Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Healthy Chocolate??

I titled my post healthy chocolate, because that's exactly what this little treat is...Healthy.  Chocolate and peanut butter goodness healthified!

I absolutely love Resees  peanut butter cups, but rarley eat them.  If your anywhere near my age let's just say pushing 40, then you can understand things like Resees become forbidden pleasures.  What do they say "a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips!"  Unfortunately this becomes more true with each passing year.

Which brings me to my new creation.
Vegan and high raw peanut butter cups!


these are some of the ingredients I used


and I can't forget my beloved coconut oil!


I mixed a couple of Tablespoons of PB with a little agave syrup and little ground flax to give it that Resees like consistency


I put a little of the chocolate at the bottom of cupcake holders, which is a combo of cocoa, coconut oil, and agave syrup.  I don't measure at all; I just add a little of this and that till I like the taste and consistency.  If I were to guess I'd say I use about equal parts cocoa to coconut oil.


then I top with the PB


I finish it off with another layer of chocolate.  Refrigerate after complete.  All my candies and desserts will need refrigeration because I don't use sugar, salt, or preservatives.  All of these ingredients preserve food.


Next I whipped up a batch of Vegan and high raw chocolates.  Using the same chocolate preparation as above; cocoa, coconut oil, and agave syrup.


I finished these off by adding some mint and lemon balm from my garden





lastly I made a batch of chocolate and poured it into a dish (same preparation)
I put it in the refrigerator to harden.


then I turned it out onto a cutting board


and coarsely chopped
You can use these to bake with, snack on, use as toppings, throw in smoothies, the sky's the limit.
As everything else, keep refrigerated.  Enjoy!

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I'm linking up with Marla at Always Nesting

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Shutterlove Tuesday with the Trendy Treehouse


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Today I'm linking up with Shutter Love Tuesday, and sharing some friendship photos!  Check them out and be sure to vote for your favorite!
My boys about 5 years ago, I love this one because they rarely have their arms around each other!


sometimes enough is enough!
(my entry)


my sweet little boy




me and my best friend


my sister and I having a girls weekend


one of my best friends since high school

Also a deal for all the mommy bloggers out there, this Saturday 5/22 Old Navy has $1.00 FLIP FLOPS!
Get there early and stock up!
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Monday, May 17, 2010

Vegan and raw chick'n salad cabbage wraps

I'm always experimenting with new ways of preparing food...trying to come up with healthier, quicker, more delicious, and more budget friendly ways of making familiar and unfamiliar dishes.    Recently I stumbled across a blog, Love Veggies and Yoga,  that really inspired me to try all kinds of new recipes and techniques in the kitchen.  Avery is a genius with healthy desserts.  She prepares most all of her food Vegan and raw due to food allergies and sensitivities, and an overall concern about optimal health.  I wanted to share this little creation I came up with recently, inspired by Avery.

to make these I started with raw almonds between 3/4 and 1 cup

Then I ground them using my magic bullet.  You could use a blender, food processor, whatever you have that will finely grind them.

Have you tried this dressing?  It is hands down the best ginger dressing I've ever had outside of a restaurant.

I poured this dressing all over my almond meal.  I used a third to half of a cup.

then I chopped veggies; cabbage, green onions, carrots, and celery

I mixed the veggies and almond meal with the dressing

I pulled a few cabbage leaves off the head

and viola! Vegan and raw chick'n salad cabbage wraps.
These were so delicious and filling!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

More Bragging...

I posted recently about the fact that my oldest son Austin is graduating from high school.  Well, I've just received his senior pictures, and I'm so happy with them!

Check them out!