Adventures in the Kitchen # 12: Raw Chocolate Pudding

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This is an emergency post!!! I just HAD to write this ASAP after I tried this latest recipe.....it was beyond amazing and I couldn't believe that is could taste so good with the ingredients it called for. This is so healthy I actually served this to my 5 year old as an appetizer one night. This Raw Chocolate pudding has fruits, healthy fats, raw natural sugars and healthy oils....a perfect combination of health and decadence....and they'll never guess what's inside!

Adventures in the Kitchen # 12

Raw Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients
- 2 avocados (peel and scoop out the insides)
- 1 ripe banana, peeled
- 1/4 Cup Raw honey
- 3 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil
- 1/3 Cup Cocoa powder
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 Teaspoon of sea salt

 Directions
- Combine ingredients in a blender and puree until everything is combined.
- Chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Taken from www.thenourishinggourmet.com

**We gobbled this up and licked the bowl with our fingers.....so simple, so tasty and so easy.

Adventures in the Kitchen #11: Homemade salad dressings

I have been wanting to make my own salad dressings for a while now....have you read the ingredient list on store-bought salad dressings? Yipes...pretty sure I saw the chemical name for 'windshield wiper fluid' (polypropylene-glycol?) on more than one of them. Why do all those chemicals need to be in there? To prolong the shelf life. Wow. Don't think salad dressing was supposed to naturally last for two years.
So, I have discovered, made and tasted several kinds, hoping to replace the salad dressings we love with a natural version. I found 2 so far that taste virtually the same if not better.  Even if you have to buy some of these ingredients just to make these (ie: Dijon mustard), it won't be a waste because you will use them again and again to make these natural, better-tasting salad dressings from now on!
PS.....I now have a 'print' button at the bottom of each post so you can print a copy to use in your kitchen.

My fave dressing so far....

Balsamic Vinaigrette 
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Garlic clove, minced
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard and garlic.
Add the oil in slowly while whisking constantly.
Season with salt and pepper.
Store in Fridge.

**I made this directly in a tupperware container with a pouring spout and a lid so I was able to mix the ingredients by shaking them. If you make this in a bowl, just transfer the salad dressing to an old salad dressing squeeze bottle or a small glass container. This is my favorite dressing thus far.

(Found at Epicurious.com)

Ranch Dressing

Dip in some raw veggies for a quick, healthy snack 

1 Cup Mayonnaise
1/2 Sour Cream
1/2 Teaspoon Dried parsley
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Dill Weed
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic powder
1/4 Teaspoon Onion powder
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
Stir until well mixed.
Store in Fridge.

**This is a great dip for cut up veggies, topping for burgers or a green salad. One of my favorites and tastes a lot like store bought ranch! I stored this one in an old salad dressing bottle for easy pouring.

(Found at Passionatehomemaking.com)

Adventures in the Kitchen # 8: Two Bite Mini-Muffins....a healthy make-over

I have been on the hunt for healthy alternatives to store-bought items that we like to eat....especially in the snack department.....and I stumbled upon a recipe for Chocolate zucchini muffins (similar to the "Two-bite brownies" that you can buy in the grocery store) and decided to give them a healthy 'make-over' for some guilt-free eating pleasure! Don't let the word zucchini scare you....you would never know that these succulent morsels of chocolate gooeyness (my mouth is watering as I write this) have a vegetable in them .....enjoy these as much as we do (and I bet you that your family won't guess that there is zucchini in them...up their veggie consumption without any complaints!)

Adventures in the Kitchen # 8: Two-bite Chocolate Zucchini Mini-Muffins

Prep time: 15 min

Cook Time: mini muffins - 10 min or Standard size muffins - 20 min

Yields: 20 standard muffins

Ingredients

- 2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour (remove 2 Tablespoons)

The mini muffins went so fast, I didn't get to take a picture,
but these look a lot like mine. Moist, rich, chocolatey. 

- 1 Cup Cocoa

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 2 teaspoons baking soda

- 1 teaspoon allspice (I used nutmeg)

- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

- 1 1/2 Cups organic sucanat*

- 3/4 Cups Coconut Oil melted

- 3 eggs

- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 1/2 Cup buttermilk (or add 2 teaspoons of vinegar to 1/2 cup of regular milk)

- 2 Cups zucchini (peeled, de-seeded, grated)

- 1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or carob chips)

*You can also use organic coconut sugar, same quantity or you can use 1 Cup of honey

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners or grease with butter.

2. Whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, all spice and cinnamon and set aside.

3. Whisk together sucanat and coconut oil. Beat in eggs one at a time until combined.

4. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until just moistened.

5. Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake for approximately 20 minutes. 

    (Muffins are done when inserted toothpick into the center comes clean)

6. Cool muffins in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to cool wrack for 5 minutes before serving.

** I used a mini muffin tin pan to get the "two-bite" muffins.....just decrease the baking time to around 10 minutes.....a perfect snack for little hands and a guilt-free indulgence for us moms! :) This recipe made 16 standard size muffins plus 12 mini muffins.

The mini muffins were gone the same day I made them..... a new favorite for a snack on the go and for Kaitlyn's school lunches. Healthy and natural, home-made and cheaper than the store-bought version....these "Two-bite muffins" are among our favorite sweet treats!Adapted from "Chocolate Zucchini Muffins" found on www.sweetpeaskitchen.com

Homemade Fruit Roll-ups

Now that Kaitlyn is in school, I have been researching some healthy snack ideas for Kaitlyn to take with her each day.  There are a large variety of snacks available in the stores......but most are super unhealthy and overpriced, so I thought that I would choose some store bought snacks that appealed to the kids (and us!) and try to find healthier, homemade and cheaper alternatives. If you have any homemade, yummy snack recipes.....please share with me!! :)

Adventures in the Kitchen # 7: Homemade Fruit Roll-ups

From this......

To this.....very simple, easy to follow recipe.

There are a bunch of steps involved with this recipe (don't be scared....it's super easy) and pictures will help you understand what to do, so go check out this amazingly easy, healthy and cheap recipe here.

** My Kids gobbled this snack up and wanted more and more! With no preservatives, artificial dyes or colors.....this treat is a perfect choice for a snack on the go.