My FAVORITE Blog!

I've missed you and the blog while I was away, but I can't wait another SECOND to tell you about...

CHOCOLATE COVERED KATIE -- SHE is the sweetest baker I know!  She loves chocolate - wahoo!  And she is a runner, like me :)  Why are she and her blog so great?  AWESOME HEALTHY DESSERT recipes!  And the best part (on my healthy account) -- she doesn't like sugar!  SO she makes lovely creations -- she's a talented baker, photographer, and writer!

My favorite recipes?  Some on the top of my list -- I haven't even made yet!  But I know they'll be awesome!

Katie has always been making yummy recipes, many of which I have tried, many more of which I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all about!  The cool thing is that her ideas seem to be endless!  Her last few posts have just blown me away!  Check them out!

Chocolate mousse (just read about this one and the chocolate bars below tonight, after getting home from the Houston Marathon, and knew I couldn't delay this most for another moment!)

• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup plus 1 T cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• sweetener to taste (I used a little stevia, but any dry sweetener will do.)

Open the coconut milk, and leave the can (or transfer to a bowl) uncovered in the fridge overnight. (Don’t shake the can before opening.) It should get very, very thick. (If it doesn’t, you’ve gotten a bad can that won’t work for the recipe. I highly recommend Thai Kitchen, or especially Thai Kitchen Organic.) Once thick, transfer to a bowl (you can opt to leave out the watery bit at the bottom of the can, if you want it even thicker) and whip in your cocoa, vanilla, and sweetener with a fork, or even beaters if you want to be fancy. (For the photos on this page, I didn’t use beaters. But I did pipe the mousse out using an icing tip.) Stored uncovered in the fridge, the mixture gets even thicker.

Homemade chocolate bars

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
• 1/4 cup agave or use NuNatural vanilla stevia drops (I use 10 drops. Triple or quadruple that amount if you don’t like extra-bitter chocolate.)
• optional: extracts, cocoa nibs, or other add-ins

Melt coconut oil, then add agave or stevia drops. Stir, then add cocoa powder (and add 3-4 T water or nondairy milk if using stevia.). Stir stir stir! Stir until it gets thick. Pour into any flat container (or candy molds or smush between layers of wax paper or in ziploc bags). Fridge or freeze until solid.

Thirdly, I just love the chocolate chip cookie dough!  Yum!  Baking with beans is such a cool way to add in extra nutrients,especially for people who don't eat beans otherwise!  Plus, my nephew, who prefers pasta and cheese to veggies and beans, LOVES this recipe!!!  SO cool!

Chocolate chip cookie dough

This is how I make it: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and it's so healthy that my kids have had it before for breakfast!

Nutella

I tried, unsuccessfully so far, to make a "Laraball" in Nutella flavor, and the creation was yummy, but resembled coffee flavor more than Nutella.  Hard to match with the first ingredient being sugar!  Katie's recipe for Nutella has a little sugar, but I am confident that she has created a nice, healthy match, and if that's the case, AWESOME!

Here is her recipe, and click on "Nutella" or the image above to see the whole post!

• 2 cups raw hazelnuts (240g)
• 1 1/2 T pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup plus 2 T agave or sugar (A sugar-free option is noted in the directions)
• 1 packet stevia, or 1 T more agave or sugar
• 1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp salt
• 2-3 tsp oil (Can be omitted, but it’ll be a little less smooth.)
• 1/2 cup milk of choice (I used Almond Breeze)

Roast hazelnuts for 10-14 minutes at 420 F. Rub them together in a paper towel to get the skins off. (It’s ok if a few stubborn skins won’t come off.) In a food processor, blend the nuts until they’ve turned to butter, then add all other ingredients and blend a long time until it’s smooth like Nutella! (I think I blended off-and-on for a full two minutes in my Cuisinart.)

Hope you enjoy my very FAVORITE blog!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  Tell me in a COMMENT:  What is your favorite blog? What do you like about it?  Share with me and other readers!