Almond Joyness

Who doesn't love a good candy bar?! I know I sure do, until I read the ingredients label that is. I love that there are natural alternatives, but honestly I haven't really found one that I have liked besides plain chocolate, but that's a whole other story. Anyways being pregnant I've found myself wanting things I haven't wanted in years and tonight I had a hankering for an almond joy. I wasted little time figuring out how to make these it was like the craving just took over and I was a witness to the situation.

Here's the recipe......

Grab a  mini muffin pan, a regular one will work but the little ones keep me in line!

1 1/3 C coconut
1/2 C coconut oil
1/4 C maple syrup or raw honey or agave



Mix those together if, you're patient you can melt the coconut oil first for easy mixing but I just used my hands and made it melt to my will!

Divide the mixture evenly into the cups

Press down lightly 
Add an almond (or a sprinkle of sliced almonds) to each cup and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes

While that's happening bust out a double broiler (that's just a fancy term for an empty pot on top of a pot of boiling water).....sorry I was way too focused to take pictures!

Melt a bag of enjoy life chocolate chips in the double broiler, oh you don't have a bag of chocolate chips on call in your pantry? Yeah, me neither....... a chocolate bar will do or if you want to get fancy you can make your own chocolate by mixing equal parts coconut oil, cocoa powder, cocoa or almond butter and adding a sweetener of choice to taste.

Once the chocolate situation is worked out pull out the coconut cups from the freezer
Add chocolate to each cup and place back in the freezer as long as you can stand it

After about 15 minutes mine were ready-ish, I would give it 20 and 30 if you make big ones
they will slide right out with a butter knife.

If there's any left store in a zip-lock or Tupperware in the freezer

Thai Meatballs

Thai meatballs?! The phrase sounds exotic yet also accessible and after you discover how easy and delicious these little tastes of far off paradise are, they'll quickly earn a place in your heart er um stomach and possibly your favorite go to dinner list. The recipe I adopted these from calls for dark meat turkey and if that's your thing go for it, at my house dark meat doesn't go over very well so I scrapped that and went to my go to starter for meatballs, a turkey breast & ground pork mix. Normally I make everything from scratch but I must admit making complicated sauces with loads of spices intimidates me and I always seem to forget 1 vital ingredient so I cheated a little and bought a green curry simmer sauce. 

Here's what you'll need

3/4 lb ground turkey breast
1/4 lb ground pork
1-2 cloves of garlic-minced
1 hunk of ginger-minced
1 tbs fresh cilantro leaves- minced
Dash of Braggs or soy souce
Big squirt of Sriracha (optional) 
squeeze of fresh lime

A jar of green curry simmer sauce or make your own if you're not a wuss like me :) 

Preheat over to 375 F
Blend all ingredients together (it may stick to your hands a bit  feel free to have flour handy!)
Roll into balls of desired size and place into a 9x11 baking dish
Cook 30-45 minutes depending on size

After they are finished cooking or even a little undercooked but browned on the outside transfer meatballs to a skillet and add green curry simmer sauce and simmer on low with a lid for at least 20 minutes.

I made a quick simple stir fry to go with my meatballs

chopped carrots, onion, celery, broccoli, bell pepper and some frozen edamame cooked on med until everything was soft but not mushy. I started with a heap of coconut oil and as the veggies cooked added to taste ginger, garlic, braggs, rice wine vinegar and a dash of sesame oil, easy and delicious!

When I started cooking I realized I was all out of rice......what?! So....I used quiona instead which worked out perfectly because quiona cooks quicker and it was delicious, who knew?! 

Chocolate Banana Pudding (guilt free!)

Pudding happened to be the first sweet treat I shared with my little when he started solids. The key to this guilt free deliciousness lies in the bananas, the riper the better, basically if they're covered in brown spots you're good to go! Grab these 4 simple ingredients pictured below and a blender or food processor. Blend 2 ripe bananas, 1 tbs. raw cocoa powder, 1 tsp. vanilla and maple syrup to taste (1-2 tbs.) blend until smooth and that's it, easy peasy!

Snack time!

Old Fashioned Chewy Granola Bars

I've been craving granola bars fiercely lately but not just any granola bar, Oh no it has to be a chewy oat bar with mini chocolate chips.  There were several bars that fit this criteria at the store and even some organic options however when I started reading the epic nutritional label of ingredients I hung my head, saddened by my lack of instant gratification. When I got home, I busted open my cupboard looking for a fix. I just can't eat something loaded with sugar and canola oil when there is a suitable easy solution lurking in my kitchen. Now because of the chocolate chips there is a minimum amount of sugar but the rest of the bar is sweetened with honey, if you want a complete refined sugar free solution a dried fruit can easily be substituted.

2 1/2 C oats
1/3 C honey
1/3 C peanut or almond butter
1/4 C coconut butter- coconut oil can also be used but I like coconut butter because it has a little more body to it.
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C mini chocolate chips I like the enjoy life brand 3 ingredients and dairy free

Look at that we just went from about 20 ingredients to 6 well 8 technically, dreams come true! 

Place oats on a baking sheet and toast for 5-10 minutes on @350. You'll want them lightly toasted but not toasty, make sense?

While that's  happening melt honey, pb and coconut butter on low heat and mix together, add vanilla. Once it's melted set aside and let it cool slightly.

By now the oats should be toasted take those bad boys out and let them cool. At this point you can mix everything together and get on with life but I like to let everything cool first so the chocolate chips don't melt. I am not a fan of melted chips but that's just me.

When everything is mixed up and ready to go place a piece of parchment in a 8x8 pan then fill in the oat mixture evenly. Ok here's the most important part, press the mixture down and I mean press that like you're ironing a shirt to wear to meet your favorite celebrity or spiritual deity whichever is more motivating. It will be a bit wonky at first but make sure it's all uniformly pressed, I like to press then spin the pan and press from a different direction, whatever works!

Then all you have to do is let them sit in the fridge for 2 hours, after that cut 'em up and eat them! They will stay in an airtight container for a week or in the fridge for 2 weeks (if they last that long!)