Christmas Rice Crispy Squares (*almost* fat free/sugar free/gluten free/dairy free/vegan)

                               Hello, I am the Christmas Snowman who bakes.

     The baking Christmas snowman? I haven't decided which title I like better.

  But, you came here for food, right? Well, you're in luck! Essi has let me take over her kitchen for a day, and this is the result:

Inspired by this recipe: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/08/18/5-ingredient-rice-crispy-treats/
1 c. chickpeas
2 bananas
1/2 c dates
1 T honey (agave nectar for vegans)
1/2-1 tsp peppermint extract
1-2 droppers full of stevia
1/4 tsp salt
3 c rice crispy cereal
Topping/glaze:
1 T peanut butter (or coconut butter)
1 banana
1/3 c almond milk
Sprinkles!
In a food processor, blend the first five ingredients until smooth. Taste test, and add the additional sweetener, if desired. Don't clean the food processor yet! In a medium bowl, mix the rice cereal and the salt, then pour the chickpea mixture over top. Mix until all the cereal has been coated, then press into a 9 x 9 baking pan. Pop into the freezer to set while you make the glaze. Whiz the ingredients for the topping in the food processor, then spread over the squares. Add some sprinkles! (Christmas or other) Store the bars in the freezer when you're not eating them ;)  

Always remember, you are loved! Merry Christmas! :D

Gingerbread cookies

It's Christmas! I apologize for not posting more, but I've been swamped with Grade 12, applying for college, and working. However, I have managed to concoct a cookie recipe for you!

1/4 c. coconut oil, softened (other oil works as well. You could even try a nut butter!)
1/3 c chickpeas
1/4 c. molasses
1/4 c boiling water
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 c raisins
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/4 c oat flour
Optional: 10-15 drops of stevia, for a sweeter cookie
Blend the oat flour and raisins until the raisins are incorporated. Be careful, if you blend to long it will become clumpy. You're aiming for the raisins to become part of the flour. Set aside.
In the magic bullet or blender, combine the first 3 ingredients. Add the ginger, baking soda and salt to the oat flour/raisins and mix. Add the liquid from the magic bullet and the boiling water to the and mix well. Try to dough, and if it needs to be sweeter, add the stevia drops.
Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 F
Enjoy!
  

Blueberries and Chocolate (my new favorite snack!)

I few things I've learned about myself and the world since starting this blog:
I have food sensitivities! All this playing around with new foods has lead me to discover that I'm sensitive to dairy and soy. They both make me break out badly.
There are so many amazing people in the blogosphere! I've been inspired by several bloggers to improve the quality of my photography and the content of my blog. I  know I'm not the most frequent blogger, but I try my best.
Since beginning this blog, I've gone from following recipes (which I still do on occasion) to creating my own successes (and ten times as many failures! Why do you think it takes me so long to get a recipe up?) But when I do post a recipe of my invention, it's with a sense of accomplishment. A year ago I never imagined this is where I'd be.

                                        Anyways, you came here for a recipe, right?

I'd like to share my new(est) favorite snack. The best thing about it? It's really easy, with few ingredients and tastes awesome!
1/4-1/3 c frozen blueberries
1/2 c. almond milk (I use unsweetened)
1-2 tsp carob powder (cocoa works in a pinch)
3 drops stevia
In a bowl, mix the blueberries in the carob powder. Pour on the milk and add the stevia. Eat with a spoon :)

                                                     (Told ya it was easy!)

Slightly Indulgent (but still healthy) Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

I this created cupcake for a friend's birthday. Knowing that the people I'd be serving these to aren't accustomed to healthy sweets, they are higher in sugar than what I'd normally make. But hey, compared to a traditional cupcake recipe, these are great!

1 c. chocolate almond milk (I just used this because I had someone had given me a carton and it was almost past the due date. Any milk will work)
1 T vinegar
1/4 c. coconut oil
2 eggs
2 mashed bananas
1/3 c. white sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. quick oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4-1/3c. cocoa
1/4 c. chocolate chips
In a measuring cup, add the vinegar to the milk and set aside.
Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Add the coconut oil, eggs and sugars to the mashed bananas. Whisk the dry ingredients, then add the sour milk and banana mixture. Mix until just combined, then spoon into greased muffin tin, filling about 2/3rds of the way. Bake for 12 minutes.
*for those who may be wondering, it works out to 121 calories per cupcake*

"Nothing to Eat at the End of the Week" Pancakes

Am I the only one who has this problem? It's the day before you go grocery shopping and there's nothing in the house to eat? This was my predicament when I walked into my kitchen for breakfast this morning.
No almond milk and Dad had eaten the last of the granola. I was in a creative mood so I whipped up these pancakes with leftover quinoa, bran, and coconut flour.

1/4 c. cooked quinoa (I make a big batch to use throughout the week. I recommend Kelly's cooking method found here)
1/4 bran
1 Tbsp coconut flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
shake of salt

1/2 tsp molasses
2 egg whites (I buy just egg whites, and I had little left in the carton. Feel free to use a whole egg instead)
1/3 c. water
3 drops stevia
Whisk the bran, coconut flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Add the molasses, egg, water and stevia and whisk some more!
Spoon into a hot frying pan in 2 inch disks and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side.
Top with chocolate chips, peanut butter, fresh fruit, anything you like!

Orange Juice Granola

                                                     

I love granola.

              I create a new flavor almost every week! I usually don't write down what I do (very bad habit, I know!) But here is one combo I come back to often:4 c. rolled oats
1 c. coconut
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
1/2 c. earl gray tea, brewed double strength (or other strong tea of choice)
 2 T molasses
5 drops liquid stevia (If sugar doesn't concern you, feel free to use 1/4-1/3c. brown sugar, depending on the desired sweetness)
2 T date paste
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 can unsweetened orange juice concentrate, thawed (Please check to make sure there's no sugar added! I use no name brand unsweetened)
In a large bowl, mix the oats, coconut, cinnamon and nutmeg. In small bowl or measuring cup, combine the pumpkin, tea, molasses, stevia, date paste and orange juice concentrate.
Pour over the oats and stir until coated. Bake at 300F for 24 minutes, stirring at 6-minute intervals. Enjoy for breakfast or a snack!

Mini Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Last month the lovely Kelly from Foodie Fiasco posted a recipe for The World's Healthiest and Easiest Cinnamon Rolls. They really do live up to their name! Check them out here. I've made them several times, but I've adapted the recipe slightly.

                                               Oh, and I added chocolate. :)

1 1/2 T chia seeds mixed with 6 T water
1/6 c. applesauce (I eyeballed half of 1/3)
1/4 c. coconut flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
shake of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Filling
1 T date paste
1 tsp cocoa
1 tsp reduced calorie margarine
1 tsp xylitol (Or sugar, if you don't mind the calories)
chocolate chips
Let the chia seeds stand until gel forms. Mix with applesauce, then add coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix until it comes together. Place on a piece of parchment paper and knead for two minutes then start smushing down. Top with another square of parchment paper and using a rolling pin roll into a square. The dough should be less than 1/2 inch thick. In a small ramekin mix the date paste and cocoa. Peel the top piece of paper off and spread the chocolate date paste on the dough. Liberally shake on cinnamon, and sprinkle about 1/2 tsp chocolate chips over the square. Roll and cut as you would a regular cinnamon roll. (You should get 7 rolls) In the same ramekin you mixed the date paste, mix the margarine and xylitol. Spoon a tiny amount (not even a 1/4 tsp) into 7 cavities of a mini muffin pan. Place the rolls in in the muffin tin and bake at 400 F for 7-10 minutes until done (You might need to bake them a little longer, but err on the side of slightly under-baked)  *if you don't own a mini muffin tin, don't worry! Just use a baking pan and spread the xylitol mixture in the bottom of it, then put in the rolls*        

oops, looks like someone took a bite ;)

Green Eggs

I continually come back to this recipe as a fast, easy lunch. No need for a salad, this has it all.

         You might get some weird looks though.

Green Eggs (but no ham)
2 handfuls spinach
1 egg
water
fennel
garlic salt
Heat a frying pan on med. Blend the spinach with about 2 tablespoons water in a magic bullet, then add the egg. Add the egg mixture to the frying pan and sprinkle fennel and garlic salt over top. Cook until the top starts bubbling, then start scrambling! Keep lightly scrambling the egg until done, about 5-7 minutes.
Serve hot with a slice of toast, and enjoy!

Tofu Ice Cream

Last weekend we entertained some guests, and this involved a make-you-own-sundae-spree (it really was a spree, you should have seen the kids!) Toppings included brownie chunks (homemade, so healthy!) sprinkles, fresh pineapple and chopped chocolate bars (I lost the battle on that one)
Oh yeah, and ice cream.
Breyer's ice cream.
What did I do? I ate tofu :)
Not plain, mind you. Tofu ice cream. It can be done!!!

Wanna know how?

'Course you do!

1/2 c. tofu (I used medium firm)
2 T date paste/syrup (you can also use honey or maple syrup, but I'm trying to be as sugar-free as possible)
3 drops almond extract
1/3 c. water
3 drops liquid stevia (Or more liquid sweetener)
1-3 tsp. carob powder (you can use cocoa, but then you might need more sweetener)
Optional: Ice cubes
 Blend everything except ice cubes in a blender/Magic bullet until smooth. Now you have a choice. You can either make a milkshake, or ice cream.
For a milkshake, add about 5 ice cubes (more, if you like your shakes thicker) and blend until the ice cubes are incorporated.
For ice cream, pour the mixture into a shallow container and freeze for 1-2 hours. Then, put back in the blender and whirl until it reaches the consistency of ice cream!

Are Your Veggies Boring?

This is something I've struggled with most of my life. Yes, I know that I need to be eating veggies every day, but sometimes there are so many other foods calling my name!
So here are a few of my favorite ways to make eating vegetables fun:
Salad. The possibilities are endless. Throw in some leftover chicken from last night's supper, a handful of roasted chickpeas (upcoming recipe!) Some fish.
Have fun and play around to find flavor combo's you like!
Two of my favorites to get you started:
Sweet 'N Crunchy Salad
1-2 generous handfuls spinach, ripped into bite-sized pieces (the amount depends on how much salad you normally eat)
1 Tbsp ricotta cheese (low-fat if you wish, but for me, cheese is something I eat sparingly, but when I do, it's the REAL stuff with full flavor)
Shelled sunflower seeds
Raisins
Simply mix the ricotta with the spinach until evenly distributed. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and raisins. Eat.
Greek Salad
1-2 handfuls romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
feta cheese, crumbled*
Italian dressing, or other vinaigrette
*As I said before, I don't use a lot of cheese, just enough to add flavor. Especially with feta, less is more.
Toss everything and enjoy :)
Unexpected pairings:
Peanut butter and broccoli. LOVE! Again, with this less is more. I usually measure less then a Tbsp of peanut butter, then dip my broccoli and smile.
Add a Tbsp of medium salsa to your salad. It adds a great kick!
Roasted Cauliflower
cauliflower florets
lemon juice
chili powder
red pepper flakes (optional)
Spread out the florets on a baking pan and sprinkle/brush with lemon juice. Shake on some chili powder, and if you want an extra kick, red pepper flakes. Roast @ 400F for about 20-25 minutes then broil for 2.  
And there you have it! Just a few of the many ways to (gasp!) enjoy  love eating your greens! (and the not-so greens)
What's your favorite way to eat veggies?

Cookie Development

I participated in a science a couple weeks ago. My project: The Perfect Healthy Cookie. 
I developed two recipes that I had people try and survey. 

 Cookie #1: Tropical Chocolate Chip Cookie (Makes 35 cookies)


11/2 large bananas
⅔ c. unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp reduced calorie soft tub margarine (the brand I used had 35 calories per two tsp)
2 c. rolled oats
½ c. unsweetened coconut
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ c. mini chocolate chips

1. Grind oats in a food processor until it becomes flour. Add salt and baking powder, pulse for about 10 seconds, so baking powder is incorporated. Set aside in a small bowl.
2. Microwave bananas for 1 minute. This makes them mash more easily, and also makes them sweeter. Mash bananas, applesauce and margarine. You can use the food processor to mix the wet, or do it by hand using a fork. Pre-heat oven to 350F
3. In a mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients, oat flour, chocolate chips and coconut.
Drop by tbsp into ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes. Cookies are done when *slightly* firm to the touch.

Cookie #2: Chocolate Spice Cookies (makes 40-45 cookies)


1 c. oats                                             
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda 
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 c. cooked butternut squash                                                                        
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ c. soy milk¼ c. warmed coconut butter
1 tsp cinnamon 
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp jaggery (or honey)
¼ c. mini chocolate chips                                       
3 tbsp date paste    

1. Blend dry ingredients in a food processor until oats have turned to flour. Set aside.
2. Blend chickpeas, squash, milk, date paste, jaggery and coconut butter until no lumps remain.  Pre-heat oven to 400F
3. Add dry ingredients and chocolate chips, pulsing until combined. Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
*If you’re used to sweeter desserts, you may need to add more date paste or jaggery, keeping in mind that jaggery is more intense in flavour.

Vegetarian Meatballs

I recently had some lovely friends over. One is vegetarian, so I thought it would be a good reason to explore some meat alternatives. Hence, the creation of a chickball. That doesn't have the same ring as meatball. Oh, well, whatever you want to call it, here's the recipe:
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed (white kidney works too)
2 eggs
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 meat-free beef flavored bouillon cube, crumbled.
Pulse chickpeas in a food processor. You don't want to puree them, just get them to a crumbly stage. Add navy beans and blend for about a minute. Texture should be slightly lumpy, with no whole beans.
Transfer beans to a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. You can roll them into balls, but I just spoon the mixture into a greased muffin tin. Bake at 400F for 10-13 min, then broil on the middle rack for another 3 minutes.
I served the meat-less balls with salad, rice and home-made tomato sauce (same recipe as New Year's Eve dinner post)

Samoas?

Ever had a girl scout samoa?  

                                           I haven't. But I've heard they're an amazing cookie.

The traditional samoa has a shortbread base, a chewy coconut layer on top, then the whole thing is dipped in and drizzled with chocolate. Not exactly the best cookie health-wise. All the recipes I've found online call for butter, sugar and caramel. Caramel is made from butter and sugar, my two biggest no-no's. So, I present to you my made-over recipe: (which contains no butter or sugar ;)
1 c. toasted unsweetend coconut. (Please please please do this! just stir coconut in a heavy saucepan on med-high heat until it starts to brown. you need to watch it carefully so it doesn't burn)
1/4 c. unrefined coconut oil
1-2 T date paste (my palate has adjusted to lightly sweetened desserts. If you need more sweetness, give the dough a taste and adjust accordingly)
1/3 c. nondairy milk (you could use coconut, to go with the theme ;)
2 tsp ground flax
1 tsp vanilla
1/2-3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt.
Chocolate Sauce:
1 T chocolate chips
1 1/2 T coconut butter
2 tsp peanut butter
Combine coconut oil, date paste, milk, flax seeds and vanilla. Add 1/2 c. whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt to form a thick dough. (If the dough seems really wet, add the extra 1/4 c. of flour.) Mix in toasted coconut. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Flatten into disks, and use your finger to make a hole in the center on each cookie. Bake for 8 minutes @ 350F
Now you have two choices: clean up the kitchen or mix up the chocolate sauce.
For the chocolate sauce, microwave the three ingredients for 30 second intervals until melted.
Let the cookies cool before dipping the tops in chocolate.
Enjoy!

Red Velvet and Rocky Road Cookies

I made these for my family's Valentines Day supper. You'll never guess what's in 'em.

                          (also pictured: http://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/03/02/7th-heaven-in-7-layers/)
'kay, I'll tell you, but you'll have to read the recipe
Red Velvet/Rocky Road Cookies
(beets, chickpeas, the usual)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. nut butter
1/4 c. pumpkin (pureed butternut squash works too)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c. non-dairy milk or water
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 c. beet puree
1 T date syrup/honey
1/4 c. chocolate chips
Blend everything minus chocolate chips in a food processor/blender. Divide dough in half and mix in chocolate to one half. Add 1/4 c. cocoa powder, 1/4 c. chopped walnuts and a generous tablespoon of crumbled coconut butter to the other half. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes @ 400F.
*Over the course of a few months, I've found that I need less and less sweetener in my desserts, so give the dough a taste and adjust the sweetener accordingly.  
 

Chocolate (Zucchini) Muffins

I love muffins. Bran, plain, banana, carrot. But all muffins I bake have one thing in common.
Chocolate.

It might be a handful of chocolate chips added to the batter, or a drizzle of chocolate coconut butter. (upcoming post!)
Or it could be a muffin of pure chocolate goodness.
With zucchini.

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. cocoa
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 spotted banana
1/4 c.-1/3 c. brown sugar (I used jaggery)
1/2 c. applesauce
1/4 c. soy milk (or almond or cow's as a last resort)
1 tsp vanilla
1c. shredded zucchini (equal to one whole zucchini)
Crumble topping
1 T breadcrumbs/crushed rice crispies
1/2 T jaggery (Or brown sugar)
date paste
carob chips or milk chocolate chips
For the topping: using a fork, mix together breadcrumbs and jaggery. Add small amounts of date paste until the mixture starts coming together, but still crumbly.
For the muffins:
Whisk dry ingredients. Here's a little trick I learned from Chocolate Covered Katie: If you microwave a banana for about 1 minute, it's a lot sweeter! It also saves you from having to mash it. Combine the banana, applesauce, milk and vanilla. Add to the dry. Don't mix yet! Add the zucchini, then stir until the dough comes together and flour is completely incorporated. Spoon into a greased muffin tin. Sprinkle the crumble topping and a couple carob chips on each muffin. Bake @ 350 F for 18-25 minutes.
Note #1. Be careful with the carob chips. They're a lot sweeter than semisweet, so I only use 4-5 chips per muffin.
Note #2. I've been trying out sugar alternatives lately. The current one I'm loving is jaggery. You can find it in most ethnic food stores in the Indian section. It's a concentrated cane juice made with minimal processing.
Since it's not pure sucrose, the sugar content per tsp is lower then white or brown sugar. The flavor is very strong, so a little goes a long way. It might not be for everyone, but I'm really enjoying experimenting with it!

New Year's Eve Dinner

                                                 Ahh, another supper dish.

My family had this awesome meal for New Year's
The best part?
I don't need to tell you :)
IT'S HEALTHY!
Chicken Parmesan and Zucchini Pasta
Sauce
1 can peeled whole plum tomatoes
2 stalks celery
1/2 c. cauliflower
2-3 cloves chopped garlic
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
Garlic salt
Chicken
2 chicken breasts
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. breadcrumbs (I used whole wheat)
1 lightly beaten egg
olive oil
1/4 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
Zucchini Pasta
2 small zucchini
For the sauce: Blend the tomatoes, celery and cauliflower in a magic bullet/blender until mostly smooth. Pour into a large sauce pan on high med-heat. Add garlic, basil and oregano. Shake garlic salt to taste. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring occasionally.
For the "pasta" wash the zucchini and peel length-wise. You want long, thin strips. Stop when you reach the center on the zucchini (you'll know it's the center when the strips become grainy) Set aside.
Reduce the sauce to medium heat.
Chicken: Laying the breasts flat, slice in half horizontally. The end result should be four thin slices about a 1/4 inch thick, but still the size of your palm. By making the breasts thinner, you cut down of cooking time and amount of meat needed.
Fry the zucchini on med-high in 2 tsp of olive oil for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Mix together the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a large, shallow bowl. Dip the chicken into the beaten egg, then breadcrumb mixture. Place onto a grill pan (it's a ridged baking pan used for oven grilling)
Broil for 3-5 minutes each side until done.
To serve, place 1 chicken breast with a serving of zucchini on the side. Add a Tbsp of ricotta to the side and spoon a generous amount of sauce over the dish.  

Baked Fudge

                                                                    Fudge.

                                                                 Is soooo good.

                                                 Even better when it's good for you.
This recipe requires no candy thermometers, no fancy ingredients. Just black beans.
You read that right.
Baked Black Bean Fudge (say that ten times fast!)
1 15 oz can black beans, drained
2 spotted bananas
1/3 c. honey
1/4 c. cocoa
1-2 tsp maple extract (you can sub vanilla)
1/4 c. rolled oats
1/4-1/2 c. unsweetened coconut
1/4 c. brown sugar (if needed)
Blender-ize the black beans, bananas and honey until smooth. Pour into a medium-sized bowl, add maple extract, rolled oats and coconut. Give it a taste-test :) If there's too much bean flavor, add a Tbsp of brown sugar. If you're still not happy with the taste, keep adding small amounts of brown sugar, but don't go over 1/4 cup. Pour the mixture into a 9x9 baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes @ 350F. Wait about 20 minutes before cutting, 'cause the fudge needs time to set.