Chocolate Quinoa Brownies

There’s nothing like I like more than baking while stuck home during a blizzard. I found a recipe for German Chocolate Quinoa Brownies on one of my favourite websites, and by substituting sunflower butter for cashew butter, and sunflower seeds for pecan pieces, I came up with this nut-free, school-safe snack, that’s full of protein and fibre.

For the Brownies:

• 1 1/4 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sunflower butter (or peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter, etc)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (or oil of choice)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

For the topping:

• 1 cup unsweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (or pieces of pecans, almonds, etc)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 and line an 8×8 glass baking dish with parchment paper
• Put all the brownie ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
• Pour the batter into the dish and bake for 30-40 minutes
• Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the topping in a small bowl and mix well
• Allow brownies time to cool before applying the topping
• Slice and serve

Quinoa Oat Granola Bars

After a few attempts at homemade granola bars, this will definitely be my staple. Aside from being quick (neither the oats nor the quinoa have to be pre-cooked), the great thing about this recipe is that you can play with flavours. I’ve included some suggestions below but I encourage you to experiment with your favourite dried fruit and nut combinations.

  

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 1 cup large flake oats, uncooked
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 3/4 cup honey
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup dried fruit/nut combination

Procedure

1. Grease a square dish with butter & preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine oats and quinoa and place in dish
3. Toast in oven for 8-10 minutes
4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine peanut butter, honey, oil and sugar over low heat
5. Stir and bring to a boil, stir and remove from heat
6. Next, toss coconut and dried fruit/nut combination, as well as the toasted quinoa and oats into the saucepan to combine all ingredients
7. Transfer to baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes
8. Place on a wire rack to cool before cutting

Variations

You can also melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips/peanut butter chips with 1 tbsp coconut oil in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring in between until completely melted. Dip granola or spread on top of granola bar, place on parchment paper and allow to cool

Try changing the peanut butter to almond butter or sunflower seed oil to compliment your flavours.

• 1 cup diced dried figs (feature picture)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries & 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanuts & 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
• 1/2 cup pecans & 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds & 1/2 dried apricots
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, 1/4 cup pecans, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds & 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup dates, 1/4 cup chia seeds & 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Creamy Sea-Salted Fudge

This fudge is a delicious treat for the holidays, garnished with crushed candy canes. It’s also a great little holiday workout for your biceps as you’ll be vigorously stirring for up to 18 minutes. Makes for guilt-free indulgence!

Ingredients

• 14 ounces of condensed milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 150 grams light brown sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp of sea salt

To decorate/flavour

• Crushed candy canes
• Coarse decorating sugar
• Freeze-dried fruit of choice
• Sprinkles

Instructions

1. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper
2. Combine all ingredients except the sea salt in a small sauce pan
3. Mix ingredients with a wooden spoon over medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved and the butter has melted
4. Now turn up the stove to high and bring to a boil. You’ll need to reduce to heat slightly to avoid splatter while you stir the fudge constantly for 10 minutes
5. Remove from heat and add sea salt and let stand for 2 minutes
6. Now, stir vigorously for 5-8 minutes until the batter firms
7. Transfer to baking dish and sprinkle topping of choice.
8. Use a spatula to push the toppings into the fudge slightly
9. Allow to cool at room temperature for 2-3 hours before cutting

Chocolate Coffee Cake

Today’s my dad’s birthday – a perfect reason to indulge and bake a homemade chocolate cake from scratch. Of course, when I served this for dessert tonight my brother looked at me and in all seriousness said, “Ok, so what’s ya got in this? Spinach? Beans?” For the first time in a long time I could honestly say nothing! This cake is loaded with sugar, cocoa and butter and for that you get one incredible tasting cake. I’m a huge fan of chocolate, but I am not one for sweets if that makes sense. And I am very particular about icing. Of all the icing recipes I have tried and experimented with over the years this is hands down my favourite. It’s buttery-creamy texture is set off perfectly with a hint of coffee and avoids all that sugary-sweet taste that I loathe in icings.  I hope you enjoy as much as my family did. I got this recipe from the Food Network and never changed a thing.

Prep Time: 30 minutes          Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

Cake

• Butter, for greasing the pans
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (1 cup milk with 1 tbsp of lemon juice), shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
• 1 tsp hot tap water

Directions

Cake

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
2. In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined.
3. In medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing on medium speed with an electric mixer
5. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
7. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely

Chocolate Buttercream

1. Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature
2. In a small bowl beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes.
4. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy.
5. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of hot tap water.
6. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don’t whip!
7. Spread immediately on the cooled cake

Chocolate Drizzled Oatcakes

One of my all-time favourite treats is getting an oatcake from local coffee shop. This recipe makes a delicious 300 calorie snack, breakfast alternative or mid-afternoon energy boost to get you through to supper. Oats are full of fiber, a good source of iron and are one of those foods that leave you feeling full for a while.

Serves: 4 large oatcakes          Prep Time: 10 minutes          Ready In: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 cup coconut flour (or 1 cup regular flour & omit egg white)
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup oat bran
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1 tsp coconut oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a medium size bowl and stir
3. Add egg white & milk and stir until combined
4. Cut butter into small cubes and integrate into mixture using your fingers
5. The batter shouldn’t be wet, but it should hold together in a firm ball. If not, add more milk
6. Scoop up about 1/4-1/3 cup of the batter, roll into a ball, place on a cookie sheet and pat to 3/4″ thickness
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown
8. Meanwhile, place chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, and repeat until the mixture is smooth
9. When the oatcakes come out of the oven, transfer to a cookie rack
10. Using a smooth, drizzle chocolate over oatcakes and allow chocolate to firm at room temperature (15 minutes)

Blueberry Coconut Popsicles

A refreshing snack perfect for summer! If you’re in a hurry, simply blend all ingredients and freeze. Or, to get the layered effect, follow the directions below. I found the popsicle moulds at Stokes for $5.99 and they worked great!

Serves: 8 popsicles          Prep Time: 20 minutes          Ready In: 1-2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 can coconut milk
• 5 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Combine coconut milk, 3 tbsp of the maple syrup and the vanilla extract
2. Pour into the popsicle moulds and freeze for 15 minutes
3. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients, along with the 2 tbsp of maple syrup and process using an immersion blender or a blender
4. Pour into the popsicle moulds and freeze approximately 30 minutes to an hour until completely frozen

No Bake Frozen Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

I was invited to a BBQ this evening, and asked to bring a dessert. I wanted two things: no bake (anyone in NL will understand why!) and a way to use the last of my blueberries to make room for this year’s berries. I did some searching and found inspiration from Eat Good 4 Life, one of my go-to recipe blogs. There, I found Gluten-Free No Bake Blackberry  Frozen Cheesecake.  I made some changes, and came up with these.

Serves: 20 squares          Prep Time: 15 minutes          Ready In: 4 hours

Ingredients:

Crust

• 1 cup prunes
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp almond milk
• 1 cup oats
• 1/4 cup oat flour

Filling

• 2 packages of cream cheese
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup frozen lemonade
• 1 1/4 cup blueberries

Directions:

Crust

1. If you have a food processor, process all ingredients for 1-2 minutes, until well combined
2. If you don’t have a food processor, or it’s temporarily unavailable (like mine) cut prunes and combine with oil and milk. Using an immersion blender, process. Add chia seeds and process again. Slowly add oats until well combined. Finally, stir in flour with hands
3. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper and transfer crust. Place in fridge while preparing filling

Filling

1. Whip the cream cheese and honey using a mixer, until smooth. Then add lemonade and mix until blended.
2. Transfer half the batter on top of the crust.
3. Now add 1 cup of the berries and blend until fully incorporated
4. Transfer this batter on top of cheesecake and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of berries
5. Place in freezer for 3-4 hours
6. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer at least 20 minutes prior to serving. Pull the cheesecake from the baking dish, remove parchment paper and place on a rack to partially defrost. After 20 minutes, transfer to a cutting surface and cut into squares. Keep square frozen until ready to eat.

Apple Pie from Scratch

There’s nothing better than a homemade apple pie, heated up and topped with vanilla ice cream. Having long ago made the switch from white bread, I decided to experiment to create a more wholesome tasting pie crust.

 

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• 1 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 cup multi-grain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter
• 6 tbsp ice water
• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp water
• sugar and cinnamon to sprinkle

Apple Pie Filling

• 8 cups of diced apple
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

Directions

Pie Crust

1. In a large bowl, combine flours and salt
2. Remove butter from fridge, and cut into roughly 1 inch cubes
3. Place 3 or 4 ice cubes in a measuring cup and fill with cold water
4. Using your hands, crumble butter and flour mixture together until the mixture contains butter no larger than peas
5. Now, add 6 tbsp of the iced water to the mixture
6. Using a fork, combine until the dough holds together. You may need to add another tbsp or two of water if the mixture is still crumbly
7. Remove the ball of dough from the bowl and separate into two smaller balls.
8. Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes
9. Now, prep the pie filling

Pie Filling

1. Peel and slice apples
2. Combine apples with remaining ingredients in a large bowl

Assembly

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees celsius
2. Lightly flour your work space and place one of the dough balls in the centre
3. Using a roller, gently spread the dough to  a diameter of 12-13 inches, working from the centre outwards
4. If the dough cracks, let the dough warm up a little before continuing. If the roller is sticking, sprinkle additional four on top of the dough and on your roller
5. Transfer the dough to a 9 inch pie pan, trimming any excess dough from the edges
6. Now, add the pie filling
7. Repeat steps 1-3 and transfer the top crust to the top of the pie
8. Press the edges together and fold the excess up and over, creating a thick pie crust
9. Using a fork, crimp the edges
10. Combine egg white and water in a small bowl
11. Brush the pie crust, and create a couple of vents into the crust using a sharp knife and a fork
12. Sprinkle with a light dusting of sugar, cinnamon or both, if desired
13. Place pie on bottom rack and bake for 20 minutes
14. Reduce heat to 350, move pie to middle rack and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes, until the top is a golden brown
15. Place pie on wire racks and allow to cool for 4 hours

Dark Chocolate Quinoa Bites

A perfect snack to satisfy those chocolate cravings. Quick, easy and packed with the protein goodness of quinoa. A delicious breakfast replacement, I enjoyed these crumbled over yogurt and berries, or on its own with a scoop of natural peanut butter.

Serves: 12           Prep Time: 20 minutes           Ready In: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• 1 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1 tablespoon almond meal
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

1. Bring water and quinoa to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and cook for 10-15 minutes until water is absorbed.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a small bowl, whisk egg with vanilla
4. Combine quinoa, cocoa powder, milk, almond meal and chocolate chips.
5. Using an immersion blender, blend until well combined, then add egg mixture and blend again.
6. Pour mixture into greased mini muffin cups or donut moulds.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.
8. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Cranberry Almond Granola Bars

Another quick and easy recipe for homemade granola bars.

Serves: 12          Prep Time: 10 minutes          Ready  In: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup rice cereal
• 3/4 cup oats
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice
• shredded coconut

Directions:

1. Over low heat, combine almond butter, honey, oil and vanilla in a large sauce pan
2. Stir to combine, then remove from heat
3. Add remaining ingredients, except coconut and stir
4. Grease a 9×9 pan and transfer granola
5. Sprinkle shredded coconut
6. Refrigerate 30 minutes, then cut into bars