Paleo Morning Glory Muffins

After a lot of unhealthy food choices lately, I've decided to start eating Paleo again. It just gives me more energy and makes me feel so much better. One of my favorite things about this dietary choice is that you can make a lot of the same foods you love, you may just have to tweak the recipe.

Morning glory muffins are probably my favorite. I've been craving them lately, so I decided to come up with a simple dairy-free, gluten-free recipe. These muffins are healthy, filling and sweet with a hint of spice from cinnamon and cardamom.

Paleo Morning Glory Muffins

Yields: 9 muffins

Ingredients:

3/4 C almond flour
1/2 C mashed sweet potato
1/4 C shredded carrot 
1/2 C shredded coconut
1/2 C raisins
1/2 C dried cranberries
1/2 C walnuts
1/4 C palm sugar
2 eggs
2 T chia/flax/hemp seeds
2 t vanilla extract
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t cardamom
1 t baking powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with papers, or grease the pan.

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together until well blended. Divide into muffin wells and bake 23-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool 5 minutes, then remove from the pan... consume!

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

I managed to give my KitchenAid Stand Mixer a run for her money this weekend and baked several different types of cookies - all with the help from my lovely friend, Chenelle :) **click here to see the various models and colors offered at The Bay.ca - we have the Artisan 5qt Stand Mixer in Metallic Chrome with the meat grinding attachment that I am dying to use!**

 

If any of you know me, or have followed my blog for a while, then you know that I really love chocolate. It is definitely my weakness! and I try to incorporate it into my recipes as often as I can. I always enjoy baking as much as possible during the holidays, since I like to give out giant gift baskets to my families instead of individual gifts - it just seems more personal and far less commercialized than purchasing individual gifts for each family member. It's also financially suitable since I have a very large family.

 

These Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies have become a part of my Christmas Countdown this year and it is the first time I've tried these. They have a very chewy, almost pillowy texture, which I really loved. I wish I had added some chocolate extract to enhance the richness of the cookie, but the flavor is still there since I used unsweetened baking squares instead of cocoa powder. The texture of the dough is quite soft and can be a little difficult to roll if it is too warm, if you have trouble, pop it into the fridge for 30-45 minutes and it should be chilled enough to roll nicely.

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies:

Yields: 24 cookies

Ingredients:

1 C butter, softened
1 C granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 t vanilla extract
2 oz unsweetened chocolate baking squares
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
20 caramel squares, unwrapped
Pecan halves *optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and chocolate. Mix well. Add flour and blend until well combined.

Shape into 1" balls and press one square of caramel into the center of each cookie. Bake 10 minutes, top with a pecan half and transfer to a cooling rack.

*Next time I make these, I am going to melt the caramels down with a bit of milk so that the caramel stays soft. The caramel squares harden and are a little tough to bite through, unless the cookies are dipped in tea or another hot liquid, which is very nice if I do say so myself.



Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Chocolate Double Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies

I am the type of person who refuses to acknowledge Christmas until December 1st. Today happens to be that day, and I am launching my annual Christmas baking countdown. My last post, "White Chocolate-Cranberry Cookies" technically launched this motion, but now that it is officially December, I am planning to bake at full force.

My initial goal is set to two recipes per week, but I will definitely be crunching in extra recipes the closer we get to Christmas. I have eight recipes lined up, but I wanted to begin with an easy one.

My mom used to make these when I was younger and over the years I have tweaked them here and there. I have baked these so many times over the years, I could make them with my eyes closed.

Chocolate Double Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies

Yields: 30 cookies

Ingredients:

1 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1/4 t salt
1/3 C cocoa powder + 1 square unsweetened baking chocolate
1 t baking powder
2 C all-purpose flour, less 2 T
2 T cornstarch
2 t peppermint extract
white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Mix on a medium speed and add one egg at a time, then add peppermint & vanilla extracts and melted baking chocolate.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour & constarch, salt, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Pour into mixing bowl, in 1/2 C intervals, while blending in between additions. Mix until well blended.

Fold in white chocolate chips, scoop onto prepared baking sheet and bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to a wire cooling rack, and let stand 5 minutes before consuming.

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Almond Butter Cookies

Peanut butter cookies are one of my top favorite kinds of cookies, but since I switched over to a Paleo diet, we haven't had peanut butter in the house. Instead, we have almond butter and I've been dying to come up with a good Almond Butter Cookie recipe.

Some people don't realize that baking is a science. All the ingredients involved work together to create chemical reactions that allow for certain qualities in baked goods to happen. Some key points to know in baking are which ingredients provide structure and which ingredients provide softness, sweetness and color. Check out this brief guide below:

Flour & eggs for structure; fat and sugar for tenderness:
In baking, flour and eggs are the structure-builders and essentially hold the recipe together. Fat and sugar do the opposite and provide tenderness and moisture. Baking soda and baking powder are used as leavening agents and cause baked goods to 'rise' during baking.

Eggs provide two parts: whites dry out baked goods, while yolks provide velvety, smooth texture. Since yolks are full of fat, you can add extra yolks to add smoothness to your baked goods without having to add more oil/butter.

When using sugar, most people assume it is used as a sweetener, i.e. in coffee/tea. However, in baking its role becomes more complex as it adds volume, tenderness, texture and color.

Brown sugar vs granulated sugar:
These two sugars are virtually interchangeable, however, using brown sugar will create a moister result with a more "butterscotch" flavor as the molasses in the brown sugar will add depth.

Initially I wanted the recipe to be Paleo-friendly, so I used honey in my test batch. While the cookies had great flavor, the texture was far too cake-y for my liking -- I prefer cookies to have a crispy outer edge and a chewy center.

My second round was far more successful as I nixed the honey and replaced it with good ol' fashioned sugar. While these cookies are no longer Paleo-friendly, they certainly are sweet tooth-friendly!!

Almond Butter Cookies:

Yields: 12 cookies

Ingredients:

1 C natural almond butter
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C granulated sugar
1/4 C ghee or regular butter, melted
1/2 C almond flour
1 large egg
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4-1/2 t cinnamon
1/8 t cardamom
1/2 t sea salt
1 t vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl; cream together almond butter, both sugars and ghee. Add vanilla and egg and beat together until mixed well.

In a separate mixing bowl; add almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom,  and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and fold together. Mix until well incorporated.

Spoon tablespoon-sized balls onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake 10-14 minutes, turning once. Adjust baking time to suit your oven. I baked these in a convection oven and had to add about 2-4 minutes to the baking time. Serve warm with a cold glass of milk!

*Try adding finely chopped nuts to this recipe. Next time I make these I will add some roasted pecans/hazelnuts to increase the "nut" flavor I was going for. Don't skip the cinnamon and cardamom, they add a beautiful hint of warmth and spiciness that are perfect for Autumn

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Raw Paleo Energy Orbs

One thing I've noticed recently is that a lot more people are getting out and being active. I see more people outdoors, in their workout gear, on their bikes or on a run and it's inspiring! It creates motivation in others to see people getting out there and being physical and staying healthy.

Ensuring that you are consuming enough energy to fuel your marathon runs or your epic bicycle trek into work is very important. My mom is a long distance runner and has been looking for a simple, easy snack that she can bring with her on those treks to hit the pavement. These Raw Paleo Energy Orbs are perfect for that little bite you need to add that burst of energy to your longer, more strenuous exercise days.

I am sure you have seen many recipes that are similar to this and the beautiful thing about food is that you can add/remove pretty much anything you want, because creating flavors to your preference is what it's all about!

Raw Paleo Energy Orbs

Yields: 24+ balls

Ingredients:

1 C pitted dates
1 C mixed nuts *no peanuts if you are following a Paleo diet
4-6 T chia seeds
4 T coconut oil
4 T almond butter
*Optional: shredded coconut
*Optional, but highly suggested: 4 squares semi-sweet baker's chocolate

Directions:

In a food processor, blend dates, nuts and chia seeds until finely chopped.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt coconut oil and almond butter. Add to nut mixture and mix well. Melt chocolate and add to the same bowl, mix until thoroughly incorporated.

At this point you may want to add 1/4-1/2 C almond flour to the mixture if it is too runny. You want to be able to form ball shaped orbs. You can also add more chopped nuts/dates, shredded coconut or chia seeds to absorb some of the extra liquid.

Form 1 T size portions into balls, chill in the fridge/freezer and wrap in parchment paper. Consume before your exercise regime or bring some along with you!

*You could also form these into small squares by pressing the mixture into a small, square shaped pan. Chill and cut into small squares.

Nutritional Info:
per 1 orb serving
92 calories
9.4g carbohydrates
3.7g fat
1.29g protein
12.6mg sodium
6.8g sugar
(please note, nutritional info is approximate as it was provided by MyFitnessPal)


Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Marble Brownies

I love to bake! Generally, when I bake, I tend to stick to simple recipes that are easy to follow - i.e. quickbreads (muffins, zucchini/banana loaves, etc.), but one of the easiest, simplest recipes to make is a fresh batch of brownies. This recipe has nothing to do with the Whole30, Paleo or healthy eating at all, but these brownies sure are delicious and satisfying.

We used cake flour instead of all-purpose for a fluffier, less dense brownie and we also added in a rich cream cheese filling to marble into the top layer. Good luck keeping these in your kitchen, they are so tasty they will not last long!

Marble Brownies

Yields: 24 

Ingredients:

8 T unsalted butter

12oz semi sweet baking chocolate, chopped

2 1/4 t vanilla extract

3/4 t almond extract *optional

1 1/4 + 1 T cake flour

1/4 C cocoa powder

1 1/2 t baking powder

1 1/4 t salt

7 eggs

2 1/4 C sugar

4oz cream cheese, at room temperature

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a 9x13" baking dish with greased parchment paper, set aside.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate, set aside.

In a small bowl, sift together 1 1/4 C cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set dry ingredients aside. In a large bowl, whisk together 6 eggs and 2 C sugar until dissolved and frothy. Stir in melted chocolate and fold in flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared dish; spreading evenly.

With a hand mixer on medium speed, beat remaining sugar and cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth and fluffy. Add remaining vanilla, almond extract, flour, and egg; beat until smooth. Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the chocolate batter and swirl together with a toothpick. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (approximately 35-40 minutes). Let cool on a wire rack, cut and serve.

*Not everyone is a fan of almond flavor, it is optional and if you choose to use it, keep in mind that it can easily overpower the flavors in a recipe - use a little bit at a time.

*To improve the chocolate flavor, try using a combination of dark and semi-sweet chocolate, or add finely ground or brewed coffee to deepen the richness of this brownie.

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Summer Chicken Salad

Right now, us Vancouverites have been enjoying some of the most spectacular summer weather we have seen in years! Now, if you've been following my blog for a while you know that I LOVE to cook. However, one downside to hot seasons is slaving over a hot stove. Salads, BBQs and milder temperature meals tend to be showcased during the summer and this tasty recipe is no exception!

Summer Chicken Salad

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 precooked roast chicken (store bought is fine, or you could roast your own!), shredded and diced
2/3 C mayo (check out the recipe I have for homemade mayo at the bottom of this previous post!)
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 ribs of celery, diced
2 carrots, shredded
1/2 red onion, diced (or use scallions!)
1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
*optional, but highly suggested* 2 T basil pesto (see recipe below for a dairy-free version!)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients and toss to mix together. Make sure you mix well to incorporate all the flavors - especially if you added the pesto!

Serve on fresh Kaiser buns, or for a healthier option, serve on beds of lettuce i.e. the photo that was posted.

Homemade Basil Garlic Pesto

Yields: 1 C

Ingredients:

1 C fresh basil leaves
1 head garlic, roasted (preheat oven to 375, cut the tops off garlic head, drizzle with olive oil; salt & pepper, wrap in tin foil and bake for 30-45 minutes. Let cool and then squeeze bottom to release the sweet, garlicky goodness that you just created!)
1/4 C toasted pine nuts (toast for 1-2 minutes in a skillet over medium-high heat. You want them to turn golden brown, not burnt!)
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 C EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/4 t Kosher salt

Add all ingredients to a food processor. Blitz until well blended and very smooth. Fill up a mason jar (or ice cube tray for individual portions) and freeze or refrigerate!

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free "Cheesecake"

I have always had a major sweet tooth. If there are cookies, Nanaimo bars, traces of pie or cake... I will eat it. And I will eat all of it. Since I have been following a Paleo-style diet for the past several months, it's been much easier to avoid over consumption of sugary treats.

I really enjoy taking classic recipes and modifying them to follow healthier guidelines. Since diets like Paleo or raw eating have become so popular, it is not difficult to find recipes and inspiration from other people's kitchens. One of the most classic desserts that comes to mind for me is Cheesecake, which makes my mouth water just thinking about it! Technically this is not a cheesecake, as it is 100% dairy-free, but it is every bit as scrumptious and satisfying as the original. I'd suggest giving it a try and see for yourself if it steps up to the plate.

Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free "Cheesecake"

Yields: 1, 9" cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 C pecans
1 C soft pitted dates
1/2 C shredded unsweetened coconut

3 1/2 C raw cashews, soaked, drained and rinsed
1 C raw, organic honey
2/3 C virgin or extra virgin coconut oil
2/3 C freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 t vanilla extract or 2 vanilla beans, scraped

Directions:

Soak the cashews for at least 4 hours, or overnight. They need to be soft. Rinse and transfer them into a colander and let them drain into the sink while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a food processor; add pecans, dates, and coconut. Process for 1-2 minutes until mixture is semi-coarse. Pour into the bottom of a 9" springform pan and press to even out the bottom layer.

In a food processor or high performance blender; add drained/rinsed cashews, honey, coconut oil, lemon juice and vanilla. Blend well, approximately 5-7 minutes to ensure the mixture is well blended and very smooth.

Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Place dessert into the freezer, for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove slices 1/2 hour before serving and top with your favorite fruit mixture, or go ahead and eat it plain.

*Use a muffin tin and make individual, mini "cheesecakes" for a party, or if you prefer single-sized portions.

*Don't believe me that this is a healthy option for dessert? This recipe does not contain any refined sugars or oils, is filled with "good" fats, is cholesterol free and is packed with antioxidants (Vitamin C if you top it with fresh berries and Vitamin E from the cashews and pecans). Much healthier than the "original", which is packed with high fat content, cholesterol and sodium, not too shabby if you ask me!

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!