chocolate mango inside-out roll with dipping sauce

what?!  um yes.  so delicious.


Ingredients:

(makes 1 roll of 8 pieces)


For the ISO
1/2 nori sheet
200g raw sushi rice
220 ml water
30 ml rice vinegar
15g sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp hazelnuts, finely chopped
50g mango, cut into strips
50g melon, cut into strips
50g strawberries, sliced into thin strips
100g plain dark chocolate, finely grated

Dipping or drizzling sauce 
Ingredients:
220g plain dark chocolate melted

Directions:
to prepare the sushi rice-
1. Rinse your rice well, between 3-5 washes until it runs clear in a fine mesh sieve. Set aside and drain for 1 hour.
2.  Put the rice and water into a heavy saucepan with a lid. Heat over medium/high heat and bring to a boil.  Don't lift the lid.  It should take about 5-7 minutes to come to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook for another 5-7 minutes.  Turn off heat. Don't lift lid but let rice stand for another 10 minutes.
3. While the rice is standing. Make your own sushi vinegar in a non reactive bowl with the rice vinegar/sugar and salt, stirring until sugar and salt are dissolved.
4. Transfer the hot cooked rice to a flat based bowl. Use a spatula to gently spread the rice out evenly. Using the back of the spatula sprinkle the sushi vinegar over the rice.  Use the spatula to cut through the rice and turn it over in sections to distribute the vinegar.  Have someone else fan the rice (with a fan or a magazine) as you turn it to cool the rice quickly and it will absorb the vinegar mixture.  Don't stir or mix the rice as it will get mushy.  just turn it.

Directions for the inside-out rolls

1. Place the nori sheet on a chopping board and cover it with the prepared sushi rice.  Turn it over and spread the honey over using the back of a spoon, then cover it with the hazelnuts, mango, melon and strawberries.  Roll it up to make an inside-out roll (use a rolling mat and saran wrap to make this easier), then flip it over and roll it in the grated chocolate until coated.
note: there are hundreds of free online sushi rolling tutorials, just look for inside-out rolls.

2. Cut the roll into 8 pieces , drizzle with melted dark chocolate. Serve extra melted "dipping" chocolate along side for any chocoholics.

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

 Gluten Free Chocolate Whoopie Pies!

After seeing these treats on tv, on the Internets and on my flickr friends photo streams I simply HAD to try them.  I used this recipe.  I have to say, whoopie pies are delicious!  I also have to say I do not recommend anyone make them ever.  Sugar, vegetable shortening, marshmallow fluff!  These are bad for you.  I ate 2.

Whoopie Pie Recipe-
Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour)

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon xantham gum (such as Bob’s Red Mill)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 tablespoons vegetable shortening

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup milk

 

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and xantham gum.

3. In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, shortening, and both sugars until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.

4. Add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk to the batter and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining flour mixture and 1/2 cup milk and beat until thoroughly combined.

5. Using a spoon, drop about 1 tablespoon of batter onto one of the prepared baking sheets and repeat, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for about 12 minutes each or until the cakes begin to brown. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool on the sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.  (makes about 40- 48 2 inch cookies)


Filling recipe-

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Marshmallow Fluff (or other prepared marshmallow cream, which will do in a pinch)

1 1/4 cups vegetable shortening

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the Marshmallow Fluff and the vegetable shortening, starting on low and increasing to medium speed until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes more.

2. Divide and spread on half the cookies,  add another cookie and make into little sandwiches.  

Peanut Butter Crunch Squares

It's Buckarooken's birthday so I made him some treats .

Ingredients:

1/3 cup organic agave syrup
1/3 cup sucanat (brown sugar if you can't find it)
1 cup organic natural valencia peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups organic gluten free cornflakes (broken up with your hands)
1 cup organic gluten free crisp rice cereal (broken up with your hands)

Directions:

1. Melt the agave syrup and brown sugar in a saucepan on med.  Turn off heat, add the peanut butter, stir and add remaining ingredients.
2. Press into a 8" square pan.
3. Refrigerate until set.

Icing-

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp lemon juice; fresh
3 cups powdered sugar


(alternate to icing- melt dark chocolate and spread a layer on top of the squares instead!  yum)


Instructions
1. Put the yogurt in a square of cheesecloth.
2. Gather the corners & tie them around a spoon handle. Dangle the yogurt over a bowl,
using the spoon handle to suspend it. Let sit about 40 minutes. Gently
twist until the cheesecloth tightens around the ball of yogurt. More
liquid should drip out, don't twist so hard the yogurt oozes out.
3. In a medium bowl, add the yogurt to the  remaining ingredients, blend until
smooth. Spread on lightly on cooled peanut butter squares.
4. Serve!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Orange Zest

I was given some rhubarb by my wonderful MIL so a rhubarb crisp went in the oven asap.  I have made this one using some strawberries as well as a few raspberries (because I can).


Ingredients:
Filling-
4 cups rhubarb, washed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups fresh strawberries, cut into 1 inch cubes
handful of raspberries
1/2 cup sucanat
1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
juice of 1/2 lime
zest of 1/2 orange

Topping-
1 cup Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
3/4 cup sucanat
3/4 cup brown rice flakes
1/2 cup butter, nearing room temperature, cut into cubes
cinnamon for sprinkling on top

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° . Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, sucanat, flour, lime juice and orange zest in a large mixing bowl.
2. In another bowl, mix together your topping flour, sucanat, brown rice flakes, and butter. Combine the topping ingredients with your hands until it is crumbly and lumpy.
3. Transfer your filling mix to a lightly greased 8" casserole, crumble topping mixture over top to cover and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Bake for 30- 40 minutes until the top is browned and the fruit is cooked through.

Natural No Bake Carrot Cake

Ok so it's not really a cake.  It's pretty darn healthy though and tastes awesome!  

Ingredients:

4 cups grated carrots
1 cup of medjool dates, (pits removed)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
2 Tbsp organic apple butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 lemon, juice of
1 cup organic shredded coconut
1 cup organic raw walnuts
organic coconut oil for greasing your 9x9 pan

Directions:

1. Use a food processor to grate the carrots, remove carrots and set aside.
2. Place your dates, ground flax seeds, apple butter, cinnamon and lemon juice in a food processor and process until blended.  Add the coconut and walnuts and process until the walnuts are coarsely chopped.
3. Add the carrots back to the food processor, process just enough to blend.
4. Press your finished mixture into a greased 9x9 pan and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. 



Icing Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw whole cashews (soaked)
2 medjool dates (pits removed)
1/2 Tbsp agave nector
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
shredded coconut for topping
lemon zest for topping
walnut pieces for topping

Icing directions:

1.  Process the cashews, dates, agave, lemon juice and vanilla extract  in a food processor until smooth.  Add the water until desired consistency of icing is reached.
2. Spread icing on carrot cake, top with coconut, lemon zest  and walnut pieces.

Quinoa chocolate cake

My MIL made me this delicious cake for my birthday.  I loved it.  I intend to make it myself sometime.  When I make it, I will replace the milk with rice milk and the processed cane sugar with sucanat. It is super moist and really delicious! Buckarooken loved it as well.  That's the thing with gluten free chocolate cakes, they are just as good as regular cakes.  Only this one is made with whole quinoa which is fabulously good for you. 

Ingredients-
2/3 cup white or golden quinoa
1 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup milk
4 large eggs
1tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions-
1. Combine the water and the quinoa in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 10 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and cool.

2.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease two- 8" round cake pans.  Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.

3.  Combine milk, eggs and vanilla in a blender, add the 2 cups of cooked quinoa and the butter.  Blend until smooth.

4.  Whisk together sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda in a medium bowl.  Add the contents of the blender and mix well.  Divide the batter between the two pans and bake on center rack of oven for 40-45 minutes (until a knife inserted comes out clean).  Remove cakes from oven and cool completely in the pans before serving.  You could make a two layer cake and frost it at this point.  Or just serve each cake as is (my preference).

5. Eat for dinner, lunch or breakfast until the cake is gone.  :)

Buckarooken's best banana bread

Gluten Free banana bread made for me by my talented husband. :)

Ingredients:

2 cups Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
1 1/2 tsp. xantham gum
3/4 cup sucanat (or sugar if you can't find sucanat)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped coarse
4 small over ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs, beaten lightly
6 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F with rack in the lower middle position. Grease and flour a non stick 9x5x3 loaf pan. In a separate large bowl , combine the flour, xantham gum, sucanat, baking soda, salt & walnuts.

2. Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl using a wooden spoon. Lightly fold the banana mixture into larger bowl with the dry ingredients with a spatula until just combined. Transfer the batter into the loaf pan and bake until golden brown and toothpick in center comes out clean. About 55 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring the loaf to a wire rack.

a healthy Chocolate Cake

My mother in law has been making me this cake for my birthday for a couple of years now. I adore it. I have adjusted the recipe to be less sweet because as I get older, the less sweet I seem to want my treats. Besides, I know you. You will serve this with say, coconut ice cream. Or you will make a ganache and pour it over the cake. Or some raspberry sauce.

Garbanzo beans are really high in protein. Go lift some weights now.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups organic gluten free dark chocolate chips (I like DAGOBA 73% chocolate drops)
1 (19 ounce) can organic garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
4 eggs
1/2 cup sucanat (you can use white sugar if you insist but I like the deeper taste of sucanat)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp cocao nibs- raw chocolate (I simply crushed up some cacao beans and removed the skins)
Dark chocolate for curling and garnish
a bit of gluten free all purpose flour and some butter for greasing the pan

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 inch spring form pan.

2. Melt your chocolate chips in a double boiler until smooth (Or you can melt them in a microwave on medium heat for a couple of minutes stirring, frequently).

3. Place the rinsed beans in a blender and blend until all the beans are broken up, add the eggs and blend until smooth. Add the sucanat and the baking powder and blend. Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender to be sure all the chocolate is combined.

4. Pour into your spring form pan and bake for 40 minutes (until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean). Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove spring form sides and transfer cake to serving platter. Sprinkle with Cacao (raw chocolate) nibs and toss some chocolate curls on top just before serving.


5. Serve with almond milk and coconut milk ice cream to your sweet honey bunny on Valentines day.

Mom's Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Balls

I have always loved this treat that my mom makes. She only makes them at Christmas. Still, there was a nagging concern about some of the traditional baking ingredients she used (like icing sugar and hydrogenated peanut butter). So I fixed them up a bit to make them healthier. I didn't say healthy. I said "healthier"........
Your going to love these.

Ingredients:

1 cup organic natural crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup finely ground almond flour
1/4 cup milled flax seeds
1 cup finely chopped organic walnuts
1 cup finely chopped organic dates (remove pits first of course)

2 cups organic dark chocolate baking chips (gluten free)


Directions:

1. In your stand mixer, cream the peanut butter with the almond flour until light. Add the milled flax seeds and mix well. Add the finely chopped walnuts and dates and mix in. The "dough" should be stiff enough to roll into balls at this point. (if it isn't you can add a bit more almond flour)

2. Shape into round balls (1 Tbsp. each), place on cookie sheet and freeze.

3. Melt your chocolate chips in a double boiler (or carefully on 1/2 power in microwave)

4. Dip balls into chocolate- with tongs. Shake off excess chocolate. Place on wax paper (on a cookie sheet again) and freeze until firm.

You can let them come to room temperature for serving, though they are awesome cold as well! The dates are so sweet and delicious and hey, with the added milled flax seeds there is plenty of fiber! let's review- chocolate, peanut butter, walnuts, dates, almond flour and flax. Go for it! Make them!

Crispy oatmeal & cacoa nib cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose gluten free flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 sticks of butter (1/2 cup sticks), room temperature
1/4 cup Agave syrup
3/4 cup sucanat
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (wheat free -uncontaminated) rolled oats
1/4 cup organic cacoa nibs (raw chocolate)

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 °F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.

3. Using a paddle attachment on your mixer, at med low speed, beat the butter and the sucanat and agave syrup for a minute or two until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, beat again for half a minute. Add the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Gradually add the oats and continue mixing on low until everything is combined well. Add the cacoa nibs and stir to combine.

4. Using your hands, make balls with slightly less than 2 Tbsp of dough and spread out on parchment leaving at least 2 1/2 inches between each cookie. Flatten slightly with your fingertips before baking for 11- 14 minutes. Bake only one cookie sheet at a time. When the cookies are flat and deep golden brown, remove from oven and cool the cookies while still on the cookie sheets at least 15 minutes before removing from cookie sheet. You will get about 8 cookies on each sheet for a total of 24 cookies. Cookies are crispy and not overly sweet.

This recipe was adapted from a cooks illustrated recipe. I have made mine gluten free, and limited the processed sugars. The cacoa nibs are a special addition and taste great in the cookie.

My Sister Nancy's Chocolate Oatmeal "Energy" Bars

um, I was craving these. Don't say you weren't warned. Highly addictive.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sucanat (or 1/2 cup packed brown sugar if you prefer)
2/3 cup almond butter (any nut butter will work)
1/4 cup agave syrup (corn syrup is in her recipe)
1/2 cup butter - room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups uncontaminated rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or blueberries or raisins.....)
2 tbs. sesame seeds
1 cup organic dark chocolate chips (less if you prefer more fruit to chocolate ratio. we don't.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to mix, Pour into a 9x18 baking dish and press down well to an even bar. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. let cool completely before cutting or even refrigerate for a bit to set.

Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Just to dispel any thoughts that we never indulge over here! We adore Turtle mountains Dairy Free coconut ice cream.
There is great misconception that coconut is evil because it contains saturated fat.
Actually saturated fat from natural sources like coconut is not really a problem for the human body. Refined polyunsaturated vegetable oils are the thing to avoid (along with too much animal fat) . Coconut has fiber, potassium, magnesium and lot's of heart healthy medium-chain triglycerides. MCT's are mainly composed of a fat called lauric acid which is antiviral and antimicrobial (and preferably used by the body for energy rather than fat storing). Studies have shown that the fat in coconut has no adverse affects on the heart or on general health.

THAT said, THIS is ice cream and I'm not recommending you eat it everyday! haha
The ingredients of Turtle Mountains coconut ice creams do meet my strict guidelines though. and seriously, it's way delicious.

Rhubarb Crumble (gluten free)

adapted from Mom's recipe which goes something like this-
"take some rhubarb, cut it up, put some sugar and lemon juice on it. crumble up some flour/butter and sugar. bake it until it's done."

Ingredients:
2 cups washed, chopped fresh red rhubarb
1/2 lemon (juice of)
1 & 1/2 Tbsp. sucanat

Topping Ingredients:
1/3 cup sucanat
1 cup Bob's Red Mill garbanzo and Fava flour
1/2 cup organic butter (melted)

Directions:
preheat oven to 350°F

1. place cut rhubarb pieces in oven proof bakeware (or individual ramekins)
2. sprinkle with sucanat and lemon juice (more of each if the rhubarb is very sour)

3. In a bowl, combine flour, sucanat and melted butter with your hands until it sticks together and forms a "crumble". cover rhubarb with crumble. bake for 20 minutes or until the crumble topping has browned and the rhubarb is soft.

Kiwifruit

The Kiwi Fruit- Twice the vitamin C of Oranges; amazing antioxidant properties; excellent magnesium, fiber, and potassium. It's a super fruit and I just had it for dessert. :) Happy weekend folks!

Waiting for Spring flourless chocolate cake

This was adapted from a cooks Illustrated recipe. You don't need to add the coffee. But I can't imagine why you wouldn't! This flourless chocolate cake is the ultimate treat for someone on a gluten free diet. We have used Green & Blacks dark chocolate as it is gluten free. This is not health food. Eat only one piece and then find other people to share with. haha

honestly, I thought I would make this just for the blog. The cake actually caused me a bit of pain due to the large amounts of fat and sugar. if you have IBS, just eat the tiniest slice. k?

Ingredients:

8 large eggs, cold

1 lb. organic dark baking chocolate, chopped

1/2 pound unsalted organic butter, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1/4 cup strong coffee

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with parchment and grease pan sides. Cover pan underneath and along sides with sheet of heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring Kettle of water to boil.

2. Beat eggs with mixer at med/high speed until volume doubles to approximately 1 quart, about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate and butter (adding coffee) in large heatproof bowl set over pan of almost simmering water, until smooth and very warm (about 115 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), stirring once or twice. (For the microwave, melt chocolate at 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stir, add butter, and continue heating at 50 percent power, stirring every minute, until chocolate and butter have melted and are smooth, another 2 to 3 minutes total.) Fold ⅓ of egg foam into chocolate mixture using large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of eggs are visible; fold in half of remaining foam, then last of remaining foam, until mixture is totally homogenous.

4. Scrape batter into prepared springform pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Set roasting pan on oven rack and pour in enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until cake has risen slightly, edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust (like a brownie) has formed on surface, and an instant-read thermometer inserted halfway through center of cake registers at 140 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow (can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days).

5. About 30 minutes before serving, remove springform pan sides, invert cake on sheet of waxed paper, peel off parchment pan liner, and turn cake right side up on serving platter. Sieve light sprinkling of confectioners' sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder over cake to decorate, if desired.

NEW Chocolate Macaroons

Variation-
Chocolate Macaroons-
pre-heat oven to 350°F
Ingredients:
3 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 Tbsp. Organic Blue Agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut oil (melted)
1 1/2 cups shredded organic coconut
2 Tbsp. Organic Cocoa

Directions-
1. In a large mixing bowl, Whisk egg whites and salt until stiff
2. Combine the melted coconut oil in a small bowl with the Organic Blue Agave and vanilla
3. Fold agave syrup mixture, coconut and cocoa into the beaten egg whites until combined. don't over mix.
4. spoon tablespoons of mixture onto parchment paper lined baking sheet
5. gently shape the tops of the macaroons into a peak with your fingers
6. bake in 350°F oven for 14 minutes.
7. enjoy

chocolate drizzled rice puffs

Ingredients:
2 tsp. organic extra virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup Brown Rice syrup
2 Tbsp. honey (unpasteurized creamed honey)
3 Tbsp. crunchy almond butter
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 cup organic crispy brown rice cereal
3 cups organic puffed rice
2 cups organic puffed millet
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup currants
80g organic dark chocolate (Green &Blacks organic Dark chocolate with extra cocoa butter for easier melting)

Directions:
1.Heat oil in large pot (on med heat)
2. add rice syrup, honey and almond butter, stirring constantly until the mixture is bubbly.
3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla
4. Add remaining ingredients and mix well with wooden spoon
5. Press into a 9x9 ungreased pan and press the mixture flat with a spatula (press firmly!)

refrigerate to set

break up dark chocolate and melt in double boiler or microwave (microwave instructions- melt on 50% power, stirring every 15 seconds until smooth)

drizzle chocolate over entire pan and let set.
cut into squares

it's perfectly ok to indulge your sweet tooth once in a while :)