Naturally Sweetened Chocolate Milk

I'm kind of a chocoholic. And I am not ashamed of that. I love sipping on chocolate in liquid forms. A mug filled with hot chocolate is a sure way to win a place in my heart! Not the healthiest but I lived off of store bought chocolate almond milk towards the end of my pregnancy and even indulged in a few glasses after giving birth to Lydia. I tried making up for it by having it with half plain almond milk and the rest with the chocolate milk. The desire to have chocolate milk all the time kind of dissipated and the beverage I *had* to have on a daily basis became forgotten. (That's not to say hot chocolate was forgotten ;) )

Fast forward to Lydia turning one a couple weeks ago, I had tried giving her organic milk and she wasn't into it. My mom suggested I try chocolate milk and I decided against store bought because of the added sugar and unpleasant thickening agents. However I was curious if I blended a little cocoa powder, dates, cinnamon, and vanilla bean to her milk would change her mind. Turns out it did!  This chocolate milk recipe is not only toddler-friendly, it is a delicious and nutritious treat for the whole family. And it can easily be made with non-dairy milk for those with food allergies or lactose intolerant. 

On the subject of milk, after seeing it a bunch of times at Whole Foods and contemplating whether or not to buy it, I finally bought grass-fed milk and guys, it's amazing! Although I've only had it in small doses, it is the only cow milk to date that hasn't given me the usual bloating and tummy troubles, and it tastes fresher too. On top of that it also has natural occurring omega-3's and CLA because the cow's are eating what their stomachs are designed to eat: grass! I just had to share because I'm excited to include more options in my diet.  That being said, here's the recipe to a toddler and mommy approved chocolate milk!

Naturally Sweetened Chocolate Milk

serves 4 

• 16 ounces milk of choice 
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 2-3 pitted medjool dates
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste OR 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• dash of cinnamon

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until fully incorporated. Divide into four small glasses or in Lydia's case, plastic cups with lids. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to two days. Separation will occur, so give it a good shake before serving. Enjoy!

Recipe Redo: Chocolate Dipped Coco's

Guys this is the third time I’m revisiting this recipe and making more changes; I can’t make promises but I think this will be the last time I’ll have to do so. I gotta admit I’m finding these to be pretty darn tasty! The first time I made these cookies was three years ago and while they tasted good, they were also packed with way too much sugar for my liking and the dough was sticky and difficult to work with; if that wasn't bad enough the additional step of dipping the bottom of the cookie in chocolate made quite a mess. Then two years ago, I tried making adjustments and replaced the brown sugar for maple syrup, turbinado sugar and added a touch of molasses; again, good but not 100% there for me.

Somehow I forgot all about the cookies until my mom recently told me she loved them! Funny how people manage to remember and enjoy my least favorite recipes… For the sake of my mommy, I revisited the recipe and ended up with a delicious little coconut cookie dipped in melted chocolate; I was a fan! I brought them to my mom and sister as a late Christmas present and they were fans too. Just for kicks, this time around I decided to add the addition of crushed almonds after dipping the cookies in chocolate for an elegant touch. If you like coconut, chocolate and almonds (think: Almond Joys) then you’ll dig these!

Chocolate Dipped Coco’s

makes 21 bite size cookies

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/3 cup organic shortening or unsalted butter

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup cane sugar

1/3 cup almond milk

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (optional)

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup slithered almonds or chopped raw almonds

1 heaping dark chocolate or semi-sweet chips, plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Directions:

In a large skillet, pour the coconut and toast over medium heat for about five minutes, or until the coconut is golden brown. Stir occasionally and be careful not to burn it. Once the coconut is toasted, remove from heat and let cool. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or large bowl with electric mixer, cream together coconut oil, vegan butter or butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy. Mix in almond milk, vanilla and almond extract until well combined. Add in flour, ground flax, baking soda and salt and beat on low-speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula if necessary, and fold in shredded coconut. Refrigerate dough in saran wrap for at least 2 hours or overnight. (This will make the dough easier to work with and prevent the dough from being too thin and delicate.) Preheat oven 350, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Using a tablespoon or your hands form dough balls, flatten them slightly and transfer onto baking sheet. Bake about 10 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Allow cookies to cool 2 minutes before transferring onto cooling rack.

Chocolate Dip 2 ways:

1. By creating a makeshift double boiler or using a real double boiler. Simply melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small saucepan underneath a bigger saucepan with simmering water.

2. Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil by placing them in a microwave safe bowl for thirty second intervals until completely melted.

After melting the chocolate glaze, allow it to thicken and cool for at least five minutes. Dip half the cookie in the chocolate glaze then coat the chocolate side with the almonds. Repeat with all the cookies. Transfer cookies onto parchment paper and allow the chocolate to set before serving. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container about 5 days. 

xo, Jessica

Chocolate Chip Marble Cookies {dairy-free and egg-free!}

Hey guys,

I have a sensational chocolate chip marble cookie recipe for all to indulge in today. From my understanding everyone has a favorite style of chocolate chip cookies and mine happens to be more crispy on the outside, but still tender in the inside and perfectly balanced between sweet and salty. How do you take your chocolate chip cookies?

In my humble opinion marrying double chocolate chip cookies with classic chocolate chip cookies is decadent without being too rich. Don't get me wrong, I do love my chocolate on chocolate but baking these cookies gives me the option of eating both flavors in one shot! ;) They also look pretty radical, am I right?

Chocolate Chip Marble Cookies {egg-free and can be made dairy-free}

makes 2 dozen or 30 for bite size cookies

inspired by Top with Cinnamon and recipe adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking

4 ½ teaspoons Ener-g Egg Replacer

6 tablespoons water

1 cup solidified coconut oil or softened butter

¾ cup natural cane sugar

¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

½ teaspoon blackstrap molasses

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor or blender, whip the egg replacer and water together, until it's thick and creamy. Blending it in a food processor or blender results in a better consistency than what you could get if you did it by hand.

In a large bowl, cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. (I always use my stand mixer on medium-high speed because I'm lazy and it comes out much fluffier.) Add the egg replacer mixture, and thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the wet mixture until it begins to form a dough. When it is almost thoroughly combined, separate half of the batter into a medium sized bowl. Add unsweetened cocoa powder to the separate half of batter and mix until combined. Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chip to each batter.

On a clean surface scoop up a spoonful of each dough and roll into balls. Sandwich the classic chocolate chip cookie ball with the double chocolate chip cookie ball, and roll together slightly to combine flavors. Drop marble cookie balls onto cookie sheets and press down slightly. Bake 8-12 minutes. After a couple minutes transfer to wire racks to cool completely. 

Go ahead and enjoy these cookies with a loved one, 

Jessica

Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake Donuts + Our newest addition :)

Before I share the recipe for these wondrous donuts, I would like to share a little tidbit of what has been going on in our lives; Michael and I got a puppy! Her name is Zoe and she is a 10-week old French Bulldog with the warmest and cuddliest belly we’ve ever seen. After much research we decided a Frenchie was the dog for us because they are companion dogs, smart, quirky and the perfect size. Little Zoe is something else too; she is a little monster that makes up for devilish antics by being… "So cute!" We learned very quickly that having a little puppy around requires adjustment, responsibility and patience; lots and lots of patience. Zoe's antics of choice are biting every little thing around the house and of course, being a little rambunctious beast. But you gotta love her! She really is great though and my heart almost always melts when she cuddles up with me, and the way she rolls around on her back while snorting like a piglet automatically makes me giggle. Some shots of the babe...

dat belly... <3_<3

She loves bedtime.

I'm obsessed with her double chin.

Zoe getting caught in one of her antics... I believe she was eating my in-laws houseplants again.

Now, back to the donuts! I originally found the recipe here.  I adjusted the recipe to be vegan and was extremely pleased with the results. To me anything coffee cake or that contains bananas, walnuts and chocolate is my kind of dessert. I find that these donuts are cozy, moist, sweet and downright delicious. The first time I made this recipe I baked it into a 6” inch cake pan, and baked the remaining batter into muffins. This time I decided to break out my donut pan because, well, I think everything tastes better in the shape of a donut! 

Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake Donuts
makes a dozen donuts 

Topping:

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon cardamom

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons room temperature vegan butter

¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Dash of salt

Cake:

½ cup vegan butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¾ cup natural cane sugar

1 tablespoon chia seeds + 3 tablespoons water

¼ non-dairy milk + ½ teaspoon vinegar (or add a squeeze of lemon and let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 bananas, mashed

Preheat oven 350. Lightly grease donut pan with cooking spray, vegan butter or coconut oil.

1. Make topping; mix all ingredients except chocolate chips together with the back of a fork or a pastry cutter until crumbled. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.

2. Combine chia seeds with water and set aside. Melt vegan butter in a medium pan over medium high heat. Set aside to cool.

4. Whisk flours, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt.

5. Once butter is cooled stir in sugar until well combined. Whisk in chia mixture, milk, and extract. Add bananas and stir to combine.

6.   Slowly stir in flour mixture just until combined.

7. Spoon the batter into donut pan until it’s about half full, then sprinkle some of topping and repeat, adding more batter and another layer of the topping.

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool completely. Loosen edges of each donut with a butter knife and carefully invert. Serve or store in a container for up to 4 days.

-Jessica

chocolate chip espresso muffins (vegan + whole grain)

I am first going to start this off by saying, what the heck is going on in New Jersey? We have been getting snowstorms pretty much every week now! Not to say I hate the snow (I don’t love it either) but these extreme weather conditions are driving me nuts. I think what drives me the nuttiness is being forced to clean the mountains of snow off my car and then having to repeat the same process within the next couple of days. Another thing that has been particularly bothersome is having a pile of snow from the roof of my car sliding onto the front of it and blocking my vision. This happened to me twice this week! The lesson I learned from these two incidents is to always clean the roof of your car because even when it looks like it’ll stay put, it won’t and can be embarrassing. What I do like about the snow is the way it looks the morning after a storm. I think the trees always look so majestic and beautiful which almost makes cleaning my car a little more pleasant. Almoooost. I guess the last time I genuinely loved the snow was when I was a little kid, getting snow days and my desire to want to play in the snow for hours. I guess grownups (snow lovers excluded) must lose their appreciation for the snow when they have bigger responsibilities like driving, ensuring they have enough groceries and going to work. I wish I could appreciate it more but in the mean time I will spend most of my days anticipating springs arrival, thank you very much! 

On a much more exciting note, today I had not only a hankering for some chocolate but an even bigger one for baking. The only problem was that I couldn't decide on what I wanted to bake. Cookies? Cake? Brownies? So, I asked Michael what I should bake and he suggested muffins! How brilliant is he? In my humble opinion homemade muffins qualify as decadent but are still a wholesome little treat. I made an adaption of Sara Forte’s “brown butter espresso chip muffins” which I honestly wish I could eat as is! But instead of brushing the recipe to the side, I swapped the eggs for flax meal, used coconut oil and some vegan butter for the streusel.

Chocolate Chip Espresso Muffins:

makes 8-10 muffins

I found these muffins to be wonderfully decadent without being overly sweet, which is exactly my ideal for a muffin. By using three different flours you get a nice variety textures and flavors. The almond meal lends a nuttiness that works well with the earthiness of the espresso and I personally love the surprise pieces of chocolate chips that are enhanced by the subtle hints of cinnamon. Finally the oat streusel topping gives these muffins their decadency due to its perfect balance of sweet and saltiness. Eat these with tea or if you’re a rebel like me freshly brewed espresso. Enjoy!

• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 cup oat flour (just simply grind old fashioned oats into a food processor)
• 1 cup almond meal or flour
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon espresso or finely ground coffee
• 1/3 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons flax meal + 1/4 cup water 
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

streusel topping: 

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 2 tbsp. vegan butter 
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar 
• 1/4 tsp. each of cinnamon and cardamon 
• pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin tins or fill with muffin liners. In medium sized bowl mix flax meal with water and allow to thicken. Whisk flax eggs, applesauce, vanilla and coconut oil together. In a large mixing bowl, stir the brown sugar, whole wheat pastry flour, oat flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon and espresso together to combine. Add the wet ingredients to dry and fold in the chocolate chips, stirring gently without over mixing. In small bowl, combine oats, butter, sugar and salt. Press it together with fingers to incorporate. Scoop the batter into the tins til about 3/4 full. Sprinkle each muffin with a bit of streusel. Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes or until center is cooked through. Remove to cool. 

Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Bread

....Because sometimes you just need a little pick me up!
Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Bread (Adapted from these)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup raw sugar (I used coconut!)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup goat milk (vegans can use full-fat coconut milk!)
• 2 tablespoons organic coffee extract or espresso powder
• 1/4 cup vegan butter, melted
• 1 "flax egg" (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chip

Preheat oven to 375 F

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, combine milk and coffee extract, add the butter, flax egg and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips.  Grease or line loaf pan with parchment paper. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for at least five minutes before removing from pan. Enjoy!

Making Cookies a Little Healthier (an experiment gone right!)

Hey guys!
Every now and then I love to go back to my old recipes and revise them a little bit. About a month ago at Natural Gourmet we had a class dedicated to converting different ingredients in very traditional cookie and cake recipes. I particularly found this class to be fun, informative and fast-paced! A classmate and I made chocolate chip cookies, first starting with commercial ingredients such as: brown & white sugar, butter, eggs, semi-sweet chocolate chips and refined flours.

Throughout the day we replaced one ingredient at a time and each time we noticed a change in the texture, taste and shape of the cookies. One lesson I learned is the important role sugar makes in a cookie and that is: spreading. We thought it would be a good idea  to cut back on sugar and add more chocolate chips... But when the cookies were removed from the oven they looked unbaked and had not spread at all!  By the end of the class we had a delicious cookie that was completely vegan, 50% whole grain and free of refined sugar.

                                       ^ the original cookies with brown sugar

Now let’s get back to my revised coconut and chocolate cookies. The original recipe used refined sugar, and I thought it would be fun to make a healthier but still delicious coconut and chocolate cookie. When I first made these cookies I noticed they spread like crazy and appeared flat so, I revisited my memory from the converting class and cut back on the sugar. I also added oats for some texture, black strap molasses for color and removed the flax meal simply because I didn’t have any. As for someone who loves coconut, oats and dark chocolate these cookies make me smile a lot!

   

Ingredients:
1 ½ unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup rolled oats
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup solidified coconut oil
½ cup turbinado sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract (the almond will make the cookie taste like an almond joy candy, if that’s what you’re going for!)
1-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips + 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Whole almonds or pecans
Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet pour coconut and toast over medium-low heat for about five minutes, or until the coconut turns golden brown. Try not to burn the coconut! Once coconut is toasted remove from heat and cool.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl sift together dry ingredients (except coconut, chocolate chips and almonds) and in separate bowl combine coconut oil, sugar, maple syrup, molasses, almond milk and extract, blend until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until the batter is thick, fold in the cooled coconut. Using a melon baller or spoon drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (Make sure the unbaked cookies are about three inches apart to avoid an overlap!) Press an almond in the center of each cookie and bake eight minutes, just until the edges are golden brown. Allow the cookies to set on the baking sheet a few minutes before transferring them to cooling rack.
The Chocolate Glaze: Place the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium-heat. Stir until chocolate has completely melted, turn off heat and allow chocolate glaze to set five minutes. Once the cookies are completely cooled drizzle each cookie with chocolate, and if there’s extra chocolate dip the bottom of the cookie in the chocolate and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow chocolate to harden before serving. To speed up the process you can place the cookies in the freezer for fifteen minutes!
I hope you all enjoy these cookies as much as I do, and you’ll stay tuned for more of my revamped and improved recipes!
Have you ever changed up one of your go to recipes out of curiosity?
-Jessica

Controlling Anxiety + Cookies to Help

To all my anxious readers,
I know you’re spending the day worrying, experiencing panic attacks and maybe even feeling devoured by life itself. And you know what? You’re not alone my friends. Trust me: you are not alone. I’ve lost count the number of times I’ve felt like my heart was going to explode out of my chest and the amount of sleep lost due to over-analyzing every situation throughout the day. I’ll admit it, I’m notorious for worrying. Don’t get me wrong, a little anxiety can be healthy, but when it’s controlling your life, that’s when you need to take action!
To start off, the first and most important role in managing your anxiety is accepting you have anxiety. You’re probably thinking, “Duh… I wouldn’t be reading this if I didn’t have it,” but I thought the same thing and would avoid confronting my anxiety. My anxiety is often triggered by time, clutter, exams or looking stupid. For example instead of just being organized, I’ll add on to the clutter in my life and when meeting someone new I’ll over analyze everything they say by painting ridiculous scenarios in my head. The truth is controlling your anxiety takes work! It requires self-evaluation, dedication and most importantly, seeking support from the people who love you. I’ve managed to come up with a few natural and pill-free ways that have always helped me get through my anxiety.

1. Organize your closet. Try thinking of your closet as your brain: as you focus on removing the excess baggage in your closet it gives you the opportunity to connect to the idea of cleaning out your mind too. I am not sure why but when my closet is clean I feel like a weight has been lifted from shoulders; which is inspires me to rethink my anxious thoughts.

1. Talk and vent to a close friend/family member. I used to never talk about my anxiety or when things bothered me which led to more toxic thoughts. So my advice to you is, talk to your friends and family when you need to vent. You won’t be burdening them because they love you! I believe that there’s always someone who will listen to you speak and be there to give you that hug and understanding you need.

1. Eat away your anxiety. NO, I don’t mean eating copious amounts of Oreo cookies or eating ice cream by the tub! I’m talking about omega 3’s and antioxidants which are found in foods like: salmon & almonds and even dark chocolate!  Eating foods that are rich in omega 3’s release endorphins in the brain which feels incredibly euphoric. You know what else releases endorphins?

1. Exercise! Not only does a good workout help prevent depression it also naturally detoxifies the body which helps release unnecessary stress. I love scaring away my anxiety with an intense workout; it improves my health and boosts my confidence!

1. Get enough sleep. Trust me, a good night’s sleep will keep you away from anxiety; whether you’re a college student, hard worker, stay at home mom, etc. Feeling sleep deprived and cranky will not benefit your busy schedule! My anxiety comes from feeling unprepared which is usually a side effect from sleep deprivation. I know this can be impossible for people who struggle with anxiety. Insomnia loves anxiety but it doesn’t have to be that way. You can read my “Get Some Sleep!” article for natural sleep aids!

I hope this post helped you guys! Anxiety can be very debilitating, but start by remembering the first step: accept you have it and understand you don’t have to face it alone! Clean your closet, talk to friends and family, eat up some omega 3’s, exercise, get enough sleep, and most importantly STAY POSITIVE! Oh and here’s a cookie recipe…

Almond Joy Cookies
These cookies were inspired by the infamous “Samoa” Girl Scout cookies. They were my favorite growing up along with Tagalongs and Thin Mints. For these cookies I used dark chocolate, ground flax seeds, and a hint of almond which automatically give them anxiety fighting nutrients! I call them almond joy cookies because I added an almond to each cookie for a kick of omega 3’s and of course for aesthetics ;)
Almond Joy Cookies
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 cups organic brown sugar
1/3 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I only used ½ tsp)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Almonds
Chocolate layer: 1 heaping cup dark chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips), 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot or skillet, pour in the coconut and toast over medium low heat for about five minutes, until the coconut turns golden brown. Be careful not to burn it, and stir occasionally. Once the coconut is toasted, remove it from the heat to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil, brown sugar, almond milk, flaxseeds, and vanilla and blend until smooth. Sift in the flour, baking soda and salt and stir until the batter is thick. Fold in the cooled, toasted coconut.
Drop tablespoons of dough on a parchment lined pan. Use your palm to press down the dough balls until they are flat discs. (I put a little flour on my hand to prevent the dough from sticking to me) Press an almond in the center of each cookie. Bake the cookies for about eight minutes, just until the edges start to turn golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the pan and then cool completely.
To make the chocolate glaze: Using a small saucepan melt the chocolate chips and stir in the coconut oil. Allow the mixture to cool for five minutes to allow it to thicken a bit. Once the cookies are completely cooled, dip the bottom in the chocolate mixture and place on a pan lined in parchment paper. Repeat with all the cookies. Use the remaining chocolate to drizzle glaze over the top of each cookie, covering the almond in the middle with chocolate.
-Jeffie