Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Do you have chocolate cravings too? I'm totally guilty of having them more often than not. I've found a healthy way to curb those cravings. 

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding.



It's so delicious and it kicks the cravings right to the curb. I like to top it with a touch of greek yogurt, a drizzle of maple syrup and a couple of dark chocolate chips. YUM!!

It's also super easy to make. You just have to have a little bit of patience while it sets!

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp Chia Seeds 
• 1/2 Cup Almond Milk 
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Pure Maple Syrup, divided use
• 1 tsp Cacao powder 
• 3 Tbsp plain greek yogurt, divided use
• 4-5 dark chocolate chips 

Instructions

• Place chia seeds, almond milk, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, and 2 tbsp greek yogurt in a bowl and stir well 
• Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight 
• Stir once or twice while refrigerating so it sets evenly 
• Once to the consistency you prefer, top with 1 tbsp greek yogurt, 1 tsp maple syrup, and chocolate chips!  

I hope you enjoy this healthy chocolatey treat as much as I do!

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

I've posted so many times about my love for peanut butter. If peanut butter could be my spirit animal, it totally would be. Pair peanut butter with chocolate and I'm definitely in love. Which is why you see them as a common pairing among my sweets and treats recipes on the blog. These cookies are made with only 7 ingredients, they're chewy and delicious, and the ingredients are definitely going to surprise you.

Ingredients

• 2 cups quinoa, cooked according to package
• ½ cup all natural peanut butter (peanuts should be the only ingredient!) 
• 5 Tbsp pure maple syrup 
• 1 dash sea salt
• 1 tsp (I let it run over) pure vanilla extract 
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (60%+ Cacao), divided

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cook quinoa according to package instructions.
• While quinoa is cooking, lightly coat two large baking sheets with spray. Set aside. 
• Combine cooked quinoa, peanut butter, maple syrup, salt, vanilla, and egg in a large bowl; mix thoroughly. 
• Fold in ⅔ cup of dark chocolate chips; mix until melted and blended. 
• Drop by Tbsp onto prepared baking sheets. 
• Add remaining chocolate chips to the tops of each cookie
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until set. 
• Allow to cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets after removing from the oven. 
• After 5 minutes, transfer cookies to a cooling rack (or parchment paper) and allow them to cool completely. 
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

I know what you're thinking.... Quinoa?! For cookies!? Don't knock it till you try it! They are chewy and mouth-wateringly delicious. Plus, who says no to peanut butter and chocolate in any form?

No Bake Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

Who doesn't love to indulge in dark chocolate every once in a while? Chocolate peanut butter balls were always a staple for my family around the holidays. However, they were definitely loaded with sugar. This is a healthier take on that same treat. Made with coconut flour and sweetened with pure maple syrup, these are just as tasty. They're perfect for holidays--or just when you're craving chocolate and peanut butter (aka--all the time if you're me.)

Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy all-natural, peanut butter
• 3/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch 
• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup 
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips (60% + Cacao) 
• 2 tsp coconut oil 

Instructions

• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
• Combine peanut butter, coconut flour, maple syrup and cornstarch until a dough forms
• Wash hands and shape dough into 18-20 one inch balls, place on baking sheet
• Refrigerate for 20 minutes 

• After balls are thoroughly chilled, melt chocolate and coconut oil together (30 seconds at a time, stirring in between)
• Remove balls from the refrigerator, dip into the chocolate (using a fork) and completely coat with chocolate. 
• Return ball to baking sheet, repeat until finished with the remaining peanut butter balls
• (Add decorations for fun)
  
• Refrigerate for 1 hour 
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator 
• ENJOY! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites

We make these every weekend. Gabe loves to help and Nate takes a couple in his lunch every day. They satisfy my sweet cravings without me feeling like I've gone overboard. All of the ingredients are pretty healthy so I'd say it's a win all around. Many people have reached out to ask for this recipe, so I'm happy to share it here!

Energy Bites

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned, rolled oats 
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (look for peanut butter that has only peanuts listed in the ingredients) 
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup 
• 1/3 cup Dark Chocolate Chips (60%+ Cacao, or Cacao Nibs) 
• 2 Tbsp Flax Seeds 

Instructions

• Mix all ingredients together until thoroughly combined 
• Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours 
• Remove and roll into 18-20 energy balls 
• *Tip* dip your fingertips in water so the mix doesn't stick as much when you roll them into the bites.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do! You can definitely use Cacao Nibs in place of the dark chocolate or Chia Seeds in place of the Flax. We use Dark Chocolate chips because they have a milder flavor and Gabe loves to eat them for a snack too!

Almond Flour Sugar Cookies

With the holidays quickly approaching, I've got the baking bug. There are are a few things I make each year to share with friends and family. I always say that if baking for others is a love language, it's totally mine. I love to bake and gift the goodies I make. My husband loves pretzel treats... you know the ones I'm talking about. The ones with zero baking involved. Pretzels, rolos, and an almond m&m on top. Easy and done in about 10 minutes. I also make my great-grandma's Italian Spritz Butter Cookies. These are something that I'm definitely going to indulge in. They've been a favorite since I was a very very little girl. I also love to make and decorate sugar cookies. Sugar cookies with frosting are delicious, but sometimes can be a little TOO sweet for my taste. So, I've found a healthier alternative: Almond Flour Sugar Cookies with a Dark Chocolate Drizzle.

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond flour (sift after measuring) 
• 1/8 tsp sea salt 
• 1/8 tsp baking soda 
• 4 Tbsp pure maple syrup 
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin organic coconut oil, melted 
• 2 tsps pure vanilla extract 
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk 

Instructions

• Combine (sifted) almond flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl, mix well. Set aside 

• Combine maple syrup, oil, and vanilla extract in a small bowl, mix well. 
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients to dry ingredients, mix well. 
• Add milk slowly, mixing to break up any clumps of dough there may be. 
• Form dough into a ball (add almond flour to hand before forming so dough doesn't stick) 
• Roll dough into a log, refrigerate 4-5 hours or overnight. 

• Cut log into slices, place on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper or sprayed lightly with cooking spray. 

• Bake for 8-10 minutes, until set 
• Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Remove from cookie sheet and cool completely on a wire rack. 
• Melt dark chocolate and use a spoon to drizzle over the cookies. Refrigerate to set the chocolate. 

Keep in a sealed container (add a slice of bread underneath a piece of paper towel as a trick to keep them moist and soft). Happy Holidays 2018!!

Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecakes

Peanut butter and chocolate. Honestly, is there a better combo? This is one of my biggest cravings, so I love to try to incorporate it when I can. I always tell Nate I have a peanut butter problem. If you love peanut butter and chocolate as much as me, you've got to try these vegan, raw cheesecakes!

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup raw, unsalted peanuts
• 2/3 cup raw almonds 
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 8 medjool dates, pitted and chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup raw cashew pieces, soaked overnight and drained
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup 
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

• Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners 
• For the crust
• pulse peanuts, almonds, coconut flakes, dates, and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder in a food processor or blender until crumbly and it holds together when pressed. 
• **Do not over pulse or the crust will become too soft and chewy. Ideally you would like a bit of crunch for the texture. 
• Press tablespoons of this mixture into the bottom of the lined muffin tins. Place in the freezer and clean the blender.

• For the filling: 
• puree the soaked cashews, coconut oil, almond milk, and maple syrup until smooth. Remove muffin tin from the freezer Spoon half of this mixture onto the crusts. This is the peanut butter portion of your cheesecake
• Place back into the freezer (these will set quickly)
• Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to the peanut butter mixture in the blender, and blend until combined. 
• Remove cheesecakes from the freezer and spoon and smooth the chocolate filling on top of the peanut butter layer. Decorate with halved peanuts (optional).

• Place back in the freezer until ready to eat. 

I recommend taking these out about 10 minutes before serving them. I also recommend using your fingers to eat them! They get a bit crumbly when serving with a fork. Although, if you want to eat them straight from the freezer they're like an ice cream treat!

These cheesecakes definitely a good way to treat yourself! They're rich and decadent without refined sugar and processed ingredients.

I think you'll love these!