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.

#1 Snickerdoodles

Fat & Fluffy Snickerdoodles

I made the most delicious Fat Fluffy Snickerdoodle cookies this week from How Sweet It Is Blog and they were a super easy happy valentine's gift for some of our friends and family. I love a good, soft cookie dipped in milk. These turned out EXACTLY like the recipe describes: FAT & FLUFFY! Straight from heaven.

Fat Fluffy Snickerdoodles

makes 16-20 cookies

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon cinnamon for dipping

Preheat oven to 375.

Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well until combine, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix until dough comes together. Add in milk. If dough is still crumbly, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it comes together. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In a bowl combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Remove dough from fridge and roll into big 1 1/2 inch balls. Dip in cinnamon sugar mixture and place on baking sheet. Lightly press down on dough to flatten it. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

HAPPY HEART DAY

love, natalie and spencer

cream party cake & butter-cream-cheese frosting

CREAM PARTY CAKE

&

butter-cream-cheese frosting

Whenever I make a cake that I plan on frosting and decorating, I ALWAYS make the cake {the day before} and put it in the freezer or refrigerator overnight or until I'm ready to frost it. This make it SO easy to frost because it doesn't get all crumbly and messy. 

**The letters and heart pictured on the cake are made from sticks of bubblegum. So easy!**

cream party cake

Cake Ingredients:
2 boxes cake mix, any flavor (I used strawberry)
2 cups water
2/3 cups canola or vegetable oil
6 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 package instant pudding, any flavor (I used cheesecake)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray three 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray
2. Mix all ingredients until completely combined (a couple minutes in my kitchen-aid was enough. hand mixer will work just as good)
3. Pour mixture evenly divided into all three round cake pans
4. Bake for 29-33 minutes
5. Remove pans from oven and immediately drop onto counter top (about 4-6 inches away) a few times. This will help make the cake more dense (a little trick I learned from my sister-in-law)
6. Place hot cakes into fridge or freezer until next day.

perfect butter-cream-cheese frosting

Frosting Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1/4 cup canned milk **

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 bag (32-ounce) powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients, except powdered sugar, in mixer

2. Slowly add in powdered sugar (can add a little more milk if needed) until frosting gets to desired consistency.

STACK ALL THREE LAYERS OF CAKE

SPREAD FROSTING IN BETWEEN EACH LAYER

FROST CAKE COMPLETELY IN A SWIRLY DESIGN

STORE CAKE IN REFRIGERATOR UNTIL PARTY TIME!

cinnamon streusel pancakes

Cinnamon Streusel Pancakes

adapted from: Two Peas and Their Pod

Caution: you may not know whether you are eating breakfast or dessert. I save this recipe for special occasions. 

Ingredients:
Your favorite pancake mix or favorite recipe. I'm obsessed with this super easy mix {Kodiak Cakes Frontier Flapjack and Waffle Mix} found at Costco or order online.

Cinnamon Streusel:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks

Directions:
1. Make pancake batter first 6 pancakes.
2. Make cinnamon streusel second: in a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, and butter. Mix together with hands or a fork until you have a crumble-like mixture.
3. Heat electric griddle to 350 degrees or pan on stove to medium. Drop 1/2 cup pancake batter onto griddle and add 2 tablespoons streusel mixture onto uncooked side of pancake.
3. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then carefully flip when bubbles begin to form. Generously cover cooked side of pancake with streusel and cook for 1-2 more minutes minutes.
4. Continue with the rest of pancakes and serve with maple syrup and butter.

seriously though... beware...

lemon crinkles {soft and chewy}

This beautiful cookie is blue ribbon worthy in my personal recipe box. Although, the word chocolate is nowhere to be found (pretty sure my given middle name should have been cocoa), I still applaud this combination of fluffy sugar, tangy lemon, and creamy butter.

Lemon Crinkles {soft and chewy}

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheats oven to 350 degrees and spray baking sheet with non-stick spray {light colored is better for evenly baked cookies. If using dark sheet, reduce cooking time by 1-2 minutes}
1. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy in large mixing bowl.
2. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest and juice
3. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and gradually add flour until completely combined
4. Pour powdered sugar onto plate or bowl, roll heaping teaspoon sized balls in powdered sugar and place onto cookie sheet about 2  inches apart.
5. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until tops of cookies appear matter and no longer look wet or shiny. You do not want to brown the tops.

Let me remind you that these are not only adorable, but amazing to every taste bud and you won't regret buying a fine grater to zest your lemon, even if this is the only reason you'll ever use it.

Happy Sunday