Category Archives: Sweet Stuff

Creamy Dreamy Superfood Pudding

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Happy Birthday to our daughter, she turned two years old today! I made this pudding yesterday for her birthday dessert tonight – her dessert is usually fruit so this was a treat!

She LOVED it! Can you tell?

 

When I saw this recipe on HealthyMammas.com, I just had to make it! As they put it ” how else can you find a way to get in your Chia Seeds, Hemp Seeds, and Coconut Oil in one sitting?” My thoughts exactly!

Ingredients
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup cashews (use RAW cashews, bulk section at Sprouts)
  • 1/2 cup hemp seeds – (I used whole and shelled, all I had)
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar – (I used brown sugar, all I had but I will use coconut sugar next time! Buy at Sprouts)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil (I used a little less)
  • 2 ½ Tbsp chia seeds (You can buy them here on Amazon, best price I’ve found and free shipping!)
Instructions
  1. Soak the cashews in water for 4-6 hours. When finished rinse the cashews with water and strain. (don’t leave this part out! I made it without and with soaking – huge difference!)
  2. If coconut oil is solid place in a pan or double boiler on the lowest temperature possible. (or stick in the microwave for about 6 seconds) Once oil becomes a clear liquid turn the heat off. Coconut oil should melt at 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
  3. Place the water, the soaked cashews, the hemp seeds, the coconut sugar, the salt, and the vanilla extract in a high-speed blender. (My Vitamix was PERFECT for this)
  4. Blend on high until you have a nice creamy consistency.
  5. Turn the blender on low and while it is running slowly pour in the melted coconut oil. Place the lid back on and run the blender on high for a few seconds.
  6. Turn the blender on low and slowly pour in the chia seeds. You will want to make sure the chia seeds stay whole. (important, I also tried this with and without keeping them whole. My recommendation is to keep them in tact.)
  7. Place mixture in a sealed container (a quart size mason jar works great) and refrigerate over night. Super Food Chia Pudding is great topped with cacao nibs and hemp seeds or fresh berries.
  8. It will be runny when you pour it out of the blender but don’t worry, it will set up in the fridge.
Notes

Makes 4 cups, or approximately 6-8 servings.

I topped this with mini vegan chocolate chips, yummy! I can’t wait to try berries!
 Thank you Healthy Mammas!!!

White Bean Pumpkin Pie Dip

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I’ve made this a few times for snack or dessert and it’s always a hit! I love that it’s so easy, healthy and delicious! My toddler loves it with apple slices!

This is another delicious recipe from Healthy Happy Mama food blog, she also created the Orange Banana Walnut Breakfast Quinoa… double yum!

White Bean Pumpkin Pie Dip

1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, or 1 (15 ounce) can, rinsed and drained

1 cup pumpkin puree (plain, not the pumpkin pie mix)

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

In a food processor, process the beans until they are almost smooth.  Add the other ingredients and continue to process until you have a smooth texture.  (If you don’t have a food processor, go ahead and use your blender to make this)  Enjoy!

Coconut Cardamom Breakfast Farro

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Farro, you may not know what it is but trust me, you’ll like it! It’s one of the oldest cultivated grains on our planet. It is high in fiber and protein and a great source of complex carbohydrates (think good carbs – whole grains). It has a chewy, hearty texture and looks like this…

I tend to rotate breakfast grains and this is high on my list of favorites! I was in a coconut-type of mood this morning so I came up with this Coconut Cardamom Breakfast Farro! Hope you like it, I did… and my toddler REALLY liked it!

I used Kal Brand Stevia, instead of sugar, to sweeten it up a bit. You could almost chill this and make it into a dessert pudding!

Ingredients:

* 1 cup farro, rinsed

* 1 – 14.5oz can coconut milk (lite or regular)

* 1 cup almond milk (or whatever milk you want to use)

* 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

* 1/4 tsp coconut extract (optional but good)

* Little less than 1/8 tsp Stevia

* Big pinch of salt

* Shredded coconut, unsweetened (to top)

* Cinnamon (to top)

Directions:

* Add farro, milk, cardamom, stevia and salt to saucepan. Bring to boil.

* Reduce heat to a low boil, cook for 25 minutes or until your desired texture, stirring occasionally.

* Stir in coconut extract, serve with shredded coconut and a dash of cinnamon on top!

SUPER Fudgy Brownies

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These brownies are so moist, no one will ever know they are whole-wheat, dairy free and VERY low-fat! My hubby LOVES these brownies and the guys at the fire station do too. Come on, just look at them… they scream fudgy!

Super Fudgy Brownies

This recipe is from one of my favorite plant-based food bloggers recent cookbook “The Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Delicious Fat-Free & Low-Fat Vegan Recipes“.

Here is the recipe:

* 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

* 1 cup brown sugar

* 1 cup raw sugar

* 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

* 1 tsp baking powder

* 1 tsp fine salt

* 1/4 cup chocolate non-dairy milk

* 18-oz cup plain soy (or almond, rice or coconut) yogurt

* 1 tsp vanilla extract

* 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (optional) – I did not add these

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Grease a standard 9-inch square baking pan, set aside

3. Whisk flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder and salt together in large bowl

4. Add 1 cup water, chocolate non-dairy milk, soy yogurt and vanilla, stirring until just combined

5. Add chips if you’re using and continue to stir until fully incorporated

6. Transfer to the greased pan, using a spatula to even out the batter and smooth the top

7. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes

These are SO GOOD!!!

Fresh from the oven

Look how moist they are!

Yummy!!

I like it warm with a little soy ice cream on top!

Hey There Sweet Stuff!

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We usually have some sort of iced tea ready in our fridge at all times. My Dad gave me this special loose-leaf green tea from his acupuncturist, I cold brew that one in the fridge. I also make batches of green tea/lemon zinger in my Iced Tea Maker. We both love our iced tea but can’t drink it without sweetener. I hate all that weird chemical sugar and I feel like I have to dump so much regular sugar in to get it to where I want it to be, same with my hubby.

Have you heard of Stevia? It’s an all natural sweetener (actually it’s an herb) that’s like 200-300 times sweeter than actual sugar with zero chemicals and ZERO CALORIES. Stevia is made from a plant and it’s simply awesome!

Stevia is an all-natural herbal product with centuries of safe usage by native Indians in Paraguay. It has been thoroughly tested in dozens of tests around the world and found to be completely non-toxic. It has also been consumed safely in massive quantities for the past twenty years.

I recently purchased this Kal brand Pure Stevia Extract and I’m in love! You can even cook with it! I’ve added it to coffee, tea, oatmeal, breakfast quinoa, Skinny Girl Margaritas (sorry, they aren’t very good without it!) and I’ve even tried baking with it… it’s awesome!

Kal brand Pure Stevia Extract

It’s $18.82/free shipping for 3.5 ozs on Amazon – which sounds expensive but this bottle has about 3500 serving in it! The scoop inside is so tiny and if you use any more than that little scoop its way too sweet.

Tiny Scoop!

There’s NO unpleasant aftertaste and NO CALORIES!! It also won’t raise your blood sugar!