Vegan Ferrero Rocher

Hello good people!

It has been too long since the last post, and even longer ago since I posted a sweet treat (my sincerest apologies!). I made these a little while ago and they were a hit! My flatmate highly approved of them, and has himself been making heaps of peanut oreo buttercups - which are amazing too! But sadly I cannot take credit for those. These ferrero-like treats here are just as good though, and after having bought hazelnut butter for the first time.... I know it wont be the last - that stuff is addictive!

I also turned a year older last Saturday, cannot believe I am 27! The people in Friends were that age when I started watching it as mere child.... Time flies, but I still feel terrible childish *smiles* I had a lovely time with my boyfriend and some lovely friends... Can't really ask for much more! Except maybe seeing my family, but I know I will get to do that in the not-too-distant future!

Vegan Ferrero Rocher
(Makes 6-8)

1/3 cup hazelnut butter
2 tbsp coconut oil
4 tbsp agave/maple syrup
A good pinch of sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
125g + 50g dark chocolate
1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts

- First of all, turn the hob on low and in a small frying pan, have the hazelnut butter, cocoa butter, syrup, salt and oil + 125g of the dark chocolate (break it into pieces). Continously stir until it is all melted and place in the fridge to cool slighty, for about 15-20 minutes.

- Have the chopped hazelnuts strewn across a plate, ready to roll some ferreros in. Melt the remaining chocolate until it is juuuust done.

- Take the hazelnut-chocolate mass and shape into hazelnut sized marbles, dip in the chocolate and roll in the hazelnuts. Repeat until you have a little bunch of these delicious mouthfuls and place in the fridge on a plate until serving.

Et voila!

Apart from Ferreros and birthday, I have been reading my way through predictions of armageddon and the like thanks for Mr Pratchett and Mr Gaiman... And yes, those are cookies from the shop - because sometimes life is too stressful!

I hopeyou have had a fantastic week so far, bring on the weekend!


Original source:
http://ragnhildnordrum.com/?p=8501

Vegan Bounty Mousse

Hey!

This week I have been off from work, which has been really nice - some time to be mindful and catch up with friends... and...perhaps... indulge, just a little bit!

Enter Bounty Mousse! Three ingredients, and it is very rich, so I suggest you share it with your best friend or perhaps a special someone *smiles*

To lighten it up you could perhaps use agave syrup instead of dry sweetener, I used xylitol, and it turned into deliciously lush coconut-chocolate goodness!

Vegan Bounty Mousse
(Serves 2)

1 can full fat coconut, refrigerated overnight
4 tbsp xylitol or other sweetener (normal sugar is OK, just a little naughtier *wink*)
2 heaped tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Dessicated coconut to decorate (optional)

- Open the coconut milk can and scoop out the upper layer that is set. Place in a bowl and mix in the cocoa powder and sweetener until it is all even and fluffy. Serve as it is, or leave to set a little in the fridge! How easy was that?!

This week, my friend Mari and I went on a little outing to Bowling, and Kilpatrick (close to the Auchentoshan Whisky Distillery) and we had a really nice adventure! We even found a pier with some ship wrecks! We didn't get to climb any hills like we intended though, but we saw Sheep Hill! (Yes, it is actually called that, haha). St. Patrick's was also celebrated, and yesterday aforementioned Maricat also had a bunch of us over for dinner and a delicious home made spinach cake! It was so green, but you couldn't taste that at all, it was really delicious!

I hope you have had a lovely week, did you celebrate St. Patrick's at all?


Recipe by yours truly,

- Jules

Milk Chocolate Covered Marzipan Cake Marbles

Date syrup, OK so you could just buy dates, boil up some water,soak them for a minute and so - drain and whizz, but.. when I cameacross this stuff that is date syrup, I couldn't resist...I sort of just... grabbed it.

A month later, I remembered it, and after having seen dates used as sweetner in numerous sweet treats - I thought, bingo!

You can make these bad boys using maple or agave syrup instead of honey - no stress! It'll still be healthy and delicious! Also, the milk chocolate I used was Scandinavian Marabou that I found in IKEA. Use dark chocolate for a vegan version *smiles*

These are whipped up in a flash - so what are you waiting for?! Get rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling....

Milk Chocolate Covered Marzipan Cake Marbles
(Makes 5-6)

1/3 cups ground almond
1 tbsp date syrup (or 2 dates' worth soaked in water and whizzed to a smooth purêe)
1-2 tbsp honey (or maple/agave syrup for vegan)

For the coating:
25g milk chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp cocoa butter (optional, I just added it so that the chocolate didn't get grainy when I melted it)

Sprinkles of any kind

- Start by mixing the almonds, dates and syrup and well,until you have a slightly sticky dough. Roll out marbles from the mix and set aside.

- Melt the chocolate (and cocoa butter if using) over a water bath on medium heat, until it is juuuust melted, and turn the heat off.

- Now, s'time to get messy! Dip the marbles in the chocolate and place on a baking parchment, top with sprinkles,dessicated coconut, cocoa or chopped nuts and fruits and leave to set in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

- Serve with a cuppa, and enjoy!

Also.. I bought a skipping rope the other day, and silly Julie thought that "Hey! That's just the same as running right? Kind of?" Little did I know that half an hour of this would lead my legs to tremble for two days... Next time, I wont skip for as long... Fantastic work out though!

Today I went for a walk as the sun set, and then I watched this evening's episode of the Great British Bake-Off after a long day at work. I hope you have had a lovely day. Perhaps making some sweets treats of your own? *smiles*


Recipe by yours truly,

- Jules

No-Bake Walnut Florentines

These. florentines.


It is all I can say, and I will add - they should come with a warning!

I added a little too much honey, which meant it didn't set properly, so I served them with a lovely gooey topping, which worked wonders along with the crunchy walnuts and dark chocolate. This recipe is friend and flatmate approved, and then some *smiles*

No-Bake Walnut Florentines
(Makes 10-12)

For the florentines:
1/2 cup cocoa butter
3-4 tbsp honey, or syrup (for vegan)
100g walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp cardamom

For the chocolate:
4 tbsp cocoa butter
3 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp honey or syrup
1 large tablespoon almond or peanut butter
(or melt 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips)

- Start by heating the 1/2 cup cocoa butter in a small casserole on low heat, stir in the honey/syrup and once melted - turn the heat off and fold in the nuts, cinnamon and cardamom.

- Now, divide the mixture between cupcake cases or silicone moulds. I used small silicone cupcake moulds. Pleace in the fridge to set.

- After a couple of hours, you can make the chocolate: Either melt dark chocolate chips, or make chocolate using the ingredients listed above:

- Melt 4 tbsp cocoa butter along with the nut butter on low heat, once stirred well and melted, turn off the heat and add the honey and cocoa power. Pour over the florentines, and leave to set in the fridge for another few hours or overnight.

Serve, and see if you can keep your paws off of them.... You tell me!
PS - Rose, your recipes are something else!

We are a little over halfway to the weekend, so gotta treat ourselves, ey?


Original source:
http://www.thecleandish.com/walnut-cinnamon-florentine-cookies-grain-free-gluten-free/

Jaffa Covered Cashews

I remember when I was first introduced to something weird and wonderful - yogurt coated nuts. I wasn't a particular fan of the crunchy snacks back then, but I did like these... Now, I am addicted as you might have noticed. Nuts are great for garnish, featuring in woks, in baked sweet and savoury dishes and lots lots more. But, today is Sunday, you might not want to do something that involves too much work, so why not whip up a batch of this healthy version here?
Perfect little treat, whether it is to go with a cuppa, or your favourite film, or both!

Jaffa Covered Cashews
(Makes 1 small bowl)

100g cashews
50g dark chocolate with orange, broken into pieces
2 tbsp yogurt (I used Alpro soy)
2 tbsp cocoa butter
2 tbsp brown sugar, powdered sugar, sukrin gold or xylitol

- Start by covering a tray with baking paper.

- Now, over a "water bath", melt the chocolate. Once the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat, but keep the bowl in the casserole, mix in yogurt, cocoa butter and sweetener. If you need to heat the mixture up a little, that is OK, just be sure that you don't have it "simmering" as the chocolate coating mixture might start curdling or drying up a little. Should this happen though, just add a little more cocoa butter.

- Now, take the bowl out, and tip in the cashew nuts. Fold over until the cashews are coated, and evenly distribute them over the tray with the baking paper. Place them in the fridge or freezer until set.

- These will keep in the fridge for at least 2-3 days, but....they wont last that long, I can promise you. Mine disappeared on the day, oops!

Also, yesterday my new flatmate moved in! Exciting news, as it would be sad living all by my ownsome. He had some friends coming over, and all of a sudden an impromptu jamming session took place in the living room. Two guitars, lovely vocals, and the experimental playing of cabasa and the triangle. It was amazing, haha so much fun!
Today is a little more quiet and the weather is a little bit meh! So I guess I'll have to improvise! Have you had a good weekend so far?

PS. If you want to check out the music duo Patersani, you can youtube them, or find them on facebook here

Have a lovely Sunday!


Recipe by yours truly,

- Jules

Healthy Home Made Bounty Bars

When I was little, or big enough to go with my friends on our own, down to the local swimming pool, it was tradition to go on the vending machines after a little swimming session (Note: I have never been a good swimmer....But I tried!). We would maybe get a Klix drink from one machine for 5 kroner, or a chocolate bar from the massive chocolate vending machine, or just a fizzy juice. Either way, this was my first encounter with Bounty - which I then wasn't sure whether I liked or didn't like for some reason. It was one of those slightly "adulty" sweets, like marzipan for example....

Since then, things have changed drastically, and marzipan and anything coconut has become some of my favourite sweets and treats, and when I found a recipe for home made, healthier bounty - I. was. IN!

It only takes a handful of ingredients, and a little bit of patience, but not too much!

Make sure to leave the coconut milk tin in the fridge overnight so that the cream settles on the top, I used the coconut water and the remaining cream in a lovely Caribbean dinner dish.

Healthy Home Made Bounty Bars
(Makes 2 large or 4 small bars)

2/3 cup coconut
30-40g xylitol, brown sugar or sukrin gold
2 heaped tablespoons (about 60g) coconut cream
4-5 tsp stevia vanilla (optional)
About 40g dark or milk chocolate, for coating (dark for vegan)
Extra dessicated coconut for sprinkling

I made chocolate myself, by using my friend Ragnhild's basic recipe of cocoa butter, cocoa powder, syrup and a heaped teaspoon of nut butter.

- In a bowl, mix the sweetener and the coconut. Then add the coconut cream and mix to combine.

- Now, shape marbles or bars in whichever sizes you want, and place them on some baking parchment on a plate and place them in the freezer to allow to cool.

- Once cold/slightly frozen, take out, and then melt the chocolate or make your own chocolate coating. Roll the coconut bars in the dark chocolate and place back on the baking parchment, drizzle with coconut, and place in the fridge to set for 20-30 minutes, and you my friend have just made your very own Bounty chocolate!

A colleague asked me what had happened to my hand (cause I had a cut from the tin of coconut milk, sigh), and I told him I'd made bounty bars, he said "You MAKE bounty bars?! You know what you have just walked right into now....you gotta bring them in here!". An so it was Julie trebled the above recipe and made 15-20 bounty marbles and brought in to work, needless to say they were gone by lunchtime...


Original source:
http://lindastuhaug.blogg.no/1397231197_sukkerfri_bounty.html

- Jules

Marzipan Kolibriegg or Humming Bird Easter Eggs

One of my favourite Norwegian Easter treats... are these marzipan eggs coated in chocolate and topped with sprinkles. We call them "kolibriegg" or humming bird eggs, which is weird because I am pretty sure the average adult humming bird is smaller than one of these sweets, wingspan included!

Either which way - they don't sell them in Glasgow, so I had to take it in my own hands and make sure I got my annual fix, as I missed out last year.
Instead of sprinkles though, I dyed some dessicated coconut yellow instead of multi-colour cake sprinkles, and it worked a treat!

NB! I used about 80g ground almonds because I used a large egg white. For vegan, you can replace with vegan egg substitute or syrup or choice, such as agave or maple.

Marzipan Kolibriegg or Humming Bird Easter Eggs
(Makes 5)

For the marzipan:
50-80g ground almonds (start with 50)
30g xylitol, brown sugar or Sukrin Gold (I used Sukrin Gold)
4 drops stevia vanilla or vanilla creme (optional)
1 egg white, or egg replacer, or syrup

Coating:
25-30 g dark chocolate
1 tbsp syrup of choice
(I also used a little bit of cocoa butter to make the mixture more liquid)

Cake sprinkles OR dessicated coconut for rolling in
I used 1/3 cup dessicated coconut that I added a tiny splash of yellow food colouring to, a pinch of turmeric, and a little bit of vanilla extract - worked a treat!

- First, mix together the ground almonds and sweetener, then stir in the egg or egg replacer/syrup. You can use a spoon for stirring.

- You should end up with a slightly sticky dough, make sure to wet your hands with water when dividing them into 5 pieces and shaping into eggs. Once the eggs are done, you can make the dyed coconut if you are using that, if using sprinkles - move onto choooocolate!

PS. place the coconut/sprinkles on a plate so it is easy to roll the marzipan in it.

- Now, melt the chocolate over a "water-bath", but make sure to switch off the heat once melted so the mixture doesn't go dry.

- Coat the marzipan with chocolate - I did this by placing them one by one on a spoon and rolling them gently into the mixture.

- Now this is where it gets messy: Roll the chocolate covered marzipan in the coconut or sprinkles until lightly coated! Place either on non/stick paper or a serving plate. Repeat until all the eggs are done, and cool for a while until serving.

You can keep these in the fridge for a couple of days, and they'll get a little more solid then.

I wish you a happy Easter! And if you don't celebrate this holiday - you can always make these in different shapes if you want. Mmmmmmmarzipan!


Original source:
http://www.kriweb.no/tag/marsipan/

- Jules

Soft & Chewy Peanut Truffles

Peanut butter.... O mighty peanut butter how delicious you are!

And then there's PB2, peanut flour, which is great if you want to whip up a small batch of soft peanut truffles!

I thought I would start posting a little sweet recipe up in time for Easter... I will try and make some other goodies too, but as for now - here you are!

I didn't have chocolate at hand, so I made my own, but for dipping, you can simply melt some dark chocolate of your choice. This is best done by boiling up water in a casserole, about 1/3 or halfway up, turn the temperature down a little, placing the chocolate in a smaller bowl, and into the casserole so it's not in direct contact with the water, and doesn't burn.

Soft & Chewy Peanut Truffles
(Makes 5)

4 heaped tbsp PB2
1 tbsp xylitol, brown sugar og sukrin gold
A pinch of salt
About 2 tbsp water or milk

Dark chocolate to melt
(Or make your own by:
Melting 2 tbsp cocoa butter over low heat, turn off the hob, and stir in 1/2 tbp cocoa, 1/2 tbsp cashew butter and 2 tbsp syrup - I used agave)

Chopped peanuts or dried currants to decorate with, I placed a couple of dried cranberries on top of each for a little extra sweetness.

- Simply mix the peanut flour, sweetener, and salt in a small bowl, then make a little well in the middle and pour in 2 tbsp water or milk or choice. Mix well and add a little more liquid if needed to shape a slightly stick dough.

- Roll into a sausage between your palms, and divide into 4 or 5, roll into little truffles and place on non-stick paper.

- Melt chocolate, and use a spoon to coat each peanut truffle with chocolate. Place back on the baking parchment and repeat, topping with whatever you want, or keep them eu natural *smiles*

- Place in the fridge to set for about at least half an hour, allowing the chocolate to set properly. You can also leave them in there overnight, and serve the next day.

Original source:
http://lindastuhaug.blogg.no/1389190398_snickers.html

- Jules

Dark Chocolate Dinner Mints with Oats

It is Monday, the start to a new week, and I just had my first day of training in a new job - chocolate is needed!

Yes, we have two sweet treats in a row on this here blog, because... Actually, no reason is required! All you need is a cuppa and putting your feet up. If you crush these up - come to think of it - they might make for a tasty ice cream crumble actually! Why didn't I think of this before it was too late?! These disappeared in the flashest of flashes.

Dark Chocolate Dinner Mints with Oats
(Makes 1 small cake tin's worth)

75g cocoa butter
2 tbsp cashew butter (or other nut butter)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp syrup (I used agave, but maple syrup works well too!)
5-8 tbsp unsweetened cocoa (depends on how dark you like it)
1-2 tsp peppermint extract (unless you have that really strong stuff that you only need a few drops of!)
About 50 grams of toasted oats


- Start by having a small frying pan on low heat and add your cocoa butter, once it starts to melt add your cashew butter. Stir until they are both mixed well and melted.

- Now, turn off the heat and stir through the syrup, vanilla and the cocoa powder. Then, gentrly fold in the peppermint extract and the oats, making sure it is all covered. Add more oats if you want to bulk out the chocolate a little.

- Divide between small confectionary cupcake cases (I used silicone ones), or simply spread over some clingfilm or baking parchment on a plate and leave it to set in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Once set - it's ready to serve! I find these are perfect after-dinner chocolate mints ^ ^ And I hope you like them!


Recipe based on:
http://ragnhildnordrum.com/?p=4723 but altered by yours truly *smiles*

- Jules

Vegan Dark Chocolate with Pistachios & Sea Salt

Good morning and happy Saturday!

It is the weekend at last, and what better way to treat yourself than with some home made and healthy chocolate?

Have a square with your morning cuppa, or in the evening with a glass of red.

I was really excited to try out this recipe, and boy was I in for a treat! This chocolate is super dark and cocoa-y, just the way I like it (and hopefully you will too!).

You can substitute the nuts and sea salt for something else like pecans and cranberries if you like! That is one thing I love about this dark chocolate-base recipe, you can make so many alterations to it depending on how you feel or what you have at hand.

So without any further a-do *drumrolls* Chocolate!

Vegan Dark Chocolate with Pistachios & Sea Salt
(Makes 1 small cake tin's worth)

75g cocoa butter
2 tbsp cashew butter (or other nut butter)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp syrup (I used agave, but maple syrup works well too!)
5-8 tbsp unsweetened cocoa (depends on how dark you like it)

Topping:
A good handful of chopped piastachios
A small drizzle of sea salt
A good drizzle of syrup, OR 2-3 tbsp sweetener such as xylitol, brown ugar or sukrin gold

- Start by having a small frying pan on low heat and add your cocoa butter, once it starts to melt add your cashew butter. Stir until they are both mixed well and melted.

- Now, turn off the heat and stir through the syrup, vanilla and the cocoa powder. Pour into a silicone cake mould, silicone cupcake moulds OR into something covered with baking paper.

- Drizzle with the pistachios, sweetener and salt and leave overnight to set (if you are impatient you can pop it in the fridge for an hour or so).

Break up into smaller pieces and serve along with a glass of red, as part of a spread, or just enjoy as a healthy treat - because you can! Or maybe a glass of spicy Chai Masala? You can find lots of recipes on how to make your own spice mix online ^ ^

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Any plans?

Original source:
http://ragnhildnordrum.com/?p=4723

- Jules

Vegan Crunchy Peanut & Dark Chocolate Cups

It is time for something sweet! Don't you agree?

Now, I got to try out some cocoa butter from work, they are little pellet that are easily melted in a pan over a low temperature. Mainly it is used in chocolate, but it has become more and more popular to try and add to other recipes, or home made sugar-free chocolate.
Since I am surrounded in chocolate at work, I didn't want to go down the obvious route. This lead me to - peanut chocolate!

Vegan Crunchy Peanut & Dark Chocolate Cups
(Makes 7 mini moulds)

(two had already been "tested", y'know, gotta make sure they'll pass....)

For the peanut crunch:
2 tbsp cocoa butter
2 tbsp xylitol/sukrin gold/brown sugar
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

For the chocolate:
1 tbsp cocoa butter
1/2 tsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 tbsp xylitol/sukrin gold/brown sugar
2-4 drops stevia vanilla (optional)

- Start with the "peanut crunch" by melting the cocoa butter, this will take less than a minute. Stir through the peanut butter and sweetner until combined. Divide between mini cupcake moulds, or bigger one if you have taken the excellent decision of doubling the recipe.

- Now, repeat with the chocolate; melt cocoa butter on low heat, mix in cocoa powder and sweetner(s), drizzle into the moulds over the peanut crunch, and leave them to set in the frige for about half an hour/an hour until set, before serving.

I took some of these with me to work the other day and they disappeared within minutes! And I have made them several times now....

Crunch! My friends couldn't believe they were healthy, and loved the sweetness and the crunch. Perfect snack alongside your cuppa.

This morning, I also uploaded the pictures from my vegetarian "Rabbit Burns" Night Supper. The vegetarian compared to the meaty one tasted just as nice! But it's a little bit lighter, which means you can have an extra bit, yum!


Recipe by yours truly,

- Jules

Healthy Mutant Ninja Turtles

Candy turtles.. candy..wait, sweet turtles, as a... snack? What? How does this work?

This was pretty much my reaction the first time I saw someone writing up the recipe for these amazing little treats! The first time I made them, I did it with the Rolo chocolate, the "proper" way one might say, but then... THEN, I decided to make some healthified turtles, they tastes just as good as the original, but the "chocolate" is darker - which, in my humble opinion, is a good thing! My flatmate quality checked it as well, and couldn't believe they were healthy!

And the best thing? They're whipped up in minutes, and it hardly takes any longer to double, or treble the recipe, if anything, it might make it easier with a bigger batch of dates to make the chocolate paste - score! These disappeared pretty much the instant they were served up, mainly thanks to me...oops!

Healthy Mutant Ninja Turtles
(Makes 7-10 turtles)

Lightly salted pretzels
Pecan halves
7 dried dates, soaked for five minutes - then drained and roughly chopped
2 tbsp cocoa powder
A splash of water (1-2 tbsp)

- Start by having the cocoa, dates and water in a bowl, or a processor (you might need to make a bigger batch for it to work in a food processor). Whizz until combined, scraping out the stick blender from time to time to make sure it all gets mixed up.

- Once the chocolate paste is done, you're ready to roll! Plate up pretzels, and take some of the date-chocolate and roll into hazelnut shaped balls, place one on top of each pretzel. Once you've run out of chocolate paste, top each of the chocolate pretzels with a pecan and gently press down. You can make them look a little prettier, using your fingers to smoothen out the edges.

What are you waiting for? Serve these badboys up... Perfect with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk, yum!

Aaaaand speaking of chocolatey sweets.....

I finally got around to uploading some new photos on my little digital camera, and so I can show you my first creation in the chocolate factory! Spiced apple. Originally, I had toffee apple in mind, then when I tasted it - I thought about apple crumble, but the others thought the cinnamon was a little too powerful for it to be called that, so it ended up being Spiced Apple. It has a light crunch when you bite into it, pretty all right for a first I thought!


And I will finish off posting a picture of little Morrow, a lurcher who was waiting for his owner (who when turned up, told me that the dog's name was Morrow ^ ^).

Such a beautiful scruffy thing, with one brown eye and the other icy blue! I keep telling myself - when I win the lottery....Then I'll finally get a dog. One day! For now, my loyal little goldfish - Seamus and Finnegan will be there by my sice, I cannot believe they're five and a half years!

Do you have any pets?


Recipe by yours truly,

- Jules

Maple Marzipan

I could not help myself from making these lovely little marzipan creations whenever I spotted them over at Rose's blog. Being a big fan of marzipan, I was instantly intrigued and a few days later, I made them before I went to work.

These don't taste like the sugar-laden marzipan in the shops, but have more of an almondy flavour, as marzipan should have. I halved the portion since I was only making them for myself as a tester, but I will post the full recipe, which will make enough for four pieces - the perfect homemade gift for that marzipan-loving friend of yours (we all have one..at least!) or for yourself, it works a treat along with a good cuppa!

Maple Marzipan
(Makes 4)

1 cup ground almonds
1 tbsp maple syrup (or agave)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

4 pear or apple stalks

Food colouring (I used cornflour + turmeric for a slightly yellow colour, and cornflour + paprika powder for coating, but they gave off a slightly savoury taste, so maybe use natural food colouring and mix in with the almond mixture if you have it!)

- Simply mix the almonds, maple syrup and vanilla together (and food colouring, if using) in a cup or a bowl. I used the back of a spoon, and worked it for a good few minutes until it all stuck together and made a dough.


- Divide into four pieces and shape into whatever sort of fruit or vegetable you want.

If you're not eating these immediately, refrigerate them until serving. They will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge. Not a very tricky treat - but still so delicious!

I hope you are having a great weekend! Any plans? I myself was in work making filled chocolates yesterday, and I'll be working the rest of the weekend too, but I don't mind as I had two days off earlier in the week. Hopefully, I'll get time to carve out the pumpkin I got the other week tonight, we'll see!


Original source:
http://www.thecleandish.com/marzipan-cake-pops-a-love-letter-raw-grain-free-gluten-free-vegan-refined-sugar-free/

- Jules

Fruit Nut Chocolate Nuggets

Y'know when you crave something sweet but not an entire billiongramchocolatebar? Those days? Yeh, well let me give you the answer to that - chocolate blobs! Or well...not blobs as such more like...uhm... Right, lets just say fruit nut chocolate nuggets! There..much better, and so the name of these things came to be!

Delicious bits of sweet, chocolate covered goodness, mmmm...

Fruit Nut Chocolate Nuggets
(Makes about 8 pieces)

50g fruit and dried nut mix
30g dark chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp xylitol or sugar (icing sugar will do!)
1 tbsp coconut oil
40g light cream cheese

- Have the fruit and nuts ready! Ready? Good, here we go!

- Take out a small frying pan and put it over loooow heat, have the coconut oil, sweetener and chopped chocolate and stir until it's all melted, add the cream cheese and stir through.

- Once the mixture is fairly free from lumps, take it off the heat and stir through the nuts and fruit.

- Have a plate with either non-stick baking parchment or tinfoil over it and place 1 teaspoon of the mixture at a time onto the plate, one nugget done! And about 6-7 more to go. Pop in the freezer for about half an hour and keep cool before serving. Eat immediately, as the coconut oil does tend to melt quickly!

Fingerlickin' good - and hopefully you approve too *smiles*

Recipe by yours truly, inspired by the interwebs,

- Jules

Cocopea Marbles

Finally the weekened is upon us! *Raises coffee cup* cheers!
so what better than rattling up some healthy, but delicious sweets?

I found this lovely recipe for peanut fudge, and then I accidentally left out two of the main ingredients and this happened... I'm not complaining though, they're delicious - A typical sweet'n'salty kind of treat!

Cocopea Marbles
(Makes 6-7)

50g PB2 or peanut flour
20g xylitol/sukrin gold
A pinch of salt (optional)
1 tsp agave/maple syrup
2 tbsp water (A little goes a long way, so be careful!)
Dessicated coconut for rolling

- In a bowl, mix together the peanut flour and sweetner along with a pinch of salt. Mix well to combine before adding the syp and 2 tbsp water. Use a spoon to knead well until you have almost like a gingerbread-dough textured mix.

- Now, roll it into a sausage and divide it into 6-7 pieces, roll them so you end up with pretty little peanut marbles, and roll in dessicated coconut. Chill until serving.

NOTE: You can also melt chocolate to coat them instead of using coconut, or both!


Inspiration:
http://lindastuhaug.blogg.no/1404832913_snickerskonfekt.html

- Jules

Home Made Protein Bars

Hello and happy Saturday! I hope you are having a great weekend so far!

Yesterday I went for Japanese with a friend, before we went to the cinema and later on enjoyed music, more cath-up times and a refreshing glass of rosê. Today, I'll be doing a little bit of cooking and studying. But first I thought I'd drop by to share a little treat with you.

Not wanting to spend all your money on protein bars for post-work out snacks? How about that big container of powder you've got sitting in the cupboard that you never actually really mix out like a shake?

I have only had one or two protein shakes in my life, and so when I bought the protein powder, it was for the intention of baking with it. Now this, this isn't a baking recipe as such, but you do get two tasty protein bars out of it, now that's a bit of a win right there, yeh?

Smothered in dark melted chocolate these are sure to put a smile on your face!

Home Made Protein Bars
(Makes 2)

30g chocolate, vanilla or strawberry
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder (optional, and only if using chocolate protein)
1 tbsp xylitol/sukrin gold
15g coconut flour (can also use ground almonds/almond flour)
2-3 tbsp milk of choice (careful, a little goes a long way here)
25g dark (sugar free) chocolate for coating
Dessicated coconut, ground almonds, chopped nuts, cake sprinkles for topping

- Start by mixing all the dry ingredients in a bowl.

- Add two tablespoons of milk and use a spoon to knead it into the mixture with a bit of a firm hand. If you need a bit more milk, add a teaspoon's worth at a time. The protein mixture should not be too sticky, add a teaspoon more protein powder if it does (We've all been there done that, but it takes practise and caution! Nothing a bit more of the dry ingredients can't sort out). Divide the "dough" in two pieces and roll them into bars. Place on a plate/board/baking parchment.

- Now, place in the fridge or the freezer whilst you go onto the next step! Break up the chocolate in pieces and melt in a dry bowl in a casserole with an inch/few centimetres of water on the hob on low/medium heat.

- Once melted, take off the heat and take out the protein bars from cooling. Roll them into the melted chocolate and return to the plate/board/paper you used for cooling them. Top with whatever you want to make them look fancy, or simply leave them the way they are. Set in the fridge for at least half an hour until the chocolate has set properly, and enjoy!


Original Source:
Sunnere & Sterkere med Proteinrik Mat, p. 84

- Jules

Vegan Dark Black Forest Chocolate

I thought it was about time for something sweet, preferably a little healthier than you're usual popping-candy-caramel-milk chocolate packed with e-numbers up to your ears. I know, I know, I totally sound like a spoilsport...but if you just hear. me. out!

You see, in my blog feed, a lovely girl called Ragnhild had made something that looked like the most delicious rick, dark chocolate - a black forest one! Once in the supermarket, I walked past some small, supersweet cherries, and in the basket they went. A day later - I made a batch of lovely little chocolates that I brought with me to my friends' for a Game of Thrones evening *smiles*

This reminded me of the dark chocolate layer that would lay beautifully at the bottom of these icecreams that my grandmother would buy, with cherry syrup swirled through it - heavenly!

PS. This is for serious chocolate lovers!

PPS. Coconut oil and cocabutter melts at low temperature, so you can make these raw as well

Vegan Dark Black Forest Chocolate
(Makes 12 large pieces or one giant bar)

75g coconut oil OR cocoabutter (original used cocoa butter, but I used coconut oil)
2 tbsp cashew- or peanut butter
2 tbsp cocoa nectar, I used syrup, agave will do brilliantly, and you can also use brown sugar
A pinch of vanilla, either fresh from the pod, vanilla sugar, or 1/3 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 tbsp cocoa powder or cacao (I used the cheap and cheerful stuff, unsweetened)
A couple of handfuls of sweet cherries, halved and pitted
Cacaonibs for garnish

- In a pot, simply have the coconut oil or cocoa butter, along with nut butter, sweetner, vanilla and cocoa. Stir on low heat until combined. Taste the mixture and add a little more (about a tablespoon or so) sweetner if necessary. It will get sweeter once it's set though!

- Now, decide how you wanna serve them, so you want to make a whole bar, or perhaps use silicone molds for little portion chocolates. Pour it into the mold(s), top with the cherry halves (2-3 halves per little mold) and cacao nibs (if using). Now, set them to cool for about an hour. You can freeze them for half an hour to hurry the process along a little, but keep these refrigerated until serving.

Ready to pop!

Simply enjoy on their own, or perhaps with a cup of milky tea. You can also use this as the base for icecream, or swirl it through homemade icecream I imagine - it would be delicious! NB. Note that if you're using coconut oil, they might melt quickly if you take your time eating them, but you'll probably not be able to resist their chocolatey goodnesss for long anyway!

Have you ever tried to make home made chocolate before?


Original source:
http://ragnhildnordrum.com/?p=5007

- Jules

Dark Creamy Coconut Hearts

So I was going to keep this recipe from you for at least another day, thinking that posting something savoury between the Nutty Date Marbles and these would be better. But you know what? It's Easter! There shouldn't be a shortage of sweets, especially not when you can make them as healthy as this!

Originally, this was a recipe for a healthier version of the Kinder Maxi chocolate. I however, didn't have any white sugar-free chocolate, so I used coconut oil instead!

Dark Creamy Coconut Hearts
(Makes 5)

...all that was left was a broken heart, and a happy stomach!

40g dark (sugar free) chocolate, chopped
1 heaped tbsp coconut oil (if solid, 2-3 tbsp if liquid) (or swap for 20-30g white chocolate)
2 soft cheese triangles (about 30-40g)
1 1/2 tsp sukrin icing sugar
3 drops stevia vanilla (creme)

- Start by melting the dark chocolate by boiling up a little water in a small casserole. Place a heat-proof, smaller bowl in, and add the chopped chocolate into the dry bowl. Stir occasionally and allow to melt fully.

- Now, get your silicone mould out! Spoon 2/3 of the chocolate between 5 moulds, and use the backside of the spoon (the part you hold) and make sure it covers all the way up to the edge of the little moulds. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes until set (I left them in the fridge for a bit longer).

- Towards the end of the waiting, heat the coconut oil the way you did with the chocolate, once liquified, take it off the heat and mix in the soft cream cheese and sweetners. As you are doing this, return the remaining hot chocolate to melt the way you did at first.

- In the moulds, divide the coconut cheese filling, then...Top with the remaining chocolate and freeze until set. I currently don't have a freezer, so I popped them in the fridge for about an hour. Carefully take them out of the moulds and refrigerate until serving, if you can actually wait that is!

Not perfect...but you have to make sure they look home made, right?

Ah, the sun was shining here today, I sorted out a new flat and will be moving in there in two weeks, and I got to spend some time in the lovely weather with two lovely girls, pancakes, sunshine and card games - bliss! Not to mention the questionable 90s hits we were listening to, hah!


Original source:
http://lindastuhaug.blogg.no/1395957769_sukkerfri_kindermaxi_.html

- Jules

Nutty Date Marbles

Simple, healthy, packed full of energy, and only THREE ingredients! (Or two...really)
No way? O-hoh-oh yes way! Come follow me.....

Nutty Date Marbles
(Makes 6)

1 1/2 handful mixed nuts
1 handful pitted dates
1 tbsp water (optional)

- What next? Have the ingredients in a blender and process roughly until you have a sticky mixture. I only used my stick blender, and it sort of went all over the place for the first few seconds. The only reason I used a bit of water was so as the stick blender would go a little easier on me, but it is by no means necessary!

- Once you have a sticky paste, and it's as rough or smooth as you like it: simply roll into a sausage and divide into six pieces. Roll into nutty date marbles, and enjoy!

Optionally, you can decorate with dried goji berries, cacao nibs, roll in dessicated coconut, chopped nuts, or cocoa powder!

You could add a little unsweetened cocoa to the nut- and date mixture for some extra chocolatey goodness. Or why not go all out and covered them in rich, dark melted chocolate?

Happy Easter!

The other day on the way home from the town in the evening, I got this given to me *bigsmileonherface*

I don't see how these happy, yellow flowers wouldn't put a smile on anyone's face!

What are your plans for the coming days? And do you have a favourite recipe where you use dates?


Original source:
http://lindastuhaug.blogg.no/1394992720_seige_karamelltrfler.html

- Jules

Snicker-Marbles

I was super happy when I got Kristine Weber's new recipe and work-out book delivered to me at work yesterday. When I got home in the evening, I knew immediately that I couldn't leave it until the next day before making something. And so, I decided to go for one of the sweet recipes, because I'd already planned what to make for dinner.

These snicker marbles make for lovely little healthy treat, packed full of protein and healthy fats. I may or may not have had all of them as soon as they were chilled and ready to eat...I mean, I had to test them right? It was for the blog's best! These go perfect with a cup of coffee, mmm....

Snicker-Marbles
(Makes 6-7 small marbles, 310-350 (with agave syrup) calories for the lot!)

4 tbsp PB2 (light peanut flour)
1 tbsp (1/2 scoop) chocolate protein powder
1 tbsp Walden farm's pancake syrup OR 1tbsp agave syrup
A few drops Stevia vanilla (optional)
Pinch salt
1-2 tbsp water, until you get a slightly sticky dough
15g (3 squares) dark chocolate (+1tbsp water), for dipping
1 tbsp chopped peanuts for sprinkling

- Mix everything except the chocolate and chopped peanuts together in a bowl. Add a tiny bit of water at a time until the though is a little bit sticky, but still manageable. Roll out into a sausage and divide into 6-7 bits.

- Roll them into little marbles and set in the fridge to chill for a little bit. In the meantime, melt the chocolate with 1tbsp water in a little ceramic bowl in a water-bath in a pan. Chop up the peanuts, and you're ready for the next step!

- Take the marbles out of the fridge and dip in the chocolate, place them on a serving plate as you go along and top with the chopped peanuts. Set in the fridge again until the chocolate is set, for about half an hour - if you can wait that long!

The book is packed full with great tips about how to focus on what is important in life - to keep in shape and to enjoy life without over-thinking your diet and exercise plan. It also features a lot of helpful texts that are really motivational and downright thoughtful and honest. Kristine is such a wonderful girl! Ahhh, and don't get me started on the rest of the recipes, I can't wait to try them out!


Original source:
Sunnere & Sterkere med Protein Rik Mat, p.128

- Jules