Saturday, July 7, 2012

Raw for Desserts!!

Healthy Desserts that require No Wheat, No Refined Sugar, No Baking required, No Guilt, and Yummy!!! Raw Desserts
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate  Fudge Ganache Topping


The Recipe
Cake

3 Cups Walnuts
pinch Sea Salt
16 Pitted Dates
2/3 Cup Cocoa Powder (Raw or Natural)
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Optional * 1 tsp. Vanilla Bean Paste
2 tsp. Filtered Water

Mix all the above in a food processor. Use a 6" cake pan. Cut parchment pater to fit into bottom of cake pan then press cake mixture into pan then flip out onto serving platter.

Ganache ( Chocolate Fudge Topping)

1/2 Cup Dark Agave Syrup or Maple Syrup
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder (Raw or Natural)
3 Tbsp. Coconut Oil Melted
Pinch of Sea Salt
(you will have extra topping left over)

Put all ingredients for Ganache in Blender and blend up. Spread over Chocolate Cake.
Top with Sprinkled unsweetened Coconut flakes or Raspberries.




I have served this to people who are major Chocolate lovers and they actually didn't even flinch at this cake and even went back for seconds!


Adapted from "Raw for Dessert" by Jennifer Cornbleet

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Easy Front Door Wreath


Summer Fun Front Door Wreath
I love to work with paper and create easy projects to show case as decorations for my house. This is easy and inexpensive to do.

First I cut a piece of cardboard, and covered it in wrapping paper. Then I stamped some cut-outs or make your own and taped them around the wreath. Don't forget to embellish. The birds are so cute I had to add them for some Summer Fun!


With the price of making this I can make new wreath for every month if I wanted. Fun and Easy. Go ahead try it, be creative and whimsical. 

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Mid Day Snack

Vietnamese Cinnamon Iced Mocha Frap & Almond Frozen Cookies



Forget the blender go iced with this drink. I serve mine in a wine glass, hey it's less calories! The cookies are healthy and fun to make, paired with this luscious drink this is truly a mid day treat!

Mid Day Drink-
2 cups of Brewed coffee
2Tbsp of sugar or I use Sweetened Condensed Milk
Stir this in while coffee is hot- set aside


In a Saute pan heat on low till melted
1 Tbsp. Raw Honey
1/4 tsp. Vietnamese ground Cinnamon
1 oz more if you like of any dark Chocolate I used Lindt 70%


once melted add the coffee and whisk. Let it cool a little. I put ice in my wine glass and pour dink into. Top with whip cream and chocolate syrup! This recipe is enough for 2 drinks


Raw Cookies - No baking required!
1/2 cup of Almonds - Chop and pulse in food processor to get them small enough to roll cookies in later.
Food process: 1/2 cup Almond Butter (make sure some oil is incorporated in this)
1/4 cup raw honey or Agave
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Dash of Salt
Now freeze this for 30 min
Take out of freezer and roll into small balls. Roll the cookie into the ground Almonds. Freeze for 2 hours before serving. Yes serve cold.
These will keep for a month in the freezer in a sealed container.
Makes about 20 cookies

Friday, April 13, 2012

I make these all the time, and they go so quick a real crowd pleaser. I adapted this recipe from a Gormet Caterer I worked for in the early 90's. I never forget a good recipe!

Recipe
1 1/2 Cup of Light Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. of Cumin
1/2 tsp. Chili Powder ( I don't use this so optional)
you can do a dash of cinnamon, I don't
MIX TOGETHER

Bread Sticks- break in half

Bacon- buy the thin cut (very important). Bring bacon to room temperature, and cut in half. Now dredge each peice of bacon in the brown sugar mixture and wrap around one end of the bread stick in a spiral way to keep some of the end of the bread stick exposed. This is so you can grab it without getting sticky fingers.



 Line a cookie sheet with foil and place the wrapped bacon bread stick onto a rack to bake at 375 for 10-15 min or until crispy. You can serve these right away or at room temperature. If you have to refrigerate, to serve just pop into microwave for 20 or so seconds to bring their color back.

These were featured on a couple Blogs.... my favorite Blog is www.facnyfrugallife.blogspot.com Lina is a friend of my sister. The last time I went to visit my sister I made these Bacon Bread Stick for a Mom brunch, they were a hit!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Croissant French Toast

This is so easy! Forgive me for not making them pretty....I had to eat!

Using Croissants instead of bread is a fun twist on french toast. You could even do one of those overnight french toast bakes with these. I was so hungry when I made these, I poured syrup on right away and started eating.



Slice your croissants in half and make them like regular french toast. I bought 3 croissants so I used 3 eggs and buttermilk in my soaking mixture.





The tops of the croissants showing and layered on a platter sprinkled with cinnamon and or powdered sugar and topped with a squirt of whip cream on each one would be a nice display if you want to make it fancy.



I actually got this idea from a little dive restaurant near where I live.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Strawberry Bruschetta

I made this for Breakfast along with a Matzo-Egg Pancake topped with Lingonberry Preserves (IKEA) and Sour Cream.

The Strawberry Bruschetta is so easy to make. Chop up Strawberries, some fresh Basil, Nectarine and or Grapefruit and a splash of Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar. Place on toasted French bread rounds.

For the Matzo - Egg Pancake just soak two sheets of the Matzo in warm water for 30 seconds drain and add 3 scrambled eggs, S&P and cook like a pancake. The sour cream and jelly on top give a nice depth of flavor.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Lent Dessert


I am not Catholic but a lot of people I know are. I made this to take over a friends house for Dessert.


Bon Appetit as a recipe on this in it's April Issue, but I changed mine up a lot by using Sorghum instead of Honey, using Roasted Sunflowers instead of Almonds and I added smoked paprika. The flavors are so earthy, sweet and spicy!

RECIPE
Cookie sheet- put parchment paper down and spray with cooking spray. Now line cookie sheet with 6 Matzo they can lay on top each other a little to fit.
Now in a Sauce pan put1 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/4 cup Sorghum, and 1/4 cup water on low until dissolves. Now turn up heat to med-hi and boil for 13-15 min. Do not stir. When it look dark Amber pour over the Matzo crackers.
Sprinkle with Roasted Sunflowers. Let this cool a bit. Now drizzle 5oz melted 72% Chocolate over the Caramel and last sprinkle a mixture of course Salt 1 1/2 tsp, 1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika & 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
Let this sit in room temp until the chocolate hardens 30 min or longer. Break it up with a knife and put in an air tight container until serving.