Dairy Free Fudge bars

It's finally warm around here, and my kids are demanding popsicles. Normally, I would have just bought a big bag of otter pops, but since artificially flavored sugar is now out I had to come up with a different solution. While I was in Oregon visiting family recently, my mom and I made some coconut milk ice cream and even though there was a division among everyone as far as who liked it and who didn't, I thought it was great, so I decided to try a popsicle version.

Puree in a food processor or blender...

1 Can full fat coconut milk
1/3 C. Almond milk
1/4 C. Cocoa powder
1/3 C. Coconut sugar

Pour the mixture into popsicle molds, pop them into the freezer for a few hours, and you are done!

Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies {Gluten free}

 

 

A friend of mine posted a link on Facebook a while back for Secretly Healthy Chocolate Brownie Cookies, so of course I was intrigued and had to check it out. Especially since the author of the recipe claimed they were healthy enough to eat for breakfast. It turns out though that she and I have a difference of opinion when it comes to what is "healthy" I also discovered that this recipe had been slightly adapted several times by different people and the recipe actually originates here. What I also found interesting is that the original version was actually the healthiest and each time it was adapted it was made slightly worse.

 

Even though there are already multiple versions of this cookie floating around out there, I am going to add mine any way, because I think its pretty awesome. I also doubled the recipe because the original was really small.

 

2 Cans black beans rinsed and drained

1/4 C Almond Milk (skim milk would also work)

3 Tbs Natural Peanut Butter

1/4 Coconut Oil

2 C Packed Fresh Spinach (OF COURSE)

3/4 C Honey

1/2 C Cocoa Powder

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

6 Tbs Oat Flour (whole wheat would also work)

2 Tbs Ground Flax Meal

2 Tbs Quinoa Flakes (These are optional if you can't find them, but they add a good amount of protein and fiber. I get mine at our grocery store by the oat flour)

2/3 C Dark Chocolate Chips

 

Combine black beans, almond milk, peanut butter, coconut oil, and spinach in a food processor or high powered blender and process until smooth. Add in the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the chocolate chips and process again until very smooth and mousse like (2-3 minutes) Stir in Chocolate chips.

 

spoon out about 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter for each cookie onto a cookie sheet and bake @ 375 degrees for 9 or 10 minutes.

 

Yields aproximately 2 dozen. Could be more if you make really small cookies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Healthy "er" Chocolate Chip Cookies

I wasn't sure how my kids were going react to these because the one thing I am famous for in our house are my chocolate chip cookies. I'm not the greatest cook, but cookies are my thing. I was even prepared to call them brown sugar cookies so they wouldn't expect them to taste like the normal ones.

Obviously I should not have worried!

Even though these cookies did taste really good and are much better health wise than the original recipe, I have a feeling I'm not done tweaking. So, this is just a first draft, but a great one!

1/2 C Butter
1/2 C Coconut Oil
1 C Sucanat or Coconut Sugar
1/4 C Honey
2 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
Dark Chocolate Chips

No one really needs instructions for how to make chocolate chip cookies, but here they are anyway.

Cream together butter, oil, sucanat, and honey until light and creamy. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Mix in chocolate chips and bake @350 for 8-10 minutes.