supporter of peanut butter. I am always looking for more ways to eat almond butter and peanut butter (on fruit, in baked goods, on toast, off a spoon... or even Joey from Friends famous "Peanut butter fingers"). I found this recipe from The Toasted Pine Nut while stalking her drool-inducing instagram account. The original recipe is waaaaay good, and it's so easy to tweak to suit your tastebuds. I subbed creamy almond butter in place of peanut butter and omitted the sweetener. You can use any nut butter you please and toss in whatever crunchy bits you desire. Plus, you only need one bowl, and no baking required! Yes, please.

No Bake Almond Butter Bars
Adapted from The Toasted Pine Nut Creamy Crunchy Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup raw unsalted creamy or crunchy almond butter (I use Trader Joe's)
3 T. coconut oil, melted
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut shreds (reserve some to sprinkle on top)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup hemp seeds (reserve some to sprinkle on top)
1 cup chopped pecans (reserve some to sprinkle on top)
Himalayan Pink Sea Salt (reserve for sprinkling)

Directions:

Line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt the coconut oil if needed. Using a wire whisk, whisk in the peanut butter and vanilla. Mix in coconut shreds, dark chocolate chips, hemp seeds and pecans. Spread evenly into your prepared bread pan. Sprinkle reserved topping over the top and sprinkle with Himalayan Pink Sea Salt. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour or until set. Once solid, remove by using the parchment paper to lift out of the pan. Cut into bars and store in a ziplock bag in the fridge or freezer.

Enjoy!

xoxo

Flourless, Refined Sugar Free Brownie Donuts

OHmyglob. OHMYGL..... Ok you get it. These donuts are what dreams are made of! I'm not exaggerating. Moist, dense, satisfiying...check. Sinful chocolate flavor...check. Flourless?? Refined sugar free??? What??????? Yes. And they're glazed too. Uh huh, uh huh. Also, if you count hemp seeds as sprinkles, then these are sprinkled, baby! What's the catch? There isn't one, unless you don't like donuts, chocolate, almond butter or happiness.

Ingredients:

1 cup natural unsalted creamy or crunchy almond butter
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 tblsp. organic cacao
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tblsp. pure grade A or B maple
2 tblsp. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Glaze:
1/4 cup dark chocolate (chips or chopped)
1 tblsp. coconut oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a donut pan by greasing with coconut oil or non-stick spray. Use an electric mixer to mash the banana. Add in the almond butter and whisk until smooth. Add in maple, almond milk and vanilla and mix until combined. In a small, separate bowl mix together cacao and baking powder. Whisk into the wet ingredients just until combined. Spoon the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 12-16 minutes or until the donuts spring back when touched. Remove from the donut pan and transfer to a cooling rack until completely cooled. While the donuts cool, melt dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (I use Trader Joe's 72% dark) and coconut oil in the micro for 30 seconds at a time until melted smooth when stirred. Dip your donuts face first into the chocolate glaze and place on parchment paper. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.

I sprinkled a few with hemp seed for a little extra nutritional boost! Try topping them with coconut flakes, nuts, whatever you want!

xoxo

Guilt Free Dark Chocolate PB Cups

I have a long, semi-complicated, love affair with peanut butter cups. As with any long-time love, we have gone through a lot of ups and downs. Around 6 years old, my passion for peanut butter cups was hot and heavy, and I remember hiding in a display cabinet in a hardware store with an empty wrapper and the guilty scent of peanut butter and chocolate on my breath. Oh, the memories. Unfortunately, one too many stale-tasting PB cups from the convenience store shelf, and my changing taste buds started to wear on our relationship. Over the past few years, I've also become more conscious of nutrition labels and ingredients. I've also been pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to make my own, guilt-free versions of my favorite treats. Using deep, dark chocolate, coconut oil and natural peanut butter, I've finally found my PB soul mate. The best peanut butter cups I have ever had. Talk about happily ever after!

Ingredients:

1 cup dark chocolate
2 tblsp coconut oil
Natural unsalted creamy or crunchy peanut butter

Directions:

Line a mini muffin tin with 10-12 mini muffin liners or silicon liners. In a small pot over low heat, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Divide the melted chocolate among the cupcake liners. Spoon a dollop of peanut butter into each one. Top with remaining melted chocolate and pop into the freezer for at least 20 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened. Enjoy!

I like to top my PB cups with coconut flakes or hemp seed when the mood strikes!

xoxo

The BEST Gluten Free Vegan Fudge Brownies

What do you want a brownie to be? Dense, moist, fudgey, with a strong POW! of chocolate flavor. What don't you want a brownie to be? Full of refined sugars, flour and fat. Sounds like a too-good-to-be-true brownie situation, right? WRONG. You just have to be determined enough to make those brownie dreams a reality. Luckily for you, I've done most of the work so you can just bake and enjoy ;]

Gluten Free Vegan Fudge Brownies

Ingredients:

1 cup natural unsalted almond butter or smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup REAL Grade B maple syrup
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 ripe banana
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder

Directions:

Line a bread pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a standing mixer, or with a hand mixer, whisk together the banana, almond or pb, vanilla and maple. Mix in the cocoa powder and baking powder until smooth. Pour into your prepared bead pan and smooth out evenly. Sprinkle with some dark chocolate or vegan chips if desired. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan before removing. To remove, gently lift the bars out by the parchment paper hanging over the sides. Refrigerate for at least one hour before slicing.

*I left out the chocolate chips, and melted a little coconut oil and dark chocolate, drizzled it over the brownies and then sprinkled some hemp seeds over the top before popping these babies in the fridge. Waaaay good.

These things are super duper addicting, and I found myself eating one before breakfast, as a snack and basically everywhere in between. I recommend cutting them into little squares for this very reason :]

xoxo

The Snack Bowl I Choose Over Ice Cream (Yes!)

This healthy snack bowl is my current go-to for satisfying a sweet tooth. I love it because it is just sweet enough, filling, and not only guilt-free, but I feel really good knowing I'm fueling my body with food that can actually make a difference in the performance of my bod (i.e. no sugar crashes, or mid-day slumps). I also feel really good about the fact that I look forward to eating this as a snack... I mean, let's be honest. How many of us have prepared healthy snacks that end up being wasted because we find something else (anything else) we'd rather be eating. Guilty.

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana
A handful of berries
A dollop of nut butter (I am devoted to peanut butter)
Granola (I really like Hemp granola)
Unsalted raw or roasted trail mix (I love Trader Joes antioxidant mix)
One square of dark chocolate
A small spoon of coconut oil (organic, unrefined is the business)

Just slice a banana, add some raspberries/strawberries/blueberries (whatever your favorites are), a dollop of nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, etc.), some granola and trail mix and arrange it all in a bowl. Melt one square of dark chocolate and some coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds or until melted smooth, and drizzle over the entire bowl. Devour.

I'd love to see what combinations you come up with! Tell me your favorites :]

xoxo

Banana Bread Granola

I love baking, especially around the holidays. All of the usual festive treats are great, but sometimes I like to switch things up by baking something on the healthier side. Granola is one of my all time favorite snack foods, and it can actually be pretty good for you. Don't be fooled, though... some of those pre-packaged, store bought granola cereals are packed with sugar, and basically qualify as a dessert food. Making granola at home is a lot more wholesome and healthy, while still maintaining that dessert-like appeal! I was pleasantly surprised to find that granola is super easy to make, and only takes a few, quality ingredients. I almost always have some sweet, ripe bananas around, so I was so excited when I found this recipe for Banana Bread Granola from the magical miss Minimalist Baker (love her recipes!). Who doesn't love the smell of warm, freshly-baked banana bread? This granola will fill your entire home with the sweetness of this all-time-favorite comfort food.

Ingredients:
slightly adapted from The Minimalist Baker

3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup of mixed nuts: I used pecans, almonds and hazelnuts
3 Tbsp coconut sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 Tbsp flax seed
1/2 Tbsp chia seed
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup honey (can sub maple if vegan)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (extract works well too)
1 medium ripe banana, mashed (~1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the oats, cinnamon, coconut sugar, salt, flaxseed/chia and nuts together in a large bowl, and toss together. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the coconut oil, honey and vanilla until everything is melted together. Remove from heat and whisk in banana puree until combined. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well, ensuring that the mixture is well coated.
Spread the mixture evenly onto one large or two small baking sheets (if you pile the granola onto the sheet, it won't bake evenly and may result in a chewy granola). Bake for 23-28 minutes or until golden brown. Note: For a more clumpy granola, don’t toss the granola while baking. If you prefer a more crumbly granola, stir the granola on the baking sheet halfway through baking to break up the clumps. Once the granola has browned, remove from the oven and toss just a bit to let the heat escape. Cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to an airtight container.

Granola can be enjoyed with milk, yogurt or by the fist-fulls!

xoxo