Superfood Chocolate Cookies

Superfood Chocolate Cookies

Avocado Cookies? Yuck!  I know, I get it.  They don't sound good. Even to someone like me who loves avocado chocolate pudding, and makes cookies with pureed beans in them. But I promise, if I didn't tell you there was avocado in these you would never, ever guess.  You would just think they were super fudgy little bites of dark chocolate goodness. It's no secret that I love to sneak healthy ingredients into baked goods so that I can get my kids, especially my daughter to eat fruits and vegetables without having to actually take a bite of a fruit or vegetable, so although there is chocolate and honey in the ingredients, I still think they provide a good amount of nutritious fuel for my family's active lifestyle.  These are best made in a food processor so that the ingredients combine smoothly, and then stored in the freezer to maintain freshness.  I made them small so they could be bite sized, but I am sure you could make them a little bit bigger and even add mini chocolate chips to them as well.  The combination of avocado, almond butter, and eggs, along with the rich chocolate, cocoa and honey, make them the perfect sweet treat that is also full of vitamins, fiber and protein. And they are great served with a thin layer of peanut butter on top, or as a little cookie sandwich! 

Turkey Meatballs

Turkey Meatballs

Just because you are trying to eat better for the New Year, doesn't mean you have to give up on flavor and essential winter comfort foods.  I made these turkey meatballs (my first time ever) back in October when my parents came for a weekend visit and I wanted to make a meal that everyone could enjoy.  I also made tuna "meat" balls, which were incredible, but only managed to take one photo before they got devoured, so I'll have to make them again before I can share the recipe.  My dad loves to have some meat with his meals, and my mom is a pescatarian (mostly vegetarian, but eats fish), so the two recipes, along with pasta which is my daughter's favorite were a perfect meal for the six of us.  I actually made these meatballs ahead of time and froze them, so that when they came to visit I just had to heat them up in the oven. They technically are your basic meatball recipe, with the exception of using almond flour instead of breadcrumbs, and a combination of plain ground turkey and spicy (or sweet) turkey sausage.  Just make sure to get a brand of sausage with minimal ingredients and preservatives.  The result is a perfectly seasoned, moist, and satisfying addition to any pasta meal, or as shown below, as a sandwich filling, or mixed into a soup.

Apple Cider Donuts

Apple Cider Donuts

Before apple season comes to a close, and jugs of cider are no longer at the entryway of my local grocery store, I figured I had better post this recipe. These are a slightly simplified version of my Apple Cider Muffin recipe from three years ago which used apple butter as one of the ingredients. This recipe uses almond flour and whole wheat pastry flour, so it has a little extra protein and a good amount of fiber, and a large percentage of the sweetness and moisture come from applesauce and apple cider. It would be wonderful with very finely chopped pieces of apple in it as well, or with walnuts, as I sprinkled on the tops of the four large muffins I made when I ran out of room in my two donut pans. They were literally gone within a day between the delicious weekend breakfast they provided and the snacks for the kids' (and my husband's) lunch the following day. And the chewy crunch from the highly nutritious chia seeds are one of my favorite parts of this amazingly sweet treat. I can't wait to bake them again!

Raw Piña Colada Bars

Raw Piña Colada Bars

After experimenting successfully with almond flour and coconut flour in a couple of cake recipes, I had to try a healthier twist, using all raw, natural ingredients.  Having recently bought a food processor I knew I now had the option of pureeing dried fruit in order to add sweetness to a recipe and after looking through my cupboards for inspiration I came up with this combination.  My son is not a big fan of chocolate like I am, and prefers sweet, fruity desserts, so this was made with him in mind.  And because it is made with nutrient, calorie and fat dense ingredients, I also knew that it would be perfect for my extremely active and quite skinny nine year old athlete.  Basically all you have to do is mix everything in a food processor, press into a pan and refrigerate, so it doesn't get any easier than that.  I had read different reports about not overusing or overcooking with almond flour because it is higher in fat and calories than other flours and because heat can disrupt the fat composition of the nuts.  But since this recipe uses the flour raw, the result is a delicious gluten free "dessert" that is also high in protein, and therefore perfect as an after sports snack, mid morning pick me up, or even a quick breakfast on the go.  My family ate them all up in a matter of days so I know they were a hit.

Mini Almond Cupcakes

Mini Almond Cupcakes

Happy Easter everyone!  Aren't these treats cute?  I made them for an Easter party at the gym daycare where I work out, and although kids can be picky about anything that isn't a brightly colored cupcake or a chocolate cookie, I know that a few smart kids, and a bunch of adults, enjoyed these mini cupcakes.  To be honest, they are my second attempt using almond flour, since my first try came out a little odd*, and although I always eat what I make no matter how strange looking it turns out, I was happy when I peeked into the oven this time around and saw perfect little cupcakes forming. The trick is in the combination of almond and coconut flours that I used which makes a perfectly light, moist and intensely flavorful cake.  This recipe made enough for 24 mini cupcakes as well as a 9- inch cake, so although I brought most of the minis to the party, I was able to enjoy the whole cake at home with my husband, over the course of a few days.  And it was honestly one of the best, non chocolate, treats I have ever had.  I definitely plan to make it again, probably for my birthday next month, in the form of a three layer strawberry shortcake recipe.  Stay tuned for more ideas!! And Happy Easter 2014!!!!

* photos of my slightly disastrous first attempt are displayed at the bottom of the page.