SunButter Chocolate Squares

 If you are a fan of Chocolate and Peanut Butter, then you will be a fan of this take on a peanut butter cup.

I found a recipe online and made a few changes.....it is difficult to have just a small piece .... 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of cookies ... crushed (I put mine in the Vitamix) I used Enjoy Life gluten free cookies
  
• 1/4 cup melted butter or coconut butter (add a bit more if needed)
  
• 1/8 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup (I used NO SUGAR ADDED) Sun Butter
• 1 cup chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life Mega Chunks)
  
• 1 TBSP coconut butter
• 1 TBSP Sun Butter

 

Instructions:

1. Combine cookie crumbs, melted butter, and Sun Butter. Add to a square baking dish lined with parchment or sprayed wth a bit of oil so the treat does not stick
2. Refrigerate for a few minutes while you melt the chocolate
   
3. Melt the chocolate chips with 1 TBSP coconut oil and 1 TBSP Sun Butter.
4. Add melted chocolate to cooled crust
5. Refrigerate till it sets

NOTE: Start with 1/4 cup melted butter of choice. If the mixture is still dry, add more a bit at a time.

The Wonders of Jool

The Wonders of Jool

There are many uses for Jool. It is great on its own as well as in recipes. Jool's natural sweetness lends it to uses for breakfast or dessert.

Jool for Breakfast

I added a layer of Jool Chocolate Date Spread to my Banana Bread Recipe to create a layer of flavor in the middle. I served the bread with a thin layer of Jool Chocolate Spread and even added a roasted banana.

Dates contain natural sugars and are high in fiber and antioxidants. They have a low glycemic index and may help control blood sugar. They contain 20% of the RDI for potassium, 14% of magnesium, and 12% of vitamin B6. Studies have shown they may contribute to brain health, bone health, and ease a woman's labor pains.

I DROOL for JOOL

I DROOL for JOOL

I Drool for Jool! 

When I came across Jool Chocolate Date Spread at the La Jolla Open Aire Market I KNEW I needed to try the product. It was everything I love in one package! To me, dates and chocolate go together like peanut butter and jelly. I am SO happy I tried this product!

You Know You Love A Product When ...

When you open the jar you see something that LOOKS like Nutella, but know that it is not Nutella as it only has THREE ingredients: dates, chocolate, and olive oil. I celebrate a product with no added sugars...the natural sugar of the dates is all you need here!

When you spread the Jool Chocolate Date spread on bread, a banana, a pancake, a waffle, or an apple you are transformed. The rich cacao and the sweet date flavor complement the fruit and pastry and send you on flavor thrill ride. Sprinkle on some walnuts and you get a crunchy delicacy!

So Many Ways to Use Jool Chocolate Date Spread ...

I decided to use Jool Chocolate Date Spread in one of my tried-and-true recipes. I added it to my Power Cookie Sandwich Recipe. I loved the results! I made a batch using dates and cranberries and a batch using dried bananas. Both tasted great ... but the dried bananas were special. The next batch I make, I will use a combination of dates and dried bananas.

Sesame Milk Chia Pudding

Plant Based Milk Alternatives

I have been drinking almond milk for years and have been happy with the taste of the product. What concerns me about almond milk is that it takes ONE GALLON OF WATER to produce JUST ONE NUT. Living in California and experiencing droughts, water restrictions, and fires, I wish to find another plant based milk source that is more sustainable.

Hope & Sesame

A new product, Sesame Milk,  entered the marketplace last year and I just had an opportunity to try it. Hope & Sesame has brought to the marketplace delicious sesame milk in original, original unsweetend, vanilla, chocolate, and chocolate hazelnut flavors. The creamy milk is wonderful. Each flavor is great. I can find a way to use each one...I cannot decide which is my favorite!

Hope & Sesame sesamemilks contain Sesamein, their very own plant-based protein concentrate. An 8 ounce glass of sesame milk contains 8 grams of protein (as much as dairy milk) with less sugar, more Vitamin D, no dairy, and no lactose.

Sesame has many nutritional benefits:

• high in protein
• high in magnesium
• reduces blood pressure
• reduces cholesterol
• boosts heart health
• boosts respiratory health
• prevents cancer
• good for digestion
• good for healthy skin
• relieves arthritis
• protects the liver from alcohol
• prevents wrinkles
• encourages bone health

Sesame Milk provides nutrients including:

• Plant-protein
• Heart- healthy fatty acids
• Calcium
• Iron
• Phosphorus
• Selenium
• Manganese
• Magnesium
• Copper
• B-complex vitamins
• Zinc

Sesame Milk Uses

Drink sesamemilk on its own or use it in recipes. Today I used Chocolate Hazelnut Sesamemilk as my blank canvas and created Chocolate Hazelnut Chia Pudding. Today we ate this is a dessert.

Ingredients:
1 cup Chocolate Hazelnut Sesamemilk
1/8 cup chia seeds (organic if possible)
VARIATIONS: Fresh fruit, seeds, nuts, or granola as a topping (if desired)




Instructions

• Stir the chia seeds in the milk until fully covered with liquid
• Let set in the refrigerator for at least an hour
• Stir to desired consistency ... NOTE: I wanted my chia pudding a bit thicker so I added an additional 1 TBSP of chia seeds at this point, stirred, and let the pudding set for another 30 minutes
• Serve when set or wait a day
• I served both plain and with bananas and coconut ... top based on your flavor/texture preferences

NOTE: This can be served for breakfast or dessert based on presentation/toppings.

Valentines Day

Are you looking for a allergen friendly Valentine Candy for a school snack or school party? Are you looking for something special to put in your child's lunch or send to your favorite college student in a care package? Are you looking for a treat for yourself?

We associate Valentine's Day with the color RED and hearts, flowers, and chocolate.

Enjoy Life Foods has a line of Valentine Mini Chocolates that are just what you need! Between now and February 14, 2019 you can get 15% off Enjoy Life Valentine’s Day Chocolate Minis using the code BeMine15.

Date and Seed Bars

Cooking is something that brings me joy! I get excited to try a new recipe or make a few changes to a tried-and-true No Bake Date Delights Energy Bar Recipe.This recipe allows for customization in flavor profiles and well as presentation. You can make them in squares, rectangles, use a cookie cutter, or even roll into balls. Have fun! Play with your food! Make cooking fun!

Recipe:

• 2 cups pitted dates (I get mine from Futterman Farms)
• 1 cup nuts of choice (I used peanut this time)
• 1 cup oats (I use gluten free)
• 1 serving SunWarrior Classic Plus Chocolate Flavor Plant Based Protein
• 1/4 cup pepitas/hemp seeds to garnish top - optional

Options:

• Substitute 1 TSP vanilla flavoring or vanilla protein powder for the chocolate protein powder
• Substitute I TSP coconut flavoring for the chocolate protein powder and ADD 1/4 cup dried cranberries and 1/4 cup coconut 

Instructions:

• Combine 1/2 of the ingredients at a time in a Vitamix and blend until a paste is formed. 
• Add the "dough" to a glass pan and flatten with the flat end of a spatula
• Sprinkle the seeds to the top and push into the bar with the flat end of a spatula
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
• Cut into bars the size of your choice

NOTE: From time to time, the mixture can be extra moist depending on the moisture of the dates you are using. When the mixture is extra moist, the bar "dough" could bunch up and stop the mixture. If this happens, use a spatula and remove the mixture from the Vitamix. After a few minutes, add 1/2 back at a time and pulse until a thick smooth paste.  Add a bit more oatmeal if necessary. Each batch of dates is different!

No Bake Cookie Balls

I love baking but do not always like to heat the house as the temperatures increase. I also sometimes find myself in a bind and do not have enough oven space for baking while I am making the REAL food for a dinner gathering at my home. I get around this predicament by making NO BAKE TREATS!

No Bake Cookie Balls are blank slates that can be customized. Options will be noted with the ingredients. The Cookie Balls last a week stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container ... if they last that long!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Don't Go Nuts Roasted Chocolate Soybean Spread (or nut butter/soy butter/seed butter of your choice)
• 4 tbsp butter or coconut butter softened 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla (coconut)
• 1/2 cup gluten free four (I used a 1-1 blend ... you could swap flours but may need to adjust moisture)

Instructions:

• In a stand up mixer, mix the soy/nut/seed butter and butter until they are creamy
• Add sugar and flavoring 
• Add gluten free flour
• Form into small balls and refrigerate for about 30 minutes

OPTION:
Indent a thumbprint in the top of the ball
After they chill to "set" you can serve with fresh fruit, jam, soy/nut/seed butter, or candy in the imprint

NOTE: 
They seem very soft when forming and refrigerating
They are stiff when they first come out of the refrigerator and soften within a few minutes. 

Chocolate Coconut Bites

I modified my Chocolate Banana Balls recipe to change the flavor profile and texture. This bite comes out of the refrigerator solid and softens in about 5 minutes. The bite is dense and has a bit of a chew due to the coconut. Enjoy this sweet treat with a cup of tea or coffee!

Base Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Don't Go Nuts Chocolate Roasted Soybean Spread
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
•  4 TBSP coconut butter (melted)
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed

Instructions:

• Melt coconut butter (I melted it for 30 seconds in the microwave)
• Combine coconut butter, Chocolate Spread, and brown sugar in a bowl
• Add gluten free coconut flour and coconut and combine
• Refrigerate to let "set"
• They become hard after solidifying in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving to fully appreciate the complex coconut and chocolate flavors. 

Variations:
Add a different gluten free flour
Add gluten free chocolate chips  

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies with a Sunwarrior Flair

I modified my flourless peanut butter cookie recipe to include Sunwarrior Mocha Warrior Blend plant-based protein. The addition created a soft cookie with a hint of chocolate flavor!

BASE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup NUT BUTTER - pick the flavor you prefer ... homemade or store bought ... creamy or chunky
1/2 cup SUGAR (increase flax seed or protein powder and cut down here if you wish)
1 FLAX EGG (you can use a traditional egg if you wish)
1/2 cup FLAX SEED
1 TBSP VANILLA
1/2 cup Sunwarrior Warrior Blend Mocha

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prepare the flax egg. As it rests preheat the oven to 350 and line cookie trays with parchment for easy clean up  
2. After the flax eggs "sets" (about 5 minutes) combine all ingredients in a stand up mixer. After a minute or two, stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl to get the ingredients that slid UP the walls. Mix again for about 1 minute to fully combine all ingredients.
3. Make sure your hands are clean ... then get them dirty by creating gold ball sized balls of the nut butter mixture. 
4. Bake as balls or use a fork to criss-cross and flatten a bit
5. Cook for 15-20 minutes depending on size of cookie and oven temperature
6. Let cool so they hold their shape when you go to eat them!
7. Store in an airtight container. You can refrigerate to extend the shelf life.