Mango Chia Pudding

This is a great way to get your energy sustaining chia seeds in the morning! We love the sweet/savory Indian-inspired flavors in this easy make-ahead breakfast.

Mango Chia Pudding

1\2 cup chopped mango (fresh or frozen)

1\2 a banana

1 cup milk (I use almond milk)

1\2 t turmeric

1\4 t cinnamon

2 T chia seeds

Mix first 5 ingredients together in a blender. Add chia seeds, and stir or pulse a few times to evenly distribute. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Keeps well for up to 5 days.

 Original recipe inspired by Raw Food Bali.

Red Wine Cheesecake Brownies

Red Wine Cheesecake Brownies

For the cheesecake layer:
8 package of neufchatel cream cheese, at room temperature
1 egg white
1/4 cup  sugar
1/4 cup sucanot

For the brownie layer:
3 egg whites
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 t liquid stevia
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup melted butter
1/3 cup red wine
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips

 

Directions:

Heat oven to 325°. Combine ingredients for the cream cheese layer in a large bowl and whisk well until completely incorporated and smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine egg whites, syrup, stevia, salt, butter and red wine. Whisk well to combine.

Add cocoa powder and flour and mix until just combined. Pour in chocolate chips and fold in.

Line a 9 x 9 pan with parchment paper. Pour 3/4 of the brownie batter into the pan. Pour over the cheesecake mixture. Dollop the rest of the brownie batter by the heaping tablespoon on top of the cheesecake layer. Use a spoon handle or butter knife to swirl the brownie batter into the cheesecake batter.

Bake brownies for 50 - 60 minutes, or until a toothpick is clean when inserted into the middle of the brownies.

Honeydew Melon Granita

 Original recipe is from The Everything Ice Cream, Gelato, and Frozen Dessert Cookbook. 

Honeydew Melon Granita

1 medium-large honeydew melon (2 1/2-3 lbs.)
1/4 cup water
10 drops stevia extract (or to taste) - can also substitute sugar 1/2-3/4 cup
1 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
Pinch salt


Remove the seeds and rind from the melon, and chop the fruit into chunks.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and puree' until very smooth.

Refrigerate until chilled. *If your honeydew has already been chilled before cutting, you can skip this step.

Pour into a covered container and place in the freezer for 1 hour.

Remove from freezer, and stir frozen crystals into the center of the container with a fork.

Return the container to the freezer, and repeat the process every 30-45 minutes, stirring carefully each time, until you have a fully frozen container of crystallized granita.

***Serving note: if you make this the day before, you'll have to slightly thaw the container for half an hour or so on the counter, in order to be able to scrape the granita for serving.

Perfect Peach Pie

Kristin's Perfect Peach Pie

 

Pillsbury package of 2 crusts
1/2 cup sucanot (or sugar)
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose)
1 t cinnamon
6 cups sliced peaches - about 6-8 medium ones (no need to peel them)
1 t lemon juice
1 T butter or margarine
Preheat oven to 425.

Place bottom pastry crust in pie plate. Mix flour, sugar, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Add in sliced peaches and lemon juice, and gently toss to coat.

Turn into pie crust, and dot with butter. Cover with top pastry. Seal, flute, and cut a few slits in the center for ventilation.

Cover edges with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown, and fruit mixture is starting to bubble. Cool on wire rack.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Hurricane Oatmeal Cake

 Hurricane Oatmeal Cake

1 c  quick cooking oats
1 1/4 c boiling water
4 egg whites
1 c sucanot
1/4 c honey
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (or greek yogurt)
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 t baking soda
1 t sea salt
1 t cinnamon

Combine oats and water in a small bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, beat eggs, sucanot, honey, and applesauce (or yogurt) until blended. Sift together flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon and add to sugar mixture. 

Add cooked oatmeal and mix well.

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For Topping:

Combine~
3/4 c unsweetened coconut
3/4 c sucanot
4 T melted butter
1/4 c chopped nuts (optional)
1/4 c milk

Spread over hot cake, and broil until topping is light brown and crunchy - about 2 minutes.

Amy's Peanut Butter Cookies

I love everything about these cookies! They are crispy, but dense, a little bit healthy b/c of the oatmeal, and oh so delicious! My sister is the best baker of these babies...mine are never quite as good. But lucky for me, she'll make them for me for a treat every now and then because she knows they're my favorite :-D

Amy's Peanut Butter Cookies

{Photo Credit}

1/4 cup plain, nonfat, Greek yogurt
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar (or sucanot)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar (or 1/4 cup honey)
1/2 cup peanut butter (I use natural-crunchy is best, but creamy is ok too!)
1 egg (or two egg whites - only one if you are using honey)
1 t vanilla extract
1 cup flour (I use whole wheat)
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt

In a mixing bowl, cream butter, yogurt and sugars; beat in peanut butter, egg, and vanilla. In another bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir into creamed mixture.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet (these always come out better on a stone).

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool for 1 minute on pan before removing to a wire rack. Yield: 2-3 dozen

Strawberry Pie

Mom's Strawberry Pie

I think this recipe from my mom is the best strawberry pie I've ever had. There's not a ton of sugar in it, so you taste more strawberry flavor instead of just sweet syrup.

  

1 deep dish pie shell - baked

1 qt fresh strawberries

1 c sugar (or I use 1/4 cup agave nectar instead)

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 c water

Chop 1 cup of the strawberries and set aside. Cut remaining berries in half. Combine sugar (or agave) and gelatin in a 2 qt. sauce pan. Gradually stir in water until smooth. Add chopped berries. Cook until sugar and gelatin are dissolved. Remove from heat. Cool on the counter until slightly thickened (coats back of spoon). Add remaining berries (the halves) and pour into pie crust. Chill until firm - about 3 hours.

*Note: I've also used a graham cracker crust for this recipe. Although it gets a bit soggy, it's still delicious :-)