Spicy Salted Dark Chocolate Almond Bark - A Healthier Sweet Treat

Who doesn't love chocolate!!

I am a sucker for dark chocolate myself. This is one of my new weekend cheat treats. Its got everything, sweet, salty, crunchy and also a little bit of spicy heat! (you can always leave out the spice) I got the base of this recipe from a client of mine, not sure where she got it...but this is my spin on it! You really have the option to add in whatever you like with this one I think, and I am definitely going to experiment with different combos and ingredients with this fo sho. I also just bought this no stick baking sheet thingy and was dying to use it, so this recipe came at just the right time! I'm pretty sure parchment would work just fine but this thing rocked.  I cant wait to use it again!

This is seriously addictive. It's almost guilt free....as long as you don't eat the whole batch!

thank me...... or hate me

Enjoy!

Spicy Salted Dark Chocolate Almond Bark

Ingredients:

1/3 Cup virgin coconut oil
3/4 cup raw cocoa powder
1/4 pure maple syrup
1 tsp organic cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne pepper (I just kinda sprinkled a bunch on, so more or less)
handful of raw almonds, chopped
sprinkle of Himalayan salt

Method:

In a small saucepan, melt coconut oil. Slowly stir in cocoa, add maple syrup and stir til combined well. Add in the cinnamon and cayenne and stir. Pour chocolate mixture onto your prepared baking sheet, sprinkle the almonds on top, and then add the salt.

Pop into the freezer and let it set for a few hours. Take it out and break into pieces, and either store in the freezer for a few month or fridge for a few weeks..

 Devour.

Homemade Banana Strawberry Popsicles

Who doesn't love popsicles on a hot summer day!! This post is a little late as summer is officially over- but I'll post anyways! Super easy and way better than any store bought popsicle. Just a few ingredients:

...and you can find the popsicle moulds pretty much anywhere, I found them at Canadian tire and Ikea. I have mini ones and full size. These are also great for teething. We've still got a bunch of these we need to finish so hopefully the weather will continue to be this nice for a few more weeks!!

Healthy Popsicles

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Almond Milk (or milk of choice)
1/2 Cup coconut water
1 ripe organic banana
handful of organic strawberries
1.5 Tbs organic Chia seeds

Method:

put everything in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into popsicle moulds, freeze and enjoy!!

Lennon definitely enjoys these!

Diving into NUT FREE: Nut Free Oat Cookies

Lennon is off to Nursery School for a few weeks while my parents (her full time babysitters) are away on an extended vacation. You don't realize how lucky you are to have FREE full time care until its gone!!

So this means Lennon is off to a public dare care/nursery school for a few days of the week- and this also means I need to figure out some NUT FREE snacks and meals for her.... most of my stuff includes nuts. I like to add them in for the protein and health benefits but have realized not only for this short stint in daycare, but once she goes to school, this is how it will be....

I am lucky my kid does not have an allergy, and I feel for those who do. Being gluten free, I use nuts ALOT. So this is going to be a new road to figure out nut free options. Its mostly the snacks I think, as her lunches are not really nut filled.

This is the first recipe I created. Its taken from a previous recipe, but now its completely nut free. Its also egg free and gluten free.

A healthy take along snack, you could even have these for breakfast with some fruit!

Nut Free Oat Cookies:

Ingredients:

2/3 Cups what free oats
2 ripe organic bananas
2 Tbs Golden flax meal
2 Tbs Organic hemp hearts
1 Tbs Organic chia seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbs Pure maple syrup
1/2 Tsp alcohol free vanilla
2 Tbs shredded coconut
Handful of organic raisins, organic pumpkin seeds.....maybe dried blueberries?? put in whatever you like!

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Mash up the bananas in a medium bowl. Add in everything else and blend well. Spoon out the cookies onto the baking sheet, flatten them down a bit. I got 6 palm sized cookies but you can make them smaller as well.

Bake in the middle rack for about 15 mins. Let cool and enjoy!!

Healthy Toddler Snack Cookies: Made with Almond, Sweet Potato & Chickpea's

I updated this recipe from the original baby cookie recipe I created, its now a bit more mature for my toddler LOL. She still thinks these are cookies, and that's still really cool with me! She gets excited to eat them and I have no worries having her eat them as they are still packed with healthy ingredients.


Almond Sweet Potato Chickpea Toddler Snack Cookies:

Ingredients:

1 Cup steamed and mashed organic sweet potato
2 Cups Organic chickpeas
1/4 Cup almond butter (any nut butter will work)
2 tsp organic cinnamon
2 Tbs coconut oil
2 Tbs golden flax meal
1/4 oat flour
2 Tbs Pure maple syrup
1 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
Handful of organic slivered Almonds

Method:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place everything but the milk in the food processor and blend, slowly add in the milk and scrape down the sides to make sure everything gets combined. I added some slivered almonds into the batter, just add in a handful and gently stir. Scoop out heaping tablespoons of the doe onto the baking sheet, no need to space out too much as they don't really expand.

Once all the cookies are spooned out, bang down the baking sheet on the counter so the cookies flatten out. I also added more slivered almonds on the tops of the cookies. Optional.

Bake for around 15 mins on the bottom rack. Change to the top rack and bake for another 10-15. Baking time will vary depending on your oven. I just keep checking them, as you don't want the bottom to burn. They should look like this when they are done.

Chewy, delicious and toddler approved!

Andrea's Superfood Power Balls!

This is another one of those recipes that are all over pinterest, tons of different variations and ways to make these. This is my chocolate version and my cookie doe- or vanilla version. As usual, I pack these with my favorite super foods, and you can totally sub in or out some of the ingredients to make them your own. This is the recipe I have settled on...for now... but I'm sure it will vary as my recipes usually do the more I make em.

I love these.

Lennon loves these. 

I always have them in the freezer and they are an easy take along high protein snack for you or baby, or kid, or hubbs... 2 of these fills me up for a few hours and they seriously taste delish! Ill post a few more of my variations when I get around to writing them down!! lol

Enjoy!


Chocolate Power Balls

Ingredients:

1.5 Cups organic dates, pitted

1/4 Cup organic goji berries

1/4 Cup raw organic unsalted cashews

3/4 Cup raw organic unsalted almonds

2 Tbs organic hemp hearts

1 Scoop brown rice protein powder

1 Tbs organic chia seeds

2 Tbs golden flax

3-4 Tbs dark cocoa powder

2 Tbs unsweetened organic shredded coconut

1-2 Tbs water as needed

Method:

Put dates, goji berries  and nuts into the food processor and blend until everything is broken down into small pieces. Add the hemp hearts and protein powder, continue to blend. Add the flax, coconut and chia, blend then add the cocoa and keep blending. Add the water one Tbs at a time- don't add too much or the balls will be too wet! you want the mixture to easily stick together when you squish it in your hands. Grab about 1.5- 2 tbs of the mixture and squeeze it together and then roll into 1.5- 2 inch balls. Store in the freezer. I usually keep a bunch in the fridge as well, just make sure you eat them within a week or so.

*note- you will need at least a 4-5 cup food processor to be able to fit everything in and blend properly.


Cookie Doe Power Balls

Ingredients:

1.5 Cups organic dates, pitted

1/4 Cup raw organic unsalted cashews

1 Cup raw organic unsalted almonds

2 Tbs organic hemp hearts 

1 Scoop brown rice protein powder

1 Tbs organic chia seeds

2 Tbs golden flax

1.5 Tsp organic cinnamon

1/4 Cup unsweetened organic shredded coconut 

1-2 Tbs water as needed

Method:

*Same as above

New Recipe! Gluten Free Almond Butter Banana Muffins

Quick. Easy. Flourless. Sugarless. Whats not to love. These are def a go-to recipe for my LO, and myself (I change the recipe slightly for me, I adda bit of agave and chocolate chips :) I keep these in the freezer and usually giver Lennon one of these, one my oatmeal banana muffins and some blueberries for breakfast and we are good to go. Enjoy

Gluten Free Almond Butter Banana Muffins

1 Ripe organic banana

1/2 Cup Wheat free oats

1/2 Cup almond butter

1 Organic egg

1/4 Cup Grapeseed Oil

1/2 tsp Baking soda

2 Tbs golden flax

1 Tbs Chia seeds

2 Tbs Organic help hearts 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put everything except chia seeds in the food processor and blend well until everything is incorporated

Add in chia seeds and blend un til mixed in. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop batter into lined muffin tins (makes about 9 muffins) Batter will be on the thicker side, you can always add a tablespoon or two of almond milk or milk of choice as well to thin it out a bit too. Pop in the oven for about 12 min on the bottom rack, then move to the top rack and cook for about 3-5 mins. Let cool and enjoy! Store in the fridge for about a week or freezer for longer.

Delish.

New Recipe!!! Baby Bars!

I was looking to find some packaged bars to take with me on vacation as we are staying at a resort, and I am a bit paranoid about the food, for Lennon and myself so I plan to bring a bunch of stuff and snacks from home so I don't have to rely completely on the resort food. I wont be able to bring most of my homemade stuff as they have to be refrigerated, and with travel time, customs, etc... not sure what will make it though. In the process I picked up some organic baby bars from the grocery store- and immediately thought- I can make these!!!! I haven't made any bars really yet for baby, so this is what I created. They are pretty much a power bar as they are packed with superfoods and protein. I have a version of these I make for me, so I figured I'd make some for Lennon following the same idea. The boxed ones are going to have to do for the vacay but these have been great for snacks or for an add on to a meal, she is loving them, and I'm lovin em too! I made them into mini bars for her, but if making for you, just make em a bit bigger. You can always play around with add ons if you keep the base the same, they should work. Ill post a few other variations as I experiment.

Baby Protein Bars

1 Cup organic dates- pitted
2/3 Cups organic raw almonds
1/4 Cup organic goji berries
1 scoop brown rice protein powder (I use Sun Warrior but any protein powder should be fine)
2 Tbs Organic hemp hearts
1 Tbs Organic chia seeds
1/2 tsp Organic cinnamon
1-2 Tbs Water as needed

Put the almonds, dates and goji berries in a food processor and blend until broken down to small pieces. Then add everything else and blend well, add water to get the mixture to stick together and form a doe. You should be able to squeeze it together and it hold its shape.

Transfer to a baking pan and press down firmly. Even out the sides and really press down the mixture into the pan. Mine filled half of a 9x9 pan. You could also roll these into little balls but I find the bar version is easier for little hands and mouths. 

Pop it in the fridge for an hour or so, take out and cut into little bars. I actually cut the bars in half, again, easier for little hands to handle. I wrapped them individually in wax paper, stored a few in the fridge for the week and the rest in the freezer. 

I've stolen a few of these for my own snacks... not gonna lie...