Friday, January 25, 2013

Homemade Organic Reece's Cups!

SWEET TOOTH?? 

Try this rich, delicious homemade, organic version of Reece's Peanut Butter Cups!
These are pretty easy to make and they are so, so satisfying! 
You'll only need one cup per serving! 
NO BAKE!  Sugar Free.  Lactose Free. Gluten Free.


This is also a great way to get in your coconut oil!  Want to know how good organic coconut oil is for your health?  Click HERE.





INGREDIENTS:


Bottom Chocolate Layer:
  • 2 Tbsp melted Organic Coconut Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Organic Nut Butter (smooth, not chunky).  (You can use Almond, Cashew or Peanut.  We recommend Almond or Cashew Butter)
  • 1/4 cup Organic Cacao Powder (or unprocessed cocoa powder)
  • 2 Tsp Organic Raw Honey or Stevia
  • Pinch of Sea Salt
  • Optional: 1/4 tsp of Organic Vanilla Extract

Top Peanut Butter Layer
  • 2 Tbsp melted Organic Coconut Oil
  • 4 Tbsp smooth Organic Nut Butter.  (Almond, Cashew or Peanut.  We recommend Almond or Cashew).
  • 1 Tsp Organic Raw Honey or Stevia
  • Optional: 1/4 tsp of organic vanilla extract
*NOTE:  Double or triple the batch depending on how many you would like to make.  I personally quadrupled this time so I can have more in the freezer on stand-by :)
 
 
INSTRUCTIONS:
  1. Melt coconut oil, and honey in a sauce pan.
  2. Add the cocoa powder and sea salt and stir until all the ingredients are combined.
  3. Use a spoon to pour chocolate mixture into muffin cups with a paper liner.
  4. Put in freezer for 10 minutes.
  5. In the meantime, heat the top layer mixture in the microwave and mix.
  6. Remove the bottom chocolate layers from the freezer.
  7. Pour the nut butter mixture over the chocolate layer.
  8. Place them back in the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until they're hard. After I let them set for 30 min in the freezer, I popped out the cups from the paper liners, and put them in a freezer bag & put them back in the freezer. THESE DELICIOUS RIGHT OUT OF THE FREEZER!

*NOTE:  Pour as much or as little of the mixtures to the cups depending on the thickness desired.  These are very rich, so you don't need a lot.  Space the mixtures out some. 


Enjoy with a small glass of organic milk, coconut milk or almond milk!

HEALTH FACT:
Here are all the listed ingredients in a store bought Reece's Peanut Butter Cup:
MILK CHOCOLATE  SUGAR; COCOA BUTTER; CHOCOLATE; NONFAT MILK; MILK FAT; LACTOSE; SOY LECITHIN; PGPR (polyglycerol polyricinoleate), EMULSIFIER; PEANUTS; SUGAR; DEXTROSE; SALT; TBHQ (PRESERVATIVE). 
Hershey's Reece's Peanut Butter cups also contain over 21g of sugar PER serving. 



~ Melissa Drew
 

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Wild Protein Bars






 Totally hits the sweet spot.  When I am craving a bit of sugar, I grab one of these.  Plus it's a great way to sneak in some coconut oil.  And unlike protein bars I used to eat, these are filling and satisfying with no residual sugar cravings.





Ingredients

3 to 4 tbsps of coconut oil
1/4c of chocolate dream protein
1/2c of ground almond meal
3/4c shredded coconut
Optional - 2 tablespoons of honey - preferrably raw

Melt coconut oil and honey (if using) in a pot on the stove.  When melted, remove from heat and add protein and almond meal.  Mix together and then add shredded coconut.  When all the ingredients are combines.  Poor onto a plate or lid that is covered in wax paper. (surface needs to be flat) and form into a rectangle.  Throw into the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes.

When solid cut into bars or cubes to snack on.  Store in the refridgerator or freezer.

Bring as an easy breakfast, snack or part of a post workout meal.  Post workout I would include fruit.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Featured Recipe

I found this recipe and I love it!  I have made if for a few events at Wild Workouts and Wellness.  This is a great snack for the kids or for endurance athletes.

Check out the Primal Nut Bars at the Cave Woman Cafe.

Crockpot Sweet Potato Chili

It's a busy time of the year with the holidays here.  When schedules get busy, healthy eating often evades us as we are too tired to cook a meal when we get home.  That's why I love the crockpot.  Yes, there is a bit of planning.  But it's so nice to come home to a warm meal.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
2 cups chopped up sweet potatoes (keep pieces small to make sure they cook)
1/2 an onion chopped
1 red pepper chopped up
2 cloves of garlic minced
1.5 Tbsp of chili powder
1 tsp of cumin
salt and pepper to season
1 14.5 oz of diced tomatoes
2 cups beef broth

Place all of the ingredients in your crockpot.  Give it a good mix and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

Enjoy!


Photo: Sweet potato chili.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Egg Bake


Great when you are having a group over for brunch.  Always a healthy hit.  

Ingredients:
5 Eggs
1 pound breakfast sausage or homemade breakfast sausage (recipe below)
1 cup coconut milk
Butter to grease the dish with
8 x 8 glass dish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a pan, cook the breakfast sausage.  While the sausage is cooking, mix together the coconut milk and eggs in a separate bowl.  When the sausage is done, add it to the egg mixture and stir.  Then dump everything into a greased glass container.  Bake in the oven for 50 minutes.

Thinking of adding veggies?  Me too!  Pre-cook veggies like broccoli, mushrooms, or asparagus and add that to the egg mixture as well and bake.  Will add not only more nutrition but more yumminess!

Friday, November 9, 2012

Flaxseed Crackers



Miss crunchy, grainy crackers?  Well these homemade crackers are made in the oven at a low temp by dehydrating seeds.  Super satisfying and tasty.  But FYI, make sure you have no where to go for a long time.  These are low maintenance but take along time to cook.  So just make sure you have the time allotted. 

Heat oven to 150 degrees (if you oven does not go that low, go to 170 degrees and just keep the door open a little bit.)

Prep: Take 1 1/2 cups of flax seeds and soak in water for at least 2 hours.  Forms a sticky, gel.  (The glue for your crackers)

Take a baking sheet and coat it with melted coconut oil.  This helps the crackers not stick while cooking.  

Then take 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds and 1 grated carrot and combine in a bowl.  Then scoop in the soaked flaxseeds.  Add 1 tbsp of tamari

Cook for 2 hours.  Then it's time to flip.  Before flipping, I use a pizza cutter to cut the large cracker into quarters.  It's much easier than trying to flip one large cracker.  Then keep cooking for at least another 2 hours.  You want the crackers to be crispy.  This could take up to 5 hours to get done.

When done, take out of the oven and break into crackers.  Store in an airtight container.  Enjoy. 

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Rosemary Walnuts




With holiday parties this is my go to treat I bring.  Great flavor and saltiness that I love in a snack food.  But don’t think you have to have a party to enjoy this little treat.  This is a super snack to have around the house.  Don’t reach for the chips?  Reach for the salty walnuts.

Ingredients: 2 cups walnuts, 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp dried rosemary, and 1 tsp sea salt.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Get a cookie sheet and line it with aluminum foil.  Place walnuts in a bowl with a lid.  Melt the butter and stir in the rosemary.  Then dump it over the walnuts.  Cover the bowl and do a little shimmy-shake with the bowl to coat the walnuts.  When done (only a few shakes does it, don’t go crazy) dump the walnuts onto the cookie sheet so they are lying flat.  Then pop in the oven for 10 minutes.

That’s it.  Store in a container in the refrigerator.  But don’t worry.  There so good, they will not be stored for long.