Tag Archives: coconut oil

Chocolate Covered

I’m not a huge chocolate person. I don’t crave it as some people do, but I certainly do enjoy it once in a while. I enjoy it even more when it’s paired with the sweetness of the fruit. Everyone loves a treat that allows them to indulge in dessert without adding tons of empty calories…

Raw Chocolate Sauce/Shell

1 Tbs coconut oil

1/2 Tbs agave {for sweetness}

1 Tbs raw cacao powder

I cut up some of my favorite fruit, skewered it, and dipped the edges in the chocolate sauce. After a half hour or so in the fridge {or freezer}, the coconut oil sets and you have a chocolate shell.

…or you can dip it right into the sauce without refrigerating and eat it as chocolate sauce…

…It is quick and easy, and soooo good. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t eaten it with fruit for breakfast…

Homemade Chips n Salsa

I have a periodic weakness for chips and salsa. I can go weeks without it, but I’m also very capable of taking down an entire bag of chips and jar of salsa in one sitting. So when my mom introduced me to her homemade salsa during my vacation I was hooked. Luckily, she sent me home from with a very large container of it and when I ran out of bagged chips {yes, guilty!}, I baked some tortillas and enjoyed what was left of the salsa.

Salsa Recipe (adapted from Pioneer Woman’s Restaurant Salsa)

Ingredients

1 can (28 ounce) whole tomatoes with juice

1 can (10 ounce) Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilies)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 whole jalapeno, quartered and sliced thin {my mom used 5-6 slices for more mild salsa}

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup cilantro (more to taste!)

juice of 1/2 to whole lime (depending on size of lime)

What to do… Place everything into a food processor and pulse until you reach desired consistency. Refigerate. {if you can wait! i usually can’t.} Simple right? Yup. And delicous!

note: This is a very large batch. {use a 12-cup food processor or you can process the ingredients in batches and then mix everything together in a large mixing bowl}

another note: I’m not a fan of canned tomatoes. They’re kind of on my ‘do not eat’ list, but this is how my mom had made it. Once I play with the recipe a bit and come up with how to substitute fresh tomatoes I will definitely post an addendum. Until then, {since I don’t eat this too often} I didn’t feel toooooo guilty about enjoying it. Oh well. No one is perfect.

Tortilla Chips

Cut a few tortillas into triangles and place them in a single layer on a parchment paper. Dab a little coconut oil (you can use olive oil if you prefer) over the tops and sprinkle them with some sea salt, chili powder or other seasoning for taste.

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until crisp.

Museli Bread

A couple weeks ago, in a hurried and hungry state, I stopped at Starbucks to grab something to eat. After hemming and hawing I decided on the protein box and in it was a piece of Museli Bread. I have been going to crazy trying to figure out how to recreate it because it was so good. {The rest of the box not so much.} I finally came across a few very intricate recipes that I was able to simplify and health-ify. During a recent rainstorm, I spent time in the kitchen trying to make the bread as healthy as possible. I was quite pleased with the results! Now as I prepare to go out of town for a long weekend I’m torn between finishing laundry and making another loaf. I’m sure the laundry isn’t going anywhere…

Ingredients

1 c of museli {I used Bob’s Red Mill}

1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour

1 Tbs coconut oil

1 cup of nondairy milk {I used SO Delicious Coconut Milk}

1/3 cup of turbinado/sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

What to do…

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl mix the museli, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. (I made it without the sugar as well, but I preferred it a little sweeter so I like to leave it in. But it’s good if you need something sugar free!)

2. In a small bowl mix the coconut oil and milk. (I measured the milk and tossed the coconut oil right in the measuring cup.) Pour the oil/milk mixture into the dry mix and combine to form a sticky dough. Use your hands to kneed it briefly and ensure everything is incorporated.

3. Line a loaf pan with a cooking spray or coconut oil {I prefer coconut oil} and drop in the dough. Bake the bread for 20 minutes. It should be hollow sounding when you tap the top. Let the bread cool on a rack before cutting.

Very easy, very tasty Museli Bread! Not sure why, but I felt slightly British as I sat at the table with a piece of bread, a bit of honey and my green tea watching the rain :)

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