Guiltless Brownies and Ice Cream

If you think in order to lose weight, you have to deprive yourself of treats, you are wrong, my friend...very....very...very....wrong. I am a HUGE dessert lover. Actually I might have the biggest sweet tooth on planet earth....seriously. 

The trick is finding ingredients that contain low amounts of fat and sugar but with high amounts of protein. I have been making this ice cream for about 2 years. Actually I started making it around the time my local Red Mango closed down. It was actually one of the saddest days of my life. So not only did I start making it myself, but I recreated a MUCH healthier version. My family begs me to make this on Sunday evenings, because that is how much they love it.

Also it is nearly impossible to have a brownie without some ice cream. Am I right? The only special kitchen gadget you might need is an electric ice cream maker. I'm sure you could use a rock salt one, but trust me and electric ice cream maker is where its at. Twenty minutes later and BOOM! Pure magic. Ice cold magic. 

This is the link to my favorite Ice Cream Maker. Once you start making homemade ice cream you won't ever buy store bought again. Especially when it tastes this good. ENJOY!

Dark Chocolate Dream Brownies

1.5 cups dark chocolate chips

1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)

1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

½ cup stevia in the raw

¾ cup oat flour (measure after blending oats)

·      Preheat oven to 350

·      Coat 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray. Set aside

·      Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second intervals. Stir in coconut oil

·      Mix in yogurt. Blend well

·      Stir in vanilla, salt, soda and stevia

·      Add oat flour to chocolate mixture. Spread in pan evenly

·      Bake for roughly 27 minutes

·      Allow to cool completely. Place in fridge until right before serving

Vanilla Greek Yogurt Ice Cream

 4 cups plain nonfat greek yogurt

Coconut or vanilla extract

Unsweetened Almond milk or water

1/2-3/4 cup Truvia baking blend

Real Vanilla Bean scraped (optional)

·      Mix the yogurt with the trivia in a medium bowl, add in extract to taste. If you have a vanilla bean, add the scrapings here.

·      Thin "ice cream" base out with either almond milk or water (should only take about 1/4 cup or so. you want the consistency to be that of a normal ice cream base)

·      Allow to site in fridge for at least an hour so that the stevia/sugar blend dissolves.

·      Place in ice cream maker until soft set, about 20 mins ( i like mind more on the harder side, it will melt fast as you serve it)

·      Store any remaining leftovers in freezer.

When thawing ice cream, it will take longer than regular ice cream sue to the high protein content

Healthy Chocolate Recipes...Just in Time for Valentine's Day

Those who know me well, know I have a killer sweet tooth. Like for real, I want chocolate 24/7. Here's the thing, depravation doesn't work. Bad habits (or food) need to be replaced with good ones. Very rarely can folks use the 'cold turkey' method. That is why I wanted to share with you healthy treats to spoil your Valentine with!

Superfood Strawberries

1 lb strawberries, washed and dried

¾ cup dark chocolate chips ( I like to use 70% or higher)

1 tsp coconut oil

½ tsp vanilla extract

·      Make sure strawberries are dry and leaves still intact.

·      Lay out parchment paper or silicone baking mat

·      Melt chocolate and oil in glass bowl in 20-second increments in microwave (a double broiler can also be used) Stir after each time until chocolate and oil and completed melted. Add vanilla

·      Dip strawberries into chocolate. Tap gently to get rid of excess chocolate.

·           Immediately roll strawberries in topping of choice.  Some ideas might include: chia seeds, slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, oats, raw sugar or stevia, unsweetened coconut, or chopped dark chocolate.

·      Place on parchment or silicone mat.  Place in fridge until set. Strawberries will be good for 24 hours.

 Salted Chocolate Almonds

Raw Almonds (as many as needed)

6 ounces of dark chocolate (I like to use 70% or higher)

1 tsp of coconut oil

Coarse sea salt

·      Place chocolate and oil in glass bowl. Microwave in 20 second increments until mixture is melted, stirring after each one.

·      Dip almonds into melted chocolate using a fork, grouping them together in clusters. Tap fork to release extra chocolate. Place carefully on wax paper or silicone baking mat.

·      Sprinkle with desired amount of sea salt

·      Allow to set in fridge

·      Will keep up to 3 days in fridge in airtight container

 Healthy Peanut Butter Cups

1 10-ounce bag dark chocolate chips (I like to use 70% or higher)

½ c natural chunky peanut butter

¼ c coconut oil

½ tsp vanilla

2 drops liquid stevia

·      Melt half of the chocolate chips in microwave using 20 seconds increments. Stir after each time. Continue until chocolate is completely melted. Place chocolate in a mini muffin tin until the bottom is covered (usually about 1 TBSP). Place in freezer to harden for 10 minutes.

·      Mix together peanut butter, coconut oil, vanilla and stevia. Layer mixture on top of frozen chocolate (again, usually about 1 TBSP). Place in freezer for 10 minutes to harden.

·      Melt the remaining chocolate in microwave using above method. Once it is melted, layer on top of the peanut butter mixture to finish out the peanut butter cup.

·      Allow to freeze for 10 additional minutes.

·      Pop peanut butter cups out of tins with knife. Before eating, allow to soften on counter for a few minutes. Store in freezer for up to three months

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Vegan Cookies

I have been making these cookies for years, and over time have made little tweaks here and there. Vegan cookies can be tough to make and not be dry and crumbly. However, these have a few unique ingredients that make them super moist. Also try to follow the baking steps closely, if you mix the batter too much, the cookies will become dense and dry.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp pink himalayan salt (or 1 tsp regular salt)

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

*mix together in bowl and set aside

*in separate bowl combine

1 cup natural, chunky peanut butter ( I use Adams from Costco)

3/4 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Add dry ingredients to wet all at once. Stir until just combined. Wait 5 minutes and then five a few more stirs to the batter. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto parchment or silicone baking sheet. Press down on the top gently to flatten a bit. Bake for 9-10 mins. Do not overbake. Allow to cool on wire rack and store in a ziplock bag or airtight container. These are even healthy and yummy enough to eat for breakfast or take to a cookie exchange

XO,

Veggie Lisa

Healthy Dark Chocolate No Bake Cookies

Before I got married, I had never even heard of a No Bake Cookie. When I started dating my husband, he would ask me every Sunday night to make a batch. For almost 14 years I have been making him No Bake Cookies. Recently I went to make them and thought how they could be made healthy. Then I ran across this recipe on another blog and really like them but thought they could be made with less honey and a little more salt. I'm totally a salty and sweet kind of girl:) I have spent a few weeks making different variations of these and I finally found the perfect combination.

*Veggie Lisa's Healthy Dark Chocolate No Bake Cookies

Mix in large bowl:

3 cups quick cooking oats 

1 cup coarsely chopped almonds

3 tablespoon cocoa powder

Set aside

Melt in Small Saucepan:

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup natural peanut butter (I use Adams chunky) or almond butter would work too

stir together until combined and melted

Then remove from heat and add the following:

1/4 cup honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt (i use pink himalayan)

Once everything is combined then add 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips and stir (off the heat) until the chips are melted. Then pour over the oat mixture and stir all the oats are covered in the chocolate sauce. 

Lay out mini muffin papers onto larger cookie sheet. Use a small cookie scoop and scoop into each paper. Then I like to sprinkle some mini semi sweet chocolate chips on top.

 Allow to set up in fridge. Be sure to store in fridge or they will become soft set and harder to eat.  Makes about 40 

*adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. My kids actually beg me to put them in their lunches instead of Oreos. Take that Nabisco!

                                                                                    XOXO,
                                                                                          Veggie Lisa

Skinny Milkshake....wait, what???

I know its hard to imagine anything decadent being "skinny." But trust me, this is guilt free sweet treat to keep your cool this summer. The secret ingredient??? Arctic Zero. What is that you ask? It is gluten free frozen dessert loaded with 12 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. And the best part? The entire pint is only 135 calories. 

That's right my beautiful friends, I said ONE-HUNDRED-AND-THIRTY-FIVE-CALORIES. Not only do I love eating this stuff right out of the pint, I take it one step further into ice cream bliss. Let the pint thaw on the counter until it slides easily into your blender. Then add splash of unsweetened almond milk, about 1 TBSP of dark chocolate chips and some ice cubes. Then blend on high until you reach the consistency of a spoonable shake. And if you are a lover of toppings, go ahead and add some Walden Farms Calorie Free Carmel Syrup on top. 

Feel free to pat your self on the back because you just saved yourself about 800 calories compared to a normal milkshake.  Arctic Zero comes in many different flavors and all of them are delicious! You can find them at your local retailer or go to their website and search a store near you!!

XO
Veggie Lisa