sugar-free hot cocoa

<<< sugar-free hot cocoa >>>

three simple ingredients

vanilla milk

silk light vanilla soy milk

+

unsweetened cocoa powder

trader joe's

+

stevia

stevia in the raw

Usually I don't promote all those darn "sugar-free" drinks and foods. They trick everyone into thinking they are healthy and going to help with fitness and weight loss goals, but we all know it's a load of poop. They are typically filled with artificial sweeteners and chemicals, but my dear little Stevia (if found in the right natural/raw form) is something I've grown quite fond of for an occasional sweet treat. 

I have read a lot about how raw and unsweetened cocoa powder is FILLED with amazing health benefits for your heart, immune system, and so much more. But when paired with loads of sugar and bad fats, it almost counter-acts all the good elements of the cocoa powder. My version of hot cocoa is a great way to get a good dose of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals from cocoa without the sugar spike!

Try this method out and mess around with the ingredient ratios until you find your perfect combination! I use 1:1 ratio of milk to water, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, and 1 packet stevia. I like mine a little more "dark chocolatey"... 

healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies bites

{healthy bites}

oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

<< easily adaptable to be made gluten-free >>

I adapted this recipe from Edible Perspective. My favorite way to eat these, besides just popping them straight into my mouth, is crumbled over vitamix vanilla ice cream! (blend: 1 cup vanilla soy milk + sprinkle of cinnamon + 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract + ice cubes)

ingredients:

• 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons coarsely ground rolled oats
• 1/2 cup almond meal/flour
• 1/4 cup baking stevia
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet or unsweetened chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted (not hot!)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

instructions:

1. preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl
3. whisk the egg, then whisk in the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla until well combined
4. pour wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir with a large spoon until combined (will be thick)
5. let dough sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes
6. press the dough into 1-inch balls and slightly flatten between both hands 
7. place balls on non-stick cookie sheet 1-inch apart and bake for 10 minutes
8. let cool for at least 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack (cookies are fragile and very soft until set)

notes/subs:

• you can sub stevia our for white sugar, brown sugar, pure cane sugar, or coconut sugar.
• to make the coarsely ground outs: Place 1 cup of rolled oats in a food processor, mini food processor, or blender and pulse until about 1/2-way to a flour looking texture.
• you can purchase or make your almond meal: Grind whole, raw almonds in a high-speed blender or large food processor.  Blend no more than 1 cup at a time until flour-like in texture.  Do not over process.  Sift out any large pieces.

clean taquitos

...taquitos...

the clean way

Who doesn't love the simplicity of a taquito? But seriously... the thought of the processed ground meat and preservative-filled chicken rolls that are frozen in large quantities and shipped to your nearest Costco is not that simple or appetizing... so I came up with this homemade version :)

MAKING THE FILLING:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8-10 oz bottle salsa (pick your favorite.. mild, med, or HOT)
1 tablespoon homemade taco seasoning mixture (you can use 1 package of store bought seasoning, but it usually contains MSG and other chemicals and preservatives)

Combine chicken, salsa, and taco seasoning in crock-pot. Cook on Low for 6 hours or High for 3 hours. Chicken will shred easily using two forks.

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
20-30 small corn tortillas
Olive oil spray (I use a Mister)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray baking sheet with olive oil.
2. Warm tortillas, wrapped in damp paper towel, in microwave until pliable enough to roll without tearing. They will be HOT so be careful.
3. Roll about 2 tablespoons of shredded chicken mixture into each tortilla and line them all up close together onto baking sheet. 
4. Spray tops of taquitos with olive oil spray (this will help them get crispy) and bake for about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them, because the time will vary depending on your oven.
5. Let them cool, wrap individually in aluminum foil, and freeze!

REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS:
-Defrost overnight in fridge than reheat in oven (this will help them stay crispiest)
-Microwave straight from freezer (about 5-10 seconds per taquito)

Serve with melted cheese, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, or greek yogurt!

creamy {creamless} tomato basil soup

creamy tomato basil soup

<<creamless>>

I have had a nasty little cold this weekend and I don't know about you, but my taste buds get a bit shy (can't taste hardly anything) and picky when the sickness comes. Only a few things sounded good to me and one of them was a good creamy tomato basil soup. Now I can't actually have cream (upsets my tummy) so I improvised with some canned coconut milk. I doubt anyone would be able to tell a difference in the taste! Go ahead and try to enjoy the rest of winter with a good bowl of homemade soup... and a perfectly Grilled Avocado-Cheese...

Makes about 8 cups of soup
Ingredients:
1-2 teaspoons Olive Oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, with juices {I used a quart of my mother's home-bottled tomatoes}
1 can (14.5 oz) roasted tomatoes, with juices {my fave: Muir Glen's Organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes}
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon dried basil (or 1/3 cup fresh chopped)
1 can (13.5 oz) lite coconut milk {my fave: A Taste of Thai Lite Coconut Milk}
1 teaspoon sugar or 1 packet Stevia in the Raw
Salt and pepper, to taste
Grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions:
1. Heat olive oil in large pot or dutch oven (I used my 5-quart Le Creuset dutch oven) over medium heat and saute until translucent, then add garlic and saute for a few more seconds.
2. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, and basil. Let simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes.
3. When done simmering remove bay leaf, then stir in coconut milk, sugar (or stevia), 1 teaspoon salt, and a few turns from fresh pepper grinder.
4.. Blend in blender (I used my Vitamix) or use hand immersion blender to blend until smooth. *CAREFUL: IT IS HOT!
5. Add more salt and pepper if needed and serve with cheese or homemade croutons!

FYI- If you would like to go out and buy a the best bowl of tomato soup, the Roasted Tomato Basil Soup from Corner Bakery Cafe is my absolute FAVORITE and although I have attempted making a copycat recipe of this soup at home, I didn't have all the fresh tomatoes for it. Or the motivation to get in the car and drive to draper (the closest location to my house).

how-to: roast eggplant & pick a good one

roasted eggplant 

&

goat cheese - basil - balsamic

Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant
olive oil spray (I use Misto) or for drizzling
salt and pepper
2 ounces crumbled goat cheese
4-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
balsamic vinegar

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray baking sheet with non-stick spray
2. Slice eggplant into rounds 1/4 inch thick
3. Arrange slices on baking sheet, spray or drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, place in oven (middle rack) for 18-20 minutes.
4. Remove from oven, arrange onto place, serve with basil, goat cheese, and drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

How to pick a good eggplant:

The skin should be glossy, not dull, and the eggplant should be fairly firm. If you press it lightly with your thumb, if it gives a little and then springs right back, it's ripe. If the indentation stays, it is overripe. If there's no give at all, the eggplant was picked too early, but even that is better than overripe. Soft spots & brown spots are bad.